#bread and all variations of the aforementioned

[tothepointofinsanity]

Collab piece with @rolypolyphonic. Base by spaniforce on Twitter.

In celebration of Daydream Attorney, a circle where projects drafted by schizospectres influence the Universe, BreadAVOTA is now a beloved sister project of this administration, along with my rainwater collection “Faux Lucid”. Which now has a website that Exists.

Separate pieces. Left by rpp and the right by ttpoi.

[homunculus-argument]

The more you look into it, the funnier the whole myth of The Grim And Depressing Dark Ages is, in the extent in which it covers everything. Like no matter what area of medieval life you look at, the common misconception of it is something bleak, drab, colourless, joyless and smelling like shit. Like at best, an average peasant's life was repetitive, boring, joyless and smells like shit, and at worst it was terrifying, hopeless chaos that smells like blood and rotting plague corpses. I mean okay it was like that sometimes, but not all the time. They had enjoyments in life. Like consider food.

Medieval peasants' food wasn't just grey wet gruel for every meal and hard bread if you were lucky. One major staple food that was commonly eaten by peasants across Europe was pottage. I think every time and culture has some variation of the "just throw whatever we've got at hand in there and boil/fry/cook that shit" sort of meal, and for medieval peasants, that was pottage. And as the name would imply, it's made by throwing the aforementioned whatever-you-have-at-hand ingredients into a pot and then boiling that shit. And that's what's for dinner every day unless it's a special occasion.

And yeah eating the same damn boiled mush every damn day probably doesn't sound much less depressing than just eating bland gruel, but that's the thing, the pottage wasn't the same thing all the time, every time. The ingredients varied by whatever was available at any given time, by harvests, by what herbs are in season and what produce happens to be in the most ample supply. Different ratios and combinations of the same ingredients, fresh or dried or otherwise preserved, changing from season to season.

Freaking imagine being a medieval peasant whose favourite food in the entire world is spring pottage with meadowsweet mead, best thing you can think of. You've heard talk of finer meals, roast boar with wine sauce that they cook for kings, but you're pretty damn sure that it can't better than the pottage you get on the first weeks of May. The one meal that you'd have every day year round if you could, but you can't, so it's the highlight of your year. The thing you look forward to for months at a time. You're sure that is what is served every day in Heaven, and not only are you 100% down to physically fight somebody about it, you absolutely have. You broke your nose, it never quite healed right, and you regret nothing.

And then spring finally comes, and you've been eagerly keeping an eye on how all the right ingredients start to reach their right time, and not only have you been looking forward to May ever since the snows started melting because that specific Best Goddamn Pottage is the only thing you can seem to think about, everyone in your household has been looking forward to it as well - because it's the only thing you seem to talk about, too, and they're sick of hearing about it.

And this year it tastes like shit.

[mariacallous]

Bukharian chicken and potatoes,kov roghan, is a Central Asian one-pot savory, succulent braise. While that dish is commonly made simply with chicken, potatoes and onions, in Central Asia and the former Soviet Union, cooks often combine fruit and meat in stews, braises and pilafs, like plov. Among the varieties of dried fruit used, prunes (dried plums) are a cherished ingredient and appear in both savory and sweet recipes. In fact, my grandmother, who immigrated from Ukraine, often cooked her chicken (or duck) with prunes; particularly for special occasions. Similarly, in “A Taste of Russia,” author Darra Goldstein shares a recipe for a Ukrainian braised chicken dish that includes woodfire-smoked prunes, which impart an earthy, burnt note to any dish they’re included in.

In “Samarkand: Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & The Caucasus”, authors Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford include a recipe for “Chicken, Potato, and Prune Hotpot” that reads like a variation of Bukharian kov rohgan and is reminiscent of Persian morgh o aloo (chicken and dried plum stew). This cross-regional connection isn’t coincidental –– the relationship between Persian and Soviet food stems from centuries of Persian cultural and culinary influence in Central Asia, which later became part of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, leading to a fusion of food traditions. This exchange was further enriched by the Bukharian Jewish community, whose Judeo-Persian heritage helped shape the region’s cuisine. Situated along the Silk Road and isolated from other Jewish communities for centuries, they preserved and adapted Persian and Turkic flavors within the broader Central Asian and Russian culinary landscape.

With that said, variations of meat and starch with prunes appear beyond Central Asia and across the diaspora. This timeless combination makes for a hearty one-pot meal, easily prepared with minimal ingredients on a stovetop, or even in a slow cooker. This recipe is inspired by my family, as well as the aforementioned cookbook authors. It may seem counterintuitive, but the prunes impart a subtle molasses-like sweetness that embellishes and enhances, rather than overpowers, the savoriness of the chicken and potatoes. A touch of tomato paste adds umami, while a hint of hot chili offers a very subtle kick. Simmered with stock, this brothy chicken dish is best served with bread to sop up all that warming liquid.

Notes: 

The finished dish can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. It can also be frozen for up to one month, and reheated, covered, in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

This dish works best when prepared in a large Dutch oven or heavy deep skillet with a tight- fitting lid. Your chicken should be nestled into the dish in an even layer, as opposed to stacked on top of each other. 

[soft-tummy-lovin]

heheh feedee asks #4, #6, #40

4. What’s your favorite meal?

hmm. depends on extravagance—i can eat grilled cheese and soup every single day and be perfectly happy. but as for favorite meal, it’d have to be indian curry and naan bread. preferably an obscene amount of naan bread.

6. What’s your favorite food to stuff with?

either the aforementioned curry and naan, or mexican food. beans and rice and all that good spicy stuff go a long way for me. plus if i get extra spicy stuff, my need for water trumps my need to stop putting things in my mouth and i can get very full.

40. Cutest feedism fantasy?

i think just a variation of what i answered for 17—most of my feedism fantasies are pretty cute. but i just want to be doted on, really. especially by multiple people in a qpr-style way…oh wait, i already get that a little.

but, getting praised and touched and loved on and teased so i’m just a blushie mess…i love that shit so goddamn much.

[indigoatari]

nav

hi my name is indigo/kepler and this url Used to be my main but now it is not. this is solely a reblog blog after i made a post on here and it got twice as big as my posts on main 🙃. 90% of everything is queued up and as of writing this i have over 950 posts at 48 a day. do the math. thats about it unless u want my tagging system vvvvv

tags worth noting

#ask to tag: i am so horrendous at tagging things so yes if you need a tag ask for it. that being said i WILL NOT be consistent about it

#the vast, #astronauts, #gender: all slight variations on the same basic content. i'm a starboy what can i say

#evil lovecore, #sweetheart, #sweetheartcore, most other characters i tag: @evil-lovecore is julystrucks oc universe and i love it VERY dearly go check it out please please ple

#handsibalism, #teethibalism: emotional support ocs that only live in my brain and occasionally get microwaved

#microphone crew, #soul eclectic, #miss miku!!, #columbo my uncle columbo: emotional support chracters from actual medias

#inspo, #fave, #to do, #wishlist: exactly what it says on the tin

#bizarre short fiction: also exactly what it say on the tin, but what qualifies varies

WIDE variety of fandom tags which i will Not Put On This Post for Appearing In That Tag reasons

people tags (this is gonna be a doozy but also i am doing this for ME)

#sunshine; lollipops (formerly #rabbit with a halo): @/julystruck

#seagulls and foxes: @/chimeric-mind

#perpetually drinking seltzer: both of the aforementioned

#sonder over yonder: @/bread--quest

#fat logan enjoyer: @/hydra-collector

#whats a king to an artist: @/k1ngtok1

#short friendly dragon: @/hoard-of-hyperfixations

#cotton candy con man: @/bubblegum-and-bootyshorts

#this is called . discord server full of fictives: tag for my favorite discord server

(if i have a tag for u and ur not on this list it is because . i have forgotten it KJHDBFDJS)

defunct tags:

#purple, #space (got replaced by #the vast), #for queue anything (everything is queued)

#spacecraft characters: characters from a thing thats like. Mostly abandoned but im always willing to talk abt them ehe.......

so ya. hello welcome enjoy the stay etc etc

[indiavolowetrust]

LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERY: an Obey Me! AU

The year is 1908. You, MC, have been invited for an extravagant getaway at the mansion of the eccentric Mr. Diavolo, who simply insists that you must come. You are quite the busy person yourself, you know, what with all this detective business -- but there is something so genuine in your old friend's letter that you cannot help but relent. So you pack your suitcases, send in a note to Mrs. Adams at the front desk about your leave, and set off to your good old friend's mansion.

As expected, it is in quite the isolated location. There is quite the breathtaking view of the mountains, seeing as you and the guests are the only ones here, but there is something eerie about it. Something odd. And the guests here are very strange indeed. Mr. Diavolo seems to have amassed a great variation in his ... colleagues. From a sultry actor to an irritable professor, a greedy banker to a shut-in, and a chef that eats more than he cooks to prideful, incorrigible politician -- well, it seems he's had quite the adventures over the years.

The dinner is good. Very good. Mr. Diavolo has spared no expense for his esteemed guests. There are nine courses in all: trays of exotic fruits and sliced cheeses, a charcuterie of all sorts and herbed butter, poached fish with risotto, roasted lamb that still crackles when it reaches the table, spiced meats that you cannot even recognize, soup with good, crusty bread -- oh, you do not know where to even begin! The strange guests, you, and your old friend make merry long into the night, and it is obvious that all look forward to the getaway.

Everyone is ushered into the parlor by his loyal butler, Barbatos, and it is here that more brandy is poured, bottles of wine are opened, and good champagne is inspected. It is also here that Mr. Diavolo says to you that he is going outside to light a cigar, for it would be a waste to let such a beautiful night go to waste. You think nothing of it.

An hour passes. Then another. And another. Some of the guests have begun to consider retiring to their rooms for the night. And then --

And then there is the scream.

You follow the sound, running through the corridors. There is a great door before you. You all but kick it open -- and you realize that you stand before the bleeding, facedown, very much dead body of Mr. Diavolo. The actor, Asmodeus, trembles before the door, having witnessed the gruesome scene through the glass windows of the door. Moments later, the other guests rush in to find the source of the panic. Varied looks of shock, panic, and horror can be seen on their faces.

This is the locked-room murder of Mr. Diavolo.

The Murder

There appears to have been no signs of forced entry. No signs of a struggle either. All the locks on the windows and doors remain undamaged and have clearly not been tampered with. The position of the furniture seems to be typical of a study.

Mr. Diavolo lies facedown in a pool of his own blood, the imported rug soaking up most of the liquid. There are exactly three stab wounds to his neck, ribcage, and stomach, with all entry positioned at the front. If he did not struggle -- at least, if he did not struggle initially -- then he must have known his murderer.

Time of death appears to be midnight, given the state of his body. He must have been murdered shortly after retiring from the party to have a cigar.

There are no footprints, fingerprints, or traces of the murderer at the scene ... at least for now. You do your best to corral the guests out of the study and begin your investigation. You have exactly six nights before the coachman comes to fetch everyone from the mansion.

The Guests

Lucifer

The prideful, insufferable politician that Mr. Diavolo has become acquainted with over the years. Unsurprising, of course, given his work overseas. You can imagine no other reason why anyone would desire to remain in this arrogant peacock of a man's presence.

He insists he was in the parlor the entire team. Which you can believe, to an extent. You quite clearly remember him arguing with the blond professor over the manner of drinking brandy. But what was he doing beforehand? Why suddenly make himself so conspicuous in the argument?

Mammon

The rather loud, obnoxious banker that Mr. Diavolo has trusted to run his accounts. Once more, you question the judgment of your late friend's business decisions. He does seem somewhat legitimate, given the fact that your late friend's business hasn't gone completely under. To your knowledge, that is.

Why on Earth would he want to murder one of his best clients? He insists that he would have no motivation to do so -- if anything, this is quite the blow to his establishment. But why was he late to dinner? Surely this loud buffoon could not have been doing any work on holiday.

Leviathan

The shut-in author of many strange, niche novels. You tried to make yourself seem more amiable earlier by lying and telling him that you have read his novels, but he only grew quiet in response. The conversation was very brief. Mr. Diavolo claimed he was a great fan of his work. You do not try to wonder why.

As a social recluse, Levi had decided to retire to his room immediately after the dinner, citing some illness or exhaustion or whatnot. He was not present immediately at the time the body was found, but he did rush all the way from his room down to the scene of the murder upon hearing the scream.

Satan

The irritable professor of a Very Important University, mind you. He seemed quite offended when you had little knowledge of his published journals, taking you for an ignorant idiot for some brief time afterwards. You quickly ended that with a scathing review of the clothing he has clearly forgotten to iron in his rush to get here, his mismatching socks, and the clear complex he has surrounding his intelligence.

How could you forget his rather loud argument with that peacock-like politician? You hadn't paid much attention to him until just then in the parlor, given your spat with him. But would an innocent man be so offended at the thought of being accused?

Asmodeus

A charming, sultry actor that Mr. Diavolo has met in his travels. You are not well acquainted with the theater or the novel moving pictures, but he seems quite happy with the recognition of his name. Then again, it isn't like you can take him for anything else but a bohemian artist.

He debated with Mr. Diavolo quite frequently over the finer details of art and theater over the course of the night, sitting by his side for the entirety of dinner. There was the brief interlude after dinner, but he insists he was only having a tryst with one of the maids. And he was the one who found his body.

Beelzebub

A chef that Mr. Diavolo has had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with over his travels. He seems to eat more than he cooks, really, but despite his eccentricities, he seems to be the most normal of the bunch. Certainly one of the most amiable.

You are quite sure that this guest is not the murderer. Every moment you have seen him seems to center around either the making or eating of food. Even now during your questioning, he chews on some bread roll that he has taken from dinner. If he were to have murdered Mr. Diavolo, you're sure his method would have simply been devouring him whole.

Belphegor

You're not quite sure what he does. He trails before Beelzebub as if he were a shadow, managing to look exhausted yet attentive to his brother's antics all at once. You can only guess that he was strung along by the aforementioned individual.

Like his brother, you find yourself doubting that he could be murderer. He has been in his brother's shadow for the entirety of the night, as you recall, and he seems to know little of the other guests or even of Mr. Diavolo.

Who murdered Mr. Diavolo?

This is now a choose-your-own-adventure novella. Read it here.

[writer59january13]

Bedlam and mayhem in the mistress's boudoir

Nsync with variations on a theme: of drool worthy Reuben Sandwich (consisting of corned beef,

Swiss cheese, sauerkraut,

Russian dressing between slices

of rye bread that is grilled

until the bread is crispy

and the cheese melts)

various and sundry pseudo lurid fictitious escapades

mostly I did merrily wet

an appetite for consummation

whet madness aye ever did dream.

The missus personal trappings strewn helter skelter

after a hard day's night

every perilous step fraught with danger field analogous

riding as passenger with death cab for cutie

'course thy quasi

bohemian rhapsodic Queen of denial feigns ignorance

attributes hazardous condition

linkedin with accident prone

little lord Fauntleroy's

double doppelganger, me trumpeting pet husband,

her unrequited germane Liebchen willing to risk life and limb

doting hand and foot

as proper husbandly duties.

He (ahem... me) exhibits drama

whimsically visiting slapstick pantomime,

especially pretending to remove sneakers

pulling with all my feeble strength

off little feet of wife

half-heartedly struggling, (stringent rule of shoe game) lamely denouncing marriage

nevertheless conveying jollity

regarding marital entrapment

er... rather unbridled wedded bliss

constituting fits and starts enduring about two and a half dozen years.

I reciprocated amorousness,

whether toward MaryAnne,

(his long ago coldly dismissed sagacious enchanting first paramour, (half a dozen years my senior),

sported webbed wide whirled toes,

whose astrological forecast

accurately predicted promising

acquaintanceship/relationship – tanked

potential sage rubber soul mates

(two plus score years ago - gone to naught),

which latter aforementioned

delightfully humble lass

decried he fomented incessant emotional grief,

he cruelly (albeit unwittingly) doled out nothing

but lackluster lovelessness attributed to identical astrological zodiac signs (Capricorn)

(matter of fact shared same birth date

January 13th - six years age difference)

and similar flat wide thumb

stubborn misconstrued perception,

whereby fancy free and footloose selfish nasty short brute nevertheless

deemed himself undeserving of love - humph!

Addeneum: Approximately

four plus decades

re: one quarter century after aforementioned baptismal initiation love stricken paroxysm forty fifth president of United States

took (i.e. plagiarized) many pages courtesy,

cruel playbook authored by Matthew Scott Harris,

who left trail of heartbroken sage woman

commander in chief deliberately stoked,

née sparked long simmering, smoldering, and stewing long fostering white supremacist altercation

fiendishly igniting racial conflagration

exploding during late spring 2020.

No matter no child left behind kibitzing (yours truly as boy plucked petals off daisy reciting "she loves me," "she loves me not"...

cupid loosed an arrow into boyhood neighborhood sweetheart

she innocently bespoke "I wanna marry you,"

when uttered courtesy Sherry Jones,

a little girl who lived approximately three doors down along cul-de-sac within Apple Valley

perpendicular to Lantern Lane,

or more age apropos,

when young gallivanting purported vestal virgin ladies

nonverbally signalled

libidinal proclamations of emancipation,

as demurely expressed lest unlucky (chaste into) precocious phallic proclivity

suffered the punishment of being buried alive.

Now back to present day,

when our old geezer, the prototype garden variety

male of present poem - any resemblance between general referenced funny good fella and

living persons purely coincidental.

He (yours truly) easily qualified as

overly cocky whippersnapper, i.e. young feisty buck

and/or Casanova wannabe experienced bit torrent hormonal secretions gushed

particularly in close proximity

wherein wafted pheromones -

think a waif faring ingénue.

As evident and quite obvious, I fabricate (prevaricating

my signature trademark)

rather than stating bland reality stark,

yet will plainly explain issue

in summary essential rhyme without reason constitutes nothing more spectacular than garden variety generic pockmark

excised pustule ofttimes hallmark of teenage/ pubescent pimply benchmark.

[agawdilimsapasig]

Holiday Break Reading List

A bunch of exposition to the actual reading list

WhatKamilReads on Youtube said that we humans are naturally hard-wired to have an affinity for patterns- whether through its recognition or utilization. At the same time, when our brains fall into the comfort of a pattern, that is when the cessation of growth begins-- within this said comfort zone.

This is an excellent articulation of the composite idea that several ideas I have been harboring for the past few months comprise of. These include the following: Growth is found in discomfort. If it is difficult and it is scary, then it is probably worth it. Never stop learning. Never an idle moment for the brain.  (Well, those are the major and relevant ones to this post.)

With this said, I do plan on engaging in several activities in the next couple of weeks of holiday break that enhance the quality of my cultural, psychological, literary, and philosophical knowledge. I hope to break free from growth-paralyzing patterns and comfort. 

These said activities include: watching an anime series and some movie recommendations from Art Appreciation class, reading a number of books, writing a short story for submission to the arts publication of my university, and getting the hang of Tumblr. 

Of course, I will expend effort, time, and energy to integrate these into daily life. However, what I will discuss in this post is my reading list for the holiday break. Realistically, I will probably not be able to get through all of these, but it’s a good starting point. Being even more realistic, I will more likely than not deviate from this list. But, oh well, I love making these lists, if only for the sake some variation of instant gratification with a mix of procrastination with an undercurrent of guilt. 

The actual list

 One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)

Goodreads blurb: 

Discover the importance of a piece of bread or an extra bowl of soup, the incredible luxury of a book, the ingenious possibilities of a nail, a piece of string or a single match in a world where survival is all. Here safety, warmth and food are the first objectives. Reading it, you enter a world of incarceration, brutality, hard manual labour and freezing cold - and participate in the struggle of men to survive both the terrible rigours of nature and the inhumanity of the system that defines their conditions of life.

Now, I am just over 40 pages in. Although it is a short novel and I am agreeable with the writing style, the devil procrastinator in me keeps putting it off. Well, always in favor of other equally or only a degree less productive pursuits such as finishing Siege in Fog (OMYGOD another post in the making for my thoughts on this beauty) or housework (housemaid left, again, so gotta hustle). But that’s alright. I’m appreciating it so far. 

It’s not a comfortable read- it’s a cold one, literally. The way it is written- really makes you feel the Russian cold and the Soviet cold that freezes Ivan’s soul. This is my starting point in the voyage towards Russian literature- Russian art, in general. My ticket was my Art Appreciation class. My prejudgement of the Russians is that it is challenging, interconnected, and intellectually-engaging. Something that speaks to my soul. 2. Thousand Cranes (or) Snow Country (Yasunari Kawabata)

Goodreads blurb:

Snow Country:

Nobel Prize-winner Yasunari Kawabata's Snow Country is widely considered to be the writer's masterpiece, a powerful tale of wasted love set amid the desolate beauty of western Japan.

At an isolated mountain hot spring, with snow blanketing every surface, Shimamura, a wealthy dilettante meets Komako, a lowly geisha. She gives herself to him fully and without remorse, despite knowing that their passion cannot last and that the affair can have only one outcome. In chronicling the course of this doomed romance, Kawabata has created a story for the ages, a stunning novel dense in implication and exalting in its sadness.

Thousand Cranes: 

Nobel Prize winner Yasunari Kawabata’s Thousand Cranes is a luminous story of desire, regret, and the almost sensual nostalgia that binds the living to the dead.

While attending a traditional tea ceremony in the aftermath of his parents’ deaths, Kikuji encounters his father’s former mistress, Mrs. Ota. At first Kikuji is appalled by her indelicate nature, but it is not long before he succumbs to passion—a passion with tragic and unforeseen consequences, not just for the two lovers, but also for Mrs. Ota’s daughter, to whom Kikuji’s attachments soon extend. Death, jealousy, and attraction convene around the delicate art of the tea ceremony, where every gesture is imbued with profound meaning.

If I want to continue feeling the cold, since the weather is apt for such anyway, I will go on with Snow Country. However, if I want to relive the delicacy and subtlety of Siege in Fog, I will pick Thousand Cranes. Whichever tickles my fancy, I pick these because they are short books. I feel that lately I am gravitating towards thinner books for their convenience and efficiency. I get more out of less effort. 

The same aforementioned Art Appreciation class reignited my interest in Japanese literature. Maybe this time around, when I return to my Japanese literature travels, I am armed with a more mature understanding and appreciation.

3. Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

Goodreads blurb:

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.

Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television 'family'. But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people did not live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.

When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.

Again, another short one. Right now, my brain is a sponge for new ideas and ready to read less realistic set-ups. Such was not the case before. Again, I feel that now, at this age, maybe my brain is more ready to absorb the ideas of this book. With this blog in arm, I can express my thoughts as well. That’s probably a more holistic way to approach my reading.

Some concluding sentiments

I am beginning to realize that I am the kind of reader that reads for the challenge and intellectual, experiential, emotional, and psychological gain. I started as an escapist reader but eventually realized that literature is probably more effective, profound, and lasting if it mirrors realities.  Writing this down so I may never forget.

[tothepointofinsanity]

Government propaganda for some weird obscure indie comic idk it’s pretty underground so you wouldn’t know it 🤷‍♂️

[uzochukwugiftmadu]

: : : DAILY ESSENTIAL FOOD : : :

Monday 23rd November, 2020

Topic:

SWEETNESS UNTO MY TASTE

Verse of the Day:

"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." – Isaiah 25:1 KJV

Thoughts on Today's Verse:

In the children department class of Assemblies of God Church, there was a hymn that I can never forget. The Cedarmont Kids sang this asynchronous melody, titled; 'His Banner Over Me is Love.' The second verse of the song is so lovely; "His fruit is sweet unto my taste/His fruit is sweet unto my taste/I’m feasting here in His banqueting house/And His fruit is sweet unto my taste. How sweet!/How sweet!/His fruit is sweet unto my taste/I’m feasting here in His banqueting house/And His fruit is sweet unto my taste." God's fruit is sweet unto our taste; it's not bitter and it's not also soured. God cannot give you stone in place of bread, neither can He give you snake instead of fish. His covering over us is love, God is love.

What is love? Love is a profound and caring affection towards someone. That means that everything about God is love; His promises is love, His attribute is love, His character is love. He does wonderful things; His counsels of old is faithfulness and truth. He doesn't hate anyone; He embraces the vilest of all. This aforementioned hymn was picked from the Song of Solomon Chapter 2 verse three to four, thus; "Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love." God's banquet house is a place of rest for His saints, sinners are not allowed under His covering. So, for you to partake in the sweet things of God, you must be pure and holy – "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully." - Psalms 24:3‭-‬4

Bible Text: Isaiah 25:6(GW); Matthew 7:9-10; 1 John 4:7-8

My Prayer:

God of love; let your love be shed abroad in my heart. For your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth; You are the God of all flesh; in You, there is no shadow of turning. Every good and perfect gift comes from you; in You, there is no variation; Elohim Tzavaot, thank you for your love, in Jesus name Amen.

Email: maduuzochukwu48@gmail.com

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[24hourchampagnediet-blog1]

5 things I want to eat right now on Staten Island

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/5-things-i-want-to-eat-right-now-on-staten-island/

5 things I want to eat right now on Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With September comes a time for new things — the start to the school year, fresh routines and a chance to mix up meals. We’re sticking to the more salubrious sides of things in our tours of the borough — more greens in the mix, fresh veggies whenever possible and less caloric choices — and have convenience in mind.

MEAL PREP TIME

With that our food focus turns to Family Fruit of Rossville, where store manager Louis Epifania proudly touts the meal prep program. Each meal includes an entree with a choice of two sides. Prices start at $9.99 each for one to two meals, $8.99 each for three to four meals and $7.99 each for five or more meals. Family Fruit offers whole wheat and gluten-frree options. Meals can be customized to personal tastes to include mac ‘n’ cheese, roasted or sweet potatoes, sauteed spinach, broccoli raab, grilled asparagus, bean salads, “vegetable spaghetti” and more.

Loaded salads to go include proteins and greens

A prepped bowl of salad ranges from $6.99 to $5.99, and options can include custom combos or store-made selections like a kale mix or baby spinach with red and orange bell peppers, mushrooms, walnuts, red onion slivers plus garlic.

Roasted and stuffed, oven-roasted peppers served Sicilian-style

Orders can be delivered with a day’s notice. For questions on the program, call the store or manager Louis Epifania. Family Fruit Arthur Kill is located at 2200 Arthur Kill Rd., Rossville; 718-317-4949 and more detailed menu information can be found at FamilyFruitSINY.com.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Pumpkin with okra, string beans, eggplant and bitter melon at Maynila in Travis. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

GETTING DOWN TO COMFORT FARE

For Asian fare that loves its stews and stir fries there’s the hot buffet at Maynila, a Filipino take-out eatery with several seats at which to sup — 3555 Victory Blvd., Travis; 718-494-0316.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Maynila is a Filipino grocer and restaurant that features a few tables and seats for dining in. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

Maynila’s offerings include noodle dishes like Pansit Palabok and Pansit Malabon, a combination of rice noodles with mixed seafood, scallion and boiled eggs.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Stews at Maynila in Travis. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With some slight variations from day to day, seafood takes the spotlight on this buffet from the mussels soup with vegetables to pansit (noodles) with mixed seafood and the marinated then fried, whole tilapia and milkfish.

Order food by the container to stay or go. Dining in means sitting at a counter seat in the window or at one of a handful of tables in the midst of the small grocery store. Options for the casual eating include pork, stewed skinless chicken served on the bone, a special beef (Kare-kare), chicken teriyaki with Liempo (aka pork belly) and a special tuna.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Daing na bangus or milkfish is marinated then deep fried. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

On the counter find crispy Okoy, shrimp fritters made from corn and potato starch, oil, water and spices.

One yummy bit of Filipino fare includes lumpia, miniature egg rolls filled with ground pork and finely chopped vegetables. You can buy these by the bag (or half bag) frozen or consume them fresh-fried on the premises. The only issue with the latter is that the cooking process takes at least 20 minutes, so patrons are asked to order ahead of time to ensure there’s no waiting time.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

A rice-based “combo” at Maynila in Travis with tender chicken legs and pork stew. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With combo meals and hefty portions of white rice, the meals are filling and affordable. Small food containers with rice and protein start at $3.25, medium sizes at $6.25. Large portions with rice range from$12.25 to $19.95.

Maynila is closed on Mondays, but otherwise open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays until 5 p.m. and Sundays until 4 p.m.

Avocado or guacamole can be spread on Ezekiel bread at Beans ‘n’ Leaves for a healthier option.

MEAN, LEAN AND PROTEIN

Beans ‘n’ Leaves made its reputation on coffee, tea and…indulgence, especially when it comes to tricked out, freshly pressed waffles. Well, now you can expect Ezekiel sprouted bread toast topped with almond butter and fruit, hummus or fresh avocado, plus cherry peppers and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.The options keep with the Keto diet plan and mark the mainstays of the cafe’s new healthy eats menu.

But of course the decadent noshes are still available and popular, including those aforementioned waffles drizzled with chocolate, Nutella, Fruity Pebbles. Savory counterparts of the signature all-day breakfast item are frittatas (pressed like a waffle), such as a spinach, sausage and Cheddar version, served alongside a bowl of fruit.

Remember that Open Mic night is the third Friday of each month at 8 p.m. and all family-friendly acts are welcome.

Beans ‘n’ Leaves is located at 422 Forest Ave., West Brighton; 718-448-0276, via Facebook.

(Courtesy of Megan Coppola)

The bread can also be topped with almond butter and bananas or berries. (Courtesy of Megan Coppola)

MORE ASIAN FLAVORS

If steering clear of gluten, Pho Mac is a restaurant that relies on rice or rice noodles as the centerpiece of the meal — 1407 Richmond Ave., Bulls Head, 718-982-9292. For instance, there are items like Bun Bo Nu’ong Xa aka the No. 49 — grilled beef with lemongrass over vermicelli rice noodles. The beef is on the sweet side. Peanuts, fried scallions, sometimes succulent bean sprouts, homemade pickles made from carrots, daikon and shallots are toothsome additions to the dish. And that contrast of flavors and textures — sweet on salty, crunch with the soft noodles — is the general tenet of meals here.

Then, of course there are anise- and five-star spice-laced bowls of pho — beef noodle soup with various proteins, including thin-sliced roast beef (“eye of round” on the menu) and tripe (aka amoso).

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Delicate egg rolls at Pho Mac in Bulls Head. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With tiny egg rolls (not gluten-free) or chilled summer rolls (shrimp with a scallion and rice noodles in a translucent rice wrapper), use accompanying broad lettuce leaves to make a roll. Then, dunk the package in a dish of hot sauce, soy or that umami-filled nuac mam — mmm.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

To eat a Vietnamese egg roll wrap the item in lettuce folded with fresh mint and cilantro leaves. Dunk in nuac mam, a seasoned fish sauce. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With meals at Pho Mac comes jasmine tea. Other drinks include bubble tea plus iced chicory coffee or tea sweetened with condensed milk.

Vietnamese fare merges Chinese, French and Thai onto one menu.

FRESH FROM THE FARM

And the St. George Greenmarket has a new vendor — Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens’ Heritage Farm.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Heritage Farm at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens, Livingston, features a variety of heirloom tomatoes. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

It will sell its honey, herbs, cut flowers, assorted peppers and many varieties of peppers at the market, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday.

Juicy tomatoes can be served with fresh mozzarella or, shown here, fresh Buffalo burrata.

Also a must try: Rabbit Run Farm of Pennsylvania’s goat cheeses. Cheesemaker Dan Torrison makes a stunning goat gouda, aged and a delightful match with a crisp Chenin Blanc for summery, pre-dinner nosh.

Dan Torrison’s Goat Gouda (Courtesy of Rabbits Run Farm)

Other items of interest for you:

Source link Keto Diet Definition

[fuckyeahtattoogirls-blog1]

5 things I want to eat right now on Staten Island

New Post has been published on https://bestrawfoodrecipes.com/5-things-i-want-to-eat-right-now-on-staten-island/

5 things I want to eat right now on Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With September comes a time for new things — the start to the school year, fresh routines and a chance to mix up meals. We’re sticking to the more salubrious sides of things in our tours of the borough — more greens in the mix, fresh veggies whenever possible and less caloric choices — and have convenience in mind.

MEAL PREP TIME

With that our food focus turns to Family Fruit of Rossville, where store manager Louis Epifania proudly touts the meal prep program. Each meal includes an entree with a choice of two sides. Prices start at $9.99 each for one to two meals, $8.99 each for three to four meals and $7.99 each for five or more meals. Family Fruit offers whole wheat and gluten-frree options. Meals can be customized to personal tastes to include mac ‘n’ cheese, roasted or sweet potatoes, sauteed spinach, broccoli raab, grilled asparagus, bean salads, “vegetable spaghetti” and more.

Loaded salads to go include proteins and greens

A prepped bowl of salad ranges from $6.99 to $5.99, and options can include custom combos or store-made selections like a kale mix or baby spinach with red and orange bell peppers, mushrooms, walnuts, red onion slivers plus garlic.

Roasted and stuffed, oven-roasted peppers served Sicilian-style

Orders can be delivered with a day’s notice. For questions on the program, call the store or manager Louis Epifania. Family Fruit Arthur Kill is located at 2200 Arthur Kill Rd., Rossville; 718-317-4949 and more detailed menu information can be found at FamilyFruitSINY.com.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Pumpkin with okra, string beans, eggplant and bitter melon at Maynila in Travis. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

GETTING DOWN TO COMFORT FARE

For Asian fare that loves its stews and stir fries there’s the hot buffet at Maynila, a Filipino take-out eatery with several seats at which to sup — 3555 Victory Blvd., Travis; 718-494-0316.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Maynila is a Filipino grocer and restaurant that features a few tables and seats for dining in. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

Maynila’s offerings include noodle dishes like Pansit Palabok and Pansit Malabon, a combination of rice noodles with mixed seafood, scallion and boiled eggs.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Stews at Maynila in Travis. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With some slight variations from day to day, seafood takes the spotlight on this buffet from the mussels soup with vegetables to pansit (noodles) with mixed seafood and the marinated then fried, whole tilapia and milkfish.

Order food by the container to stay or go. Dining in means sitting at a counter seat in the window or at one of a handful of tables in the midst of the small grocery store. Options for the casual eating include pork, stewed skinless chicken served on the bone, a special beef (Kare-kare), chicken teriyaki with Liempo (aka pork belly) and a special tuna.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Daing na bangus or milkfish is marinated then deep fried. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

On the counter find crispy Okoy, shrimp fritters made from corn and potato starch, oil, water and spices.

One yummy bit of Filipino fare includes lumpia, miniature egg rolls filled with ground pork and finely chopped vegetables. You can buy these by the bag (or half bag) frozen or consume them fresh-fried on the premises. The only issue with the latter is that the cooking process takes at least 20 minutes, so patrons are asked to order ahead of time to ensure there’s no waiting time.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

A rice-based “combo” at Maynila in Travis with tender chicken legs and pork stew. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With combo meals and hefty portions of white rice, the meals are filling and affordable. Small food containers with rice and protein start at $3.25, medium sizes at $6.25. Large portions with rice range from$12.25 to $19.95.

Maynila is closed on Mondays, but otherwise open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays until 5 p.m. and Sundays until 4 p.m.

Avocado or guacamole can be spread on Ezekiel bread at Beans ‘n’ Leaves for a healthier option.

MEAN, LEAN AND PROTEIN

Beans ‘n’ Leaves made its reputation on coffee, tea and…indulgence, especially when it comes to tricked out, freshly pressed waffles. Well, now you can expect Ezekiel sprouted bread toast topped with almond butter and fruit, hummus or fresh avocado, plus cherry peppers and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.The options keep with the Keto diet plan and mark the mainstays of the cafe’s new healthy eats menu.

But of course the decadent noshes are still available and popular, including those aforementioned waffles drizzled with chocolate, Nutella, Fruity Pebbles. Savory counterparts of the signature all-day breakfast item are frittatas (pressed like a waffle), such as a spinach, sausage and Cheddar version, served alongside a bowl of fruit.

Remember that Open Mic night is the third Friday of each month at 8 p.m. and all family-friendly acts are welcome.

Beans ‘n’ Leaves is located at 422 Forest Ave., West Brighton; 718-448-0276, via Facebook.

(Courtesy of Megan Coppola)

The bread can also be topped with almond butter and bananas or berries. (Courtesy of Megan Coppola)

MORE ASIAN FLAVORS

If steering clear of gluten, Pho Mac is a restaurant that relies on rice or rice noodles as the centerpiece of the meal — 1407 Richmond Ave., Bulls Head, 718-982-9292. For instance, there are items like Bun Bo Nu’ong Xa aka the No. 49 — grilled beef with lemongrass over vermicelli rice noodles. The beef is on the sweet side. Peanuts, fried scallions, sometimes succulent bean sprouts, homemade pickles made from carrots, daikon and shallots are toothsome additions to the dish. And that contrast of flavors and textures — sweet on salty, crunch with the soft noodles — is the general tenet of meals here.

Then, of course there are anise- and five-star spice-laced bowls of pho — beef noodle soup with various proteins, including thin-sliced roast beef (“eye of round” on the menu) and tripe (aka amoso).

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Delicate egg rolls at Pho Mac in Bulls Head. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With tiny egg rolls (not gluten-free) or chilled summer rolls (shrimp with a scallion and rice noodles in a translucent rice wrapper), use accompanying broad lettuce leaves to make a roll. Then, dunk the package in a dish of hot sauce, soy or that umami-filled nuac mam — mmm.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

To eat a Vietnamese egg roll wrap the item in lettuce folded with fresh mint and cilantro leaves. Dunk in nuac mam, a seasoned fish sauce. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

With meals at Pho Mac comes jasmine tea. Other drinks include bubble tea plus iced chicory coffee or tea sweetened with condensed milk.

Vietnamese fare merges Chinese, French and Thai onto one menu.

FRESH FROM THE FARM

And the St. George Greenmarket has a new vendor — Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens’ Heritage Farm.

(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si

Heritage Farm at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens, Livingston, features a variety of heirloom tomatoes. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)

It will sell its honey, herbs, cut flowers, assorted peppers and many varieties of peppers at the market, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday.

Juicy tomatoes can be served with fresh mozzarella or, shown here, fresh Buffalo burrata.

Also a must try: Rabbit Run Farm of Pennsylvania’s goat cheeses. Cheesemaker Dan Torrison makes a stunning goat gouda, aged and a delightful match with a crisp Chenin Blanc for summery, pre-dinner nosh.

Dan Torrison’s Goat Gouda (Courtesy of Rabbits Run Farm)

Other items of interest for you:

Source link Keto Diet Definition

[longwindedbore]

We don’t take “get over it” advice from the type of people who say “Get Over It”

Because when you say it we know that you really mean it more as a threat than advice. A threat because advice would come with an explanation or example

That “get over it” type implied threat is way too familiar; we’ve heard a different variation before.

We’ve met you before. In Middle School.

We know you must be one of those People who disgusted us in Middle School: elitist snots, illiterate bullies and those who silently worshipped the aforementioned trash.

Here’s some advice: play nice or crawl back under your rocks.

Here’s the explanations with examples that go with the advice.

Yeah yeah yeah I should just watch what I say because you got all the guns. That is the BIG threat isn’t it?

Sure. But you can only use one at a time. You aren’t outfitting an army

So do you have 10 or 20 pieces because you are a collector or hunt different game or compete in different matches? Y’know, responsible gun owner.

Or do you have 10-20 pieces because you were a bully in Middle School. The more weapons the bigger you see yourself as being?

No one likes or trusts a bully. Because, like elitist snobs, you won’t be hampered by rules of behavior.

You say you have an army ready to do bad bad things if we continue to refuse to “get over it”.

An army of wannabees? If they didn’t have the gumption to join you in Middle School.... Would they today pickup a gun? Get real. They may admire your...individualism. But they follow the rules

Responsible gun owners? They going to join a violent tirade? When they worry about gun laws they call an attorney.

Did today’s responsible gun owners like you back in Middle School? Did you go hunting together? Are they all smiles when you show up on the range? Or did they get you banned from the range for not adhering to the Posted Safety Instructions? Which of course apply to others - not to you.

Cops, even racist cops with white power ensignia? Depending on them to rise up and join you?

Are the Cops happy to meet and greet you when they have to come to your home for a domestic disturbance call - on a holiday?

As they pull up do they see a flag incorrectly displayed so they know what to expect - gun worshipper just wiping and wiping and wiping his piece. Do the cops move carefully, hard eyed with hands close to or on their guns when they come in? Do you have the situational awareness to notice?

Cops always be wondering: between polishing the piece and the statistically likely future day when you put it in your mouth, will it discharge promiscuously in the direction of others?

Will cops be hurt? Cops ALL like to make it to the end of watch. Not ones for going out in a blaze of stupid glory.

Who would speak for you if the cops acted “preemptively”. Do you think it would be one of those cases in which the ACLU...ha ha just kidding.

You do understand that cops enforce laws and safety regulations? That some of these rules change over time and, here’s the shocking part, they don’t rise up if they don’t like the rules. They call their union business agent who golfs with the City Council rep. Work it out. Or lobby to change.

Are you traditional? Keep the wife out of the work place? So she won’t ever press charges on the bread winner when the cops show up?

The National Guard going to support you in your crusade? That “well regulated militia” that the Governor uses for riots and armed civil insurrection? You a member? They going to call you up? Or like the police SWAT team, do they train and train and train to deal with...people like you?

Learn the example of the Governors. Different governors with different political views enforcing ever changing laws. Dealing with ever changing demographics and economic conditions. What governor in the last 400 years called up the guard to prevent themselves from being voted out of office.

What governor would hesitate to call up the guard to deal - decisively - with a mob of you and like minded? Consequences? Re-election.

Depending on your dog? I’m guessing it would take me five minutes with your dog and my new BFF will tear out your throat of you threaten me or mine.

My wife could do it in less than five minutes. Probably the dog would “act preemptively”. No one likes a bully, least of all dogs. They can smell the stink.

The truth is that you are one. WE are legion.

You’ve got guns? Half of all households have a firearm. Every house hold has knives.

No one likes a bully. The more armed the bully the less liked.

The more the bully opens their mouth, the more people consider preemptive action.

[tothepointofinsanity]

I dream about dragging your insides out.

[elegantcupcakekoala-blog]

            Food and bakery: how to pick the very best options

If you will host an international business meeting, conference, congress, or an essential social event like a marriage, it will be a good idea to treat your guests with high-quality food. It will be a good idea to provide them a number of the Australian classical cakes just like the Pavlova. Click food service companies australia

The key problem you will face, however, is a large amount of time you have to pay in the kitchen preparing a gourmet dinner for dozens (or even hundreds) of people. Your absolute best option in such a situation is hiring a food service and bakery company that may deliver the food straight to your event. This way you are able to economize a lot of time.

A food service and bakery in Australia can provide different variations of the Pavlova, a meringue-based cake created in honour of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova throughout a tour throughout New Zealand and Australia. The dessert is a popular dish and an essential the main national cuisine of both Australia and New Zealand. Owing to its simple recipe, the Pavlova is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals.

Traditionally, the dessert is eaten mostly throughout the summertime, which include the Christmas season in the southern hemisphere. However, it can be eaten all year round in lots of Australian and New Zealand homes and this is the reason it has changed into a must in most Australian menu. Pavlova includes a crisp and crunchy outer shell, and a smooth, moist marshmallow-like centre. Be certain that most food service companies Australia can prepare this traditional cake for your personal occasion.

Pavlova is traditionally decorated with a topping of whipped cream and fresh soft fruit such as for example kiwi, passion fruit, and strawberries. Food service distributors Australia can deliver a Pavlova that is versatile to be decorated as desired, opening the chance of making real masterpieces.  

In the catalogue of some of the food service and bakery in Australia, it can be possible to get pre-mixed ingredients for baking the meringue shell, requiring only the addition of water and sugar.

Other Australian treats such as for example meat pies and lamingtons, alongside various kinds of bread, pastry, and cake, can be supplied by food services and bakery in Australia. Most contemporary Australian bakery has transformed into an artisan destination for unusual flavour combinations, wildly inventive recipes, and resurgence in traditional, small batch baking methods.

Although Australians are noted for eating Vegemite, the most famous spread in the united kingdom, and prawns, their traditional menus include also many delicious desserts to be enjoyed besides the aforementioned Pavlova. A food service catalogue can include Anzac biscuits, which are comprised of oats, flour, golden syrup, sugar, butter, baking soda, boiling water, and (optional) desiccated coconut. The chewy and crisp caramel slice, consisting of a shortbread base, is a preference slice found in many bakeries across Australia.

The iconic Tim Tam is known across the world as being quintessentially Australian. It consists of two chocolate malted biscuits sandwiched together with a lining of light cream filling, coated in a slim layer of ch

[hcgdietinfodotcom]

Jen's HCG Diet Success Story

HDI has seen millions of HCG Diet success stories over the years. This is my own, and the reason I ultimately started this site. I personally lost 90 lbs on the HCG Diet in 2002, and used various supplements and medical weight loss products to help maintain my weight and improve my health. After having a baby in 2017, I lost another 40 pounds using hCG and medical weight loss by Diet Doc (Read my pro review here.) My Personal HCG Diet Success Story... In 2002, I found myself weighing over 240 lbs and wearing a size 20 (and it was tight!)  Less than a year later, I had lost 90 lbs following the HCG Diet Plan and kept it off for over 10 years. In 2014, I had a baby and used Hcg and medical weight loss products to lose over 40 pounds of pregnancy weight (and surprisingly fast.)  This is why, and how I did it.... My Story When I was in high school, I was already struggling with my weight.  Even though I was a devoted, star-level athlete, I struggled with eating disorders and always seemed to be quite a bit curvier than my friends.  I didn't realize then just how I was setting myself up for serious weight problems as I got older. Out of high school, I gained over 100 pounds in the first year.  I was miserable.  I went on a starvation diet and forced myself to run every day until I lost the weight... even though I hated running.  A few years later, I had gained all of the weight back and more (240 pounds, plus a few cheeseburgers.) I went back and forth on crash diets; Weight Watchers, Atkins, 1200 calorie madness diets, and just about every other diet imaginable... until one day, I was talking with a friend. You know that friend we all have; she's a slender, graceful girl that looks great in a bikini without having to suck her stomach in.  Ya, that's the one. We'll call her Sylvia (because that's her name.) While we were sitting in a circle with all of our friends, someone passed a can of Pringles to her.  I watched her take ONE out carefully, and then casually turn the can and read the label while eating the chip.  After she finished the chip, she passed the can along and never had another.  I asked her if that was how she kept her figure- if she was just an extremely careful and healthy eater.  She laughed.  She said, "Believe it or not, I was once extremely overweight."  I couldn't believe it! My size 2 friend went on to tell me how she had once been close to 200 lbs.  I asked how she had turned it around.  She shared how a doctor she worked with, had suggested she try this little-known "Simeons Diet" and he would prescribe it for her.  I had never heard of this at the time but I asked her every detail I could think of.   The next day I began calling Doctors asking if they could oversee this "Simeons Diet" using HCG.   It wasn't easy back then.  There was 0 information online about this mystery diet and 99% of the doctors I talked to weren't familiar enough to give it a go.   After weeks and weeks of research and phone calls, I finally found one that agreed. I wasn't given the exact Simeons protocol, but close... with quite a few variations that I felt comfortable with. The doctor adjusted my HCG injection dosage based on my current weight. He had me on 200 iu daily.  (Just a note here: My prescribed protocol varied from the original, yet it still worked great, just as many other modern protocol variations.) My diet, I kept to a modified version of the Simeons original food list based on my friend's suggestions as well as what I felt comfortable with.  I had a several salads a day.  My go-to food was a spinach salad with fat free turkey pepperoni, vegan pepper jack rice cheese, cherry tomatoes (very few and not all the time,) occasional spices, and Braggs Amino acids (sprayed on with a dressing sprayer, not poured).  I was shocked-  I was not hungry at all, and I found myself craving salad for the first time in my life.  I would also have green beans and shrimp for dinner, also with Braggs and seasoning.  I was extremely careful with my portion sizing.   I would have melba toast as a snack or broken up in one of my salads like croutons.  In the mornings, I stuck with eggs and hot sauce. I did not stick to 500 calories. In fact, I ate more than this, but the majority of my calories came from vegetables. If I was hungry, I ate. I would just make sure I it was usually one of the aforementioned salads. I exercised regularly, going to the gym and doing at least 40 minutes of low impact cardio daily- walking or elliptical.  I focused on how good it made me feel rather than my old approach of "I have to do this."  In the beginning it did not feel comfortable but I kept telling myself how much easier it would get and how great I would look and feel if I just kept at it.   I was right. The weight started coming off within a few days and did not stop.  I was so motivated at this point, that I started really loving what I was eating and going to the gym. During the first round, 28 days, I had lost 26 lbs. It took me 4 rounds to lose 88 lbs. For over 10 years, my weight has fluctuated slightly, here and there, but never in excess. My metabolism has remained strong and my eating habits became instinctively healthy.  I still love salads.  I am not overly interested in processed foods like breads and cereals.  I love staying active but I opt for activities that I enjoy rather than going to the gym with the mindset of "I have to work out." When I think back, I am still amazed at how simple the entire process was and how the transition phase and maintenance phase were even more simple.  I am so extremely grateful to my beautiful friend Sylvia, (still a size 2 after two children, 20+ years later!) who introduced me to the Hcg Diet.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't consider just how grateful I am for the body I now have and the lifestyle that comes with it.  As I said, I was originally on the HCG Diet in 2002 and at the time there were absolutely no websites online about the diet plan. No online guidance, and blogs did not yet exist.   I started a an online support group to see if others were out there.  I soon found I had a growing member list of people desperately trying to learn about the diet.  I decided to start a website based on all of our pieced-together knowledge and the help from my doctor.   I started the "HCG Diet Info" website and the rest is exciting history: over 100 million visits later, HDI continues to be the leading authority on the HCG Diet Plan. UPDATE: MY POST BABY WEIGHT LOSS EXPERIENCE: In 2014, I had a beautiful baby boy.... and with him, came 40+ pounds of pregnancy weight! After having my baby, I decided to explore different options. Here is what I did: I initially used the HCG diet from Diet Doc, a modern Hcg Diet approach, and then used various medical products (less rigid approaches) to lose the final pounds and maintain (lipotropics, B12 shots, Semaglutide, etc.) In detail: I tried the original protocol. I tried a rogue approach, and I also tried several peptide weight loss products and really tested to see what I felt worked well for myself, and what would work for my readers. I started with HCG Dieting, post-breastfeeding.  Exploring all the different options and taking well planned breaks between rounds, it took me about 7 months to lose the weight. My takeaway was that Diet Doc was a great option for when I had a large amount of weight to lose; which ultimately led to me recommending them on this site. Here are my other takeaways: The original protocol works beautifully, but it is rigid, and there is little room for error, or exploring. While this did give me the best results, I enjoyed the slower-loss, easier approach more; I ate similarly to the first time I was on the diet, where I mixed vegetables, focused on eating a lot of greens, and wasn't overly strict with my calories. If I was hungry, I ate. I also exercised still. The original protocol allows only 500 calories and no exercise. This just didn't feel good to me, so I went ahead and upped my calories, while continuing with light exercise; walking, occasionally jogging, and yoga or pilates. My foods included plenty of vegetables, lean chicken and no sugar. I did add fruit this time, which was something I had not eaten the first time around. I also included additional products and a lower dose of HCG. I took 125 iu of HCG daily, beginning with Phase 1, Loading days. I added B12 for energy, and during my breaks between rounds, I would add lipotropic fat-burning injections. I occasionally added other supplements as needed; for example, I was fine using an appetite suppressant as needed; at the start of a round when I was struggling etc. This is just what worked for me. During this time, I had also experienced severe tragedies in my family, including losing my baby sister to domestic violence. Adding stress to that grief, I struggled when I returned to school to finish my PhD. Needless to say, I was learning to adapt through grief, stress, emotional turmoil and endless up's and down's. It ultimately gave me countless lessons and helped me to figure out what would work for me even as "life happens." I share these experiences through my blog, which you can find here:  Jen's Blog Read More HCG Diet success stories. After the HCG Diet - MY Story Continued I get asked about my transition phase so much, I thought I'd add my own experience going from Phase 2 to a normal life. I realize the importance of how I transitioned my diet from starting with HCG diet shots and the VLCD (very low calorie diet) to everyday life.  I didn't just swap back to my pre-HCG weight loss days.  Instead, I continued with the original Dr. Simeons protocol but added calories through vegetables and liquidy foods (think low-sugar greek yogurt and sugar-free smoothies.) I learned the importance of keeping the body's ph balance alkaline and added related supplements to my diet, including vegetable teas (Amazing Grass Superfoods supplements are in my water at all times- In fact, I highly recommend vegetable and alkalizing supplements.  Also, I always make sure I get at least 30 grams of fiber daily, either through high fiber raw foods or supplements.  My daily food intake include omega eggs, strawberries, avocados, spinach... I tend to blend more than cook actually.  Vegetable & fruit smoothies are a staple in my life. In fact, I try to add vegetables or fruit to every meal and eat at least one apple a day, whether I feel like it or not. I also love to exercise.  In the past, I hated exercise.  It was something I HAD TO DO, rather than enjoyed.  Well, guess what?  Exercise as a healthier person, just doesn't feel like exercise-it actually feels really great to move and be active.  I also  stopped thinking, "I really need to go to the gym and stay on that treadmill for no less than an hour."  Instead, I started thinking about what feels good.  I just get on the treadmill and go- who cares about time!  If it's 10 minutes or 2 hours- whatever feels good!  It became soooo simple. I initially started with stretching and yoga, which turned to Pilates and Barre.  Pilates turned to the occasional stroll on the treadmill or around the block.  I am not joking, but within a few months, I became addicted to the gym and "moving."  Not because I had to, but because it felt good. I went to Puerto Vallarta 6 months after my first Hcg Diet experience.  I found myself hitting the gym at the resort every time I was a bit bored and felt just incredible.  It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had lost weight on vacation. Who LOSES weight on vacation???  It honestly never occurred to me that I had to exercise-  I was just doing what felt good. I think I discovered the bottom line is just doing what feels good for your mind, your body and your emotional well-being:  Essentially, doing nothing, feels bad and keeps you feeling bad.  Doing something keeps you moving forward and feeling great. My before and after pictures are posted in the photo gallery of the HCG Diet Forums. I hope this story and these photos help to motivate and inspire others.  I've now lost  90 lbs and kept the weight off since 2002.  I still love going to the gym, I still eat moderately and I rarely think of what I can and can't eat.  I can honestly say that hcg was what I needed to change my life- it was the gateway to my healthy lifestyle. My Blog - More Hcg weight loss Success Stories - Read more on Maintaining Your Weight Loss "How I did it... Step by Step - HCG Diet: Dr. Simeons 500 calorie diet with daily HCG injections of 200 units of hcg. - Yoga and Pilates, walking- Anything to keep my heart pumping for a minimum of 20 minutes a day. (Felt great doing this a few times throughout the day!) - Alkalizing.  I added a glass of Super Greens diet supplement (30 lbs of vegetables in one alfalfa-scented serving. It's not that bad, I promise!) and Alkalizing drops to my water.  I find this has an incredible effect on my appetite, energy levels, and mood.  It also takes a few years off the skin!  (Anytime someone tells me alkalizing is a scam, I laugh- I go by how I feel and I feel fantastic when I'm following this regimen.) - Increased calories through vegetables and negative calorie, organic, raw foods. Increased exercise to 40 minutes a day, sometimes twice a day. - Exercised frequently.  Diet is high in fiber (30-35 grams daily) and alkalized.  At this point, I stopped thinking about what I can and can't eat- it just became second-nature to eat healthy. - I went shopping- I needed an entire new wardrobe because my clothes no longer fit! Read Jen's Blog Read the full article