#I made a veggie one with zucchini and spinach and a meat one

[theloveinc]

I just spent three hours making lasagna 🤠

[easytobevegan]

Easy Vegan Meals for Children and Picky Eaters

Got a child that you need to feed or pack lunch for and don’t have much time? Have a picky eater living with you who’s trying to go vegan? Maybe you have a combination child/picky eater (like I was) living in your household? Well, this list of food is perfect for you! While not always the healthiest, sometimes just getting someone to eat can be challenging enough, so there’s nothing wrong with some simple, somewhat unhealthy meals every now and then. Many of these dishes can easily be made healthier by adding veggies! Here’s a collection of easy meals for the difficult eaters in your life. 

Macaroni and “Cheese”: Whether it’s boxed vegan mac or homemade, macaroni and cheese is a beloved classic for people of all ages and eating habits. Some boxed and frozen vegan mac and cheese that I’ve personally tried include Sweet Earth Cauliflower Mac, Field Roast Mac N’ Chao, Daiya Cheddar Style Mac & Cheeze, and Annie’s Deluxe Rich & Creamy Shells & Vegan Cheddar. You could also make a quick batch of mac and cheese yourself by boiling your pasta noodle of choice, making a roux with all-purpose flour and vegan butter, and slowly adding in your nondairy milk and vegan cheese shreds of choice (I personally use oat milk and either Follow Your Heart or Violife). If you’re looking to make your own cheese sauce, there are plenty of vegan recipes out there, such as this one from Nora Cooks or this one from Love and Lemons. Add broccoli, cauliflower, and/or some sauteed greens (such as spinach or kale) to make this classic, homey dish a little less unhealthy. 

Tacos: Whether you use a packaged spice mix or make your own (like this one from Vegan Richa), you can’t go wrong with a simple taco. Hard shell, soft shell, lettuce wrap, taco salad - whatever you do, it’s up to you and sure to be delicious! I personally like to use black beans (and sometimes chickpeas or TVP) as my meat substitute. You could also add other veggies to the dish, such as mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers - anything you want, really. Top with lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese, salsa, and/or pico de gallo for some added flavor and texture.

Sloppy Joes: In place of meat, use tvp, lentils or mushrooms. If you can find a canned sauce that is vegan friendly, that will work just fine for a quick meal, but homemade is best, in my humble opinion. Not sure where to start? Try this recipe from Nora Cooks!

Grilled Cheese: Get two slices of bread, a couple slices of vegan cheese, and enough vegan butter to spread on the outside of the bread. Put the cheese slices on top of the bread and then put the bread slices in a pan over medium heat until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Add some tomato slices or fresh greens if you’re into that or serve the sandwich with some soup (I like tomato soup best). 

Pizza: Who doesn’t love a good pizza, am I right? If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that serves good vegan pizza, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting it as a treat every now and then. Frozen vegan pizzas that I’ve seen in stores where I live have been limited to Daiya pizzas (which I haven’t tried, so I can’t comment on taste), but I know there are others out there. You can easily make your own pizza by buying vegan-friendly dough (either frozen, premade bread or package mix), jarred pizza sauce, vegan shredded cheese, and toppings of choice (such as spinach, mushrooms, pineapple, etc.). Looking to make a pizza from scratch? Try this one from Love and Lemons or this one from Nora Cooks. 

Spaghetti: Jarred sauce and spaghetti noodles, what could be simpler? You could also add some vegan parmesan on top, some vegan meatballs or tvp to the sauce, and/or a bunch of vegetables for added flavor and texture. Making your own sauce is really simple, too! Here’s a recipe from my mom that I use whenever I’m craving spaghetti (note that the link also has recipes for lasagna and chili) -  Spaghetti Sauce.

“Chicken” Nuggets: There are plenty of frozen vegan chicken nugget options out there now, from Morning Star to Gardein to Impossible, etc. If you want something without all the preservatives and processing that goes into making fake meat, you could try making your own. These recipes from Nora Cooks and Sweet Potato Soul look yummy! Serve them with some homemade fries, baked potatoes, or roasted vegetables for a filling and delicious meal. 

Quesadillas: Another yummy Mexican dish that you can whip up easily. You can make a simple one by purchasing tortillas and vegan cheese shreds to melt inside. You can also add whatever veggies and spices you want. If you’re looking for recipes to follow along with, these from Love and Lemons and Nora Cooks look delicious!

Baked Ziti: More pasta, yay! Warm, cheesy and saucy, what could be better than baked ziti on a chilly day? This vegan baked ziti from Nora Cooks uses ziti containing wheat and a cashew sauce, but it does have gluten free and nut free options listed! If you want to add some healthy factors to it, mix in some greens (like spinach or kale) or other vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini).

Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich: Simple yet delicious! Great to take to school or work for a quick lunch. Have it with some raw veggies or fruit slices to add some more nutrition to your meal. Want to take your sandwich to the next level? Try this PBJ Coconut Bacon Sandwich from Elephantastic Vegan!

Fried Rice: Rice and vegetables - couldn’t be simpler! While you can certainly find frozen vegetable fried rice that is vegan friendly in many grocery stores, there’s just something satisfying about making it yourself. This recipe from Nora Cooks is so good! 

[kavehsfoodlog]

hello!

i'm 29 and (sorta) newly-diagnosed with gerd. i come from a hispanic family so it's felt devastating to lose over half the cabinet of spices and treasured family recipes, BUT i want to re-shape how i'm viewing this to be a positive, holistic sort of approach. so that's what this blog is for.

why i chose kaveh: i love him. hes the ultimate bbg/comfort character for me. he helps me cope with this new journey i'm on.

recently made the decision to stop weighing/measuring food for my sanity so even if i write something like oz/c/etc it's a guesstimate

Safe Foods List

• lettuce (beloved)

• cucumber

• apple

• oatmeal (not flavored - only tolerable instant is bob's)

• unseasoned chicken

• unseasoned turkey

• gf rudi bread

• eggs (usually)

• carrots

• korean chives/chinese chives (moderate amts)

• red bean mochi

• squash

•zucchini

• corn

• green beans

• spinach

• celery

•bean sprouts (small amounts)

•bamboo shoots

•broccoli and cauliflower (moderate amounts)

• veggie sushi (if no onions)

• all varieties of sweet potatoes

•regular potatoes (in moderate amts) - NOT fried

•rice (small amounts for white/white glutinous, moderate amounts for basmati)

•berries (moderate amounts)

•dates (1-2)

•non-citrus fruits (peaches, melons, pears, etc.)

•granola (small amts)

•mustard (moderate amounts)

•sugar (small amounts - more tolerable if in baked goods)

•gummy bears (moderate amounts)

•corn (incl. unseasoned/only buttered popcorn - as much as i want, as long as i don't eat it to fullness/overfullness bc that triggers reflux)

•green beans (fresh>canned but both in moderate amts)

Trigger Foods List

• most dairy (greek yogurt and cream are tolerable in moderate amts, hard cheese is tolerable in small amts)

• sausages (especially spicier ones)

•tomatoes (ANY amt)

• garlic (any amt 😭)

• pickles (can tolerate exactly 3 small circular slices; small dill pickles can be tolerated 1-2 at a time)

• onions

•kimchi (white kimchi is tolerable in small amts, haven't tried moderate amts yet)

• sugary pan dulce

• fried/breaded red meats

• peppers (chipitín, etc.)

• bell peppers (sobbing)

• sodas (zero/diet > mexican-bottled coke (yes, specifically coca-cola) > plastic canned/bottled soda

• honey (in moderate amts)

• citrus fruits (ie lemon, lime, orange)

• cabbage (why)

• banana (am allergic anyway)

• gluten (intolerance)

• many spices (black/white pepper, chili, dill, garlic, onion, ginger, cinnamon, etc.)

• some amts of oils (turmeric reduces the effects to a small degree)

•soy (crying - intolerant)

•worcestirshire (spelling??) sauce (small amts)

[msbarrows]

Oct 16 - Not quite as busy a day as yesterday, but still pretty busy. Put away the load of laundry from yesterday. Baked a loaf of wheat/white bread. Deboned the meat from the turkey carcass, the larger pieces went into margarine tubs with some of the gravy (two white meat, one dark) and then into the freezer. The smaller pieces were also mixed with gravy and then turned into a casserole made of all the assorted leftovers (peas, beans, mashed potatoes, dressing, with some extra veggies added) - that'll be tomorrow's supper.

Then I broke up what remained of the turkey and made a vat of stock, which simmered away most of the afternoon and smelled delicious. Once it'd had a few hours to cool somewhat I strained it into a clean pot, and it's now cooling overnight so I can skim the fat off tomorrow before dividing and freezing it. Hopefully I have enough containers for it; between all the homemade tomato sauce, the vat of chili last week, and the lamb, duck, and chicken stocks plus leftovers I have most of our margarine and sour cream tubs already full of stuff (also a pile of spreadable cream cheese tubs, which are just the right size to freeze 1 cup amounts of things). I need to use up some of all that in the near future.

Another day where I ended up doing dishes multiple times, though thankfully only twice; once to wash all the now-emptied dishes the leftovers had been in plus the platters and knives used in all the turkey handling, and later clean up after supper and also wash the roasting pan.

With all of the above I wasn't particularly ambitious for making supper, so I did chili from the freezer with brown rice and a salad. And I'm very glad that tomorrow I need to do even less; just heat the casserole and serve it with the leftover cranberry sauce.

I think I'll aim to use up some of the mass quantities of frozen stuff the next couple of days afterwards; I have the ingredients for a lasagne which will use up several things, and then I might try doing a bean dish using either leftover lamb & stock or leftover duck & stock. Actually probably the beans first, as the lasagne will be another big production to make. I'm planning to throw several veggies in - zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach - so there'll be some extra prep work required for those; they all need some degree of precooking to get rid of excess moisture so the lasagne doesn't end up soupy.

And now for some wind-down crocheting and then sleep.

[ronniefein]

If you haven’t tried Pashtida, you’re missing out. This dish — so popular in Israel — is kind of like a cross between a quiche, a frittata and a kugel. Sometimes it’s made with meat, sometimes dairy and sometimes just vegetables. Any way at all — this is one delicious treat!

Pashtida is filling and hearty enough for dinner (add a side salad) but light enough for lunch. It’s also the kind of dish that’s made for weekend brunch. Leftovers are good too — easily reheated for weekday breakfast.

If you’re looking for a new dairy dish for Shavuot (and, thinking ahead, during the Nine Days or for your Break-the-fast) I encourage you to try this one. My recipe is a melange of eggs, cheese and veggies that you spoon into a casserole and bake until the eggs are set and the top is crispy.

This dish is also amazingly versatile, so I’ve listed a variety of options for substitution.

VEGETABLE PASHTIDA

1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (3 scallions; 2 shallots)

1 cup chopped fresh: spinach; kale; (diced) zucchini; or chopped cooked veggies (such as green beans, carrots, bell pepper, asparagus; eggplant); or thawed frozen peas or corn

Halved mini-tomatoes (such as grape or cherry; about 7-8); chopped sun-dried tomatoes, optional

4 tablespoons cream cheese, cut into small pieces (or 1/3 cup dairy sour cream or 1/2 cup cottage cheese)

5 large eggs

1 cup whole milk or half and half

1/2 cup shredded meltable cheese such as Swiss, cheddar, Havarti or mozzarella

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (dill, basil)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a casserole dish (such as approximately 8”x 6” or a 6-cup round) and set aside. Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until barely tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the onion and cook for a minute. Add the potato and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the pieces are lightly crispy, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened. Add the tomatoes, if used, and cook for another minute. Add the cream cheese and continue to cook and stir until the cheese has melted into the vegetables. Remove the pan from the heat and let the ingredients cool slightly. Beat the eggs and milk together and pour over the vegetable-cream cheese mixture. Add the shredded cheese and stir gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Sprinkle to taste with salt, pepper and parsley. Spoon the ingredients into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is crispy.

Makes 4-6 servings

[yogaadvise]

Balancing 7 Chakras: What You Ned to Know About Chakra Alignment

Chakras as healing facilities have been main to Hindu, Buddhist, as well as Eastern spiritual practices. These are prime focus in the body that, when made use of with reflection, promote wellness.

" Chakra" translated from Sanskrit implies wheel or circle. The body is a wheel of power: just how this wheel moves, connects, as well as connects regulates the circulation of energy. A well balanced chakra system is tied to psychological handling, resistance to disease, as well as physical health.

Chakras can end up being misaligned, obstructed, or subjected. Obstructed energy can bring about ailment or psychological pain. Therefore, chakra "harmonizing" can be used to recover energy and wellness.

There are 7 major chakras of the body. Each one is connected with a color, mantra (a word or noise repeated throughout reflection), and a put on the body. With each other, yoga positions, reflection, as well as conscious nutrition, can be utilized to bring back chakra alignment.

Chakra 1-- Root (Mooladhaara)

Color: Red

Location: Base of the spinal column in tailbone. This chakra is closest to the planet, and is consequently related to grounding as well as survival. In the body, it is gotten in touch with legs, feet, bones, as well as the colon. A balanced origin chakra permits an individual to feel safe, secure, and also provided for.

Signs of over-activity: Paranoia, stress and anxiety, anxiety based upon the demand to make it through. Joint pain, digestion troubles, low back pain, hip pain, swollen feet.

Signs of underactivity: problem concentrating, lack of energy or confidence, airheadedness. Foot and leg injuries, gastrointestinal troubles, immune disorders.

How to stabilize your first chakra: Make sure that all basic survival needs are fulfilled. Beneficial practices consist of walking barefoot on the dirt or turf, relaxing the spirit through prayer, reestablishing personal origins, and exercising grounded yoga poses. Meditate: using the mantra Lam, or affirmations such as, I am based, I am safe, I am secure.

Yoga poses: Mountain, tree, warrior, side-angle, and bridge positions to assist in grounding.

Essential oils: Cedarwood, incense on wrists or lower back before sleep.

Supportive foods: Red-colored foods-- red apples, beetroots, pomegranates, cranberry, radishes, red potatoes, red lentils. Root vegetables, mushrooms, pet proteins (meat, eggs).

Chakra 2-- Sacral (Swadhishtana)

Color: Orange

Location: Halfway factor between the root chakra and also the navel. This chakra is connected with a sense of wellness, satisfaction, and sexuality. In the body, the sacral chakra is connected to the reduced abdomen, kidneys, bladder, blood circulation system, and also reproductive organs. A well balanced sacral chakra advertises joy, healthy and balanced connections, imagination, a sense of consistency, and also feeling satisfied.

Signs of over-activity: Obsessive behavior, absence of self-acceptance, mental illness, sexual regret, addiction, and also uneasyness. Irregular bowel movements, pain in the back, the inability to conceive, or urinary tract infections.

Signs of underactivity: Loss of pleasure in daily tasks. Depression, erectile dysfunction, stunted creativity, lack of passion.

How to stabilize your second chakra: Emphasis on activities that are nourishing for the heart and spirit-- ask, "Is this great for me? Is this healthy and beneficial?" Healing this chakra involves nurturing the heart and taking joy in the straightforward things in life: food, partnership, sex, as well as hobbies. Be near water.

Meditate: with words Vam, or affirmations such as I am healthy and balanced, I am creative, I am calm.

Yoga poses: Bridge position, cobra posture, forward bend, sitting forward bend, bound angle pose.

Essential oils: Jasmine, sandalwood, climbed, ylang ylang

Supportive foods: Oranges, tangerines, nuts, cumin, turmeric, ginger, orange-colored origin vegetables (carrots, squash). Foods with a high water web content, foods with vitamins A, B, and also C.

Chakra 3-- Naval/Solar Plexus (Manipura)

Color: Yellow

Location: Above the naval, prolongs upwards with the chest. Glowing an intense yellow shade, it is connected to sensations of confidence as well as control. A balanced marine chakra advertises sensations of worth, warmth, and also count on yourself and also instinct. In the body: a healthy digestive tract, reduced tension, normal rest, and well balanced hormones.

Signs of over-activity: Short-tempered, managing actions, greed, absence of concern, lack of ability to keep eye get in touch with. Digestion trouble, over active nerves, adrenal tiredness, unhealthy rest habits.

Signs of underactivity: Indecision, insecurity, neediness.

Healing the 3rd chakra: Reflection, breathing workouts, and doing slow-moving yogic spins outside. Releasing belly muscles.

Meditate: with the mantra Ram or affirmations such as I merit, I am positive, I am strong.

Yoga poses: Sun salutation, warrior, backbends, bow, half-twist, and also boat poses.

Essential oils: Ginger, rosemary, or lemon

Supportive foods: Yellow-colored foods: corn, bananas, applesauce, grains, chamomile tea with lemon as well as ginger. Foods that advertise digestive health: aloe juice, avocado, mint, kefir, yogurt, cinnamon, celery, as well as cucumber.

Chakra 4 — Heart (Anahata)

Color: Green

Location: Facility of the upper body, above the heart. The heart chakra connects to love, concern, calmness, and harmony. A balanced heart chakra manifests with a strong heart, immune system, and circulation. It is linked to feelings of love, compassion, compassion, and also healthy choices.

Signs of over-activity: Sensations of isolation, loneliness, panic. Heartburn, anxiousness, upper body stress, shortness of breath, and elevated heartrate.

Signs of underactivity: Depend on concerns, failure to get in touch with others. Despair, depression, poor blood circulation, breathing problems.

Healing the 4th chakra: Concentrate on deep breaths to get rid of the lungs, open up the shoulders, and also open the chest. Exercise self-care activities to route external love to yourself.

Meditate: with the rule Yam or the affirmation I am compassionate, I am open.

Yoga poses: Chest-openers: camel, cobra, fish posture. Attempt this 30-minute yoga exercise regimen to open up the heart chakra.

Essential oils: Rose, thyme

Supportive foods: Eco-friendly, nutrient-rich veggies: leafed environment-friendlies, spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli, dark lettuce. Alkalizing fruits as well as veggies: green apples, limes, zucchini, celery, avocados, eco-friendly beans.

Chakra 5 — Hroat (Vishudda)

Color: Blue

Location: Throat Tied to the ability to interact, self-expression, as well as talking the truth. A balanced throat chakra suggests you can speak clearly with truth and compassion. Healthy and balanced glands, thyroid.

Signs of over-activity: Really feeling ignored, revoked, inability to talk the fact. Thyroid or hormonal agent inequalities, throat pain, frequent infections, or ulcers.

Signs of underactivity: Shyness, lack of ability to share your emotions.

Healing the 5th chakra: Talk with truthfulness as well as brevity. Method revealing your feelings and also truths, also alone. Remaining in or near water, strolling under the sky, paying attention to noises of water or wind.

Meditate: with the rule Pork, or affirmations that advertise strength and also self-respect: I share myself honestly as well as plainly, I am balanced.

Yoga poses: Fish, lion, or bridge presents. Neck stretches, shoulder openers, supported shoulder-stand, camel, and also rake poses.

Essential oils: Eucalyptus, sage, blue chamomile

Supportive foods: Nutritional foods with a high water content, clear fluids and also broths, herbal teas. Juices, fruits, as well as blueberries. Mineral water.

Chakra 6 — Third Eye (Anja)

Color: Indigo

Location: Facility of the temple, in between the eyebrows. This chakra is connected to reflection, wisdom, decisiveness, and instinct. A well balanced 6th chakra promotes a feeling of unity, convenience, as well as hearing your instinct. Connected with audio rest and pituitary gland health.

Signs of over-activity: It is unusual for people to struggle with an overactive Pineal eye. Those that do may invest a lot of their time fascinated in psychic tasks, such as paranormal experiences and also astrological readings.

Signs of underactivity: Absence of insight, mental instability, poor memory, feeling disconnected, judgmental behavior. Dizziness, loss of sight, tension headaches, depression, or sinus infections.

Healing the 6th chakra: Solitary meditation is the most effective method for recovery this chakra. As are simple repeated tasks, such as treking or long walks outdoors. Browse through all-natural landscapes that give perspective.

Meditate: with the concept Om or affirmations such as I am directed, I am centered, I am clear.

Yoga poses: Kid's position, standing forward bend, modest warrior, warrior III, as well as seated meditation.

Essential oils: Sage, bay, or jasmine

Supportive foods: Raw nuts: almonds, walnuts. Purple-colored foods, such as: grapes, plums, goji berries, acai, eggplant, or blueberries. Cleansing foods, such as: pineapple, mushrooms, grains, papaya, and also cruciferous vegetables.

Chakra 7 — Crown (Sahasrara)

Color: Violet - White.

Location: On the crown of the head. The crown chakra is connected with the connection to spirituality. A balanced crown chakra is linked to sensations of bliss and a healthy central nerves. Calm, centered ideas, and also the ability to touch right into a greater level of spirituality. This is the goal of every spiritual practitioner, and also it is tough to attain a completely balanced crown chakra.

Signs of over activity: Like the Buddhist principle of "paradise," it is not possible to have an overactive 7th chakra due to the fact that it would indicate one is no longer human.

Signs of underactivity: An underactive 7th chakra is regular: every human has an underactive 7th chakra. Indications consist of inability to focus, imagining, as well as not residing in today. Migraines, misconceptions, as well as tight joints.

Healing the 7th chakra: Straightening this chakra is best done with reflection and also stabilizing the other 6 chakras. Add daily exterior strolls to your regimen, concentrate on being existing, and cultivate gratitude.

Meditation: advised without a mantra. Usage affirmations such as I am present, I am here, I am connected.

Yoga poses: Balancing postures that bring recognition to the body: tree, hill, as well as eagle poses.

Essential oils: sandalwood, geranium, myrrh

Supportive foods: Water soaked up through the skin, sesame or chia seeds, bone broth, topical necessary oils, and also aloe vera juice. Because this chakra is tied to the spiritual, the crown chakra is probably to gain from sunlight, fresh air, and silent meditation.

[tolerateit6sabe]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

W H Y

WHY IS THERE ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW I’M LEARNING MY PARENTS FUCKED UP WHEN PARENTING ME??? W H Y ? i JUST WANT TO LIKE THEM, WHY IS THIS A NEVERENDING STREAM OF REASONS TO BE PISSED???

*deep breath*

So

SO

My family has mocked me my entire life for being a picky eater. Nonstop. They nicknamed me the “starchitarian” to mock my eating habits. And I was talking about it with my partner and how I didn’t eat a lot of veggies as a kid when I realized something. My parents introduced me to very very very VERY few vegetables as a child. They introduced me to tomatoes, mushrooms (which are technically a fungi), carrots, peas, broccoli, and cauliflower. No cucumber, no zucchini, no squash, no bell pepper, no radish, no celery, no fennel, no lettuce, no spinach, no sweet potatoes, no asparagus, just those six vegetables out of SO MANY. And then they had the GALL to get angry at me when I didn’t like tomatoes or mushrooms?? I LOVED broccoli, peas, and cauliflower, and I actively ate one of those small packs of carrots a day. I really wanted to like tomatoes and tried them frequently, but the texture and taste killed me.

So they were mad because I only dared like 4 out of their 6 vegetables??? I ate any meat except fish that was put in front of me, all rice and potato dishes, I loved fruit and nuts like nothing else, and I understand that there were problems that arose from me not liking cheese, milk, and creamy products, but like.....I still drank milk. I loved vanilla steamers and would tolerate strawberry milk, the texture of it just still kills me. I wasn’t that bad when it came to being picky???? I literally just had preferences. Wtf.

And you know what??? When I grew up and had more control over my diet, I fell in love with vegetables. I love bok choy, brussel sprouts, bamboo shoots, and almost every vegetable I listed above. I still don’t like mushrooms in general, I struggle with cheese, and creamy products kill me. But those are preferences. I wasn’t that picky of an eater, I was just exposed to almost no options as a child.

And when I was seven and my mom was hit by a car and temporarily incapacitated, I made my brother and I’s lunches and dinners. So yes, as a child who was told not to try to cook solo, I went for microwave and oven meals. I went with whatever my parents stocked in the freezer, I went for guarantees because my brother was bitchy about his food not being what he wanted, and I went for familiars. I didn’t try to work with vegetables because I had never seen my parents do it. I had no clue how to cook them or what dishes had them that my brother and I would like. And, for the record, a first grader was in charge of packing lunches for themself and their brother. A power I never abused. Lunches were sandwiches, a fruit or vegetable depending on what we had in the fridge, and either chips or a small dessert. I never put in extra sweets or chips, I took care of my brother and I.

My family would go on to mock my diet for years. Any time something bothered my mouth, my mother would blame it on me having too many sweets. They made it about rights and wrongs: you were wrong for having sweets and salties and starches and carbs. My mother, who was overweight but not dangerously so, constantly scorned her body and would talk about not being beautiful, a habit my father picked up when he became overweight, and they would become rude about my brother’s body when he became a bit chubby too. It was one of the ways I was expected to be perfect: be slim but don’t develop an eating disorder because that’s bad. I went on a short diet when I was fourteen because I was five pounds (basically water weight) overweight, something my mother encouraged, and lost them and stopped. I was so lucky. But I think that if I had told my mom that I lost that weight and she praised me, I would have kept doing it. Because if that was “all it took” to gain their affection, I would have done it in a heartbeat.

I struggled with intense nausea and with eating when problems with school happened in fourth and fifth grade, but that was nothing compared to when I was abused by my friend in high school. I developed disordered eating that my family perpetually worsened over the course of a year, and would still struggle with it during the next six months to the point that eating three meals a day was an accomplishment. But when I was trapped with my family during the pandemic, my eating crashed worse than it ever had. I was dealing with gender dysphoria, horrible PTSD, anxiety, depression, and constant fear for my partner who was living with their abusive parents. I was desperately trying to fix my relationship with my family, going the extra mile, and constantly getting my hopes up only to have them destroyed day after day after day. I struggled with eating, especially with the comments they made. How much easier it was to cook for the family when I was gone. How happy they were when I made a microwave meal for myself so they could have a homemade one. How they would eat any food I made for myself. How they made snarky comments about how little I ate. How they would yell at me for being in the kitchen or just existing at the wrong time because how dare I intrude while they cooked.

I would be proud if I ate once a day. I struggled with eating sweets or chips even though they soothed my anxiety enough that a small amount could mean I would relax enough to have a full meal, but I struggled with doing that because if it didn’t work, all I would eat was unhealthy food and that was bad for me and would make me fat and then my family would be disappointed in me. They directly said that, between overweight and underweight, they would rather I be underweight. And I became underweight. I would dry heave multiple times a day, got lightheaded consistently and would quickly become faint, and became physically and mentally weaker. I finally left and went to live with my partner, whose brother apparently saw me early on and was seriously concerned for my health. My partner, knowing a lot about eating disorders, admitted to me that I would have probably ended up in the hospital soon at the rate I was going. It terrifies me to this day how horribly that could have gone.

I still suffer from disordered eating a year later, but three meals a day is usually the standard. Sometimes, I can’t do that, but my partner is always happy to help me through the meal. They don’t mock me or my eating habits, and instead support me in eating whatever I can. But that mockery of me as a child for being a picky eater because of factors beyond my control eventually built up into intense disordered eating. Use your words carefully, parents. Because they stay with your kid.

[a-bit-of-owlish-fun]

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!

[c-is-for-circinate]

C’s infinitely modifiable recipe for vaguely niceish dinner-including-vegetables 20 minutes after walking in the front door

Like many of us, my executive function is dead by the end of the day, especially if I’m tired, especially if I’m hungry, and figuring out How To Food when I need it most is hard as fuck, especially if my kitchen’s kind of messy and I stall out on needing supplies or space.

Also like many of us, I have a really hard time figuring out How To Vegetable, because I’m very afraid of buying fresh things that might go bad before I have the spoons to use them.  And IDK about you, but I get really tired of eating the same thing all the time, so the only way to actually make myself get excited about cooking and eating is to have the option for variety.

Luckily for me, I’ve nailed ‘many, many pasta dishes I would not be ashamed to serve my mother’ down to a familiar, easy formula that I can follow with whatever I have on hand in the freezer and cabinets.  Even better, knowing this formula helps me go grocery shopping, because I can buy specific canned, frozen, jarred, and refrigerate-able things knowing several different ways I can use them.

Maybe it will help you too!  Maybe not!  But it has made my life SO MUCH BETTER, so, as a gift from me to you, A Recipe (of sorts).

To start: Drop your shit by the door.  Get out one frying pan, one pasta pot, and a wooden spoon or plastic spatula or whatever you have to cook with.  It does not matter that the counter is a mess; all you need are two clear stove burners.  There are almost no prep steps to fuck with your executive function and block you from starting this process as soon as you get home.

Step 1:  Veggies Get some olive oil heating up in your pan on medium/low.  While it’s warming up, go to your freezer and grab any frozen veggie you own: broccoli, peas, sliced bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, mixed medley, whatever.  When the oil’s hot enough that a couple of drops of water sprinkled into it sizzle a bit but don’t spit, pour the veggies straight into the pan.  (About 1/4 to 1/2 of a bag is usually plenty for me to make dinner + tomorrow’s lunch).  If the oil is Way Too Hot, turn the burner down, wait briefly, and toss the veggies in anyway.  They’re frozen, they’ll survive.

Step 2:  Carbs If you’re doing regular pasta (or those great frozen raviolis they sell at the grocery store, for extra flavor/protein), stick a pot of heavily salted water on the hottest burner cranked up to high, slap a lid on it, and wait for it to boil. If you’re doing couscous or some other fun grain that cooks in 10 minutes or less, get that going however you usually make it. If you’ve got a bunch of leftover rice in the fridge from the other day’s takeout, wait until the veggies are mostly thawed and then toss it right into the frying pan.  Break it up with the wooden spoon and add a little extra oil to make sure none of it’s too dry. (Sadly, this recipe is not scaled for potatoes.)

(Optional: Seasoning #1 If you happen to have minced garlic in your fridge, throw that shit in the frying pan when the veggies are mostly thawed.  If all you’ve got is dried, that’s cool, wait for later.  Make sure you add the liquid soon after, b/c garlic burns fast.  This is also a good time to add ginger, if you have it on hand and the ingredients you’re planning to use work with it.)

Step 3: Liquid Grab a can of [black beans/tomatoes/coconut milk/crushed pineapple/literally whatever, use the condensed soup if you want, this recipe is ANYTHING GOES] from the cabinet, drain about half the liquid out of the can and throw the rest straight into the pan.  OR snag a jar of [pre-made pesto/harissa/salsa/whatevs] from the fridge, and spoon in a big glop.  (Use judgment here.  Save half a can of things like coconut milk instead of draining it down the sink.  If it all looks super dry you can add some a splash of broth, or juice, or milk, or wine, or whatever, but you shouldn’t need much--you’ll have pasta water for that in a minute, and your frozen veg probably produced a ton of liquid to begin with.)

Step 4:  Cooking Get that pasta in the water as soon as it’s boiling.  If you’re doing grains, check on them and do whatever you’re supposed to do to make the grains cook right. Turn up the heat on the stuff in the pan so it bubbles a little around the edges.  The wetter all the stuff in your pan is, the hotter you want the burner.  You’ve got a fair bit of leeway here; so long as you’ve still got liquid in there, and you vaguely keep an eye to make sure it doesn’t burn, this can keep going without damaging anything until your carbs are done.  (Sugary liquids like orange juice or the syrup from canned fruit are more likely to burn, so keep a closer eye on those and cook them a little cooler.) This is a good point to wash out a bowl to eat out of if you don’t have a clean one.  Shove just enough dirty dishes aside to make sure you’ve got enough space in the sink to drain the pasta.

(Optional: Meat/meat substitute We’re cooking fast tonight, so we’re going for precooked meat options.  I’ve used canned tuna, frozen Ikea meatballs, leftover grocery store rotisserie chicken, frozen shrimp, fancypants gourmet chicken sausages (which freeze very well), jarred pulled pork I made in my crock pot three weekends earlier...  Like everything else in this recipe, you can go as low-budget or as pretentiously gourmet as you like.  Microwave frozen things on 50% for a minute or two in the bowl you’re planning to eat your dinner in, then throw them right into the frying pan.)

Step 5: Season (for real this time) Taste the stuff in your frying pan and decide what it needs.  You can throw in dried spices or fresh or dried herbs, or splash in soy sauce or vinegar or sriracha, or anything else you use to season food.  Season heavily, because your carbs are going to stretch all the flavors out, except for salt--you can add that once everything’s in the same pan.

Step 6: Combine When your starch is mostly-almost-done, drain most but not all of the liquid, and dump the pasta or quinoa or rice or whatever-you’ve-got right into the skillet.  (Leaving in a little bit of pasta liquid will help thicken everything and stick it together.)  Mix it all up with your trusty wooden spoon or plastic spatula or whatever you’re using and let it all hang out for a minute while you get your bowl.  Here’s where you taste and add more salt if it really needs.

(Optional: Cheese If it’s been that kind of day and the stuff in your pan + the contents of your fridge offer up a tasty combination, turn the heat off and just dump a shitton of shredded cheese right into the pan.  Mix everything fast so it all melts together from the heat of the pasta and it all gets melty and a little stringy and delicious.)

And that’s it!  One Frozen Veggie + One Carby Base + One Wet Canned/Jarred Thing + a few minutes of cooking + some spices + optional meats and/or cheeses = dinner, fifteen to twenty minutes after walking in the front door, plus probably lunch for tomorrow along with it.

This is also very often my base recipe even when I’m working with fresh veggies or raw meat.  Chopping fresh veggies adds an extra 5-10 minutes at the front end, depending on how many different kinds of vegetables I’m using.  (Make sure any raw veggies go into the pan before any frozens, because they’ll take longer to cook.)  If I’m working with raw meat or fish, or I’ve marinated tofu and I want it to get brown and tasty, I’ll generally season my protein and sautee it in the pan before I do anything else, then set it to the side in the bowl I plan to eat dinner in and cook everything else just the same as normal.

Obviously this takes a little bit of flavor-matching when it gets to the seasoning stage, but the whole ‘match a frozen thing to a canned/wet thing’ part is surprisingly forgiving, particularly if you stick to individual veggies instead of trying to play with one of those mixed vegetable medleys.  

I generally season a few different ways based on my ‘wet’ ingredient:

Canned tomatoes --> tons of garlic, any vaguely Italian herbs like basil/oregano/fennel, mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Black or red beans --> lots of chili powder, some garlic, sometimes other spices with a bite like paprika or ginger to round out the flavor for fun, usually cheddar or “southwestern cheese blend”

Canned fruit, orange juice or canned baby corn --> heavy ginger, some garlic, soy sauce, sometimes Chinese Five Spice if I have it around, no cheese

Coconut milk --> just ginger and garlic, OR something vaguely garam masala-like (cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cloves, chili, plus also non-c spices like nutmeg and whatever else seems like it might be an okay idea), no cheese

Just broth --> any of the above, OR mustard and paprika, usually with cheddar (particularly if I can add frozen or fresh diced apples to a frozen veg like broccoli)

Pesto, harissa, salsa, and other jarred ingredients usually have tons of seasoning in them already, so I season lightly to enhance whatever they’ve already got going on

(Worth noting that I grew up on Italian cooking, so I think garlic belongs in everything and I’m very much not an expert on many flavor profiles--these are things that taste good to me, and a place that might work for you to start from if you don’t have a lot of ideas what you might like.)

Good luck!  Happy cooking!  

[britnxyspears]

☕️ vegetables

VERY good tbh I usually prefer the veggies in my food more than the meat.

Onions- absolutely always loving these bad boys. Enough to sob through cutting them lmfao

Tomatoes- okay I hated tomatoes when I was little but my thing is that I generally only like them cooked. I still like BLT and tomato on my burger, but like I have to be in a mood to have them cold any other time. Most of my favorite foods have tomatoes as a base. They compliment a wide variety of flavors.

Corn- very cool, very cool. On the cob that shit will wrecks my gums but we still love it bc it's yummy especially slathered in butter. Mm.

Carrots: UGH so versatile. I like them raw with onion dip the best <3 tbh dip in general, a lot of dips just work out best with baby carrots.

Idk if they're a veggie but I LOVE water chestnuts what the fuck. They just soak up all the good flavors of your stir fry and stuff.

Spinach: sometimes I feel compelled to eat it raw idk what's wrong with me. Refreshing.

Cabbage: okay so like. Accidentally bought this bad boy instead of lettuce (for blt) and I was like what the fuck do I make with cabbage??? Well now its main part of my favorite recipe that I just pulled out of my ass. We love cabbage.

Eggplant: very cool but you gotta be in the mood. Good for veggie stacking recipes like ratatouille. (Yes I've made actual ratatouille. It's very good but labour intensive with cutting phhft)

SQUASH IS VERY EPIC I LOVE ACORN SQUASH ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY IN FALL AUGGGGH also yellow squash goes great with steak! I personally dont like steak much so it kinda balances stuff out!

ZUCCHINI IS THE S H I T I love it so much. I love it especially in lasagna!!!!! My mom can't do like regular noodles so we did it with zucchini noodles that we sliced up- literally 5000000× better than regular lasagna with noodles. Also healthier if you are like, obsessed with carbs (bc they're good.) I also put it in my spaghetti in little chunks in the sauce! They just hold sauce so well.

Broccoli: okay. It's good... but I do have to say it does get boring fast. Pairs great in cheese based dishes.

Brussel sprouts: LOVE THESE LITTLE DUDES WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Bell peppers: versatile kings. And queens. These are actually sexed lol! I prefer yellow ones bc I think they just add nice color into a dish which just looks yummier and feels better if you have a lot of red and green in your diet.

Potatoes- good. Good. sWEET POTATOES are where it is AT though. With butterbutterbutterbutt er buter butter and CINNAMON and CHEESE and BROWN SUGAR and sometimes sour cream. Some ppl like that... it's not my thing tho ^^; BUT AAA it's also good with my good friend cayenne pepper! And who doesn't love sweet tato fries? Goes great with most anything. Plus. They're cozy!

Celery: satanic. Choked on this stringy bitch. I choked on carrots too but that's okay we're cool with that bc it didnt feel like swallowing a gosh damn unraveling sweater

Mushrooms.... love the flavor, but the bite texture just messes with me. Still like them sauteed on a swiss cheese burger or just in soup though.

Peas.. peas are good but get boring plus they're hard to eat all of :/ I like split pea soup though

Asparagus is yummy when done right. I like the tops of them best bc they hold seasonings so well XD very good with chicken breast.

Cucumbers are meh. Good in salads tho.

Dont like Kale. Tastes like grass.

LOVE PUMPKIN. idk if it's a veggie but it's so yummy.

Beets are epic and I love that they stain stuff pink tbh. Very cool of them. This is one where I think just plain salt is good, the natural flavor of beets just go nice with salt. I eat them plain too I just think they have a rich flavor of their own.

And of course.... stitchface is the best veggie.

[dyns33]

My program

Hey @codyfernmorelikedaddyfern it’s a bit long, so I decided to just post what I’m doing since nine months to lose weight. You don’t have to follow everything, you will need to find recipes that you like with ingredients that you like (I tried apples and salad, and really I can’t...). I hope it will help you a bit, or other people ! But talk with a doctor before starting, cause I’m not a specialist. 

Some advices :

- No more alcohol (well, except to celebrate, but just a glass then)

- No more soda and add sugar

- No more fat, butter, oil... You can cook with a dry pan.

- Careful : fat and sugar are hidden everywhere, so read the stickers before buying a product.

- Avoid wheat flour, prefer whole-wheat flour

- Avoid chocolate (but you can eat some from time to time, the black one mostly, a life without chocolate would be awful)

- Eat less meat (but you don't need to become veggie or vegan. I would never be able to say goodbye forever to cheese...)

- Add lot of vegetables and fruits !!

- Drink at least 1,5 liter of water per day ! 

- Cook. Really, don't buy things that you just have to warm up. Try to avoid fast food.

- Organic food is the best. Yes, it's not cheap, I'm hurt everytime I have to buy my things, but it's better for you, not just to lose weight, but in general.

- Cook only what you will eat, not more, so you will be not tempted to eat again. You have what's in your plate.

- So that the dishes are not bland, you can make homemade sauces ! I use organic soy cream (not the Japanese one, the white one which can replace fresh cream) and I can make tomato, mushroom cream... and sometimes I use a little Japanese soy sauce, to make woks.

- You can have two "cheat days" per month when you can eat something special, like a pizza, French fries, go to a restaurant... But if you find the right recipes for you, the diet will bring you pleasure when you eat anyway.

- There must be 1/4 of meat or veggie-vegan product, 1/4 of starch, 2/4 of vegetables on the plate

- Use a tiny plate and eat slowly  

- NEVER forget to eat or think it will be better to not eat, or to vomit what you just ate. NEVER. You need to eat to lose weight healthily, effectively and sustainably.

- Don't do too many sport either. Your body have limits. Listen to it and don't hurt yourself.

- Be sure that the diet is the right one for you. Depend on how tall you are, how many calories you need per day, and some others things. Like, are you ill, do you have a syndrome ? For example, I have a polycystic ovaries syndrome, with a treatment for it, so it's hard for me to lose weight and that's why the diet is a bit "strict". Maybe you will not have to do all this, maybe you will need to do more... We are all different.

- Never forget that it will be long and difficult... After nine months, I'm not done yet.

 The diet :

In the morning : a slice of rye bread, with a little (just a little, sorry I didn't listen to you here CF !!!) of butter, and a glass of water. Raw butter is good for your health, but you should avoid cooked butter. Sometimes, to change, once or twice a week, I take organic muesli with small pieces of dark chocolate.

 For lunch :

- Monday : chicken, 20 grams of whole wheat pasta, eggplant, home made tomato sauce

- Tuesday : veggie soy steak, 10 grams of whole wheat semolina, spinach

- Wednesday : chopped steak, 20 grams of whole wheat pasta, carrots

- Thursday : fish, 20 grams of whole wheat rise, zucchini, with soja sauce

- Friday : veggie soy steak, 20 grams of whole wheat pasta, eggplant

- Saturday : a poched egg, 10 grams of whole wheat semolina, mushrooms with soja sauce

- Sunday : veggie soy steak, 20 grams of whole wheat rise, green beans

 For dinner :

- In Summer / when it's hot: a slice whole wheat bread, white cheese, a fruit

- In Winter / when it's cold : a soup, a fruit, sometimes a piece of whole wheat bread

 Snacks : They are not always bad, especially if you do a lot of sports. When it's 16/17 p.m., you can take a fruit, or two biscuits. Try to choose some with not too many sugar inside. Personally, I like to eat them with a good hot tea. And it’s only if you are really hungry at that moment, or else you can wait for dinner. 

 The sport :

At first, depending of your weight, it's better to lose fat, before trying to gain muscles. So do not too violent exercises, like walking, swimming, biking...  Also do targeted exercises, such as abs, push-ups, flexes ... With small weights, exercises for the arms. When I lost 30 kilos, I signed up for a gym. The best, for me, is to go there three to four times a week (monday, wednesday, friday, and sometimes sunday), for a session of about 1:30. 20 minutes of cardio, 40/50 minutes of bodybuilding, 20 minutes of cardio. No need to run or lift huge weights. The important thing is the duration. You have to make repeated movements for the muscle to work. For cardio, the most effective way to lose weight is brisk walking and cycling. You can take a coach or go with someone. I hate going out alone, but strangely, for sport, I find it better, because it is I who organize my session like I want. On the other days, it is advisable to rest, so that the muscle has time to reform. I admit that I am a bad student here, and that since I have an exercise bike, I do small sessions at home, with targeted exercises.

[bites-kms]

Kalimera! Something to eat?

Greek hospitality means food. It taste like kalamata olives, fresh, sweet figs and strong, delicious olive oil, not to forget the soft grapes that torn you between harvesting them for the next delicious sip of House White versus indulging yourself in them straight out from the vine.

There are certain musts you should try in Greece (if you haven’t done so in Turkey or in Georgia) like Tomatokeftedes or sun dried tomato croquettes, Greek Fava Dip, that delicious yellow split pea puree, feta cheese in one of their multiple, exquisite special preparations, meat filled zucchinis and tons, tons of wine to pair with all of it. 

I gained almost 2 kilos in 2 weeks, - thank god I was prepared and I lost weight before traveling - but no regrets nor harm feelings: those were the best 2 kilos I gained in a while. All the beauty and history surrounding you deserve a proper celebration, and when it comes to commemorate something, Greeks know exactly how to do it. A little bit of cheese, some home made pies or veggie croquettes, you name it. And that is just for starters.

We took this hospitality really seriously, and as my friend Mau would say, we knew our “priorities”, so FOOD became a crucial part of our experience and tour. The heat also made it easier for us to stop every 2 hours for a soul refill- since when we ate, we were happy. Here’s the recap of our favorites places went in Athens:

Diongenes  Lisikratous, Athina, 105 58

It was our first dinner and we were both starving: Mau from flying 10+ hours from the future and myself flying almost another 10 from the past. Luckily, this restaurant which we researched before and was recommended to us, was around our place. It was a gorgeous taverna. Exactly as you would imagine a mild night in Greece might be like. We ordered some zucchini, tomato croquettes and an octopus, which seemed to be more tasty than what they usually and actually were given our flight famine. But still, the place is worth giving it a shot since the ambience and the service is very, very good.  Kayak  Durrachiou 30 & Amvrakias  Athina, 10443

It wasn’t a brilliant idea, to be honest, to have a kick-in-the-butt-awaken Ellinikos or Greek Coffee that night instead of a regular espresso. Same as in Turkish culture, their coffee is extremely strong, heavy and with the grounded bean in it so it has this dusty and dry taste. Strong. Killer. Not at all jet-lag helpful. Worth it, though? Absolutely!  Everest  various locations Bites&Kms Fav: Syndagma Square, Athina, 105 63

photo courtesy of polyarch.com We found this place by chance and, oh, odds are in our favor! Since that moment, each time we needed a refilled, we stoped by the closest Everest we could find in seek for an orange juice or a cappuccino. Cheap, delicious, great service. Tons of food and snack options to go along, even at this store on Syndagma Square, freshly made pizzas, sandwiches and croque monsieur were available!  Klepsydra Tavern  Klepsidras, Athina 105 56

Finding this secret gem was pure coincidence but once again, we ended up in the most wonderful corner in between Plaka and Anafiotika. There was only one table left, with a “reserved” sign on it, and as soon as we mentioned we were there for lunch, they remove it, reverse their glasses and brought the bread. It was meant to be. The view, the service and the food was all perfect. We ordered some of our favorites: spanikopita, tzaziki and greek salad. Spanikopita or otherwise known as Greek spinach pie is a traditional yet delicious recipe. With its versatility the dish matches with every time of the day. Feta cheese, butter, olive oil all are mixed and baked until golden crispy perfection.

Greek salad is a must have for Greeks with almost every meal. Choriatiki, as they called them in Greek, are made of tomatoes, olives, cucumber and a large piece of feta cheese and served undressed. Dressing is left at person’s choice hence all restaurants serve vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil with the salad - although, in our experience, most of the times, it came already prepared. With the tradition of being a starter, Greek salad can also be a great side dish. Look at this beauty! We were definitely in food heaven!

Stamatopulos Tavern Lisiou 26, Athina 105 58

At night, we had a reservation on this place a Greek friend recommended. A little bit touristy yet fun, the only regret was that a couple came in after us and sat super close to our table, and started smoking non-stop, which became really annoying. Yet, there was nothing left to do, since it was an al fresco dinner place. Regardless, it was a lovely evening. They had live music with the traditional guitar and two guys with the typical voice you expect from the Greek coasts. The highlight of the night, aside from the great Moussaka, a lemon dressed lamb and some more croquettes, it was the time the musicians start playing the amazing Zorba Song! I couldn’t help myself and stood up, went to the front, and tried to learn that beautiful dance. After a while, right next to a two-left-legged old guy, I managed to do something, but the highlight of the night was when Mau joined and we killed the dance floor, throwing shame to all the other not-so-gifted people with our grace and moves! Coming back to the food, the moussaka is a legendary, traditional dish that is creamy and juicy. Moussaka is served in almost all tavernas in Greece. In the big family gathering this dish is prepared by Greek homemakers. In Moussaka, tomato sauce is used to cook minced beef which is subsequently layered with sweet eggplants and creamy béchamel sauce. This irresistible cuisine is filling so you don’t need too many side dishes. I was a little bit skeptical about moussaka at first since the ones I had before weren’t that good, but this one, OMG, completely changed my mind about them! Brettos  Kidathineon 41, Athina 105 58

Brettos is Athens’ oldest bar and distillery, established by Michail Brettos in 1909. Most of the alcohol served there such as ouzo, mastiha, liqueurs and other beverages, are home made and they still respect the old recipe from Mr. Brettos. You can taste them are feel the fermentation happened in the old oak barrels placed inside. As soon as you step inside Brettos, you will be amazed by the wall adorned with colorful glass liqueur bottles and impressive original wooden barrels.  Its unique décor is probably one of the reasons why Brettos is one of the most photographed locations in Athens, behind the Acropolis, Syntagma Square and other ancient monuments and sites in the city. We had two strong and delicious drinks: Aphrodite, which was ouzo gold, raspberry liquor, pink grapefruit soda and mint leaves and the one called Sea Breeze, made with Gin, fresh lime, fresh orange cubes and soda. Guess who got what ;) 

Acropolis Museum Café Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athina, 117 42

When researching about the Acropolis, when to go, how to get tickets, etc, etc, the obvious question of “is the Acropolils museum worth a visit?” pops up. It is if you are super into history. Its greatly display showcases all the valuable stuff they removed from the Acropolis seeking for preservation. But, if you are like me and decide to go just for the real ruins per se avoiding an overflow of information, then the Acropolis and the other monuments spread out around Athens should do the trick. Although, there’s one thing not so many sites mention, and is that the Acropolis museum has a terrific terrace where to contemplate the Parthenon and a delicious seasonal menu to go with the view. We had some eggs, two delicious cappuccinos and the fantastic feta me meli - another Greek food dish that can be tasted as dessert or an entrée. Feta is wrapped in filo pastry before oven baked and honey is drizzled over it. The optimum balance between salty feta and sweet honey creates a mesmerizing taste. They served it with a tomato jam on the side instead of the honey and was absolutely delicious.  Da Vinci Ice-cream  various locations Bites&Kms Fav: 4 Selley Street, Athina, 10558 

Play it safe, avoid a heat stroke: have an ice-cream! And if it’s a gelato, even better. The creative cone flavors at Da Vinci match the delicious and unique ones from the gelatos so be sure to pick wisely, or come again and again to try them all!

Thea Terrace  Rooftop of Central Hotel Apollonos 23, Athina, 105 57

This was another fantastic, last minute Mau finding. It was so great, we ended up going twice. Close to Plaka but far enough from the crowd, this boutique hotel counts with a privilege terrace and rooftop bar from where we could see the sunset. It wasnt happy hour, but the drinks were so cheap and the prosecco was so good, we had two!

Nolan  33, Voulis 31, Athina 105 57

This place is definitely unique within the fusion restaurants I’ve been to. This is truly a delicious blend in between Greek, Asian and German cuisine, all the influences its owner has ingrained. As a Michelin recommendation, we left it aside pursuing Greek traditional tavernas, but it happens that after a while, you’re craving for something different like a burger or some pasta. What you don’t actually know is that what you need is a stop by Nolan. Once again, wondering in what we thought was a new, orthodox neighborhood, we ended up by its corner and its name rang a bell. We went in during a sunny Greek noon and we were lucky they were able to sit us regardless of not having a reservation. Minutes after, the restaurant got full, local artists started playing music on the streets and we were having a true fusion feast. We had some marinated tuna, a delicious octopus salad and some lamb dumplings. It was amazing, a must stop during your stayed in Athens. 

Taf Coffee Shop Emmanouil Benaki 7, Athina 106 78

This is one of the top coffee places I’ve ever been to. Not because its price, look or location, but because of the love and passion they put on each brew. This is how they described their daily special - hence, the coffee of my choice: “Rosebud double shot cap creaming feeling, smooth body caramel chocolate and nutmeg aroma. Taste of cherry and caramel with apricot tangerine and almond nuts.”  

Mind the Cup  Emiliou Veaki 29, Peristeri 121 34

I took the train to Peristeri, just outside Athens, to check out what according to Buzzfeed “one of the coffee shops around the world you must check out before you die” Happily, it didnt disappoint. Not only the little town is super cozy, where I got a pair of amazing leather boots, but also, took the morning to write and to enjoy this wonderful plaza where Mind you Cup is located. It reminded me of old Montevideo, the city where I was raised when I was younger. I keep specifying this time and space issue since nowadays it’s quite different. It also reminded me of an out-side the tourist epicenter mini towns around the north of Spain or outside Porto, in Portugal. Even a “ciudad del interior” or countryside town from Uruguay.  Even the tree to which shadow I was sitting and enjoying, was the same Willow tree I had at my school. It was a beautiful time travel adventure, on top of the delicious European house white wine, the home made pizza and the great service from the place. The menu looks like an old and corky newspaper and is not in English, which makes the adventure even more authentic, but the gentle waitress will assist you with all your questions. People were selling their crafts and some plants, and I couldn’t resist to get an envy eye anklet. On my way back, I found this delicious and traditional dessert Greek people have for Christmas, but I could have them every day with a glass of milk. They are called Kourabiedes, a shortbread-type biscuit usually made with ground almonds, flavored with either brandy, vanilla, mastika or rose water and they are shaped into little cute balls. In the end, they are sprinkled with icing sugar and they are just to die for!

Avli - Agiou Dimitriou Agiou Dimitriou 12, Athina 105 54

In the historic triangle of Athens there is a small tavern in a backyard called Avli which means ‘backyard’. This place is kinda secret: more and more people are accessing to its charms due to TripAdvisor’s fantastic reviews - although it still is easy to miss if you don’t go specifically looking for it. Within a small alley, behind a not so charming door, you can hear loud voices, laughs and some Greek music in the background. If you dare to go inside, disregarding your first thought of “oh, this is a private house, I shouldn't trespass it”, the scenery you will see is like it came from the ’60s. Checkered tablecloths, traditional chairs, old photos and a makeshift kitchen create an authentic feeling reminiscent of old Athens.

The always smiling owner, Takis, has operated this tavern since 1985. He pretended to know me, and after a nice “Kalimera, I remember you, please sit”, I sat down on one of the last free tables of the alley. I sat down right next to Stellios, this wonderful old man who greet me with yellow prunes, peanuts and come other spicy snack while we both waited to be served. He ordered some cheese and tomato, while I ordered the delicious feta with olive oil and some grilled peppers which were outstanding. I was so excited that I decided to copy Stellios and ordered a beer, the first Greek beer during by whole trip was waiting for me on my last day, and I ordered a Manos. It was good - that’s how far my beer knowledge and palate goes: good, not good :D To thank him for the company and the snacks, I invited him two more rounds of beer, which of course I’m not sure what happened since my Greek wasn’t that fluid so I made the best I could with Takis, so let’s hope at least some of the cash went for another Manos and the rest as tip! The whole experience was amazing, Stellios told me about his family, his lovely wife and two kids, as well as about his dog in very broken English. I showed a picture of my parents and told him I lived in New York, but that I was from Uruguay, land of football and meat. Yeap... some have Aristotles, others have Benedetti, and both of us share a Manos. Yamas, Athens!

[kebab-delivery-blog]

Can I get vegetarian food at the Kebab Factory in Malta?

When you're visiting new places and are a veggie - it's great to know where you can get great food and not made to feel like a social outcast. Surprisingly, you'll find the Kebab Factory, Malta is one of my favorite restaurants to eat as a vegetarian. And well worth a mention whether you're looking for amazing Turkish Kebab (so I'm told) or great vegetarian food.

I've been veggie for eight years now - and those of you who are also plant-based eaters will have had a bad experience or two.

Here's one that stands out! Many years ago - when eating out with friends, we ended up at a burger bar which, to my surprise, had no veggie burgers at all.  

I began to start shifting about in my chair - it's not the days of Morrisey after all - It's no big deal I don't eat meat - it's kind of my business. So when the waitress came up, I asked if they had a veggie burger - "Oh you're a veggie!, she declared - As though I had a contagious and anti-social disease. No problem, we have veggie burgers.

My "veggie burger" arrived, which was, in fact - a fish burger. As the smell wafted into my nostrils - I politely said - I don't eat fish. (You know - because I'm a vegetarian - not a pescetarian), right?

She looked at me as though I were simple and returned having removed the fillet-o-fish from the bun leaving some tartare sauce and a few fishy breadcrumbs. Along with the ever-cooling chips and meager salad garnish. YUM!

Well, I digress -The Kebab Factory is famous for its authentic Turkish Kebab, obviously and in particular, their Special Beef Doner kebab. But often places renowned for their meat dishes don't do so well in the veggie department.

Well, the Kebab Factory, Malta is not one such place. While, lovers of authentic Turkish kebab flock to this excellent value eaterie based in the center of Msida city - it's also a great place for veggies too.

For me, great vegetarian food is about a combination of thought, inspiration, dedication, and love.

And I just love the variety of salads you can tuck into at the Kebab factory. The selection of salads is to-die-for and makes one of the best veggie meals.

I counted the number of salads/side dishes they have - and there are 19!!!!

But veggies can subtract one -the cold chicken salad. Still making 18 to choose from.  

I am in seventh TAPAS heaven when I eat at the kebab Factory You can choose a small salad plate which is a choice of three salads or go large with a six salad plate with or without chips on the side. Of course, these are designed to go along with a kebab. But you can grab halloumi or falafel in pitta, instead.

Here's the list of salads they have to offer:

● Jalapenos ● Beetroot ● Lettuce ● Qarabali ● Sweetcorn ● Beans ● Potato salad ● Mushroom Salad ● Shepherd Salad ● Red Cabbage ● Onion Salad ● Spinach ● Aubergine Salad ● Couscous ● Coleslaw ● Cold Chicken Salad ● Curry Rice ● Cold Pasta ● Pilaff

You may be thought there was a typo in there - Qarabali - but I assure you - there isn't!

So what the heck is Qarabali?

Well, it happens to be a Maltese vegetable that resembles a small marrow. It's genuinely challenging to describe, but it's a little piece of heaven. And sadly, it doesn't appear to make it to enough tables around the global. I'm not sure why these small marrows are not exported and shipped around the world. That's another question for another day.

These vegetables are a cross between a zucchini and a marrow - and are just delicious. The Maltese love to stuff them and they are the perfect accompaniment to a Donner Kebab. Equally, they make a standalone vegetarian dish. I just love them. At the Kebab Factory, they make the Qarabali with a secret recipe, of course. But they are served them in a yogurt and garlic sauce.  

I have to tell you I am hooked. I could eat a plate of Kebab Factory Qarabali just on its own.

Aside from the astonishing selection of veggie salads, you can also order delicious vegetarian pizzas at the Kebab Factory. My suggestion is on Meat-free Mondays you take your non-veggie friends to the Kebab Factory. You can order a huge family size Margherita, or Vegetarian pizza and a selection of salads.

The Vegetarian pizza is topped with tomato sauce, oregano, pizza sauce and peppers, onions, fresh tomatoes, sweetcorn, and olives. And the pizzas are a steal for 12 euros or less. Have your friends lose the meat kebab for a day (yes I remember they are delicious) and have them dig into fresh and delicious veggie food just for a day.

I promise you - I get very few complaints from my carnivorous friends and colleagues. So many of them love the freshness and variety; they give veggie food a try on a few more days of the week.

Of course, I know some will never give up their delicious kebabs but veggies and meat-eaters alike; make a beeline for the Kebab Factory in Malta - I promise you won't be disappointed.

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

7+ Delicious Ways to Eat More Veggies with Every Meal

New blog post!

This post is generously sponsored by Spinato's. 

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, more changes happened to my diet than just going gluten free. Slowly but surely, my new dietary restrictions inspired me to experiment with more naturally gluten-free foods...which includes plenty of delicious vegetables. Before I knew it, I'd gone from a meat-and-potatoes kinda girl to a veggie addict! As a result, I can now honestly say that I enjoy eating vegetables and crave several servings of them every day. But I don't just eat raw broccoli and carrots! Instead, in the six years since my celiac diagnosis, I've found creative and yummy ways to incorporate more vegetables into my meals...and with help from Spinato's (home to some seriously ammmmazing certified gluten free broccoli crust pizza!), I'm sharing my top veggie hacks today! Because while I truly believe that everyone thrives on different foods and that "healthy eating" looks different for each person, I don't think most people can go wrong with adding a few more vegetables to their daily eats.

So whether you're looking for sneaky ways to up your kid's veggie intake this coming school season or you just want more creative ideas for delicious gluten free meals, keep reading to learn about 7+ easy and delicious ways you can eat more vegetables with every meal of the day!

Breakfast: 

When I was in high school, some of my typical breakfasts were cinnamon raisin bagels slathered in peanut butter or a protein bar eaten in the car on the ride to school. And while those certainly aren't bad options, my breakfasts nowadays are a lot more veggie-heavy. But you might not even realize that upon first glance! Because here's the thing: I'm not a savory breakfast kinda gal. When I wake up, I want something sweet...but that doesn't have to keep me from getting in some veggies and greens. And if you follow me on Instagram, you can probably guess one of my favorite ways to eat more vegetables with breakfast: smoothie bowls!

Veggie Hack #1: Get Sneaky with Smoothie Bowls

In fact, one of the best things about smoothies is that, depending on the ingredients and ratios you use, you can pack them full with vegetables and just taste the sweetness of banana or whatever fruits you included as well. Some of my favorite vegetables to include in smoothie bowls are:

Zucchini and squash, steamed and frozen ahead of time to help with digestion. These are my go-to veggies to use if you want a tummy-friendly smoothie that is super thick and creamy but lower in sugar thanks to these additions. And I promise - you don't taste the zucchini or yellow squash at all, especially when paired with flavorful ingredients like berries or cacao powder. 

Cauliflower, steamed and frozen. If your stomach can handle cauliflower in larger quantities, this is one Instagram trend you'll fall in love with.

Leafy greens, like spinach (which has a very mild flavor) or iceberg, kale, etc. if you don't mind tasting those greens more obviously.

Veggie Hack #2: Add Zucchini to Oats or Porridge

If you wake up craving a warm breakfast but still want something sweet and secretly full of veggies, zoats (also known as "zucchini oats") are another delicious option! I have made my zoats with zucchini and yellow squash, just grated and squeezed to remove the extra moisture. As I've shared in recipes like this one, you can also use alternative porridge grains like quinoa flakes, buckwheat flakes, or chia seeds if you can't tolerate gluten free oats. You can enjoy your zoats cold (and soaked overnight instead of being cooked) or warm, but if you're trying to hide the texture of zucchini, cooked is the better option. I often prep and soak my zoats the night before and then just warm them up in the microwave until everything is soft and gooey that morning!

Snacks

My snacks have also changed since I've started to enjoy eating more vegetables. While I still love my protein bars, I often end up having something homemade or fresh instead...and many of my favorite snacks - as you can guess from the topic of this post! - involve some raw or cooked vegetables. 

Veggie Hack #5: Top Rice Cakes with Guac and Veggies

This tip is as simple as the name suggests. I know a lot of people enjoy rice cakes with peanut butter and jelly or other sweet toppings, but I'm also a big fan of putting on a layer of guac, avocado, hummus or pesto and adding some spinach, carrots, cucumbers or whatever other veggies I have on hand. If you love a crunchy snack, there's nothing better than this!

Veggie Hack #3: Dress Up Veggies with Homemade Dip

Now, I know I said that I didn't just eat raw broccoli and carrots (and these days, I rarely do at all!). However, when I do have a hankering for raw vegetables - especially during hot days when I don't want to turn on the oven to cook something - whipping up a quick homemade pesto or dip can make veggies a lot more of an interesting snack! Feel free to use whatever pesto recipe you enjoy, but my go-to lately has involved a mix of several handfuls of spinach, a few tablespoons of hemp seeds, a squeeze of lemon, heavy sprinkles of oregano and thyme, and enough chicken or vegetable stock (for extra flavor!) to get the pesto to mix in my mini blender.

If raw veggies aren't your thang, you can also roast some and keep them in the fridge for snacking and lunch and dinners (which we'll get to shortly!). One of my favorite pairings with pesto is roasted sweet potato rounds. Just cut a sweet potato up into small coins, place them on a lined baking tray (no oil required) and cook at 425 for 25-30 minutes or until caramelized and soft.

Veggie Hack #4: Replace Oil and Sugar with Veggies in Homemade Granola

If you've checked out my gluten free granola recipes before, you already know that I rarely ever bake mine with oil or refined sugars. Instead, I get all the clumps and sweetness from pureed fruits and grated zucchini and squash. I know it might sound a bit crazy at first, but you don't taste the vegetables at all and they help make the granola extra clustery and chewy. Plus, if you make granola with turmeric, yellow squash and banana, it'll be hard for anyone to notice the squash in the mix!

Lunch and Dinner

Now, the grand finale - how to add more vegetables into your lunches and dinners! 

Veggie Hack #6: Cook and Freeze Certain Vegetables and Homemade Fries Ahead of Time

As I already mentioned in the snacks section, roasting vegetables ahead of time so that they're ready when you want to eat is a serious game-changer. I'd also encourage you to experiment with different spices (I'm partial to thyme and oregano) and methods of cooking (for example, baking at a super high temperature for a bit of burnt edges on your broccoli or covering your tray of veggies with tin foil so that they actually steam in the oven) to see what ways taste best to you.

Another trick I've learned over my six years of veggie-loving: certain vegetables can handle being frozen and reheated later on for an extra easy serving of vegetables. For example, I often cook an entire spaghetti squash and freeze one half so that I can take out the frozen spaghetti squash the night before, stick in the oven to reheat for a few minutes, and dive in extra quickly later on. And if you love fries but haven't ever made your own, now is the time! There are tons of easy recipes out there, and I've had success cooking big batches of fries, letting them cool, and then freezing them in sealed bags. When I want fries later, I just throw a handful of frozen fries in the oven on high for a few minutes, and wala! Quicker than fast food!

Veggie Hack #7: Take Advantage of Delicious, Secretly Veggie-Packed Alternatives to Your Favorite Foods

And now for one of my favorite vegetables hack lately. I already mentioned that this post is in partnership with Spinato's...and if you're trying to eat more vegetables this year, Spinato's certified gluten-free broccoli crust pizza is about to become your new BFF!

I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I got my first boxes of Spinato's; even without opening the box or cooking the pizzas, the scent of tomato sauce and spices got my mouth watering. Spinato's 10-inch broccoli crust pizza comes in four different flavors: Margherita; Aged Asiago, Romano & Mozzarella; Mediterranean Supreme; and Primavera. Besides being certified gluten free (something I LOVE seeing in foods I eat regularly!), Spinato's pizzas are free of MSG and trans fat, and packed with high-quality ingredients like hormone-free chicken sausage and vine-ripened tomatoes from local farms. One of the coolest parts? The Spinato family has been experimenting with pizza recipes and unique topping combos since 1974, so these pizzas are part of a delicious family legacy. As for my personal experience with these pizzas...first off, I loved how quickly you can cook them! Depending on what appliance you use, you can have your frozen pizza hot and ready in just 8 minutes. My pizza only took around 14 minutes in my oven, which makes Spinato's the perfect secret weapon to keep in my freezer for crazy busy school days this coming semester. And I definitely want to try grilling these pizzas one day, as the box suggests!

And now we get to the most important part: the taste. For the particular dinner in these photographs, I went with Spinato's Primavera pizza, which features zucchini, red onion, mushroom and red pepper. I added a lil' bit of greens and avocado (since those are my go-to pizza toppings!), and enjoyed evvery bite. I loved that the sauce, cheese and toppings were evenly dispersed throughout the whole pizza, and that the soft crust was balanced out by crunchy and chewy vegetables. I also enjoyed that the crust looked "normal" despite its broccoli base. If you served this to me without the box, I wouldn't have guessed the crust is packed with vegetables! My cooked pizza crust did come out of the oven feeling pretty soft and some of the pizza slices were messy to hold - especially since Spinato's pizza crust is pretty thin (just how I, personally, like it). However, once the pizza cooled some, the crust got a lot sturdier and had deliciously crunchy edges with a soft, chewy middle. And at the end of the day, I don't mind a bit of a messy dinner as long as it tastes finger-lickin' good...and Spinato's pizza definitely does.

If you want to try out Spinato's for yourself, Spinato's frozen broccoli crust pizzas are now available in over 1,500 stores all over the US. For help finding Spinato's broccoli crust pizza in your area, check out Spinato's handy dandy product locator here! Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I would've never imagined waking up and looking forward to eating zucchini and green beans and all sorts of other delicious veggies. But the more I've experimented with new, delicious ways to enjoy vegetables, the more I've craved them...and I hope the same can be said of anyone who tries any of the vegetable hacks I've shared in this blog post! And if you need a tasty and easy place to start eating more vegetables ASAP...as I mentioned earlier, Spinato's certified gluten free broccoli crust pizza can be ready in 15 minutes or less. ;) *I received free samples and monetary compensation in exchange for spreading the word about Spinato's broccoli crust pizza. However, I only partner with brands and products that I personally belive in, and all photographs, opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting what supports Casey the College Celiac!* Which flavor of Spinato's pizza would you want to try first? Margherita; Aged Asiago, Romano & Mozzarella; Mediterranean Supreme; or Primavera? Tell me in the comments!

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2TpsPY6

[bakedcomfortfood-blog]

Best Healthy Comfort Food Recipe Who Love to Eat

We've delighted in a couple of radiant days here in Kansas City, however I realize sub zero temps are around the bend once more. Along these lines, I'm sharing some veggie-pressed solace sustenance formulas to get us through the coldest month of the year.

I find that the most pleasant approach to eat well amid short winter days is to concentrate on stacking up on vegetables, as opposed to denying myself the mushy, carb-overwhelming suppers that I'm hankering. Here are 25 delightful suppers that are helped up with new and nutritious fixings. Tricky!

1) Vegan Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

"I made this once before-it's excessively simple to make and tastes delightful. I just hurled in some locally acquired spiralized zucchini and let the sauce heat up the noodles. This is extraordinary for a brisk mid-week supper. I'm going to make it again tomorrow evening and the best part is I as of now have practically the majority of the fixings close by!" – Allison

2) Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

"This dish was delightful!!! I have been needing Thai nourishment, and subsequent to making this dish, my hankering was fulfilled. The children adored it as well!! I generally appreciate making your dishes. Can hardly wait till 2017 for the cookbook!!" – Reese

Kale pesto pizza with fresh kale to finish everything! This is a straightforward weeknight pizza for kale sweethearts. cookieandkate.com

3) Kale Pesto Pizza

"This was scrumptious! I had a bundle of child Tuscan Kale from my CSA to go through. I cherish that the pesto didn't have a bundle of included Parmesan. Can hardly wait to educate my companions regarding it and make it once more! Much obliged to you." – Angela

Broccoli meal, improved with broiled broccoli, cheddar, quinoa and entire grain breadcrumbs. - cookieandkate.com

4) Broccoli, Cheddar and Quinoa Gratin

"I've made this multiple times now and I think I adore it all the more each time I make it! Much obliged to you for such an amazing formula – this delectable dish has turned into an ordinary supper at my home. Also, I adore the image of Cookie eating the broccoli stem – my canine cherishes it as well! Anticipating attempting a greater amount of your formulas." – Sara

This broiled butternut risotto tastes great and scarcely requires any blending! cookieandkate.com

5) Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

"This is conceivably the best formula I've made for the current year! I'd have this for breakfast, lunch, supper, and pastry. I forgot the white wine (I drank it rather ;) ) and included around 2 liberal bunches of spinach with the butternut squash toward the end. The withered greens, velvety rice, and nutty squash made without a doubt the ideal dinner. For the most part, I'm not happy with a one-bowl supper, however this required no sides. Impeccable all alone. Much obliged!" – Alyssa

Sweet and zesty Thai pineapple broiled rice, a basic veggie lover supper! - cookieandkate.com

6) Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

"One more victor! My better half stated, for what reason do we at any point ever eat meat when veggie lover possesses a flavor like this?" – Karen

7) Lentil Baked Ziti

"Stunning! I actually like this superior to conventional heated ziti or lasagna! My 17 and multi year old critical eaters ate up it. I nearly didn't make it on the grounds that the possibility of lentils in my pasta was somewhat startling. You'd never realize they were there except if somebody let you know! Much obliged to you for making the change to veggie lover eating fun and delightful." – Sherry

8) Extra Vegetable Fried Rice

"With more mouths to bolster than expected over the occasions, I made this twice over the most recent 10 days! The multiple times, I pursued the formula precisely, and it was a colossal hit! I utilized snow peas and red pepper for the 2 measures of additional veggies. Everybody ate it up and requested seconds. Much obliged, Kate!" – Emily

9) Classic Minestrone Soup

"My family adored this formula! Much superior to conventional minestrone, as I would like to think. I didn't fluctuate the formula and my soup with pasta kept consummately well in the ice chest. It was delicious to the point that I'm making it again this evening. This is certainly an attendant! Much thanks to you!" – Kim

10) Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

"I completely LOVE this formula!!! I have made it over and over. I had companions from Philadelphia visit a week ago. They lean toward veggie lover dinners, so I hauled this formula out. It was a hit with them. They are presently snared on your site too." – Kathy

If you are looking for more information about  recipes visit here: comfort food recipes