#and then half a gram of flake

[usedtobemygirl]

2 months 7 days of no alcohol and cocaine ….

[askwhatsforlunch]

Port Bacon, Apple and Mushroom Stuffing

This tasty Port Bacon, Apple and Mushroom Stuffing, fragrant with garden herbs, made a delicious Thanksgiving filling and side.

100 grams/3.5 ounces smoked streaky bacon

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

half a dozen large chestnut mushrooms

1 large garlic clove, minced

half a dozen large leaves Garden Sage 

1 onion

2 Ribston Pippin apples, rinsed

half a fluffy sprig Garden Rosemary

100 grams/3.5 ounces stale Spelt Sourdough 

3/4 cup good Tawny Port

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon freshy cracked black pepper

In a large, deep nonstick skillet, cook bacon strips over medium-high heat, a couple of minutes. Transfer bacon strips to a plate; set aside.

Add olive oil and butter to bacon fat. Cut chestnut mushrooms into thick slices. Once the butter is just foaming, add mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté, about 3 minutes, shaking the pan often until softened. Stir in minced garlic. Finely chop Sage, and stir into the skillet as well. Cook, a couple of minutes more.

Peel and finely chop onion, and stir into the skillet. Cook, 1 minute. Core and dice apples, and add to the skillet. Cook, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Finely chop Rosemary leaves and roughly chop reserved bacon; stir both into the skillet.

Then, cut stale Spelt Sourdough into dices, and add to the skillet. Stir in Tawny Port. Season with fleur de sel and black pepper. Once almost all the Port is soaked up, remove from the heat.

Set aside, to cool, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 210°C/ 410°F.

Once you’ve stuffed your bird, spoon remaining Port Bacon, Apple and Mushroom Stuffing in a buttered dish. Place in the middle of the hot oven. Bake, 30 to 35 minutes, at 210°C/ 410°F.

[moopsy-daisy]

Make Your Own Cosmetics, Get What You Actually Want

Once you've been in zero waste, eco friendly, solarpunk/lunarpunk circles for a while, it's easy to forget the steps you took when you started. There are lots of DIY projects I've been doing for 10+ years now, and I keep doing them because they work (for me). Yet, when I sit back and think "am I doing enough?" I always gloss over the myriad things that have become part of my everyday life.

Making these things won't save the environment, but you'll get products that meet your needs on your terms, will save you money, and you won't have to worry about a company discontinuing your favorites. Plus, it seems like a lot less packaging to just buy a brick of beeswax and toss in some kitchen stuff you already had to make makeup.

Henna

I got really lucky, I always wanted red hair and henna is a natural dye that only comes in red. Well, more of a coppery tone. But, here's the other cool thing: the henna process is anti-fungal and controls dandruff. Half the time, I remember to color my hair because my scalp starts getting itchy 6+ weeks later and I start to get flakes. Coloring my hair takes care of my scalp and I don't need dandruff shampoo to keep it healthy. It's cost-effective, buying high quality henna for a year's worth of color (for my length and thicc hair) is about $60 for 18-months' of materials. I mix it when I need it, and keep the powder in the freezer. Pro-tip, if you or your partner don't like the grassy, hay-like smell of henna, add cardamom or ginger powder to the mix. It doesn't change the color but it'll knock down the scent.

I learned everything I needed to know about Henna for Hair here: http://hennaforhair.com and buy through Catherine's store because I know I'm getting real, quality henna powder.

Oh and a cloth wrap for your hair will let you keep the henna covered without wasting plastic wrap every time you redo your roots. I've been using the same 'turbie twist' wraps for years now. I made them from old t-shirts and they're stained as fuck. Who cares? This is basically their only job.

Carmine Lip Color

No, it isn't vegan. Yes, it's made of bugs. It's also a spectacular color, the insects aren't abused in the process of gathering or raising. They're actually parasites on nopal cactus, they have a simple niche and serve it well. I learned this lip stain recipe from Humblee & Me, and have found that the anti-bacterial doesn't seem to be necessary, ymmv. A 2.5 gram sample pack of carmine from TKB has lasted me almost a year and I wear this almost daily. I find that the glycerin really helps keep my lips from drying out too badly, so I wear my lip stain even when I'm not planning on being seen by other people. I spend about $20 on lip color for a year and that's including the bottles I use to store it (tiny eyedroppers work best imo) and the glycerin. Not quite zero waste but darn close.

Note: I'm still trying to find a simple recipe for black goth lipstick that I like. So far, my attempts have had a nasty texture and aren't worth the trouble.

Eyebrow Fill

My favorite brand of eyebrow liner discontinued the best color I ever found, so I decided to make my own. Beeswax, cocoa powder, activated charcoal, and almond oil made a little pot of eyebrow fill that suits my needs beautifully. Go super light on the charcoal until you know you've got the color you want. My brows are pretty dark but not fully black, so I do a dark chocolate sort of shade. I think I made my last batch about 11 months ago and it's still half full. I use it daily, apply with an angled brush, and it's never given me breakouts or anything. I don't even wash it off, because I am lazy.

Body Powder/Dry shampoo

Growing up in California, I didn't need this stuff. Living in Oregon? Summer would be awful without body powder. It's also a nice way to have a fragrance on. Pour your favorite perfume (I love Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab oils) onto a cotton ball, put that ball in a jar with a bunch of corn starch. Shake. Leave it for a month. You now have scented body powder. It's a decent dry shampoo, too, I just brush it into my dark hair and it disappears.

Tooth Powder

There is NOTHING wrong with using conventional toothpaste if it meets your needs. I have particular reasons for using tooth powder. These include hating the taste of most toothpaste and needing to avoid fluoride because of my particular thyroid condition. (Fluoride isn't bad for everyone! It isn't ideal for everyone. Figure out what you need!) I make my own tooth powder, it works well enough for me and I don't hate brushing my teeth like I used to. 1 part baking soda, 1 part bentonite clay, some ground cloves. Mix it up, keep in a glass jar (metal will bond with the clay, bad things happen, this is why we use glass or plastic for storage). $20 of materials = LOADS of tooth powder.

Cutting Hair

It's way easier than you think. I cut my own hair and I do a graduated bob which is a little more complex than most at-home cuts. I taught myself. I use decent shears (don't use scissors) and a Wahl hair trimmer set. Learn this skill on yourself, and when people find out you can do hair, they'll come to you for their own needs. Great way to provide mutual aid (one of my parents is trans and getting haircuts in a salon would be extremely stressful for her, so I cut her hair and save her money and suffering). You could also do skill trades! I trade haircuts for massages from a massage therapist friend, for example.

Protip: Dust yourself with body powder before cutting hair, it makes the little shards of cut hair way less prone to sticking to you. You'll still want a shower but it'll just be less icky.

[tyhi]

porridge for champions (only)

you gotta prepare some of this the night before, so that the phytase enzyme in the buckwheat can get to work on the phytic acid in the oats to release the minerals and make them bioavailable and generally make all of this easier to digest and stuff.

combine the following in a jar or saucepan and mix it up:

oat flakes, however much you want to eat idk. you can play with the oats-to-water ratio to make more of a dry/fluffy or a wet/smooth porridge. the range is around 40-110 grams for one portion, depending on what you're going for. a tablespoon of oats is about 10g

½-2 tbsp of buckwheat -- i use raw crushed groats. less processed = richer in enzymes. crushed is a good balance between cooking time and enzyme content, i think

1-2 tbsp sunflower seeds, chia seeds or pumpkin seeds for extra nutrients, variety, texture :) (optional)

pinch of salt

water - soak em. enough to cover the oats etc + a lil extra bc they soak it up and expand. NB if you want dry/fluffy porridge then err on the side of less water, ie just enough to cover the stuff.

cover with a lid and leave at room temperature overnight.

cooking: add some fat. i love using fatty coconut milk or just coconut oil, or goats milk butter or even some kind of animal fat. i turn the heat to medium-high at first to get it all hot while mixing it, and then i leave it on low for a while. takes like 30 minutes or so

completely optional, i usually add some of these b4 i start cooking:

plain protein powder (im a fan of hemp protein personally)

maca and/or ashwagandha

matcha powder - ive really been liking this lately

collagen supplement (if u have an autoimmune condition pls look into healing gut permeability btw. even if u dont have digestive problems. ily)

carob powder my beloved. or cocoa powder. or both

or if u like savory porridge: curry powder, smoked paprika, leek, herbs, pepper

egg

& some possible toppings:

any kinda nutt butter u like <33

stick some chocolate in there and watch it melt

jam. classic

honey and cinnamon

coconut sugar syrup

berries, frozen or fresh

some reading materials btw:

[wereldgerechten]

Authentic Chinese Mee Hot Ayam

Mee Hot Ayam is an old acquaintance from Chinese cuisine. This amazing chicken dish in spicy sauce with mee noodles is easy to make and can be on the table in just half an hour.

Ingedients:

500 gram mee noodles

350 gram chicken fillet

100 ml hot water

50 gram mushrooms

40 gram tomato puree

1 cm fresh ginger root

1 red bell pepper

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1 teaspoon lemongrass

1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spices

Oil

Preperation:

Step 1:

Chop the garlic and ginger root finely. Cut the chicken fillet into cubes. Cut the red bell pepper into cubes. Cut the mushrooms into slices

Step 2:

Add oil to a wok and fry the garlic in it. Add the chicken fillet and fry it brown all around.

Step 3:

Add mushrooms, the ginger root, red bell pepper and all the spices and stir everything well.

Step 4:

Add the tomato puree, honey and the hot water. Stir everything well and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

NOTE:

Serve it with Acar Campur (Atjar Tjampoer).

[unusualsims]

I am so very tired but I have to stay up for 2 more hours bc I'm on puppy duty until someone else comes home so it's time for my favorite game: making lists and sorting characters into arbitrary categories

Breakfast cereal of choice

Wolfgang's not a big breakfast guy, but for a midnight snack it's usually frosted flakes (not corn flakes, never corn flakes) and if it's the right season, franken berry, and he will fist fight his brothers for it

Gunther's a cheerios guy, it's classic, it's easy, you can fix it up a million different ways. If he's feeling particularly frisky he might even get honey nut cheerios

Lucas picks out whatever the newest commercial tie-in cereal is, but those usually taste gross and he's picky so he just ends up eating Gunther's cheerios and Gunther has to eat like Minion-o's or whatever

Morgan's mom wouldn't let her eat boxed breakfast cereal as a kid so naturally her favorite now is whatever has the most colorful box and grams of sugar, think chocolate frosted sugar bombs

Max will say he has none and argue that half a granola bar and a can of monster counts as breakfast. He's lying, it's cap'n crunch with crunch berries

Hugo's a honey bunches of oats guy, simple

Caleb's favorite was discontinued in like the 80s and he cannot remember for the death of him what it was called

Lilith is a chocolate special k girlie and is completely unaware of its reputation for being a cereal for suburban moms

[kitchenhermit]

New York-Style Bagels

The New York-style bagel is truly iconic. When I lived in NYC I couldn’t get through a week without a few of these! When I moved out of the city, bagels were among the things I missed the most. Luckily, they are super simple to make at home.

Bagels were brought to NYC by Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Poland in the 1800s. Overtime, they became a widespread local staple, and they’re still a popular mainstay to this day. New York-style bagels are distinctive because they are boiled before baking. This is how the famous chewy texture is achieved.

I’ve included a recipe for “everything seasoning,” but these bagels are also great plain. As far as fillings, these bagels are perfect with just cream cheese and chives or with the addition of smoked salmon, capers, pickled onions, and dill. 

Ingredients:

Bagel dough:

 297 grams/320ml water 90F/32C

10 grams dry yeast 

23 grams white granulated sugar 

500 grams bread flour / Manitoba

6 grams/1 1/2 tsp salt 

1tbsp baking soda/malt syrup (optional)

Egg wash:

1 egg

1tsp cream/milk

Everything seasoning:

Makes 3/4 of a cup - so there’s some leftover!

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp white toasted sesame seeds

2tbsp black toasted sesame seeds

4 tsp Maldon sea salt flakes

2 tsp poppy seeds

2 tbsp dried minced onion

2 tbsp dried minced garlic 

Method

Whisk in the yeast and sugar to the warm water, and let it rest for about 10 minutes or until frothy. 

In a large bowl, whisk bread flour and salt together. Add in the yeast mixture and stir until the dough is shaggy. Once everything is well-combined, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and pliable. You can also do this in a mixer with the dough hook. 

Put the dough into a lightly-oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm place away from drafts (I use the oven with the light turned on), Let it ferment for about an hour or until doubled in size. 

Then, punch down the dough to deflate it and turn it out onto your bench. 

Before you move on to the next step, put on a pot of water to boil and pre-heat your oven to 218C/425F. You can add baking soda or malt syrup to your water, but this is optional. 

With a bench scraper, split the dough into eight pieces that are roughly the same size. I cut it in half, then quarters, then eighths. Pinch each piece to create a seam and then place it on an un-floured work surface (seam side down) and move your hand in a circular motion to tighten it into a ball. 

 Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. Cover with a damp towel and let them rest for 10 minutes. 

When your water is boiling, pick up a ball with a floured hand and poke a finger straight through the middle. With two fingers in the hole, slowly turn the bagel to widen it. Then carefully drop the bagel into the water and boil for 1 minute on each side. Drain well and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. 

When all the bagels have been boiled, whisk the egg and the cream together and brush the bagels with the egg wash, covering the surface well. 

Sprinkle a generous amount of everything seasoning on top of the bagels. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the bagels are golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy with your favourite toppings!

Did you like the recipe? Let me know on Instagram! 

[foodhydeout]

Nigella's Cranberry Explosion Pie!

DO NOT FOLLOW THE RECIPE ON FOOD NETWORK! SCAMMERS!

GIVE ME BACK MY BAG OF CRANBERRIESSSSS!!!!!!!

So, if you watch Nigella's recipe carefully on youtube or Nigella Feasts- her measurements are like so

Fruit sauce

50 g butter, melted

500 g frozen cranberries

3 tbsp sugar

For the cake

175 grams of AP Flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp of baking soda

175 g caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

125 g butter, melted

2 drops of orange oil ( taste a little of the batter)

30 g flaked almonds( I didn't have any, so I bashed up some whole almonds instead)

Demerara sugar to sprinkle over the top of the pudding

METHOD

Bloody hell- ok- so the process is very very simple

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. In a pot, melt 50g of butter, and then add the frozen cranberries( I thawed mine for 30 mins but it doesn't make a difference) and the sugar. Cook the fruit on low to medium heat till the fruit pops. It'll take 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool a little

I would not add the sugar to the fruit because the shit I made thanks to Food Network- the cake was too sweet.

For the cake

Sieve the sugar, flour, baking powder, soda and I would add a pinch of salt ( maybe 1/8th of a tsp). Then in a separate bowl- whisk the eggs, the melted butter and oil. Add it to the flour mixture. It'll be thick and goopy.

Butter a pie dish, and spread half the cake batter to the bottom, top with the cranberries and then cake batter again. It;ll be a little difficult to spread the cake batter on top of the berries but do the best you can.

Add the almonds on top and the sugar and bake for an hour in the oven.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS I GOT A HOT BUBBLY MESS WHICH WAS INSANELY SWEET!!!!! I luckily saw this shit overflow, so I put a oven tray underneath. The top was crispy and brown and the inside was RAW!

[chefilona]

CHEF ILONA: WHIPPED COTTAGE CHEESE W/ ASPARAGUS PESTO & ALEPPO PEPPER

"Leap into Spring with Whipped Cottage Cheese and Asparagus Pesto" ~Chef Ilona

While many Canadians reach for yogurt over cottage cheese when in the dairy case, but when it comes to nutritional value, cottage cheese may just be the superior cultured dairy product. According to Health Canada, roughly one half-cup serving of 2% cottage cheese contains 90 calories, 12 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbohydrates, and 2.5 grams of fat. Additionally, cottage cheese is an excellent source of calcium, which plays an important role in maintaining bone health. If the nutritional statistics on cottage cheese isn’t enough of a motivator to include more cottage cheese into your diet, I find its inherent versatility highly engaging. Cottage cheese is suitable for both sweet and savoury preparations.

As of late, I have become a fanatic of whipping the cottage cheese for about 45 seconds using an immersion/stick blender. I use the whipped cottage cheese as the base for various toppings and for spring, charred asparagus pesto is going to be my go-to. The traditional version of pesto is made with a glut of fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil. In my iteration of the herbaceous, verdant sauce, I use roasted asparagus, a splash of lemon juice, pistachios, parsley, tarragon, parmesan cheese and olive oil. The resulting flavour is very fresh while still have enough depth of flavour to carry throughout the cottage cheese base.

I live to garnish my springtime platter with some of the reserved tips of roasted asparagus, Aleppo chili flakes, additional Parmesan, olive oil, and parsley, but feel free to use your own creative license to garnish or not garnish at your own discretion. I live to serve assorted vegetables including the first of the radishes of the season, cucumbers, and crostini.

Whipped Cottage Cheese and Asparagus Pesto Chef Ilona Daniel Serves 4-6

For the whipped cottage cheese:

2 cups cottage cheese 2 Tbsp olive oil

Using an immersion blender or a food processor, whip ingredients together until smooth, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt as desired.

For the asparagus pesto: 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed ¼ cup pistachios

½ cup parsley 2-3 sprigs tarragon, de-stemmed ½ cup parmesan, grated 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice ½ cup olive oil Set oven to high broil.

Toss asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Place asparagus on a cookie sheet and broil until the asparagus is lightly charred. Allow to cool before moving the next step. Place the asparagus, garlic, pistachio, parsley, tarragon, parmesan, and lemon juice in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually pour in the olive oil and process until the mixture is combined. Season well with salt and pepper to your preference. Spread the cottage cheese over a serving platter, and dollop with pesto. Sprinkle with additional herbs, chili flakes, parmesan or lemon zest according to your own whim. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crackers or crostini, and assorted veggies for dipping.

[foodofasia]

FRIED LENTIL BALLS WITH TAMARIND SAUCE (LADDU PETHI)

,

laddu pethi is a local and famous street food of Lahore. This stomach delight dish based on pethi made with gram and white lentil paste topped with plum and tamarind sauce.

Alright! Let's dive into the recipe and see what magic you can cook up. Get ready for a journey of flavors and textures that will leave your taste buds wanting more when you make this!

Ingredients

Split Bengal gram lentil powder 360 grams.

white lentil powder  60 grams.

baking powder 1 tbsp.

cumin seeds half tbsp.

salt 1 tsp.

half a cup of water for making a paste.

For garnishing:

Julienne cut radish.

Oil for deep frying 

3 cups.

For plum and tamarind sauce;

tamarind 1 cup.

plum half cup.

One cu of water for soaking.

salt quarter tbsp.

red chili flakes half tbsp.

plain yogurt for topping.

sugar half cup.

Instructions:

add the lentil powder in a small bowl add cumin seeds, salt, and water.

make a medium-thick paste. Heat the oil for frying.

Add one tablespoon of paste to the oil. Deep fry them for 2 to 3 minutes.

For sauce:

Soak the tamarind and plum in the warm water for 30 minutes.

Crush the soaked tamarind and plum with the help of the hand.

Stain the use with the help of the strainer.

Add it to the small saucepan, heat it then add sugar, salt, and chili flakes in it.

Boil it until thick. Then add a small amount of sauce to the plate, if it leaves the water it means it needs more 2 to 5 to cook. When the sauce is ready. Cool down the sauce

Take a small bowl and add some pethi. Crush it with a spoon

 Top it with julienne cut radish, tamarind sauce, and plain yogurt. 

        Enjoy it and make your lunchtime tasty and happy.

[askwhatsforlunch]

Halloumi Tomato Salad (Vegetarian)

This beautiful Halloumi Tomato Salad makes a light, flavourful and nourishing lunch, ideal if you're going to the stadium to watch some Olympic Rugby Sevens --should a player get injured -Heaven forbid!- you might be able to pitch in! Happy Saturday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

2 fluffy sprigs Garden Parsley

2 ripe tomatoes, rinsed

1/8 red onion

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

½ tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tablespoon Modena Balsamic Vinegar

50 grams/1.25 ounce Halloumi Cheese

Finely chop Parsley. Set aside.

Cut tomatoes into slices, and arrange onto serving plate.

Thinly slice red onion and scatter onto the tomatoes.

Season with black pepper and fleur de sel.

Sprinkle with half of the chopped Parsley.

Drizzle with olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar.

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over a high flame.

Cut Halloumi cheese into slices.

Once the oil is hot, add Halloumi slices, and fry, a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Top tomato salad with hot Halloumi slices. Sprinkle with remaining chopped Parsley.

Enjoy Halloumi Tomato Salad immediately, with a glass of chilled dry white wine like a Chablis or Chardonnay.

[vibrantpuppeteer]

Unless you want to see the silly recipes We made using the Goblin Tools chef option, don't click the read more. The recipes below the cut are made purely for the sillies. If you want to make them, that's your call. We just enjoy making weird recipes for the funsies and have never tested any of them.

Do not, however, make the Ratsserole. If you want to make it, use beef.

When We say horse oil and horse herbs, that's just us being silly. Those do apparently exist. If you're making any of these, substitute horse oil with your favorite oil or cooking fat and horse herbs with a blend of your favorite herbs. Okay? Okay.

Seriously, these recipes are strictly just for reading and having a giggle. If you make them, that's your choice, not ours.

🚨 Last chance to scroll away 🚨

Prepare for silliness. We warned you. Once you've finished reading them, let us know which (if any) you'd eat.

Starting off mildly enough.

Name: Fruity Corn Jam Doughnuts

Serving Size: 10 doughnuts

Ingredients:

- 2 oranges, segmented

- 2 bananas, mashed

- 1 cup grapes, halved

- 1 cup honeydew, diced (about half a honeydew melon)

- 1 cup cantaloupe, diced (about half a cantaloupe)

- 1 peach, diced

- 1 cup cherries, pitted and halved

- 1 lemon, segmented

- 1 cup watermelon, diced

- 2 kiwis, peeled and diced

- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

- 1 mango, peeled and diced

- 1 durian, peeled and cubed

- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced

- 1 cup walnuts, chopped

- 5 acorns, ground into powder

- 5 chestnuts, roasted and finely chopped

- 1 small pinecone, ground into powder

- 1 dragon fruit, peeled and diced

- 1 cup blueberries

- 1 cup mangosteen, peeled and segmented

- 10 doughnut batter rings (store-bought or homemade)

- 1 cup corn kernels

- Horse oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine the orange segments, mashed bananas, grapes, honeydew, cantaloupe, peach, cherries, lemon segments, watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, mango, durian, pineapple, and dragon fruit. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.

2. Pour the blended fruit mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

3. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens into a jam-like consistency.

4. While the fruit mixture is simmering, prepare the doughnuts according to the doughnut batter recipe or package instructions. If using store-bought doughnut batter, simply follow the instructions on the packaging to shape the doughnut rings.

5. Once the jam has thickened, stir in the walnuts, ground acorns, roasted chestnuts, ground pinecone, blueberries, mangosteen, and corn. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove the jam from heat and let it cool completely.

7. Fry the doughnuts in hot horse oil until golden brown. Remove and let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

8. Once the doughnuts have cooled slightly, use a piping bag or a small spoon to fill them with the fruity corn jam.

9. Serve the Fruity Corn Jam Doughnuts immediately and enjoy!

Next up, homemade fish flakes!

Dish: Oceanic Medley for Finned Friends (Fish flakes)

Serving Size: Suitable for a small school of fish

Ingredients:

- Kelp: 50 grams (1.8 ounces)

- Seaweed: 30 grams (1.1 ounces)

- Seagrass: 28.2 grams (1 ounce)

- Lemongrass: 10 grams (0.35 ounces)

- Horse herbs: 15 grams (0.53 ounces)

- Bonito flakes: 20 grams (0.7 ounces)

- Dill: 5 grams (0.17 ounces)

- Sage: 3 grams (0.1 ounces)

- Thyme: 3 grams (0.1 ounces)

- Rosemary: 2 grams (0.07 ounces)

- Krill: 10 grams (0.35 ounces)

- Miscellaneous Plankton: 10 grams (0.35 ounces)

Instructions:

1. Thoroughly rinse the kelp, seagrass, and seaweed under running water to remove any impurities. Pat them dry using a clean towel or absorbent paper.

2. Finely chop the lemongrass, horse herbs, and dill.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the kelp, seaweed, lemongrass, horse herbs, bonito flakes, dill, sage, thyme, rosemary, krill, and miscellaneous plankton. Mix well to ensure an even distribution of ingredients.

4. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely minced and evenly incorporated.

5. Spread the mixture evenly on a dehydrator tray or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. If using a dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's instructions to dehydrate the mixture until it becomes completely dry and crispy. If using an oven, preheat it to the lowest temperature possible and bake the mixture for several hours until it completely dries out.

7. Once dried, allow the mixture to cool down.

8. Transfer the homemade fish flakes to an airtight container or resealable bag for storage.

9. Serve a suitable portion of fish flakes into the fish tank, taking into account the number and size of the fish.

10. Observe your finned friends enjoy their Oceanic Medley, while remembering that fish are friends, not food.

Now for a wacky pasta dish!

Dish Name: Honey Milk Pasta Delight

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

- Milk: 500 mL (2 cups)

- Honey: 500 mL (2 cups)

- Pasta: 250 grams (8.8 ounces)

- Chili flakes: to taste

- 2 eggs

- Blueberry pudding: 4 tablespoons

- Gooseberries: 100 grams (3.5 ounces)

- Strawberry ice cream: 2 scoops

- Horse herbs: to taste

- 1 whole lemon, peeled

Garnish with fish flakes

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al-dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate saucepan, combine the milk and honey over medium heat. Allow it to come to a gentle boil.

3. Once the milk and honey mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it thickens and resembles a sauce consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

4. While the sauce is simmering, crack the raw eggs directly into the milk and honey mixture. Let the eggs cook fully until the yolks are solid before removing and setting aside.

5. Drain the cooked pasta and transfer it back to the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well to coat each strand.

6. Sprinkle chili flakes over the pasta to add a hint of spicy flavor if desired.

7. Divide the pasta into serving bowls or plates.

8. Put the now cooked eggs on top of the pasta.

9. Spread blueberry pudding over the pasta and garnish with gooseberries.

10. Top the dish with 2 scoops of strawberry ice cream.

11. Sprinkle some horse herbs for added aroma and garnish with peeled lemon wedges and fish flakes.

12. Serve the Honey Milk Pasta Delight immediately and enjoy!

Getting sillier. This one is a bit out there, so those with a weak stomach may choose to skip it.

Name: Ratsserole (Rat casserole)

Serving Size: 4 servings

Ingredients:

- 500g (1.1 lb) Rat meat chunks

- 2 Bell peppers, sliced

- 200g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes

- 1 Purple onion, diced

- 150g (5.3 oz) Pearl onions

- 2 Carrots, sliced

- 1 Broccoli head, florets separated

- 200g (7 oz) Shrimp, preprepared

- 1/2 Cauliflower, cut into small florets

- 3 Garlic cloves, minced

- 4 Eggs

- 2 tbsp Horse oil

- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

- 1 tsp Horse herbs

- 100g (3.5 oz) Walnuts, crushed to smithereens

- 100g (3.5 oz) Cheese cubes

- 1/2 cup Cereal dust from fruity cereal (Trix, Froot Loops, etc.)

- 1 cup Cream, whipped to stiff peaks

- Tapioca pudding (for topping)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of horse oil and sauté the rat meat chunks until cooked through. Set aside.

3. In the same skillet, sauté the bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, purple onion, pearl onions, carrot slices, and broccoli florets until slightly tender.

4. Add the preprepared shrimp and cauliflower florets to the skillet and cook until the shrimp turns pink and the cauliflower is fork-tender.

5. In a separate pan, scramble the eggs and set aside.

6. In another pan, heat 1 tablespoon of horse oil and toast the panko breadcrumbs until golden brown. Remove from heat and mix in the crushed walnuts.

7. In a casserole dish, layer the cooked rat meat, sautéed vegetables, scrambled eggs, and cheese cubes. Sprinkle the cereal dust evenly over the top.

8. Spread the whipped cream over the cereal layer and sprinkle with the toasted panko breadcrumb-walnut mixture.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.

10. Serve the Ratsserole hot, topped with horse herbs and tapioca pudding for a creamy touch. Enjoy!

Here's a dessert option for cleaning your mind from the previous one if you read it.

Name: Carrot Oatmeal Cookies with Boba Pearls

Serving Size: Approximately 24 cookies

Ingredients:

- 500g (about 10 medium-sized) Carrots

- 1 ½ cups Oatmeal (150g)

- 1 cup All-purpose Flour (120g)

- 1 cup Sugar (200g)

- ½ cup Butter, softened (115g)

- 2 Eggs

- 1 teaspoon Baking powder

- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

- Boba pearls (multiple flavors), mixed into the batter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Peel and grate the carrots using a grater or food processor. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, flour, sugar, softened butter, eggs, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix well until all ingredients are combined and a dough-like consistency is formed.

4. Take a handful of boba pearls of your preferred flavors and fold them into the cookie dough, dispersing them evenly.

5. Add the grated carrots to the dough and mix thoroughly until they are evenly distributed.

6. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop approximately tablespoon-sized portions of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a small space between each cookie.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.

8. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Once cooled, serve and enjoy these delicious Carrot Oatmeal Cookies with Boba Pearls!

And the last recipe to wrap things up for now!

Dish: Goblin Stew

Serving Size: 4-6 goblins (or humans)

Ingredients:

- 1 necktie (approximately 80 cm or 31 inches in length)

- 1 liter (4 cups) river water, strained through socks (for making boar pork bone stock)

- 500g (1 lb) boar pork, diced

- 250g (9 oz) rock cheese, grated

- 500g (1 lb) venison, cubed (use the antlers to call the goblins to the pot)

- 500g (1 lb) wild root veggies (carrots, parsnips, etc.), peeled and chopped

- 250g (9 oz) turnips, peeled and diced

- 1 liter (4 cups) boar pork bone stock

- Firewood (sufficient for cooking over a campfire)

- 2 dented old pots (the more dents, the better)

- Shiny gems (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Start by tying the necktie securely around the dented old stew pot handles. This is crucial to ensure the true essence of goblin stew.

2. Place both pots over the firewood and let it heat up.

3. In the other pot, boil boar pork bones (including the boar hock) with your choice of seasonings and herbs with the strained river water.

4. Once the pot is hot, add the boar pork and venison and cook until browned and slightly crispy.

5. Add the wild root veggies and turnips to the pot and continue cooking for a few more minutes until slightly softened.

6. Pour in the boar pork bone stock, ensuring it covers all the ingredients in the pan. Set the boar hock aside for now

7. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the stew cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

8. After the stew has simmered for an hour, add the rock cheese and stir well, allowing it to melt and thicken the stew.

9. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and the flavors have melded together. Throw in the bore hock at this time

10. Remove the pot from the fire and let it cool slightly before serving. This will allow the stew to thicken further.

11. Use the antlers of the deer to call the goblins to gather around the pot

12. Gather around the pot with your spoon, garnishing the stew with shiny gems for added goblin aesthetics.

13. Remove the necktie from around the pot and throw it in, letting it soak up the flavors of the stew.

14. Enjoy this hearty and unique stew, truly capturing the essence of goblin cooking!

15. Once everyone has finished eating, begin a quick rock paper scissors tournament. The winner gets the necktie to slurp the absorbed broth from.

Note: The ingredients of Goblin Stew vary from region to region, tribe to tribe, family to family. The one ingredient in all recipes, however, is the necktie. This is merely one of countless recipes. Feel free to add other ingredients that goblins in your region would enjoy. Be creative and adapt the recipe to suit your personal taste.

[priyanshukumari]

What are the highest Plant-Based Protein-Rich Foods?

A common concern about vegetarian and vegan diets is that they may lack sufficient protein. But vegans can get protein from various plant sources, though some may be better than others.

The vegan diet has been linked to several health benefits in terms of nutrients, weight loss, and a lower chance of various health problems. In fact, many experts agree that a well-planned meatless diet can provide all the nutrients you need, including protein. 

However, certain plant foods contain significantly more plant protein than others, and research suggests that higher protein diets can promote muscle strength, feelings of fullness, and weight loss.

In addition, while well-planned vegan diets made up of mostly minimally processed foods are considered beneficial for all stages of life, those including large amounts of ultra-processed plant foods are not.

Poorly planned or highly processed vegan diets may increase your chance of developing nutrient deficiencies, especially in vitamin B12, iodine, iron, calcium, zinc, and long-chain omega-3s.

The following are 18 protein-rich foods that contain a high amount of protein per serving. That said, speak with your doctor to see if you can benefit from supplements and fortified foods to bridge any nutritional gaps that might arise.

Learn more about the food with rich in protein and high protein foods and vegetables.

1. Seitan

Seitan is a popular protein source for many vegetarians and vegans. Unlike many soy-based mock meats, it closely resembles the look and texture of meat when cooked.

Also known as wheat meat or wheat gluten, it contains about 25 grams (g) of protein per 3.5 ounces (oz) or 100 g, making it one of the richest plant protein sources available.

Seitan is also a good source of selenium and contains small amounts of iron, calcium, and phosphorus. However, because it’s made from gluten, the main protein in wheat, people with gluten-related disorders should avoid it.

2. Tofu, tempeh, and edamame

Tofu, tempeh, and edamame all contain iron, calcium, and 12–20 g of protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) serving.

All three originate from soybeans, which are considered a whole source of protein, providing your body with all the essential amino acids it needs.

Edamame is also rich in folate, vitamin K, and fiber, which can help support digestion and regularity.

On the other hand, tempeh contains probiotics, B vitamins, and minerals, such as magnesium and phosphorus.

3. Lentils

With 18 g of protein per cooked cup (198 g), lentils are a great source of protein and fiber, providing over half of your recommended daily fiber intake in a single cup (198 g).

Furthermore, the type of fiber found in lentils has been shown to feed the good bacteria in your colon, which can help promote a healthy gut. Lentils may also reduce your chance of heart disease, diabetes, excess body weight, and certain types of cancer.

In addition, lentils are rich in folate, manganese, iron, antioxidants, and other health-promoting plant compounds.

4. Beans

Kidney, black, pinto, and most other varieties of beans are extremely important staple foods across cultures and contain high amounts of protein per serving. This also includes chickpeas.

Most types of beans contain about 15 g of protein per cooked cup (170 g). They’re also excellent sources of complex carbs, fiber, iron, folate, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, and several beneficial plant compounds.

Moreover, research shows that a diet rich in beans and other legumes can help decrease cholesterol levels, manage blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and even reduce belly fat.

5. Nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, which is sold commercially as a yellow powder or flakes.

Half an oz (16 g) of this complete source of plant protein provides 8 g of protein and 3 g of fiber. Fortified nutritional yeast is also an excellent source of zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, and all the B vitamins, including vitamin B12.

6. Spelt and teff

Spelt and teff belong to a category known as ancient grains. Other ancient grains include einkorn, barley, sorghum, and farro.

Spelt is a type of wheat and contains gluten, whereas teff originates from an annual grass, meaning that it’s naturally gluten-free.

Spelt and teff provide 10–11 g of protein per cooked cup (250 g), making them higher in protein than other ancient grains.

Both are excellent sources of various nutrients, including complex carbs, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. They also contain B vitamins, zinc, and selenium.

7. Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds come from the Cannabis sativa plant, which is sometimes maligned for belonging to the same family as the cannabis plant.

However, hemp seeds contain only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound that produces the psychoactive effects of cannabis.

Although hemp seeds aren’t as well-known as other seeds, they contain 9 g of protein in each 3-tablespoon (tbs) or 30 g serving.

They also contain high levels of magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, and selenium. What’s more, they’re a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the ratio considered optimal for human health.

Interestingly, research indicates that the type of fats found in hemp seeds may help reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms of menopause and certain skin conditions.

8. Green peas

Green peas contain nearly 9 g of protein per cooked cup (160 g), which is slightly more than a cup (237 milliliters (mL))  of dairy milk.

What’s more, a serving of green peas covers more than 25% of your daily fiber, thiamine, folate, manganese, and vitamin C and K needs.

Green peas are also a good source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and several other B vitamins.

9. Spirulina

This blue-green algae is definitely a nutritional powerhouse. A 2 tbs (14 g) serving provides 8 g of complete protein, in addition to covering 22% of your daily requirements for iron and 95% of your daily copper needs (60).

Spirulina also contains high amounts of magnesium, riboflavin, manganese, potassium, and small amounts of most of the other nutrients your body needs, including essential fatty acids.

According to some test-tube and animal research, phycocyanin, a natural pigment found in spirulina, may have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.

Furthermore, research links consuming spirulina to health benefits ranging from a stronger immune system and reduced blood pressure to improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Still, we need more human studies before we can draw conclusions on all of spirulina’s health claims.

10. Amaranth and quinoa

Although amaranth and quinoa are often referred to as ancient or gluten-free grains, they don’t grow from grasses like other cereal grains do. For this reason, they’re technically considered pseudocereal.

Nevertheless, similarly to more commonly known grains, they can be prepared or ground into flours.

Amaranth and quinoa provide 8–9 g of protein per cooked cup (246 g and 185 g respectively) and are complete sources of protein, which is uncommon among grains and pseudocereals.

They are also good sources of complex carbs, fiber, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium.

11. Ezekiel bread and other breads made from sprouted grains

Ezekiel bread is made from organic, sprouted whole grains and legumes. These include wheat, millet, barley, and spelt, as well as soybeans and lentils.

Two slices of Ezekiel bread contain approximately 8 g of protein, which is slightly more than most other types of bread.

Sprouting grains and legumes increases the number of healthy nutrients they contain and reduces their content of antinutrients, which are compounds that can affect your body’s absorption of certain vitamins and minerals.

In addition, studies show that sprouting increases their content of specific amino acids, such as lysine, which can help boost their overall protein quality.

12. Soy milk

Soy milk is made from soybeans and is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals. Not only does it contain 6 g of protein per cup (244 g), but it’s also an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (76).

However, keep in mind that soy milk and soybeans do not naturally contain vitamin B12, so picking a fortified variety is a good idea.

Additionally, some types may contain added sugar, so it’s best to opt for unsweetened varieties whenever possible.

13. Oats and oatmeal

Eating oats is an easy and delicious way to add protein to any diet.

Half a cup (40 g) of dry oats provides approximately 5 g of protein and 4 g of fiber. Oats also contain magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and folate.

Although oats are not considered a complete protein, they do contain higher quality protein than other commonly consumed grains like rice and wheat.

14. Wild rice

Unlike white rice, wild rice is not stripped of its bran. That’s great from a nutritional perspective, as bran contains fiber and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

A cooked cup (164 g) provides nearly 7 g of protein, in addition to healthy amounts of fiber, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

15. Chia seeds

Chia seeds are derived from the Salvia hispanica plant, which is native to Mexico and Guatemala. They contain 5 g of protein and 10 g of fiber per ounce (28 g)

.

These little seeds also contain high levels of iron, calcium, selenium, and magnesium, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant compounds.

16. Nuts, nut butter, and other seeds

Nuts, seeds, and their derived products are great sources of protein.

One ounce (28 g) contains 5–7 g of protein, depending on the variety. For example, almonds contain 6 g.

Nuts and seeds are also great sources of fiber and healthy fats, along with iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and certain B vitamins. They likewise contain antioxidants, among other beneficial plant compounds.

When choosing which nuts and seeds to buy, keep in mind that blanching and roasting may damage the nutrients in nuts. Therefore, it’s best to eat them raw.

17. Protein-rich fruits and vegetables

Although all fruits and vegetables contain protein, some contain more than others.

Vegetables with the most protein include broccoli, spinach, asparagus, artichokes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts, which typically contain 4–5 g of protein per cooked cup.

Although technically a grain, sweet corn is another common food that contains about as much protein as these high protein vegetables.

Fresh fruits generally have a lower protein content than vegetables. Those containing the most include guava, cherimoyas, mulberries, blackberries , nectarines, and bananas, which have about 2–4 g of protein per cup.

18. Mycoprotein

Mycoprotein is a non-animal-based protein derived from Fusarium venenatum, which is a type of fungus. It’s often used to produce meat substitutes, including veggie burgers, patties, cutlets, and fillets.

Its nutritional value can range a bit depending on the specific product, but most contain 15–16 g of protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) serving, along with 5–8 g of fiber.

Although there are concerns about the safety of mycoprotein related to food allergies, research shows that adverse reactions are very rare.

However, keep in mind that some products made with mycoprotein may also contain egg whites, so be sure to check the label carefully if you’re following a vegan diet or avoiding eggs for other reasons, such as food allergies.

Frequently asked questions

What vegan foods are high in protein?

Seitan, tofu, beans, and lentils can provide protein in a vegan diet.

How can a vegan get 100g of protein a day?

In order to get 100g of daily protein, a person following a vegan diet typically needs to vary their plant protein sources and include multiple protein sources in one meal. These can include seitan, which contains 25 g of protein per 3.5 oz (100 g), tofu, beans, and lentils, as well as foods that provide a smaller amount of protein, such as whole grains, nutritional yeast, and nuts.

What is a good source of protein that isn’t meat?

Some plant-based foods, such as soybean products, seitan, beans, and lentils contain high amounts of protein. You can also find protein in nuts, whole grains like quinoa and amaranth, and hemp seeds. People following a vegan diet may need to plan in order to reach their daily protein goals.

Conclusion

Protein deficiencies among vegetarians and vegans are uncommon, especially for those following a healthy, well-planned diet.

Still, some people may be interested in increasing their plant protein intake for a variety of reasons.

This list can be used as a guide for anyone interested in incorporating more plant-based proteins into their diet.

[restorativemeal]

Menu Fifteen

Menu Fifteen from Bishop and Carruthers' "The Vegetarian Adventure Cookbook"

Silverbeet Soup Supreme: silverbeet, butter, onion, plain flour, water, vegetable stock, milk, salt, pepper, natural yoghurt. 

Mung Bean Muffins: bran flakes, plain flour, baking powder, mung beans, cheddar cheese, plain yoghurt, honey, brown sugar, baking soda. 

English Potted Cheese: butter, cheddar cheese, gruyere, mozzarella, prepared mustard, port, poppy seeds. 

I was obsessed with grey skies and rain in early December. The first week of December, the fifteenth week, and the fifteenth menu. Fifteen weeks into this and I think that every week could be boiling down to the same thing. I think about time, I think about significance, and I think about experience. In terms of time, and the menus and the weeks going by, they seem to be bleeding into one another. As the time goes on, it gets harder to differentiate one week from another, every week bleeds into the next. In fact I’m writing about Menu Fifteen posthumously really, because for me it’s already Week Sixteen and the day of the sixteenth dinner party. This is a fact that ChatGPT says I should address in case the “temporal displacement” is clouding my judgement. It could be. The other thing about time, significance and experience and writing about it, is that as time goes on there is a whole lot more of it to think about. At the end of September, there was only three weeks worth of time, experience and significance to write about. Now it’s December and the sheer volume of time that this year has accredited makes it difficult to hone in on one thing. 

Mung Bean Muffins...

With regard to Week Fifteen I thought about how I was allocating time, not in terms of leisure and work, but rather how much time I had been putting into Bishop and Carruthers’ menus. I haven’t spent as much time on anything in the last fifteen weeks like I have “The Vegetarian Adventure Cookbook”. I had time to think about that fact because Menu Fifteen was simple, there were very little ingredients and only two vegetables. I did get to go to the bulk store to purchase bran flakes (cashier in question not there). On Tuesday night it poured with rain and I ate dinner out with two friends. I was reminded amongst the comfort of the cold weather of all the reasons I loved where I lived. The long stretch of road that connects everything important to me at this time. I was thinking very little about the menu that lay ahead. There was a warm soup this week, perhaps there was cosmic reasoning to the cold December weather.

There was something uninspiring about Menu Fifteen, though there was heart in the first warm soup. Silverbeet Soup Supreme, Mung Bean Muffins and English Potted Cheese. Any time that I was going to spend cooking the menu felt like time wasted. It was one of those weeks where I now had too much time after finishing work at 4 30PM, I had only three dishes and three guests. The same three guests as the very first week, possibly it was the first time the four of us would eat together since that first week. Despite any ill feelings, I started the Mung Bean Muffins when I returned home on Wednesday. At no point did they seem delectable. I moved on to the English Potted Cheese, beating 125 grams of butter until smooth with an electric beater, then beating three kinds of grated cheese into it. Into that I beat mustard, port and poppy seeds. While I squashed this mixture into a small bowl to be covered and refrigerated I sat at the dining room table, listening to Morrissey from my MacBook Air. It was only about 6 PM, there were two and a half hours till the time that I had said dinner would be ready. 

Potted cheese and beverages of a fifteenth week.

For the first time in all fifteen weeks, dinner was ready before my singular non-flatmate guest arrived. The Silverbeet Soup Supreme, had been cooked, cooled, blended, and reheated, and yet my guest hadn’t arrived. When she did, I poured the soup into four bowls, it looked like a warm milkshake. Perhaps I had over-whirred it in the blender causing it to be over-aerated. When I dropped the spoonful of natural yoghurt on top of the soup to garnish it sank immediately to the bottom of the bowl but I served anyway. It was the saddest table spread of all fifteen menus I had seen so far. I looked up at the table guests and thought about us in that last week of August, how cheery we had been that evening as we ate an inedible meal on one of the last Winter nights of the year. Now it was Summer and I sat in the same seat at the same table only thinking about how much time I’ve wasted since then. The Silverbeet Soup Supreme actually received some compliments, even though the natural yoghurt seemed to have curdled within the soup to form a mozzarella-like taste and consistency. 

Cooked, blended, cooled and reheated silverbeet milkshake.

Menu Fifteen felt like a colossal waste of time. My flatmate cleaned all the dishes and I sulked in my room. I’d learnt nothing, I’d felt nothing. Menu Fifteen was now just another accumulation of time and experience that I now needed to wade through to find significance. I went out on Thursday night to an Engineering Christmas party. Someone told me days later that you should give someone three days to reach out. Sunday came and went with no call, though I hadn’t actually given my number to anyone anyway. 

[special-food]

Sweet potato gnocchi

Gnocchi is Italian potato pasta cut into little thumb-sized pieces. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get different answers on how much flour you should add. Some claim the major part should be potatoes. Others claim you should add more flour. Some add regular wheat flour. Others use durum wheat flour. Some add eggs others don’t. No different than food debates in general, and just like always, it’s a matter of taste. I don’t like soft mushy pasta hence I make my gnocchi with a lot of durum wheat flour and an egg.

In this recipe, I won’t even be using potatoes in the classic sense. I’ll be using sweet potatoes (which are actually a type of berries but let’s not get into botanic discussions now). They don’t have the starch regular potatoes do, so you really need to add a lot of flour to even keep the gnocchi together.

The sweet potato gnocchi

for several people depending on the hunger level but you can keep the dough, it just gets better

A large sweet potato

durum wheat flour

1 egg

Peel the sweet potato, cut into pieces to speed things up, and boil them in water (unsalted, because you’ll boil the finished gnocchi in salted water later)

When the sweet potato is really soft, drain it and put it into a stand mixer. Add an egg and about 300 grams of flour to begin with. Start kneading the dough using the dough hook. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use your hands. The sweet potatoes should be so soft, that it will just mush without any problems.

Here comes the thing… As long as it’s really soft and sticky, like a potato mash, you need to add flour. Keep adding flour. There’s lots of water in the boiled sweet potatoes, so you don’t need to add liquid.

Once you have an actual dough that comes together, you’re done. Cover it and let it rest for about an hour.

After an hour, take a piece of dough, make a long snake out of it, and cut it into thumb-sized gnocchi.

For the sauce (2 people)

3 salvia leaves

15 San Marzano cherry tomatoes (you can use other tomatoes, but these are really good for this type of stuff)

200 grams of bacon (pancetta? guanciale? Listen, we’re using bacon here. The dish is already de-italianfied so we might as well keep going)

Maybe a pinch of salt at the very end (there are a lot of salty things being added along the way)

Pinch of black pepper

A drizzle of olive oil

1 garlic clove

chili flakes

Tomato paste

Cut the bacon into 3 cm pieces.

Fry the bacon into the fat has melted and the bacon is crispy. Put it on a piece of paper, but keep the fat in the pan. The bacon will crisp up when it cools a little, so don’t over-fry it. It should be dark, not black.

In the fat remaining in the pan, add chopped garlic, tomatoes cut in half, a pinch of chili flakes. Let it fry for a few minutes on medium-low heat until everything is soft.x

Now bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a lot of salt in it. Don’t be too careful with the salt, it’s a lot of water!

Boil the gnocchi for about 4 minutes, until soft but not too soft. Try one. Is it done all the way through? Then it’s done.

The frying pan with your tomatoes being all soft, is a little dry now. So add some of your gnocchi water. It’s salted and it has some starch in it. That’s good for flavor, and to make your sauce less dry while thickening it up at the same time. The Italians do it with most pasta sauces.

Now add gnocchi to your sauce and give it a good stir.

Onto a plate and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Now what? Where’s the bacon? It’s going on top of it!

Eat!

[renatorizzuti]

Perfect For Holidays, Special Occasions and Every day-Lasagna Alla Rizzuti

Story, Recipes and Photo By Maria Rizzuti

Every Christmas Day, when I was growing up, my mother would traditionally make a huge pan of her great tasting lasagna.  We still do have her lasagna today, but I have also adapted my version of her recipe for my family and make lasagna during the holidays and for special occasions.

When it comes to lasagna, I always use high-quality meat and cheese, no counting calories here. That said, there are plenty of vegetarian lasagna recipes out there that are excellent if you so choose.

No two Italians compose their sauce or lasagna similarly.  Each region of Italy has it own particular way of making this pasta dish.  There is something about lasagna that makes any individual want to leave his or her signature on it.  You cannot be that far off when you start with a tasty tomato based meat sauce and then layer upon layer of melted mozzarella cheese and noodles.  When the sauce, cheese and pasta touch the edge of the pan, particularly in the corners, you get some crunchy and caramelized pieces. I will fight you for that corner piece every time. Seriously, what is not to like about that?  I have never seen any leftover lasagna go uneaten for long period of time in my household.

Even Garfield loves lasagna; you know that famous cat featured in the comic strip.  Popular culture has known about Garfield and lasagna for thirty years.  It was the first time you saw a cat have a thing for a pasta dish.  What is next, your pet hamster eating a creamy risotto with Grana Padano cheese? Maybe, but devoted fans love that cute cat named Garfield!

Did you hear about the US woman that attacked her husband with frozen lasagna this past August?  The police said that she attached her spouse with the frozen food during an argument. She must have been pretty mad at him. I wonder what he did to deserve the pasta punishment?  Next time you have a brawl with your other half, please do not use perfectly good food like lasagna.  Lasagna deserves to be eaten and not used as a weapon! What was she thinking?

Ever hear of dishwasher lasagna, lasagna fresh from your dishwasher?   Well, I have heard of poaching fish in the dishwasher, but lasagna?  Highly unlikely that I would try preparing a pasta dish and washing the tableware all at the same time.  I believe I will stick to the conventional stove oven as my appliance of choice.

If I told you this was the only lasagna recipe worth making, would you believe me? Well, you be the judge and try my recipe for Lasagna alla Rizzuti.

LASAGNA ALLA RIZZUTI

INGRERENTS FOR THE LASAGNA RECEIPE:

1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 hard-boiled eggs chopped (optional)

1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

500 grams lasagna noodles

Cook the noodles according to package directions adding 1 tbsp of oil to water; drain and let cool before assembling the lasagna. Tip is to keep your pasta a little firm. Remember you will also be baking it.

ASSEMBLING THE LASAGNA ALLA RIZZUTI:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a slightly oiled 3 x 9 baking dish add some of the Bolognese sauce spreading it evenly.

Start with a layer of noodles, then sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, egg and grated cheese and more Bolognese sauce.  Keep repeating the layers finishing with a layer of pasta, Bolognese sauce and mozzarella cheese last.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake 35 minutes then remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until golden. Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit about 15 minutes prior to plating the pasta.

5 to 6 servings

MARIA’S BOLONESE SAUCE:

½ pound lean ground beef

½ pound ground veal

½ pound lean ground pork

1 large onion, chopped fine

1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley chopped

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

½ tablespoon of oregano

½ tablespoons cracked black pepper

5 to 6 basil leaves chopped

½ tablespoon hot crushed chili flakes (optional)

Use a large casserole pot, preferably a non-stick sauce pot.  Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pot and heat to medium high. When oil is hot, add the pork, veal and ground beef and stir with a wooden spoon to break apart while cooking. Make sure to brown the meat to a slightly caramelized state. Remove all meat from pan and set aside.

Add the finely chopped onion to the pot and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the diced tomatoes only at this time and cook for about 10 minutes.  Stirring and breaking down the tomatoes with the spoon.  Cooking the tomatoes first will sweeten them up. Then add the can of crushed tomatoes and add 1 ½ cans of water (42 ounces).  Return the meat back to pot and also add the chopped basil, parsley, oregano salt and pepper and chili flakes (optional).  Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. The sauce needs to keep boiling on high heat for at 20 minutes then turn down the heat to medium high and make sure you continue stirring the sauce periodically. Cook the sauce for approximately one hour and 15 minutes or until reduced by about a third.

This sauce makes about 6 cups

That’s about it for some delicious Lasagna!

Buon Appetito!

Wishing you Happy Holidays, Happy Special Occasions, and Happiness every day!