#gluten-free greens juice

[vegan-nom-noms]

Mango Taco Salad

[morethansalad]

Easy Vegan Dirt Pudding Cups (Gluten- & Refined Sugar-Free)

with homemade, naturally sweetened gummy worms

[malusokay]

Glow-up tips that actually work from your favourite beauty girly (me)

Hot girls don't gatekeep, so here are some of my favourite glow-up tips that actually work. <3

Skin

Find a skincare routine that works for you!! It took me years to find mine, but now my skin is literally perfect. <3 (let me know if you guys want a detailed skincare routine!!)

Don't pick your skin, the less you touch your face, the better.

I believe ice rollers are bs…

If you struggle with dark circles, don't try fixing them through skincare. Most likely, the problem comes from your diet or stress.

Dry brushing is a game-changer!!

Use lotion after every shower and apply a body spray before the lotion is fully absorbed into your skin. You'll smell amazing for DAYS.

Don't try homemade skincare if you already struggle with your skin. I learned it the hard way, lol…

WASH YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES

Hair

The more heat you use, the more damage you'll have.

SILK PILLOWCASES

Never sleep with wet or damp hair.

Stop buying cheap shampoo and conditioner, also make sure to check the ingredients!!

Some ingredients to avoid: Sulfates, Parabens, Polyethene Glycols, Triclosan, Formaldehyde, Synthetic Fragrances and Colors, Dimethicone, Retinyl Palmitate.

I trim my hair every 3 months.

If you have damaged hair, invest in some Olaplex!! my favourites are N4c, N6 and N7. <3

Diet

green juice actually makes you feel better. I make mine at home and LOVE it :)

Balance is key!! I swear by the 80/20 rule.

Drink more water, even if you think you're drinking enough. DRINK MORE

Keto is BS <3

Focus on eating more protein. Usually, low-fat products have more protein, so I just try to buy those, lol.

I eat gluten-free, not by choice… But it did clear my acne, so…

Take supplements, get a blood test done, discuss it with a doctor and start taking whatever they recommend. GAME CHANGER.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES and fruits.

Lifestyle

Focus on being more active, walk more, workout, join a club or sport, dance, whatever works for you!!

I aim for 10K steps, I live in a big city, so I usually walk more than that but still.

Hobbies that don't include screen time. Trust me.

Find your personal style and ALWAYS dress up. <3

TREAT YOURSELF. Buy yourself flowers, and presents, go to your favourite restaurants, vacations!!

Read more. As a classics lover, I can't imagine a life without literature, but even if you don't like classics, any book is better than no book!!

Take more pictures. I've noticed that I have become a lot more present since I've started taking more pictures!! highly recommend :)

I hate to say this, but getting up earlier is lowkey kinda great... been doing it for a few weeks, and unfortunately, I do feel better... they were right...

Get a cat. :)

Mindset

Stop assuming that everyone hates you, they don't, trust me.

Journaling, manifesting, law of attraction, affirmations.

one of my favourite affirmations: "if I weren't capable, the opportunity wouldn't have come my way; I belong here." <3

Stop hanging out with people who drain your energy

stop consuming media that makes you feel bad.

What would the highest version of yourself do?

If you change your mindset, you will change your life.

Romanticise every aspect of your life. <3

As always, please feel free to share your own suggestions and glow-up tips in the comments! <3

✩‧₊*:・love ya ･:*₊‧✩

[fcukfodmap]

Low-FODMAP Gluten-free Ginger Glazed Carrots

I kind of got into a green bean rut with my low-FODMAP cooking because I was using them in lieu of asparagus or broccoli, which had been my go-to weekday veggie side. But carrots are low-FODMAP, and they've always been a crowd-pleaser in my family. They're flavorful enough on their own to pair with pretty serious spices, and they're hard to overcook, a problem I sometimes have with green vegetables. The ease of this recipe really recommends it: from start to finish it's probably 20 minutes. So here we go.

Low-FODMAP Gluten-free Ginger Glazed Carrots

1" square piece of ginger, sliced thin

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces on the bias

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 c vegetable or chicken broth

2 tbsp lactose-free butter

2 tbsp minced chives

lemon juice

Bring ginger, 1 tbsp sugar, broth & carrots to a boil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and increase heat, cooking until the liquid is reduced to a couple tbsp. Add butter and the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and cook, stirring often, until the carrots are tender and glazed thickened slightly. Pull out the ginger medallions, and sprinkle with minced chives and the juice from half a lemon.

I was well pleased with how quick and simple this recipe turned out, and the mix of sweet and sour was delightful. I'd be curious to try this with alternate sugars, like a smoky maple syrup could be really interesting. I used chicken broth because I had some to use up, but you could certainly make this recipe vegetarian or even vegan by replacing the broth and butter with plant-based alternatives.

Oh, and I feel like I'm always saying this, but commercially produced broth usually has a lot of no-no ingredients for a low-FODMAP diet, which I tend to ignore because YOLO. You could certainly replace the broth with water and maybe a 1/2 tsp of salt, and no one would be harmed.

Evergreen disclaimer: I am no dietician. I'm doing my best to minimize FODMAPs in my diet, but it's possible for me to be misinformed or mistaken about various ingredients.

[not-that-dillinger]

Ed's preferences

Some Edcanons. If you care.

Animal: Birds

Flower: Lavender or hydrangias

Scent: Lavender,

Coffee: latte with four shots of espresso and enough sugar that it's practically sugar... but only if the situation's dire.

Tea: Lavender earl grey or Lavender chamomile. Alternatively Jasmine green tea

Drink: Grapefruit juice or lemonaid

Alcoholic Beverage: Golden Dream (cocktail), sambouca (liqueur) tequila (liquor), white wine or hard seltzer.

Food: Pho, street tacos (with corn tortillas), mole enchiladas, butternut squash soup, or pot roast.

Dessert: Creme brulee or mochi ice cream

Article of Clothing: hand-knit beanie made from qiviut yarn, gifted from a friend in college.

Candy: Salted Licorice (or any gluten free licorice)

Left or Right Handed?: Situationally ambidextrous but favoring his right hand. He used to favor handed until an incident in middle school where he broke his left wrist.

Sloppy or Neat Writing?: Depends on spoons for the day. Usually neat cursive, but if he's been doing to much stuff that strains his wrists it progressively becomes worse.

Clean or Messy Home?: ...lived-in. He rarely has the energy to do a deep clean, but will do chores here and there as energy permits.

Shower in Morning or Night?: Mornings, only because the ratio of times he actually goes to bed versus crashing is... concerning.

Tasks Done Early or Last Minute?: Depends on priority level, and generally broken into smaller chunks spread out but planned so that he can get it done with some buffer room, though usually completed ahead of schedule

Love Language?: Gift giving and acts of service

Believe in Love at First Sight?: ...You mean that isn't something that was made up in movies? People actually do that??? Still sounds fake.

tagged by: Stolen from: @the-expatriate

tagging: @wanderxdusk / @starstruckxstray, @mysticbluejay, @first-frost-fallen-snow (for Raye, but also any muse you like), @evecolourshock (your choice of muse), @corruptedcodelines, and anyone else who sees this and would like to do it. Of course, there is never any pressure to do it if you don't want to.

[auckie]

Ok no actually I wanna hear your Trader Joe’s opinions I’m really into the orange strawberry banana juice, the bruschetta sauce, the cranberry lime juice sparkling water and cinnamon schoolbook cookies

You and I agree on the CLSW (cranlime sparkling), haven’t tried the others but I’ll look into them. The normal lime one is also amazing on its own, as well as a mixer for both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Summer must!

There’s so much shit I’m obsessed with, I’ll try and list the most important ones

English crumpets

Mango kefir

Brown sugar oat creamer

Chocolate oat milk

Simpler wines brand sparkling white canned wine

Pfeffernüsse

Chocolate babka

Brioche sliced bread

Danish Kringle

Pinks and whites shortbread cookies

Joe Joe’s gluten free classic Oreo knock off cookie

Madras lentils (boxed kind is good too)

Canned giant baked beans in tomato sauce

The non joes brand oat milk coffee and kombucha but you can get those anywhere

Their candles, two in one grapefruit mint hair wash (I despise two in one products but this one doesn’t foam and is more of a cleansing conditioner I use in between shampoo and regular conditionings), and many other non food items. I’ve bought their towels, seasonal decor (usually those felt garlands), face lotions and oils. Loved all of them. Usually I only restock on the lotion, hand soap, and lavender laundry bags. Their detergent is nice tho, and I’ve also gotten their wool laundry balls but you really only ever gotta buy them like once. They also usually have pretty cute cards at the checkout! I like their cheaper flowers too, but there’s also a lot of very cute seasonal items they carry that I just can’t justify buying bc of price (have you seen their felt sunflowers? So adorable)

Simpler times potato chips

Crispy Crunchy Champignon Mushroom Snack

Fruit leather bars

Dried orange rings

Lox (labeled as smoked salmon iirc)

Both their Tunisian and kalamata olive oil

Vodka sauce

Roasted red pepper and tomato canned soup

Canned vegetable soup

Gone bananas chocolate covered frozen bananas (gone berry crazy strawberries are good too but like a dollar or two more expensive)

Jasmine rice in the frozen isle

Lime popsicles

Steak and stout meat pie

Pastry Bites Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onions

Canned tuna*

*especially with the gluten free microwaveable mac n cheese (I’m not gluten free if you’ve noticed, I literally just prefer some of their gluten free products. Same with the oat milk. I’m not lactose free but I just really like it)

Most of the frozen wontons I’ve tried

Chimichurri rice (goes great with the aforementioned roasted red pepper box soup, and chopped onions, green peppers, and spinach cooked in a wok)

Chicken sausage

Butternut squash gnocchi, iirc the potato gnocchi is good too

Most of their dried pastas

Almond and chocolate filled frozen croissants

The bars of chocolate you find at the check out that come in packs of threes

The weird meat sticks at the checkout too

Frozen hashbrowns

For whatever reason, their frozen green beans and asparagus is so much better than other generic brands I’ve tried

Any of the canned olives but esp the kalamata

Sun dried tomatoes

The produce is okay, a little pricey but they had brown Mexican tomatoes once that fucked hard. The herbs trustworthy too but really where is it not

Any of their chocolate covered nuts

Their fucked up chocolate covered chips, sometimes found in their snack mixes

Peanut butter pretzel snacks

Their dried seaweed isn’t my fav, but it’s not bad. I think it’s overpriced tho but tbf I usually get huuuge, less flavored packs from Costco

Pine nuts but good Gd are they expensive

They have cute, weird heirloom hybrid squashes during the fall a lot too that are pretty tasty

Things I’ve gotten from there that I hated? I didn’t like their orange chicken, ANY of the cereals I’ve gotten from there oddly enough, their pecorino Romano only comes grated and mixed iirc and I didn’t care for it. Some of their beers have made me scowl but also those are all random brands. But their wine (yes, even SHAW. But shoutout to coco bon red blend and blue fin moscato RIP!) has never does me wrong…except for any other flavor of the simpler wines canned ones. I can only do the sparkling white and literally no else I've forced to drink it has liked it! some of their salads have done me wrong. the canned chickpeas and dolmas were off. and some of their pricy juice mixes left me a bit disappointed.

[forkfulofflavor]

Creamy Parmesan Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup celery, diced 1 cup bell pepper, diced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 6 cups chicken broth 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (optional) 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (use gluten-free for gluten-free version) 8 ounces pasta (such as ditalini or shells; use gluten-free if needed) 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional) 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (optional) 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional) Cayenne, salt, and pepper, to taste Directions: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with Cajun seasoning and cook for 2-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the pot and set aside. In the same saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper, cooking until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and an additional tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, add the chicken back to the pot along with the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 7 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Remove the chicken, slice or shred it, then return it to the pot. Turn off the heat, stir in the cream and Parmesan cheese, and let the cheese melt into the broth. Finish by adding lemon juice, parsley, and green onions if desired. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve warm and enjoy! Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Calories: 460 kcal | Servings: 6 This Creamy Parmesan Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup brings together the warming flavors of Cajun spices, tender pieces of chicken, and a rich, creamy broth. The addition of Parmesan cheese adds depth, while the hint of lemon juice and fresh herbs balance the richness with a bright finish. Each spoonful is packed with flavor, offering the perfect cozy meal for cooler days. Ideal for a comforting weeknight dinner or a hearty lunch, this soup is versatile and customizable. Add more cayenne if you prefer extra heat or omit the cream for a lighter version. Serve it with crusty bread to soak up every bit of the delicious broth. It’s a satisfying, one-pot meal that’s easy to make and sure to warm your soul.

[ourrecipebook]

Thai Green Curry with Spring Vegetables

Serving: 2-4

Ingredients

1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed

2 teaspoons coconut oil or olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger, peeled and chopped)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of salt

½ bunch asparagus, tough ends removed and sliced into 2-inch long pieces (to yield about 2 cups prepared asparagus)

3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch wide rounds (to yield about 1 cup sliced carrots)

2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste*

1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk (I used full-fat coconut milk for a richer curry)

½ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar or turbinado (raw) sugar or brown sugar

2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 ½ teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice

1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce** (I used reduced-sodium tamari)

Garnishes: handful of chopped fresh cilantro and red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve.

Warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add a couple teaspoons of oil. Cook the onion, ginger and garlic with a sprinkle of salt for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the asparagus and carrots and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into the pan, along with ½ cup water and 1 ½ teaspoons sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the carrots and asparagus are tender and cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Once the vegetables are done cooking, stir the spinach into the mixture and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove the curry from heat and season with rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add salt and red pepper flakes (optional), to taste. Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you’d like.

Notes

GREEN CURRY PASTE: Look for it in the Asian section of the grocery store. I like Thai Kitchen brand. Not all Thai curry pastes are vegetarian, but this one is.

MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce.

We added chicken because of our nutrition needs.

(Source)

[mariacallous]

What makes a borscht a borscht? I often get asked this question when I share a recipe for any variation other than the beet-based gold standard borscht.

Borscht (aka borsch orborshch) is in fact defined as a “sour soup.” Any pot of borscht requires tanginess, whether it is red, green or white. That essential sour component in borscht can be achieved from the addition of citrus, a fermented wheat starter, vinegar, pickling liquid, tomato or sauerkraut. The word “borscht” is believed to have been derived from the Slavic word for hogweed, borschevik — a plant in the carrot family that was both frequently fermented and used in soups in early Slavic cuisine. Some date the origin of borscht as far back as the 14th century Ukraine, and differing styles of borscht have long remained common across the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. As Ashkenazi Jews fled the Russian empire at the end of the 19th century, they helped popularize borscht in the far flung places where they emigrated, and notably in the United States.

Ukrainian cuisine is widely known for its deep scarlet beet borscht, and sometimes for its springy sorrel-laden green borscht. In Poland, borscht can take on a white form, which is also called “biały barszcz” or“zurek.” It can be referred to as Polish Easter soup, sour rye soup or sourdough soup, as it can be made with a fermented flour starter for that element of tang. Just like red borscht, you’ll find different iterations of white borscht depending on what region you’re in, what home cook you’re talking to, or what restaurant you’re eating at. 

While there are many excellent recipes readily available for white borscht, I humbly offer my version, which is inspired by my family’s style of borscht, as well as my personal preferences. In this white borscht, the subtle puckeryness comes both from the inclusion of sourdough bread and fresh lemon juice, the latter being an ingredient my baba (grandmother) always added to her borscht regardless of its color. 

This is all to say, make your white borscht the way that feels best to you: puree it or leave it chunky, add sourdough or rye or neither, make it with smoked sausage or keep it meat-free (see notes for more suggestions and swaps). I personally love to add mild, sweet cabbage to my white borscht, and I always top it with copious amounts of freshly chopped dill. 

However you decide to tweak this hearty soup, please know it is an antidote to a chill in the air, to a sun that sets too early, to a tummy that needs filling, and it is a celebration of the humble potato and cabbage, from which so many of my ancestral dishes seem to come from. As we said in our home prior to eating, “priyatnogo appetita,” or as you might say in yours, bete’avon!

Notes:

To make this gluten-free: Use gluten-free sourdough, or omit the bread entirely, and swap with an additional potato.

To make this vegetarian/vegan: Omit the sausage and swap vegetable broth or vegan bouillon for chicken stock. The soup will be less smoky without sausage, but it is still a delicious vegetable soup. Make sure to season generously with salt and pepper. Top with sour cream at the end for extra richness.

For extra texture: when adding the sliced sausage back to the pot, reserve ½ of the slices and fry them up in a pan just before serving; then top each bowl with browned rounds of the sausage. Sourdough croutons also make for a great textural topping. 

If you don’t have a blender or food processor: You can keep this soup chunky and skip pureeing it, but I’d suggest omitting the sourdough bread, and instead replacing it with more fresh lemon juice or another acidic component like vinegar or sauerkraut. 

Make ahead: White borscht lasts up to one week in the fridge, and up to three months frozen. 

[vegan-nom-noms]

Gluten Free Protein Waffles

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A slice of dark brown cake garnished with dried sorrel on a plate dotted with dried raisins and currants. End ID]

Jamaican black cake (optionally halal)

Black cake is a kind of fruit cake flavored with rum and spices and colored with burnt sugar. Variations on the cake are eaten throughout the Caribbean, primarily during Christmas but also for Easter or other celebrations such as weddings or birthdays. Dried fruits soaked in rum and wine, molasses, lime juice, warm spices, and sometimes rosewater produce the signature deeply fruity taste of Jamaican versions of the cake. Black cake often has a dense, smooth, pudding-like texture; I’ve made my halal version reduced gluten, to mimic the gluten-inhibiting effects of alcohol and produce that melt-in-your-mouth effect.

This recipe was requested by a patron; you can request recipes or vote on what I upload next by joining my Patreon.

Recipe under the cut!

Makes one 8" cake.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour (substitute almond meal for a gluten-free version)

1/2 cup (55g) almond meal (substitute all-purpose flour if using rum)

1/2 cup non-dairy margarine, softened

1 cup unrefined sugar (such as muscavado or sucanat), or organic light brown sugar

3 Tbsp Jamaican or Caribbean molasses (if using brown sugar instead of unrefined)

3 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola

2 Tbsp water or rosewater

1 tsp ground cinnamon, or 2-inch piece cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, or 1 tsp freshly grated

1/2 tsp ground allspice (preferably Jamaican), or 16 allspice berries

1/2 tsp ground cloves, or 16 whole cloves

1/2 tsp ground mace, or 1 head

5 Tbsp Caribbean browning (store-bought may be too bitter; taste and maybe use less)

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)

Zest of 1 lime

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp table salt

2 cups (460g) soaked fruit mixture

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

My freshly ground spices totalled 9 grams; because freshly ground spices incorporate more air, you may want to include a bit more than I used by volume to account for settling.

Organic brown sugar is evaporated from cane juice and retains some of its original molasses, but less than unrefined sugars do. Non-organic brown sugars may be refined sugars with molasses added back in. Organic brown sugar is sure to be vegetarian (not filtered with bone char)—other refined sugars may or may not be suitable for vegetarians.

Unrefined sugars such as muscovado retain more of their original cane molasses, but they may clump and need to be grated before they can be used in baking. Sucanat is an unrefined sugar that should be pourable.

For the soaked fruit:

1 1/3 cup (130g) mixed black raisins, dried prunes, dried currants, and dried cherries

About 1/2 cup white rum (Wray and Newphew overproof rum is popular in Jamaica)

About 1/2 cup sweet red wine (commonly, Wray and Nephew red label)

Black raisins, prunes, currants, and dried cherries are the most typical fruits to use in black fruit cake. Many Jamaicans today also include mixed peel and red or green glac�� cherries. Most recipes include more prunes and raisins than other fruits, but prunes make the cake too bitter for some people's taste; consult your own preference.

Most recipes call for “white rum,” but there is no clear dividing line in terms of flavor between “white” and “dark” rum. Some light rums are the result of ageing and subsequent filtering, while some dark rums have been aged less but have had color or molasses added in. If in doubt, just use something you like!

For the halal rum and wine mixture:

My halal 'rum' uses fruits, herbs, and spices that mimic the funky, fruity, vegetal notes of a Jamaican rum; it also takes inspiration from other drinks common in Jamaica. Ripe fruit is a source of the esthers that give rum its signature fermented taste, while sorrel and malta help to produce a well-rounded flavor. The point is not necessarily to taste ‘like’ rum, but to replace its complexity in the cake.

1 cup water or coconut water

1/2 black overripe banana or plantain, with its peel

Other ripe fruit, such as a handful of raspberries or a few slices of mango (optional)

1 Tbsp (2g) dried sorrel (hibiscus; optional)

1/2 inch chunk (5g) ginger

2-inch piece (2g) Ceylon cinnamon

2-inch piece (2g) cassia cinnamon (I used a mix of Chinese and Indonesian)

4 whole cloves

6 allspice berries

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

A few pieces (1g) dried orange peel, or zest of one orange

2 ciliment (bay rum) leaves

1 Indian bay leaf (tej patta)

2 Tbsp West Indian molasses, or malta (Jamaican soft drink)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup red grape juice (in place of the wine)

Any ingredients you don't have (except for the grape juice) may be omitted.

Instructions:

For the halal rum and wine mixture:

1. Roughly crush ginger and spices in a mortar and pestle or with the flat of a knife. Simmer fruit, sorrel, spices, bay leaves, and orange peel, covered, in water or coconut water for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steep for about an hour, still covered.

2. Strain mixture through a nut milk bag or coffee filter to remove fruit pulp. Mix in extracts, molasses or malta, and grape juice.

3. Top up mixture with more water if necessary to achieve a total volume of 1 1/3 cup (315mL).

For the soaked fruit:

1. Combine all fruits (including mixed peel and glacé cherries, if using) with enough rum and wine mixture to cover in a large glass jar. If using the halal rum and wine mixture, you should have at least 1/4 cup of it left over.

2. Soak dried fruits for a minimum of a week and up to a year (if using rum). Some bakers begin soaking fruit for the next year's cake immediately after Christmas! Keep fruits at room temperature while soaking if you're using rum, or in the fridge if not using alcohol. Occasionally check back and top up the liquid if the fruits soak some of it up and are no longer covered.

You may also choose to simmer the fruits for a few minutes and then soak them for a few hours if you're in a hurry.

3. Optionally, grind soaked fruits in a blender or food processor until smooth and paste-like. Whether you keep the fruits whole or grind them depends on what texture you want in your cake; I ground them to create a smooth, dense texture.

For the cake:

1. Whisk together all dry ingredients except for sugar (flour, almond meal, lime zest, spices, baking powder, salt) in a large mixing bowl.

2. Beat 1/2 cup softened margarine in a medium bowl with an electric beater until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and beat for several more minutes until creamy to incorporate air.

3. Place 2 Tbsp water or rosewater in a small bowl and slowly add 3 Tbsp oil while whisking to create an emulsion. Slowly add the mixture to the creamed margarine, continuing to beat.

4. Slowly add 2 Tbsp lime juice and vanilla and almond extracts (1 tsp each) while mixing with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add 2 cups (about 460g) fruit paste, 5 Tbsp browning, and 3 Tbsp molasses (if using brown rather than unrefined sugar) and mix.

5. Add flour mixture a little at a time and fold until well combined, with no remaining dry spots.

6. Bake in a parchment-paper-lined 8" cake pan at 250 °F (120 °C) for about 2 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The low temperature and long cooking time help to give the cake its smooth, dense texture.

7. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, pour about 1/4 cup of your rum and wine mixture over the cake—this makes the cake very moist, as well as ensuring that the more volatile aromatics in the rum don’t disappear during baking.

8. Spray the cake with the wine and rum mixture every few days. It will be at its best a few days after baking!

The cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days (then moved to the fridge and stored for another week) if containing rum; a halal version will need to be stored in the fridge from the beginning.

[lowcarbloves]

Keto Orange Chicken 🍗😋

Prep Time: 20minutes minutesCook Time: 30minutes minutesTotal Time: 50minutes minutes Servings: 4 Calories: 328

🙏 𝔽𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 🔃 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕥.

Ingredients

▢1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces

▢1 ½ cups pork rind crumbs

▢2 large eggs

▢2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

▢salt and pepper to taste

▢oil for frying

Sauce:

▢2 teaspoons minced garlic

▢1 teaspoon ginger paste

▢½ teaspoon sesame oil

▢3 tablespoons water

▢2 tablespoons soy sauce

▢⅓ cups brown sugar substitute

▢zest from one orange

▢2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

▢¼ cup white vinegar

Instructions

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil, and heat over medium high heat.

Combine eggs and heavy whipping cream in a small bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture and then dredge in the pork rind crumbs.

Place the chicken into the heated oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until browned and cooked through.

Remove the chicken and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce.

Remove the excess oil from the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.

Pour in the sauce mixture and simmer until thickened.

Toss the chicken in the sauce, and allow to cool slightly before serving garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Notes

Cut the chicken evenly. This will help it all cook at the same rate so you don't have some pieces burning while others are undercooked.

Make sure the chicken is fully cooked. The safe cooking temperature of chicken breasts is 165°F.

Easily thicken your sauce if it is too thin. Just simmer the sauce on low in order to thicken it.

Use your favorite garnish. Garnish the chicken with sesame seeds after you toss it in the orange sauce.

Use fresh squeezed orange juice. It will give your keto orange chicken the most incredible flavor.

Use coconut aminos. It's gluten free and perfect for those who have a soy sensitivity.

Nutrition

Calories: 328 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 1510mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 302IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 1 g | % Carbs: 1.3 % | % Protein: 60.8 % | % Fat: 37.9 % |

[isa-ah]

What do you eat?

NOT MUCH LOL i have a ton of food allergies so like. mostly 1 of like 3 things that I shuffle thru every day:

1. goop. refried beans, vegan mayo, cheese, tomato, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, scooped w tortilla chips.

2. rice. rice, vegan mayo, cholula & green onion.

3. oats. overnight oats with fruit or oat meal with apples and cinnamon.

when we have money I really really like to get burgers to break up the monotony =') it's very rare to find a place with gluten free buns tho so usually I just have to eat the patty and veggies off a plate. sigh

[yes-i-am-happyaspie]

Today, on Discord, there was a discussion about whether eating Pop Tarts with peanut butter sandwiched between them was genius or horrifying. Then @ctrsara said 'You need to write a short about Peter making that and eating it in front of Tony.' And you know what? She was right. So here it is at 780 words.

Peter Parker's Quadruple Peanut Butter Pop Tart Sandwich

Tony came up from the lab to the penthouse kitchen hoping to find some coffee and maybe a protein shake or gluten free waffle. What he found instead was his young mentee sitting on the counter biting into a stack of strawberry frosted Pop Tarts.

“What are you doing?” He asked, wondering when Pop Tarts had become something he stocked in his kitchen. He had no recollection of having ever bought any. He made a mental note to check with FRIDAY later.

“Eating breakfast,” Peter replies, his mouth still full of half chewed food. Tony opened his mouth to chastise him for his lack of manners, then spied an empty Pop Tart box beside the trash can. It was fine. He likely wasn’t the right person to correct that kind of thing anyway. Some people would call it hypocritical. As such, he simply rolled his eyes and picked the box up to put it all the way in the bin.

“Are you eating an entire box of Pop Tarts?” he asked next.

Peter swayed his head, taking a brief moment to swallow. “No. It’s only two packs.”

Tony blinked as his brain tried to process how anyone could employ the phrase ‘only two packs’ in reference to cheap breakfast pastries. Especially when they were packaged in pairs.

“Oh I’m sorry, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, having clearly misread his expression. “Did you want some?”

After taking a moment to clear his thoughts, Tony shook his head. “Absolutely not,” he firmly asserted. “There’s nothing in those but pure sugar and empty calories.”

“Are you parenting me right now?” Peter asked with a little too much amusement in his voice. Tony opened his mouth to refute but before he could arrange a singular word, the kid was waving around a half empty jar of peanut butter.

“Besides, I added peanut butter between them,” Peter added, as thought that made eating four Pop Tarts in one sitting any better.

“Okay so let me get this straight,” Tony said, then paused for emphasis. “You’re eating four Pop Tarts. With peanut butter sandwiched between them. For breakfast.”

As Peter giddily nodded his head, Tony stared in disbelief. 

“What?” peter eventually proclaimed. “The peanut butter adds protein!”

“Well, I’m thrilled you’re getting your protein and all but I think we could come up with a few healthier breakfast options. Don’t you?” Tony asked, as he finally crossed the kitchen toward the coffee maker.

“What, like that green juice you like to drink in the mornings?” Peter asked, still munching away on his quadruple peanut butter Pop Tart sandwich.

“I mean, that would be a promising start,” Tony said with a quirk of his brow. “It's full of fiber and has four servings of fruits and vegetables.”

“No offense, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his nose scrunched up in dramatic disgust, “but it’s also really gross.”

Tony rolled his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the counter to wait for his coffee to brew. “Well I guess that means I have a more sophisticated palate than you.” he smoothly replied.

“You know if doesn't actually matter how many empty calories I eat, right, Mr. Stark,” Peter questioned before shoving another bite into his mouth. “I have an enhanced metabolism. I’ll burn right through this. No big deal.”

Tony sighed, unable to argue with that. “Perks of being a superhuman spider-person, huh?” he absentmindedly questioned, while digging around in the cabinets for his favorite mug. As an afterthought, he pulled one of the aforementioned bottles of green juice out of the refrigerator as well, just to balance it out. And that got him thinking. “But still, you could probably make your next snack at least a little bit healthier, right?”

Peter pulled a face then pointed an accusatory finger in Tony’s direction. “You still sound like somebody's dad,” he adamantly accused.

Unable, or perhaps unwilling to argue, Tony shook his head. “Sure, Kid. Whatever you say,” he vaguely conceded. Afterward, he realized the coffee had finished brewing. Subsequently, he picked up the carafe and poured a decent serving into this mug. He took a tentative sip, cautious not to burn his tongue and hummed in satisfaction. He could hear Peter giggling beside him and shot him a mildly warning look.

“Yeah, yeah, knock it off, Kiddo,” he blandly stated, then winked and offered a aoft smile. “How about when you’re done with that monstrosity, you grab an apple and meet me in the lab. We’ve got work to do.”

Peter smiled back and without hesitation, shoved the last bite into his mouth. Around he mumbled, “You got it, Mr. Stark,” and all Tony could do was laugh.

[chloe-spade]

I'm Glad you Came (Noco Fanfic)

"Hey, don't worry about how my room looks," Cody gulped as he showed Noah his messy room. "I didn't know you would arrive at 4…instead of 6;30, like we discussed."

"I rather be here now, than later," Noah informed, his head still stuck in his book.

"Of course," Cody sighed.

Cody didn't know what happened, but he somehow got the popular nerd Noah Mudaliar-Strecca in his own house while his parents were away! It was a win-win for him, but he didn't even prepare everything; it must've been Noah's thing. So he didn't precisely question it, so he just tried to clean up his room despite Noah not really paying attention to it.

"So, what do you plan for this super awesome sleepover party?" Noah asked with his usual sarcastic tone.

"Uh, well, I was going to prepare for anything, but again, you decided to come early so my plans kinda went out of whack," Cody answered, trying to fix his movie collection. "I mean, you can get a move to watch while I get the snacks ready? I also made sure that I got everything that I was sure you can eat."

"..you did?"

"Of course! At a sleepover, I always make sure my friends are comfortable," Cody grinned. "And you gave me a list, didn't you? Dude, I swear you should be in a bubble."

"Heh, nice try. But I am a resilent young man, I can handle a couple of hives and wheezing." Noah chuckled. "But thank you for your concern."

Noah hid his face in his book, blushing. He didn't think Cody was actually paying attention to his usual allergies, but he even did the most obscure ones. The main reason he didn't even go to sleepovers was that no one ever accommodated him, even if it was small things, like no roses near him or dairy-free products for him. It was impossible as a child, so he stopped when he started middle school, and he never invited people over either, as he was sick of people complaining about him. Fake friends, you know.

"Oh, sure…what sort of B-ranked movies you got here?" Noah chuckled, going to Cody's movie collection. "Ooh? The Matrix? Old-school, don't you think?"

"H-Hey! I like the effects, and trust me, some movies are worse," Cody blushed, taking the movie. "I'm sure I can find something up your speed."

"As long as it's not a romcom, shlocky, bland or cheesy, I'm okay with anything," Noah listed. "Man, even an animated movie would be better."

"I think I gave some here…but most of them are in the attic and going through that would take me hours," Cody groaned. "My parents like to hide it deep within so I would never find it. Typical of them, really."

Noah let out a small smile before patting his back. "Your sleepover, your pick, dude."

"Yes! But let me do the snacks first?" Cody asked. "Even I can't start a movie without eating something nice."

"…Fine."

Cody smiles and takes Noah down to the kitchen. Noah watches as Cody manages to get juices, chips (oddly gluten-free ones; even Noah wasn't that allergic to them, but he appreciated the thought), cookies, popcorn, and sodas. It was like watching someone with super speed, and somehow Cody didn't even trip one, like Noah would see in school. But Cody's bright smile made Noah gulp a sarcastic remark, and they returned up to Cody's room, and Noah finally saw what Cody's room looked like.

A weird area with posters of obscure stuff, Noah thought. And oddly, some rockstars, he didn't even think Cody listened to rock, but you learn something new daily.

"So, we got snacks. Now we need a movie, but every movie here is… embarrassing, I'll admit it."

"Well, we might as well find something," Noah quipped, rummaging through Cody's movie collection.

He felt something drop onto his feet, and familiar colors of pink, blue, and green flashed upon him, and Noah couldn't help but laugh instantly.

"Dude, you got the 2003 Special Edition Sleeping Beauty?" Noah laughed.

"Ah! I told her not to put it in there," Cody groaned, embarrassed. "Yeah, I can just put this back on her room and we should-"

"Let's watch it," Noah spoke.

"What!?"

"We can watch it," Noah repeated as he took the DVD from Cody's hands. "I haven't seen this movie since I was a kid, and I'm pretty sure I lost my own."

"…What am I hearing?" Cody gasped.

"Why are you surprised that I like a princess movie?"

Cody gulped; he didn't even know how to answer that. Well, he couldn't! Noah liked something that was so out of left field for him, and now Cody had to think about it. But it was his pick, and he couldn't exactly say no to him, now could he?

"Well, how about we get into pajames, and we can get started!" Cody announced. "I don't mind you staying in my room to get changed in so-"

"Where's your bathroom?" Noah interrupted him.

"Uh, you sure? We can techincally change in the same room, like a changing room at school," Cody chuckles nervously.

"And as someone who hates the changing rooms, no thank you," Noah huffed, grabbing his sleeping back. "Bathroom. Please?"

"Ah, just down to your left and the second door. You can't miss it because it says bathroom on it," Cody instructed. Take your time, and I'll be here, waiting patiently."

"Good."

With that, Noah left the room, and Cody groaned in his hands. He was so embarrassed that he felt like he was dying. He knew Noah would tell everyone that he had a stupid princess movie in his cool movie collection and wanted to watch it! Not only that, Cody felt like he was fumbling about his chances to be with Noah, not as friends but as a literal couple! This whole sleepover was a getting-with-him ploy, and he hated how Harold even made him do this! Noah didn't even want to be in the same room as him!

Cody quickly dressed in his simplest pajamas, a white tee and blue pajama pants. Yeah, boring, just like him. Way to go, Cody.

Noah came back as Cody got the movie ready, and he was also simple. However, Cody was confused by some padding. It was his imagination, so he didn't question it.

"So, ready to watch?" Cody gulped, blushing.

"Yeah," Noah answered shortly, sitting next to Cody. "Are you alright? Do you look oddly red?"

"Y-yeah! Just a little warm, that's all," Cody laughed, looking down.

Noah rolled his eyes and sighed, and he grabbed a soda. "Start the movie then."

Cody obliged and started the movie. Hearing the chorus sing their hearts out and hearing Noah humming along made Cody's heart race, and Cody knew he didn't have to panic about it as much as he did previously. The small commentary about the animation, the scenes, the characters, all of it made Cody's night even better, and he even paid attention to some details that Cody wouldn't have noticed until Noah mentioned them, and surprisingly, made him like the movie much more.

Watching how the prince and princess fall in love made Cody impulsively hold Noah's hand, still watching the movie. Noah's eyes drifted down and saw, but he held his hand back, also paying attention to the movie.

"Je te connais, j'ai marché avec toi.." Noah started to sing.

"Il était une fois un rêve," Cody sang along.

It was a lovely moment between the boys. As they continued to sing, the prince and princess started to dance together.

"Je te connais, la lueur dans tes yeux est une lueur si familière."

"Et je sais que c'est vrai que les visions sont rarement tout ce qu'elles paraissent, mais si je te connais, je sais ce que tu feras."

"Tu m'aimeras tout de suite.." Cody whispered softly.

"Comme tu l'as fait," Noah continued.

"Il était une fois un rêve," They finished, now ignoring the movie.

It was his only chance, and he had to. Cody, you got to!

Cody gulped as he pulled Noah closer and gave him a confident yet slightly awkward kiss that Noah jolted at but slowly melted into.

Cody pulled away immediately. "S-sorry! I was so caught up in the moment, and I couldn't help myself. I couldn't. I saw them and saw you, and I… I really wanted to kiss you."

"I'm more surprised that you stopped," Noah teased. "I didn't object, did I?"

"N-no, but I do have a request?"

"I guess?" Noah nodded, confused.

"It's best to take off that binder. I don't want you to lose air when I kiss you again," Cody requested, his hands now on Noah's clear, padded, and very fake chest.

"…" Noah didn't say anything, and he recoiled, worrying Cody.

"Oh? W-was that to forward?" Cody gulped. "I-I'm sorry, I should've asked before making any assumptions, but…um…"

"How did you know?" Noah asked, his voice slightly shaking.

"No one exactly faints as Canadian summers like you do," Cody chuckled. "But I always saw you being so secretive, especially around the boys' locker rooms, but I never asked because I thought I was just assuming. But I have friends who are also trans, so I tend to get very protective, and I'm so sorry that I had offended you. I just… wanted you to feel safe with me."

"…You did? You're not…laughing?"

"No! God no! I'm the last person to laugh at someone's personal journey," Cody answered. "I just…well, I had a crush on you before I found out, so it didn't really change my opinion of you. It's just you, Noah. I don't care about the external, I care about the internal..oh my god, that was super cheesy."

"Yeah, it was," Noah chuckled. But it's something I need to hear, especially from a crush like you."

"You had a crush on me to?!"

"Obviouslty," scoffed Noah. "I wouldn't accept a sleepover invatatio out of nowhere, you know."

"..Well, that is fair, and you know what," Cody smiles, getting closer. "I'm glad you accepted."

"Because all of this wouldn't never happened?"

"Yes, and I learn so much about you that I feel much more closer to you."

"Phsically or methopically?" Noah teased, squishing Cody's cheek.

"Can it both?" Cody whispered before kissing Noah again.

"..Can I at least take of my binder before you smother me with your cheesy drizzle? I don't want to lose air twice now."

"Oh! Right! Forgot about that!"

(Nocovember Prompt (Sleepover/Sick) by @aangellface )

[lesless]

Breakfast: leftover prime rib & eggs with matcha & coconut tea

Lunch: green lentil & sweet potato canned soup spruced up with cast iron cooked beef & onions, gluten free bread, butter, & apple juice

Dinner: plan on using the rest of the beef & onions to make an egg noodle pasta!