#but I bought a whole chicken to fry

[sweetandglovelyart]

Christmas dinner 🎄

[strawberrytorte]

made chicken adobo for the first time last night and it was sooooo good i want to make it at least nine thousand more times

[lawrenceofbessarabia]

Chicken Paprikash

In the spirit of #draculadaily, here's a translated-by-me recipe for chicken paprikash from an old Serbian cookbook that used to belong to my great-grandmother. Other than adding a few editorial comments and reformatting it to make it easier on modern readers, I haven't changed the text much. Photo of original recipe below the translated text.

Chicken Paprikash with Nokledes

Ingredients:

For the paprikash:

1 whole chicken (recipe starts by assuming you will pluck your own!)

0.5 kg yellow onion (about one large one)

1 tablespoon butter (can substitute other cooking oil, but I recommend using a saturated fat)

1 tsp paprika*

1 red bell pepper OR 1 long, green pepper

4-5 roma tomatoes

Parsley

Black pepper

For the nokledes:

2 egg yolks

1 knob butter

"Snow of two egg whites" I think this means egg whites beaten to stiff peaks

Flour (no quantity specified, typical grandma stuff)

Pluck and clean chicken, if not done already, and cut into pieces. Peel onion and slice into thin ribs. Place in pot (I recommend a large dutch oven) one tablespoon of butter/oil and heat over medium-high heat. When butter/oil is hot, add sliced onion and salt immediately, then fry until completely soft. Add on top one tsp* paprika, bell pepper or long green pepper with the chicken meat, and fry with onion until onion is completely fried (nice and brown). Pour in enough water to cover meat. Add into the paprikash 4-5 chopped tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, a little black pepper, and salt as needed. Lower the heat and simmer the paprikash on a low flame until nearly all the water reduces, all while stirring frequently to avoid burning. When it is ready, it must have enough juice. Serve the paprikash with nokledes that are made in the following way:

Mix together all ingredients listed until well-beaten. Fill a pot with water, salt it, then bring to a boil. Wet a spoon in the boiling water and use it to take out little balls of dough and add them to the boiling water. Remove nokledes when cooked, and finish by frying in butter (you can also just use store-bought...)

Personal note: the original recipe calls for "one blade" of paprika, which my dad says is equivalent to one teaspoon. I have no idea what it means, so if anyone knows please share in the comments!

Unfortunately the bit about the nokledes got cut off, so if anyone wants the rest let me know and I'll get my dad to photograph the rest.

[buffetlicious]

Mum is cooking tonight and I present you the Chicken & Bitter Gourd Stir-Fry with whole scallops. The chicken meat is deboned drumsticks and thighs with frozen scallops. Next dish is more premium as mum is using expensive grouper fish for this Spicy Red Grouper & Bamboo Shoot with tomato wedges for acidity.

Here is my Dinner with the above two mentioned dishes and leftover pork ribs & fish maw soup from yesterday. Mum also bought a bowl of pork & shrimp dumplings during her morning market trip to add to the dishes.

[knifeforkspoonhand]

Top left: A whole side of boneless salmon that was discounted from £24.88 to £6.06 and I'm still living off that high. I brushed on top a mix of oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, tomato powder, garlic powder and oregano. It was delicious and smelled fantastic.

Top right: The same chocolate cake as the last post except with a chocolate ganache topping as per the instructions of the recipe. It tastes much better but that's because you have ganache left over to eat. The cake is so simple and hits the spot.

Middle left: Stuffed paratha, made from about four and a half cups of plain flour, nearly two tablespoons of sunflower oil, some salt and keep adding water until it forms a dough. Leave to rest for half an hour. The stuffing I made from grating cauliflower and frying it in oil with: one bay leaf; three cardamoms; salt, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and ground black pepper. You portion your dough into small round balls, flatten them out with a rolling pin, putting some of the stuffing on top of one rolled dough before putting more dough on top. Continue rolling it out with the rolling pin. Cook in a non-stick pan on low heat with a lid, flipping every minute until it's cooked and takes on a little char. This is a long paragraph.

Middle right: I followed a chilli chicken recipe but with mushrooms since I didn't have chicken breast. It was really tasty with the mushrooms absorbing all the flavours in the pan. However, the chicken was notably absent from my version. I think it definitely needs something firm or with a meaty texture for it to be more rounded out. I ate it with some garlic and parsley flatbread.

Bottom: Chicken madras. In a pan with neutral oil, fry three medium blended onions with eight cloves, six cardamoms and a stick of cinnamon. You can add your garlic and ginger paste after or before the onion, I haven't noticed a change either way. Keep stirring for about few minutes, adding cumin, coriander powder, salt and chilli powder. Stir until all the colours have combined. Then, add your diced chicken breast, making sure to cover all the pieces in the paste. Add your blended tomatoes (I use store-bought passata), add sugar if they're particularly acidic and it tastes unpleasant otherwise. Cook on medium-low heat for half an hour, adding water if it reduced by too much. It gets asked for a lot.

[she-is-healthy]

Favorite Meals

I'm learning to love food for all that it is, from the cooking process to how it nourishes my body. Being involved with fresh ingredients and mindfully preparing my meals helps with my propensity to binge, so here's a list of stuff I love to make 💚✨️

Vegan BL(s)T: Whole grain bread, vegan mayo (store-bought or homemade WFPB), spinach, tomato, marinated tofu "bacon"

Burrito Bowls: Shredded tofu, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, lime, rice, taco seasoning

Air Fried Tempeh: Tempeh, vegan Buffalo sauce, panko bread crumbs

Dubu-jorim (banchan): extra firm silken tofu, soy sauce, garlic, gochugaru, brown sugar, sesame oil, green onion

Stir-Fry: Brown rice noodles, garlic, soy sauce, Sriracha, sugar, frozen veggie mix, soy curl "chicken"

Bibimbap: Brown rice, carrot, soybean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, tofu, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper

Pasta Salad: Chickpea pasta, vegan mayo, red onion, red bell pepper, peas, carrots, paprika, onion powder, black pepper

Cauliflower Wings: Purple cauliflower, flour, soy milk, spices of choice

Kimbap: Seaweed sheets, rice, sesame oil, pickled radish, spinach, carrots, fried tofu, vegan spam

I'll add more as I think of them!

[astrojaxsaga]

Week 1 keto update

After a month in December of basically eating whatever I wanted (my parents and in-laws bought us all the food we needed to make all the amazing holiday dinners, and that included sooooo much dessert and candy and pie) I'm finally getting back into good habits with food again. Keto has helped to make me feel full and not so snacky, so I kind of don't have food on my mind as much. Though obviously if I smell popcorn or see Bahn Mi, I desperately crave it until I can get away from the smell/imagery. Following a lot of food channels on YouTube has made this kind of hard lol. But I've been taking more time to spend on knitting, watching movies, and other self-care stuff that I don't usually get to do. It's actually crazy to me that I do have all this time to cook and make my own meals, when like 6 months ago I would complain that I couldn't do it all, like making meals, taking time for myself, taking time for my partner and cat, PLUS work, because I would spend my evenings at the gym. Or I'd get home late and be too tired to make food and do gym. I kept feeling like I wasn't getting it all done and so I must be failing. It was stressful, and clearly not really sustainable.

But ketosis is kicking me into the next gear and allowing me to just enjoy easier effort activities like walking and yoga, which is nice. If I don't have time for them it's nice that I no longer feel like it's a requirement for success.

The keto flu was pretty brutal yesterday. The fatigue was really annoying to handle during work hours, but I worked all weekend on my final post-doc fellowship so I called it a half-day due to burnout. I have been having some headaches, but I've been drinking lots of water and I am trying to take electrolyte packets with water first thing in the morning. If I can get past day 10 I'll be in the clear. Today on day 9 I weighed in at 183.6, so -6.4 lbs down. I know this will taper off soon but it is helping to keep me motivated. Especially to avoid drinking.

I think one of the most interesting things that I remember happening last time that I did keto, I was very focused during work hours which was GREAT. This was before being diagnosed ADHD. I recently read somewhere that studies show a keto diet can help mitigate the symptoms of ADHD ?? Anyways I haven't read this in detail and idk if rats have ADHD lol. I'll have to catch up on the literature some time.

Some staples I've had that have been really working for me:

Tuscan chicken soup

Beef stir fry (basically a slaw mix you can buy at any store + beef + soy and Sriracha and ginger)

Almonds

Cheese

Eggs + sautéed veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion) + avocado + smoked salmon (and sometimes to make the eggs extra creamy I add cream cheese to the finished eggs and let it melt down)

I'm still trying a bunch of recipes, some are good and some are pretty mid (broccoli cheddar soup is okay but not enough protein for my liking). But at least it's all whole foods and stuff I'm actually excited about eating.

[najia-cooks]

[ID: First image shows two quesadillas piled on a plate with a dollop of red salsa; a bowl of cream and lime wedge are in the background. Second image shows a close-up on half a quesadilla topped with salsa and cream. End ID.]

Vegan chicken quesadillas with crema fresca and ancho chile salsa

This quesadilla recipe combines a spiced crema with pan-fried 'chicken' and veggies inside a toasted tortilla to create a flavorful, well-rounded, filling dish. Seared ancho and guajillo chiles make for a smoky salsa with deep, fruity aromatics--but using a pre-made or store-bought salsa makes this a meal that can be on the table in 30 minutes.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Serves 2-4.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dish:

12oz (340g) unbreaded vegan chicken substitute (I used Gardein chicken breasts), room temperature

1-2 jalapeñoes, diced (note that the crema will offset a lot of the spice; increase to taste)

1/2 small red bell pepper, diced

1/2 small green bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp chipotle powder, or chipotle sauce

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, or ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp salt

4 8-inch flour tortillas

A mix of vegan mozarella and Monterey Jack cheeses, shredded (about 2-3 cups)

For the crema Mexicana:

1/2 cup (120g) non-dairy yoghurt or sour cream

2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise

1-2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

pinch of salt

1 clove garlic, grated

For the ancho salsa:

1 tsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, halved

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 dried ancho chile

2 dried guajillo or California chiles

1 roma tomato, roughly chopped

2 large green tomatillos, husks removed, washed, and roughly chopped (or substitute roma tomatoes)

1/2 tsp vegetarian chicken stock powder or concentrate

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the salsa:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet on high until shimmering. Sear half of the onion, garlic cloves, and dried chiles on both sides until blackened areas appear. Note that the chiles will sear very quickly and will need to be removed from the pan sooner than the onion and garlic.

2. Boil a few inches of water in a small pot and simmer dried chiles, covered, for 5-10 minutes until softened.

3. Add tomatoes to the pot and simmer for about a minute, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove tomatoes and chiles from the pot and blend or food process tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic, and chicken stock concentrate together until the mixture is mostly smooth.

5. Mince the remaining half onion. Stir in cilantro, salt, black pepper and minced onion. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

For the dish:

1. If using whole spices, toast black peppercorns and then cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant (don't add them at the same time, or the cumin seeds may burn before the peppercorns are toasted).

2. Remove pan from heat and toast ground spices for 30 seconds, stirring often. Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to grind peppercorns and cumin and mix all spices plus salt in a small bowl.

3. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Generously season the chicken with mixed spices (you won’t use the whole spice mixture). Fry chicken in olive oil on medium for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove from pan.

4. In the same pan, fry onion for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add jalapeño and bell pepper and fry until softened.

For the crema:

1. Mix yoghurt or sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp lime juice, and salt in a small bowl.

2. Taste and adjust lime juice and salt. The crema should be a bit less sour than (dairy) sour cream, with a slightly thinner consistency at room temperature.

3. Divide crema in half. Mix half with the remaining spice mixture and grated garlic.

Note: crema Mexicana recipes typically have a base of heavy cream, use buttermilk as a culturing agent to help thicken the crema, and call to leave the crema out overnight to allow it to thicken. With a non-dairy version this is neither effective nor necessary.

To assemble:

1. If using store-bought tortillas, toast each one on medium low, flipping a few times, until warmed through and pliable. Leave the skillet on the heat while assembling the quesadillas.

2. If using vegan cheese, use a double boiler or the microwave to melt it a bit before assembling your quesadillas. Vegan cheese usually takes some extra encouragement to melt, and the melted cheese should be able to hold the quesadilla together! Microwave for 10-second intervals, stirring between each round, until cheese is beginning to melt.

2. Spread a large spoonful of crema evenly on each tortilla. Add partially melted cheese across half of each tortilla, followed by the fried chicken and veggies. Top the chicken and veggies with more cheese and then fold the tortilla in half, pressing lightly to seal.

3. Toast quesadillas in the skillet for 5-10 minutes, turning once, until they are warmed through and browned on each side.

4. Serve warm with salsa and remaining crema.

[fuckkbrunch]

Shrimp were on sale at work, and I had almost all these ingredients collected already. Was procrastinating it though, because first, you have to make the laksa paste yourself.

Here we go.

A lot of work. Those spices need to be roasted and ground. The nuts need to be roasted, then chop everything else and throw it all into a mixing bowl. Still surprised that I found actual fresh galangal at the tiny Asian market and didn't have to settle for ginger.

My new stainless steel bowl was being trippy, it's still so shiny.

Throw it into a frying pan with a big glug of oil and babysit it for an hour, stirring very frequently. I needed tamarind pulp for this recipe but could only find fresh whole tamarind that I had to peel and soak and seed myself. Such a fucking pain in the ass to do that process yourself, so try to avoid it. It tacked on another 45 minutes to this already time heavy recipe.

At least it slid around in my cast iron nicely, barely sticking, easily scraped off if it begun to stick. Add the tamarind and sugar to cook for another twenty. I may have forgotten to stir it near the end and things got a little caramelized, but it turned out very nicely. This was only a half recipe, by the way. Total makes TEN CUPS of paste. Tony is insane.

Half of one of these little jars is enough paste for two servings of laksa. He says the longer the paste sits in the fridge, the better it gets, so I may update this post.

On to the laksa itself. Peel and clean 4 shrimp per person. Keep the heads and shells aside, you need to boil them later.

Mix some soy sauce and eggs while you poach a bone-in chicken breast ( chicken not pictured). When the chicken is done, set it aside to shred later. Boil the shrimp shells in the remaining chicken stock, and cook your egg omelette while you wait.

I've never made an egg omelette this satisfying. It didn't stick AT ALL. No butter or anything.

Get your noodles soaked and all your accoutrements together, because once you strain the shrimp shells out, it's go time. Poach your shrimp for thirty seconds in your soup, then remove them and add a big glug of coconut milk. Arrange your noodles and toppings in a bowl and ladle the broth over top.

I had to find a special shrimp and chili condiment called "sambal belacan" (sp?), but I couldn't find anything with that name at the market. I did find something called "satay" that has shrimp and chili as the main ingredients, and it was on the shelf near the store bought laksa paste, so that's what I went with. The spice level was nice, and the noodles were perfect, but the broth was missing something. It was good! But definitely missing something umami.

| Kuching Style Laksa & Sarawak Laksa Paste |

Taste is a 3 out of 5. I expected more.

Difficulty is a 4 out of 5. Prep heavy, with multiple cooking techniques.

Time was about 3 and a half hours, which includes the time it took to make the paste.

I already tweaked this soup by adding more coconut milk, more of the shrimp satay condiment, and more salt. Maybe I just got the proportions a little off for my laksa paste versus the chicken stock. Will definitely be making this again, since I still have so much damn paste to use.

[steelplatedhearts]

so I bought a whole bunch of chicken thighs on sale last week to freeze and use over time and every single time I’ve tried to cook them I’ve failed. the deep frying experiment was black on the outside and raw on the inside. the air fryer attempt was bone dry. the oven roasting failed immediately because I used the wrong oil and started a small fire. I’m starting to think these thighs are fucking cursed

[bandofchimeras]

here are my contributions, I've got sensitive stomach*** dairy free, try to avoid wheat, autistic and need consistency, but also try to eat fresh, etc:

splurge kitchen items disclosure:

quality olive oil. it just makes everything taste better + extra calories

balsamic vinegar, doesn't have to be quality but instant sour + umami tones to flavorless food

honey or maple syrup

good knife + bamboo cutting board

decent blender (thrifted is fine)

slow cooker or instant pot or rice cooker

-----

I splurge on flavoring things and try to keep a decent stock of random canisters of dry goods like beans, lentils, soup mix, chia seeds, quinoa, oats, rice, flour, or whatever things you feel necessary for a basic pantry setup and spices.

------

LEGUMES VEGETABLES MEATS

refried beans - if you're dedicated, you can make your own (whole process, traditionalky involving lard) but the cans are cheap and honestly few things are as filling. as a gross broke college student I would eat straight beans with chips or crackers.

miso soup packets or just a container of miso - great for warming the stomach esp if you've not eaten all day! I drink it like tea and it's surprisingly filling

for exhaustion purposes I like to buy those bags of baby potatoes - wash and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika, maybe a splash of balsamic if you have it, bake on 425 until cooked thru- food of the gods. no peeling needed. tender. crispy.

chickpeas. chick. peas. aka garbanzo beans. drain and heat these bad boys up with some margarine or butter on the stovetop, salt and pepper - delicious. can also be transformed into a chickpea sandwich with some basic condiments like bbq sauce, mayo - or a lettuce wrap if you're gluten free.

If you really need to save money, they can be bought in bulk, soaked and boiled. but canned is usually affordable enough to cut out the middleman.

bonus if you can afford fresh tomatoes, cook them down over med heat on a cast iron with some olive oil, splash some green tea, pasta water, any suitable flavored liquid, and add to the chickpeas. it beats tomato sauces w high sugar content anyday.

yellow dal - you can find super cheap lentils at most Asian markets that carry Indian foods. or even at the store. These are those orange or yellow split lentils, throw them in a slow cooker with an onion and a tomato and some chana masala (cheap bulk spice mix also @ the Asian market) and salt l, ginger if you can afford- learned this from an Indian slow cooker cook book. one of the best tummy soothing meals out there.

apples and bananas are gut soothing for most people - bananas can combine with some protein shake powder or even just peanut butter, oat milk, cocoa powder, frozen berries, for a super filling morning smoothie.

bonus is most food banks carry them.

frozen berries - you can get them relatively cheap sometimes, if not freeze berries when they're in season. delicious refreshing instant dessert or "I need vitamin c help" boost. Blend with milk of choice for instant refreshing summer treat.

you can make your own banana milk or oat milk as a milk alternative pretty easily with a blender.

carrots - get the bulk unpeeled ones, they're cheaper. to store longer you can chop them into quarters and store in water.

blend chickpeas with some tahini (if you buy a bottle it will last years in the fridge) and voila hummus to dip carrots in.

make your own stocks! like they said above, boiling chicken carcass is one way but you can also get cheap soup bones and make beef stock, or collect and wash vegetable scraps to make vegetable stock, and freeze it. pasta water can also be saved to thicken soups and stews.

chicken hearts, chicken feet! WAY cheaper than any other meat. sometimes a package of them is barely over a dollar. fry chicken hearts in oil with salt and lime or Tajin until they're crispy. also works great in soups and stews.

BEETS. I cannot praise the beetroot enough. packed with vitamins, antioxidants - they will save your ass in the winter, and are fairly cheap. you can make a mean, cheap borscht soup with homemade beef or vegetable stock, beets, potatoes, carrots,.onions, cabbage, some vinegar and dill. meat if you have any handy. freeze it if you have extra. it's healing to the soul and body.

Or you can fry the beets diced in margarine with salt and some herbs. sweet, tender, not everyone's taste but so good for you.

shred with carrots and add to plain lettuce or use as a salad alternative w vinegar and dill as dressing.

cauliflower is usually cheap and you can cut the heads like "steak" and marinate/season and bake them! or "rice" your cauliflower florets by crumbling, grating, or blending and then lightly saute in oil.

tilapia tends to be the cheapest fish in my area and most grocery stores carry bags of boneless filet that are easy to slide right out into a pan with some salt, lemon, herbs (I like fennel) and a splash of balsamic. fuckin impeccable dish.

cabbage is a great soup filler. you can also cook it with milk or milk alternative for a yummy German dish.

quinoa is a bit expensive sometimes but once you get a big canister of it it's endless. expands rapidly. you can mix it after cooking with eggs salt and mustard to create "patties" if you're vegetarian. they'll keep you stuffed.

canned tuna - can become tuna wraps, sandwiches, salad - I used to mix with hardboiled eggs celery and pickles and some dill. it's surprisingly versatile esp if you pair with veggies. or mix it into mac n cheese. for dairy free, frozen peas and tuna in pasta with some margarine and salt - pretty damn good.

-------

Grains based:

if you can afford plain yogurt, overnight oats or muesli is also incredibly filling. add dash of maple syrup or honey.

rice rice rice rice. use leftover chopped veggies and your cheap meat to make fried rice. eggs and rice in morning. rice with fish. rice with soy sauce. rice is the extender of meals, the filler of stomachs. bless rice.

get discount fruit from fruit stands or bruised fruit at the food bank, cut up the good parts and put em in a dish with some butter/oats/brown sugar mixture - filling and quick dessert.

***something to note is that most people's tolerance for specific foods will be tied to their genetic heritage and ancestry (mine is mostly German and Eastern European). if a lot of foods bother your stomach leaning into what your ancestors might have eaten is a good place to start. not a universal rule ofc

I have $24 to last me til Friday, what should I buy with it?

[vahnikana]

I asked ChatGPT for a diet plan.

I asked ChatGPT for a diet that helped collagen production, reduce inflammation, and improve gut health. Here's what it gave me. Breakfast is inedible. Sigh.

The plan checks all the boxes, but maybe just try the ingredients in different recipes. I love ChatGPT...it tries (but sometimes lies).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To support healthy living, improve collagen production, reduce inflammation, and promote gut health, your diet should focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fibers. Here’s a daily diet plan designed to address all three areas:

Breakfast

Bone Broth Smoothie - Who in their right mind's will try this?

Why? Bone broth is rich in collagen and amino acids that support joint, skin, and gut health.

Ingredients:

1 cup homemade or high-quality store-bought bone broth

1 cup spinach or kale (anti-inflammatory, rich in vitamins and minerals)

1/2 cup mixed berries (antioxidants)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seeds (omega-3s for inflammation)

1 scoop collagen powder (to boost collagen intake)

1 tablespoon almond butter (healthy fats)

Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Oats with Turmeric and Ginger: - Get away from me demon!

Why? Oats are a good source of fiber for gut health. Turmeric and ginger are potent anti-inflammatory agents.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon chia seeds or hemp seeds

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk

A drizzle of honey (optional)

Instructions: Cook oats with almond milk, then stir in turmeric and ginger, and top with seeds.

Mid-Morning Snack

Probiotic Yogurt with Flaxseeds and Walnuts

Why? Yogurt contains probiotics that promote gut health, while walnuts provide anti-inflammatory omega-3s.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions: Mix together and enjoy.

Lunch

Salmon Salad with Avocado, Olive Oil, and Lemon- Nice.

Why? Salmon is rich in omega-3s for reducing inflammation, and avocado provides healthy fats to support collagen production.

Ingredients:

4 oz grilled wild-caught salmon

1/2 avocado (rich in healthy fats and antioxidants)

Mixed leafy greens (e.g., spinach, arugula, kale)

1 tablespoon olive oil (anti-inflammatory)

Juice of half a lemon

Cucumber, bell peppers, and tomatoes (rich in vitamin C for collagen production)

Sprinkle of sea salt and pepper

Instructions: Toss all ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and lemon.

Afternoon Snack

Carrot Sticks with Hummus - Okay, but only because I love hummus

Why? Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which supports collagen formation, while hummus provides fiber and protein for gut health.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup carrot sticks

2-3 tablespoons hummus

Instructions: Dip carrot sticks into hummus. (Haha)

Evening

Chamomile Tea with Ginger and Lemon - We brew tea with ginger, so close enough

Why? Chamomile promotes relaxation and gut health, while ginger is anti-inflammatory and soothing for digestion.

Ingredients:

1 chamomile tea bag or dried chamomile

A few slices of fresh ginger

Lemon juice (aids digestion and collagen production)

Instructions: Brew tea and add ginger and lemon.

Dinner

Chicken Stir-Fry with Broccoli, Bell Peppers, and Sweet Potato - Love!!!

Why? Chicken provides collagen-promoting amino acids, while vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers offer vitamins and antioxidants.

Ingredients:

4 oz chicken breast (organic or pasture-raised)

1 cup broccoli florets (rich in vitamin C for collagen)

1/2 bell pepper (vitamin C)

1 small sweet potato (rich in beta-carotene and fiber)

1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions: Sauté chicken in olive oil, add veggies, and stir-fry with turmeric, black pepper, and a pinch of sea salt. Serve with a side of roasted sweet potato.

Additional Tips:

Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Bone broth, herbal teas, and fresh juices (like celery or cucumber) can also contribute to hydration and gut health.

Foods to Avoid: Reduce processed foods, sugar, and refined grains, as these can increase inflammation and hinder gut health.

Key Nutrients for Collagen:

Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, and strawberries.

Amino Acids (Proline and Glycine): Found in bone broth, chicken, turkey, and fish.

Zinc: Found in pumpkin seeds, cashews, and lentils.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Focus On:

Omega-3 fatty acids: Salmon, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts.

Antioxidants: Berries, leafy greens, turmeric, ginger, garlic, green tea.

Gut Health Support:

Probiotics: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi.

Prebiotics: Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas.

This diet plan integrates all the necessary nutrients for healthy collagen production, reducing inflammation, and promoting gut health. By incorporating these nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods, you’ll support your body from the inside out!

[not-your-lifeline]

yesterday, a protestant pastor bought my sister some cheap food including yogurt drinks, but turns out they're mostly almost out of expiration date, which explained the rather bland-tasting flavor.

so I'm making some Greek yogurts with them since I always have full cream milk at home for baking.

last month, all my computer, air conditioner, heater broke down at once and it costed a lot for both of us to repair. but even with bare necessities, I know how to make food preserves that are both delicious and also last longer such as this one.

living 20+ years in a slum since birth taught me how to make do with what little ingredients I had at hand, and even now, I always keep my home stocked with preserves like kelp, dried fish, soy paste, Japanese curry cubes, etc just in case I'm running low on money in difficult times like this.

always purchasing and de-boning the whole raw chickens myself and keeping the carcass frozen until they're at least 2kg in amount, and making chicken stock with them later. (stir-fried in olive oil and simmered for at least 4 hours with vegetables and spices, seasoned with salt and pepper, then sealed in disinfected jars for preservation.)

keeping pork/beef fat frozen after cutting the 2-4kg of whole meat for later, and melting them into liquid fat to use as lard/oil substitute. (good for giving extra flavor to the food when you can't afford to buy meat, such as frying vegetables with them or making broth/sauce.)

thoroughly cleaning the leek roots and letting them dry off the excess moisture, then keeping them frozen until needed for making traditional Korean dish broths. such as Samgyetang(Ginseng Chicken Soup), or Suyuk(Boiled Pork Belly, similar to Pulled Pork but usually cooked faster with higher temperature.)

always buying whole garlic cloves in bulk instead of ground, because It's much fresher and cheaper that way. using blender kills the distinct flavor of fresh garlics and makes it spoil faster, so I use Korean mortar and pestle instead even if It's tedious. and only breaks the garlic down to still chunky flakes before sealing them in fridge when It's just about to go bad. also, speaking of flakes, It's good to keep a dried garlic flakes as a substitute at home in case you can't afford to buy fresh whole garlics. (powder is also okay, but It's harder to store it properly because the humidity could make it clump into literal rocks, especially during summer. not to mention the flavor is weaker than flakes. but It's fine texture and subtle flavor is good for making fry seasonings or dipping sauces. same applies for onion.)

[personaldairyentriesarchive]

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

09:24

When I woke up in the morning my right eye was feeling funny again, used some eye drop and the whole trip to work was a torment. I feel better now. The traffic was crowded and i almost crush into people for a few times. After i arrive and had coffee and opening the shop, i saw an article on WeChat moment about the movie Farewell My Concubine, it was talking about its filming process, about how crazy and nuts it is and i need to say that is one of my favourite movie of all time and i need to shot one like that one day, probably about how Devon coping with Mina’s death (she can’t and will kill her self). The article was really good it has many behind the scenes research in it. I sent it to mom, she said it was good but soon changed the subject to the neighbourhood bull dog’s seizure attack, the owner says possible cause by brain inflammation or whatever that disease is called, the owner is still processing the bad news and she called my mom crying last night because the dog had another seizure attack, she want to give the dog medication for a week and if he turns out fine she will continue the treatment, but if not she needs to take the dog to have a MRI. Mom says she can’t immediately dump all the information to the owner because mom doesn’t want to take the responsibilities of misinforming and does want to give the owner too much pressure. Which i can understand and respect.

09:35

The bull dog owner is very affective by how others perceive her. Once she took the dog to underground parking lot for a stroll because of the summer heat, some neighbour saw them and quads like “why are you walking the dog here its sunny outside!”, and now she takes the dog for a walk five in the morning because its cool outside. Mom’s comment: “what’s more important? 66’s well-being or others comments?”

09:51

Mom told me to tell dad and mr wang to restock milk, she said just report the number and don’t make any decision. She will visit 66(the bull dog) and his family tonight when I’m at home with Dave.

12:39

heating up food at the moment. Lunch: chicken steak and squash.

16:18

It looks like its gonna rain. I couldn’t finish the lunch. A guy asked for direction of washroom and i told him and lend him the key card but the receptionist tells me that we are forbids to do that. Later he bought a cup of latte. I read 2666 for a while and felt got the morb. I’m sweating. I had my second cup of coffee. After a few minutes a woman in white shirt came by, asked if cappuccino is 23 yuan, i said yes and she tried to order 6 cups of them but later changed her. Ind because the cups we are using are not suitable for her situation, where she wants to give them to her clients. I was scrolling through cptsd memes and i realized that when I first had penetrative masturbation I didn’t bleed or feel pain, it was weird and i talked about this to darling. Later i made a copy pasta about wanting to have sex with vulpes. It got no upvote but downvotes. I now just had my second lunch and wasn’t able to finish it, tried to open a bottle of soda and it made a deafening sound. I was startled. I sit on the step to the display refrigerator for a while and being tired and exhausted for no reasons, I’m forcing myself to write this diary. The chicken steak was too salty

16:29

A woman and her companion is complaining really loudly in the cafe area.

16:34

I realize the complaining woman is the other receptionist, the fat one.

21:15

I just had shower and finished my skin care routine. Tonight we had Cantonese bbq pork, tofu and mushroom stew, fungus I don’t know the name of with vinegar, and stir fry bok-cho for dinner. Before dinner I watched serial experiment lain for a while. Dad is happy today and I organized my earring and stuff after dinner, then took a walk.

[danieyells]

Bought chicken broth to try and make some lazy chicken and rice soup, realized i would not have space for the broth container in the fridge with the ⅔ cup of rice i now have in there because i did not have the appetite to eat a whole cup of rice, some chicken, and vegetables, just ate like ⅓ cup of rice, some chicken, and half a bag of 'stir fry blend' vegetables, like half a cup of orange juice and a cup of hot tea

👍🏾 more than i ate yesterday so that's good even if my appetite still feels meh!

[jeraliey]

Fooding experiments!

(TW: Discussion of food and nutrition)

So I took a CME course on nutrition from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and I liked some of the ideas for eating slightly healthier, so I'm a-gonna try some! It's basically going to be eat-less-animal-product-and-more-plant-product stuff.

(Note/disclaimers: I am a big non-fan of orthorexia; I have the same mistrust-to-scorn for the dieting-and-extremist-yoga-juicing-guru industry as I do for anti-vaxxers. The healthier and least sin-and-virtue-oriented a person's relationship to food is, the better. Also note: I have the privilege of never having had to worry about weight or body image issues, so use appropriate grains of salt. My decisions are only right for me for who I am as a person. Also note: I am a medical professional.)

Anyway, I decided to add some new food items to my repertoire! Some will be additions, and some I'm going to see if they work as substitutions.

-I've had tofu and tempeh before (not something that I preference when ordering, but also not anything that grossed me out). But I never learned how to cook them, so I never bought them for my fridge. I decided I didn't want to mess with the whole press-your-tofu situation, so I got some silken tofu to put in my smoothies instead-of-or-in-addition-to-yogurt (I'll report back if I like it), and some tempeh to use as a meal protein. Also got some cornstarch because apparently that makes these things crispy when you fry them.

-Got some dried-seaweed snacks and edamame for snacking. These are things I already know I like.

-Got some pre-made seaweed salad. I think I've had it before, and I remember liking the texture even though it's not one of my normal expected food-textures. I'll probably make some sesame-ginger marinated tempeh and have those for dinner sometime, I think that should work.

-I bought oat milk. Never bought a non-dairy milk before. Anyway, I'm gonna see if I like it in my tea instead of half-and-half. I got the "extra-creamy" version. I suspect I'll eventually go back to half-and-half (though I've never tried oat milk before so who knows!), but let's see what happens.

-Got some mixed greens for salads, even though I've been trying to eat more salads for years and usually the greens end up wilting uneaten in my fridge. I suspect this pattern will not change anytime soon, but I'm going to continue giving myself the opportunity.

-I got some pre-made tuna salad for sandwiches. Maybe some of the greens will make it onto those too.....

-I also re-upped my requisite ice cream and oreos and bought a pre-made pound cake. And the pre-made curry chicken salad looked good too, so I got some of that even though the overall goal is to reduce the amount of chicken and beef and stuff that I usually eat. Because reduction is not the same thing as elimination.

-I also got some ricotta cheese, because my zucchini plant in my garden is making squash blossoms, and I hear they taste good stuffed and fried. Planning to chop up some parsley and maybe oregano from my garden, make a ricotta stuffing, and fry them up as they arrive. I'm trying to make sure this zucchini plant survives long enough to make female flowers (unlike multiple previous attempts) so I can actually grow zucchini, but even if it doesn't....at least I'll get something out of it this time. -I was actually surprised that buying all of these snooty plant-foods as additions to my usual grocery list actually cost around the same as a normal grocery store visit. And that's even with buying a few new multi-use items like pre-made marinades (for the tempeh). Was not expecting that.

Anyway, let's see how it goes!