#cheapest dry fruits

[wholesalefriutsvegetables]

Read the full article here

[navkaardryfruits]

[schnuffel-danny]

Wet cat. Because of the scene (in that stupid weather ghost episode) where Vlad is all wet and soggy. I wanna aggressively dry his hair with the cheapest shittiest towel I can find, so he can look like a sad scruffy kitten that fell face first into the water bowl.

Feeding fruit to the fruity bat.

[unhingedbutpretty]

20 TAV/OC QUESTIONS

I made it as suggested by @thetavolution! I'm tagging @clandekariios because I'd love to see it for the family, @felynafae, @lanafofana, @certifieddragonenjoyer , @jellymellydraws (because I feel like Rose deserves it xD) and anyone else who wants to do it, feel yourself tagged! But please it's not a pressure tag! Totally optional.

Nyssala Baenre

I. what do they smell like at their freshest? (and/or after a tenday. your choice)

She loves floral perfumes like cloves and roses, with a touch of cinnamon.

II. what would their blood taste like to vampires?

I guess it would taste either like the drinks she consumes the most (cheap, dry, red, citric wine) or as barmy citric fruit brewed with too much sugar on it.

III. how would they kiss their LI?

She is very adaptive and can vary the way she kisses, adapting to the tastes of the LI (a skill she acquired in her years as a sex worker). If given the liberty, though, she's all into nibbles and sucklings, and she loves to bite and scratch. Although she pretends otherwise, she loves to leave red marks and nail trails.

IV. how do they sleep with their LI (what position, does one steal the blankets, is one too hot/cold, etc)?

She had learned to sleep (or trance) with one eye open, so she is a very light sleeper. She’s always cold, so she'll monopolize the blanket (or she'll hide under her LI for warmth).

V. what does their tent area look like? where do they prefer to pitch their tent (next to water, covered on three sides, etc)?

A total mess, but no one can tell this until they go inside. The exterior area is pristine, clean and organized with fluff pillows and a comfortable carpet around a narghile, but there are piles of junk hidden inside every crate or canva, and inside backpacks her belongings are in complete disarray since she just tosses it there and forgets that they exist — just like pretty much every other aspect of her life :’D

VI. if they had a set of dnd dice, what would they look like?

Pink and gold metallic dice (she'll never financially recover from that purchase)

VII. do they collect anything (gems, bottles, keys, etc)?

Do debts and abusive ex-lovers count?

VIII. if either, are they part of the astarion/gale book club (magic & literature) or the wyll/shadowheart book club (trashy romance novels)?

Completely into Wyll/Shadowheart book club, with the addition of her own erotic novels.

IX. if they had to be put in a “get along shirt” with a companion, who would it be?

Either Astarion or Jaheira. Astarion because they're always sassing over each other, resulting in long bickerings of mutual venom spilling. Jaheira because she is the “High Harper” and this group refused to help Nyssala flee from Menzoberranzan, so she's a bit sour against them. 

X. do they prefer speak with dead or speak with animals?

She likes speak with animals (like a disney princess), but uses speak with dead more often, for some reason.

XI. what are their thoughts on clowns?

A poor career choice (actually she wanted to become one, but was refused in every audition she made - it seems that Underdark humor is not very appreciated in the surface, so she became salty about clowns in general).

XII. their companions are gossiping about them behind their back! who is it and what are they saying?

She is the major gossipper of the party, but probably Astarion would talk shit about her “lower tastes” for foods and drinks (she's not very selective, and due to her financial problems she often consumes whatever is cheapest), or disclosing how much Nyssala would be an easy prey for vampires, given her former profession… Or a general gossip about how she managed to stay alive all this time (since disaster seems to follow her everywhere), complainings about how overall careless and financially irresponsible she is, the family name she never disclosed to anyone until Minthara came to camp, or why the hell she is dancing with a sword at the riverbank alone at night. She pretends it doesn't affect her, because she is somehow convinced that she doesn't deserve people's affection anyway.

XIII. what makes them laugh? what does their laugh sound like?

She has the silliest sense of humor, it's pretty easy to make her laugh, actually. As a child, she had a noble education, so she learned how to laugh “politely”. She also practiced charming and cute smiles to charm customers of Sharess’ Caress into buying another drink. But if left unchecked, the girl can cackle real LOUD, so she does whatever is possible to avoid that, since she learned the hard way that people often find it annoying.

XIV. do they have any inside jokes among their companions?

Probably she has some with Minthara, since they both hail from the same place and very likely know about the same people. I also headcanon them gossiping in their mother tongue about drow nobility and other companions.

XV. what’s the description of their camp clothes in the inventory menu?

“This is made of fine fabrics and delicate silvery details. Things like this are probably the source of half of her debts.”

XVI. what’s the description of their underwear in the inventory menu?

“The lace embroidery reads: free to stare, $40 to touch.”

XVII. how do they celebrate their birthday?

During the day, she buys herself a good birthday gift (one that most certainly further compromises her financial life). At night, she hangs out with her friends/coworkers to dance and get drunk on cheap alcohol.

XVIII. what modern day tv show would they binge over a weekend? do they get their LI to watch with them?

She'd be a sucker for doramas (romantic and comedy ones) or true crime series. Or both. But she'd watch whatever her LI is watching because she wants to please them so bad.

XIX. do you have a playlist for your tav? if so, what’s the title + description?

Amor de Quenga - Pablo Vittar (this is in Baldur's Gate, before the game, where she had given up on romance after several romantic disasters)

Baby Said - Måneskin (before the game)

How to Be a Heartbreaker - Marina and the Diamonds (also before the game)

Angry Too - Lola Blanc

Blues da Piedade - Cássia Eller (originally by Cazuza, but I like her version more)

I Miss the Misery - Halestorm

Hot Girl Bummer - Blackbear

Wasabi - Little Mix

Mad Hatter - Melanie Martinez

I'm a Mess - Bebe Rexha

911 - Lady Gaga

Panic Attacks in Paradise - Ashnikko 

Bad Girl - Avril Lavigne

Sweet but Psycho - Ava Max

Zitti e Buoni - Måneskin

Raise Hell - Dorothy

Kiss and Make Up - Dua Lipa & Blackpink

Beggin' - Måneskin (originally by Madcon)

Typa Girl - Blackpink (endgame, if she manages to pay off her debts)

Empire - (G)I-dle (endgame, if she manages to grow her ambitions)

XX. if you were to try pickpocketing them, what would they be carrying?

Make up, hair pins, and excerpts of dirty song lyrics and erotic novels written by herself.

[indnwitch]

Vegan/Vegetarian shopping list:

Pre Made salad bags (it’s a lot cheaper to just buy bagged salad and add to it, then buying a bunch of ingredients that will go bad if not used)

Make a list of fruits and vegetables that you like and get them (some times if you get the funky shaped ones you get a few cents off, even if you don’t that stops the funky shaped produce from being tossed)

Nut butters (most almond and peanut butters are vegan, jelly and Jams aren’t because they’re made with gelatin)

Bread, check the ingredients because a lot of breads are accidentally vegan/vegetarian ( Vegetarian/Vegan (link) Sandwiches will be your best friend)

Pasta (like bread a lot of pasta is accidentally vegan, CHECK THE INGREDIENTS)

Rice and beans are some of the cheapest things to buy, buy them dry and you can have them for a while in your pantry

Google vegan ramen, (if you’re like me and love spicy ramen then you’ll be happy to know Samyang 2x spicy hot chicken flavor Ramen in the red pack is VEGAN they use artificial chicken flavor rather then animal products. Vegan Kimchi regular and spicy is a lot easier to find then you may think just look for ones without fish sauce and shrimp)

Tofu (tofu is very versatile and it’s great source of vegan/vegetarian protein made from soy, it takes flavor beautifully and it’s relatively cheap firm/extra firm is best)

Cheese (there are so many vegan cheese options, for grated parmigiana follow your heart has both grated and shredded, Violife has a block. Violife has the best shredded substitutes, and singles. Daiya is a little weird in my opinion however they’re cheddar dairy free Mac and cheese is amazing (you just gotta use different pasta then it comes with)

Meat substitutes ( We’ve come a long way with decent vegan meat substitutes, beyond meat makes a whole variety of plant based meat substitutes that are very tasty especially if you’re still craving that meaty texture. Impossible meat substitutes also has amazing plant based meat substitutes, Impossible also has vegan chicken nuggets that tastes like McDonald’s and even have dino shaped ones. Light life has everything from vegan sausage crumbles to Bacon, the vegan bacon and hot dogs are amazing)

Eggs (just egg and simply egg are planted based substitutes for eggs, they’re liquid like an egg beater but can be used in place of eggs from a scramble to a baking ingredient)

Dairy (Vegan milk/coffee creamer you got options coconut, almond, soy, oat, pea protein. Pick what you like best. Personally California farms Oat milk in original and California farms oat vanilla creamer are my favorites. I’ll throw cream cheese and Yogurt in here as well Kite Hill regular and Strawberry cream cheese are my favorite, Kite Hill blue berry, and Strawberry vegan yogurt are my favorite. MIYOKO’S vegan butter)

Snacks (Lenny and Larry’s plant based chocolate chip cookies, Spudsy sweet potato puffs they have a million different flavors I like the hot fries. Vegan rob’s dragon puffs these are the vegan equivalent to hot Cheeto puffs but without the red dye 40. Vegan rob’s also has cheese puffs)

Sauces (Anne’s goddess dressing is very tangy, Diaya blue cheese and Caesar dressings are amazing, can be thick though, they also have ranch but I got a vegan homemade ranch recipe. Hot sauce, Franks, Cholula, Tabasco, and Tapatío are vegan. Ketchup& mustard are vegan. Hellmans and follow your heart have vegan mayonnaise,Sir Kingston’s and Follow your heart also have chipotle Mayo. Follow your heart also has vegan sour cream)

Seasonings (seasons you should have in your cabinet click here, the dollar tree sells all these for a dollar and most grocery stores sell adobo)

[somethingclevermahogony]

Happy STS! What are some common forms of entertainment for regular, non-noble people in your world?

Thank you for the question! As per usual, I will be sticking to Kishetal for this one, and more specifically the region around Labisa. These are just a few of the things that common people might do for fun! Common people find a number of ways to entertain themselves.

Beer halls (beer is the drink of commoners, as opposed to wine which tends to be more high class or else reserved for special occasions) are very numerous and form one of the main hangout spots for commoners of all ages. Throughout Kishetal, beer has traditionally been brewed and sold by women. Labisa alone has 19 beer halls, all but one of which are run by women. These halls typically serve five varieties of beer along with various food items.

Aruhakishar/Akishar: (Aruha- Dry, Kisharu- Beer) Unadulterated, typically plain beer, this sort of beer is the basis for the other varieties. These vary from brewer to brewer and can differ greatly in terms of strength, flavor, color, etc. This tends to be the cheapest option. Ishkishar: (Isha- Sour/Bitter Kisharu- Beer) Aruhakishar typically with the addition of various herbs, nuts, and even minerals. This beer is typically seen as invigorating, good for lifting the energy and strengthening the resolve against wicked spirits. Few people drink this casually. Wakishar: (Wawa- Sweet, Kisharu- Beer) Similar to the above but rather than the addition of herbs to promote bitter and sour flavors, this variety of beer is typically sweetened with the addition of various sweeteners, most often date syrups, honey, and fruits like fig. These tend to be the most well-liked variety of beer and fall in the middle when it comes to price. Olikishar/Olkishar: (Oli- Blood/Red, Kisharu- Beer) This variety of beer is similar to Wakishar but is flavored specifically with the addition of red fruit, like pomegranate, cherry, and various mountainous berry, giving it that crimson appearance. Some beer halls may add other additives to increase this sanguine appearance. Depending on the quality, this may be the most expensive variety of beer sold at a hall. Ihikishar/ Ihiki: (Ihi- Giggle (haha), Kisharu-Beer) This particular variety of beer is not sold in all halls and tends to be the most expensive, and is viewed among the common folk as more of a treat. This beer can be any of the above with addition of the treated oil of the magical Kasikur plant, also known as jit(from a Forestfolk word). Drinking jit mixed with wine may cause various effects, most commonly a slight high, similar to cannabis. However the use of jit is highly regulated as its magical effects, when consumed in sufficient amounts can have dangerous and bizarre effects.

Storytelling, relating tales of Kishetals history and of the various happenings of the outside world, takes a very robust place in the lives of Kishite people of all walks of life.

Temples often put on performances, mostly reenacting the exploits of legendary heroes. Typically these events are free though a donation is expected. The most extravagant of these performances may also include shows of sagecraft, some of the only magic that common folk are exposed to.

Poets and bards are likewise quite ubiquitous, performing on street corners or else found in the beer halls, competing for the attention, and appreciation of their audiences.

Poetry battles and rhyming contests, in essence thinly veiled battles of insults, are common spectacles and the best poets may even earn some degree of fame amongst their peers.

Gambling with dice or on the outcomes of fights are also quite common. Thiefs dice is particularly common among the enslaved population of Labisa as it only necessitates small gambles.

Suru was on the deck arranging some sort of game atop a wooden crate. " Come down here, Ninma." He called up to her.  Ninma shimmied down the mast and sat at the makeshift table. The crate had on it a pile of dried figs and two dice carved from bone; two of the sides were painted red, one blue, one black, one yellow, and one remained white. " What is this?" Ninma asked, inspecting one of the dice. " Something to distract us while we wait. Narul and I used to call this thief’s dice, no idea what it is actually called. I borrowed the dice from one of the crew. We used to play it in the slave quarters, don’t know if you ever played it up in the palace, doesn’t seem like it. The rules are simple. We take turns rolling the dice. If you get blue, you take a fig. If you get red, it becomes my turn. If you roll yellow, you must put a fig back in the pot. If you get white, you can take one of my figs, but if you get black, I can take one of yours. The game is over when someone rolls a blue, but there are no figs in the pot to take. Back home, we used the money your father gave us at festivals, but I respect you too much to take all your money, princess." He grinned.

Hunting for small game like birds and rabbits is popular among rural populations, though not so much among urban ones. Though, rat-catching is not unheard of among young and adult alike in certain parts of Labisa and other large cities.

Duels, or more accurately brawl matches with sticks and fists, are not at all uncommon, though technically illegal. When such fights do break out, they attract much attention, and typically, much gambling. The city guard, at least under Hutbari, does little to stop this and may even join in on the wager.

Wrestling, boxing, foot races, competitions of skill with slings, and other similar physical activities are popular, and may take place at just about any time. For those rare few that know how, swimming in Lake Shebali is a fun bit of leisure, though not always entirely safe as the depths of the lake can be dangerous. Dance and music are common as well, perhaps most famous is Storm Step. This style of dance theater is almost entirely non-verbal and rather is dependent on facial and bodily expression. The dances are performed on hollow wooden platforms, producing loud thundering sounds, thus giving the style of theater its name. Unlike most styles of theater in Kishetal, Storm Step is entirely dominated by women, and more often than not pairs of sapphic lovers. In some instances entire troupes may form polyamorous unions.

I could keep going, but I think that gives a good picture for now. Let me know if you would like to know more!

[aliveahahafuck]

So, random funny things that happened at larp this weekend:

I was NPCing as a crab, and at one point, one of the owners, who was also a crab, got this absolute Cheshire grin and ran OOG towards a light post that has been designated as the portal between cities/places within the different larp guilds (ie between all other games put on by guilds within the Underword universe). As more of us saw that and realised what he was doing as soon as we went down, we joined him. And as Crabs were still joining the group, he just started chanting, "COMING THROUGH THE SKEIN GATE: ONE", a few people join him chanting, "COMING THROUGH THE SKEIN GATE: TWO", and finally there's eight of us yelling the chant and at 3, we all shuffle out of the portal and all I hear from a player is "WHO THE FUCK PAID THE FEE FOR 8 CRABS TO GO THROUGH THE SKEIN GATE!?!?!?! THAT'S SO MUCH GOLD?!?!" (Someone who no longer has a crab problem, obviously. Lmao)

I fell asleep at a picnic table because A: the sun was warm, B: it was peaceful listening to the people chat beside me, and C: it was like 11 am and I'd only been up for two hours but had been exhausted the whole time. Except I wasn't completely sleeping, I was in the half awake state you get where you can hear ahit going on around you, but actually processing basically nothing. Because of that, I heard one of the people who I'd been chatting with say, "Should we wake her? There's demons coming." Only to hear what felt like seconds later:

"Hello there, what have we here?"

"It's a nature's hold. Wild animals can't see us."

"I see. And your friend?"

"Ehhhhh, she might be dead, might be sleeping, we're not too sure."

"Okay then, I'll leave you too whateverthis is." (Footsteps as they walk away)

"I can't believe that worked."

"Me neither."

They did end up waking me up and I chatted with them a bit before I fell asleep again for what felt to me like max 30 seconds, but according to my friend was more like 5-7 minutes and was woken up by a familiar voice saying: "Here. This is for you."

And I raise my head and see a hand placing an orange directly in front of me, I look up to the owner of the hand, and it's my best friends uncle, one of the owners of the guild, dressed as a demon with about 4 others and I just kinda blue screen and just say "thank you???" And they all walk off.

Once they're back in plot camp (a cabin a couple meters away but far enough to be out of earshot), I turned to the people beside me and just go: "he gave me an orange? What the fuck do I do with it? I'm not eating the demon orange?"

The consensus was do not trust the suspicious fruit.

(I found out later that he stole it from the player who runs an alchemy shop and also sells snacks; "he took it as he walked by and at first I was mad, but then I realised that demon just took the cheapest item in my shop; I'm going to take that as a compliment.")

Also, the demons just wanted coffee.

I also found out that while I was sleeping, the bottom of my WOOL cloak had fallen off my lap. I was sitting at a picnic table that had an ever growing puddle around it as the day went on. The fucker wasn't dry by the time I got home a day and a half later.

Lil while later, and I, once again, was fucking exhausted. I ended up going into the tavern and just laid down across one of the pew style benches that lined the walls (10/10 wouldn't recommend. Sitting up at the picnic table was better) and took off my belt, which had a few leather bags attached, to use as a pillow. Partly because I wasn't dumb enough to leave them as easy access and lose my shit, partly because the bench was so thin that I wouldn't have been able to comfortably lay down with the one on my back.

The tavern was FUCKING LOUD. Like, holy shit how did I sleep for 1.5 hours with that racket going on, loud.

I don't remember like 95% of what went on, but the things I do remember are someone saying "shit. There's bears outside." Followed quickly by "HOLY SHIT THE BEARS HAVE MAGIC"

And when, I'm assuming, the battle was over, the shopkeeper player yelling out a window, "I'm selling (healing potions), and they're really cheap~~"

Some time later, about an hour into this nap, I'd sat up, stared into the middle distance for a bit, then walked across the tavern to where I'd left my cloak and over vest above a heater to dry, put on the vest, took my cloak threw it down onto of my "pillow" and immediately went back to sleep for another 30 min.

Sunday, I was chatting with a friend when a npc gnome came over and challenged him to an arm wrestling contest. I was also friends with the person playing the npc. The guy I was originally talking to activated a magic item that made him stronger mid competition, to which the gnome activated a "gnomish device" anti magic field and won the contest. At which point he stopped and looked at me:

"You didn't have any magical items on you, right? Or potions?"

"Uhhhh, yeah. I had a potion of purify in my bag."

"Shit. Well, now you don't. It's just water."

He looked so upset that he'd fucked over my potion and he gave me blacksmithing materials as compensation.

It literally took all of 5 minutes for me to get a new potion, for free, because I knew who'd made them, and he knew I play a healer lmao

vlater i volunteered to go grab someone's staff from our cabin. As I'm walking across the central field, all I hear is: "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU! CRABS!"

I turned to see the person who was playing the gnome, now a crab, just hauling ass b-lining towards me across the field. As previously stated, I'm a healer, a squishy as fuck, lvl 4 healer. I quickly turned and bolted, unlocked the cabin, flung the door open, slammed it shut behind me, and grabbed the staff I was sent to get in the first place. Seconds later the crab opened the door and saw me, this 5foot fuck all human holding this 7foot long staff grinning like a Cheshire cat: "activate magic item: sigil of the weapons master. 7 MAGIC! 7 MAGIC!-"

I like to call that staff "overkill: the weapon" lmao

The owner of it: "it costs 3 gold to borrow it. Unless you're so tiny that it looks ridiculous, then it's free."

I fell into the "Hilariously tiny" group, but also the "we're playing the same rareish race, and we stick together" group lol

After a huge battle where like 9 people died:

"I'm so not getting that staff back. There's no way it survived."

"That's unfortunate, I liked killing crabs with it."

"Yeah, that's always fun, even if its so overkill for them."

(5 minutes later I come running into the tavern again)

"MORE PEOPLE SURVIVED, THEYRE HEADING BACK NOW! (People start excitedly leaving) also, your staff survived."

"IT WHAT"

"It's coming back! I saw Wolfgreir (who had it before the battle) without it and was happy that at least he survived, and then I saw it being carried through the bush, Jaylin (main healer) has it!"

"No way. I was sure it was gone!"

"I can't believe it either."

[motsimages]

Things you can drink/take to help you stay hydrated that are not just water

Water is the healthiest, easiest and cheapest way to stay hydrated. But for some people it is difficult or impossible. Sometimes it's also just boring and you don't. Sometimes it's not enough to recover from being dehydrated. So here are other ideas to stay hydrated when it's hot, ordered from more water-like to less water-lik:

Make "flavoury water" (as I call it): some tea-shops sell dry fruits and flowers with no theine/caffeine that give taste to water. You can also cut some lemon in slices and put it in water (mint optional). Feel free to try with your own dry fruits or average fruits, see what comes out of that. This feels more refreshing that plain water and the taste sometimes is just what you were missing unknowingly.

The same but hot. Yes, it feels like hot weather drives hot drinks away, but sometimes they are a gift from the gods. I will mention here: soups. I particularly like this option at night.

Kompot. This is a Russian conserve for fruits that consists on boiling fruit with sugar so that it lasts for winter. You get a drink with all the flavour and, if you like, you can also eat the fuit that is left floating inside of it. I either mix the fruit with the water (taking the seed off) or throw the fruit away because I don't like it. It is my favourite summer drink.

Sodas and other classical refreshments. It is always best to drink something that to not drink anything, don't let anyone tell you that Coca-Cola is not an option. Do keep in mind that Aquarius is not necessarily a good option for electrolytes, it's more an average refreshment than real help in case of severe dehydration.

Jelly. Particularly good if you struggle to swallow for whatever the reason. Excellent option also because you can suspend fruit in it (if you like extra textures). You can make it thicker or ligther too, in case you feel like chewing water more than slurping it.

Slushies. Specially good if you like the crunch of the ice.

Milkshakes and smoothies. They are technically different and the texture can be different too, but in my head they live together. So yeah, fruit mixed together with water or milk. Probably smoothies hydrate more than milkshakes but options!

Cold soups. Gazpacho, vichysoisse... (any other soup/puré you make that want to try cold). They have a thicker consistency than any of the other, but they have a lot of water and vegetables (which also have water). Particularly good if you struggle with pure liquids or require more nutrients than just drinking water with flavour.

Ice creams? I guess you can count them too, they do have liquid, and we included milkshakes. Probably not the best option for hydration but complementary to others.

Fruit and vegetables. They tend to have a lot of water too, some more than others, but it's also a good way to have nutrients and stay hydrated. You can make salads, fruit salads, just bite it...

Overall, a combination of all of the above should keep you covered. Remember to play around with ingredients, textures and flavours too.

[foreignobjecticus]

Fruit Mince Pie Ultimate Taste Test*

Okay, I have sooooo many fruit mince pies and, instead of forgetting to write down my ratings like in did in Australia, I’m actually going to document them here. (In Aus, don’t bother with the cheapest Coles ones or the Bundaberg ones which have terrible pastry, iirc.)

Each pie will be awarded out of 5 stars, with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. I won’t bother with actual prices but I will note if they’re the budget, midrange or high-end versions (which usually vary from £1.50 per 6 pies to £2.50/6 to £3.50/6 or more). I also won’t mention ingredients specifically as these can change too. Pies will be eaten just warm enough from the microwave that I scald my tongue on the first bite every single time.

*UK only and I don’t live near Tescos or Sainburys or whatever so tough luck.

Morrison’s Bakery Shortcrust Mince Pies (from the in-store bakery) - budget - ★

Filling: Oh god, did I just get a bad batch? It tastes like the bottom of the pot of filling caught but it got used anyway. Awful. There’s a terrible metallic taste and it’s a little dry.

Pastry: Way too sweet and a lot drier than shortcrust should be. This is crumbly, more like a soft biscuit almost. Did they use butter? It’s just sweet and... floury.

Presentation & notes: normal white sugar crystals on top, but otherwise just a plain looking little mini pie. I thought they looked dry and I was right. They’re also noticably more shallow than most standard pies, possibly to differentiate them from the “deep filling“ Morrison’s bakery mince pies... which I didn’t originally pick up because I’ve had them before and they’re decent but only sold in a 4 pack since December. Bugger. Now I might have to try these again to check if these weren’t just burnt, but I kind of don’t even want to finish this one... Tsk tsk, Morrisons. Way to start off these reviews badly lol

[furmity]

For all I had to be at my most responsible, competent, and organised to help my brother, spending a lot of time calling mechanics and discussing autoelectrics- we had a blast. We're great friends and hadn't seen each other in years.

He is out of the pit, and in a month we rendezvous with our sister (us three in the same place for the first time in three years!). Much progress was made.

We ate the finest, cheapest tropical fruits and cackled at the shaming of the guilty. We worked a few days on an organic sweet potato farm, visited a coffee plantation, and drank a bottle of mango wine. I *shudder* became accustomed to XXXX because the interstate folk don't know what's up.

I saw animals I've waited my whole life to see, amd marvelled at how all of Australia was once rainforest. We picked up a stray dog at the crater lakes and surrendered them to a vet. Alas, it was dry season and I didn't have the QLD green- treefrog- in- shower moment.

We mountain- goated across boulders, and I fulfilled my lifelong ambition of swinging from a jungle vine in aid of the goating. We had a driftwood fire on the Kaba beach and camped in a very eccentric tent belonging to our sister. One night I led a lost drunk girl who didn't have a phone through the dark mangroves back to camp... and when I went back to smoke a joint in there, the board walk vibrated ominously.

We inspected the pools at the top of Davies Creek Falls in the dark, and only realised the next day that they're 70m tall. We screeched to a halt for a frog crossing the road, and saw a platypus with uncanny ease at the platypus- viewing hide in Yungaburra.

I stood leaning on the rail of the Fitzroy Flyer and let the Coral Sea wind blow through me, up my nose and into my soul. That attempt to see some of Nyurrbing was ultimately a very expensive day on the beach in the rain (a cheerful one, though). We had silly cocktails on a tropical island from Foxy's.

A lucky sea- step penny I've had since Orkney in (er..?) 2016 mysteriously vanished, replaced by a 5c piece from the great Biboohra River. My rosary blessed by its waters, and my "home" solstice hallowing water my best offering.

I met Daintree bogans and greened out on their medical weed in Cape Tribulation. My brother was with me, and those guys were great, but I felt how easily something terrible could have happened. I thought I'd broken my nose.

I was sensible and didn't try the Queensland psyllocibins available in the caravan park's drug shop. Open 7-9pm daily and run by a metal head Bush Doof Jesus, it is frequented by Lenny the bandicoot (who was stolen then returned, seen crash- bandicooting in a cage on a skateboard!). I got a blow- by- blow account when my caravan- mate had a chocolate full of "penis envy" mushrooms.

I marvelled at being in Hippy Land, the way it was reflected in supermarkets and pharmacies. The Kuranda markets were a lot of fun. I saw plenty of irresponsible van- life animal husbandry, and was disappointed how strong white dreadlocks still are. I became disgusted by their fire twirling antics (kerosene on the beach of the Great Barrier Reef?!), beautiful as it was. Someone stole a plastic spoon which was holding our caravan window open, and you couldn't trust them around your dish detergent!

I read a trippy N.E. QLD magazine called Connect (it was the LGBTQIA+ edition and friends, I don't know how offended to be). Full of ads for white plastic shamans and barramundi animal messages.

I twice glued the boots which had been re- heeled before the trip. Their soles peeled the minute we got to Kaba Kada. What was once dappled grey is now dyed by the red, red Yidinji soil of the farm. They're treasured now (and at the cobbler).

I stitched tourist patches into the duffel bag which is slowly catching up to my old sticker- covered case that perished coming back from Aotaeroa. I was that tourist who bought a crocodile tooth, and dreamt with it under my pillow.

For my last night I painted my nails pink to watch Barbie in Australia's oldest operative cinema. We spoilt our dinner with popcorn and snakes, and saw one last waterfall.

I came home to Tarndanya and saw it anew... a changed woman (not that Barbie had anything to do with it).

[elina-scstudyabroad]

If I had to choose one thing, that I love about Singapore so far it would definitely be the cultural variety of the food here. In Geylang, there are a lot of different types of restaurants, many of which are very easily accessible either take away or sometimes with small seating areas. Most of the food is extremely cheap with very decent portions so trying out new places and dishes has been one of our favorite things to do here so far. Generally, you can buy food in hawkers (outside food courts) which offer the cheapest options or food courts in malls (air conditioned!) which is a bit more expensive but still very cheap compared to eating out in the US.

Today I thought I’d create a breakdown of some of the food I have tried so far:

1. Noodles with various meats: from duck, pork and chicken to duck beaks, chicken feet and pig noses you can get pretty much anything in Singapore but one of my staples so far has been dry/fried noodles with some type of meat.

2. Sweet and sour pork: coming from the US, I was very much on the level of Americanized Chinese food and this dish of sweet and sour pork was actually the closest to what I am used to.

3. Poke bowl: if you know me, you know I love poke bowls and this one was absolutely delicious even though it was more in the higher price range compared to most foods in the hawkers

4. Curry: I ate this delicious Indian meal at the Marina Bay sands mall, which was very good though spicier than what I’m used to!

I am now also starting to eat more at home now that I have a kitchen and am eating a lot of fresh fruits like mangoes, bapples (I don’t know what these are actually called but they’re a mixture of an apple and a pear) and dragonfruit. We try to keep our fruit bowl in the living room stocked at all times!

There are many stores that sell fresh fruit and vegetables and we discovered this giant wet market in Chinatown that sells literally anything fresh.

But our favorite so far is the fruit store on the way home from the MRT station that sells different fruits and restocks almost every day!

[navkaardryfruits]

[adarede]

Lesser known budget cooking tips

So many budget cooking tips are just things like “eat less meat!” and “only buy what you need!” and “buy the supermarket own brand!”

This advice is obvious, and most people looking for budget cooking advice are already doing it. In this post I will write some lesser known tips which are likely to give better results.

1. The cheapest way to get carbs is to make your own bread. The quickest way to do this is to make flatbreads. All you need is some flour (currently 69p for 1.5kg at Aldi; you only need like 50g at once), a pinch of salt (negligible money), and water from the tap. Make a dough (adjust flour and water until it is dough-like), knead until stretchy, leave it to rest for a bit (not essential step, can be skipped), roll/stretch it into a flatbread shape, and fry it in a dry frying pan for a minute or two on each side.

This may be more effort than buying bread, but it’s a fun thing to try if you happen to have a bit more time than money.

2. The cheapest way to get herbs is to forage them. For example, go to a churchyard and you’ll find loads of rosemary. Go around where you live, smell the plants, take pictures, look them up to see if you can eat them, and if so, eat them. (You can also get your very own rosemary bush by propagating a cutting. Easy to do, if slow. Look up directions online!)

3. Second cheapest way to get herbs - grow them. Around autumn or winter, go to a garden centre, and buy a packet of seeds reduced to clear. I got a huge pack of parsley seeds for 30p! Now have parsley growing out my ears. This is only cheap if you have access to soil though. You can also re-pot the potted herbs from supermarkets - hoping everyone saw that tiktok of the guy saying the reason they always die quickly is they are too many plants cramped together in too small a pot. 

As for growing other stuff, it only helps you save on groceries if you have the space to do it large-scale. But it’s fun so do it anyway. (This tip was quite well known but i’m including it in order to propagandise gardening)

4. Cooking bacon is often mentioned as the cheapest meat (It’s about £1/kg i think). However I’ve never seen that in the shops. What I have seen is a kg of frozen sausages from tesco for about £1.50. This is excellent value even if you consider that they’re only 42% meat. 

The cheapest fish is basa (catfish), and don’t listen to the haters: it’s delicious in both taste and texture (and £1.79 for 3 frozen filets from ALDI right now). 

5. Another uncommonly mentioned cheap meat is chicken paste. Or fish paste. It’s 42p for a little jar that contains a lot of protein! It gives me the shivers but I think it’s worth promoting more widely. 

On the other hand, one which doesn’t give me the shivers and which is great value protein is mini pork pies - these are very frequently reduced to clear in smaller supermarkets.

6. The cheapest vegetables are still carrots and potatoes, and the cheapest fruit is still bananas. However, the price of bananas has increased, so now if other fruits are on a good offer, it’s possible for them to be cheaper than the 18p per fruit which bananas now cost. Have seen apples at this price. 

7. Don’t buy things for the store cupboard. I’m always tempted to buy in advance stuff like cereal and tea and pasta and rice and tins. However, having stuff in the cupboard doesn’t seem to save money on future shops at all. Even if I’m buying multiple e.g. boxes of cereal because they’re on offer. The reality is that I just eat a lot more cereal when I have more in the house.

I think it’s helpful to have to use up all the food you bought last week before you go on next week’s shop. This often compels you to have a random using-up dinner, which is always a good idea. Pay no heed to conventional ideas of which foods go together.

8. An alternative to sweets when you’re feeling snacky: make some buttercream with margarine and icing sugar, put it in the fridge or freezer, and enjoy. Can also add cocoa powder to make chocolate buttercream. Super sweet and way cheaper for the amount you can get out of a box of icing sugar. 

Instead of buying baked goods, make cookies. Similarly, instead of buying cereal bars, make flapjacks. 

9. The only food I’ve had to throw away in the last year has been mushrooms that have gone mouldy quicker than I anticipated. Watch out for those sneaky blighters. 

10. If you are a porridge enjoyer, and you enjoy your porridge with milk, then use whole milk rather than semi-skimmed. You can replace the amount of semi-skimmed milk you would use with half the amount of whole milk, topped up with water, and get a porridge with the same level of creaminess. 

The same applies for white sauce/cheese sauce for pasta bake. Doesn’t apply for milk to drink on its own though (watered down whole milk does NOT taste like semi skimmed, it tastes like watered down whole milk). 

Same principle also applies for cheese (the principle being ‘semi-skimmed and whole milk are the same price’; so too are mature and extra-mature cheddars). Buy the strongest possible cheese to add to cheese sauces and pasta bake, as you will need to add less for more flavour. 

Of everything I’ve mentioned in this tip, only the porridge milk substitute has saved me money, as when I was doing this I ate porridge every day and measured how much milk I used. The other examples are extensions of the principle which I can’t guarantee would save money in practice. 

Having porridge for breakfast is also a very good idea when it comes to saving money as it fills you up for pennies. You knew that though.

11. Cheap meals generally take forms like:

- cheesy pasta bake with one vegetable in it (e.g. broccoli, peas, sweetcorn)

- lentil stew with one vegetable in it (e.g. carrots, peppers, spinach)

- rice with a single vegetable stir-fried (e.g. mushrooms, aubergine, reduced-to-clear 30p stir-fry veg bag)

- rice and beans (check out jack monroe’s chilli)

I save most money when I’m mainly eating this kind of thing.

Also some people don’t realise that you can cook rice in a saucepan just like you cook pasta. It is not at all tricky. 

12. Leftovers are your friend if and only if you have the willpower to avoid eating them for breakfast or midnight snack. Otherwise they are your ENEMY!

13. Don’t buy drinks (apart from tea bags and squash). Fresh juice and smoothies will lead you astray. 

I will consider this post my repository of knowledge and may add to it. 

[nimbarkorganic]

Organic farming | Nimbark Foods

The Mistakes to avoid while picking up stores offering organic farming produce

Most individuals consider that shifting to organic products is the best manner to lead a healthy life and stay fit, for which organic farming is flourishing in India. Organic foods are grown without any interruption of pesticides, harmful chemicals, or insecticides. 

Consuming healthy food has been a great challenge for most individuals. Before picking up organic food you must enlighten yourself enough to garner its advantages and not end up abusing your health. Many individuals are not well conversant with the fact of how to access superior organic food and thus commit mistakes. 

Below are the mistakes that you should stay away from while selecting the correct organic produce. 

Picking up a store offering organic products at a low price

Many individuals go for the cheapest services without contemplating whether it provides quality products or not. However, a cheap rate at first appears to be an appealing offer, selecting the inexpensive service may cost you in the long run. The compelling idea is to compare different stores’ organic food prices before picking up one of them.

Forget to go through comments or ratings:

Rather than relying upon the claims of the organic food store, it is recommended to scan through the ratings or comments about them. These comments are generally written by previous buyers who have already enjoyed the store’s services. The comments the costumes write mainly depend upon their experience with the store. Thus before selecting any online organic food store, you must evaluate whether it has admirable ratings or not. If you get admirable reviews, then it will assure that the store is a reliable one. 

Not evaluating the terms and conditions

It is a common habit of buyers to buy products without investing much time in scanning through the terms and conditions. But it must be remembered that these terms and conditions are important as they furnish information about the stores and their policies. 

Every store has its terms and conditions that they exhibit on its official website. Thus, you should browse through them cautiously before you opt to buy organic products from that specific store. 

Not selecting a store with a wide array of collection

It is always better to check whether the store has a huge collection of organic products or not. You should be careful while exploring an online store with a variety of organic foods involving fresh vegetables, juices, etc. 

Not exploring the license of the store offering organic produce

Most of the customers do not bother to evaluate whether their selected store is authorized to furnish organic food or not. When you select an unlicensed brand, you will obtain inferior quality food which will in turn cause harm to your health. Licensed brands pay taxes and abide by all the legal guidelines that ensure them a commendable name in the market. They also offer superior quality organic food. 

We at Nimbark, have become a reliable brand by offering excellent quality organic produce to our customers. Our items are the result of pure organic farming in India. Whether you are searching for organic spices, nuts, dry fruits, aloe Vera juice, etc. you can browse through our website https://www.nimbarkfoods.com/ After placing the order, your products will get delivered to your doorstep.

[lassiinsummer]

Top 5 Benefits of Having Lassi during Summer

Lassi is a delicious and refreshing drink that instantly revitalises the entire body. This beverage item is loved by many, and it is enjoyed by people all over the globe. From salty to sweet, it has many variations and is even tastier when served with dry fruits. It is an ancient drink; it is very nutritious as it is prepared by churning the curd.

It is full of calcium, potassium, B-complex vitamins, vitamin D, phosphorus, and folic acid. Primarily, due to the presence of yogurt, this beverage item contains numerous beneficial bacteria, which aid in digestion and kill harmful viruses. It is hard to resist a sip of the lassi topped with dried fruit and a generous dollop of cream.

Lassi is a healthy and safe alternative to sugary and carbohydrate drinks. Lassi is a traditional Indian drink option, originating from Punjab, made by mixing yogurt with water, sugar, or salt and spices like cumin or cardamom to create a thick consistency. One of the main benefits of consuming Punjabi lassi in summer is its ability to instantly refresh and cool the body. Lassi is the perfect option to beat the summer heat by keeping you cool and calm, helping you avoid nausea or sunstroke. Additionally, lassi can be added after lunch to provide the body with bulk muscle and protein. Let's find out some of the benefits of having lassi during summer.

Top 5 advancements of drinking lassi during summer

1. Helps in Digestion: Lassi is very beneficial for its soothing effect and its probiotics aid digestion and eases bowel movements. As lassi is made with churned curd, it helps in the development of the human digestive system during summer days. As lassi is made from churned curd, it helps in the development of the human digestive system during summer days. That is why people mostly drink lassi after their meal, which makes it a soothing beverage for the stomach. Lassi helps the stomach to eliminate acid reflux. Lassi is the perfect natural cleanser that cleans the inner tract of the digestive tract filled with fat and oils.

2. Fight against body heat: Lassi is a refreshing and cool drink, which reduces the heat of the body on summer days. This is one of the major reasons why lassi is a perfect summer drink. Generally, probiotics maintain a healthy and necessary balance of intestinal flora, which is essential for a good digestive system. A robust digestive system is very important, particularly during summer when the hot weather can often cause digestive problems, which is necessary for summer to fight against heat-induced digestive issues. Yogurt, the primary extract of lassi, has natural cooling properties that help reduce body temperature. Lassi is the best and cheapest way to keep your body cool and calm in unbearably hot weather.  In summer, lassi does not just quench your thirst but keeps you hydrated by reducing the temperature by replenishing the lost electrolytes through sweating. 

3. Prevent frequent stomach aches during summer: During hot summer days, constipation and bloating are major problems. Due to this, people mostly avoid solid food in summer, but drinking a glass of lassi is the solution for both fulfilling hunger and preventing constipation, stomach ache, and bloating problems.  Lassi is undoubtedly an organic and healthy drink; it is effective in keeping away your stomach problems in any situation. The presence of Lactobacillus bacteria is lassi effective in curing various gastrointestinal disorders such as dysentery, diarrhoea, stomach bloating, vomiting, and nausea. Drinking lassi washes away the spiciness of food and is effective in soothing inflamed stomach lining.

4. Provide energy: Lassi contains vitamins, protein, potassium, minerals, calcium, magnesium, and other enzymes that help convert food into energy. Without the added artificial ingredients or sugars that could be found in various energy drinks, lassi provides a natural source of energy. It contains protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins that give you a sustained energy dose, making it the exemplary beverage item for summer to get you through the day. Especially, during the summer, consuming lassi before or after a workout can be a great source of hydration and protein to help replenish energy levels. It offers to be a natural energy booster, and all credit goes to its nutrient profile.

5. Keep hydrated by maintaining electrolyte balance: Lassi is rich in electrolytes and it is helpful to fight against dehydration in the body during summer days. In summer, drinking lassi daily keeps your body hydrated and gives a cooling effect. Moreover, it contains curd and water ingredients, which are effective in curing diarrhoea and stomach problems. Instead of consuming regular soda, lassi is 5X more hydrating and effective. The minerals and vitamins contained in lassi are an effective way to boost body’s the electrolyte balance. It can be called the 'Hydration Hero' due to its body-cooling properties and rich source of electrolytes.

Conclusion  

Everyone loves to drink lassi during summer and this tasty recipe filled their mind with happiness. This drink also offers an array of health benefits, especially during the summer because the soothing properties of lassi promote relaxation and are a great stress reliever. Consumption of lassi is effective for the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestion system. It contains some probiotics which are very beneficial in boosting the immune system, which also lowers blood pressure. Lassi not just keeps the body cool and calm from the heat but also soothes the mind. It is rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins, and calcium, which help to boost digestion, give energy, fight heat, and hydrate everyone during summer.

[coinguitar]

These Are the World’s Cheapest Airlines by Distance

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