About The Savvy Samster

I was born on the beautiful twin island of Trinidad and Tobago on July 30th, 1989. Needless to say, from a very young age, I had a fiery curiosity... and I mean that quite literally. I was obsessed with fire- always fascinated with the flicker of flames, even if it meant a few scoldings from my parents, who feared I might just burn the house down! That little spark turned out to be the beginning of a lifelong passion: cooking. At just 7 years old, I became vegan and an Adventist- and that introduced me to the world of creativity and innovation. By the age of 9, I was cooking entire family meals, as a parent myself, I could imagine how proud my mother would have been of me- and happy she didn't have to do all of the cooking anymore. Healthy food should never be bland- a policy I adopted as I grew, visited places and realised that vegetarians/vegans were often left with 'less than favourable' options. Often bland or boring- or both. In my mind, it was almost as nobody placed much thought into making meatless food exceptional. Now the truth is, with great ingredients and a dash of creativity vegan/vegetarian foods can be just as delicious- and I've spent most of my years proving exactly that.

From perfecting vegetarian and vegan meals to embracing meat-based dishes later in life, I've never stopped learning, exploring and experimenting. Working in food establishments gave me the hands-on experience I needed to sharpen my culinary skills and build confidence in the kitchen. During my first pregnancy, while my husband worked night shifts, I found comfort and inspiration in late-night Food Network marathons- especially Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Iron Chef America. Those hours transported me beyond my Trini roots and into a world of global cuisine. Italian, Asian, American, French, Spanish- my kitchen soon became a playground for bold, vibrant flavours. My passion refined with the years of both learning and experimenting- I turned my intention to another love of mine, gardening. As a child, I've always loved the idea of growing and preserving my own foods. I started a tiny backyard container garden (as I don't own my own home yet) and got to planting. What a rollercoaster of a ride that was! Whew!... Let's just say, I'll revisit that passion when I'm officially a homeowner. I opted for going to the farmers' market to look for the best, the freshest-seasonal fruits and veggies I could find and so, I created monthly scheduled MARKET HAULS- a practice I quite enjoy.

Now that i'm a wife and busy mother of two- life demands so much of me. And although I've faced so many challenges (with both my physical and mental health) I still love creating new recipes and unique flavours; because this truly brings me joy. I read a quote one day that resonated deep within me and I allowed it to take root and stay with me for all my days, it said, "Whatever sets your soul on fire, do that." I've now learned to incorporate my love of all things cooking and home-making, into my creativity, great storytelling ability and my deep desire to share and inspire. A little over a year ago, I decided to make the leap into the Social Media pool and so, THE SAVVY SAMSTER was born. I share my own delicious recipes, savvy tips and tricks on homemaking, and little slices of my Island life with love and intention. My greatest desire is to inspire the uninspired and throughout this journey so far, I've learned that YOU, your continued love and support inspired me at times when I lacked motivation and inspiration. Thank you!

This website and blog is my gift to you. It is to be a gentle reminder that you can do hard things, you can be intentional and you can live a life of fulfilment- even on your hardest days... Ask me how I know- Here we can build an unbreakable community. So even if you are not a cook, or a gardener, if you have no interest in learning how to can or preserve food, you are still welcome to come along for the ride- but stay on board for the fun, the love, the laughter, the inspiration and the friendship. So, my SAMSTER, I eagerly await connecting with you!

With Love, Samantha Stiell The Savvy Samster

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