#I might want to do some kind of soup?? is sweet potato soup a thing? they aren't too expensive now

[linguenuvolose]

hej <33 what are we eating these days I have to go grocery shopping soon and need inspo <3

[fox-bright]

Watching the H5N1 stuff get worse and worse--I'm hoping we have until late next year before it goes reliably human-human, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was this winter--and not being able to do much makes me anxious, so I've been composing lists of stuff to do. I keep thinking, if this were August, 2019, and I knew covid was coming, what would I prepare? If this one goes off like the scientists think it might, it'll be much worse than covid.

Right now, I'm concentrating on food. My plan is to have enough hunker down supplies by mid-September that if things go bad in the normally-scheduled October-February flu season, we'll be okay simply not leaving the house at all. There are only two of us here now, and if things go bad there may be as many as four (as I have two separate friends I'd push hard to come stay here with us), so I need to make sure we have 4 meals x howevermany days I choose. I'm building up to six months, but I'm beginning the plan at three. While a lot of Serious Prepper lists have pretty generous caloric allowances, the MFH and I eat pretty light, and we're both smaller than the average adult human, which does give us even more squeak room here.

We started out with dry staples--bread flour, AP flour, semolina, rice, beans, pasta, lentils, powdered milk--though I have still to get powdered eggs (I'll dehydrate those myself), more dry beans (I'm going to use up a lot of what we have when I do my canning run for the winter, and so far I haven't been able to get my hands on kidney beans in any decent amounts), quinoa, and one more kind of pasta. Right now we have about 2/3 of what I'd want; we'll be holding things at this level, replacing staples as we use them, and if things look more serious we'll do another big shop and give ourselves additional stock of the AP flour, the bread flour, the rice (which we already buy in 40-50 lb bags anyway, we're Asian), the dry milk.

Then there's the perishable stuff; yesterday, the MFH and I took advantage of some very nice sales and got seventy pounds of meat for two hundred and twelve dollars. Beef brisket for stew, pork butt for sweet molasses chili, ground beef for hotter chili, pork loin for white bean soup. Still have to get chicken (which was pretty much sold out at our bulk place) for chicken soup (to be pressure canned), chicken and mushroom cream soup (to be vacuum-packed and frozen).

Very very soon it'll be time to harvest my leeks and my butternut squashes, for leek and potato soup (either finished with cream, blended to a smooth-ish consistency and frozen, or *not* blended down, and just socked away in pressure-canned Ball jars without the cream added; will it take me longer to thaw it, or to take my immersion blender to the hot individual meals later on?) and canned butternut for baking with or making soup or chili or making pasta sauce.

I might can a bunch of just potatoes, too, to keep 'em shelf stable (plus that front-loads a lot of the work of producing a meal later).

So I need to buy onions and carrots and potatoes and celery and garlic and mushrooms and corn, cream, red wine, tomato paste (because my vines got blight this year, sigh--I've managed to can one single run of tomato sauce and that's IT), ten dozen fresh eggs to dehydrate and powder and store in the fridge in case of egg shortages, several pounds of beans to be thrown into the chilis and...hm...fifteen pounds more, twenty pounds more, to have on hand? And then for non-canning purposes we'll need butter, oil, white vinegar (I've used a lot of it for pickles this year), various Asian food staples like black and rice vinegars, oyster sauce, black mushrooms and so on. As for pre-made, mass-produced foods, I'll probably make another post about them later.

While this is more than I'd generally stock in a single season, I do generally put about 100 quarts of home-canned food by a year, and I never keep less than 75-100lb of flour on hand anyway because of how frequently I make bread. So though it sounds like a lot up front, it's not hoarder level; everything I stock will be eaten, some of it pretty much immediately (the beef stew is so good). And putting it all by now means that we'll be less of a burden on our community safety net, if push comes to shove. When the covid pandemic hit I had dozens of jars of food on the shelf already, which gave me a little peace when things were looking scary. We were able to share some of our stores with people who hadn't had the great privilege of long afternoons spent seeing to the personal stores. That's a better option, to my mind, than needing to panic-shop right as things start getting a little wild.

Basically, if things go bad, we'll have food for a while. And if things don't go bad, we'll have food for a while. It's win-win. And it keeps the floor under my feet when I'm feeling unsteady, to be able to sneak down into the cool, still basement and look at row on row of gently gleaming jars of food security.

[otakusheep15]

How Likely I'd Be to Eat TWST's Characters Favorite/Least Favorite Foods, Except I'm a Picky Eater

I've decided that from now on, all of my titles are going to be anime title length, and no one can stop me. Anyways, I'm bored and haven't done Twst content in a while, so I thought I would today. Feel free to share y'all's opinions in the comments/reblogs if y'all want.

Riddle

Favorite: Strawberry tarts

Literally 10/10. I love strawberry tarts, or anything with strawberries really.

Least favorite: Junk food

Also 10/10. I eat a lot of junk food (especially on depression days), so I'm all for eating it.

Trey

Favorite: Candied violets

3/10. I don't like eating flowers, but I'd consider it since they're candied. I probably wouldn't like them though.

Least favorite: Mustard

8/10. It's not my favorite condiment, and I'm very picky about what I put it on, but I love mustard.

Cater

Favorite: Spicy ramen

7/10. It depends on how spicy and what brand of ramen. I only eat a very certain brand, and my spice tolerance depends on the day.

Least favorite: anything sweet

5/10. Depends on what sweets and how sweet. I do have a sweet tooth, but I'm more picky about sweets than any other flavor.

Ace

Favorite: Cherry pie

0/10. I cannot stand cherries. The texture and flavor makes me sick and I can hardly even look at them.

Least favorite: Raw oysters

0/10. I also hate seafood, but especially oysters. Again, it's all about the texture. They're too slimy.

Deuce

Favorite: Anything with eggs

10/10. Eggs are my favorite form of protein, and I could honestly eat them with every meal. I love eggs a lot.

Least favorite: Bell peppers

4/10. I can only tolerate them when they're cut super fine and mixed in with other things. I grew up in Louisiana, so it's common to find bell peppers in basically everything, so I've grown somewhat immune to them.

Leona

Favorite: Meat

6/10. Depends on what kind of meat and how it's prepared. There are some meats I love, and some I can't stand, especially things like steak or roast.

Least favorite: Vegetables

7/10. I live veggies, but I'm super picky about them. I only really like lettuce, carrots, and broccoli, and I have to have them prepared very specifically. I will also only eat lettuce in a sandwich or in a salad, and I only eat carrots and broccoli raw with ranch.

Ruggie

Favorite: Donuts

5/10. I like donuts, but only on very specific occasions. I also prefer donut holes because I find regular donuts too filling and sugary. I love blueberry and red velvet donuts the most.

Least favorite: Anything rotten

0/10. I've eaten rotten food before, and it is not pleasant. I don't know who would honestly enjoy rotten food.

Jack

Favorite: Pear compote

0/10. Pears are on par with cherries for being one of my least favorite fruits. I cannot stand pears.

Least favorite: Green onions

9/10. I love green onions, but only in soups and stuff. Potato soup with green onions is always a winning combination to me.

Azul

Favorite: Fried chicken

11/10. Fried chicken might actually be my favorite savory food. I live right next to a Popeyes, and I eat there religiously. Fried chicken cannot be beat in my eyes.

Least favorite: Health food

4/10. Some health food is okay, but i can never stick with it for too long before I'm either bored or sick.

Jade

Favorite: Octopus carpaccio

0/10. I hate seafood, and I hate raw food even more. I genuinely have no clue why people enjoy eating raw meat/fish.

Least favorite: Conger eel

0/10. Again, I cannot stomach seafood. Also, eel? You can eat eel? Idk but it sounds gross.

Floyd

Favorite: Takoyaki

2/10. Okay, I know I've been talking about how much I hate seafood, but I've always wanted to try takoyaki. Will I hate it? Yes, but I still want the experience.

Least favorite: Shiitake mushrooms

-10/10. Mushrooms might actually be my least favorite food ever. The texture and taste are both awful, and even the look and smell are enough to make my gag.

Kalim

Favorite: Coconut juice

5/10. I'm not a fan of coconut, but I've never tried the juice, so I'm not sure if I'll like it or not. I'd be down to try it at least.

Least favorite: Curry

6/10. Would depend on spice levels, what kind of curry, etc. I can't remember if I've ever had curry, but it doesn't sound unpleasent.

Jamil

Favorite: Curry

Same as before.

Least favorite: Dates

3/10. Absolutely not. I refuse to touch dates. I'll give them a slight chance because I've had worse.

Vil

Favorite: Homemade smoothies

8/10. I really like smoothies. My favorite is strawberry and banana. I'm a little more hesitant about stuff like kale smoothies, but I still like smoothies overall.

Least favorite: Mayonnaise

9/10. My house always had mayo in the fridge, and I refuse to eat sandwiches without it. I love mayo, and it's definitely a top 5 condiment for me.

Rook

Favorite: Liver pâté

0/10. Why do so many of them have an interest in raw meat? That's why all of them are so weird. They keep eating raw meat.

Least favorite: Garlic

8/10. Yes, I am that guy who enjoys garlic chips. And, yes, I put garlic in basically everything I consume. I just really like the stuff.

Epel

Favorite: Grilled meats/Macarons

7/10 for grilled meat. I like grilled chicken, but only sometimes. 10/10 for macarons. I am obsessed with macarons, especially fruity flavors.

Least favorite: Apple pears

2/10. I don't like pears, but I'd be more willing to try them since they're somewhat similar to apples, which I do like.

Idia

Favorite: Sweets

10/10. I love sweets, even if I am picky about them. I prefer stuff like pastries over stuff like candy, but I like candy too.

Least favorite: Raw fish

0/10. Again, raw meats/seafood is just such a strange concept to me. I think I've said enough on the topic by now.

(skipping Ortho bc both his fave and least fave are literally nothing)

Malleus

Favorite: Ice cream

7/10. I'm sort-of picky about ice cream, but it's mostly a flavor thing. When it's a flavor I like, ice cream is one of my faves. But if it's a flavor I don't like, it's one of the worst foods ever.

Least favorite: Full-sized cakes

3/10. Cake is okay, but I could never eat a full-sized cake. Also, cake is one of the desserts I'm pickiest about, so it's not a preference for me.

Lilia

Favorite: Tomato juice

5/10. I don't like tomatoes, but I do like smoothe tomato soup (never chunky), so maybe I'd like tomato juice.

Least favorite: Marshmallows

10/10. I love marshmallows so much. The texture makes me very happy, and I especially love the big ones that take multiple bites to eat.

Silver

Favorite: Mushroom risotto

0/10. Again, I cannot stand even the thought of mushrooms, so I doubt I'd like it in a risotto. Maybe I'd try it for Silver though. Maybe.

Least favorite: Lilia's cooking

-10/10. Absolutely not. I refuse to even humor the idea of trying Lilia's cooking.

Sebek

Favorite: Salmon carpaccio

1/10. Seriously, why is there so much raw seafood mentioned in this game?? I gave this one 1 point because I do like salmon, but I still wouldn't eat it.

Least favorite: Black coffee

2/10. I do not like coffee, black or otherwise. I'd be willing to give it a try since it's been a while since I've had it, but I doubt I'd like it.

Grim

Favorite: Canned tuna

7/10. I like tuna, and I honestly wouldn't mind it from a can, but it's not my favorite type of fish.

Crowley

Favorite: Wild game

5/10. Depends on the type of game and how it's cooked, but it wouldn't be the worst thing to try.

Crewel

Favorite: Raisin butter

1/10. I dislike raisins very much, but I'd hesitantly try it in butter because I do like butter.

Trein

Favorite: Vichyssoise

3/10. I don't like leeks, but I do like potatoes, so maybe it's balance out and I'd like it. However, I'm also a pessimist, so I'm giving it a low score anyways.

Vargas

Favorite: Raw eggs

2/10. Here in America, eating raw eggs is very dangerous, so it's a no from me, but I do know people in other countries eat raw eggs, so maybe I'd like it.

Sam

Favorite: Chicken gumbo

10/10. Like I said, I grew up in Louisiana, so of course I love gumbo. I don't like seafood gumbo, but chicken gumbo is easily top tier for me.

[yanderu-deredere]

Your ocs with a sick darling maybe? I’m sick right now and want them to comfort me please

a/n: why is this literally me every single day? hopefully you feel better soon and here's some helpful (and maybe not so helpful) yanderes to perhaps be of service to you

warning: please don't take this as an instruction guide to how to take care of a sick person

eun-jeong yoo ★ profile

literally acts like this is why he went to medical school, like this is the sole purpose of his degree and nothing else

unfortunately paranoid tho? like he's checking your temp constantly and if that shit isn't getting better, he'll be like actually i think you have a brain parasite or something, puppy, like idk your symptoms really match--

babies you SO much

doesn't let you get up at all, will get everything for you, will bring food to you, makes you all the good comfort food of korea, etc etc

probably the most likely to get you all better the fastest

You sniffled, pulling the blanket farther up so you were warm and covered.

It made Eun-jeong's heart melt, to be honest. You looked so cozy but also so helpless at the same time. It was like staring at a puppy! Especially with your hair all messy and your big sweet eyes so innocent and watery.

He removed one of his leather gloves to press his palm against your forehead. You were definitely still significantly warm and, from the way your nose was running, it didn't seem like you were going to get better any time soon.

"Okay, puppy, can you sit up for me and take some medicine?" He reached over to get the little cup of flu suppressant with his ungloved hand before he tried to pass it over to you.

When you pouted, he felt his melty heart get pierced. Softly, he placed a kiss on your warm temple "Come on, pretty, just this and then you can chase it with your favourite drink. See? I brought it over?"

When you continued to pout, he just chuckled and helped you up. He'd make you feel better, no matter what.

gawain dubhán byrne ★ profile

paranoid fuck pt. 2

except he doesn't have a medical degree so like you sneeze and he immediately thinks it's brain cancer

all of his worries are sooo far from the truth that it's not even funny (but also its so so funny)

also babies you but not to the point of forcing you to stay in bed or not letting you do things you want

like if you wanna sit on the couch and watch movies instead of huddling in bed, he'll let you

but he'll also be there lmao he's attached to your hip

"What do you want to watch, darling?" He grabbed the remote for you so he could flick the expensive flat screen on. "Anything you want, I promise."

You just sniffled, your voice hoarse as you shrugged, pulling the blanket tighter around you "We can watch Pride and Prejudice. I know it's your favourite."

"My sweet, I want to watch something you want to watch." Gawain frowned though it was hard to at the sight of you.

You're sitting huddled on the couch, looking like a bulky little potato or maybe a stubby burrito. It was precious and part of him wanted to keep you sick forever.

"Might just fall asleep." You leaned your head against his shoulder and his heart fluttered "Just wanna watch sm'th you wanna watch."

"Okay, darling, that's good too." Gawain pressed one last kiss on the top of your head before pointing the remote at the flat screen to start Netflix

fujio watanabe ★ profile

can barely take care of himself let alone you

then again, he made sure his little brother survived to adulthood, right? he can take care of a sick darling

wrong.

he's definitely there just for muscle. you can't move around so you can ask him to do things for you

you have to be specific tho forreal becos you'll ask him to get you soup and he'll get you all the soup, all the kinds he can find

same goes for medicine, cough drops, etc etc

keeps calling his little brother for advice lol like you can just hear him in the background, panicking

"What do you mean thermometer? Can't I just put my hand on her forehead and know?" Fujio grumbled into the phone, his hand on his own forehead as he stared at you curled up on the couch.

He could hear the static sigh of his brother on the other end of the line "If her fever gets to a certain point, you have to take her to the emergency room."

It was like someone dumped cold water over him. Emergency? It was just a cold wasn't it? Why'd you need to go to the emergency room?

"Okay, okay." It was like someone lit a fire under him. "Just stay on the line."

He rushed around, phone held in between his shoulder and his ear. He hurried to get his keys, a jacket, his wallet-- Before he left to go out the door, Fujio leaned over to you, pressing a chaste kiss to your temple.

"I'll be back, baby, don't worry. I'll take care of this."

ryuunosuke yamamoto ★ profile

he knows first aid? but that's about it lmao

you know that saying that's like idiots can't get colds? mans has the strongest immune system in the world

part of him is actually kind of fascinated by your cold like what, your nose is blocked? what does that mean? and your body is warm? why is your body so warm? huh?

literally has only two people he can call that he trusts and one of them doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about (fujio) and the other can't be bothered (fujio's brother)

definitely depends on you to tell him what to do

"Here, I made you miso soup. It's the only soup I know how to make." He pulled the coffee table closer to the sofa with his free hand before he placed the bowl of hot soup in front of you.

You muttered a very crackly thank you before reaching over. He stood there, watching your every move like a hawk, his fingers playing with each other in anxiety.

Because of your bad throat, instead of saying anything, you just gave Ryuu an enthusiastic thumbs up. Or, as enthusiastic as you could looking like you were half dead.

His entire body relaxed and he plopped down next to you, making sure his large body didn't jostle you too much. He then wrapped an arm around you and pulled you closer, pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth.

"Don't do that! You could get sick!" You growled at him, voice throaty.

Ryuu just laughed, pressing another kiss against the same exact place "Babe, I don't get sick ever, don't worry."

ayaka yamato ★ profile

would not touch you with a ten foot pole

like sorry, she loves you with all of her heart and all but like what if she gets sick? no way!

does hire the best doctors in the world to take care of you

gets really angry at you for no reason becos why the hell did you get sick, now she can't be around you!

despite the fact that she can't be around you, she definitely hovers close to your room

demands that you stay at her place also lol

"Hi hi, baby, how are you?" Ayaka smiled at nothing in particular, her glamorous nails tapping against the coffee table in front of her, her glitzy phone held against her ear.

All you could do was really groan and, from the sound of rustling sheets, she could tell that you had shifted positions.

She could almost cry. She wanted so badly to be able cuddle you close, to hold you and comfort you, maybe even run her fingers through your hair. But you were sick and there was no way in hell you were going to pass that bug to her.

"Baby, I asked you a question." She said instead, her grip on her phone tightening.

"I'm fine, my love, my throat just hurts a lot." You finally responded after a minute of silence. Probably because you were in so much pain, Ayaka thought bitterly.

She nodded despite the fact that you couldn't see her "Okay, okay, I'll leave you to rest. Text me if I can get anything for you, okay?"

You grumbled out an affirmative and she forced herself to hang up after exchanging 'I love you's. Ayaka didn't sit there doing nothing for long though.

Immediately, she stood up so she could pace before dialing another number. Her face contorted and, if anybody could see the anger that was radiating off of her, they probably would've scampered in the opposite direction.

"What the hell am I paying you for! You're supposed to be making my darling feel better! Goddamnit, go back in there and do something or I'll have my guards fillet you, you useless piece of shit!"

[angrysadhappy]

I can’t eat at Thanksgiving

The table is too close to my stomach and the seats are too tight around my hips, I hate the taste of strawberry flavored jello and orange cream soda. My cousins next to me spill their disgusting concoction of mashed potato-soup-n-Reece’s peanut butter cups onto my plate, my siblings in front of me annoy me with their conversation, the things they bring up to either embarrass or mock me,

“Hey Jas, hey-“

“What Melinda.”

“You’ve got something- giggle- you’ve got something on your face”

I sigh. I roll my eyes

“What. Melinda.”

“Something stupid!”

everyone cracks out high pitched giggles or squeals. I am not amused, I am very annoyed;

Im 16 but im still sitting in the kid’s table.

I stare at the adults; up at them I admire their clean clothes, their sophisticated talks, their expressions are appropriate and pleasant, they all look so put together, like a painting they look perfect.

I stare down in shame, looking at those who sit with me; their dresses stained, opening their mouth full of food to laugh, hitting each other or stealing food off each others plate, too many conversations going at once, we are so unkept, so much of a distraction, I feel like a burden. I sit here with them as if I belong so well in this environment. I’m afraid to make eye contact with my mother or uncle, to see in their eyes what confirms that I deserve to be sat in the kids table.

Ive lost my appetite, i refuse to eat

I’ve felt this way for a while.

Not even when I brought a boy to dinner did my position change, not after I got caught and got “the talk”, and then the break up and I’ve told my family everything; not even after all that did they invite me to sit with them. I see it now having a man doesn’t make me woman, I see now being 16 doesn’t make me mature, but I can’t seem to understand that even when i understand the politics, know the name of wines, know the taste of liquor and the reasons why some people aren’t invited; I still don’t know why I can’t sit at the adult’s table.

My aunt died.

I took her place, I sit where she sat, got her same plate

Green beans, gravy on potatoes, BBQ Rudy’s takeout meats, sweet cream corn and white bread for a side dish

I miss her, she was the one I admired most. I looked up to her in every sense; made my makeup look like hers, I fake her birth marks and I even learned her accent— she’s got this way of her that I think I’m losing. She’s a child at heart, everyone’s baby, but she died so young so I guess it makes sense that everyone expects me to be what she should’ve been.

I know I shouldn’t take creative liberties when writing about the truth but as absurd it might seem this is what I think.

I truly do feel like I have to be someone’s everything, that without me they die, without my mind they’d go crazy, act like I’m a part of their body; most preferably the heart. But i learned that kind of thinking is what killed my aunt, that way of submissive cheating is what weakens the body, crushes the hope in your mind and leaves nothing but a withered soul who wishes for death, no longer does it believes it deserves happiness.

What a fucking joke this adult table is, not every family member is here, not everyone is here by choice and no one is really happy; god damnit why did I ask to sit here! was it my ungrateful thinking that brought this darkness?

The living room feels so small now, the lights don’t glow as bright and Thanksgiving brings me nothing but anxiety. I don’t miss my parents, my grandma or my aunt, I miss my cousins, my siblings and toys. I miss being a kid, back when I had nothing in mind. So badly I want to sit, sit back where I belong at my favorite spot in the kid’s table.

But I don’t fit. I’m too grown for a colorful plastic seat, my appetite changed—

“What does that mean?

“It means I don’t eat the same”

“Why?”

“I can’t handle sweets”

“But I love candy— I love Reece’s Peeb-mut M-cups”

“Yeah I like em too”

There it is. There’s my answer. My why to;

I’m 16 but I’m still sitting at the kid’s table.

Im still a child which is why I feel comfortable sitting here, but in just 3 years I’ll be an adult so that’s why I don’t fit in my seat. I feel uncomfortable because I’m in a transition of getting ready to leave. The action of fleeing doesn’t mean I’m in danger, I want my body to understand this; that changes don’t always equate to negative things. This is a part of life many find difficult, I think that’s natural. This way of thinking is good for the soul, it gives the body its strength to grow, the mind permission to breathe and learn. It gives the meaning to life and it makes the idea of the adults table more comfortable.

Today, this thanksgiving; I sit where my aunt used to sit but that doesn’t mean I need to be what she should’ve been. My uncle doesn’t bring up my grades, my mom doesn’t ask about my exes, grandma called me a young lady and my cousin just turned 3.

I sit and watch him take my seat. With great pride I wonder what he thinks of me, because in little glances when I pass the turkey, pie or green beans; I see him staring at me, the same eyes I couldn’t take off Tia Candy.

[sidewalkchemistry]

advice for letting go of addiction to junk food? /:

I find that attachment to junk food is often due in part to not really ever falling in love with nourishing whole food ingredients. You're only gonna ever find joy in turning away from junk food when you're just as, or more, attracted to the whole food alternatives you're giving yourself. It shouldn't be about punishment or self-denial. It's about satisfaction, excitement, and self-love. Don't beat yourself up about your current situation. Simply, step forward into this new journey with patience & self-compassion.

💚So, first things first is really developing a longgg list of whole foods that you enjoy. Different fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seaweeds, foraged plants, seeds, nuts, herbs & spices, and so on. I recommend mostly purchasing what's in season (the taste, texture, and price points tend to be way better!), and visiting farmer's markets when possible (in my state, they take food stamps and have tons of discounts, to make the produce more accessible to all. I hope it's similar where you are). You may have to do some learning about how to identify fresh & ripe produce, determine how to identify good quality, comparing the tastes depending on food preparation methods (boiled vs roasted vs fresh vs pickled), and little things like that. Don't be afraid to try new things. You will likely find that you grow to like things you would've formerly disliked.

💚Next is to get into finding alternatives for your previous favorites. Especially snacks or quick meals. So, let's say that you are super into potato chips and instant noodles...swap that for homemade chips or wedges (you can make them in the microwave, air fryer, or oven - with little to no oil) & a simple noodle soup (packed with herbs, some miso and/or seaweed, a few veggies of your choice, and anything else you might like).

💚It's critical as well to really develop a rolling menu of recipes to make yourself. Your meals don't have to be complex or take ages (something like a taco bowl is great). Focus on simple but flavor-filled meals by highlighting the fresh flavors and spices, and by creating a well-rounded flavor profile in your dishes (for savory dishes: umami/salty + sour + sweet + optionally herby, spicy, and/or bitter). An accent flavor (or something to make the dish pop) is also great, such as citrus zest, liquid aminos, coconut, paprika, sesame seeds, green onion. Have ideas for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts, sauces & dressings, drinks, and snacks & dips.

💚Notice keenly how much better you feel when you reduce the junk food. Choose that good feeling over some really short-lived gratification. Notice, too, how poorly junk food can leave you feeling.

💚Learn to journal or tap into a hobby when your emotions get high and you want something unhealthy to "drown out your feelings." It's not about the fact that those foods aren't great for you. It's about paying attention to your feelings instead of stuffing them away.

💚Eliminate the misconception that it's cheaper eating junk food. You're less likely to feel the natural satiation point when you're eating low nourishment foods, so overeating is quite normal when you eat lots of processed foods. Also, the processing of such foods often is less kind on the earth compared to whole plant foods. So, it's expensive in that larger scale too. And you just aren't your best self - less energy, motivation, and stuff are likely when junk food is your primary fuel. The most affordable foods worldwide are typically satiating whole plant foods (grains, legumes, potatoes, etc).

💚Don't keep junk food around all the time. It turns into an 'out of sight, out of mind' thing.

💚Change the way you grocery shop. Spend time in the produce section especially. Always leave with things like greens, seasonal fruit, frozen fruit/veg, root veggies, etc. Discover which stores have the best options and actually stock quality produce. Wholesalers/big box stores & ethnic markets tend to do pretty good.

💚Create new habits. When you get home from work, you might be used to eating a certain snack. Interrupt that habit with a new one.

💚Stay hydrated. Water-rich produce (like cucumbers, oranges, leafy greens, berries) and drinking water can both help. Sometimes, we seek food when we're actually thirsty.

💚Start your days on a good note with fresh flavors. I recommend fruit for the sweetness and energy. And make sure your meals are satisfying and nutrient-dense, so you aren't starving and looking for energy drinks or anything an hour later.

💚Don't be all-or-nothing in your approach. This helps you to avoid that punishment mindset. It's just about choosing the food that really makes you feel good and happy and content.

💚Try out flavors from around the world. Get into ingredients and flavor profiles you've been missing out on. For example, rosewater, tomatillos, various mushrooms, berbere spice, different curries, dragonfruit, pandan. I just love traveling via my plates. It's an easy way to romanticize your life.

💚Learn to make a good, hearty, interesting salad. Smoothie bowls are a good thing to learn too. These are low-effort meals that are great when the weather is hot, you're busy, and/or your energy is low.

💚Get into making your own condiments. These can add an extra kick of flavor and interest for your dishes. For example, herb infused vinegars and oils, hot sauce, pickled veggies, rich sauces, etc.

💚Avoid food waste. Often when people are trying to eat better, the produce they purchase often goes bad before they can incorporate it into meals. Store items properly to extend their shelf life. Buy some fruit somewhat underripe (if they're a kind that ripens off the tree). Freeze things before they can go bad. Make soup broths, pickles, kimchi, jams, sauces, etc. Make meals around what is ready to be used. Also, don't be overly adventurous and buy too many unfamiliar ingredients at once.

💚And I'll end on an unexpected one. Spend more time outside in nature. You are typically become appreciative all those colors and scents and intrigue in simple/slow food meals when you do.

I wish you the best & I apologize for taking a while to respond.

Lili

[diamond-dangeresque]

Day 5 — Love

1336AE, New Kaineng City—Downtown Wajjun

"When are you heading home?" is the first serious question out of Zhou Yao's mouth once the ingredients have been fully delivered and the waiter leaves their table. They and Chihiro begin grabbing some ingredients to shovel into their boiling hotpot stock. The smells of bone broth and spices waft in the air, vegetables and mushrooms adding further to their fragrance when they're slipped into the boiling liquid. The sound of others' conversations blend into background noise. All that feels to be here is these two, one dressed in their nicest casualwear and the other casual but still half-armored with a blade sheathed at his hip. Even amidst the noise of the noonday lunch crowd, the question feels like it carries its own echo.

Chihiro looks quizzical at how to approach this question before deciding bluntness might be the best approach here: "Not sure I want to, really."

Yao looks up, stopping their getting-ready to dunk some rice noodles into the soup. "I don't understand."

"Hm? What's not to understand?"

"I mean..." They put their chopsticks down and lace their fingers together, resting their chin atop it. "Your merc company–"

"The Mistblade company," Chihiro answers, "what about it?" He takes a sip of water from his glass.

"Well...don't you have that 'selfmade business' to go back to?"

"It kind of runs itself at this point." The Revenant shrugs. The waiter returns with a long flat plate full of meat cuts, laying it at an empty part of the table and leaving again. "Dragon's Watch as a guild is as good as dissolved—our whole reason to exist got fulfilled, I guess—but people will always need a sellsword for something, and between Briar and Surt and Fossa they have the whole thing covered. I'm just a figurehead bringing in the occasional paycheck now." And, of course, all the Whisper agents who use 'being a sellsword' as a cover for their own jobs. "A faaar cry from back when I was its head and only employee."

"And your...niece, was it? You'd leave her behind?"

Matsu. Fuck. That topic was far more sensitive. But it had to be dealt with if Chihiro wanted whatever exactly was between him and Yao to work out. Holding secrets ends badly with folks like them. "Matsu's been...honestly, she's been fine without me for a few years now."

"That's a pretty cold way to talk about family..." Yao grabs a slice of pork and begins to dip it into the broth, swirling it amongst the mushrooms and vegetables before fishing it all out into a small bowl and beginning to eat.

Chihiro sighs. "It's not like I hate her and I'm doing this on purpose; it's just..." Chihiro does the same, continuing his chain of thought: "You separate for a few years due to duty and your only family left being put under protection and then you just get used to only occasional family meetings."

"Protection???" Yao repeats, mouth half-full of cabbage/radish/pork. They swallow, forcing all that down with a tall drink from their own glass of water.

"Yeeeeeah. I made some very scary enemies back in the day. They liked trying to fuck with my family since they knew fucking with me was useless." A pause. He shoves the cooked pork down his gullet alongside some sliced shiitake, lotus root, and sweet potato wrapped in a leafy chard piece. "I...I already lost a grandmother and two nephews to this crazy bitch years and years ago. She would have killed Matsu too if Matsu didn't decide to wander off and look for me. And when I learned said crazy bitch wanted to finish what she started with me personally..."

The color drains from Yao's face. "Oh gods. I'm so sorry." And here they were comfortable believing this sort of thing was reserved for either the worst of the gang wars in the Echovald or a really bad day from the Purists. They knew some bad stuff went down in Tyria a number of years ago, but...

"It's...it's alright. It's all history at this point, and the context is good for you to know."

"Is." Yao slips some potato slices into the broth alongside some cauliflower. The conversation got awkward-feeling fast, but backing out would only make this all the weirder. "Is she okay?"

Chihiro's response is an involuntary chuckle, and then adding to that, "She's been trying to get permission from her mentor to head to Cantha for months now. The second she learned I ended up here she decided she was gonna try and beat my head in for—her words, not mine—'heading somewhere amazing and ditching her like old socks'. I think she's fine."

"Not that," Yao sighs half-amused, "though that is good to hear. I mean...is she okay? Because if I remember my math right, she was pretty young when all that went down. Even coming from me, that's a lot for a kid to go through."

Oh. The memories come back to him again, clearer this time, fresher. Old wounds began to stir and sting again. "Honestly...I think she was more okay than I was. She was pretty motivated; I...I just slumped for a while. Kinda only kept moving 'cause of her and 'cause of work."

"I don't know. You're pretty motivated when you want to be. Which is often, from my own observations."

"Times were much worse back then, and I hide things very well." Ah, there was that mask again, slipping back on in the face of sorrow.

"Maybe around others. But you're terrible at hiding from me~." Yao smiles a bit more. Chihiro reciprocates. But the smile fades as the engineer's expression sobers a bit. "Sorry if all this opened up some bad memories. Wasn't my intention. It just all seemed...I don't know how to word this. Odd?"

"Like I said, it's all history at this point," he responds, opting to grab some more meat and soak it into the broth alongside some sweet potato chunks. "And you help a lot with me coming to terms with all this. You've been a big help, actually."

"Don't be ridiculous," Yao says, waving off the Revenant's compliment and trying their best to mask a small blush. "I make good conversation, that's all."

"No, really! You..." Without the blindfold, Chihiro looks straight on at Yao, with Yao returning the eye contact. "You're wonderful to be around. Most people I've been with, they're pretty content to be with the front I put up: the charming, handsome warrior of Divinity's Reach; the enigmatic Pact Commander, leader of whole armies with the world on his shoulders; the roguish godslayer, the willing apostate. But you, Yao?" He breaks that eye contact for a bit, is looking away with those big blue eyes that everyone else says are so scary and pointed when the blindfold is off, but right now to Yao they're eyes seeking answers to a question Yao thinks Chihiro has been asking himself for a very long time. And those eyes look back, lock back on, to them. "You're the first person who's been okay with me. Just me. No titles. Flaws and all."

"The things you think are flaws," Yao responds, tone softened and kept to a half-whisper, "are what in fact makes you so charming. Not that you don't have things to work on, but you also like to beat yourself up for things you really shouldn't."

"Please." The Revenant finishes off his half of the meat platter, moving on to dunking some noodles into the broth. "You don't have to flatter me."

"I'm serious! There's this scrappy charm to you. Your sense of justice, your willingness to see things done right when it matters, and even your brash personality, it all comes off as endearing."

"Not when you first met me," the Revenant chuckles as he scoops his noodles into a bowl with his chopsticks.

"Because I didn't know you then the way I know you now, obviously," is Yao's retort, "but now I have context. You're not just some loudmouth foreigner who brags about being a hero and uses your name as a bludgeon to get your way like others say you are and do." Yao takes their own noodles, thinner and clear unlike their partner's choice of thicker buckwheat, and soaks it in the diminishing broth. Their voice softens. "You're a sweet man. Gentle in spite of your strength. You care deeply about others, more than you let on. You worry about the consequences of your own actions more than your own actions itself at times. And you're actually pretty smart, in your own way."

Chihiro has to hold back a larger chuckle while eating his noodles. When he does finish, he responds, "Uh huh. Yao, I can hardly work a jadetech toaster, let alone half the things in this city. My jade bot still tries to slap me. By all accounts, I must be a moron in your eyes."

"Yet you can run circles around this country's best fighters and their strategists. And your dungeoneering is second to none, else the Royal Archivist Soviety wouldn't have gotten half as far into Northern Kaineng as they did. Intelligence isn't just about knowing how to troubleshoot tech or being able to understand how guns work. Even if Rama teases you on that."

What was left of the mask Chihiro made for himself to wear for Yao has long since slipped off. He doesn't know what to say to this. He doesn't know if Yao is just trying to soothe his well-bruised ego or if they're genuine about their words. But on thinking of their time together, on thinking of his feelings towards the Engineer and all they've said to each other and done together, a sensation in his mind and heart smother the doubt. Compared to most others, Yao seemed genuine, truly in belief, of their words to Chihiro.

Only Belinda ever felt this genuine. And even she, gods rest her weary soul, still bought some of that façade.

Maybe these past few months together weren't just a fling of convenience or fun.

The waiter passes by and Chihiro flags him down while maintaining eye contact with Yao. He finishes his thoughts as best as he can, keeping his voice steady, "Like I said before: Dragon's Watch is done since all the dragons save for Aurene are dead, the Pact has nothing to do now with all the international threats done and over with, and my company thrives and lives without me at its wheel. With nothing to do, usually, I wander." His gaze almost wanders away, just a moment, to the open sky above them. "I get restless. I leave everyone I know because I don't know how to stay still. So committing to things, committing to people, I find it hard. Really hard. I don't..." He pauses, gathering his thoughts as he also hands the waiter a coinbag for the lunch payment. "I never felt at home in Kryta with the Seraph or as a mercenary. I never felt at home in Ascalon, temping with the Adamantine or bashing Separatist heads in. I almost felt at home with the pirates—" —but Mai Trin burned all that to the ground years and years ago. "—but that wasn't really enough either. Home for me is where I feel I can finally stop. Where I can rest. I've been looking for years. And, well, now I feel at home with you."

The words seemed a lot more flowery for Chihiro than he normally uses, or so Yao tells themself. But once the words finally process in their mind, their eyes widen. If this is what they think it is... "I... Chihiro, don't be ridiculous, what are you sa—"

Oh for fucks sakes. "Yao, I love you."

There's a silence that grows heavy between the two, masked only barely by the clammer of the other restaurant patrons chattering away about whatever. Yao remains stunned, mouth drying by the second. Chihiro can hear his heart practically trying to drill itself out of his ribcage. It was now or never, the Revenant told himself. If he could hear the echoes and spirits over the sounds of the crowd plus his own heartbeat, they'd probably be rolling over with laughter. He never felt so un-suave and dopey in his life until now, trying to wax poetic and just barreling through a thesaurus instead. Was it the lack of alcohol? Was it because this wasn't an act, there isn't a guardrail he can hold onto, no comfortable excuse to press a button and self-eject out of a scene with? Is it because the thing he feels for this Engineer goes deeper than any of his previous flings?

(Or was it because the last two people he was truly serious with died? The Revenant dreads the day in which lover's plot #3 calls for Zhou Yao...)

"Wow. Oh wow. This is..."

"Yeeeah, I figured this wasn't going to work," Chihiro half-mumbles as he scoots his own seat back to get up, trying with desperation to grab the last pieces of his broken coolguy mask, "sorry for wasting your time, I'll grab my things and—"

"Stop right there," Yao tells him, themself standing up before their (friend? friend-with-benefits? lover?? beloved??? uhhhhh) can dash into the night like he's said he's done before. "I'm trying to process all these thoughts, you are not running from this until I do." Chihiro feels his feet freeze in place. They walk over to the Revenant with the warmest smile he's seen yet from them. "Gods, you absolute dummy."

Chihiro's ears tingle. He looks back, then Yao does, at the restaurant. It seems their talk has drawn some attention to them, what with people staring and whispering to each other about that noisy couple and making a scene out of their spat.

"Hm." The Engineer hums, threading their arm around Chihiro's. "Maybe we can continue this talk at my apartment. Privately."

"Uhh." Yao leads Chihiro to walking from the restaurant.

"For the record: I love you, too. You just gotta find a way to not draw so much attention when you do these things~."

[leclerced]

Omg breakfast? Lemme tell you all about it

I know you want more savoury so imma just run through the sweet ones if u one day want one haha

Porridge but the fancy version. I do it on oat milk with cacao and bananas and sometimes yogurt as topping. Even better is Greek yogurt with apples fried in butter with cinnamon and a little bit of honey (like not a lot of butter just so there is something on the pan).

I love bruschetta with tomatoes. I can eat it every day really. Shakshouka, it takes a lil bit more time but it’s delicious. Basic avocado toast? With fried eggs? Also love it. Scrambled eggs on toast too. But I recommend doing the creamy ones. Idk I just discovered I’m pretty basic when it comes to breakfast.

Also in Poland idk if everywhere but in my region people eat lots of milk things for breakfast. So porridge, semolina pudding, even milk soups. Milk and poured noodles („kluski lane” in polish cause idk if the translation is the thing I think of), milk and pasta even!

i am a Picky Eater and ur ab to hear ab all my weird food things. im so sorry. im gna give my opinions on ur breakfast then tell u ab minee. read more bc this is long

i have never had porridge but i don't like that name. i occasionally like oatmeal which is a kind of porridge, made with rolled oats, but it also makes me vomit sometimes. so i would not eat porridge generally speaking.

i might try bruschetta. isn't that just like basically garlic bread ?? but cut the tomatoes. i only like cooked tomatoes in a sauce. not a fan of the chunks. bad mouth feel.

avocado toast >>> god tier breakfast tbh. would not eat w fried eggs on it tho bc i only like scrambled eggs. would not put scrambled eggs on my avocado toast.

scrambled eggs on toast minus avocado is good tho!! one of the best breakfast sandwiches ive ever had was bacon n scrambled eggs on rye bread from this cafe in kansas city. i genuinely have been planning to go back there just to get another sandwich.

shakshouka looks good tbh. ive watched sm cooking videos of ppl making it but i would not eat it bc.. eggs and tomatoes sound gross together. and i don't like poached eggs.

had to look up kluski lane, and i dont like egg drop noodles. bad texture. also not a soup fan generally speaking, potato soup and chicken and dumplings are the exception and only because i know how to cook them really well. im not a fan of my food being wet.

i have a lot to say about milk soup and milk and pasta and it is not nice. i just. hate the idea.

i love cooking. i love breakfast food. i will eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner numerous days in a row. bacon, eggs, sausage, potatoes. you can make the potatoes so many different ways for variety first of all, but then you can a scramble, a taco, a sandwich. whatever u want. love a breakfast taco and i know i said i hate tomatoes unless they're cooked but the exception is pico de gallo because i put that in my breakfast tacos sometimes.

love love love making a bagel sandwich, i don't like fried eggs so i make a lil omelet and fold it to fit my bagel, and put bacon, cheese, cream cheese, and avocado on them.

i also like muffins a lot, blueberry, banana nut, wildberry. i'll eat them every day for breakfast until im sick of them and then can't look at them for a year. currently have not had a muffin in months.

i also really love doing pigs n a blanket/sausage rolls. whatever u wanna call them. love donuts and some kolaches, but it rly depends on where u get them and i grew up in/near a czech town so i am very judgemental ab kolaches

[selfpositiveundertale]

Hey. Vent post and update. Not a happy post.

I'm not okay. I don't know when or if I will be okay. My health seems to be getting worse. I'm having a problem that, going from the symptoms, seems a lot like hypoglycemia, but my most recent blood work says I am not diabetic or prediabetic and everything looked normal. As I understand it, hypoglycemia without diabetes is a rare condition, but with my luck and my medical history I would not be surprised. I'm needing to eat more and more frequently and it seems like the specific types of food that were helping to keep the problems at bay just aren't as effective anymore, and now I can barely even tell what specific thing I need to eat. Do I need protein? Do I need greens? Do I need complex carbs? Do I need sugar? Who knows! Not me! I just have to guess and hope I guess right, or else my body is going to throw a fit about it and give me a matter of minutes to consume the Correct Thing before it just makes me go to sleep.

I dare not stray outside my list of safe foods, and by safe foods I mean foods that won't make my issues worse. Most candy, soda, white bread, anything with a lot of simple carbs or refined sugars is out of the question if I want to stay awake, upright, and functional, with few exceptions. Even honey, eating fruit, plant based protein, most vegetables besides dark leafy greens and potatoes and sweet potatoes, and things like white rice or bread that's been enriched with nutrients, at best does no good and at worst makes me feel like I'm going to keel over, which really sucks because my ultimate comfort food is soup beans and cornbread, and if I could eat that to get me through the day I would. The only things I can at least somewhat rely on are animal protein(preferably red meat but seafood, poultry, or eggs will do in a pinch, and whey protein is a last resort), dark leafy greens(kale, collard greens, that kind of thing), fruit juice(MUST be 100% juice) or fruit smoothies, and complex carbs(mostly whole grains, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, but oat milk works for a quick fix).

I'm trying to find solutions and work around this whole thing so I can go on with my life. I'm baking a lot of whole grain cornbread these days because it's easy to make and is the perfect thing when I need my carbs. I might need to invest in a bulk amount of beef jerky. I had been getting bulk amounts of cans of apple juice online but that's been harder to get in recent weeks so I've just been getting a 90-something-oz jug of grape juice from the store instead. My therapist suggested I start making green smoothies rather than just eating my greens cooked, so I might start getting my greenery in that way. Throwing the green stuff into the blender with some oat milk, chopped fruit, and a scoop of whey protein powder might make my life easier. I'll also discuss it with my chiropractor when I see him later this week, as he is a licensed nutritionist and can probably help me figure something out.

I'm so dang sick of being tired or hungry or both 24/7 and my body being like a fuel inefficient car that guzzles a whole tank of gas just to get you to the other side of town. If I go longer than an hour or so without eating or if I eat the wrong thing, I start getting hit by fatigue, dizziness, headache, shakiness, confusion, blurring vision, weakness, stuttering or slurred speech, and it'll get worse until I either eat something or fall asleep. If I fall asleep, I usually at least wake up with just enough strength to get something small and quick into my system and give myself the energy to think of what I need to do next.

I don't know what this is or why it's happening. I find myself wondering if it could be related to my fibromyalgia, or a long term side effect from when I caught covid a year or two ago, or if I've messed up my liver by taking Excedrin Migraine for the chronic headaches I've had since 2011, or if I'm alone in this. I haven't met anyone else dealing with this exact thing. Every time I go a-googling, I only ever find articles about diabetes and I want to scream BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT SO WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO??? They say a problem well defined is half solved, but what can you do about it when you don't even have the resources to define the problem?

I have cried so much in the last week or so because I'm so frustrated with this. It's ruining everything in my life. I can't complete my personal responsibilities, I can't keep up with most of my friends except for the small handful of my very closest friends, I haven't been active on here in ages, haven't been able to get any crochet work done, barely been able to practice any self care beyond eating whatever I have the strength to put together, and I'm starting to lose sight of the point of existing if it has to be in a body that hurts all the time and can't hold onto fuel. I'm frustrated, I'm tired, I'm scared, I'm sad, I'm angry, I'm lost, and it's getting harder and harder to not lose hope. I'm really trying to hang in there, but it's so hard.

I don't know what to do anymore.

It's after 2am, so I think I'll stop there and try to get some sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be better. One can hope.

Stay determined. I'm trying to.

[thekitchnpro]

5 Clever Uses for a Lemon Squeezer

New Post has been published on https://thekitchnpro.com/5-clever-uses-for-a-lemon-squeezer/

5 Clever Uses for a Lemon Squeezer

A lemon squeezer allows you to easily juice lemons, limes, and even oranges with just a quick squeeze or two, but this versatile kitchen tool has more than one use! If you didn’t know this already, you should check out these five clever uses for your lemon squeezer below.

As a Spoon Rest

The first clever use is to use it as a spoon rest. This is especially handy if you make soups or stew or even something like mashed potatoes, because let’s face it, spoons are kind of dirty! And if you’re like me, you can never find one when you need it. Instead of reaching into your silverware drawer and grabbing another spoon (that isn’t nearly as clean), keep one right by your cutting board by using your lemon squeezer. It works best on hard surfaces like tile or marble because soft surfaces like wood might not be strong enough to hold up your utensil.

You also want to avoid putting any wet utensils down in case they fall through. But since lemons aren’t wet, they should work just fine. Whether I’m doing some cooking or simply having a snack at my desk at work, I love using lemon squeezers as spoon rests. I feel like I’m being much more hygienic! Plus they come in very cute colors that match my other kitchen decor, which is always a plus!

To Stir Powdered Drink Mixes

Buy Now! If you use protein powders, you know how powdery they can be. If your protein shakes are too thick, it’s time to call in some extra help. This is where your lemon squeezer comes in! Plop some protein powder into it and shake it up—the power of shaking helps break down clumps of powder so you don’t have to waste time with your shaker cup or blender. You might even be able to skip blending completely! Or you could also mix up quick pancakes using oatmeal instead of flour. Stirring dry ingredients together just got way easier.

And that concludes our 5 uses for lemon squeezers tutorial, which hopefully took your traditional method of stirring powdered drinks mixes on the go to another level by plopping everything into a lemon squeezer instead of having to scoop everything out first. Now go ahead and make us proud by spreading the word about these 5 clever uses for lemon squeezers!

To Store Bits and Pieces on Counters

Buy Now!  

You can store your loose tea leaves and other spices inside a lemon squeezer. This way, you will never have to worry about forgetting to buy another bottle of vanilla extract, oregano or thyme. These things are extremely convenient to have around because you need them pretty much every time you cook or bake something. However, all too often we tend to forget that we don’t already have any such ingredient in our cupboards and then go out and buy it. This is why it would be best if you could keep all those ingredients together with ease so that they are always within reach at your disposal whenever you decide to start cooking something.

Plus, if you put them all in one place instead of keeping them separately, there is no way that they are going to get mixed up when they are used by mistake when mixed with other things. When it comes to storing bits and pieces on your countertop, putting everything into one spot makes good sense! It saves space while allowing you quick access. Similarly when it comes to storage in general anything that allows more space usage but also provides easy access tends to make very good sense! It saves time too since kitchen work areas usually suffer from congestion which slows down everyone working within their vicinity making for slower work overall.

Use It as a Citrus Juicer

Buy Now!  

Many lemon squeezers also double as citrus juicers. The small device is perfect for juicing lemons, limes, and oranges and yields more juice than typical juicers. It is very easy to use and clean after making juice. You can use it to make sweet or savory cocktails, add fresh juice to your favorite dessert recipes, or simply squeeze fresh lemon into the water. With its compact size and simple design, you’ll find dozens of ways to use your lemon squeezer in your kitchen! We love our product because it has multiple uses that are compatible with other items in your house such as knives and cookware. Use them together for new things you didn’t know about before using them on their own.

As a Cocktail Shaker

It’s not exactly easy to find a use for a lemon squeezer that makes it stand out from all your other kitchen gadgets. Well, except one: A cocktail shaker. If you own a cocktail shaker, you can make pretty much any drink in it using crushed ice and using your lemon squeezer as an alternative to your old-fashioned ice cubes. You’ll squeeze out more juice from your lemon compared to when you’re shaking with regular ice cubes, too—which means a better quality drink in less time! This will work great in drinks like martinis, Cuba Libres, and other cocktails that require crushed ice.

[sluntch]

A Simpler Day, a Simpler Week - A Writing Experiment - Day 6

Ayo. Welcome to day 6 of me writing something every day. This one is pretty short and sweet, but here we go anyway.

So, in the last post, I mentioned injuring my ankle through overuse on a Friday, taking a 2:30 AM ER trip on Saturday and getting home around 7:30 AM the same day. Since then, I've been keeping off the ankle and wearing a boot to keep it from moving around on me. This means I can't really drive anywhere, can't go up and down stairs very easily (which is fairly comical given how many flights of stairs are in the duplex I live in), and can't workout during the week. Abbey is also on a business trip for the week so I'm alone for the time being. Turns out you really miss the extra caloric room built into the day from just a workout. Today I went over the limit into equilibrium territory to get rid of some leftovers that needed to be eaten. In that same vein, I also miss Abbey as, not only is it fairly lonely without her (though I can cope with help from Dil and the lads, especially during the day or in discord) but also that she helps eat some extra lefties that need to be eaten when she takes them for lunch and I don't have to be responsible for everything in the fridge. I suppose that's the tradeoff for only doing cooking up to this point to be specifically having two portions for dinner and then having some lefties ready for the rest of the week. I suppose the bonus was that the grocery bill was much this week as I'm only cooking twice (to stay off the foot) and only for myself.

Last night I made a creamy tomato-base soup and added cubed tofu to it. We usually have it with tortellini, but I wanted to try and make it a bit lower-calorie and use one of the two packs of tofu I had gotten for the week. to go under it, I oven-roasted some broccoli and sweet potatoes, a go-to vegetable in our apartment as they 1). are delicious and 2). make a bunch. They go really far into the week and are great as impromptu veggies for meals, should I not have another one, and are great on the salads (I call them "Big Salad" because they are colossal and delicious) I sometimes make for lunch throughout the week. I invited Dil over to partake for some company and to just chill. It was super fun. We watched the first episode of Arcane again, semi-preparing for season 2 of that, and the first two episodes of the newest season of Jujutsu Kaisen, which he is binging to catch up to as I write this. The week is, about as much as it can be, off to a rip-roaring start. I just need this ankle to cut it out and we'll be ok. But now my right knee started kind of hurting too, so I'm worried this might be going a bit deeper than I previously thought. That or I'm still somehow using the leg too much. Time will tell, I suppose.

Second-to-last thing for this entry: I start with a new therapist tomorrow. The therapy office I was going to had a change in how they can bill my insurance and the therapist I was working with at the time was one of the ones that wouldn't be covered. Our jobs are paying a bit better now but we're trying to buy a house and possibly have a kid within the next 3 or 4 years so every penny we can save is important. So I opted to get transferred to a new therapist that would be covered. It sucks to have to start over entirely but I was only about 5 sessions in with the initial therapist, so it's not like there was a years-long connection being severed. I still liked her a lot, though, and I had made some really good progress even in that short time. We'll see how this shakes out.

Last thing, short and sweet: I'm really nervous and scared that the endocrinology visit won't be able to be moved up before 11/29 and it'll take till even longer after that to get the surgery scheduled. I feel more and more like I'm just deteriorating or wasting away. This ankle thing is really rough and with another several months to wait to get this stuff treated I'm genuinely frightened of how bad it may get. I've got patience but I don't know how much is left.

60 days to go.

[pterribledinosaurdrawings]

Could you please share the recipe for the soup you made with the bug noodles? That looks amazing and I want it in my tummy.

Sure!

The ingredients always include onions, garlic, and carrots. Usually potatoes too. It depends on what I have in the fridge, but it can also include celery, parsnip, grated turnip, cabbage, green beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini.

I suppose corn would also be soup compatible, or perhaps bell pepper, though I can't recall ever putting those things in this kind of soup. All vegetables are friends when you boil them up together so it's probably hard to go wrong here.

I can't really give specific amounts because it will depend on the size of your pot, and I don't measure soup ingredients.

I chop up my vegetables and garlic and put them in a big pot with a little olive oil, and cook them on medium heat until the onions have gone clear and things are starting to look a tiny bit brownish on the edges. Or maybe not quite that long if there's a lot of stuff in the pot and it's taking a while and I'm feeling impatient.

Then I add water, or perhaps meat or vegetable stock, just until they're covered, leaving some room for the tomatoes. Sometimes when I boil parsnips and carrots together in the same pot (which is very good and better than having either vegetable individually) I save the water to use for soup because it's so dang flavourful and sweet.

At this point the salt and pepper also go in, and some Herbes de Provence, or something similar. I'm currently out of the blended H de P so for this soup I think I added thyme, basil, parsley, and dried chives. Might have put some ground coriander seed too?

The little noodles also go in now, or sometimes I do barley, or sometimes neither. I got these bug shaped noodles at the Bulk Barn, but that's only in Canada so I have no idea where people in other countries should look for bug noodles.

Then I bring it to a boil, and after it has boiled I turn it down and add a can of diced tomatoes and let it simmer for a while. If it has noodles or barley or something like that then it simmers until they're cooked.

Very shortly before it's done simmering I add some frozen peas, because they really don't need boiling, just to be heated up. If they boil then the colour and texture won't be as nice.

Then I eat soup for 2 or 3 days and it's nice! I like to have it with some buttered bread or rolls.

Usually I end up with so much vegetable stuff in the pot that there isn't much room for liquid, but that's ok, I like it when there's lots of soup in my soup.

I wish you a very good soup!

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

If I Fell For You (Part 5) - Date Night

Summary: The reader and Jensen go on their first fancy date together before attending a nanny happy hour the next night. The reader makes a new friend there to Jensen’s dismay but someone from the past will come along and change things between the new couple...

Masterlist

Pairing: Jensen x nanny!reader

Word Count: 4,200ish

Warnings: language, lying, angst, mention of past child abuse/assault, fluff

A/N: This a rough one, not gonna lie. Enjoy!

________

Friday Night

“Y/N, I’m downstairs when you’re ready,” said Jensen through your closed bedroom door.

“I’ll be there in five,” you said.

“See you in fifteen,” he chuckled before he walked away. You walked back into your bathroom, looking over your hair in a bun. It looked like a freaking messy bun actually. You should have done it down and in big flowy waves instead. You pouted and smoothed out your dress. Of course you were bloated and you’d nicked your leg more than once shaving earlier. 

“It’s Jensen,” you said to yourself, taking a deep breath. “He’s never even seen you in makeup before. You’re fine. He’s not gonna say anything.”

You forced yourself out of the bathroom and slipped on your heels, your clutch in your hand. You wobbled for a step or two on the carpet but did better once you were out in the hardwood hall. Ten seconds later you were downstairs, heading over to the foyer area. 

“All set?” you asked, Jensen spinning around. He smiled as he stared, eyes looking you up and down more than once, not even trying to hide it.

“Y/N, you look pretty,” said Arrow as she rushed in from the family room. 

“Yes she does,” said Jensen. “We’ll be home soon, okay?”

“Okie dokie,” she said, wandering off with a little wave.

Half an hour later you were sat at a table in a very nice restaurant, Jensen tugging on his collar. His cheeks were slightly pink but it wasn’t from the cold outside. 

“So...what’s a good wine?” you asked, sliding the drink list over to him. “I’m not really good with the names.”

“You like red or white?” he asked.

“Normally red,” you said. “You?”

“I like a Merlot,” he said. “You like dry?”

“Sure,” you said. 

“We’re not going dutch tonight you know right. This is all on me.”

“We can go dutch, Jensen.”

“I asked you out and this is fancy, even for me. My treat, okay?” he asked.

“Alright,” you said, looking around the restaurant and over in the distance to the bar. “You know I could go for a lemon drop actually.”

He smirked and set the list down, a waiter coming by. He ordered a gin and tonic for himself while you got your cocktail, Jensen breaking off part of a breadstick from the basket. 

“Bread’s good,” he said with his mouth full.

“So. Ackles,” you said, picking up a piece and tearing off a chunk with your teeth. He stared and started to laugh to himself. “Ah, there’s my sweet guy.”

“Thought you were gonna say boyfriend for a second.”

“This is our second official date,” you said. “So. Boyfriend.”

“Yes girlfriend?” he chuckled.

“What’s an appetizer look like in a place like this? Like a tiny cube of cheese with some dressing they’re gonna charge twenty bucks for or something like that?”

“You’re goofy,” he said, a big smile stuck on his face. “Uh, they probably have something like that. There’s normally some kind of bread olive oil bowl option.”

“Fancy people eat like a starving college student apparently,” you said. He tried to hide his laugh as your waiter brought over the drinks and a pair of menus. “Excuse me but can you recommend an appetizer? We’re both new to town and are wondering what you think is a good choice.”

“You can’t go wrong with our sourdough and seasoned oil dipping sauce,” he said. You glanced at Jensen and smiled. “The artichoke spinach dip and tartar crackers are also quite lovely.”

“Do you have anything with a little more substance? We’re quite starving,” said Jensen.

“The fried calamari and crab cake poppers combo is a great option,” he said.

“What’s calamari?” you asked.

“Squid, miss,” said the waiter.

“We’ll have that combo,” said Jensen.

“Perfect. I’ll put that in and be back shortly to get your dinner orders,” he said. He took off and you made a face at Jensen.

“Squid?” you asked.

“It’s fried. Trust me, it’s pretty good,” he said. “I could go for a good steak. You see a filet on here yet?”

“Uh,” you said, eyes scanning the page and seeing most everything was something you’d never heard of. 

“There it is,” he said. “I’m getting that and scalloped potatoes. See anything you want to try?”

“Uh, why does half of this seem like it’s a foreign language to me?” you asked. Jensen looked at his menu and chuckled.

“That would be because it’s in French. We’re in Canada and this is a french restaurant.”

“Oh. Gotcha,” you said. He got up and leaned over the back of your chair, glancing at the page.

“These are soups and salads,” he said, pointing near the top. “Sandwiches. Pasta. Main dishes down here.”

“Uh, maybe pasta?” you said. He knelt down and read off the dishes to you one by one, your waiter returning by the time he was just finishing.

“Anything I can assist you with?” he asked.

“I’ll have the fettuccine alfredo with chicken please,” you said, handing the menu to him, Jensen returning to his seat.

“Face principale?” he asked. You stared at Jensen and he smiled.

“She doesn’t speak French,” said Jensen.

“My apologies miss. What would you like for your main side dish?” asked the waiter. “Steamed vegetables, scalloped potatoes, lobster bisque-”

“I’ll have the vegetables,” you said. Jensen ordered and the waiter went to get your appetizer, a sad smile on his face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think twice about the French thing.”

“Kinda hot that you know French,” you said. “I should try to learn it if we’re gonna be up here for a few months.”

“I’m an idiot and I learned it so you’ll do just fine picking it up,” he said. 

“So where’d you learn in the first place?”

“I’m stuffed,” you said, plopping your napkin from your lap onto the table awhile later. Jensen took the last bite of the piece of mouse pie, licking his lips as he finished. “This might have been the best alfredo I’ve ever had.”

“I enjoyed it. Mostly I enjoyed listening to you talk,” he said. You blushed and looked away, Jensen letting out a small hum. “It’s funny. Doesn’t really feel like just a second date, does it.”

“No, not really,” you said. “I guess that’s what happens when you’re friends first.”

“Well I definitely like being friends with you,” he said. 

“Me too, Jensen.” 

“Want to get out of here?” he asked. You smiled and nodded, the two of you outside a few minutes later wrapped up in your coats. Your feet were cold in just your heels, Jensen’s arm wrapping around your waist when you almost slipped more than once. It was slow going back to the car, especially when it started to snow lightly.

“You know, that dress would still look hot with winter boots,” he chuckled. 

“Sorry,” you said.

“No apology necessary. I got freaking dress shoes on and my feet are cold. I can’t imagine how you’re holding up,” he said.

“The perils of being a woman,” you said.

“Well, no need to impress me is all I’m saying. I ain’t looking at your feet anyways,” he said.

“Oh well in that case I’ll wear some nice baggy sweats next date.”

“Please do,” he said. 

“You really don’t care, do you.”

“I think you look beautiful tonight. But I think you look beautiful every night. You did your hair and makeup and this is stunning, don’t get me wrong. But she’s not more beautiful than the girl at home with hair tossed up all messy walking around in oversized shirts and leggings. It’s like flowers. Both are pretty but one isn’t more pretty than the other.”

“Where the fuck did I find you?”

“At my house,” he chuckled. You whacked his arm and leaned your head on his shoulder. “Almost back to the car. I’ll blast the heat for us when we’re in there.”

“Thanks Jensen.”

“Thank you for the date, honey. I mean it. We’ll do it again sometime. Promise.”

Saturday Night

“Your boyfriend seems pissed,” said Brandon. You sipped up the last of your beer, glancing over to the bar where Jensen was tapping his finger. 

“He’s fine,” you said. “So any good parks around the west side of town?”

“Center Grove is always my choice. Good playground, nice area, cops routinely are around. Parking can kinda be a bitch sometimes but it’s worth it in my opinion. My kids love it.”

“You’ve been their nanny for five years you said?”

“Mhm,” he said, knocking back the last of his drink. “Shawn’s mom is their mom’s best friend.”

“Oh. So you had an in already.”

“You know long term gigs are the way to go in this job,” he said. “Not too many American girls come up here. Your accent is cute.”

“Is it, eh?” you chuckled.

“Like I’ve never heard that one before,” he said, Jensen walking back with two beers and a clenched jaw. 

“You okay?” you asked as he sat it down in front of you.

“I’m fine,” he said, taking a long sip. Brandon slid off his seat and made a face. 

“I need a refill anyways. Nice meeting you Y/N. We gotta hang some time,” he said as he walked away.

“For sure,” you said, Jensen rolling his eyes behind his back. “Jensen what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“Well you obviously have a problem with Brandon.”

“I don’t have a problem with him. I have a problem with my girlfriend flirting with another guy.”

“I was not flirting. I’m trying to make new friends. It was your idea to come to this thing tonight anyways.”

“Whatever,” he scoffed.

“Excuse me?”

“In case I wasn’t clear, I’m not the kind of guy where I’m okay with you dating multiple people at once. I don’t get that not exclusive shit.”

“I’m with you and only you. I was being nice. Geez, let’s just go,” you said. You got up and pulled your coat on, bumping into a guy on the way out. He turned and apologized, staring at you a little long.

“Y/N?” he asked, a big smile on his face. “My Y/N?”

“Dad?” you said, his face much older looking than you remembered but his eyes still the same.

“Dad?” said Jensen. You brushed past your dad and outside, Jensen hot on your heels. 

“Y/N,” your dad said as he left the bar. 

“Stay away from me,” you said. “Jensen I want to go home right now.”

“What-”

“Right fucking now!”

He held up his hands and you walked around the block to the car, getting inside and Jensen taking off.

“So your dad’s alive huh,” he said. You stared out the dark window with crossed arms. “So is everything I know about you bullshit?”

“What?”

“Is literally anything you’ve ever told me true? Your dad obviously didn’t die when you were a kid. All those late night talks about family and shit, you just like to fuck with people or something?”

“I was not flirting with Brandon you asshole. You didn’t need to know my whole life story the second I meet you.”

“Oh. Okay. Just your fake life story then, huh?” he said. You shook your head as he got stuck at a red light. “If I can’t trust you, I can’t employ you let alone date you.”

“Whatever,” you said. He drove in silence until you were out of the city, going along quieter roads. You were close to the house when he suddenly turned right towards the local park and stopped in the lot, putting the car in park. He touched your arm and you turned, Jensen leaning over and kissing you roughly, far more roughly than you thought he was capable of. You blinked when he pulled back, Jensen looking you up and down. 

“He won’t hurt you.”

“What?”

“Did he walk out on you and your mom?” he asked. “You told him to stay away from you. Sort of shouted it at him. Maybe you lied but maybe...I’m sorry I got jealous of Brandon. I’m still scared and I think you’re still scared too and that’s okay. If you lied about your dad, I’m gonna trust you have a good reason for it. I’m sorry for what I said. I trust you and I don’t want to know what my life is like without you in it.”

“It’s okay,” you said quietly. “I forgive you.”

“You don’t have to tell me what happened,” he said. “We can just go home, okay?”

“Why’d you pull over?”

“Because I knew I didn’t mean it and I knew I overreacted. I said I’d mess up when we started. It’s been a long time since I’ve done this. I’m 42 with three kids. Brandon is thirty and young and stronger than I am and can go out to the bar whenever he wants. You have options. You don’t have to settle for me.”

“If I’d wanted to settle, I’d have married my ex. What I wanted was the guy that forgives me for not telling him the whole story cause I’m not ready to say it. I want the guy that makes me happy and feel like I have a teenage crush but it’s deeper than that. You’re not the settle for option, Jensen. Why don’t you get that?”

“The last time I felt like this, I married the girl,” he said quietly. “That didn’t turn out so well.”

“You didn’t get the time you deserved with her. It doesn’t mean it ended badly. You loved her and she knew it. She wants you to be happy again, whether it’s me or somebody else.”

“See? That’s the shit that tells me...it tells me to keep falling for you. I’m so sorry for how I acted tonight.”

“I lied about my dad and not a little white one either,” you said with a nod. You turned away and felt his hand on your cheek. “So much of what I told you was a lie.”

“You don’t have to tell me the truth right now, Y/N.” He stroked your cheek and you glanced over, meeting his soft green eyes.

“My mom died giving birth to me,” you said, Jensen nodding. “He hated me for it. Hated me. He would hurt me when I was a toddler. When I was four he started doing...other things.”

“Four?” he breathed out.

“I didn’t know it wasn’t normal. Not until I started school. I was scared though so I never said anything. One of my friends mom’s realized what was going on when I was over playing one day. He went away and lost custody. I went into foster care briefly and got adopted when I was eight. Single mom who’d lost her husband young. That’s my mom. She was a kind person. Ray was always good to her and to me. But I asked him not to adopt me after she was gone and he knew it was because I was still scared of a dad again. Being a nanny, I’ve met fathers that look at me and I just know what was going through their head. I reported him and kinda fucked up their family situation but-”

“That was the right thing to do,” he said.

“I know it was. I’ve just...I’ve had more than one guy and even a woman walk in on me changing or into my bathroom and it’s like, she’s just the help, nobody cares. They don’t touch so it’s like...what can I even do? Then my house before this one, the guy tried getting in my shower with me and I shoved him and he broke his arm and I just don’t understand why so many people think I’m just a piece of meat. Even my ex never got why it bothered me so much. They didn’t touch me so what was wrong with it? He just didn’t get it. He would get mad if I wasn’t in the mood for sex. Nobody ever fucking gets it except you who I lied to and pissed off tonight and without a word of an explanation why, you say you won’t let somebody hurt me. Do you get why you’re the opposite of fucking settling Jensen?”

“I won’t hurt you.”

“I know you won’t Jensen.”

“How?”

“Because you’re a good person. You’re so gentle and kind. I know you’re strong and tough but I see it everyday. You should never be worried about how your kids will turn out. If they are half as good as you are they’ll be fucking great people. Your daughters aren’t gonna put up with shit and your son is gonna be kind to everyone and say fuck you to the toxic guys out there. I can already tell the kind of person you are through them and it’s a good one. A really good one.”

“I’m not the only good person in their lives,” he said. You sniffled and looked down, Jensen’s hand sliding under your chin and tilting it up. “You don’t have to apologize for not telling me all of that. Never apologize for not telling me that. Okay?”

“I never told anyone about…the other stuff,” you said, wanting to look down but Jensen’s hand holding your chin up.

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about. I’m sorry it took you so long to find people that would protect you.”

“You mean…” He nodded and dropped his hand away, running it over your head. “You’re not gonna like, go back and kick his ass are you?”

“Want me to? I’m very tempted at the moment,” he said.

“I just want to go home. I could use one of those hugs right now.”

“Do you want to stay with me tonight? Just to stay, nothing more.” You nodded and he kissed your forehead, a tiny smile crossing your face. Ten minutes later you were home and the babysitter was gone, Jensen pulling you into his room next to yours. You blew your nose in his bathroom and washed off your face, lifting your head to find a pair of your pajama shorts and one of his shirts on the vanity beside you. He smiled as he ducked out, leaving you to change. You let your hair down and took off your bra before you walked out and saw his blanket on the opposite side of the bed. “Warm enough?”

You spun around as he walked inside and you nodded, Jensen pulling you into a hug. 

“I’m sorry for how I was at the bar,” you said.

“I was the one that overreacted, not you,” he said. You felt goosebumps on your arms and he pulled away to turn up the heat, nodding over to the bed. The covers were flung back and you climbed underneath, Jensen getting in on his side. His arm wrapped over your waist and pulled your chest close to his, face only inches away. “You don’t have to worry about him anymore. No one will hurt you again. I promise.”

You moved closer to him, resting your forehead against his.

“Remember last Saturday when we were on the trampoline and you talked about those safety nets,” you said.

“Yes, I do.”

“You’re a really good net,” you said softly.

“So are you,” he murmured. He kissed the tip of your nose and you shut your eyes. “What’d you want to be when you were little?”

“A princess,” you said. He chuckled and you smiled. “I wanted a prince to come take me away and everything would be just fine.”

“Really?”

“Princesses were always happy at the end of the movie,” you said. “They got the boy and they were happy. Then I grew up and prince charming doesn’t exist.”

“Cause you’re not a damsel in distress. You didn’t need the prince to save you.”

“But the prince would have made life so much easier.”

“I’m partial to badass princesses myself,” he said. You opened your eyes and he was smiling.

“I’ve never noticed your freckles before.”

“They come out more when I spend some time in the sun.” You moved a hand up and traced under his eye, Jensen nuzzling into his pillow. “Make you a deal. If the badass princess saves me, the scared prince will save her too.”

“Okay,” you said. You kissed him lazily, Jensen smiling through it. 

“Do you want to be a nanny forever?”

“Not forever. It’s an easy way to feel like you have a family when you don’t.”

“Now you do,” he said.

“Jensen you don’t know if this will work out.”

“I do and you do and we’ll take it slow anyways,” he said. “Which is why I’m asking do you want to be a nanny forever.”

“Why?”

“Because maybe someday I won’t need one,” he said. 

“I thought about being an elementary school teacher when I was eighteen for a hot second.”

“You did? You’d be amazing.”

“Pay in Texas is crap though. I make more as a nanny.”

“If money wasn’t an issue though, would you want to be a teacher still?”

“Anything at all?” you asked, Jensen nodding, nose brushed against yours. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

“You okay?” he asked, reluctantly letting you out of bed.

“I’m good. I want to show you something,” you said. You slipped out of the room and down the hall to the playroom, picking up a book. Jensen was sat up in bed when you returned and crawled under the covers. You handed him the book and he smiled.

“I don’t remember buying this,” he said, flipping it over. “There’s no serial code on it.”

“You can’t buy it. I wrote a children’s book and printed a few copies for myself,” you said.

“You wrote a book?” he asked, flipping through it. “Did you draw this?”

“Yeah,” you said, Jensen staring at you. “I don’t know if it’s any good. I never tried publishing it.”

“You want to write children’s books, don’t you?” he said, starting to read the story.

“I have a number of them written out. I would make up the stories for kids at bedtime and decided to write them down. It’s kinda like whinnie the poo, that age group, you know? Same group of characters but different stories,” you said.

“These are adorable,” he said, turning another page. You were quiet while he read through for a few minutes, Jensen smiling when he shut the book. “I’ve never read a children’s book where they deal with the loss of a parent.”

“The kids really like it,” you said.

“You should publish this. Seriously. It’s cute and I’m a grown ass man and it made me feel better about Dee.”

“It’s just a story,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck.

“I make stories for a living. This whole place would fall apart without stories. This is good. You should consider trying to get it published.”

“Maybe if that nanny job doesn’t work out I will,” you said. 

“Do you mind if I keep this?” he asked.

“Not at all. I gave it to JJ in the first place.”

“Thanks. I want to read this to the twins tomorrow,” he said. He set it on the nightstand and slid back down, pulling you with him. “Why’d the mom fox die in the story? I would have expected the dad wolf considering…”

“Wish fulfillment for a nice father,” you said. ��Plus I like drawing the wolf.”

“I like him. He’s fluffy,” chuckled Jensen. “Is that why you asked if I carry a picture of my kids when we met?”

“I’m done with asshole parents. If they treat their kids like shit they sure as hell aren’t gonna treat me any better. You seemed like a good guy. Good guys tend to do that kind of thing.”

“I’m not always good.”

“Yeah, you are,” you said. You shut your eyes and nuzzled close to him, Jensen letting out a soft hum. “You okay? With me being here.”

“Very. Feeling better after everything that happened?”

“Mhm,” you said. “I’m still sorry I lied to you.”

“Did you ever lie about your mom?” he asked. “I mean aside from the fact she adopted you, did you lie about her?”

“No.”

“Then you didn’t lie, not really. I’m sorry it came out like that. You should have been able to tell me in your own time.”

“You still would have been angry,” you said. 

“I still would have come to my senses too. I’m not perfect. I never was.”

“I don’t want someone perfect,” you said. Your head rested against his chest and you let out a soft sigh.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he said. He kissed the top of your head and tucked it under his chin, adjusting the blankets once before he stilled.

“Goodnight, Jensen.”

_______

A/N: Read Part 6 here!

[themuseandantarctica]

* 𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒑𝒕. 20

change however necessary.

“Life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.”

“How did I come into the world?  Why was I not consulted?  And if I am compelled to take part in it, where is the director?  I want to see him.”

“The world is disgracefully managed, one hardly knows to whom to complain.”

“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.  If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

“We are born.  We eat sweet potatoes.  Then we die.”

“Life is short and full of blisters.”

“Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.”

“The two entities who might enlighten us, the baby and the corpse, cannot do so.”

“Who knows but life be that which men call death, and death what men call life?”

“Life is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.”

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life.  It goes on.”

“Life is a beautiful and strange-winged creature that appears at a window, flies swiftly through the banquet hall, and is gone.”

“Have you noticed that life, real honest-to-goodness life, with murders and catastrophes and fabulous inheritances, happens almost exclusively in the newspapers?”

“Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: ‘I am with you, kid.  Let’s go.’”

“You fall out of your mother’s womb, you crawl across open country under fire, and drop into your grave.”

“What an awful thing life is.  It’s like soup with lots of hairs floating on the surface.  You have to eat it nevertheless.”

“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.”

“There’ll be two dates on your tombstone.  And all your friends will read ‘em. But all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ‘em.”

“In the end, everything is a gag.”

“We all know what light is but it is not easy to tell what light is.”

“There are two kinds of light—the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.”

“This world we live in is but thickened light.”

“Prejudice comes from being in the dark; sunlight disinfects it.”

“Light travels faster than sound—isn’t that why some people appear bright until you hear them speak?”

“The difference between pornography and erotica is lighting.”

“Be a good listener.  Unlike your mouth, your ears will never get you in trouble.”

“When people talk, listen and listen completely.  Most people never listen.”

“The first duty of love is to listen.”

“The only way to entertain some folks is to listen to them.”

“[name] could listen so intently that he exhausted the speaker.”

“If we ate what we listened to we’d all be dead.”

“Literature is news that stays new.”

“A literary movement consists of five or six people who live in the same town and hate each other cordially.”

“Literature is mostly about having sex and not much about having children.  Life is the other way around.”

“[name] was mistress of a school where young ladies for enormous pay might be screwed out of health and into vanity.”

“Well, apart from your balls, can’t I be of any use of you?”

“Oh, I can’t explain.  I’ve only one way of expressing my deepest feelings—it’s this.”

“Everything has been figured out, except how to live.”

“The art of living is more like that of wrestling than of dancing; the main thing is to stand firm and be ready for an unforeseen attack.”

“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.”

“To live only for some future goal is shallow.  It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top.”

“I love my past.  I love my present.  I’m not ashamed of what I’ve had, and I’m not sad because I have it no longer.”

“The world is ruled by letting things take their course.”

“May you live every day of your life.”

“Life is too short to be small.”

“It’s not the length of life, but the depth of life.”

“Try to be one of the people on whom nothing is lost.”

“Life is tough.  Three out of three people die, so shut up and deal.”

“Life is not always a matter of holding good cars, but sometimes of playing a poor hand well.”

“Seize the moment.  Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.”

“Study as if you were to live forever; live as if you were to die tomorrow.”

“This is what you should do: love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknown to any man or number of men… re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss what insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem.”

“Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult.”

“A man must swallow a toad every morning if he wishes to be sure of finding nothing still more disgusting before the day is over.”

“Three things in this life are self-destructive: Anger, Greed, Self-esteem.”

“Think nothing profitable to you which compels you to break a promise, to lose your self-respect, to hate any person, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite, to desire anything that requires walls and curtains about it.”

“My formula for living is quite simple.  I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night.  In between, I occupy myself as best I can.”

“I feel an irresistible desire to wander, and go to [place], where I will pass my youth, sitting under an almond tree, drinking amber tea out of a blue cub, and looking at a landscape without perspective.”

“I have come to an unalterable decision—to go and live forever in [place].  Then I can end my days in peace and freedom, without thoughts of tomorrow and this eternal struggle against idiots.”

“Life is like a B-movie.  You don’t want to leave in the middle of it but you don’t want to see it again.”

“If I had my life story offered to me to film, I’d turn it down.”

“If I had to do my life over, I would change every single thing I have done.”

“What we call logic may just as well be described as ‘the way adult Athenian males of the fifth century BC think.’”

“Logic is neither a science nor an art, but a dodge.”

“The use of logic in thought is as necessary and justified as the use of perspective in painting—but only as a medium of expression, not as a criterion of reality.”

“To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere.  But once these barriers are broken, it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams.”

“A mind all logic is like a knife all blade.”

“Logic, like whiskey, loses its beneficial effect when taken in too large quantities.”

“There is no logical way to the discovery of elemental laws.  There is only the way of intuition, which is helped by a feeling for the order lying behind the appearance.”

“The clinching proof of my reasoning is that I will cut anyone who argues further into dogmeat.”

“No, no, you’re not thinking; you’re just being logical.”

“If the world were a logical place, men would ride side saddle.”

“Music was invented to confirm human loneliness.”

“If you are afraid of loneliness, don’t marry.”

“The more you stay in this kind of job, the more you realize that a public figure, a major public figure, is a lonely man.”

“Loneliness is the inability to keep something or someone with us company.  It is not a tree that stands alone in the middle of a plain, but the distance between the deep sap and the bark, between the leaves and the roots.”

“Loneliness is the way by which destiny endeavors to lead man to himself.”

“What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.”

“Love is metaphysical gravity.”

“Love will draw an elephant through a keyhole.”

“He gave her a look you could have poured on a waffle.”

“Love has but one word and it never repeats itself.”

“Love is a gross exaggeration of the difference between one person and everybody else.”

“Art is love.”

[poptimus-prime]

Try this one on for size, assuming they could eat and drink human food. What food/drink would be their favorite and least favorite? Talking about the bots of course but feel free to include the humans too (canon and your ocs if you want!)

Ooh, this one is fun, and I went nuts with it. Reference to this post about McDonald's Sprite.

It's really long, so below the cut.

Autobots (Just doing them bc I was thinking about them. If anyone wants Cons, please send an ask and I will do them)

I think Optimus has a buck wild sweet tooth and would especially like chocolates flavored things (pastries with the tea he's constantly drinking, naturally.) He would also hate cold meat, even if it was meant to be eaten cold.

Ratchet would prefer bottled juices and smoothies because they have that Super Smooth Texture, and he has all the sensory issues (hashtag projection.) He will willingly eat other foods but won't be too chuffed about it.

Arcee probably loves chili and is one of the team's spicy people. She doesn't strike me as especially picky. She'll eat anything she can get her hands on, but she's not a fan of cottage cheese. If there's an alternative, she'd prefer that, thank you.

Bumblebee probably likes softer foods because of how messed up his throat might be. Applesauce, yogurt, ice cream, things like that. Anything especially sour, salty, or spicy is a turn-off, but he actually really likes bitter things.

Bulkhead is a pot roast guy. I don't make the rules. He'd also really like barbecued foods because of the charred taste. He doesn't strike me as a guy that likes tomato-based pasta sauces, though. Pesto is clearly the superior one.

Wheeljack eats the spiciest things he can get his hands on and looks the devil in the eye while he does it. He hates coffee served any other way than black or two creams and two sugars. How he has not wrecked his digestive tract is beyond everyone.

Smokescreen likes buttered rice and chicken with barbeque sauce. He will eat a vegetable if you demand it, but he'd prefer not to. He doesn't like soda but has a Monster Energy can collection.

Ultra Magnus is a sandwich and steamed buns guy. Anything he can easily hold with one hand while he's going over documents. This being said, he's not a huge fan of milk in his cereal (or milk, period.) He'll eat it dry, thanks.

Humans

Raf likes soups of all kinds. Even better if they don't have any chunks of meat or vegetables so he can sip it from a mug while he's working. He's still a relatively young kid, so some foods are still way too bitter for him, like radishes and Brussels sprouts.

Miko loves crunchy foods. Chips, crackers, that kind of thing. She probably prefers golden curry when she's feeling homesick. She hates peanut butter because it tastes funny to her and gets stuck in her mouth.

Jack actually does like tofu, especially with broccoli and garlic. He's the kind of person who looks for a lot of textural variety in what he eats. He's sick and tired of KO burgers, but he doesn't turn it down if he's offered free meals as a work perk.

Fowler really likes stews with bread, which works out for him because most stews are very crock-pot friendly, so he does not have to cook after a long day of dealing with the bots' bullshit and putting out fires. He hates sour gummy worms. He bought them once on accident and was so disappointed.

June absolutely puts potato chips in her sandwiches at lunch and drinks iced coffee every morning. She's not strictly a vegetarian, but as she gets older, she finds herself eating less and less meat. She REALLY does not like eggs.

Bonus: OCs

Stormy really likes a hot bowl of rice and beans or cooked vegetables. They are also team "not technically a vegetarian but doesn't eat a lot of meat." They refuse to drink coffee unless it's grossly oversweetened.

Olivia loves making and eating pierogi (her favorite fillings are potato and cheese or cabbage and mushroom, depending on her mood.) She hates cranberry juice and hard-boiled eggs, don't even try it with her.

Carbon Copy would really like fish and rice. Just like a hot piece of cooked salmon flaked and mixed up with rice. They would also hate yogurt, especially ones with weird flavors like cotton candy.

Urgency would be obsessed with pineapple and ham pizza and salted watermelon, much to the potential dismay of people around her. However, she would hate watermelon juice and watermelon-flavored candies.

Horseradish would gnaw on Milkbones because they Taste, but her favorite food would be bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches. She would try horseradish because it's her namesake, and HATE it.

[snuggetfish]

hi I love your Maji hcs 💖 if possible I would love a kinda silly one about Maji having to look after his s/o if they were sick (like with flu or something, nothing serious) I imagine he’d get SO flustered trying to make sure he’s doing enough for them, and he ends up doing so much that his s/o is like “can u chill” lol

also if it was the other way around - he’s almost certainly one of those people that doesn’t want to stop if he’s sick and has to be aggressively forced to rest haha

Ahhh so sweet 💙 

I share this headcanon for sure, Majima is the fretty type when it comes to his loved ones getting sick, to the point of being overbearing. He’ll insist that they stay in bed as much as possible, personally delivering them water, food and anything else they might need. For this he’ll even bring out a bit of his rusty customer service flourish - a platter for their tissue box, served on one knee, with a reverent incline of his head. All little in-jokes between them, since they know about his past. They serve to put a smile on their face and briefly take their mind off their runny nose... and off how annoying Majima is when he’s not home. 

Because you bet the man will call frequently to check on how they’re doing, sending Nishida or, worse, Minami over to help them with the most menial of tasks and to make sure they’re taking their meds as prescribed. Always coming back in the evenings with a different pack of pills or a syrup or some other kind of doodad the pharmacist managed to talk him into buying.

To Majima’s mind, the more zealously he treats it now, the faster it’ll go away, so you might even catch him trying his hand at... cooking. Soup is supposed to be good, right? He has an idea of the basic ingredients for a warming soup (ginger and spring onion seem to be favourites in Japan) but just those would make for a pretty boring broth so what if he added... fish fingers? A couple of sour plums? Potato chips? They all taste good on their own, surely they’re even better together! 😬

But listen, for all his clumsiness, Majima’s good at picking up on symptoms and, most importantly, being gentle. It’s normally difficult to glimpse his caring side, but now it shines through in the intimate moments where he takes off his glove to tenderly press a hand to their forehead, checking for fever. Or where he tries to spoon-feed them his “concoction” before having a taste of it himself and promptly running down to the Poppo to pick up some oden instead. 

To be this perceptive, he’s of course gotta hang around them a lot and hanging around a sick person, plus also snuggling and kissing them (he doesn’t even think to stop doing it, it’s a reflex by now) means that, well... he catches it too.

For Majima, the signs of a flu are easier to mask. Everyone knows he suffers from allergies, so they don’t think much of his sniffles and sneezes. Coughing is as well expected from such a heavy smoker. But there’s one thing he can’t hide very effectively: the way his voice deepens 👀 

The Majima family boys normally only get to hear their boss’ low tone when he’s really pissed, so they have an instant reaction of fear when Majima greets them one morning with a downright growl. His partner, on the other hand... they’re smitten. Who cam blame them? He could be recounting the most boring of stories, complaining about some clan meeting or another and they’re just hanging on his every word.

Though as irresistible as his deep voice is, the first touch of Majima’s skin will reveal he’s running a little warm, much more than usual. And here your guess is absolutely right - the only way to get him to stay in bed now is to offer some company... or better still, to tackle him and not let go 💙