Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!

Did this week through you off a bit, with a holiday smack dab in the middle of it? For many of us, yesterday seemed like Monday. Well, guess what? This isn't Tuesday. It's Friday! Vinegar Friday! And you know what that means? A tidbit or two about vinegar, starting with something tasty.

I made a salad the other night with lettuce fresh-picked from our garden and complemented with farmers' market fresh candy onions and another vegetable I don't even remember the name of (a cross between a radish and cucumber), and some store bought organic carrots and celery. I added some homemade croutons, fried up in virgin coconut oil with garlic and marjoram from my garden. Oh my, were they good!! Anyway, as if the salad weren't already good enough, I made a dressing that was insanely good and very simple. I had one of those cruets with the -V- -W- and -O- markings. I poured champagne vinegar up to the first mark, added water to the second mark and finished it off with oil. I decided not to add any herbs or spices. Let me tell you, this dressing was delicious. I highly recommend picking up a bottle of champagne vinegar and trying it for yourself. You can use whatever kind of oil you prefer, but I chose to skip the better-for-me olive oil because of its strong flavor, and I opted for a lighter vegetable oil blend.

So there's the tasty part of today's vinegar tips. It's making me hungry just thinking about it.

But while we're on the vinegar and oil track, I just wanted to mention a cost-cutting beauty routine you might appreciate. After all, toners and moisturizers can be expensive ... especially if you're using the ones that aren't laden with all the dangerous chemicals I've been talking about a lot lately. Do you want a cheap, but effective, alternative?

After you wash your face at night, tone it with undiluted apple cider vinegar. Follow up with a little bit of coconut oil (which is solid under 70 degrees F and liquid above that). I have a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom for cosmetic reasons. I just dip my fingers in and spread it over my face. Less is best, or you'll end up with a greasy pillow!  


In the morning, I spread a thin layer of coconut oil on my face again before putting on my makeup. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than the foundation bases you can buy and works just as well. 


And one more reminder -- skip the fabric softener! Just pour a half cup of distilled white vinegar in your washer and let the vinegar do its magic. Not only does it soften, but it also disinfects! And, again, it's cheaper than fabric softener, so this is another tip that will save you money.


By the time your laundry's dry on the line (you are line-drying, aren't you?), there will be no trace of vinegar odor ... just the marvelously refreshing smell of wind and sun. Ahhh ... heaven.


Keeping it green, and cost effective, with vinegar,


Hana


For lots more tips on using vinegar in place of toxins, check out my book, Vinegar Fridays, available at Lulu.com and Amazon.com.