#I keep trying to make zucchini because it's easy to prepare and cook but I keep forgetting that I don't like it that much. Very meh | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

weaselle · 4 years ago

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cooking for people who have no idea what they are doing (or are just, like, real depressed)

Okay, I’m a professional cook, but also, I get depressed. This is the cooking I do when I’m depressed, because I need the simplest path to a whole meal.

This is not for vegetarians, because, while I wholeheartedly support people choosing vegetarianism, and also enjoy cooking for vegetarians, for me, the simplest path to a meal includes meat. Perhaps when I am less depressed I will work on options.

A lot of recipes focus on achieving food that is in some way special, using special techniques, or using a precise list of carefully measured high-end ingredients... and that’s not this, this is all the parts of cooking that are not those things.

First, shopping

Meats Starches Veggies Sauces Breakfast/Snack

For a whole week you’re going to want

3 kinds of meat, with five portions each. So, for example, five chicken breasts, 10 sausage links, and 2-3 pounds of ground beef. Other possibilities include pork chops, salmon, some kind of steak, whatever.

You’re going to want up to 3 starches. Honestly I usually stick to just rice, but you can go with rice, potatoes, and pasta. If you want to use quinoa or polenta or something, thats on you.

And, you’re going to want about 3 types of vegetables, again, about 5 portions each -- and try to stay green. So personally, I usually get 5 medium zucchini, 2 medium heads of broccoli, and then either yellow squash or mushrooms. A bag of salad greens is also a good option, and I have an easy way to make a good salad, which I will do as a separate post.

Next pick something easy that works as either breakfast or a snack. For me this is a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a bunch of bananas. Sometimes it’s nice to have an additional option here, like cereal or yogurt.

Last, you’ll want 2-5 sauces in bottles. I would definitely recommend a low sodium soy sauce be one of them, and maybe a BBQ sauce for the other. I usually also include worcestershire and sriracha but go with whatever you want, teriyaki sauce, A1, whatever you know you’ll eat. Hell, you can use Italian style salad dressing as a cookable sauce if you really want.

Oh, and If you don’t already have some at the house, you’ll need pan lube: butter and/or some kind of cooking oil.

Okay! we’re done shopping! Affordability isn’t the main focus here, but is undeniably important -- I live in a very expensive area, this shopping trip is going to feed me well for a week and costs me about $100 bucks. When I was living in Alabama, it probably would have cost me more like $70. You won’t need to get stuff like the sauce and rice and peanut butter every week, so you’re definitely looking at a monthly grocery bill of something like $300 depending on where you live, and that’s not too bad.

Prep

hell no, I’m depressed, the only prep I’m doing is putting two packages of meat in the freezer and the rest of this stuff in the fridge. You CAN box or bag each portion of meat separately so you can really alternate what you eat -- me, I’m gonna eat chicken for two or three days, then beef for two or three days, etc.

and listen, don’t fuck around with microwave settings or running water on things to defrost them. If you package the meat all up separately, just move a portion from the freezer to the fridge each time you cook dinner. Or, if you do like me, move the whole package when you go to cook your last portion of the previous stuff, and just deal with the fact that it will probably still be a tiny bit frozen when you go to cook next.

Tip: When you cook dinner, you’re going to make enough for lunch. That just leaves you one small meal - I often smear peanut butter on a peice of bread and wrap it around a banana like a taco - fast, easy, practically no dishes, relatively healthy

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Cooking (this is going to take about 25 minutes)

You’re going to need

ONE frying pan, medium size w/ lid ONE boil pot, medium size w/ lid knife, a spatula and a cutting board.

If you want to be fancy, you can include a big spoon. Looks like this

No matter what the specific ingredients you’ve chosen, the basic format is going to be:

Start your starch heat pan, put meat in the pan flip meat and add veggies, cover with lid remove meat and add sauce finish starch put everything on a plate while it is still too hot to eat and you are standing in the kitchen anyway, wash the like, 4 dishes you’ve gotten dirty. eat.

Okay, before you even get everything else out, start your starch. For rice this means rinse the rice and put it in the cold water and set it on high heat, for pasta this means put your salted water on the stove on high heat. For potatoes, you can use my perfect mashed potatoes recipe (I’ll do that as a separate post) or, honestly, you can wait until you’re halfway done with the rest of everything and microwave the sucker for like 8 minutes. I would never do that in a restaurant, but trying to feed my lethargic depressed ass? Absolutely.

easy rice: Fill your smallest coffee cup with rice, put it in the pot. Rinse. Fill the same cup twice with water, add to rice. Bring to a boil, give a good stir, turn heat all the way down, put a lid on it for something like 15 more minutes.

Okay, now lube your pan. Butter, olive oil, whatever. You’re probably looking at an amount more than a teaspoon and less than a table spoon of whichever you use. Personally I try to use as little olive oil as possible, so I pour a large coin sized amount (a quarter in the U.S.) into the pan, ear off a piece of the paper towel I’m going to use as my napkin for the evening, fold it up tight, and sort of paint the oil around so a little goes a longer way.

Pan lubed? Great, turn your burner on. highest heat will work but is not ideal, medium heat will work better but is still not ideal. Halfway between the two is perfect for chicken, a little hotter for beef, a little lower for fish.

Now remove two portions of your chosen protein (that way you’ll have tomorrow’s lunch too). By the time you get the packaging open and stuff, your pan is probably hot. If it’s not, let it get hot. You don’t want the oil to start smoking (warning, butter will burn faster than oil) but if you shake a single drop of water off your finger into the pan, you want it to sizzle.

If your pan is hot, put your meat in. The more you do this, the more you’ll perfect the timing, but you’re going to cook it for ~about~ 7 minutes before you flip it, maybe a couple minutes longer if it’s chicken or pork, maybe a couple minutes less if it’s beef.

Now that your meat is in, prepare your veggie. Rinse it off, cut off any part of it you don’t want to eat, and then cut what’s left into pieces the size of a large bite. Don’t worry, it’s going to get a little smaller when you cook it. Take your time, you’ll probably finish in less time than the meat needs.

Time to flip your meat? Great. Do that, and then dump your chopped up veggie in the pan. It does not matter at all if the pieces are not touching the bottom of the pan -probably most of them will not be, a bunch will be on top of the meat, that’s fine.

Put a lid on it. Now add your pasta to the water, or put your potato in the microwave, or check your rice. If following my perfect mashed potato recipe, mash now.

Rice tip, checking: eat a grain, you want zero crunch. If it’s not done and there’s no liquid, add a splash of water and stir. It it’s done or close to done, but it is still very wet, give it a big stir and leave on the stove with the lid off for a couple minutes.

Your meat still has like, at least 4 minutes, so rinse off your cutting board and chef knife, get out a plate, table knife and fork.

Meat done? Great. Take the meat out of the pan, leaving the veggies in. Add sauce to the pan. I like to also use a little wine, because it’s usually already in the house, if you have some and want to, pour a large swallow of wine in the pan with the sauce. I’ll often mix a couple sauces, like worcestershire and soy (makes something similar to teriyaki) or hot sauce and BBQ

Stir the sauce around with the veggies. This, called deglazing, is an important step for two reasons, 1: it will get up a lot of the flavorful stuff that has stuck to the pan and make your sauce better, and 2: it will make washing the pan much easier. Okay, put the lid back on for one to two minutes, maybe stir a couple times. Basically you want the sauce to stain the veggies.

Your starch should be done, turn off the burner, put a portion on your plate, and stick the rest in a ziplock or tupperware or something. Go ahead and throw the second portion of meat right in there with it.

Turn off the stove and scoop the veggies onto the plate, and pour the sauce from the pan over everything.

Now, while it’s too hot to eat, and you’re standing in the kitchen anyway, wash the pot, pan, and spatula. It should be very easy because of the way you used the sauce and because nothing has had a chance to harden. This usually takes me about 2 full minutes.

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OKAY! it’s been 20-25 minutes, you’ve got dinner and tomorrow’s lunch (just add another cut up veggie, pour a different sauce on, and put it in the microwave for two or three minutes) AND there’s no danger of dishes piling up on you :) You can even add “washing last night’s plate and fork for use tonight” to where you rinse the cutting board to really keep it full circle.

It’s not gormet. It IS accessibly healthy, affordable, and easy.

If you are extra depressed, forget the starch and use more veggies; this cuts what little work there is by up to half

Using this format, you can have three good meals per day and only spend 30 total minutes a day in the kitchen — including clean up! (dishes piling up tends to exacerbate my depression and makes cooking your next meal harder)

And it’s easy to give yourself a wide variety, from soy glazed chicken, zucchini and rice one night; to steak, mushrooms and pasta the next; followed by BBQ pork chops, brocoli and potatoes... I suck at math but there’s probably a hundred options

Just to recap, because I know I was very detailed and this might seem overwhelming, once you read through the above to answer any questions you might have, simply

-Start your starch -lube & heat pan, put meat in the pan, about 7 minutes -flip meat, add veggies, lid, about 7 minutes -wash knife and cutting board -remove meat and add sauce to veggies, re-lid, 1-2 minutes -finish starch, refrigerate extra meat and starch -put everything left on a plate -wash pot and pan -eat.

#cooking #food #depression meals

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ayybtch · 4 years ago

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Bread

Wanda Maximoff x f!Reader, Baker!AU + Friends to Lovers

Chapter 5 of Made With Love

Word Count: 3,292

Chapter Warnings: Our two favorite idiots are so blind it’s not even funny, lots of yearning, some brief mentions of alcohol consumption towards the end

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for being patient with me on getting this posted. School and work have been crazy, but I’m almost done for the semester so hopefully it won't be as long for the next update. Shout out to my Grandma for sending me her paprikash recipe so I would actually know what I was talking about for this chapter. We literally never speak but she did me a real solid on this one and I will be adding paprikash into my regular cooking schedule once fall hits. Full disclosure though, I literally Googled “What wine pairs with chicken paprikash” and the wines mentioned are what it gave me. Please let me know what you think! I love reading your guys’s comments, it really makes my day.

Hey, so everyone is going to be out on a mission tomorrow night except for me. Any chance I can cash in on that raincheck? There’s a Bewitched marathon happening.

You smiled at Wanda’s message, quickly typing out your response. Definitely! Would you like to join me for bread day tomorrow?

She responded almost immediately. YES!

You couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. She had been wanting to make bread ever since the two of you made snickerdoodles. She brought it up almost constantly, mostly as a joke to get back at you for all of the times you teased her about it.

Up to this point, Wanda refused to accept any of your attempts to say thank you for helping you out through the cupcake debacle, saying that this was the sort of thing that friends were for. It only felt right that this should be the next thing to bake as your own special way of saying thank you.

As excited as you were to spend time with her and teach her how to do this, you couldn’t help but feel incredibly nervous at the same time. Why had Wanda decided to share her sexuality with you after all this time?

Okay, scratch that. You understood why she shared it with you when she did. The real question is what to do with the information now that you had it.

Was it just a general knowledge sort of a deal? Or was this her way of trying to say she was interested?

You groaned and put your head in your hands. This is why you hadn’t dated someone since your last relationship ended. You needed big flashing lights that screamed “I want to date you!” before you’d catch on, and even that didn’t work sometimes. If someone tried to be subtle, you were an absolute lost cause. You did your best to recall every interaction you had with Wanda that could even remotely be considered as her flirting or expressing interest.

She did smile at you a lot, even more than she smiled at Sam and Bucky who she clearly adored. She also certainly didn’t shy away from physical contact and had even initiated it several times. She had also remembered your coffee and bagel order from the one random time it came up weeks ago...

Suddenly, everything started to add up. All of those glances that had left your heart racing, all of those little touches...maybe Wanda was interested in you?

Your heart felt ready to burst out of your chest with joy.

Wanda didn’t arrive at the bakery until almost noon. The majority of the bread had been baked already; the only bread left to make was hers.

The two of you said your hello’s and caught up a bit as she stepped in to put on her apron and began washing her hands. Once the conversation slowed, you started your rundown for today’s bake.

“Bread is actually a lot easier than it looks but there are a couple of points we’re going to need to be careful at. I’ll remind you about them as we go about but I figured it would be good to have them all in your head now.

“We’re going to be very conscientious about temperatures this entire bake in a way we haven’t really needed to before. When we’re dealing with the yeast, we need the milk around 110 to 115o so the yeast activates properly. We also want things to be warm during the rise times, which shouldn’t be too much of an issue given the ovens have been on most of the day. Once it’s in the oven, we aren’t going to mess with it at all until the last couple minutes and that’s only if we need it to brown further.”

Wanda nodded along as you spoke. “I don’t know how much of an actual problem this is because you’re here, but I always hear a lot about overworking or underworking the dough. How do I know if it’s been kneaded enough?”

“Ah, good question! If the dough keeps getting really flat and not holding its shape, it’s underworked. If the dough is overworked, it gets kind of hard and not easy to work with. The good news is that we’re kneading by hand since it’s your first time and it’s a lot less likely to happen that way than in a mixer.”

She looked unconvinced but nodded. “Okay, so where do we begin?”

The first fifteen minutes of the bake flew by quickly. The yeast mixture had been prepared and was almost ready for the rest of the ingredients to be mixed in. Wanda was completely in awe at how the mixture looked.

To be fair to her though, the yeast mixture does look very weird if you’re not used to seeing it.

Once the flour, salt, and eggs were mixed in, the true fun began. Everything was mixed just enough to be combined into a rough, sticky ball of dough before being taken out of the mixer and onto the floured counter. Wanda followed along as you sprinkled some flour on your dough and began to knead, doing her best to mirror your motions.

You watched her out of the corner of your eye as you worked the dough, waiting to see what she would do. It was hard to hold back your giggles as you watched her. She was practically just squeezing the dough in different directions. You gave her a few minutes to see if she would work things out, but eventually, you set your dough down and moved closer to her.

“Here, let me help,” you said. Your hands moved so they were on top of hers, you tried guiding her through the motions, only for things to fail miserably.

“Okay, can I try something that might be a little weird? It’s just that I’m not used to kneading at an angle like that so it’s throwing off my muscle memory.”

She nodded and you adjusted yourself so you were now standing behind her. Your arms slid around either side of her waist and your hands rested on top of hers. This time, your hands knew what they were doing and you were able to help guide her through the motion. Even after she got it, you remained standing behind her, your chin resting against her shoulder.

The feelings that washed over you as you stood there with her were hard to describe. There was nothing necessarily comfortable about the position you were in, but your whole body felt more relaxed than it had all day. At the same time though, everything felt electrifying. You hoped she couldn’t feel the way your heart was thumping against your chest.

It wasn’t until you realized Wanda had paused and turned back slightly to face you slightly that you stepped back. An apology rose up in your throat only to die as you noticed the small smile on her face. You shot a smile back at her before moving back to your spot, turning your attention back to the job at hand.

The rest of the bake went smoothly, despite Wanda’s fretting about if the bread was rising enough. It didn’t take long before you had two perfectly round loaves of bread sitting next to each other on the cooling rack. Wanda had not stopped smiling since they came out of the oven. Even though that was her usual response, this time felt different.

For the second time that day, you were left trying to describe impossible feelings. Was it her eyes that felt different? They were lit beautifully, radiating so much joy it was impossible to not feel just as excited. But how was that any different from usual? Her eyes always captivated you and left you breathless. Maybe it was the new shade of pink lipstick she had on. It was perfectly accentuating the shape of her lips, to the point you couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like to feel them pressed against yours.

You may not be able to pinpoint what the look was, all you knew is that you were grateful to be a part of why her smile was so big.

After she finished taking pictures of the loaves, she turned to you. “That was incredible! I had no idea bread could be that simple.”

You nodded along, unable to hold back a smile. “I told you it wasn’t too bad, there are just a couple spots you have to be sure to navigate well. And clearly -” you gestured towards the loaves, “- you did. Maybe I should start worrying about you stealing my job.”

Her laughter filled the kitchen at your teasing.

As her laugher began to die out, her focus turned back on to you. “Okay, so what time were you thinking of coming over? I’m making us dinner and want to try and have it finishing up right around the time you get there.”

You glanced over at the clock and then back to the to-do list written out on the whiteboard above your desk before answering, “I think it’ll probably be close to five if I had to guess. I still have to finish cleaning some stuff here and I promised to go help Charlie work out some menu options for that picnic thing that’s coming up.”

Wanda nodded along, “Are you going to that?”

“I’m working it, so I, unfortunately, don’t have much of a choice.”

She nodded again. “Same here, actually. All of the Avengers are required to be unless there’s some sort of alien invasion again or something…” She trailed off a moment before continuing. “I was planning on making paprikash. Is that okay with you? I don’t know if there’s anything you can’t or don’t like to eat.”

“I’ve actually never had that before so that would be wonderful! I’m pretty easy when it comes to food. The only things I don’t like are mushrooms and zucchini, but I’ll still eat them if I have to.”

Wanda gasped, “You don’t like mushrooms? How do you not like mushrooms?”

You just shrugged, “Okay, I’m actually pretty neutral on mushrooms. I’ll still eat them. I just don’t go out of my way to make them for myself. Zucchini is a firm no, though.”

She gave you a side-eye but relented. “Well, there are no mushrooms or zucchini in this, but just know I’m going to have to keep an eye on you from now on. I don’t know how we’ve made it this far into our friendship without me knowing you’re an anti-mushroom heathen.”

The two of you joked around for a few minutes longer before she left to start preparing for dinner.

Planning the menu with Charlie didn’t take very long, which you were grateful for. He already had a decent idea of what he wanted to do, so the main thing left was to figure out how much food to order to prepare it. The two of you also agreed upon what you needed to make. Most of your responsibilities centered around desserts, specifically pies, though you agreed to make some fresh rolls and soft pretzels as well.

You were thankful for the meeting to end though because it meant the remaining time you had left could be spent getting ready to go see Wanda.

‘Getting ready’ was perhaps a bit dramatic. You were just changing out of your usual work clothes into something a little cuter. It was nothing particularly fancy, but it was an outfit you felt both confident and comfortable in. You had also made sure to pack some toiletries that morning, allowing you to freshen up your deodorant and brush your teeth as well.

As you stepped into the elevator and pressed the button, you couldn’t help but feel a bit jittery. The past few times you’ve made your way to that part of the building you’ve been nervous about the other Avengers not wanting you there. This time though, all of your nerves could be attributed entirely to Wanda. You weren’t sure what to expect of tonight, but you were determined to have a fun night filled with food and good company.

The warm smell of paprika filled the air and made your stomach grumble as soon as you stepped out of the elevator. Once you were inside, you found Wanda in the kitchen, stirring in some additional seasonings.

“This smells incredible,” you said, setting the two loaves of bread down on the counter.

Wanda beamed. “Thanks! This is my great grandmother’s recipe and is one of my favorite things to make.” As she set the spoon down, she walked towards the fridge. “I bought some wine to go along with dinner if you would like some.”

“Yes please, wine sounds amazing right now.”

“I have a chardonnay and a Barolo, which would you prefer?” she asked, turning back towards you.

You shrugged, “Whichever one you want.”

She nodded and pulled out the Barolo. It didn’t take long for the bottle to be opened and to have a glass of wine in your hand.

It wasn’t until you took your first sip that you realized Wanda had also changed. Your breathing hitched as you looked her up and down. Gone were her jeans and old T-shirts, replaced by a pair of cut-off shorts and a stylishly oversized T-shirt. If it weren’t for the fuzzy wool socks on her feet, you’d assume she was camera-ready. Hell, even with the funny socks she was the most beautiful woman you had ever seen.

You realized you were staring and abruptly began looking around the kitchen, trying to find something to do that would take your mind off of how hot Wanda looked. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Wanda shook her head no. “There’s not really anything to be done, this just needs to simmer for about another five minutes and we’ll be good to go. Why don’t you go have a seat at the table and I’ll be over in just a moment with some bread slices and butter. Once this is ready I’ll bring it in as well.”

You nodded and made your way out of the kitchen and towards the table.

It wasn’t until you were seated that you realized how well the table was set. Both seats had beautiful flatware laid out, with silverware organized neatly to the side. Underneath was a crisp, pure white table cloth. What caught your attention the most though were the two lit candles sitting between your chair and hers. It wasn’t until you noticed the candles that you also noticed the music playing softly in the background.

Everything about the setup screamed ‘fancy first date’.

Before you had much of a chance to dwell on the thought, Wanda arrived with several slices of bread and a small dish of butter. You thanked her before she walked back towards the kitchen. She returned soon after with the pot of paprikash, setting it on the hot pad in the center of the table. She walked around to her seat and soon both of you had your plates filled and began to eat.

It was impossible to hold back a satisfied sigh as you took your first bite. It tasted just as delicious, if not better than it smelled. The chicken was cooked perfectly and all but melted in your mouth. The paprika added a nice rich flavor and added extra depth to the creaminess of the sauce.

“Wanda this is incredible.”

She smiled at you brightly, “If you think it’s good by itself, try dipping the bread with some butter in it.”

You did as she said and this time instead of a satisfied sigh, you let out a satisfied moan. “You are going to have to give me this recipe. This is so good I don’t even know what to say, all I want to do is keep eating.”

Wanda laughed at your enthusiasm. “Tell you what, I’ll teach you how to make it sometime. It’s about time I taught you something in the kitchen.”

Dinner was a blast. The two of you spent more of it laughing and talking than eating. The bottle of Barolo was finished before dinner was done. It didn’t take long before it was replaced by the chardonnay.

Once dinner was over, you fought Wanda to let you help clean up the kitchen. Her argument that guests shouldn’t help was shot down as you pointed out she’s technically a guest in the bakery, yet she always helps clean up after she’s been in there. She grumbled about it but quickly conceded. It didn’t take long for the kitchen to be cleaned up and even less time after that for her to drag you over to the couch.

The first-ever episode of “Bewitched” was halfway finished by the time the two of you had settled into your spots on the couch. Currently, Samantha and Darrin were at his ex-girlfriend's house for a dinner party and the girlfriend was doing everything she could to make Samantha feel inferior. Samantha, of course, wasn’t having it and was willing to fudge her promises of not using magic to level the playing field.

Wanda laughed along perfectly in time with the sitcom track. The more she laughed, the more your attention turned from being on the TV to be on her. This was the most relaxed and happy you had ever seen her. She had a small, almost imperceivable smile that grew as she became more and more emerged into the episode. Each time she laughed, you noticed how her nose would scrunch up in the cutest way and it took everything you had to not lean over and kiss her.

What you wouldn’t give to make her as happy as this show.

It wasn’t until the end credits were about to roll that you forced yourself to look back at the screen, unsure of how she’d respond if she caught you staring.

As the next episode cued up, she reached out and grabbed her glass of wine before turning to face you.“So, what do you think? Could I have been a Samantha in another life?”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Definitely, though I can’t see you being willing to hide your powers just because a man wants you to.”

Wanda nearly choked on the sip of wine she had taken. “You got me there.”

She finished the glass and set it back on the table before letting out a loud yawn. “Sorry, I probably should’ve warned you beforehand that wine makes me a little sleepy.” She paused for a moment before she continued, “It also makes me incredibly cuddly…”

A rush of emotions washed over you as you processed her words. Was she asking to come cuddle with you?

The hopeful look in her eye suggested she was.

Pure, unadulterated joy swept over your body and you had to fight the urge to jump up and down from excitement. You did your best to collect yourself before you replied, hoping that the answer was indeed what you were looking for.

“Is that your way of asking if you can come snuggle?”

She smiled at you sheepishly, which made you laugh. You moved over on the couch, moving around some of the throw pillows so you could lay down.

“Well, what are you waiting for then?”

Wanda didn’t hesitate for a moment and soon was laying on top of you, her head resting on your chest. One of your arms wrapped loosely around her back after she settled in.

A comfortable silence fell over you as you laid there together, watching Bewitched until you fell asleep.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff x y/n #wanda maximoff fan fiction

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route22ny · 3 years ago

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On Dillon Toscano’s first day at GrowGood Urban Farm, located just 20 minutes southeast of downtown Los Angeles, he was put to work building chicken coops. The farm was expecting a delivery of baby chicks, which Toscano was excited about. “We got to see these chickens grow, and that was a whole understanding of farm life for me,” he says, reminiscing.

But as cute as those baby chicks were, covered in a downy white-blonde fuzz, they didn’t offset the amount of work required to build their coops and prepare for their arrival. “It’s not easy work, growing, plowing, it was very humbling,” says Toscano. “It was sweaty work.”

Still, Toscano came back, day after day, for nearly two years. He planted seeds and harvested their fruit. He raked, plowed, weeded and plucked until his shirts were soaked with sweat. He stood barefoot in the gardens, listening to the subtle sounds of the birds and insects and plants around him. Eventually, he started doing yoga in the garden and attending counseling sessions around a huge tree while sitting comfortably in its shade. He tuned in to the rhythms and energy of the sun rising and setting, finding peace as he walked among the plants.

Dillon Toscano on GrowGood Urban Farm. (Photo courtesy of GrowGood)

GrowGood isn’t your average farm, and Toscano is not your average farm hand.

At GrowGood, located in Bell, California, farm hands and volunteers are all residents of the Salvation Army shelter across the street. About 30 feet from the gates of the 1.5-acre urban farm, the shelter houses hundreds of people, and it feeds them with food grown right outside their door. The farm offers counseling sessions in the garden, and the farm tries to introduce and tailor programs to what their residents want. That’s how Toscano found himself doing yoga and meditation in the middle of a lettuce patch—and loving it.

The small farm has 72 fruit trees planted, as well as a wide variety of produce. Salad greens are popular, along with peppers to snack on. Okra, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, carrots and cherry tomatoes each have their own little areas. In the winter, the farm produces kale and collard greens, which grow next to pumpkin and squash patches. But even more impressive than the crops the farm grows is the impact they have on the people who harvest them.

“Even just taking the carrot out of the ground and washing it off [is impactful],” says farm manager Francis River. “[People] really appreciate those moments, because it’s kind of this special moment where some people have never pulled a carrot out of the ground and have been able to eat it.”

Something as simple as picking a peach or an orange from a tree can light a spark in visitors to the farm. “We have several people who really want to get into tree care, because they just have this experience where they’re harvesting straight from the tree,” says River.

For farm hands such as Toscano, the farm has provided a unique opportunity for healing. There, he learned a technique called grounding, where he makes physical contact with the earth below him. “At least two hours, minimum, a day,” Toscano advises. “That was the goal, and it really started helping with my recovery.”

Like many of the roughly 500 residents who live or attend programs at the shelter, Toscano found himself at the gates of GrowGood while trying to detox from years of drug addiction. Knowing that other paths to sobriety hadn’t worked for him, Toscano was an eager farm hand, wanting to “take advantage of everything” the farm had to offer, including an addiction recovery program.

Farm manager Francis River. (Photo courtesy of GrowGood)

That’s what farm manager River likes to hear. When volunteers from the shelter come to GrowGood, he’s excited to welcome them, teach them the basics of farm management and then watch as they find little pockets of transformation through plowing, planting and harvesting. One of the popular programs the farm offers is called Food For Life. “It basically guides participants through gentle yoga in the farm, as well as meditation, breathing exercises and a kind of an open discussion about where they are, expressing things that they’re going through,” River explains. “Part of the program is learning to handle anxiety and stress and all these traumas, while they’re also in this little wooded area, surrounded by native plants.”

It’s hard to believe that there could be an urban oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle, but River says the farm really does have a different energy to it. “You can sit down, and not see a telephone pole of a building, and you’re away from the road. You don’t see any cars. It’s a little hidden gem,” he says. “It’s just a safe space where we’re involved with nature and agriculture, but also building this trust and this kind of openness and vulnerability.”

Farm hands and volunteers attend counseling groups underneath the farm’s tree. (Photo courtesy of GrowGood)

In the future, River would love to expand the programs offered at the farm. He’s looked into bringing more meditation or yoga coaches on board to lead classes or having chefs host culinary and cooking classes with the fresh produce. During the COVID-19 pandemic, having a safe and open outdoor space has become even more important for River and the volunteer farm hands, and he wants to find ways to help them grow even further. “I would love to be able to get some funding to do more transitional employment programs, where we can actually pay people to work and build up their resume, so then they can help bridge the employment gap for them going forward,” River says. “There’s always projects I’m happy to find and do.”

Those opportunities certainly helped to change Toscano’s life. Since walking onto the GrowGood farm in 2015, he’s left the shelter and opened his own dog boarding and grooming business with his wife. He’s been sober for five years, and he credits much of that to lessons he learned at the farm.

“The way that I’ve been able to [maintain sobriety] is by keeping my program going, making sure I utilize all those things that I took from the farm,” he says.

Worth a look: https://www.grow-good.org/

#los angeles #urban farming #addiction recovery #GrowGood #salvation army

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luizrodrigues91 · 3 years ago

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Plant-Based vs Animal-Based Diets

Hey everyone, today I want to talk a little bit about a very interesting diet that is very popular nowadays, the Plant-Based diet. I will give you a brief explanation of the main difference between a Plant-Based diet and an Animal-Based Diet. I will be also sharing a super delicious and healthy vegan recipe.

As the name suggests, The plant-based diet consists of consuming food that is primarily from plants; This includes vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and oils. On the other hand, in an animal-based diet, your main source of food comes from animals like fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy and so on.

For years, people has been skeptical about adopting a plan-based diet because they believe essential nutrients such as protein and amino acids that are necessary for our body to work effectively and maintain a good health can only come from animal products. The truth is that you can fulfill all your protein needs from a plant-based diet too, with the value added that they are rich in fibre, minerals, vitamins, and it is free of cholesterol and very low in fats and calories as opposed to food based on animals which are typically rich in calories, cholesterol, saturated fat, etc., which can endanger our health when consumed in excess.

Having a plant-based diet is very healthy and can help you prevent a variety of diseases like heart disease, diabetes type 2, cancer and many more. A diet rich in animal products could increase the likelihood of suffering health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease due to the amount of saturated fat that can be found in some meats, reason why It is recommended to limit meat consumption and substitute with plant-based food. Also, diabetes type 2 is linked to bad fat consumption, which wouldn’t be a problem on a plant-based diet where the amount of bad fat is low, helping the body to keep a healthy weight, improve insulin functions, and regulate the blood sugar, preventing the risk of having this disease. Furthermore, many studies are suggesting that a plant-based diet can even help to prevent cancer because this diet is rich in nutrients, minerals, and fibre which increase the protection of our body against these disorders.

As if the health benefits of a plan-based diet was not enough, This diet has also a positive impact on the enviroment. The production of food based on animal sources are responsible for a good amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which has a huge impact on the climate change. If people start eating more plant-based products, the production of animal-based food would decrease and the environment will benefit from that.

I am personally not a huge fan of meat and I limited its consumption drastically over the past couple years because I realized that my body does not work well when I eat a lot of meat. I changed my way of eating and included more plant-based food on my diet. Since I made this easy and simple changes, my body and my mind feel better.

In order to include more vegetarian dishes on my diet, I had to experiment and get creative in the kitchen, which has been a pleasant surprise because plant- based products are so rich in textures, flavours, and colours that the possibilities are endless. Speaking about dishes, I want to share with you a Vegan recipe that I love and it is inspired by a famous Disney movie named “Ratatouille”.

When I saw that movie my mouth was watering; as soon as the movie ended, I did some internet research and rushed to the grocery store to get all the ingredients to make my version of ratatouille. Ever since, I make this recipe on a regular basis for my family and friends and they love it. I have made some changes from the original recipe over the years to accommodate personal preferences resulting in an exquisite and enhanced version of the original. Below you will find my version of the famous Ratatouille recipe and cooking instructions.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

- 2 Eggplants, small

- 2 Zucchinis, small

- 2 Carrots, small

- 6 Roma tomatoes

- 4 Yellow potatoes

- 2 tsp Tomato pasto

- 1 Onion, diced

- 4 clove Garlic

- 50ml Olive oil

- 30g Green onion or cilantro, garnish

- Water, hot (until cover the ingredients)

- Salt, black pepper and oregano to season

Method:

- Preheat the oven for 375°F (190°C)

- Wash all the vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, carrot, tomato and potato) and start slicing them into thin slices, then set aside

- Save the trimming of the vegetables to make the sauce. (You can include the slices that are not irregular in the sauce)

- Peel and dice the onion and garlic

- Dice the green onion and set aside for garnish

- In a saucepan, put the olive oil and the onions and cook it until start getting the gold color

- Add the vegetable trimmings, diced garlic, tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper

- Add hot water until cover the ingredients and bring to a boil and then to simmer. Let it cook until the ingredients are soft and the water reduces

- After you prepare this mixture (will look like a very concentrated veg soup), let it cool down and then blend it to make the purée

- In a round tray put the sauce (vegetables purée) on the bottom and arrange the sliced vegetables in alternating patterns on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the round tray. After that season with salt, black pepper and oregano. Also drizzle the olive oil on top of the vegetables.

- Cover it with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, then bake for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

- When it’s done you garnish it with the green onion and you can put a pinch of black pepper and oregano on top as well (according to your preference)

This recipe is very easy to make and you can play with the ingredients using the ones of your preference. The biggest challenge in this recipe for me is cutting all the vegetables in the same thickness and shape because I like everything to look uniform but you do not need to worry about that because the flavours will still there anyway. However, I would recommend you to try to cut all the vegetables without any equipment to practise your cutting skills. It is fun!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe and remember that it is totally possible to have a beautiful, flavourful and nutritive dish without any animal-based ingredient. Try to cook any plant-based food (like this one that I did) and invite your family and friends to eat with you. I'm sure that they will like it and will find the flavours very interesting!

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-a-plant-based-diet-and-why-should-you-try-it-2018092614760

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/scientific-benefits-following-plant-based-diet/

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/plant-based-diets

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a-bit-of-owlish-fun · 5 years ago

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Quarantine Shopping and Meal Planning

So I asked about this over on @steve-rogers-new-york and there was a positive response, so here we go. Date: 15 March 2020

Before I start, let me be clear that I am not a professional, just someone who deals with stress by planning, and who has some experience with emergency preparedness having lived in New Zealand during the more recent large earthquakes. Feel free to correct me or make positive additions. For clarity, I am currently in Ontario Canada, and cooking for one person, but have made allowances to feed my unprepared housemate in a pinch.

Priorities with this Pandemic Planning

Unlike some other emergency preparedness priorities, power, water, and phone do not appear to be issues. So you have greater flexibility with what you can make and keep. Your priority should be having a comfortable amount of food on hand in case you cannot leave the house. Don’t go nuts, don’t overbuy, and don’t buy thoughtlessly.

Planning What to Get and Make

When thinking about what to buy and what to make, you want to consider a few things:

How many meals do you need to make? That is, how many people are you feeding and for how long? Calculate the number of meals you need in total and make sure you have enough meals planned to cover those. Obviously, if you can prepare for more than that is good, but don’t go too nuts.

How many portions can a recipe make? You don’t want to be making single-serve meals. It’s inefficient and short-sighted. So pick recipes that make large quantities, that can be portioned up in containers to be chilled or frozen.

Am I being efficient with my ingredients? Are the quantities listed in regularly used recipes the most practical for your current ingredient availability? For example, if you’re making a stew with beef, but beef is in short supply, half the amount the recipe asks for, and then bulk up on potatoes, carrots, zucchini, etc.

What ingredients will last best? Don’t JUST get non-perishables! That just sounds miserable. I’ve had no issue so far getting fruit and vegetables, and if you’re smart with your choices and storage fresh foods can be good choices. This when picking items how long they will hold in your fridge or if they’re freezable.

Don’t forget about breakfast and Lunch!

If money is tight and buying ahead is challenging. Think laterally. Make use of dollar stores like Dollarama, Dollar Tree, or whatever your local variant is. They will often have a great range of shelf-stable foods like pasta, rice, canned goods, and other ingredients at really low prices. And from my experience so far, they seem to have passed the attention of many shoppers and are still in good stock-levels. Start there first, hit multiple ones to get a good variety, then shop at supermarkets for whatever you cannot get there. The quality is good, sometimes brand-names, and they can be far superior than supermarket prices.

Do you have a large stockpot, fry pan, and deep baking dish to make these large meals? If not, see about getting them. Large lasagne pans and other kitchen items can be found cheap at many dollar stores.

Don’t have a car? Me neither. Grab a backpack and some good re-usable bags and make multiple trips for heavier items like cans. Also, consider grocery delivery services. They can be hit and miss right now, as it’s harder to adapt to products being unavailable. This being said, they can be a good way to get bulk, heavier items to your house. Also, consider asking friends or family to get you items when they go and drop them off to you.

What Foods Hold Well and Go Far

Non-Perishables that can extend meals

Pasta and Noodles — Pasta is a great item for entending a meal. Be it soups, stir-fry, oven-bake, or just able anything, you can either cook-in, mix-in, or have as a plain side. They bulk up a meal and make it go further.

Rice — Same as above.

Lentils and Other Legumes — Lentils are great for bulking up and extending soups and stews. Also consider chickpeas, beans, and other legumes.

Potatoes — Potatoes are great! The can be a great base, addition, or side to many many meals. While these will not last indefinitely, if you keep them cool and dark then they will last quite some time.

Non-Perishable Ingredients and Flavouring

Canned Vegetables — Don’t be picky. Yes, get fresh veggies where you can, but also suck it up and get some canned goods as a back-up. Carrots, peas, beans, tomatoes, all that. They’re good, they taste fine, and go well in so many recipes.

Canned Fruit — Many fruits have a shorter shelf-life, so consider some canned alternatives.

Herbs and Spices — Make sure you have a nice spread of these. It’s easy to grab the base ingredients for food, but if you don’t have something to flavour those meals with, you’ll have a miserable time.

Sauces — Same as above.

Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste — Yes, I’m listing this separately because of their versatility. With canned tomatoes, you can make soups, spaghetti, lasagne, chilli, curry...so damn much. So grab a good stock of these.

Perishables

Eggs — Eggs are so damn versatile. Get eggs. When kept in the fridge they keep for a good long time.

Vegetables — Think smart. Get items you know last well in your fridge, and avoid items you usually have to throw-out or use-up within a week or two.

Fruit — Same.

Breads — Same. Also, consider freezing loaves if you have the space to do so. It tastes just as good as fresh, honest.

Frozen

If you have the capacity to get things frozen or to freeze them. Do it. Frozen peas, corn, stir-fry veggies, meats...they last well and taste good.

My Grocery List

This is what I have been buying myself. Not all at once but in multiple trips over the last couple of weeks.

Pantry

Top-up herbs and spices: ground cumin, garam masala, oregano, basil.

Spaghetti pasta

Spiral pasta

Lasagne pasta sheets

Large bag of rice

Flour

Canned tomatoes (4 large cans)

Tomato paste

Canned asparagus

Canned coconut milk (2 cans)

Lentils

Potatoes (6 large)

Onions

Fridge

Eggs (12pc)

Milk

Cheese

Zucchinis (3)

Carrots (large bag)

Lemons (2)

Limes (2)

Bag of spinach

Bell pepper (1)

Crescent Rolls

Freezer

Peas

1kg minced beef

750g stewing beef

Box stuffed chicken breasts (I love ham and cheese and a good addition to any meal)

500g lamb (for curries)

500g stir-fry beef

Household

ONE pack of toilet paper. Seriously. Just get what you personally need.

A couple of small packs of cheap toilet paper from the dollar store.

Pack paper towels

Any cooking materials like tin-foil, parchment paper, that I use regularly.

3-pack tissues (I have killer allergies so I’ll always need them)

Plastic containers for portioning meals in the fridge or freezer.

Meals I have Planned

These aren’t full recipes, but rather a list of ingredients and volumes for grocery references. I might write-up full recipes later if people are interested.

Lasagne

This is my fav vegetarian lasagne that also have minced meat. It makes around 6-8 servings (depending on home much you eat and size of baking dish).

Lasagne sheets (dried) or just those baby lasagne pasta if you like them better. 4 cups Milk 250g Cheese Butter Flour Nutmeg Chicken stock 3 Large Carrots 3 Large Zucchini Large bag of fresh spinach leaves 400g Canned Tomatoes Fresh/Jarred Garlic 500g minced beef Light Herbs (oregano, basil, etc to taste, but not too much)

Vegetable Stew

Technically a soup, but I never blend it and just eat it as is. Makes 3-4 servings alone and 5-8 servings when served with cooked rice.

2 cups dried lentils (soaked overnight) 1 Large Can Tomatoes (not pre-herbed, just used plain) 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock 2 Large Carrots cubed 2 Large Zucchinis (quartered then cubed) Fresh/Jarred Garlic 1 Tbsp Cumin 1 tsp Ground Coriander Fresh Coriander (lots) Fresh ground peppercorn

Beef Stew

500g Stewing Beef 3 Large Potatoes cubed 3 Large Carrots cubed 1-2 cups Frozen Peas Fresh/Jarred Garlic 2-3 Tbsp Flour Fresh ground peppercorn 1 Large Onion 3-4 cup Beef Stock 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste Rosemary 2 Tbsp Cornstarch

D.’s Curry

This is just and random mash-up curry I make. It can be cooked with or without lamb and both taste great. It is not spicy. Makes 2-3 servings

2 Large Onions (one minces with spaces, one sliced) Fresh/Jarred Garlic Fresh/Jarred Ginger Ground Cumin Ground Coriander Ground Cardamon Whole Cardamon Seeds Whole Cumin Seeds Garam Masala 300ml Uncooked Rice (then cook it, obviously)

Closing thoughts

Once you have these items, don’t use them. Carry on like normal and don't use these items unless you need them. Now I have my meals planned, I am back to making normal meals with what I can get. Always have that TWO WEEK buffer on hand at all times.

Purchase your groceries gradually. Don’t buy out in one go, be considerate. Take only what you need.

Visit multiple locations, sell-outs are not the same everywhere and while one supermarket may be sold out of something, another may still have a fresh stock.

More stocks WILL come. So if you cannot find something, make alternate plans, find a substitute, and return every now and then to check stocks. Supermarkets are constantly restocking as they can.

Be kind to customer service workers. They are just trying to get through this like you are. They are not paid well, have no control over their employers' stocks or decisions. They have the same stress you do and you being an asshole is just causing them MORE stress they do not deserve. Be. Kind. Be. Understanding.

Support others. Friends, family, neighbours, co-workers. We do this together.

DON’T STRESS OUT! Be prepared. Be aware. But don’t become overwhelmed, it will all be FINE. We just have to adapt and ride it out <3

I hope this was helpful. Have further suggestions or any corrections, please do let me know, I’m always happy to correct myself. If you have any questions feel free to comment and message me. And if you want those full recipes likewise let me know!

#COVID 19 #coronavirus #Meal Planning #Emergency Planning #Quarantine #Quarantine Plan #Quarantine Shopping

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snowflake-of-destruction · 4 years ago

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vanikai!!

1. How do much do I ship it?: Never heard of it/ Notp / Dislike / used to ship / maybe / ship it / aww / otp / IS IT CANON YET

Fun fact: I started out as maybe and moved to the ship category while writing

2. What non sexual activities do they like to do together?

Grass is Greener Verse:

Theater, as shocking as it is that they can fixate on something where the eyes aren't on either of them. Well, there is the pre-show ritual of Kairi talking about how well she would have done as a stage actress. Vanitas more often takes a supportive rather than sarcastic response to this, and tells her she should go to some open auditions. It's far from too late. She's young, hot, and talented (He presumes the last one, but he'd never bet the opposite...and after he sees the one movie she did and some of the commercials...he'll just keep his mouth shut on talented). Sometimes, she'll beam, call him right, and make plans she doesn't follow through on. Sometimes she's noncommittal. Sometimes she'll glare at him, deciding he's just trying to end conversation or mock that she is all talk. Post-show there's also talk--this time from both of them--about how they could have done better in certain roles, which is a couples bonding activity all on its own. HOWEVER, these types of fantasies are not why they love plays. They think is an engrossing form of storytelling, that make worlds come to life and put you in them more than movies or tv. Also, they are simply dramatic nerds at heart.

They also play tennis. Primarily doubles, though you would be foolish to play against them, but they enjoy competing with each other too.

Rock climbing, but at an indoor rock gym. Anyone who asks them if they are training for something/ever planning a trip receives incredibly incredulous looks and scoffing. Not because of the potential danger, because of the very idea of them out in the wilderness...though sometimes Kairi will counter this by mentioning that one summer she worked for her father's, now Axel's, landscaping business. That was getting dirty in nature. Vanitas's response to this is not for this headcanon space

A more canon-verse approach (what do you mean Vanitas not joining the guardians of light post-kh3 is not canon?): There is a lot of sparring. Vanitas helps Kairi advance her keyblade training and just plain get out some of the anger in the grief of losing Sora. Van doesn't go easy and Kairi likes that. Kairi helps Vanitas with any gaps in education without talking down, pitying or even mentioning his strange upbringing, or, the worst, comparing him to Roxas or Xion (because he has identity issues too). I'm not even talking traditional education, though that too if he wants, but education on social situations...which he's not a complete idiot about. He's actually really good at reading people. He just needs a little guidance on what way to use the info, because he only has like five moves and not every situation calls for "taunt" or "threaten loved one". Kairi makes him a much better manipulator. Thanks Kairi. There's also a lot of snuggling, because I say so, that's why. I just see them both as a bit yearning for physical reassurance in their lonely spells, and also the least likely to say it for their own different reasons, so they read it in each other and just give each other what they need but won't ask for.

Read More before this gets too long

3. Who does chores around the house?

Grass is Greener: Neither, as much as it can be helped. It's a stand off about most of the regular chores, and periodically they have a cleaning service come through that is more thorough than either of them are. More often than not, Kairi is the one that "breaks" over keeping the kitchen clean, and Vanitas about cleaning bathrooms and straightening living areas. Vanitas is very neat as a habit, and Kairi likes her surroundings to show a little bit of how she likes chaos--she just is grossed out by dirty dishes, grease stains, and food crumbs. Cooking is a bit of a fifty-fifty with both preferring quickly assembled meals. Laundry is taken down to nothing-to-wear levels, and then it's whoever needs something first. Though sometimes this all goes out the windows, and Kairi goes through "Look, I'm a fifties housewife" sprints where suddenly everything's spotless and she's cooked a three course dinner and did it all in a cocktail dress because she didn't realize you're supposed to change into the dress after.

Kinda-canon: Vanitas. He has a lot of pent up emotions and sometimes you have got to stress clean or cook. Kairi would help, but the arrangement of Vanitas doing the lion's share and it seeming to help him definitely works for the self-described lazy bum.

4. Who’s the better cook?

Grass is Greener: Vanitas. Kairi is a bit careless following recipes and doesn't have the innate "cooking sense" in regard to estimating amounts, flavors, heat, or time to freestyle. Vanitas, when he does cook, tends to get really serious about it even though he prefers the simple to assemble, like I said in the last answer.

Kinda Canon: Kairi. Vanitas is slow to adjust from the “food is only fuel not pleasure” mindset and Kairi starts out with a base of her adoptive parents having taught her some things. Vanitas has a sharp learning curve though, bullying Little Chef into helping him (because he's not going to lose) and not realizing that the bullying is what makes Little Chef more reluctant and ensures Remy doesn't teach him all the secrets he does to others. Anyone can cook, but if you're mean you are taught to cook less well. Once Kairi gets Little Chef tutelage, it's all over.

5. Who’s the funniest drunk?

Grass is Greener: Both and neither in a way. They both have a very high tolerance. They tend to act out more on purpose out of the excuse than act out because of a truly altered state. Alcohol isn't magic. It just lowers inhibitions and neither has those to begin with. If I had to choose though, Kairi is a funnier drunk, because Vanitas's mean streak becomes more developed the drunker he is, whereas Kairi's mean streak, when she chooses to have one, is more practiced and purposeful cultivation instead of a natural harshness.

Kinda Canon: Vanitas. He is not prepared, and once he loses his filter everything spills out, and it's a lot less ugly than some people expected. Kairi just gets giggly and slightly louder, but otherwise doesn't change.

6. Do they have kids?

Grass is Greener: :) :D Listen. Listen. If Shaky was the one who carelessly put "I don't think it fits me the way it used to" on the Vanikai picture she drew. SUPPOSEDLY this was done for cleavage and for the "help you take it off" joke but I know a dangled plotline when I see it.

Kinda Canon: That partially depends on the state of the worlds and how many other keybearers there are when they are older. Even in a stable universe, I don't see them having kids young and it being a long discussion of whether they want kids at all, not the least because of the implications of Vanitas's powers and whether they are only his or would be passed down--what could happen to an infant that could summon Unversed and not know how to retract them even if they were loyal especially if it would be hurt by them being vanquished. I see them adopting orphans from other worlds and saying fuck world order more than having kids naturally.

7. Do they have any traditions?

Grass is Greener: Annual trip to Vegas to recreate the way they met under new created identities.

Kinda Canon: Vanitas calls every tradition he's introduced to stupid without fail. Vanitas also gets VERY into every holiday, and Kairi is all too happy to indulge. Then, he starts nudging her about teaching him more dumb holidays. Their tradition becomes ALL THE TRADITIONS. They celebrate holidays from every world and from every religion if there's a way to do it respectfully--and if it's not appropriate to participate, then they just learn about it as much as they are permitted--and then they look up and celebrate obscure or "made up" things like Leave a Zucchini on a Neighbor's Porch Day.

8. What do they fight about?

Grass is Greener: What you would expect.

Housework.

Why do you take criticism like a personal attack?

What do you do all day? versus Why are you never home?

Were you flirting with the waiter?

Did you even want the baby? Was it a relief when I lost it?

Kind of Canon: Imagine Kairi saying in the same tone as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast "Well you should learn to control your temper!"

No, really, it's mainly about Vanitas being "mean" to people...and then sometimes it's about Kairi doing the same and then blaming him as a bad influence.

9. What would they do if they found their paring tag on tumblr? (If they have one)

Grass is Greener: The flippant answer is that they are really confused about this whole Disney crossover with weird swords thing, and why they are teenagers in so many of these pictures. Don't even get them started on the skirt over the muscle suit paired with the motorcycle helmet Vanitas sees himself put in. When he wears a skirt he has a lot better style, especially if Kairi helps put together the outfit.

But let's take this in a different way. That one bad movie Kairi did is actually gaining a small cult following now years after its release. Someone does a "What Happened to Kairi Emberson? The Answer Will Shock You!" clickbait. The answer...is not shocking but enough people see a photo of Kairi, fine as ever, now Kairi White and looking so happy with Vanitas, and the pair get an objectively creepy because the next few pictures are pulled from social media they don't lock, but well intentioned few people finding and posting more cute pictures of the, and they become a sparse tag and one that is half joking, but a RPS all the same. Kairi pretends to hate this, but is not so secretly really flattered. Vanitas genuinely hates it.

Kinda-canon: Kairi loves it. Vanitas is fascinated despite himself. Everyone else is disappointed because they expected flustered denials or anger at those that portray them wrong, but Van and Kairi both just think it's cool.

10. Who cried at the end of Marley and me?

Grass is Greener: Neither. They roasted it for filth. They cried about it much later. Vanitas in the shower, and Kairi the next day when she was over at Xion's, saw her dog Elmo, and it all busted loose.

Kinda Canon: Vanitas. Cue a discussion about how movies work, how they are not real, and Vanitas snapping that he knows that until there are now multiple types of Unversed to take care of. Kairi gently cuddles both her man and the Unversed until equilibrium returns.

11. Who always wins at Mario kart?

Kairi in all universes. Vanitas doesn't care in GiG, but in canon there is a shout of "Rematch and this time it counts!" despite it being the 100th rematch

12. One thing I like about this ship?

That they have potential to understand each other more than people who technically know them better, or at least the concept of being seen a certain way and having a different "certain way" that everyone thinks it would be better if they grew toward instead of just being allowed to be. Princess of Heart and Agent of Darkness aren't really so different after all.

13. One thing I don’t like about the ship?

When it's clear that it's a fill in for people who want Soriku but can't think of anyone but Sora for Kairi, and so pick "other Sora." There's not anything wrong with that outright, and this isn't me annoyed with pair the spares (though that can rub wrong if it is handled wrong or I'm in a mood to make a point about how not everyone needs a romantic relationship), but annoyed with the reduction of Vanitas to "edgy Sora"

14. The song I would say fits them?

Grass is Greener:

Sibella, and I'll quote a verse and a half because clearly this isn't already long enough.

"You are vain and you are heartless and yet

I can feel in you a shade of sadness

That's barely detectable

That I still want you at all

I may live to regret

You're deceitful

You're delectable

You see the fate of a man

Who has had the misfortune

To spend his life caught in your sway

I see Sibella

My Sibella

And I like her that way"

It works both ways. Change whatever pronouns you want.

Kind of Canon: I...don't know. I can't think off the top of my head.

15. Another headcanon about the paring? (Free space)

Grass is Greener: Even though they think they met in Vegas, they had crossed paths before and probably more than once. I don't have specific headcanons (yet), but this may be something if I ever write the other 20 bazillion Grass is Greener scenes for various characters and relationships that I want to do first.

Kind of Canon: Kairi makes her own version of the suit and borrows Vanitas's helmet sometimes to do things she would never "get away with" as herself. Vanitas blesses this, helps her with the suit, and hands over the helmet after kissing the visor for luck. He also exposes her as a fake Vanitas by showing up at the worst time on purpose.

#vanikai #grass is greener verse #vanitas #kairi #spiiderbiites

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columnist365 · 4 years ago

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The Benefits of Zucchini

The benefits of zucchini are endless. It can be used in a variety of different ways to improve our health and to make meals taste better as well. Some people enjoy eating zucchini out of hand while others enjoy using it to cut vegetables for the purposes of making a salad.

If you’re looking for a healthy snack that’s easy to prepare and easy to keep cold, then zucchini is definitely your best bet. Here are some of the many benefits of zucchini and why you might want to consider eating it.

– Zucchini is a very good source of potassium. This makes it a great addition to any diet because potassium is essential for maintaining normal body functions such as heart and brain function. Many people experience symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, and general weakness while they are on low-potassium diets.

– If you’re like many people, you may have heard about some of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables but haven’t taken the time to try them out for yourself. You may not even have any at home but have started to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet in recent years. If you haven’t been able to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, then you’re missing out on the many health benefits of fruits and vegetables.

– If you’re not familiar with the term, fruits and vegetables are typically categorized based on their appearance, their colors, and the nutrients that they contain. The categories include blueberries, carrots, spinach, apples, and pears. By including these foods in your daily diet, you are increasing the nutrient and vitamin content that your body needs.

– Because of the high fiber content of the fruit, it helps keep the bowels in check. This allows you to feel full longer, which makes it easier for you to stick to your diet. Some people do this by simply eating smaller portions of food throughout the day or by eating breakfast. However, by eating small portions throughout the day or eating breakfast, you are able to ensure that your body gets all of the fiber and nutrients that it needs for proper digestive function.

– The fruit is also a great source of energy for those who are trying to lose weight. Since you need energy throughout your day, eating a lot of fresh fruits can help provide you with that energy that you need. to stay focused and committed to losing weight.

Although there are many other benefits of zucchini, these are some of the most popular. If you are having a hard time eating healthy snacks, zucchini is one of the easiest and least complicated foods to prepare and enjoy.

Another good way to prepare the fruit is to use it as a dip in soups. This is especially popular when you are eating out at restaurants. You can eat zucchini in its raw form as well, so that you get the benefit of the flavor without adding any extra calories or salt.

Zucchini is also very easy to freeze. You just peel off the outer layers and wrap the slices in aluminum foil and store them in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them again, just defrost them and pop them into the microwave.

If you don’t feel like you’re ready to cook yet, you can still have this delicious snack anytime of the day. Just place a slice into your hand and feel it melt it up. There are even recipes available online for zucchini cookies. or you can bake your own at home.

For people that are looking to improve their overall health, there’s no doubt that eating more fruits and vegetables is going to be a good way to go. Not only can it help you eat a lot of good tasting, nutritious foods, it can help you look and feel better as well.

Health Benefits of Zucchini

While most people are familiar with the benefits of using Zucchini as a vegetable, few realize the fact that it can be used in other foods as well. Although many people believe that zucchini is primarily a vegetable, in reality it can be used in many different ways to provide you with several different benefits. There are many recipes for cooking with zucchini and there are also a few different ways that you can use it as a vegetable.

The first benefit of zucchini is that it is a great source of fiber, which can help improve your digestion. When you have a lot of fiber in your diet, your digestive system will be able to work much more efficiently and your bowel movements will be easier to manage.

Another benefit of this type of high fiber food is that it contains a lot of water. A lot of people will consume too much water as a way to lose weight, but with the exception of water, zucchini will only add water to your body and will not cause you to lose any weight at all. You may notice some excess water in your body after a meal, but you will not experience dehydration.

Zucchini is also good for your heart. Because it is high in potassium and because it has plenty of potassium in its cells, it can help to keep your heart healthy and functioning at its peak. Potassium is used to regulate blood pressure and many studies have been conducted to show that it can help prevent heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure and even heart disease.

Zucchini is also high in carbohydrates. This type of food is made up of a lot of fiber, which means that it can also help to keep your blood sugar levels in check. The main reason why this type of food is beneficial to your health is because it is able to eliminate waste and toxins in the colon and intestinal tract that could be harmful to your body.

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Zucchini can also help to promote a feeling of fullness in your body. A person who is not feeling hungry is going to eat less food, which can have a positive impact on their health and well-being.

Zucchini can also provide you with a great source of vitamins A, C, B, E and K. It is also high in calcium and magnesium, which can help to fight off a variety of ailments. When it comes to fighting off chronic illnesses, vitamins and minerals are often the difference between staying healthy and suffering from them.

So while you may not realize it at first, zucchini is one of the best sources of many of vitamins and minerals that you need to have a good overall benefits of health. So next time you go shopping for vegetables, give zucchini a try and you will quickly learn why it is so useful.

Zucchini is also great for you if you are trying to lose weight. If you are trying to shed some pounds, a great way to accomplish this is to combine foods that are high in fiber, good fats, and potassium.

Zucchini is also extremely healthy because it is high in protein. The proteins found in zucchini can help to build muscle tissue and help you burn calories more efficiently when you are in a state of intense physical exertion.

Finally, you should know that the fiber contained in zucchini will help to improve your health over the long term health. You will be able to enjoy a number of health benefits if you include foods that are high in fiber and potassium in your diet.

So if you are looking for a good way to improve your overall health, then consider adding zucchini to your diet today. Not only will you enjoy many of the benefits listed here, but you will also feel great!

The Benefits of Zucchini

Zucchini has many great health benefits and should be included in your daily diet. Read on to find out more about what it has to offer you!

Zucchini has both soluble and insoluble fibres that will support the digestive system, weight control, and overall digestive health. Some of the best benefits of zucchini are: better eyesight, lower blood pressure, cholesterol control, improved blood sugar control, and increased energy support. You’ll also discover why it is so delicious, and why a large amount of vegetables will help keep your body well balanced.

The fruit is known as a sweet vegetable but has an extremely sweet taste and is called the skinless variety. While its taste may make it difficult to consume as a side dish, it makes for a tasty and nutritious snack or meal.

Because it is high in starch and fiber, it helps lower your cholesterol. It can also reduce the risk of colon cancer by inhibiting the growth of carcinogens in the colon.

Zucchini, when steamed and eaten, is a source of fiber, which can aid digestion and can help lower your cholesterol. In addition, the fibre content will help prevent constipation, one of the biggest causes of indigestion. While eating several small servings a day is recommended, you can also take a small handful of this delicious food and add it to oatmeal for a delicious breakfast treat.

Zucchini has long been considered to help with urinary tract problems, such as kidney stones. Research also suggests that the fibre content will help strengthen the walls of the bladder and help prevent stones from forming.

As you can tell, there are many benefits of zucchini. By adding a healthy slice to your salad or recipe, you’re offering the body great nutrition while still leaving you with the delicious taste of this tasty vegetable. You can find great recipes that feature zucchini as well, so that you’re not limited to using only zucchini recipes when you’re trying to improve your health or lose weight.

Zucchini is also a great way to get started on a good exercise routine. By incorporating it into your daily exercise plan, you’ll not only be able to burn fat faster, but will also start a routine for burning even more fat.

Zucchini is also a great way to get the heart rate going without having to count calories. The starch and fiber content of zucchini will work to provide a low calorie alternative to eating foods with high sugar and salt content. Eating foods like zucchini will help you feel fuller and reduce your urge to eat foods with high sugar content, which can also help you shed weight.

This healthy food is also a good source of dietary fiber. Studies have shown that consuming large amounts of this vegetable will help control your appetite and help you feel full for longer. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and help you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods.

While eating zucchini does not come without benefits, you should remember that they are just that – benefits. If you are looking for ways to lose weight or boost your immune system, then you need to look at other healthy foods as well.

If you really want to enjoy this delicious fruit, consider using zucchini in a variety of other recipes. If you want to try something new, check out how to cook zucchini pie!

You’ll be happy that you did. And if you don’t like it, you can always try another variety.

Zucchini is great for making pasta, and there are many different recipes that you can make that are both delicious and healthy. When you make your own pasta, you’ll be able to control the ingredients and the cooking time, which will ensure that you’re getting the best quality ingredients for your pasta.

Another good way to prepare zucchini is to cook it up as an ingredient in salad dressing. You can also make a zucchini casserole which will be able to be a main course at any meal or appetizer that you serve.

This food is also a great way to enjoy it as a side dish. It makes a great base for pasta or a nice accompaniment on bread.

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thevintagebluebird · 4 years ago

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Unpinned - French Onion Chicken

Welcome back, my lovelies! Since we last met the entire world has turned upside-down. Everything has changed! Holding hands is from the BEFORETIME. Being in other people’s houses is from the BEFORETIME. Restaurants are from the BEFORETIME. I could go on and on about the darkest timeline we find ourselves in, but after losing all sense of self and purpose in this nightmare reality, one thing has become clear: we still gotta eat. On a recent Zoom call with dear friends (the bizarre irony of how we’d never met face to face until a pandemic was not lost on me) I was reminded of this blog. Bless their hearts, they had kind words to say about my ramblings. So I thought WHAT THE HECK, IT’S NOT LIKE I DON’T HAVE THE TIME! (Ha, time and any semblance of meaning are *also* from the BEFORETIME) so here we are. I cooked a thing and now I’ll tell you about it.

French Onion Chicken! From the folks who make those cute facebook cooking videos, Delish! I guess they have a magazine too. I get a little suspicious of any publication that claims the majority of their recipes are ‘TEH BEST EVAR’, but after this dish I could be convinced.

Verdict: Is the Pintrest photo complete bullshit? - I’ll let you be the judge when you see the photo of my finished product, but I’m going to quietly sit over in the corner nodding furiously in the meantime.

Is it crazy expensive/time consuming/confusing? - The only pricey ingredient was a block of gruyere, and it was worth every single penny! It took about 45/50 minutes from start to finish but time is a cruel joke anyway so who cares? It was pretty straightforward and easy!

Does it taste good? - YES. MAKE IT.

French Onion Chicken

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tsp. freshly chopped thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 c.shredded Gruyère

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add onions and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized and jammy, about 25 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Turn off heat and remove onion mixture. Wipe skillet clean.

In a large bowl, season chicken with salt, pepper and oregano, then toss with flour. Heat remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden on all sides and mostly cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add beef broth and return caramelized onions to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and beef broth reduces slightly, about 10 more minutes.

Add Gruyère and cover skillet with a lid. Cook until cheese is melty, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley before serving.

Here’s what you need! You’ll notice a small pile of leaves at the front and may wonder why I’ve thrown foliage onto my counter. Long story short: Allan’s lovely Aunt Kathi and Uncle Eli gave us bags of fresh herbs from their garden, and we’ve been making such fancy herby dishes! These are the last fresh sage leaves; I know the recipe calls for thyme but we’ve got sage so now the recipe calls for sage.

First thing’s first: oil up your trusty cast iron. You’ll notice that it looks like I’ve smeared dark gritty mud along the bottom of mine, and that is because I am a lazy no-good cast iron owner who does not properly season her pan. It’s frankly a disgrace. I will pay someone to fix it for me.

Slice yer onions! Somehow this giant beast didn’t even make me tear up!

At this point the meal could be done and I’d be pretty happy - who doesn’t love a pan of hot onions? They started to smell tasty, which was great ‘cause our apartment has lately had a weird smell of old meat, which is EXTRA concerning because we haven’t cooked any meat at all this week. Why does it smell like meat.

IT APPEARS WE’RE OUT OF THYME. AHAHAHA AREN’T WE ALL? Sorry guys, I’m realizing now that this cooking experiment was also a litmus test of my current five-months-into-lockdown mental state. Clearly I’m fine. Also we had sage so it was all good.

Sage-y onions. The kitchen was smelling very, very good.

I really had to trust the recipe on this one and let the onions cook for the full 20+ minute time even though I was oddly anxious they would burn. I ended up turning the heat down to low when I started to see a lot of crisping. To distract myself, I started chopping the chicken breast into cubes. They were meant to be about 1″ x 1″ x 1″ but most of them came out more like .5″ x 6″ x 2.89″.

My patience paid off! The onions, looking quite “jammy” and caramelized! I kept wondering what “jammy” would look like but I think it’s just a fancy way of saying “sticky and mushy”. Adding my scoop of jar-garlic because even in lockdown I don’t have time to mince fresh garlic.

This bit was a little tricky: it called for two tablespoons of flour to “coat” the chicken but I wasn’t sure how such a tiny amount of flour was going to “coat” jack squat. So here’s the heavily-seasoned chicken on the cutting board, and my tentative first attempt at adding flour.

It just sort of made the pile of raw chicken into a slightly more-beige, stickier pile of raw chicken. I was unconvinced.

Ok I got them in the pan to start cooking and it looks vaguely like normal chicken? Now my instinct is to cook the shit out of chicken until it’s just little shreds of carbon to avoid salmonella, but I see that the recipe says that to let it finish cooking once we add/boil the liquid, so against my better judgement I just cooked them “medium rare” and moved on.

It called for a cup of shredded cheese but I just shredded the whole block because honestly when in history has a dish ever been ruined by too much cheese? (Spoiler: never)

Oh wow! It looked so good when I added the stock and onions back in! We used mushroom stock ‘cause we’re trying to minimize our beef consumption and also mushrooms are delicious.

BUT THEN IT TURNED INTO THIS WATERY MESS WHEN I ADDED AND STEAMED THE CHEESE!

This is not staged, this is 100% exactly the face I was making as I saw what my end result was looking like. It was definitely straight-up soup, and no thickening instructions in sight.

So I harkened back to my years of training as Thanksgiving sous-chef with my grandma! Whip out your trusty cornstarch and turn that soupy frown upside down!

Take out your commemorative New Milford mug (whoot whoot hometown pride oh god I miss traveling across state borders) and make a cornstarch slurry. Starts as cement-like glue-chunks, add drops of water and keep scraping until it becomes an opaque liquid.

So here’s how it looked immediately after adding the ~1.5 tbsp cornstarch slurry and then after a good stir and extra minute on the heat. No more soup!

And finally plated: atop some brown rice (cooked with homemade chicken stock) and little zucchini pizza bites (made from one of the monster zucchini from my garden).

Final final verdict: It really did NOT look like the Pintrest photo, but to be fair I did skip the (apparently essential) step of adding fresh parsley - between you and me I’m pretty sure they hit it with a blow torch to get that nice crispy top. BUT! This was actually DELICIOUS. Like, really really good. The chicken was moist, the cheese flavor was sublime, the onions were jammy to the extreme: I’m definitely going to make this again!

#unpinned cooking pintrest pintrestfail

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gethealthystayhappy-blog1 · 5 years ago

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10 Keto-friendly recipe ideas

Starting a new diet can be difficult, and sticking to that diet can be even harder! A new diet means a lifestyle change. One major reason why people don’t stick to their diet is because they run out of ideas on what to cook

Well today I’m going to help by providing 10 Keto-friendly recipes that you can try out right now! Read more down bellow.

1) Keto Beef Stew

Let’s kick things off with this beautify beef stew, it’s sure to fill you up and keep you satisfied for the remainder of the day.

2) Garlic Butter Brazilian Steak

Juicy, tender steak with golden butter sauce to top it off. Need I say more?

3) Quick Frittata with Tomatoes and Cheese

A quick and easy dish that can be prepared in just a few minutes.

If you’re a fan of seafood, then you’re bound to love these next two dishes.

4) Blackened Salmon with Avocado Salsa

This mix of Salmon and Avocado is sure to stimulate those taste buds.

5) Buttered Cod in Skillet

Not a fan of codfish? Well that’s because you’ve never made it like this, make this and you’ll change your mind

6) Zucchini Pizza Boats

Okay, I’m not gonna lie, I’m not the biggest fan of Zucchini…but after seeing this, I’m willing to give it a shot.

7) Chicken Enchilada Bowl

This one’s my personal fave (just a tip, add more cheese and jalapeños, you’ll thank me latter)

8) Shrimp and Sausage Paleo Skillet Meal

We all know that shrimp goes well with anything, so there’s really not much to say about this one, just try it! (Unless of course you’re allergic to shrimp…in that case I would advise against trying this one)

9) Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap

If you like Thai food then give this one a shot, fair warning though, it’s spicy.

10) Thai Beef Salad

And what better way is there to end it than with beef, hmm? That’s right there’s not!

Well I hope you’ve found this useful and informative, please feel free to comment down bellow and let me know what you think about these recipes.

If you’re STILL looking for some more recipes then consider clicking the link down bellow for a free custom Keto diet meal plan!

Grab your custom meal plan here

#ketomeals #ketodiet #diet #health #healthy food #recipies #keto food ideas

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shels-kpop-main · 6 years ago

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Moments, pt. 4 (Roger Taylor x reader)

Word Count: 2524

Warnings: See below.

A/N: Hey everyone. Just a warning, the angst in this one is more like heartbreak. I’ve mentioned to a few people that I myself lost my dad recently. Just like Joe, and just like the main character/reader in this story. This was a hard chapter to write. I cried a lot. But I think there’s a wealth of emotional depth that can be tapped into with the subject of losing a parent, so I didn’t want to shy away from it. Trigger warning if you have ever lost a parent. Trigger warning for taking someone off life support. This chapter is a heart wrenching one, but I promise things will be much easier in the next chapter. And remember, if you ever want to talk to someone about your struggles, I will always listen. Alright. I love you guys. Let’s get this out of the way.

It was almost dark when you woke up. The side of your face was wet and it leaked over onto the pillowcase. Whether the water was from tears or drool, you weren’t sure. But you wiped your face and got up, feeling even more exhausted than you had before. Roger nearly fell onto your legs when you pulled your bedroom door open. You jumped back in surprise, as he struggled to sit himself up. “What are you doing?” You asked, out of pure confusion. Roger got up and brushed off his pants, red in the face. “You seemed upset, so I… I, uh…” He trailed off, realizing in that moment that he didn’t have a plan or even a real reason to be there. “I just…waited. Here,” he finished, awkwardly gesturing at the spot on the floor he’d just occupied. You folded your arms, almost amused. “Right. Okay. Well, I’m hungry so I was gonna go fix some dinner.” You moved past him, shoulders brushing his, and started off down the stairs. Roger traipsed down behind you. He reminded you of a Golden Retriever following its human.

“We picked up loads of stuff at the market this week,” Roger sounded chipper. You hated it. “Surely we’ll find something we can make into a meal.” “We?” You asked him. He shrugged sheepishly as you walked through the living room. You looked at the fireplace, and felt momentarily better. “Well, I mean, you. If you’d like to cook for two.” “And what will you do?” You asked, more out of interest than interrogation. Roger gestured widely to himself, grinning. “Keep you company, of course,” he replied. You rolled your eyes, but smiled. Roger was happy with this, and spent the next hour talking your head off as you made grilled cheese sandwiches and steamed vegetables. He talked about everything under the sun—his favorite moments from their last tour, his new car, how much he hated Brian’s latest song. And you listened to all of it. Because he was fun to watch. Without your camera in hand, you could take time to just focus on Roger’s presence. His expressions, hand movements, even the slight changes in his vocal intonations as he went from subject to subject. You were giving him a muted smile as he ranted about some magazine that had given Queen a less-than-stellar review. But you stared at him too long, and Roger was interrupted by the smell of vegetables burning. “Is that supposed to be burning?” “Damn it!” You nearly shouted, lifting the pan off the stove to cool down. Roger just laughed as you stirred through the charred remains of what would have undoubtedly been the healthiest thing he’d put in his body all week. You grumbled, sifting through the burned veggies to salvage any that you could. “Should pay closer attention, love,” Roger smirked. “Shut up,” you retorted, smacking Roger on the shoulder with a dish towel. Roger mocked you with feigned offense, whining that you’d hurt him. You giggled and smacked him again, as he took off around the counter. He clutched at his shoulder dramatically as you laughed, still chasing him through the kitchen with the towel. When you were sure you had him cornered between the counter and the wall, Roger reached out and yanked the towel from your hands. You weren’t quick to let go of it, however, and you fell forward when he jerked. You all but knocked him over, laughing the whole way. But Roger expected you to put up a fight, and he reached out to steady you. You were sure that his fingers brushing along the gap between your sweater and your jeans was no accident. But you liked it, and you didn’t move away from him right away. You separated yourself from him after a moment of laughter by gently pushing against his chest. He was still holding the towel, and slung it over his shoulder. You turned away from him, focusing again on the meal you were trying to prepare. Your cheeks were a light tinge of pink, and you were glad Roger couldn’t see. You flushed easily, and you knew Roger wasn’t going to let it go without making fun of you at least a little. You slid the sandwiches out of their pan, and set them down next to the small pile of vegetables that weren’t burned. You shoveled all of these veggies onto Roger’s plate, handing it to him. He pulled the towel from his shoulder and looked at the food in disgust. “You want me to eat those? By myself?” Roger wrinkled his nose, and you pushed the plate closer to him. “Yes. There’s not that many. Besides, I think it must have been weeks since you’ve eaten a vegetable.” “What even is this,” Roger muttered bitterly, sifting through the contents of his plate. “Carrots, cauliflower…squash?” “Zucchini,” you corrected him, handing him a napkin. “You should know, you bought it.” “Nah, love, that was all Brian.” “At least one of you cares about your own diet.” “He only eats healthy cause he has to. He won’t eat meat,” Roger retorted. You got yourself a sandwich and sat next to him at the bar. The two of you munched on your dinners in silence. For all of Roger’s complaining about the healthy part of his meal, he ate his vegetables quickly. “You know, those weren’t half bad,” he admitted, after clearing his plate. You rolled your eyes. “I’m a decent cook, when I’m paying attention,” you said wryly. Roger grinned, picking up your plates and bringing them to the sink. You joined him as he washed them. Or tried to; it was clear Roger hadn’t done many chores in his life. You folded your arms, leaning against the counter. Roger’s shoulder almost brushed yours every time he reached over to put a plate or fork on the drying rack. But you zoned out, remembering the events of the afternoon. Y/N Playing with Dad You weren’t sure which film the label was referring to—you probably hadn’t seen it. Your parents made an excessive number of home movies throughout your childhood, and there had never been enough time for you watch them all. Still, the title was enough to drop a rock into your stomach. Not seeing it was almost worse than having to actually watch it. Roger glanced up at you as he finished the dishes. You were lost in thought, arms still folded. Roger didn’t like the way your brows furrowed. You almost looked on the verge of tears again. It made him uneasy seeing you that way. Roger looked around, eyes searching for a distraction. The only things in front of him were a fake decorative plant, a drying rack full of dishes, and a sink still filled to the brim with soapy water. He came up with something that was sure to either annoy you or make you laugh. He stuck one finger into the soap suds and picked up a small scoop of bubbles. Then, without warning, he touched your nose, leaving the bubbles there. You frowned, looking down your nose at the shiny, white suds. Then, you started laughing. Roger was relieved as you laughed so hard you almost cried. You were amused that the only thing he thought to do was to stick soap bubbles to your nose. You wiped your face with a towel, smiling at him and shaking your head. “Cute,” you muttered with light-hearted sarcasm. But your face fell again, because you couldn’t help it. You thought of your dad, and how much you missed him. And your heart broke a little bit. Roger turned to face you, frowning. “Hey,” he said softly. But you couldn’t bring yourself to look up at him. “Please look at me,” he pleaded, in that same hushed tone. You looked up at the ceiling, then finally to him. “How can I fix it?” “Oh, Rog,” you grimaced, reaching up to brush his cheek with your fingers. He smiled at the touch. “You can’t fix it,” you told him, defeated. Roger shook his head. “Well, what’s wrong?” You shook your head, pulling your hand back to your side. “Hey, you can tell me. I won’t judge. We’re friends, y’know?” You looked at Roger again, a sense of apprehension creeping up inside you. “Jim didn’t tell any of you why I’m here?” Roger was taken aback by the question. “Well, no. Not really. He just said you were here because you needed to get away from family stuff. The same thing he said yesterday when I asked.” You hesitated. Roger had asked about you yesterday? He cared enough to check on you, especially with Jim? He knew Jim was wary of him because of his reputation. But you didn’t have time to dwell on that. You pressed on, swallowing the lump in throat. This wasn’t the first time you’d had to explain your circumstances, but it was never easy. “I’m here because… Because I lost my dad last year. And I had to get out of Texas. Out of the country, really. Just…away from there. Where it happened.” You rubbed your face as Roger took in the gravity of your words. He lifted his arms to hug you, but you crossed the kitchen before he could reach you. “So, anyway. That’s my deal,” you gestured at yourself, not knowing where to go from there. Roger walked up to you, looking upset. “I’m sorry,” he replied. You shook your head at him. “Don’t,” you warned, tears spilling over onto your cheeks. “Don’t pity me. I’m doing alright. I’m working through it.” Roger nodded, biting his lip. “What happened yesterday? If I can ask?” “My mom sent me some old home movies. One of them was about my dad.” “Oh,” was all he could come up with. “I haven’t watched it,” you told him. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it.” “That makes sense,” Roger acknowledged. You rubbed your arms, suddenly cold. Roger went to grab a blanket out of a basket by the door. You let him bring it to you, and threw it around yourself. “I don’t want to talk about this any more,” you said firmly. “I’ve had enough heavy talk for one day.” “’S alright with me, love,” Roger responded. He scrunched his face up in thought for a moment, then grinned at you. “We could build another fire?” His tone was mischievous. Your heart did a somersault in place, and you giggled without meaning to. “Sure, that sounds good.”

“Where is everyone?” You asked as the two of you trotted across the lawn. Roger shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Dunno. Probably drinking in the house.” Your heart sank at the notion of having to share Roger for the evening. You felt better being around him, and didn’t want the relief to end. But, as if reading your mind, Roger piped up. “If they’re too noisy, we can always make a fire back in the barn. There’s a fireplace by the kitchen as well.” He smiled at you when he said it, and something akin to hope fluttered in your chest. You almost hoped the guys would be too rowdy, forcing you and Roger to go back to the more secluded barn. Lower chance of someone interrupting you. Roger threw open the front door and held it for you. “Look at you, so chivalrous,” you mocked him, grinning. Roger nodded at you with fake seriousness. “Chivalry is my middle name, love.” Your laughter was interrupted by voices upstairs. You and Roger exchanged glances, nonverbally agreeing to check it out. You led the way up the steps, pulling your blanket snugly around you. Roger followed you, reaching out to steady you when you stepped on the edge of the blanket and slipped. His fingers splayed across your hip sparked a blush in your cheeks that made you once again glad Roger couldn’t see your face. When you reached the top step, you took in the sight in front of you. Your uncle, along with Paul, Brian, Freddie, Deacy, and a couple others, all sat around an old film projector. You had nearly forgotten the day’s events, and it took you a moment to register what they were all looking at. An old home movie. You recognized the movie type right away. The setting was familiar, too. It was the backyard of your childhood home in Dallas. The home your mother had just moved out of. Then, you heard a familiar voice, as a figure entered the frame. Roger saw it at the same moment you did. Your vision blurred as you recognized the form and features of your late father. Roger put two and two together, looking from the film to you wildly. The world tilted on edge, and you swayed on your feet. Dad was holding a tiny version of you in his arms, happy and laughing. You vaguely remembered his green jumper as he waved to the camera, beaming with pride. The next thing flashing across your mind’s eye was the day he died. You recalled the beige hospital walls, running past nurses to find your dad, reaching his room. Rounding the corner to find your mom and a few doctors hovering over a body that didn’t look like his. You weren’t sure right away if he was even still alive. But he was, because the doctors kept telling you there was no way he could be alive any more. That no one could survive a car wreck like that. They waited as you and your mom made the decision to say goodbye. They watched in detached silence as the monitor went into a flatline after all the tubes and vents had been disconnected. They watched as your heart shattered into a million pieces there on that stupid beige floor. “Why would you play this?” It took you a moment to recognize the strained voice saying those words as your own. Jim opened his mouth to frantically explain, but you couldn’t hear him. The sight of him was the last thing you remembered from that night. Roger reached out towards you again as the ground rushed up to meet you.

Taglist:

@itsametaphorbriansblog @pietrorunsforme @isabella-bby

#oof #roger taylor #roger taylor x reader #fic #moments series #angst #tw #trigger warning death

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ayellowtide-blog · 6 years ago

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What I’m Prepping This Week: March 25-29

so, i still live at home and my mom does the cooking of the dinners for the family, but i always make sure that i have veggies to eat with the dinner and healthy options for lunches. this week, i’m having sandwiches for lunch (i can usually eat the same thing all week i’m that boring lol), so i’m not going to be prepping those, as they wouldn’t last as well prepped and are easy enough to make everyday. at the end of the post, i’ll include some foods that i have on hand this week that don’t have to be prepped.

#1: Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots (Vegan)

i love carrots. i love maple syrup. end of story. these are quick and easy carrots with a simple glaze that you just roast in the oven at 425 for 20-25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. you can also mix it up and add some fresh herbs if you want, but i didn’t have any, so i just kept it simple with the glaze, which is flavorful enough on its own.

Ingredients: 1 lb carrots, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 2 tbsp mustard, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp olive oil, salt to taste (i used 2 pinches)

Nutrition Per Serving (makes 6 servings): Calories: 73 Total Fat 2g / Saturated Fat 0g / Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 97mg / Potassium 269mg Total Carbohydrate 18g / Dietary Fiber 2g / Sugars 12g / Protein 1g

#2: Zucchini Cheddar Tots

if you saw my meal prep post last week, you would also know i made these tots for the first time and fell in love with them. my dad and i really love them and couldn’t believe how good they were, so i’m making double the amount i made last week. you just grate the zucchini up, salt it, let it sit, and then drain out the moisture. then, mix all the ingredients together, form them into tots and cook them at 400 for 18 minutes on one side, then flip them and cook them on the other for another 8 minutes.

Ingredients: 4 medium zucchini, ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt (sprinkled on the zucchini after it’s grated to draw out moisture and then the zucchini is squeezed, so not all of the sodium is absorbed), ½ egg (about 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons beaten egg, depending on the size), 3 tablespoons Italian style bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese (I used Sargento 4 State Blend), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, pepper to taste

Nutrition per Serving (makes 8 servings – about 56 tots total, 7 tots per serving) Calories: 121 cals Total Fat: 5g / Saturated Fat: 2g / Cholesterol: 58mg Sodium: 227mg / Potassium: 302mg Total Carbohydrate: 13g / Dietary Fiber: 2g / Sugars: 4g / Protein: 6g

#3 Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

Ingredients: 1 bunch of broccoli, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon Italian style breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves sliced garlic, pepper to taste, salt to taste (I used 2 pinches)

Nutrition per Serving (makes 4 servings): Calories: 114 Total Fat: 8g / Saturated Fat: 2g / Cholesterol: 3mg Sodium: 181mg / Potassium: 11mg Total Carbohydrate: 7g / Dietary Fiber: 2g / Sugars: 1g / Protein: 4g

#4: Homemade Mixed Nut Butter (Vegan)

i hate how much sugar and salt prepared peanut butter has and i have a shit ton of the kirkland mixed nuts packs that go bad by july so i need to eat them somehow! i decided to try homemade nut butter for the first time to use for toasts this week and it’s really easy. you can use any nuts you like, i just used mixed because that’s what i had. you can get raw nuts and roast them yourself but hello i like shortcuts. just blend in a food processor for about 10 minutes until butter forms. voila.

Ingredients: 3 Kirkland Mixed Nuts Snack Packs (1.6 oz each, 4.8 oz total -- 0.60 US cups, or just under 10 tablespoons of nuts), ½ tsp cinnamon

Nutrition per Serving (makes 6 servings, about 1 ½ tbsp per serving) Calories: 156 Total Fat: 13g / Saturated Fat: 2g / Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 50mg / Potassium: 149mg Total Carbohydrate: 7g / Dietary Fiber: 3g / Sugars: 1g / Protein: 4g

#5 Homemade Vegetable Broth (Vegan)

since i had the stalks of broccoli, i didn’t want to waste it, so i decided to make some vegetable stock this week. homemade stock lasts 3-4 days in the fridge and indefinitely in the freezer. it’s super simple, though the calories aren’t really exact here, but broth is super low cal in general.

Ingredients: 8 cups water, 2 broccoli stalks chopped, scraps of 4 zucchinis, scraps and peels of 1 lb of carrots, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 medium potato cut into chunks, 3 teaspoons minced garlic or 3 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt

Nutrition per Serving (makes 8 servings, 1 cup per serving): Calories: 70 Total Fat: 0g / Saturated Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: -- Sodium: 341mg Total Carbs: 16g / Dietary Fiber: 2g / Sugar: 4g / Protein: 2g

#6: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

having a sweet on hand during the week makes it easy to not reach for something overly sugary like a soda for a quick fix. i used this recipe and it turned out really great, but i had to bake mine for about 8-10 more minutes than the recipe called for, but i enjoy my oatmeal cookies crispy and chewy. the recipe says it makes 24, but it only made 23 for me!

Nutrition per Serving (per 23 cookies, as mine made 23): Calories: 115 Total Fat: 6g / Saturated Fat: 4g / Cholesterol: 20mg Sodium: 12mg / Potassium: 5mg Total Carbohydrate: 15g / Dietary Fiber: 1g / Sugars: 11g / Protein: 1g

#7: Rice (Vegan)

i like having a good starch on hand and this week i opted for rice made with 1/2 water, 1/2 homemade vegetable stock

Ingredients: 1 cup dry white rice, 1/2 cup homemade vegetable broth, 1/2 cup water

What I Have on Hand This Week

aka, things i have left over from last week’s buys or foods i keep stocked in the freezer that i’ll be using. i always like to keep stock of what i have on hand so i don’t forget about it and it goes bad because i hate wasting money! i love to buy bags of frozen veggies and fruits because they’re cheap or freeze any leftover uncooked fruits and veggies i have from the week before that i didn’t use.

while i always have frozen fruit and vegetables on hand, here’s what i’ll be using this week from my stock: Archer Farms Pineapple Peach Salsa - salsa lasts a long time so it’s great to have on hand in your fridge or cabinets. i like this salsa because it’s only a few bucks, taste delicious, and has only 115mg of sodium per 2 tbsp Simply Balanced Blue Corn & Flax Seed Chips - obviously flax seeds are super trendy now so eating them like this makes me feel like i’m getting a little something extra out of these chips. these are a target brand, which i love and it’s geared towards healthy foods. they’re affordable and have a resealable top so they last longer than regular chips. Frozen Cherries - absolutely LOVE cherries, they are my favorite fruit and they are super delicious frozen and make the best smoothies! i go through a packet of frozen cherries in about 2 weeks depending on how often i’m using them, but they last a long time in the freezer. Frozen Strawberries - the frozen fruit i almost always have on hand. you can buy giant bags for pretty cheap, but try to get off-brand, like the grocery store’s own brand of frozen fruits & veggies, they tend to be the cheapest and they are the same quality as name brand. Frozen Bananas - i never buy frozen bananas, i just freeze my bananas when they start to go brown! peeled bananas last about 2 months, whereas unpeeled last 3-4 months.

#food #meal prep #meal prepping #mealprep #meal prep recipes #healthy eating #healthy easy recipes #healthy recipes

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cook-the-beans · 5 years ago

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Vegan Morocco Travel

To start with is better to keep in mind that not everybody understands what vegan means so make sure they get it. I did struggle a bit when I was there in the beginning, mostly because my French is very poor and let’s not talk about my Arabic that is non-existent 🙂

Keep in mind that sometimes for some strange reason hummus can have milk, they sometimes add chicken stock to veggie tagine, and beef broth will be used to flavour the couscous. Well, it can be hard and unfortunately, sometimes we can’t really be sure if what you are eating is 100% vegan.

When ordering you need to be clear that it is a vegetarian dish you are ordering, because from my experience no one was really familiarized with the word vegan.

I had some screenshots from google translate in Arabic and French of what I wanted to say and ask. I also used my vegan passport.

Vegan Moroccan Food – Some options for vegan meals

How to eat Vegan in Morocco

The vegetarian tagine is probably the easiest and safest choice while in Marroco.

Tagine is a traditional Moroccan meal cooked inside a clay pot, with potatoes, carrots, turnips and zucchini topped tomato, preserved lemon and olives.

Couscous with veggies is also quite common and easy to find. If you want a break from couscous you can ask for vegetables and rice, that is literally the same dish but with rice instead of couscous.

For breakfast is common to have bread with jam or “msemmen” that is a thin, fried bread. These crepes ingredients are all vegan (sugar, salt, yeast oil, flour), but occasionally is cooked with butter. So just check how they are cooked.

The bread is known as “khobz” is served at every meal, and is absolutely divine with olive oil and olives.

It’s easy to find “Zalook” a dish made of roasted mashed eggplant with spices, or even dishes made of lentils (3eids) and beans (loubia).

Dishes with lentils and beans are easy to find in the majority of Moroccan restaurants all over the country.

You can also ask restaurants to grill some vegetables for you and have it with rice or potatoes.

The harira soup is also delicious, but some people add meat or cook harira in the broth. You should ask prior to ordering how it was prepared.

Salads are delicious in Morocco, they have a great variety of them. They make the salads mostly with zucchini, eggplant, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers and beans.

Are you a fruit lover?

Morocco’s fruit markets are unbeatable for both price and quality. You have a massive range of fresh fruit to chose from but also wonderful dried fruit options, from dates to figs, and apricots.

Olives are another highlight of travelling to Morocco. I LOVE olives so I couldn’t be in a better place. They have a great variety of olives with different seasoning, they are just delicious and high quality. Just be careful they are addictive 🙂

If you want something on the go

It’s easy to find small stalls selling food on the street, and many of the food that is served is vegan.

You can buy things like corn, roasted chickpeas, bread with chickpeas, fried potato cakes on bread and also dried and fresh fruit and nuts.

Vegan Desserts

If you are on a diet just stay home, because you will love all the cookies they have.

Mostly made from nuts, seeds and of course sugar… they are really tasty and also quite beautifully designed. (just double check if they have used honey if you don’t eat it).

Other kinds of desserts are unfortunately not vegan (they add butter and dairy). But you always have fresh fruit as a safe dessert option.

Moroccan doughnuts are called Sfenjs and are basically fried dough rolled in sugar.

Drinks: mint tea, fresh squeezed juices and coffee

I highly recommend trying the Moroccan mint tea or like the locals like to call it “Moroccan whisky”. However, sometimes it will be extremely sweet. Order it sugar-free to be safe and add your own sugar if you want it!

If tea is not your thing the coffee is also delicious.

You can also get freshly squeezed juices – I would recommend taking your own cup to avoid disposable plastic. Freshly squeezed fruit juices are common and are not to be missed. The orange juice and pomegranate are my favourites.

You can’t miss

You can’t miss wandering around the markets where they sell fresh produce and spices.

I recommend using the app HappyCow and make some research about vegan/vegetarian-friendly restaurants that are on the rise now in Morocco.

As you can see there are options and they are easy to find, but if you are spending a long time travelling through the country it can get repetitive.

Animal welfare

So foodwise you will be fine but get ready to have your heart broken because there is a lot of animal exploitation, and can get quite hard to see some things.

Moroccans treat animals differently for western standards. Snake charmers and monkeys on leads are common in touristic areas.

While there isn’t a large variety of local Moroccan foods that are vegan, it is definitely possible to travel in Morocco as a vegan. You might find it more difficult in rural areas compared to the larger Moroccan cities.

I hope this is helpful if you’re planning to travel to Morocco💚

Travel Vegan in Morocco Vegan Morocco Travel To start with is better to keep in mind that not everybody understands…

#Morocco #vegan #vegan food #Vegan Morocco #vegan travel

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ronniefein · 6 years ago

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When you want Vegan: Mjadra

I have made mjadra (mujadara) so often I can't even count the ways. It's a family favorite that I serve on special occasions (the #1 item at my Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast), at somber times (the Nine Days), for holidays (my Thanksgiving vegetarian entree) and sometimes just for any old meatless meal.

I've made mujadara using bulgur wheat and brown rice, barley and kaniwa.

But I never made it with wild rice or with white rice. In fact, I hadn't even thought about that possibility until I got Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox's new cookbook: tahini & turmeric;101 Middle Eastern Classics Made Irresistibly Vegan.

This is one gorgeous book, stuffed with recipes that anyone who loves good food, or who is kosher or a vegetarian or even a hearty carnivore and even a vegan-skeptic would find -- yes -- irresistible.

There were (still are) so many recipes I want to try. I've followed Vicky and Ruth's blog for years and have cooked many of the dishes in their posts, every one of them a winner.

But when I saw the recipe for Mjadra, I knew that had to be the first from the book.

It was as delicious as any version of this dish I have ever tried. The addition of pomegranate molasses to the onions gave the dish a faint, lush tang. The authors suggest one of two sauces to accompany the grains. I prepared the (vegan) Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (which is also paired in the book with Zucchini Fritters -- a delicious-sounding recipe that I will try next to see how the taste compares with my own, non-vegan version).

Every recipe sounds and looks tempting. Over the summer I will try my hand at the Tangy Roasted Carrot Hummus -- a quick and easy hors d'oeuvre for the company I am sure to have. And because I love all versions of Shakshuka, I will definitely try the interesting Chickpea and Pepper Shashuka -- with rounds of polenta taking the place of the traditional eggs! (It's the recipe on the book cover.) Before the High Holidays I am going to try the spectacular-sounding Creamy Tahini Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust and Fresh Pomegranate.

I could go on and on. I rarely post about cookbooks, but this one is special, and comes in handy particularly this week, when the Nine Days begin and observant Jews will be eating meatless meals.

Good luck with the book Vicky and Ruth!

WILD RICE MJADRA

Our take on this classic Middle Eastern dish incorporates wild rice and sautéed on-ions, as opposed to fried, for a healthier version. We also cook the rice, lentils, and onions separately, and then mix them together right before serving. This is a fool-proof method to prevent the mjadra from becoming mushy.

Traditionally, this dish is served topped with a cucumber yogurt sauce, which we made using nondairy yogurt (see Zucchini Fritters with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, page 26). While we were growing up, our dad always ate it with his favorite Spicy Israeli Salsa (page 62), made with freshly picked tomatoes and cucumbers from his garden.

Store in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

WILD RICE:

½ cup uncooked wild rice

½ teaspoon salt

LENTILS:

1 cup dried French green lentils,

picked over and rinsed well

½ teaspoon salt

WHITE RICE:

1 cup uncooked basmati rice

1 teaspoon salt

SAUTÉED ONIONS:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

(see page 132 for homemade)

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (page 26) or Spicy Israeli Salsa (page 62), to serve

Prepare the wild rice: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan over high heat. Add the wild rice and salt. Bring again to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat, drain well, and set aside.

Prepare the lentils: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the lentils and salt. Lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but not mushy. Remove from the heat, drain well, and set aside.

Prepare the basmati rice: In a medium-size saucepan, bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a separate medium-size saucepan over high heat. Add the basmati rice and salt. Return to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered.

Prepare the onion: Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the sliced onion, salt, and pepper, and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the pomegranate molasses and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the onion turns dark golden brown.

Assemble the mjadra: Combine the cooked wild and basmati rice, the cooked lentils, and the onion in a large bowl, and toss well. Serve warm, topped with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce or Spicy Israeli Salsa.

Referenced recipes:

CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE:

½ cup plain unsweetened coconut or CASHEW YOGURT

1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into small dice

SPICY ISRAELI SALSA:

1 pound assorted colored tomatoes, diced small

5 to 6 Persian cucumbers, diced small

2 to 3 jalapeño peppers, diced small

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ to ½ teaspoon salt

HOMEMADE POMEGRANATE MOLASSES:

6 cups pomegranate juice

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature to a low boil and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours, or until the liquid has reduced to about one third. Keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t overflow.

Remove from the heat, let cool, and transfer to a glass jar with a tight lid. The molasses will thicken once cooled.

Store in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Excerpted from Tahini and Turmeric: 101 Middle Eastern Classics—Made Irresistibly Vegan by Ruth Fox and Vicky Cohen. Copyright © 2018. Available from Da Capo Lifelong Books, an imprint of Perseus Books, LLC, a subsidiary of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

#vegan #vegetarian #tahini & trumeric #vicky cohen #ruth fox #mjadra #mujadarah #mujadara #nine days #meatless monday #wild rice

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todoforyou · 3 years ago

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dan Dan Noodle

INGREDIENTSCHILI OIL

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoon red chili flakes

1/2 tsp EACH Sichuan peppercorn powder, Chinese five-spice powder

1 star anise optional

DAN DAN SAUCE

1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth warmed

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste

1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder

1/2 tsp EACH Chinese five spice powder, ground ginger

2 garlic cloves minced

3-4 tablespoons prepared chili oil in directions

PORK

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 ounces ground pork

2 teaspoons hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce may sub regular

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

SUI MI YA CAI

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup sui mi ya cai see notes

NOODLES AND GREENS

1 pound white fresh wheat noodles medium thickness

1 bunch choy sum chopped 6-inches from the top (discard the bottoms)

green onions chopped

peanuts, chopped (toasted in skillet, recommended)

INSTRUCTIONS

Easy Chili Oil: Add all of the spices to a heat proof bowl; set aside. Add vegetable oil to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until 325 degrees F (no hotter). Very carefully pour oil over the spices. Whisk in sesame oil; set aside. Start boiling the water for the noodles so it’s ready to cook them later.

Sauce: Mix all Dan Dan Sauce ingredients together except chili oil until smooth then whisk in 2-4 tablespoons chili oil (see notes). Set sauce aside and reserve leftover chili oil.

Pork: Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add pork and cook and crumble. Once almost cooked through, add the rest of the pork ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes until the liquid is absorbed/evaporated. If the pork isn’t crispy at this point, increase heat to high and cook another 1-2 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

Sui Mi Ya Cai: Reduce heat to medium. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the now empty skillet. Add the sui mi ya cai and sauté for 60 seconds to warm through; set aside.

Noodles and Greens: Cook the noodles according to package directions, adding the greens the last 30 seconds of cooking to blanch. Drain and toss noodles with a drizzle of sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together.

Assemble: Divide the sauce among four bowls. Top with noodles, choy sum (or leafy greens), pork, green onions and peanuts. Mix everything together until the noodles are well coated in the sauce. Add additional chili sauce to taste if desired (taste first!).

NOTESINGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Chili oil: Instead of homemade, you can also purchase Chinese chili oil at any Asian grocery store, just make sure to look for oil with actual red pepper flakes in it, I particularly like Blank Slate Kitchen Sichuan Chili Oil. Please note that Chinese chili oil is not the same as chili sauce or paste. If you are substituting with chili sauce, you will want to mix 1-part chili sauce to 2 parts oil.

Chinese five spice powder: Is easy to find at most grocery stores or on Amazon. It is a combination of Szechuan peppercorns, ground cloves, fennel, cinnamon, star anise and cinnamon.

Szechuan peppercorn powder: Adds peppery, numbing (not fiery) heat and complex citrus notes that is hard to replicate so please don’t skip it! I prefer Szechuan peppercorn powder because it is easy to use and save you a tedious step. Szechuan peppercorn can be found on Amazon at most Asian markets, spice stores, or sometimes specialty stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts.

Chinese sesame paste (芝麻酱, zhi ma jiang): Is a thick paste made from roasted white sesame seeds. It thickens the sauce and adds a deep, nutty, smoky flavor. It can be found in Asian markets or on Amazon. Please note that Chinese sesame paste is NOT sesame sauce or tahini. The best substitute for Chinese sesame paste is peanut butter mixed with a few teaspoons of sesame oil.

Rice wine: Can be found in the Asian aisle of the supermarket. Do NOT confuse rice wine with rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar. I use “Kikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning” which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores or you can Amazon it. The best substitute for rice wine is dry sherry.

Hoisin sauce: Can be found in the Asian section of any grocery store. It tastes like a sweet, salty and tangy, thick Asian BBQ Sauce. Use high quality hoisin sauce like Lee Kum Kee because you literally can TASTE the difference!

Fermented mustard greens (sui mi ya cai): are a type of cardamine bean sprout that is native to Sichuan, China that are dried, flavored with sugar and spices then fermented. They are a signature ingredient in Dan Dan Noodles and add an aromatic, slightly sweet, tangy, pungent, salty richness. If your Asian market carries them, they will be in small plastic packages near the pickled items, but they will not be refrigerated. However, sui mi ya cai can be difficult to find, even at an Asian grocery store, so I suggest ordering them on Amazon here. If you can’t find them Tianjin preserved vegetables, sold in squat jars at the Asian market, make a decent substitute or a mixture of kimchi and capers. If you don’t want to make a special trip to the market or order sui mi ya cai, you can skip them and your Chinese Noodles will still be tasty but they will be missing that complex layer of funk.

Noodles: Dan Dan Noodles are usually made with round, medium thin wheat noodles, 1/8″ thick, not rice noodles. You can find semi-fresh wheat noodles in the refrigerated section at an Asian market, but they usually won’t be called out as Dan Dan Noodles. Instead, look for thin, white noodles and check the packaging to see if they’re made with wheat. If you can’t make it to the Asian market, any dry round, thin Asian wheat noodle will do, or substitute with linguine.

Leafy greens: If you are making a trip to the Asian market, pick up a bunch choy sum. The stalks are quite long, so I tend to cut them in half and use the top half of the leafy stalk. Otherwise, choy sum can easily be substituted with a bunch of spinach or bok choy. To use bok choy, use the top 6 inches and slice the stalks so they’re no larger than ½-inch.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Customize heat: Dan Dan Noodles are meant to be spicy, but they don’t have to be fiery hot. I used 4 tablespoons chili oil and it was extremely spicy, but they were still incredible. 3 tablespoons chili oil will probably be the perfect amount for those who like very spicy, 2 tablespoons chili oil for those who like spicy but are little hesitant. It is probably wise to start off with less chili oil in the Dan Dan Sauce then let individuals add more chili sauce to their individual bowls.

Don’t overheat oil: You don’t want to heat the oil any hotter than 325 degrees F or it will burn the spices upon contact. The homemade chili oil can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Stir Chinese sesame paste: The oil will be separated from the thick paste underneath. You will need to stir the sesame paste thoroughly in the jar to incorporate the oil with the paste or you will only be getting thin oil and not the nutty richness. If the paste is full because it’s your first time using it, it may be easier to dump it all out into a larger bowl to stir instead of stirring in the jar.

Toast peanuts: Toasting the peanuts enhances their nutty flavor and makes them 10X better – and it’s easy. To dry roast peanuts, add ½ cup unsalted raw peanuts to a skillet over medium-high heat without any oil and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots.

Vegetarian: To make Dan Dan noodles vegetarian, you may substitute the pork with minced mushrooms or firm tofu. To prep the tofu, place it in a pie plate, top with a heavy plate and weigh down with 2 heavy cans (to release water). Set aside for 10 minutes before chopping and stir frying.

Low carb: To keep it low carb, try using shirataki noodles. Shirataki noodles are long, white noodles made from glucomannan, a type of fiber that comes from the root of the konjac plant. You can also use spiralized zucchini noodles.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

How to store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to reheat in the microwave: Transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat at 20-second intervals as needed. You may need to toss the noodles with a drizzle of oil or chicken both to loosen the noodles.

How to reheat on the stove: For larger portions, warm in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often. You may need to toss with a drizzle of oil or chicken both to loosen the noodles.

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livingcorner · 3 years ago

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17 Tips For Starting Your Own Herb Garden@|how to start your own herb garden@|https://ift.tt/3tw5vd9

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But it also doesn’t leave none. Your apartment probably (hopefully) has a fire escape, a balcony, or a patio. And that means you’ve got a little chunk of outdoor space that you can use to set up a kitchen garden of your very own.

Growing your own herbs is especially great because they don’t take much space and a little will go a long way in food. Also great: You don’t have to buy a huge bunch of parsley for a single recipe and then let the rest rot in the fridge. Instead, you can snip off just as much as you need at a time.

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Here’s what you need to know to get started:

To be clear, storing items on a fire escape IS against fire code (at least in New York City), and for a reason — if you can’t actually walk on it or access the stairs/ladder, it’s not a very effective “escape.”

That said, if you’re careful to leave a clear, walkable path that will let someone access both the window and the ladder, you should still have space for a few pots that can really brighten up your life every day there isn’t a fire (which will hopefully be all of them).

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Even if you’re careful about making your fire escape garden safe, you may still get in hot water with your landlord or the relevant authorities if it’s easily visible to people on the street. And your little herb friends deserve a safe space! So, basically, don’t be stupid. If the fire escape isn’t behind your building or is too small to safely fill with pots, think about some other apartment-friendly gardening options instead.

You need to know how much sun your plants will get, and how much they need. Most vegetables will do best in full sun (six-plus hours), but some greens and herbs are happy with less. On a fire escape, surrounding buildings or trees could block sun for part of the day, so check to make sure you hit the minimum for the type of plants you want (you can get that info from the little markers in their pots or from Google) before you buy seedlings.

To figure out how many hours you get, just keep an eye on the spot where your containers will be and make a note of when direct sunlight begins in the morning and ends in the evening. Or you can buy a little sun calculator to work it out for you.

Also keep in mind that the amount and direction of sun will change throughout the summer, so be prepared to move plants around for maximum ray catching if needed.

The timing of when you plant will vary depending on where you live. Basically, you can get started as soon as you’re sure temperatures won’t dip below freezing again. But don’t worry about missing some magical deadline; you can also continue planting things throughout the spring and summer. When you’re ready, here are the basic essentials you’ll need:

1. POTS: The size can vary depending on what you’re growing, but you want to make sure there’s enough depth for the plants’ roots to fully develop. You’ll probably want something at least 8″ in diameter; it’s better to overestimate how much space you’ll need than underestimate. Here are some general guidelines for picking the right pot size and material.

2. POTTING SOIL: You want a potting mix that’s formulated for containers, not anything that says “garden soil.” Use this calculator to figure out how many bags of soil you’ll need based on the dimensions of your containers.

3. PLANTS: Farmers’ markets are a great local source for herb and vegetable seedlings in the spring. Hardware and garden stores should have a decent selection as well.

A few other things that are nice to have, but not necessary: A trowel (for moving dirt around), a watering can (though you can also just use a large pitcher), and fertilizer to use once your plants are established (see item #14 in this post for more info).

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No matter what you’re growing, you should probably buy them as seedlings, not seeds. Yes, sprouting tiny baby plants from seeds can be magical and miraculous and all that jazz. But honestly, it’s not worth your time when you’ve got a small space and a relatively short growing season. Instead, buy established toddler herbs and vegetables at a farmer’s market or a nursery. You’ll get edible results much sooner and they’ll be less likely to die in infancy.

Basil is the herb that everyone loves and that loves everyone. It’s a very enthusiastic grower that smells and tastes great. It’s also helpful for gardeners without a lot of experience because basil will let you know right away if you’re not watering enough — by looking sad and wilty — but perks back up again after a good shower.

Always cut off the top of a basil plant instead of snipping leaves from the bottom or side of the main steam. If you take those lower leaves, you’ll just damage the plant’s solar power source, and make it grow tall and spindly instead of branching.

Don’t take off much more than a third of the plant’s height, and cut right above a spot where you see new little leaves sprouting from the stem. Those will go on to grow two new branches where you just had one stem before, which means a bushier, more compact plant.

You should also aim to trim before any flowers bloom. They may be pretty, but they’re essentially the plant’s way of saying, “I’m quitting my job in order to have babies.” You want the plant to keep doing its job, i.e., producing nice, big leaves that you can turn into pesto, so snip the tops off as soon as you see buds.

Give it a try it next time you have a few leftover sprigs. Once it has roots an inch or two long, you can just tuck it into a pot and let it rip.

Greens like spinach, lettuce, and arugula work basically the same way as herbs: You can buy them as seedlings, plant them, and they’ll keep throwing up new leaves that you can harvest repeatedly. These grow quickly and get started right away, so you can have salad in the spring and early summer while you wait for other veggies like tomatoes to get rolling.

In the mid or late summer (or whenever your first round of greens stop producing new leaves), you can replace them with cold-weather-friendly greens like chard and kale, which will keep on going well into the fall.

Fresh chives (above) are the kind of thing you might not buy, but will sprinkle on basically everything you cook if they happen to be growing right outside the window. They also bloom with pretty purple flowers!

Scallions are easy to grow in small containers, and you can get them started just by going to the grocery store and picking a bunch that have healthy-looking white roots on the end of the bulb (instructions here). Then you can harvest the green tops throughout the summer and leave the bulbs to keep producing.

Even after you close up shop on the fire escape for winter, you can keep scallions going with just a cup of water.

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Chances are you’re not going to have enough space to grow something like zucchini, so stick with veggies that aren’t heavy and can do well in relatively small containers. Just keep an eye on tomato and bean plants — which can get very tall very quickly — and tie them to a stake or railing if they’re getting out of hand.

Mint — particularly peppermint — is INSANE. It’s actually an unstoppable alien plant that will spread its runners and roots like nobody’s business; I once discovered my mint plant literally trying to sneak out of its pot and off the back of a second-story fire escape.

So mint should probably have a pot all to itself, or else it’ll just strangle anything else in there. It’ll also be less leggy and more bushy if you’re not shy about trimming and using it. This yummy maple-mint iced tea is a great way to go through bunches of it.

Exotic stuff like “pineapple” mint and lemon verbena might seem appealing when you’re at the garden store, but you should pay attention to what you actually eat and cook with, and grow accordingly. Love salsa? Plant tomatoes, hot peppers, and cilantro.

You can also get fancy with “companion planting” certain things close to each other, which may help control pests.

Happy roots with room to grow mean happy plants with plenty of leaves down the line. You might be tempted to cram as many seedlings as you can into pots to get the most out of your real estate, but if they’re crowded they won’t produce as much, and then you’ll both be sad. Leave several inches between plants (here’s a helpful, more detailed discussion) and don’t put more than a few into one pot.

Also make sure that, if you’re combining multiple types of herbs in one pot, they all have about the same sun and water requirements.

Herbs are delicate critters and need a little more babysitting than most houseplants. Remember that a fire escape made out of black metal is going to get really hot, and your pots probably aren’t that big; both contribute to the soil drying out faster. You can slow down the drying process a little bit by covering the soil with a layer of mulch, but you’ll still want to check it about every other day (or every day during hot weather).

To check, poke your finger into the pot, and if the dirt is dry an inch below the surface, it’s time to water. That said, you don’t want to drown the plants, so just water until the soil is damp all the way through, not soaking wet. And if your pots don’t have much in the way of drainage holes, err on the side of watering less, more often.

You want to be sure that the pots don’t just hold onto water and turn into root-rotting swamps. The easiest, most important thing to do is buy pots that have at least a few good-sized drainage holes in the bottom (though you may want to set them over a tray so you don’t end up dripping mud onto your downstairs neighbor’s head).

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Keep in mind that putting chunky material like rocks or pot shards in the bottom of a container is kind of a myth and won’t actually increase drainage. The most important thing is using potting soil (not just dirt from the ground) that has little granules of perlite and other minerals that keep it from getting water-logged.

If you want to try a level 2.0 project, it’s actually pretty simple to build cool self-watering bucket containers with cheap recycled materials.

You might think that dirt is just dirt, and any dirt will do. Wrong!

Start your plants in new potting soil (the kind that comes in a bag at the garden store) or, if you’re reusing old soil, remove any dead roots and mix in some compost or fertilizer. Then give things a little boost as needed throughout the season. You can use water-soluble chemical fertilizers about every two weeks, or try organic alternatives like coffee grounds, seaweed, or “liquid fish.”

Why? If you want your plants to keep producing throughout the summer, it’s important that the soil they’re growing in is aerated enough to let oxygen through and provides enough nutrients. When you’re watering small containers frequently (which you should), you end up flushing out the nutrients in potting soil to begin with.

Squirrels suck. They just do. They will dig up an entire three-foot-long container, CONVINCED that it’s full of buried acorn treasure (it isn’t! I checked!) and not give a shit that they just destroyed your lovingly tended micro-farm in the process.

If you’re having problems, you can try your luck with any number of possible solutions: bloodmeal fertilizer, plastic mesh or chicken wire, cayenne pepper, or even good old-fashioned rocks. I confess that my weird DIY method of weaving a deterrent latticework out of bamboo kabob skewers only…kinda sorta works. But I’m not giving up yet.

You can troubleshoot a lot of common problems, like yellow leaves (which might mean too much water or not enough nitrogen). If you really think a plant is beyond repair, do a thorough inspection and give it a little time before you hold a funeral.

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My setup last summer (IDK what’s happening with that tragic dill, sorry).

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