#frozen green beans and corn

[rhysnolastname]

$100 worth of groceries is not what it used to be. Though i got quite a lot of food I think

[ereborne]

Song of the Day: August 8

“Big Black Car" by Gregory Alan Isakov

[arctic-hands]

I get that I was subjected to canned vegetables that were boiled to the point they lost all structure as a kid was because the conventional wisdom for Crohn's back then was that fiber and hard/raw fruits and vegetables would aggravate the intestinal inflammation and that's what my gastroenterologists told my parents, but goddamn am I mad that I didn't know the glory of veggies lightly roasted in olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt and pepper until I was an adult

Btw that advice is bunk these days as per all my adult gastros and dieticians and from my own personal experience I do well on a moderately fiberous diet

[roadtohealthyeating]

Instant ramen with frozen vegetables and soft boiled eggs 🍜

[bornunderabluemoonbaby]

i cannot say enough about steamed broccoli, rubbed in butter/margarine, with preferred amount of Mrs. Dash and garlic salt, I used to HATE broccoli, now it's my favorite Fancy Dinner veggie- it's stupidly easy and it tastes so good, frozen or fresh, though obv fresh is better.

i mean this in the gentlest way possible: you need to eat vegetables. you need to become comfortable with doing so. i do not care if you are a picky eater because of autism (hi, i used to be this person!), you need to find at least some vegetables you can eat. find a different way to prepare them. chances are you would like a vegetable you hate if you prepared it in a stew or roasted it with seasoning or included it as an ingredient in a recipe. just. please start eating better. potatoes and corn are not sufficient vegetables for a healthy diet.

[dear-ao3]

remember everyone. soup does not have to be hard to make. soup saves my ass at least three times a week. you don’t even need broth. and you can make it single serve. in like 15 minutes.

get some water put it in a pot. add a little bit of bullion or use broth if you have it. (one jar of bullion lasts me like months you don’t need a lot) add to that whatever the hell you want. soy sauce. oyster sauce. black vinegar. sesame oil. hoisin sauce. garlic powder. onion powder. salt and pepper. want it spicy? add chili flakes or oil or smoked paprika. literally whatever you have floating around in the cabinet or fridge will do. don’t forget! add something sweet (sugar honey maple syrup etc) to balance out the salt.

let it get hot. add in some vegetables. again, literally anything. whatever you got. can be frozen stuff. onions. corn. peas. edamame. broccoli. carrots. green beans. mushrooms. literally whatever. put in something with protein. tofu. meat of some sort.

wait until it boils. add some noodles. any kind of noodles. cook until the noodles are soft.

top with whatever you want. and there you have it. soup.

[actual-corpse]

I spent about $10 on some extra veggies to round out dinner.

I tried to buy enough to last for as long as my salmon patties last.

I kinda burnt the bottoms...

But overall, dinner was successful!

[saint-ambrosef]

newbie's guide to produce

for all my peers who were not taught how to shop for veggies and fruit on a budget and struggle to use them before they go bad:

(disclaimer: prices are approximate based on where i live in the Southern US. costs may be higher in your area, but the comparison of cost should still be valuable.)

cheap produce year-round:

roma tomatoes. if they look under-ripe you can leave them on the counter for a few days. keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks. $1/lb.

cucumbers. around here they're 50-60 cents each. go bad quickly though, about 1 week in fridge.

celery. two bucks for a head. starts to get sad after two weeks in fridge. only makes sense if you like to snack on celery or make soups often.

corn. whole ears are like 20cents each mid-summer, otherwise just get frozen. $1.50 for a lb.

peas. get these puppies frozen for $1.50/lb. good protein, too.

romaine lettuce. one head is good for several small salads, about $2 and lasts a week in fridge. the big boxes/multi-packs may seem like a better deal but not if it all goes bad before you can eat it.

onions. kind of a given but you can get regular yellow varietals for less than a buck per pound. will last for 1-2 months in pantry.

potatoes. you can get 5lb bags of russets for three bucks. sweet potatoes are a lil over $1/lb. last 2-3 months in pantry; if they grow sprouts, you can cut those off and still eat it.

bananas. dirt cheap. a small bunch (4-5) costs like a dollar. if they go over-ripe before you eat them all just get less or get a few green ones (p.s: you're allowed to break them off larger clumps).

radishes. $1.50 for a little bundle. greens get wilty after a week, roots will last 2 weeks (you can use both parts).

hot peppers. poblano, jalapeno, etc., are often quite cheap and you usually don't need very many anyways. few weeks fridge or counter.

cheap produce when in season:

summer squash. in summertime (duh), zucchini and yellow squash are like $1.25/lb. only last a week or so though in fridge.

winter squash. actually in season in fall, these are your butternuts and acorn squash. less than $1/lb then. lasts in pantry for months.

green beans. in warm months they can be on sale for $1.50/lb! last 1.5-2 weeks in fridge? (kinda depends on the shape they're in)

kale. it's a cool-season green that commonly is on sale in colder months. $1.60 for a big bunch, about 1.5 weeks in fridge before it gets seriously wilty. (can be eaten cooked or raw!)

apples. fall/winter, usually at least one variety on sale for $1.25/lb. last forever.

oranges. most citrus are winter fruits. $1/lb. will last forever in your fridge.

strawberries. spring. at their peak, i can find them for $2/lb. otherwise they are too expensive.

watermelon. $8 for big 10lb melons. they can take up a ton of space though and need to be refrigerated once cut/ripe.

cantaloupe. another summer star! $1.50 each on sale. they will slow ripen in the fridge but you do have to keep an eye on it.

pineapple. $1.50 in summer time. might be ripe even when still a bit green, ready when they smell noticeably ripe.

pears. fall season, sometimes into winter. $1.20/lb. last 1-2 weeks on the counter or forever in the fridge.

pomegranate. in winter time they can be found for $2 each. tricky to peel though.

peaches. and nectarines (which are just fuzzless peaches). $1.25/lb in summer and will last for weeks in your fridge.

eggplants. summertime veggie, you can get for $1.50 when they're on sale. otherwise a bit pricey. keep in fridge for 2 weeks.

mid-range produce:

cabbage. three bucks for a 2-lb head but you can get a lot out of it. will keep 3-4 weeks in the fridge but any exposed cut sides will start moldering after a week.

mushrooms. white button or baby bella. $1.50 for 8oz. keep in mind, mushrooms halve in size after cooking. ~2 weeks though.

avocados. if you live in the South like me, small hass varietals are 60-80 cents apiece in winter. ripe when it gives just a little to squeezing (you can't go off color alone).

broccoli. fresh is $1.70ish per head and lasts a week in fridge. frozen is $1.50/lb but might be kind of mushy.

most greens. spring mixes, spinach, arugula, etc can really vary in price but often fall into a few bucks at least per bundle/package. in a fridge's humidity drawer they last 1-2 weeks.

kiwis. i love them but they're a bit pricey for their size. 50 cents each. their keep depends on how ripe they are at purchase.

expensive produce:

asparagus. one of the most expensive veggies. sometimes in spring you can get it for $2/lb (a steal but still a bit much). lasts 1.5 weeks.

brussel sprouts. same as above.

red or yellow bell peppers. they are used sooo often in recipes and it annoys me. often $1.50-2.00 each. last a long time in fridge.

caluiflower. three bucks for a head. yikes!

green beans. when they're not in season, they are like $3/lb.

snap peas. same as above, except they never seem to be on sale.

raspberries. go bad in 3 days and cost an arm and a leg. sometimes when they're in season you can get them for like $2 per half-pint as a treat.

blueberries and blackberries. even when they're in season, they're still $2 per pint.

grapes. they can sorta be affordable in the fall season for $2/lb, but otherwise they're double that. and usually you have to commit to buying several pounds. last 2 weeks in fridge.

plums. i love them so so much but they're only in season for like 2 weeks of the year it seems and they're like $3/lb.

inexpensive accoutrements: (for garnishes, seasoning, etc)

limes. 25cents apiece. they'll start to dry out after 1 week on the counter so keep them in the fridge unless you will use it soon.

lemons. usually 50cents each for the small varietals. keep same as above.

green onions. less than a dollar for a bunch, and you can easily regrow a few times at home if you stick the white rooted end in water by a window.

cilantro. 50cents. will last WAY longer (1-2 weeks) if you keep it in a mug of water in the fridge.

parsley. 85cents. same as above.

obviously sticking just with popularly available produce across the country. it's not an exhaustive list but can give you a bit more perspective on what produce you should be focusing on if you're trying to work with a tight grocery budget. good luck!

[hillbillyoracle]

Tips I wish I could tell my younger self about food

We were really tired tonight so we cooked separately.

Above is what my partner put together: broccoli bites, chicken nuggets, pineapple, and a cutie.

Below is what I put together: gluten free Mac and cheese with some canned chicken, frozen carrots, peas, green beans, and corn.

We both have a history of disordered eating having grown up during the toxic diet culture of the late 90s and through the 00s. Unlearning it has been really tough.

Here's how we think about a "healthy" meal without counting calories or running into our other triggers:

All vegetables count - yes even if they're tasty and palatable. Diet culture made me think only the blandest unappetizing versions of veggies count. Not true. Any veggie is a nice bonus. We include them to help us keep full longer/the added fiber (important for my particular GI issues).

Three colors of fruits and veggies in a meal - we shoot for this but don't always quite make it. Honestly this is mostly because of visual appeal. It just makes a meal look more substantial and I noticed I felt fuller longer when I did this. Variety is nice.

Include at least one protein - it helps you stay fuller longer. It does not have to be bland either. My partner chose chicken nuggets - it can be protein you actually like.

Include at least one source of fat - it helps you stay fuller longer. Mine is my dairy free cheese. My partner wasn't feeling any tonight - I have a hunch she'll grab yogurt later.

Use a base you love - for me this was Mac and Cheese. It's not something I struggle to get myself to eat. I love it. Carbs aren't evil. For my partner this was effectively her pineapple. She was really craving it lol.

Keep frozen and canned options available where possible - produce and meat go bad so quickly in the fridge. Canned and frozen are perfectly okay. It's much easier to toss some in this way.

Masking tape and a sharpie are your friend - label every leftover you put in your fridge. Helps you avoid food poisoning. Almost all food stored correctly in a fridge is good for 48 hours. Some for longer but it's important to check.

Better fed than dead - I can't remember who told me this when I was recovering from orthorexia/binge eating but I'm so thankful. It's so true. Better to eat something imperfect than nothing.

So yeah. Shifting from "x food is a bad food and I shouldn't be eating it" to "what can I add to dishes I already like to make them more satisfying" was super key.

Hope this is helpful to someone.

[whatjanesays]

Just a little experiment to check back on in a year or four.

Current prices from a central Florida area grocery store today (November 7th 2024). These are the non-sale prices for the store's house branded items. All items I've purchased more than once over the last year, with prices and package sizes that have had minimal to no fluctuations during that time (or reasonable seasonal fluctuations that return to previous prices as normal).

Bread, sliced wheat 20oz - $1.49

Milk, whole 1 gal - $3.25

Eggs, large 1 dozen - $2.39

Cheese, cheddar block 8oz - $2.15

Vegetable oil, 48oz - $4.15

Butter, salted quarters 16oz - $4.39

Flour, all purpose 5 lbs - $2.40

Sugar, granulated 4 lbs - $3.29

Ground Beef, 1 lb. - $3.79

Chicken, boneless skinless breast 1 lb. - $2.49

Salmon, frozen 1 lb. - $5.22

Sliced Turkey, lunch meat 1 lb. - $4.15

Potatoes, Russet 5 lb. bag - $4.09

Broccoli, frozen 12oz - $1.29

Corn, frozen 12oz - $1.05

Diced Tomato, canned 14.5oz - $1.05

Carrots, 1 lb. - $0.78

Bananas, 1 lb. - $0.49

Grapes, green 1 lb. - $1.79

Strawberries, 1 lb. - $3.09

Apples, Fuji 1 lb. - $1.30

Apple Juice, 100% 64oz - $2.09

Frozen Waffles, 10 count 12.3oz - $2.39

Bacon, 1 lb. - $4.39

Maple Syrup, 100% pure 12.5oz - $6.05

Canned Chili, no beans 15 oz - $2.39

Potatoes, Russet 5 lb. bag - $4.09

Spaghetti, 32oz - $2.09

Pasta Sauce, 24oz - $1.85

Chicken Pot Pie, frozen 7oz - $1.09

Ranch Dressing, 16oz - $2.15

Ketchup, 38oz - $2.05

Mustard, 20oz - $1.09

Mayonnaise, 30oz - $3.65

Minced Garlic, in water 8oz - $2.55

Paprika, 2.12oz - $1.25

Vanilla Extract, pure 2oz - $5.49

[loudlittleecho]

Too Late to Save Them: Frozen in Time.

Previous

Part 3

Paul had moved the Ice Growler into a shed. He had needed that field, after all. The ice had repaired itself from the previous chips, but never grew larger or smaller. It was just one of those things one keeps in a shed. Out of sight, out of mind, unless you need something.

It had been a year. Two, maybe? From Paul’s estimates, when his son found it. His kids visited every so often. Becks, his oldest, worked as a librarian. His son, Nathaniel, was a. . . stock broker? Banker? Paul was never sure what his son did, but Nathan was always talking about his ‘next big break’. Paul loved his kids, and he and Sara had made sure the two had a decent enough education, and that their wills were fair between the two. Especially when Sara’s cancer diagnosis revealed itself.

Well, Nathan was fit to be tied about the ice in the shed.

“Dad! Do you know what this means?”

Paul added another helping of green beans to his plate. This was a ‘dedicated meal’. Sara had made the kids promise- you will visit your father once a season- this was one of those meals.

Rebecca– Becks- visited more often, though Nathan typically visited only the four times a year.

Nathan continued. “This could be my big break! Ice that never melts?? Dad, I could compete against the Stanley and Yeti brand- I could sell it to medical companies- I could sell it to anyone! I– we could make millions! Why did you not tell me earlier?”

Paul took a swig of sweet tea. Nathan always got very animated when he got a new idea. That’s what he was, an idea man. Becks had a concerned look on her face.

“Dad, have you checked if it's safe, though? What if it’s dangerous?”

Paul loved his children. Becks, the overthinker, and Nathan, the optimistic.

“Bits of it have been in the fridge for a few months now. Nothin’s gone bad. Fridge hasn’t been plugged in for awhile.”

Becks placed the spoonful of corn down. The little family shared who brought what to their dedicated meals. Paul had supplied the iced tea, corn and green beans. (this year he hadn’t managed to shuck and peel like he used to. These were from cans, but he had made sure to rinse and season them thoroughly) Becks had brought the ham and mashed potatoes, and Nathan brought Bluebell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and store bought brownies. (the brownies had a discounted sticker from the grocery bakery. Paul was just glad Nathan was there).

“Dad. . .” Becks said worriedly, while Nathan jumped up. “The fridge! Really!”

The rest of the evening had a different pace from previous dinners. Nathan was on the phone with different “investors”, while Becks was on theirs researching about unmelting ice and effects of low levels of radiation in humans. Paul thought Becks had finally mastered Sara’s tater recipe. It was the butter. For a few years Becks had tried a ‘fat free’ healthier butter. It seemed to Paul that this year Becks had finally admitted that regular butter (and a heaping spoonful of it) made the best mashed potatoes.

. . .

It had been two weeks. Becks had bought him a new fridge and had brought replacements for everything he had in his other fridge. She told him she loved him and was just worried about the untested ice. (He mentioned twice about paying her; Becks just shook their head both times with a “Dad, I don’t need your money. I just want you".)

Nathan had asked him to borrow the ice. Have it tested. Have his investors look at it. Of course, Paul agreed. He wasn’t getting any younger, and if this really was something Nathan saw as helping people, “of course dad! Think of the diabetics!” Well, who was he to stop progress?

. . .

Nathan had asked his dad to give him the ice. Paul wasn’t sure. If what Nathan said was right, this could make Nathan a lot. . . and he needed to be fair between his two children. Nathan snapped at him. “Give me the ice. Becca can have the farm.” Paul still gave Becks a call. Becks had murmured something he couldn’t hear, but did say: “If you want to change your will that’s your choice dad. If Nathan’s plan doesn’t work. . . I’ll make sure Nathan’s ok. Don’t you worry.”

Paul trusted his children. The overthinker and the optimist.

He updated his will.

Part 4

[rederiswrites]

Menus, Oct. 23-30

Several people were open to seeing my menu planning, and it's something I enjoy doing well, so here we go!

Notes: My dishes can all be gluten free (they are, for us) by using gf pasta (we like Rummo brand gf noodles and Tinkyada are good too). Otherwise, we're pretty generally low carb and most things are from scratch, but typically pretty simple. Most of these rely on root vegetables or beans for their carbohydrates.

Feta tomato pasta and sausage --This was viral on Instagram a while back, and I decided to try it. Now my daughter requests it pretty often. I don't make it quite like the original--mostly, I add some zucchini, double the feta, and add a bunch of Italian seasoning. This link is pretty much the same thing. They add shallots, which does sound lovely but costs a bit extra. I cooked some sausage with the meal because I didn't want to load up on pasta, personally, as I'm still staying very low carb.

"Bowl of the Wife of Kit Carson"--modified caldo tlalpeño--Pity poor Maria Carson, whose indigenous name I can't even learn, now remembered by her husband's name. That aside, it's a family favorite. We make it with the entire can of chiles in adobo, but that's a family preference. The avocados are pretty much the vegetable in this one so uhh...have plenty. I make the rice separate, both because that way you can vary it depending on your spice tolerance and because that way the rice doesn't suck up all the soup for leftovers.

Roast whole chicken, roasted mixed root vegetables, and garlicky kale. I basted the chicken with avocado oil (expensive but healthy; feel free to sub cheaper vegetable oil), seasoned it with a Penzey's mix I like called Ozark Seasoning, and stuffed it with rosemary, onions, and garlic. The root vegetables can be whatever; mine were yellow beets (slightly less "earthy" tasting than red, which might be more appealing to some), rutabaga, and carrots. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder is enough, seasoning-wise. And the kale, I blanch and then saute with a LOT of garlic.

Garlic parmesan white beans, brussels sprouts, and Gujerati carrot salad. I've not made the beans yet; they'll be a new dish for us. Sound great, though, and I'm trying to learn more meatless dishes generally and bean dishes specifically. We like to halve or quarter our brussels sprouts, depending on size, steam them, and then eat them with sour cream. And the carrot salad is a longstanding family favorite, which I got from my well worn copy of Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. This is almost the same recipe, but I don't add cayenne, and I wouldn't use olive oil, since it has such a low smoke point. I'd use peanut or canola or something. It's not spicy or "exotic" tasting, and it's been well-received at potlucks.

Pot Roast. There's no point giving a recipe for this one; just pick one that looks good to you. Just include lots of good veggies. I like carrots, onions, potatoes, and parsnips. It's fun to add a bag of frozen pearl onions, and I like frozen peas put in at the very end of cooking.

Tuna salad. I eat it over lettuce, the others eat it as a sandwich. Dinner for a tired night. My tuna salad is made with well-drained chunk light (in water), finely diced celery, finely diced green salad olives, salt, pepper, and mayo to bind. My family really likes the olives so I go heavy and also use a little of the jar liquid as a salt stand-in.

Deviled eggs and raw veggies with hummus. Another phone-in meal, or it would be if I didn't find making deviled eggs such a hassle. We all love them, but I have some inexplicable personal antipathy for how long they take to make. ANYWAY, my deviled eggs are the bestest, and you will not think so if you eat yours southern-style with (shudder) "salad dressing" instead of mayo, or sweet relish. No, mine are made with salt, pepper, mayo, and lots of finely minced green salad olives, and topped with paprika, preferably sharp paprika.

Pork tenderloin, frozen corn, and stewed apples and quince. Aren't we just POSH? Jacob got me a quince to try at the farmer's market. It's uh...well pretty much I guess it's like a rock-hard and fairly tart apple, with the granular texture of an Asian pear. They're generally eaten cooked, which is why I decided to stew it mixed with apples. So I just sliced the apples and the quince up fine (just leave out the quince if you don't have it which you probably don't, and maybe add a dash of lemon juice instead), simmered them in a couple tablespoons of apple cider (or juice; we had cider), and threw in a teaspoon of pie seasoning, a fistful of dried cranberries (the recipe called for raisins) and very approximately a tablespoon of allulose syrup. Obviously you could just use sugar instead. I topped mine with pecans and it was so so good. Oh, and also the pork: Usually two tenderloins come in a pack of tenderloins, so I put a different seasoning on each just for fun. Various blends. Lemon pepper and Montreal Steak Seasoning are favorites, but tonight I opened an unlabeled container in the pantry and discovered that it was rosemary salt the bestie made and left here, so I mashed it up with some garlic and put that on one, and did bbq rub on the other. The frozen corn....is frozen corn. Except, you know, microwaved.

[marhor9879]

Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots , chopped

1 cup chopped celery

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

60 oz vegetable broth,  low-sodium

3 medium potatoes, diced

1 cup green beans, chopped

3 bay leaves

2 tsp salt, or to taste*

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup frozen sweet corn

1 cup frozen sweet peas

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat a heavy soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped onions and carrots and saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden.

Add celery, canned tomatoes (with juice), broth, potatoes, green beans, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.

Once the vegetables are tender, add corn, sweet peas, green onion, and parsley. Season with salt to taste and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.

[greatest-ball-of-fire]

Fireball can I please have the Gregor Recipe with your special spice?

The closest thing I can find that you have on your planet is Crab and Vegetable Soup (for a vegan version, just skip the crab and use vegetable stock).

Ingredients:

3 pounds of claw or lump crab meat (picked free of shells)

1 bag of frozen corn (or 3 cups fresh)

1 large can of tomatoes

1 squash or zucchini, diced

1 cup of frozen or fresh chopped green beans

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

1 small broccoli or cauliflower or both, chopped or diced

2 diced large carrots

2-3 diced celery stalks

1 diced medium onion

4 minced garlic bulbs (or 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic from the jar)

2 boxes/about 6 cups of stock (vegetable or really any stock or broth will do)

Salt and pepper to taste (at least a teaspoon)

2 bay leaves

2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Add Old Bay Seasoning or Leblanc’s Creole Seasoning to taste (start with half a teaspoon and go from there)

Drizzle of vegetable oil

Fireball special version ingredient: Chili flakes

Directions: Get a big pot, heat the oil and add all the vegetables. Cook the vegetables. Add the stock to the pot. Add the crab. Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and other seasonings. Cook. This is a giant pot of food. Just cook it until it’s all hot. Taste the broth as you go and add more seasoning to taste. Add chili flakes. Take out the bay leaves before serving.

Serve hot with bread and butter! Make sure there is prijand and more chili flakes on the table for the bravest eaters.

[forkfulofflavor]

Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup This comforting and flavorful soup combines ground beef with a medley of vegetables and seasonings, perfect for a cozy meal. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound ground beef 1 onion diced 1 stalk celery diced 2 cloves garlic minced 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced 5 cups beef broth 15 ounces tomatoes diced with juice 8 ounces tomato sauce 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables corn, green bean, carrot mix Instructions In a medium-sized soup/stock pot, heat the olive oil and brown the ground beef, onion, celery, and garlic until no pink remains in the ground beef. Drain any excess fat. Add the diced potatoes, beef broth, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables. Continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Notes TIP: It’s best to drain the excess grease off the hamburger after cooking. Using lean ground beef can make this step easier. TIP: Consider sprinkling a little bit of parmesan cheese on top or adding shredded cheese before serving. TIP: You can freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers for quick and easy lunches later.

[bewitched-forest]

Danny & Billy - Brothers in Too Much Power

For @gummybearstastelikesadness

Summary: Danny Fenton and Billy Batson were a pair of homeless, secretly super power minors trying to navigate life. Danny Fenton takes on the role of Billy's older brother, and the two spend a pleasant breakfast together. Until they are rudely interrupted by Billy's Justice League communicator popping off. Billy Batson, now taking on the form of Captain Marvel, goes to handle the disturbance, until realizing it was Skulker, ghost hunter extraordinaire. Billy taps out, letting Danny Phantom take over.

[Ao3: link]

Danny shifts, eyes fluttering open before he squeezes them closed with a groan. Despite it being winter, the morning is bright with the sun reflecting against the snow. He shifts, blinking his eyes open when he notices the head tucked into his shoulder. With blurry eyes, he looks down at the mop of hair just below his head. It takes him a moment, the phantoms of sleep playing their tricks before he realizes that it's Billy.

 The two boys had met, well, almost a year ago now. Danny had gone on the run, his coronation as King of the Infinite Realms making him a much more sought-after ghost, by his parents and strangers alike. Billy had been homeless for a couple of years, bouncing around Fawcett City’s back alleys long before he became Captain Marvel. The two had met when Danny broke into an abandoned home, one Billy had also been using to stay. The strained situation when they had run into each other broke when Danny accidentally slipped a pun, causing Billy to laugh. The two had ended up becoming something of a family, Billy regarding Danny as an older brother and Danny seeing Billy as a younger one in kind.

 Danny shifted again, adjusting Billy still asleep behind him before scanning the room. The room in question was very run down. Half the roof had long since been gone, causing the only part free of snow to be the corner Danny and Billy had tucked themselves into. Thankfully, everything seemed untouched. 

 He heard a soft crackle, pulling his attention to look up. Danny sighed at the sight of the Crown of Fire floating softly above him. It must’ve manifested in their sleep, providing warmth on the freezing winter night. Danny takes a deep breath, forcing the crown away to wherever it went. Billy shifted against Danny, opening his eyes slowly and looking up. Danny looked back down, smiling softly.

 “Morning Danny,” says Billy as he pulls away, rubbing his eyes.

 “Morning Billy,” Danny replies, groaning softly as he stretches.

 Billy shifts, reaching for the backpacks. He pulls them closer, passing the black one to Danny while he opens his red one. Danny takes the bag, tugs open the zipper and reaches in. He pulls out a couple of cans of food, ranging from corn to green beans to regular brown beans.

Billy looks over, grabbing one of the cans. “Hey. What kind of vegetable is jealous?”

 Danny looks over with a grin, squinting at Billy. “I dunno, what?”

 Billy turns the can, showing the label to Danny. “Green beans!”

 Danny snorts, before breaking down into laughter. He grabs the rest of the cans, packing them away. Billy laughs, setting the can of green beans next to its double before digging into his bag. He pulls out a bag of frozen beef jerky, offering it to Danny once he starts calming.

 Danny grabs it, setting it down before summoning the Crown of Fire again. He reaches up, grabs it with both hands, and sets it on the ground. Or, well, setting it to hover just over the ground. Billy grabs the cans, holding them over the crown as he mutters under his breath, pulling on stamina of Atlas to protect him from the heat. Danny smiles, grabbing the jerky and holding it over the crown as well. The two shift closer, leaning against each other as they wait for the crown to warm their breakfast for the day.

 Danny sighs, plopping his head on top of Billy’s. “We should probably move today. We’ve been in this house for almost a week now.”

 Billy nods. “Yeah. Probably should have an actual roof, too.”

 Danny snorts. “Definitely.” 

 Danny pulls the jerky away from the crown, pulling it open. Billy smiles, settings down the cans as he grabs some jerky. The two go on to eat their breakfast peacefully, Danny sending away the crown.

 As Danny gets up to throw away the cans, an alarm sounds. Billy jumps, reaching into his bag and pulling out a communicator. He looks up at Danny before tapping it, the screen lighting up to show the Justice League logo.

 “Captain Marvel, 1-5,” Billy says. Danny crouches down next to him, looking at the screen.

 “Captain Marvel, 1-5. Access granted,” sounds a female voice, before the screen changes.

 “What's up, Billy?”

 “There’s apparently an unidentified disturbance here in Fawcett City. Since I’m closest and available, they’re asking me to check it out.”

 “Alright then.” Danny stands, grabbing the bag of cans and swinging it around his shoulders. “Guess we ought to get going then.”

 Billy stands up, grabs the other backpack, and offers it to Danny. “You’re coming?”

 “Just to watch. I want to make sure you’re okay, tiny.” Danny grins, taking the other bag.

 Billy squints. “Shazam!” he shouts. Lightning strikes down, and in his place stands Captain Marvel. “I’m not tiny now,” he states, puffing out his chest.

 Danny laughs, floating off the ground to put them both face to face. “You’ll always be tiny to me.”

 Captain Marvel just sighs as he lifts off, following his communicator. Danny shifts to be invisible before following.

 } ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ {

 When Captain Marvel arrives on the scene, he tilts his head. In front of him is a man of metal, with a silver mohawk. He has several guns, from a bazooka to a machine gun. And the man is glowing. Brightly.

 Danny groans beside his younger brother. “This one’s one of mine.”

 Marvel blinks, looking over to where Danny’s voice came from. “One of yours?”

 “Yeah… Remember how I told you I was a hero once too? This bastard is one of the ghosts I fought. Name’s Skulker. And he wants my pelt. I’ll deal with him.”

 “I’m sorry he wants your what?!” Captain Marvel asks as he floats down to one of the rooftops, looking scandalized at his brother once Danny shows himself.

 “Yeah, it's nothing. I’ll tell you later.” Danny slips off the backpacks, handing them to Captain Marvel before he shifts, white wings expanding to replace the human boy.

 “O-okay. Shazam!” Marvel shouts after he drops the bags, turning back into Billy. He watches as Phantom lifts off, flying towards the metal man and punching him. 

 “Ah! Brat! I have found you at last!” shouts Skulker, aiming the machine gun at Phantom.

 “Can it, Skulker!” Phantom says, grabbing Skulker and slamming him into the ground. Billy races to the edge of the building, looking over to continue watching his brother fight.

 Skulker was definitely outmatched by Phantom. Phantom had him pinned down, and was actively tearing apart the various weapons he had. Billy watched with wide eyes, jaw-dropping as Phantom ripped off the head. Phantom shakes the head, a small lump of green tumbling out. Billy watches as his older brother grabs the thermos on his belt, sucking up the entire mech suit and blob before capping it again.

 Phantom looks up and around before spotting Billy on the roof. He lifts off, turning invisible before looping back around and settling down by Billy. He shifts back to human after letting go of the invisibility, clearing his throat.

 Billy whirls around, barely hesitating to slam into Danny with a hug. A little cheating with flight is probably the only reason Danny didn’t hit the floor.

 “Oof-” Danny mutters, returning the hug.

 “That was awesome!” Billy yells as he leans back, staring at Danny with a face full of admiration. “You must’ve been such a good hero before! That was so cool to watch! You just slammed into the ground and then bam, pow, crunch he was done for!”

 Danny chuckles as he steps back, Billy taking the opportunity to practically bounce around. “Yeah. I guess.”

 Billy pauses, looking back at Danny. “Why did you stop? Being a hero and all? You’re really good at it.”

 Danny sighed, looking away. “I got crowned king. When I became the King of the Infinite Realms, all of the sudden the ghost hunters and magic users started hunting me down even more. I spent most of my battles trying to save my own skin rather than actually keeping the peace.”

 Billy frowns, walking over and hugging Danny again. “I mean we have each other now. We could become a team! Then I could keep away the hunters, and you could be a hero again!”

 Danny looks down at Billy, blinking in shock before hugging Billy back with a smile. “Ah- Maybe. It wouldn’t be easy. Ghosts aren’t exactly recognized as citizens.”

 Billy grins. “Well, that seems like an injustice to me. And lucky for you!” Billy steps back, puffing out his chest and pointing at it with his thumb,” I’m a member of the Justice League! And we specialize in fighting injustice!”

 Danny chuckles, ruffling Billy’s hair. “Okay. Let’s talk about this later. We definitely need to head off.”

 Billy smiles, nodding. “Alright.” He grabs his backpack, throwing it on as Danny does the same. Then he grabs Danny’s hand, interlacing his fingers.

 Danny smiles before turning them both invisible. He walks over to the edge of the roof, lifting off into the air. The two fly off, set about continuing their day.