#chicken 65 fry

[sravaniskitchen]

Chicken 65 Recipe

Check out this delicious Chicken 65 recipe on Sravaniskitchen! Perfect for a tasty homemade meal. Click the link to get the full recipe: https://sravaniskitchen.com/chicken-65-recipe/. For more tasty recipes, visit Sravaniskitchen: https://sravaniskitchen.com/."

[willowisdead345]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧my safe foods✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Big post of my safe foods!! With calories, so basically a big post of low cal and low fat foods that are basically all I eat... and I feel full, satisfied and have lost over 17 kg so eating them is working I guess??

under cut because this is looooong

Dairy products

Almond milk (instead of cream in cooking): 2 dl of "no sugar" almond milk is 26 kcal and tastes creamy in food, without the fat and kcals from that

fat free greek yogurt: the one I buy has 13 grams of protain and 65 kcal for 100 g, and my regular portion (1/3 package) is only 109 kcal

fat free quark: 10 grams of protein and 59 kcal for 100 g

skyr: (type of like yogurt I assume), naturally fat free and there are lots of flavored options. The one I eat (my favourite) is 16 g of protein and 94 kcal for the whole thing

sugar and fat free drinkable yogurt (with beneficial bacteria), really good for a snack or sweet craving but not very filling, mainly for just the taste (my safe one has strawberry flavour), it's 27 kcal for 100 g (which happens to also be the size of the bottle)

fat free cottage cheese: 63 kcal for 100 g (although it's also lactose free which lowers the calories), great for protein and can be blended into stuff if you can't deal with the texture (source: I can't)

proteins

quorn: quorn is a mushroom and egg white based protein, without much of a taste and a texture like that of chicken. Huge recommendation for this if it's sold in your country. 89 kcal for 100 g and very low in fat!

egg white: 1 large egg white is 18 kcal, and contains no fat but does contain protein! seasoned with salt and pepper and fried without oil is my favourite way to have it. Note that the yolk does contain fat and has a lot more calories, so removing it is what I do

turkey slices: idk why but this is the only meat i'm not scared of, and it's a specific brand of turkey deli meat. 1% fat (probably why I'm not scared of it) and a 15 g slice is 13 kcal and it's meat, so a lot of protein. Goes well with lentil flatbread sandwiches!

lentils: have protein and work very well in soups and lentil flatbread/pancakes!! 100 g of dried red lentils has 118 kcal

dairy products: already covered but a lot of them have protein

"sides"

shirataki noodles: whole bag is 20 kcal, and contains 4 reasonable portions!! If you can deal with the texture, I definitely recommend!

Cauliflower: amazing vegetable, works as a base for soups, nuggets, a side for any meal, replacement for rice, literally anything... 25 kcal for 100 g, very, very good for volume eating!

green beans: really good in place of potato with meals, 31 kcal for 100 g and goes well boiled or air fried (or just stuck in the oven)

cucumber: with or without seasoning, goes really well as an easy side dish! One entire cucumber is 28 kcal!! try being hungry after eating an entire cucumber...

salad: great as a meal with a source of protein or as a side, calories vary for ingredients (ingredient I love include tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, lettuce, arugula and salt and pepper for seasoning)

homemade meals:

lentil flatbread/pancakes: made with 3 ingredients (egg white, lentils and water), have 50 kcal for 3 pieces (which is a reasonable portion). work both as a replacement for bread when had with savory toppings and pancakes when had with sweet toppings, basically very versatile! Made with a frying pan and no oil, they don't need oil

SOUPS!! Lentil soup (delicious) or my favourite, vegetable-cottage cheese-blended soup!! ingredients determine the calories, but usually they vary between 80-120 kcal per portion and I love soup as a nice (and filling!) dinner :)

sauces: (with shirataki noodles, cauliflower or green beans to skip the calories from potato or pasta), my favourites are tomato based, but cream based made with almond milk is also something I enjoy. calculate the calories for whatever you make

salads: with a protein a salad can be a filling meal! lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper and tomato are all pretty low calorie, meaning the portions of them can be massive and still under 100 kcal combined!! my favourite protein for salads is tuna (canned IN WATER), and of course seasoned with salt and black pepper (my favourite seasonings tbh)

vegetables

CAULIFLOWER!! best vegetable in my opinion. Makes a perfect replacement for potato as mash, rice, makes a good base for soups, is delicious oven fried with grill seasoning... just love cauliflower so much and get through about a head a week lol. 25 kcal for 100 g

broccoli: pretty nice in soups and as a side, 34 kcal for 100 g but pretty nice and low kcal for the volume

CARROTS!! 35 kcal for 100 grams, so a 200 gram bag is 70 kcal and will fill you up. I love carrots and have 200 g for lunch almost every day, and get through a LOT of carrots during other meals too! I love the taste and texture, and they are so low kcal for the volume. Huge recommendation, carrots are amazing, and zero fat!

leafy greens: my faves are arugula, spinach and lettuce. arugula and lettuce are the best in salads, and spinach is nice cooked. Depending on which one you have the kcal differ abvs

mushrooms: (i know, I know it's not a vegetable but still), 22 kcal for 100 grams! if you are like me and picky with textures, blended mushrooms taste pretty nice and it goes well in soups!

CUCUMBER: 28 kcal for an entire cucumber! i feel stuffed after half a cucumber, which is just 14 kcal... cucumber and grill seasoning is the best snack, I beg for you to try it. I get through like 4 cucumbers in a week lmao, love them and they are the best snack and volume food imho

bell pepper: goes well in salads or as a snack raw, 24 kcal for an entire bell pepper! and the texture is so satisfying if you're craving something crunchy

green beans: 31 kcal for 100 g, and it was already mentioned before as a good side, but it also works as "fries" when oven roasted and with grill seasoning

fruits and berries

tangerines: 40 kcal for a small tangerine! really easy as a snack and tastes really nice

kiwi: 42 kcal for one medium kiwi! and eaten with a spoon, you don't even need to peel it (just like scrape the kiwi out), kiwis are also sooo good when they are ripe

tomato: one medium tomato is 22 kcal, and is so good in salads. Also grilled, just grill the tomato until it's soft and it's so good

banana: one medium banana is 105 kcal, and the only way i have bananas is cooked. Just put it in a frying pan and heat on medium heat until it's cooked (no oil needed), it becomes so much sweeter and it's delicious.

strawberry: 32 kcal for 100 g, strawberries are great and taste so good. I love frozen strawberries especially, they are cheaper here and they last longer

raspberry: 53 kcal for 100 g, raspberries are better in taste than strawberries in my opinion, even though they are higher in calories. Go great with yogurt though!

cloudberries: they grow in swamps over here, i get mine from my grandparents lol. if offered, definitely do try them, they are good! 51 kcal for 100 g, and they are really good

desserts:

sugarfree "raspberry soup" (mehukeitto), basically just raspberry juice with a thickening agent, so can be eaten with a spoon. 8 kcal for 100 g, and I like having it as a dessert sometimes

sugarfree vanilla syrup: basically 0 kcal, goes great with yogurt or berries or lentil pancakes...

sugarfree cola: almost 0 kcal, and the best thing ever if you're craving something sweet!

rooibos: basically tea, except it's a different plant, and naturally caffeine free. It's also sweeter, and won't make you stay up at night so great before bed

coffee: not sweet unless you add sugarfree sweetener, but black coffee is pretty low in kcal (2 per cup), i love black coffee and have it each morning

artificial sweetener: nice in tea and a life saver if you need to bake something! The one I use is stevia based, but anything works

sugarfree juice: 1 kcal per 100 ml, and just another amazing thing to have in case of sweet cravings

others?

oatmeal, 40 g of dry oats is 145 kcal. best tip for oatmeal is to season it with salt, it is soo much better with a bit of salt! pretty high kcal though

rye bran, 16 kcal for a tablespoon and like 39 % fiber! goes well in yog if you are trying to make sure you get enough fiber

(baby) corn puffs: a portion is 30 grams and is a bit over 100 kcal! amazing texture, literally cheese puffs without cheese.

sugarfree gum: very low in kcal, and a great help to stop mindlessly eating and start mindlessly chewing instead, basically treat like snacks when watching a movie or the like

sugarfree cough drops: nice, especially if you are like me and are paranoid your breath smells. the ones I have are like 2 kcal for one, and sucking on them they last pretty long

sugarfree energy drinks: my favourite (and the one I always buy) is 15 kcal, but for example white monster tastes like lemonade and is 11 kcal for a can. caffeine also helps curb appetite!

grill seasoning: if you've read this far, you'll know that this is the best thing in combination with cucumber or cauliflower! Has stuff like paprika powder, salt and other spices that are soo good. of course also good for meat if that's what you want to eat. low kcal food does NOT need to be bland! i personally don't count seasoning with my calories (COUNT OIL THOUGH!!)

the end, thanks:) if you have others you want to add, comment or reblog or something, I want to know about all the cool foods out there!!

[analysistics]

Matt reacts to y/n's eating disorder

WARNINGS: E.D. slight panic attack

Includes: Use of y/n, pet names/nicknames, curse words

I’m home alone, bored out of my mind. When I get a text I’m quick to open it.

Nick: Hey hottie.

Me: Hey lmao

Nick: Wyd?

Me: Hoping for something to do.

Nick: Perfect, we’re so bored.

Me: SAME I’M ABOUT TO RIP MY SKIN OFF.

Nick: Ok chill.

Me: Lol sorry.

Nick: We’ll come get you, be ready in 20.

Me: K.

I put my phone down, think, then leap up to go get ready. I run upstairs into my room and over to my closet, frantically trying to think of what to wear. It’s always a struggle to pick between hot and not trying. I pick some baggy jeans and a crop top. I do my hair into a half up half down, putting in two pigtails and leaving out my curtain bangs. I don’t put on any makeup, just brushing out my brows and curling my lashes. I always notice how when he tells me how cute I look, it’s when I’m not wearing any makeup. My phone goes off and I grab it.

Nick: We’re here.

I grab my purse and run to the door, quickly tying on my air forces and running out the door. It’s only when I get outside that I remember how easily I get cold. I groan and open up the car door.

“Hey y/n!” Chris says. Matt is looking at me earnestly.

“Sorry, I need to go get a sweater.” I say apologetically.

“Girl, it’s literally 65 degrees.” Nick says, causing Matt and Chris to start giggling. I frown, feeling really bad.

“I-... uhh..” I hesitate, bouncing on my toes trying to decide what to do. Matt notices the slight anxiety on my face.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’ll give you my hoodie if you get cold.” He says, smiling at me. I smile back and climb in, shutting the door behind me.

“You look cute.” Nick says, going back to his phone.

“Thank you.” I say, catching Matt staring at me through the rearview mirror. He looks away and puts the car into gear. “Where’r we going?” I ask, buckling my seatbelt.

“McDonalds.” Matt says. I nod.

“Do we have plans after that?” I ask.

“Yeah, we’ll probably just go back to ours after.” Chris says. I nod again.

“Am I, uh, am I invited?” I ask shyly. Nick scoffs.

“Y/n, of course you’re invited you goof.” Matt says, laughing. I blush and giggle too.

“Sorry.” I mumble.

“You need to stop apologizing for things.” Chris laughs.

“Sorry.” I say again. We all start laughing. A couple minutes later we pull up to McDonalds. We wait our turn and Matt pulls forward.

“Welcome to McDonalds, what can I get for you?” The worker asks.

“Hi, can I get a Big Mac, large fry, large drink?” Matt says into the intercom. Nick and Chris place their orders.

“Great, thank you.” Nick says, turning to me. “What do you want?” I hesitate.

“I’m trying not to spend money, I’m okay.” I mumble.

“Girl, I didn’t ask about your money, I asked what you want.” He says. I look at him confused. Matt turns around to look at me.

“We got it, just get what you want.” He says softly.

“No, it’s fine, I'm not hungry.” I say, blushing and looking at my hands.

“I’m gonna get you something, so just order, ‘cause you’re getting food anyway.” Matt says.

“Uh… 4 piece chicken nuggets please. And a small sprite?” I say quietly. Matt shakes his head.

“A 10 piece chicken nuggets, large fry, large sprite please.” Matt says into the intercom. I try to protest but Nick just puts his finger to my mouth. Matt pulls forward and I shrink back into my seat, picking at my fingers, my face warm. Matt notices my demeanor, but chalks it up to my typical shyness about people being nice to me. Matt pays and gets our food, passing everything to Chris. Once all our food is in the car, Matt starts to drive us back to his place. We’re all talking and laughing about some random crap Nick is spewing, but I can feel my heart beating faster in my chest. Matt pulls into the driveway, and we all get out. Chris makes fun of how I have to jump down from the van and we all laugh. They don’t let me carry anything as we make our way into the house and absentmindedly chatter as they get inside, take off their shoes, and go into the living room, setting down the food on the coffee table. I follow and sit in the corner of the couch and Matt sits next to me, grinning. Chris turns on the T.V. and passes my and Matt’s food to us. Matt hands me my food, smiling at me before turning to his own. We’re watching some random show, Chris and Nick talking about something on their phones. I stare at the food in my lap, trying to seem casual, but I know Matt is gonna notice eventually. He always notices. I’m dreading the moment, my anxiety rising, but I just can’t eat. Matt glances over at me then does a double take. His face falls into concern.

“Why aren’t you eating?” He asks me quietly.

“I’m not hungry.” I say with a shrug.

“Honey you’ve gotta be hungry.” He says, scanning my face. I blush at the nickname. 

“I’m not hungry, I don’t know.” I say, my tone anxious. He studies me for a moment.

“Y/n, when was the last time you ate?” He asks me, a serious expression on his face. I open my mouth to say something, but the way he’s looking at me stops the words from coming out. He waits for me to say something, but my mouth just hangs open as I try to find words. I take the food off my lap and push myself off the couch.

“I’m going to the bathroom.” I say hastily, walking out of the room. I feel Matt’s eyes on me as I walk out of the room. I go into the bathroom, quickly shutting and locking the door. I grip the sink and close my eyes. I take in shaky breaths, my mind racing. A minute later I hear a soft knock on the door. I freeze, holding my breath.

“Y/n, it’s me. Please let me in.” I hear Matt say through the door. I hesitate, staying silent. “Please.” He says again, his voice slightly more desperate. I give in, opening the door to see a very concerned Matt. I look up at him but don’t say anything. After a few moments of silence, he gently pushes past me. I shut the door behind him but I don’t face him. “Y/n. Look at me.” He says softly. I slowly turn around, looking up at him. He’s looking down at me with an expression I can’t pinpoint. It’s a face of concern, sadness, confusion, and oddly enough, admiration. “When was the last time you ate?” He asks again, leaning against the wall, patiently waiting for me to answer. I take a deep breath and look down.

“Lunch yesterday.” I say, squeezing my eyes shut. I hear him sigh, but he doesn’t say anything. I slowly look back up at him and when I meet his eyes, they’re glossy. My heart breaks and the tears welling in my eyes finally drop down my face.

“Oh..” He whispers, pulling me into his chest. I wrap my arms around him and nuzzle my face into him. We stay there for a while, and he lifts a hand up to stroke my hair. I pull myself closer to him because my arms are starting to get goosebumps. He notices and pulls away from me. He looks at me and smiles, rubbing my arms. He pulls his hoodie over his head and right over mine before I can say anything. I giggle and put my arms through the sleeves. I look back up at him and he smiles, reaching up to tuck my hair behind my ear. I blush and struggle to keep eye contact. His face changes again, and I can tell he’s about to bring up the food again. “Why haven’t you eaten?” He asks me. I think for a moment.

“I don’t know. I just don’t want food.” I sigh. Matt nods in thought.

“Nick and Chris are going to get suspicious, so we should probably get back out there.” He says. I nod. “I want to talk about this more later so I can help you. Okay?” He asks. I nod again. “For now, can you try to eat five nuggets?” He asks. I think. “For me?” He adds. I sigh.

“I’ll try.” I tell him. He smiles and nods. He gently squeezes my arms before opening the door for me. He leans down to whisper to me.

“I’ll go to the kitchen to get a drink, you go to the living room.”

“Kay.” I whisper back. I walk back into the living room. Chris and Nick look up at me.

“You okay?” Nick asks.

“Yeah, why?” I answer, trying to act normal.

“You were gone forever.” Chris adds.

“Oh, uh… I just needed to, uh…” I stammer, trying to think of a good excuse.

“Hey… That’s Matt’s hoodie.” Nick says, eyeing me suspiciously. My cheeks go pink.

“It is… Where’s Matt?” Chris asks, glancing between me and Nick. Matt walks in at that exact moment.

“Hey Matt. Where were you?” Nick asks in a teasing tone.

“Kitchen.” Matt says, casually holding up his drink.

“Uh huh.” Chris says. “And why is y/n wearing your hoodie?” Matt’s eyes widen slightly.

“Oh, uh, I passed her in the hallway and she was cold.” He explains. Nick and Chris look at each other.

“If you say so.” Nick says, turning back to the T.V. Chris snickers before turning back to the T.V. himself. Matt settles next to me, holding out my food to me. I take it and open it up. I stare at it for a while. I feel Matt’s arm snaking around my waist, out of his brothers’ view. I feel his reassurance and take a bite. He squeezes my hip, tracing circles with his thumb. I slowly eat five nuggets, feeling his encouragement with every bite. I finish my five nuggets and close the box. He takes it from me and whispers in my ear.

“Great job, honey. I’ll put these in the fridge if you want them later.” He smiles at me, getting up. I nod. I grab my drink and sit back. When he comes back, he motions for me to move as he starts to sit in the corner seat. I move over and he settles in. Nick and Chris glance over but don’t appear to really notice. I feel his hand on my hip and he pulls me into him. We stay like that, watching the show. His arm is around my shoulders and I can feel his body heat against my back. I put down my drink and get comfortable on him. I curl up on his lap and rest my head on his chest. He embraces me and rests his cheek on my head. I feel his mouth turn up into a smile. Soon I hear Chris’s voice.

“What the fuck are you guys doing?” He exclaims.

“Shut up.” Matt mumbles into my hair, holding me tight.

[mygyn]

Daggers First Christmas

Mav slowly got out of bed and knocked on the door. Ice Love.. can I come in and help? Mav heard a moan and a retching. So he took that as a yes to come in. He saw his love sitting over the toilet on the floor looking miserable. Ice in his old age of 65 looked amazing. His once blonde hair had gone silver. While he still had defined abs he had more of a Dad bod than he did back in 86.

Mav instantly knelt down next to the love of his life and started to rub circles on his back. “Ice love, are you alright?” Ice turned around and looked at Mav, “What do you think?” Mav sighs and says, “Alright love. Let's get you back into bed and I’ll call the daggers and let them know we are off for Christmas dinner.” Mav deflated a little bit. “I’ll also try to reschedule meeting Bradley’s partner for the New Year's. I know you don’t like to have anyone over on your Birthday Ice but he’s our son. Can I invite him and Hayley over then?”

Ice froze. He was halfway back to the bed. That was right. Mav and Bradley finally made up. That means they were supposed to meet Bradley's spouse. Hayley. The woman he had been married to for three years. Ice *sighed* Mav…. You tell the daggers I have the flu and Christmas will be less extravagant and we can have them over. But this means you have to do the cooking or we are ordering pizza.”

Mav smiled and said, “I’ll let the grext know and we will see if anyone wants to come over still. I know the flu has been going around base sooo... Who knows maybe others aren’t feeling well either and they can keep you company.”

Mav: Hey all Merry Christmas. I hate to do this to you kids but Ice woke up puking this morning. You all are welcome to come over but… You do so at your own risk. *Note we will be ordering pizza.

Nat: Oh no Mav! Me and Halo are on the other side of the flu that has been going around base. We would be down to come over. We can bring some things to make chicken noodle soup.

Jake: Me and Javy are down for coming still. We had this two weeks ago. We can also come over early and bring our fryer to deep fry the turkey you mentioned we were having if that would be helpful.

Mav; Yes please Jake that would be wonderful having help with the Turkey. Nat please come and don’t feel obligated to make anything if you’re still recovering.

Nat: Mav it’s no trouble at all we’ve been fever-free for 24 hours so we can make some soup!

Meanwhile, as the text was happening Bradley looked over at his beautiful wife Hayley. She was still asleep, her golden blonde hair hanging down to her shoulders and her prominent baby bump on display for the world to see. Braley leans over and kisses Hayley on the cheek. “Merry Christmas love. I have some bad news. Ice has caught the flu that has been going around the base. Mav is still up for having us over but Mav will have to cook…. So far it sounds like everyone has chimed in yes to going except for the Ivy’s and Payback and Fanboy. but last I heard they were puking their guts out..”

Hayley smiles and says, “Well Brad Brad. How about we offer to go over early and give them their surprise Christmas gift that they are going to be Grandparents? And save everyone from Mav trying to cook or ordering pizza.” Bradley smiles and says, “ I love you. I’ll text Mav and let him know.”

…..

Bradley: Hayley and I will be over in about 30 minutes. She’s going to commandeer your kitchen and cook dinner for everyone. Mav don’t touch anything in the kitchen remember 1993……

Mav: You don’t have to Brad, you should be enjoying your morning together.

Bradley: Dad. We’ve got this we will be over soon. Can you get Ice down to the couch though? I know how much he hates having his kitchen invaded.

10 mins later

Fanboy: Payback and I will be there. We aren’t up for doing much. We've been puking our guts out the last two days. Can we just keep these low-key guys? I can bring my DVD collection. We all show up in our pajamas and we watch movies and drink tea or cocoa and for those of you that can eat you eat?

Harvard: Yale and I agree with this. 100% We are going to bring our blankets and puke buckets and will enjoy spending the holidays with each other. Though side note, has anyone heard from Fritz?

Halo: Yeah he’s currently sleeping on my and Nix's couch. He will be there but in the same state as most of you are.

Bradshaw and Bagman thanks for agreeing to go over to help cook.

Side text between Jake and Bradley

Bradshaw: Hey Jake. What time are you and Coyote planning on getting to Mavs?

Hangman: We were thinking around the same time as you, Bradshaw 30 minutes. Why?

Bradshaw: Any way you could make it closer to 60? Hayley and I have something we want to give Mav and Ice before you invade if that’s okay.

Hangman: Tell me what it is and I’ll agree. I mean Bradshaw you’ve kept your other half on lockdown for so long.

Bradshaw: Fine this goes nowhere else and you will act surprised when you get our Christmas gift. Hayley is currently 4 months pregnant. Ice and Mav are going to become Grandparents.

Hangman: First Dagger baby!! Yeah, we will be there in an hour then! Ice and Pop deserve to have this time with you both before we get there.

Bradley looked up from his phone and saw that you had pulled out matching pajamas that Hayley had bought for them. They were nice red and green plaid pajama bottoms with a solid red Hawaiian shirt with little roosters with a Santa hat. Bradley knew that you had these made custom for you... But he was a bit self-conscious wearing them in front of his squad. “Kitten. Do we have to wear these for today? I’m afraid the guys will make fun of me.”

Bradley instantly knew that he said something wrong. Your pretty hazel eyes had started to tear up. No baby I’m sorry we will wear them... See I’m putting on the Christmas Roosters now. “Roo. You don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to. I won’t make you. You just mentioned someone said that we were all going to wear our pajamas and watch movies. I can’t wear any of the other ones we have that match as my bump is too noticeable. Unless we want everyone to know before we give them our gift. Bradley went over to you and gave you a quick kiss on the cheek and said, “It’s alright we can wear them. Though if the guys give me crap I’m telling them I’m wearing them for you. Come on love, we should head out though and get to Mav’s and Ice’s.”

20 min’s Mav finally had Ice set up on the couch. He had a quick shower and got into his pajamas and had a nice cup of tea in front of him. Now to wait until Brad and Hayley and Jake and Coyote showed up. God, he was so nervous to meet Baby-Brad’s wife.

He heard the doorbell ringing so he slowly got up from his spot on the couch next to Ice and went to grab it. “Ice I’ve got it! I bet it’s Brad!”

Mav opened the door and he saw Bradley and a stunning Blonde with the most striking hazel eyes. Bradley said, “Merry Christmas Mav! Hayley, meet Mav. Mav this is Hayley.” Brad pulled Mav into a hug and said, “I’m glad we get to spend the holidays together.” Hayley smiled approvingly at her husband.

Mav then noticed a box that was on the ground next to the door. “Bradley, you shouldn’t have brought gifts for everyone.” Hayley smiled at him, “Oh we know that there were strict no-gift rules for you aviators but these are from me more than Bradley and since it’s the first time meeting you all I felt like I could get away with giving everyone a gift.”

Mav teared up a bit and said with a rough voice, “Come on inside. Don’t get too close to Ice if you haven’t had this flu.” Hayley smiled and said, “ I think it’s alright. Brad and I are both resigned to getting sick if we do we do. We just wanted to spend the holidays together with his family this year.”

Hayley then wandered into the living room. She walked up to Ice who was half asleep on the couch and she smiled and said, “You must be Ice! It’s so good to finally meet you Brad has told me so much about you. I would hug you but you look too comfy down there for me to disturb your rest!” Brad smiled, “He came over and hugged Ice. I have no qualms about getting into your space Dad. I’ve missed you. I’m glad you and Mav can meet Hayley. We do have a gift for you both before Hayley goes into the kitchen and starts taking over the food prep.”

Mav looked at Bradley and Hayley. They both had a smile on their face. Mav started saying, “Brad don’t you want to wait until the others are here before we open our gifts?” “No! We think you both should open these before everyone gets here. Ice, are you well enough to open your gift? Ice coughed, “For a Baby Goose gift I’m always ready to open one of those. I still have the coffee mug you made me in second grade.” Bradley’s cheeks blushed bright red.

Hayley smiled at her husband and handed Mav and Ice both a small package. Mav asked, “Should we open these together or should we open them one at a time.” Ice smiles and says, “Alright Mav on the count of 3 then.” 1, 2, 3……

Mav and Ice each opened their package and they both had a mug with a sonogram picture and the words. World's greatest Grandpa. Mav instantly looked at Hayley and Brad and he jumped out of his seat and said, “You’re expecting. You are going to make us Grandparents. This is the best gift ever. He pulls Bradley close and gives Hayley a shy smile.

While this was happening it took Ice’s fever-addled brain a second to catch onto what was happening. He started to stand up but he was dizzy and he didn’t think he could do it so he sat there with tears rolling down his face. “Bradley this is the best Christmas gift we’ve ever been given. We have our Son home and we are expanding the family. Hayley pulled out of the hug with Mav and Brad and sat next to Ice she told him, “I’m so excited for them to have the best Grandparents in the world.”

Ice paused and asked, “You said them?” Hayley smiles sweetly and says, “We are expecting twins. I’m going to go ahead and start cooking Bradley. Will you and Mav stay out of the kitchen while I work yeah? I’m assuming Turkey, Potatoes, Stuffing, and Cornbread.” Hayley makes her way to the kitchen.

As Hayley moved her way into the kitchen Brad told Mav and Ice, “Please keep this between us for the moment. We have Coffee Mugs with Best Dagger Aunt/Uncle with the sonogram picture on it.” We kind of want to surprise everyone else. Mav would you be alright with us doing this before dinner? Mav smiles still teary-eyed, “Of course Baby Goose.

45 minutes later Jake and Javy arrived and they just barged in the door and shouted, “Ice, Pops we are here! Ready to fry the turkey and help cook! Mav We’ve all heard the story about Christmas of ‘93 so you better not be in the kitchen!”

Slowly over the next 1.5 hours, all the Daggers made it in. Hayley spent most of her time cooking while the Dagger squadron was relaxing and chatting. Occasionally Bradley came in to check on her and Jake hadn’t left the kitchen since arriving. He kept up a constant commentary on the hijinxs Bradley got into during flight school. Hayley had a constant smile on her face the whole time.

Mav as he went to check on Hayley and Jake, “ How’s dinner coming?” We should be good to eat in about 10-15 mins.” Hayley was standing at the counter with a wince on her face. Jake looked a bit concerned. “Do you need to sit down, Hayley? What’s left to do?” “Oh… We just need to take the casseroles out of the oven.” Mav looked at Jake and said, “ I think Jake and I can handle getting them out. How about you go sit down with Brad and you can start handing out everyone’s gifts while we finish up here?

15 minutes later everyone was sitting lying around the Christmas tree in the living room. Brad smiles at everyone and says, “ I know we said no gifts. But my beautiful wife and I thought this was appropriate for all of you. We would like you all to open your gifts at the same time. So on the count of 3?”

Phoenix, “Bradshaw the rules said no gifts. Now you're making all of us feel bad.” Bradley, “Nix if you still feel bad after opening them we will take them back alright? Now everyone you can give us crap later alright? Let’s just get these gifts open.”

1……2…….3……

Paper went flying around the room as the daggers opened their gift. There was about a 30-second pause before everyone started talking all at once. Wait, Bradley, Baby? Are you expecting? What?? Congratulations. First Dagger Baby!!! Bradshaw who knew you had it in you. Bob, “Wait, are you having twins that look like mine and my twin Brother Rhett's Sonogram? Phoenix, “Bob shut up Bradley do we have a Dagger 1 and Dagger 2 on board.”

After about 5 minutes of pure chaos, Ice was getting a headache. He sat up and used his admiral's voice. Lieutenants! You need to give Hayley and Bradley time to answer. But if you must know, yes they are having twins they are four months along and we can get them back for the Christmas gifts when we plan a baby shower for them. Does that sound alright to everyone?”

11 voices responded with, “Yes sir.” Now how about everyone goes and grabs a plate of food for those of you with an appetite and for those of us without one grab some tea and let's watch a movie.

Thus ends the Dagger's first Christmas together. They spent the rest of the evening eating, laughing, and enjoying their time together.

[ostrich-party]

𓅦Todays Cals and Check In: 𓅦

Egg roll in a bowl: 404 cals

Ginger snap cookie: 65 cals

Turrón: 100 cals

Cherry Slush: 180 cals

Total Cals: 749

Today was good! Made dinner for the family which was egg roll in a bowl, it’s basically all the stuff inside an egg roll but without the shell of the frying so it’s way lower cal. It was really good but I’ll probably use ground chicken instead of pork next time to make it lower cal and also because I didn’t like the texture of the pork. I saw someone on Reddit say that caramel rice cakes with almond butter spread on them taste like crumble cookies so I got the stuff to try that when I was at the store today. I’m so close to reaching my first GW, just have 3 more pounds to lose!!! I’m still fat af and a super long way from my UGW though.

Pic of egg roll in a bowl:

[shame-is-a-wasted-emotion]

Annie! 7, 34, 70 👀

Thank you so much for this ask dear!!! I know it's been atleast 2 weeks since this ask. And I'm so sorry about it. I've quite busy doing some life things and finding series to hook onto.

So onto the questions:

What did you last eat?

Well, I am not supposed to eat non-veg on Saturday (religious reasons) but my mom allowed me to have chicken Biriyani and Chicken 65 fry as a gesture of thank you to our neighbour who shared their food. Honestly it was so good. I had some pieces of cucumber too.

34: Who/what was your last dream about?

Well I don't remember much dreams or even I dreamt. The last dream I remember was hugging my crush (my admirable crush now, not a full love ) and kissing her twice on her cheek. Never dreamt like that. It was okay.

70: Is there anyone you would die for?

Hmm... my imaginary partner. If I actually love her /him and vice versa. If I trust her/him as much as they do trust me. But right now, anyone could take my life and I would thank them

[official-saul-goodman]

What are your oc's go-to orders when they go out together 👀👀

Ooh great question!

Honestly depends on where they go to eat but their go to places are the local pizza place or the Indian restaurant.

Lucy is a bit of a picky eater so she goes with what the most 'basic' options are, so here they would be a good old margherita pizza with garlic bread on the side, and chicken tikka masala with plain naan and onion bhaji respectively. And she would only order a lemony drink, like a lemonade or nimbu paani. She has not changed these orders in 10 years and she will never change them ever, they're perfect meals. Do not try to make her eat something new.

Adam eats anything that's got like a salty sweet thing or spicy sweet thing going on, so for pizza's he'd probably get a meaty spicy pizza and then ask them to add capers and golden raisins on top + he'd get a tiramisu dessert, and his Indian food order would be lamb kofta curry at the highest spice level with garlic paratha and then a giant glass of sweet lassi.

Harsha is like a big sweet tooth that his friends kind of hate, he orders a big dessert portion and then orders a savoury main. like he'll order 2 chocolate lava cakes first and then order a plate of lasagna. He eats the lava cake first and then eats cold lasagna, we hate him for it. and at the Indian restaurant he'd order chapati with mango shrikhand, and then get 2 sides of prawn fry and chicken 65.

Naz is vegetarian by choice cause the smell of meat makes him feel rather ill, but he'll order anything that's really eggy or dairy  cause he loves eggs and milk. at the Italian place he'd get a florentine pizza and ask for an extra egg, and then order a vanilla panna cotta. At the Indian place he'd get egg biryani with mint cucumber raita, and then wash it down with a mango lassi extra thick.

Shaz is down to eat anything tbf as long as it's halal, so most of the time she just orders the dishes of the day and then a random side and a drink. she's not really into sweet stuff. Her go to sides at the italian place are the dough balls with marinara sauce and garlic butter though, and she gets an orange soda. at the indian place she orders gobi manchuri and rose milk with less sugar. 

Daniel is vegan and also born in hyderabad, moved to england when he was 9 cause his dad got transferred by his IT company. He loves to eat food that's in pockets or something and is very carby. His italian order is usually a vegan mushroom aubergine tomato calzone, dough balls with marinara sauce, and a limeade to wash it all down. His indian order is usually palak paneer with aloo paratha, and a dabeli as a side, with nimbu pani. if he's feeling fancy he'll get a dessert but that depends on his mood.

Abigail is the one with the most unpredictable tastes because she isn't picky and wants to try something new every time, she doesn't really have any preference lol but she doesn't like eating the same thing in a row. So she just randomly orders dishes, but the one thing she does have a preference for is the dessert, she hates chocolate things so she usually orders a vanilla cheesecake at the Italian place, or a gulab jamun with ice cream at the Indian place. She's really hard to order for lmao.

[xc23]

Thursday

We had 6-7 hours of driving ahead of us so we got on the road by 8am. We really didn’t expect it to be a particularly interesting day. Indiana is flat with straight highways. We knew that Chicago would be busy with traffic. We rolled on.

One interesting sight in Indiana, we drove about a 10 mile stretch of I-65 where there were windmills for as far as the eye can see. There must have been 500 of them. They sat in the farmland among the crops. We’ve driven many places with windmills but none have had as many for as llong a stretch. Sorry, no pictures.

Once through Indiana, we drove through Chicago on the west side. The smog was thick with remnants of smoke from the Canadian fires. We made our way north and stopped in Evanston to check out the old neighborhood.

Smoggy Chicago.

The old street.

The old house looks the same!

First we had a bit to eat on Central Street. We wanted to see what shops are still there from 1996 when we moved away. Not surprising, there were several including Foodstuffs a gourmet deli. That’s where we ate lunch before heading back to the old street.

We walked up and down Lawndale Ave to see that the houses are all well kept, as always, and that several families with young kids were living on the block. It’s great to see the rotation of the older families to new ones!

Speaking of older families, we did ring the doorbell of some old friends. Unfortunately, no one was home. I guess that’s what happened at noon on a weekday. Regardless, we left a note and drove on.

Somewhere/anywhere in WI.

Next stop for us was Sun Prairie, WI. We wanted to drop in to the Midway Tavern to say hello to a friend of a friend. Unfortunately, she took the day off. We had a nice chat with the bartender who works full time as a 1st grade teacher. We learned that Sun Prairie has always been a vibrant town, somewhat of a suburb of Madison. She grew up in town and has watched it double in size.

Diane and me at the Midway Tavern.

From The Midway we dove 15 miles to our HipCamp for the evening. HipCamp is like AirBnB for campers. Our camp was a little more primitive than what we usually like (Diane is a champ!). The outhouse was about 300 yards from our tent. Our tent was 275 yards from our car. The chicken coop with 100+ birds was between our tent and the car. However, we had a nice level site in a grove of mulberry trees. We cooked a nice stir fry dinner, had a beer or two, and climbed into the tent before the mosquitoes got busy.

Camp for the night.

Some locals.

[the-firebird69]

Stan is a deteriorating jerk yeah he's getting sick and he's getting demented and Sherry is not well either they're having a battle out there every day and they're not huge but he's down to like 45%, he wasn't 65% couple weeks ago and we do mean the Western bases and it's kind of wearing on him for some reason and he's not nice to anyone but he's having a tough time the border is becoming a problem for Trump and he's Manning it up and pulling troops off and going there in Mass tons of troops and yeah the big fat slob Jason dies in Star wars that's him dying it looks like Stan dies and it is in Star wars and Dan Dave dies in James Bond kind of makes sense so I'm trying to use it as an excuse and it's the same guy that kills Stan it's juicy and he attacks his own grandkids yeah they always do they're not killed completely and he says it to try and steal my stuff and he's a dunse but he's trying to be a rebel and look you guys are not attacking the empire proper at all and you have this codependency thing that the empire does not they're going after you so you're getting information and you're not using it and we need it so we take it from you and your stupid as hell just turn around turn them around and tell them to go home but you don't so the mack proper know what you're doing. Coming up you are going to face large groups who hate you no you get the scrappy way out fixing your electrical poles and all this other s*** you like doing all the time. So Stan is in a pickle the border has not heated up to much significance no it's heating it's because of Guatemala and it's going to heat up a lot this week and we feel the large crab armies will go across starting around Wednesday that will push up tons and tons of South Americans and Trump would have to pull them off now to man up and saying it too we have to get set up we have to build stuff a wall would be good and he's going to try and do it and he's seeing that it's going to happen people are getting ready so he is sending people there and soon it'll be a lot I don't think a lot of pressure off soon at the right time too it's a cool thing but it has an effect Jason and him starting on it and he turns into Bond he goes after a variety of people are Jason ends up frying Dave Dan and Tommy f is the vice president our son says how about that FEMA money Trump waiting for it and it looks it Tommy F and he says nothing Tommy F says I can hear it now is come on now Trump don't be a chicken s*** you afraid I'll take over your job if you're mean so Trump leans over and says I had you write the letter cuz it's just logical and he says f*** you then f*** you Trump leave my grandkid alone so they both started laughing. And that's what really happens it seems that Trump is going to be preoccupied and the Russians are slow but if you hope for an invasion up there they might just keep coming and it looks like Trump goes ahead and does something about it and it's heading up some sort of pho invasion it's fake from Alaska and we think that Jason is helping with the invasion from the south and they're both nuts running the Mac proper plan which is a parallel to ours

So he does have hope for that and it looks like it might work and it looks like Trump's people trying to come in from the north and so he gets it and also has to fit and makes sense however it looks like Jason is angry about it and he what he says is you having a fight each other and it's goofball can't get off anything like that and you're actually disturbing the kid with it too and there's something wrong there and he knows what he's up to kind of and our son says so you guys are the defender and stuff like that and he says not really and he gets it it's a tough thing to do and is laughing a little thing we're all fighting for this and it's stupid and really becomes some sort of dragon master and wants the dragons to take over Oregon and Washington in the West and she tries it and they do it a little and they are expelled and it's way too much heat and she says you have to wait until the dragons are raised and huge forces trying to go after her for what she was doing and they are knocked down and they're pretty big she starts fighting for her life and has to use Zerg but it's actually turned and it didn't do it on purpose and you think it's Jason that's not and yeah Sherry and Stan the two who died and Star wars and that's at the household the two Dennis doucette and his sister wife they get killed there and it's because Jason wants them gone. And we believe that James Bond happens after and Jason goes undercover to mess it up to blame James Bond and he's trying to blame stand for what happened and BG and it doesn't work and Jason knows who he is and doesn't let on and he disobeys the guy messes up and then he dies and that's actually what happens.

So Stan does not like either group and nobody would but he says there's a few things that might help and yeah across the border at first comes Jason to the South and Trump from the north cuz there's more of them down there and they are going to the stashes and Cassius and it creates a war after this war when they're all tuckered out the movie dune begins and is a power struggle to run their organization which is a disaster at that point but they all fight over it and just keep fighting and that's how they run things I guess it's coming up pretty soon and what's coming up faster it might be prophecy bear I'm going to show you how we know

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

[artprints12]

AM Masale Chicken Tikka Fry Masala | Perfect Spice Mix for Delicious Tikka

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[bhavanismasala21]

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[sfarticles]

Watermelon stars in creative recipes

Grilled Watermelon and Kale Salad: The sweet and smoky grilled watermelon is a great balance to the nutrient-dense and bitter dinosaur kale. (National Watermelon Promotion Board)

Check out my latest column

One of my jobs when visiting my parents is to unload the groceries from the trunk of the car; keep in mind, Mom is in her late 80s and Dad will be 92 in a few weeks. Dad couldn’t wait to cut up the 15-pound watermelon he carefully chose once I gently put it on the counter.

While carrying the large, seedless melon into the kitchen, I was thinking about some creative recipes incorporating the fruit. Or perhaps vegetable? It is a much-debated discussion. Botanically, it is a cousin to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.

I am intrigued by the watermelon recipes in the food publications I read. With summer being the peak season of its consumption in the U.S., it is time to celebrate with a juicy slice and prepare creative recipes. (National Watermelon Day was Aug. 3.) Thanks to countries like Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras that experience summer during our winter, watermelon can be enjoyed all year.

In my culinary travels, I’ve noticed that restaurants have incorporated watermelon as a featured ingredient in their dishes. It is among the fastest-growing “fruits” in terms of use on food-service menus, having grown by 54% in the past few years, according to a recent menu trends study commissioned by the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

According to the Board, 65% of food service operators feature fresh watermelon on the menu, up from 38% in 2020 and 50% in 2022. One in 10 restaurants serving alcoholic beverages feature a drink containing watermelon, more than doubling in the last 10 years.

Watermelon 101

• The Watermelon Promotion Board represents 800 watermelon growers, shippers and importers nationwide. Its goal is to promote the nutritional, culinary and convenience benefits of watermelon.

• The first cookbook published in the United States in 1796 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.

• Watermelon’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae.

• Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.

• The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.

• More than 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown worldwide.

• Watermelon is grown in more than 96 countries worldwide. The USA ranks seventh in production; China is first.

• In China and Japan, watermelon is a popular gift to bring a host.

• In some Mediterranean countries, the sweet taste of watermelon is often paired with the salty taste of feta cheese.

• Watermelon is 92% water.

• By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.

• Watermelon doesn’t contain any fat or cholesterol, is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C and contains fiber and potassium.

• Watermelon is approximately 70% flesh and 30% rind.

• Watermelon is considered both a fruit and a vegetable; it is the state vegetable of Oklahoma.

• Every part of a watermelon is edible, even the seeds and rind. Zero food waste!

• Some people find it challenging in picking a ripe watermelon and cutting one. These videos are helpful: https://bit.ly/30Vgosi and https://bit.ly/4dwARWV.

Once you pick the perfect watermelon, and know how to cut it up safely, try these recipes provided by the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

For the recipe for grilled watermelon and kale salad, visit https://bit.ly/4dUsaa3.

Watermelon Rind Stir Fry

The headnote says: “Next time you buy a whole watermelon, reserve the watermelon rind for this ingenious recipe. The rind will soften and quickly absorb the flavor of your sauce. Add shrimp, tofu or chicken for an extra protein boost!”

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 cups watermelon rinds, julienned (white part only, from about ½ of a seedless watermelon)

1 cup julienned carrots

½ cup chives, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, minced

½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

¼ cup mint leaves

¼ cup cilantro leaves

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Heat sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the watermelon rind and carrots and stir fry, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Let sit over high heat for 1 additional minute without stirring.

Add the chives and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic and ginger.

Pour the sauce over the watermelon rind and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.

Transfer to a serving dish. Add the basil, cilantro, and mint, tossing to combine.

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve as a side dish.

Watermelon Pomegranate Green Tea

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups watermelon puree

2 cups pomegranate juice

4 cups strong prepared and chilled green tea

1 cup white grape juice

Ice for serving

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in a large container (except ice) and chill well. Stir before serving and serve over ice.

Spicy Watermelon Hummus

The headnote says: “What if you could have a delicious snack and it was good for you, too? Well, you can. This hummus is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant goodies, while being low-fat, low-calorie and the best hummus you have ever tasted! It also makes a great sandwich spread or topping for bruschetta. Extra virgin olive oil is the best to use here, since it is a good source of healthy fat and antioxidants.”

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 large clove garlic

2 heaping tablespoons of diced red onion

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup watermelon juice (liquefy watermelon in a blender)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon peel

¼ teaspoon each: ground cumin, coriander, ground ginger, paprika and turmeric

1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and washed

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup diced watermelon

Parsley sprigs

Directions:

Mince garlic in a food processor. Add onion and parsley and blend until fully minced. Add the rest of ingredients and blend until smooth.

Refrigerate for at least a half-hour to allow flavors to blend. Garnish with diced watermelon and parsley sprigs. Serve with pita bread, baked chips or baby carrots.

Watermelon Strawberry Shake

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 container (8 ounces) lemon nonfat yogurt

2 cups cubed, seeded watermelon

1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled

1 medium banana, peeled and sliced

Directions:

In blender or food processor, process yogurt, watermelon, strawberries and banana until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.

Kids Watermelon Sandwich Cookies

Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 blueberry pancakes (3-inch round), cooled to room temperature

½ cup white frosting

6 seedless watermelon slices (2/3-inch thick, 3-inch round), drained to remove excess moisture

Directions:

Evenly frost bottom of each pancake with white frosting. Arrange six pancakes frosting side up on serving platter. Place one slice watermelon on each frosted pancake. Top each with remaining pancakes, frosting side down. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Savory Watermelon “Pizza”

Servings will vary

The headnote says: “Paired with savory ingredients like prosciutto and goat cheese, this savory “pizza” skips the bread to make watermelon the new star. Use any cheese and/or meat of your choice — some classic watermelon pairings include feta, bleu, parmesan and mozzarella.”

Ingredients:

Watermelon round cut 1-inch thick (for crust)

Goat cheese

Prosciutto

Balsamic

Greens of choice (we used arugula)

Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl mix goat cheese and heavy whipping cream to make it spreadable. Spread goat cheese to cover watermelon, leaving room to hold the rind.

Place prosciutto then greens as toppings on watermelon pizza as desired.

Drizzle balsamic glaze on watermelon pizza. Pepper to taste.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

The headnote says: “Created by Chef Dave Wooley for the National Watermelon Promotion Board, these watermelon rind pickles leave the slightest bit of red flesh for a beautiful color and taste experience.”

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

4 cups water

1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 cups peeled watermelon rind (leave a thin layer of pink) cut into 1-inch by 1/2-inch by 2-inch pieces

¾ cups granulated sugar

1 each of all spice berries

½ cup cider vinegar

4 each peppercorns

4 whole cloves

½ teaspoon pickling spice

1 long slice of fresh ginger root

¼ teaspoon celery seeds

Directions:

In large pot, bring water and salt to boil over medium high heat. Add rind pieces and boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Strain. Transfer rinds to large metal bowl.

In saucepan, combine all of the other ingredients and spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Pour over watermelon rinds in bowl. Place plate over top to keep rinds submerged in liquid. Cover and refrigerate for one day. Transfer to a glass jar and keep sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Serving suggestion: enjoy with your favorite deli meats and cheeses, perhaps with other pickled veggies.

Recipes and photos courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

Stephen Fries, is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 17 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, and three-day culinary adventures around the U.S. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to stephenfries.com.

[reasoningdaily]

Kowbird: Amazing Chicken Recipes from Chef Matt Horn's Restaurant and Home Kitchen

click the title to Download for FREE from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

Kowbird: Amazing Chicken Recipes from Chef Matt Horn's Restaurant and Home Kitchen

If you are like most people, you eat a lot of chicken. But chances are you haven’t had chicken like Matt Horn’s chicken. Now you can! Learn how to make the best chicken on the planet, from a true master of the art, in this fun and inspiring book.

click the title to Download for FREE from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY Celebrated chef Matt Horn spent years perfecting his chicken recipes before he opened his widely acclaimed mecca for chicken cookery, Kowbird, in Oakland, California. Even to this day, he continues to experiment with different cuts of chicken, with a host of sauces and spice mixtures that bring out the best flavors in chicken, and with all sorts of cooking techniques that make this popular food explode with flavor on the palate. In the richly photographed pages of Kowbird, he shares his hard-won wisdom and his brilliantly creative culinary wizardry, elevating the humble bird to its rightful place at the center of the plate—and as the star of the meal. Matt gives you 65 recipes packed with flavor and creativity for everything from comforting weekday dinners to spectacular weekend feasts. It’s time to set aside the tired old chicken spaghetti, chicken parmesan, and unadorned chicken cutlets and dig into:  

Zingy Chile-Crisp-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Breasts

Chicken-Fried Chicken, Matt’s signature Southern-inflected riff on chicken-fried steak

California Wings, which you dip in a zesty mash of garlic, avocado, onion, and lemon

Matt’s best-in-class version of Nashville Hot Chicken

And much more deliciousness

With recipes for barbecuing, grilling, smoking, sautéing, brazing, baking, broiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, and more, this is a book that takes chicken to delectable places you’ve never dreamed of before.

click the title to Download for FREE from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

[topfindr]

Healthy Chinese food 💎

Some Chinese takeaway selections, particularly those from American-Chinese restaurants, can be rich in salt, sugar, and oil. You can still eat delicious and healthy Chinese food by choosing dishes that have been baked, steamed, boiled, or sautéed in a small amount of oil. Here are some healthy Chinese food takeout alternatives, as well as suggestions for entrées, side dishes, and sauces.

Dumplings steamed

Dumplings are pockets of dough filled with spiced meat and vegetables, usually pork and cabbage, that are served at a Chinese restaurant. They are frequently fried, but you can have them steamed instead to save calories and fat. A medium steamed dumpling only has 40 calories. Although the soy-sauce-based dipping sauce is low in calories, it is heavy in sodium, so use caution if you are salt-sensitive.

Egg drop soup

In a chicken broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, eggs, and ginger are cooked. It also contains vinegar and spices, which give the dish a fiery and sour flavor. Egg drop soup, on the other hand, is created simply with ribbons of cooked egg in chicken broth. Both soups are modest in calories, with only 65-90 calories per 1-cup (240 mL) serving, and you can make them even healthier by foregoing the fried lo mein noodles that are frequently served as a topping.

Moo goo gai pan

Moo goo gai pan is a stir-fried chicken and vegetable dish with mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts. It's low in calories since it's loaded with vegetables and lean chicken. Furthermore, the chicken gives a lot of protein, making this dish filling. One cup (216 grams) has only 160 calories and 15 grams of protein. Request that the sauce be served on the side so that you may limit how much you consume because it may be rich in salt and sugar.

Beef with broccoli

Beef and broccoli is a straightforward dish of stir-fried beef and broccoli in a mild sauce. It's a relatively nutritious dish that's heavy in protein and low in carbs. It is, however, frequently cooked with fatty cuts of beef. 1 cup (217 g) has 336 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein. You can lower the fat content by ordering steamed broccoli instead of stir-fried broccoli and asking for the sauce on the side.

Chop suey

Another stir-fry dish is chop suey, which is made with pork, eggs, and thinly sliced veggies in a light sauce. It's usually made with pork, although it can also be made with chicken, beef, or tofu. It's a healthier option than other stir-fries because it contains protein and vegetables. One cup (220 grams) of no-noodle pork chop suey contains 216 calories and 23 grams of protein. It also has approximately 9.5 grams of fat, and a restaurant version may have additional fat added during the stir-fry process. In order to reduce the amount of salt and sugar, choose a light sauce.

Chicken and broccoli

Chicken and broccoli is similar to beef and broccoli in that it consists of stir-fried chicken and broccoli in a mild sauce. It is, however, a leaner alternative than beef and broccoli while still providing plenty of protein. One cup (153 g) has 13 g of protein and only 145 calories. It has about 7 grams of fat in it. If feasible, request that the food be steamed. You'll lose the oil that it's traditionally cooked in, lowering the fat and calorie content and giving it a healthier twist.

Baked salmon

Many Chinese restaurants serve baked salmon, which is a delicious option. Baked salmon is strong in protein, high in omega-3 fats, and low in carbohydrates. A 3-ounce (85-gram) portion of butter-cooked chicken includes 156 calories, 21 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fat. Baked salmon is an excellent low-carb or keto entrée when served with steamed vegetables.

Moo shu veggies

In this popular takeout dish, vegetables take center stage, with ingredients like stir-fried pork, shredded cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and onions.

Although the exact nutrient composition varies depending on the ingredients used, one cup (151 grams) usually contains around 230 calories and nearly 16 grams of protein. It also has roughly 16 grams of fat, but like with most stir-fry dishes, the fat amount varies depending on the establishment. To maximize the possible health advantages, use less sauce and forego the side of pancakes that is traditionally served with it.

Garlic sauce with eggplant

Eggplant with garlic sauce is a smoky, grilled eggplant dish served with a thick, tangy garlic sauce. The dish's major component, eggplant, is low in calories and high in a variety of minerals, including fiber, manganese, folate, and potassium. It also contains nutrient-dense foods including garlic, ginger, and peppers. Choose brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish to increase the fiber content of your meal and add an extra serving of whole grains as they are considered as healthy Chinese food.

Shrimp with Lobster sauce

Shrimp with lobster sauce, despite its name, does not contain lobster. Instead, it's cooked with a fermented black bean sauce, which is commonly used to serve lobster in Cantonese cuisine. In addition to stir-fried shrimp, the dish usually includes vegetables such as peas, carrots, garlic, and scallions. It's low in calories and high in protein when compared to many other takeout options, with 31 grams of protein and 279 calories in a 1-cup (185-gram) serving. It also has 14.5 grams of fat. You can also increase the amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals available by asking for additional vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, or bell peppers. FAQ: Are all Chinese foods rich in salt, sugar, and oil? No, you can choose dishes that have been baked, steamed, boiled, or sautéed in a small amount of oil. Are steamed Dumplings always fried?  No, they are frequently fried, but you can have them steamed instead to save calories and fat. Which Chinese food is rich in protein and other essentials? Baked salmon is strong in protein, high in omega-3 fats, and low in carbohydrates Read the full article