#half the people i see are carrying cakes or casseroles

[mildmayfoxe]

i went to the fancy sandwich place that closes at 4 that i never manage to catch just to get a sandwich for later & came to sit in a little park on the way back to drink my strawberry rhubarb shrub soda that i also got and had a few moments of blissful silence and birdsong before this guy came out & started weed-whacking his frankly extremely sad looking yard. stop hurting her she’s already dead!

[sxnyarostova]

heehee modern hadesephone

dumb idiots who can’t communicate with each other, the fic. featuring persephone struggling with pavlova and hades being a big tough looking softie

When Persephone invites him over to her mama’s house, Hades doesn’t think much about it. Friends always hang out at their friend’s parents’ houses all the time; well, that was the case back in primary school, anyway. 

Persephone drops the bomb that Hades’ gut has been subtly expecting when they’re in the car. “Uh, I told my mom that we were dating,” she blurts. “And that you, bein’ the gentleman that you were, y’know, was going to bring dessert.” 

Hades, calm and collected as he is, doesn’t show much of how he’s feeling on his face. “What?” he asks. He suddenly looks a lot more nervous and starts fidgeting with the sleeves of his shirt, smoothing out invisible wrinkles and dusting away non-existent speckles of dirt. “Persephone, I- I don’t quite understand.”

“Look, I’m sorry that I threw this onto you this late,” she says, awkwardly adjusting her tote bag, “but I didn’t know how I could say something like this at, I don’t know, a brunch meet-up. Hey, I’ve told my mom that we’re dating because she won’t stop breathing down my neck in regards to when I’m gonna go out with someone.”

He sighs, and Persephone sees something inside of him shift. “So where are we going to get the pavlova?” he says resignedly, rummaging through his suit jacket for his wallet. “I don’t know any good places for dessert, I’m afraid. Never had much of a sweet tooth myself.”

“Oh, that’s a lie,” Persephone huffs, half-trotting in double time to make up for the big steps that Hades takes. “I’ve seen you eat a stack of pancakes drowned in half a bottle of syrup, Hades.”

“My favorite place is an hour from here by freeway,” Hades says, stopping so suddenly that Persephone slams into his back. “Oof!” Persephone exclaims, stumbling backward a little. “Uh, maybe I could just call my kid to grab a cake from the grocery store?”

“Don’t trouble Eurydice,” Hades says. “The girl’s got enough on her plate already. How hard is it to get a pavlova, anyway?!”

(It is, in fact, very hard to find a pavlova.)

Eventually, the pair of them manage to locate one in the seventh dessert store they visit. Persephone triumphantly holds up the decorated meringue in its paper box, and Hades feels his mouth twitch at the corners.

“See?” Persephone says as the two of them slide into Hades’ car. “It wasn’t that hard.” 

(Hades doesn’t bother arguing with her as he turns the ignition.)

Demeter’s farmhouse is located in a quiet section of town. It’s a big place, with ornate glass windows and a bright red front door that screams ‘welcome.’ Persephone instructs Hades to park in the driveway, which Hades does so easily.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Persephone says, looking at Hades. Oh no, Hades thinks. Persephone’s plans are never good. Even so, he nods and indicates to his friend to go on. 

“My ma usually doesn’t run background checks on the people that I take home, so don’t worry about that,” she starts. “So long as you can keep a conversation going, you’ll be fine. Oh, don’t bring up anything about the weather lately, either; climate change always gets her in a tizzy. And don’t get her started on Eurydice, because she’ll break out the photo albums and you’ll be stuck here all night.”

Hades makes a mental note of all the information that Persephone has just thrown at him and nods along. “Will we have to hold hands or exhibit any public signs of affection?” he asks, and Persephone bursts into a fit of laughter. “Why did you ask it like that?” she chuckles, running a hand through her scalp. “And no, we don’t. Ma not big on PDA, anyway.”

“What’s PDA?” Hades asks again, and Persephone patiently explains to him what the acronym stands for. “I didn’t know what it meant until Eurydice told me, either, so don’t worry,” she says, jostling him in the side playfully. “We’re both old rocks.” 

Persephone gets out of the car with the meringue in her hands, smoothing out the folds of her chartreuse green dress as best as she can. She’s not nervous, but her armpits are sweating buckets.

Hades stoically walks towards the front door like a man to his death. Persephone would laugh, but she’s still got some sympathy left in her. She feels slightly guilty for thrusting Hades into this situation, but there’s nothing that can be done now, right? 

Awkwardly, Persephone slides her arm into Hades’. “Look the part, boyfriend,” she murmurs, as she knocks on the door. Hades blushes bright red but does as he’s told, putting on a smile that looks more forced than anything. 

“Hi, ma,” Persephone says, greeting the woman who opens the door with a cheek kiss. “Kore!” Demeter exclaims. Hades feels like he’s third-wheeling and interrupting a moment, but he doesn’t say anything, his ‘smile’ never leaving his face. 

“Ma, this is Hades. Hades, this is my mother, Demeter,” Persephone introduces, when she pulls away from her mother’s embrace. 

Demeter turns to Hades and looks the man up and down. Hades stays mostly still as he’s scrutinised, not even daring to breathe. God, what happens when the plan is exposed? Does Demeter know that this is just a ruse that Persephone’s caused? 

Hades’ inner monologue is interrupted by Demeter extending her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Hades,” Demeter says, a warm smile on her face as Hades shakes her calloused hand. “I’ve heard so much about you from Persephone.”

“All good things, I hope,” Hades jokes, and Demeter laughs out loud. Persephone does a silent victory dance with her fingers, for this is going so, so well. Screw everyone who doubted them; they’ve got this.

“Oh, they’ve all been wonderful things,” Demeter says warmly, opening the door wide. “Come on in, both of you.” 

The house carries the aroma of cooking food and the faint scent of burning incense. It’s all extremely homely and comfortable; the environment of Demeter’s farmhouse does wonders for Hades’ anxiety. “Persephone, put the pavlova in the fridge,” Demeter calls, just as her daughter’s about to close the refrigerator door. 

“I’m one step ahead of you,” Persephone says with a bright smile. “Food smells amazing, ma.” 

Dinner is amazing. Demeter’s ability to cook up a storm is otherworldly, Hades learns. He’s on his third plate of casserole now and he’s relatively sure he’s still got room for another. “So,” Demeter asks, mouth full of carrot and potato, “how did you and Persephone meet?”

Hades blanches; the two of them hadn’t gone over a cover story before. “Uh,” he says, stuttering. “We met when I went to her diner for pancakes. I was drawn in by her eyes… they’re beautiful. I fell in love with her right there.” 

(Most of that sentence is true, save the last part. Persephone’s warm, inviting, and brown eyes are beautiful. They’d hooked him in so much that Hades had frozen on the spot when Persephone came to take his order.)

Persephone feels her breath catch in her throat. “Oh, yeah,” she continues. “I heard that deep voice of his laugh, and that was it for me.”

Demeter beams. 

Hades finds that it’s not hard at all to pretend to be Persephone’s significant other. It feels natural to compliment the woman, to exchange loving glances with her. By the time they leave Demeter’s place that night, Hades realises that he’s been infatuated with Persephone for quite some time now; it’s just taken the evening to unearth those feelings of his. 

The drive back to Persephone’s house is quiet. Sometime in the middle of the ride, Persephone turns on the radio. Soft country music fills the air between them, slowly easing the tension between them. “I like this song,” Persephone says quietly. “It’s music to my ears.”

“It is music,” Hades deadpans, prompting a giggle from Persephone. 

“Tonight was...fun,” Hades says, trying to break the silence. “I enjoyed it quite thoroughly.”

“Did you mean what you told my ma?” Persephone asks. “About my eyes?”

“Yes,” Hades says, swerving towards the highway. “I meant it. All of it, Persephone.”

“Do you want to do this again? Not hang out at my ma’s place, I mean, but somewhere else. Somewhere where we can be ourselves and get to learn to be infatuated with each other,” Persephone says, looking out the window. The stars are out, lighting their way home. It’s oddly poetic to be in this situation with Hades.

“That sounds good,” Hades says, stumbling over his words like he’s a pathetic teenager in love. “That- yeah. Let’s do this again. Next week? I can take you to that dessert place I was talking about earlier. Unless you don’t want to go that far? I’ve- I’ve, uh, got other places-”

“Stop spiraling,” Persephone cuts in. “For the love of God, please stop spiraling. I- yes. I’ll go with you next week.”

Hades beams. It’s one of the most genuine smiles Persephone’s ever seen in her thirty-eight years of living. 

(Maybe she’ll be inviting her ma to walk her down the aisle sooner than she thought.)

[derangedangel]

Thanksgiving Invitation - Scott McCall

Scott McCall x Reader

Summary: You can’t fly home for Thanksgiving break, so Scott invites you to spend it with him.

Word count: 2,212

Author’s note: So I have a Stiles one that’s basically like this, and I know before I started writing, I requested someone else to do this same imagine. Apparently, I’ve got a thing for your crush inviting you home for the holidays. Sue me. BTW, this takes place Junior year of college.

Thanksgiving break in high school was great. A whole week off from school, a huge meal with your family, then shopping on Friday. In college, you were reduced to two and half days off. Wednesday at noon, the campus closed, but what were you supposed to do with that. 

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, the cafeteria made Thanksgiving dinner at lunch. It was always a huge deal on campus. They had everything, turkey, dressing, mac and cheese. All kinds of cakes and pies. You and few of your classmates were in the caf just finishing your lunch.

“That was probably the best thing this caf has ever made,” Scott said next to you.

“I definitely prefer my dad’s fried turkey, but that was pretty good,” you said picking away at your slice of cake with your fork. 

“Oh, my mom makes a pumpkin pie you would die for,” Scott said as he patted his stomach. “This one can’t even compare. I can’t wait for Thanksgiving.”

“Well, have an extra piece for me,” you said sighing. You dropped your fork on your plate making a clink noise.

“What’s wrong,” Scott asked smelling your chemo signals. You were sad. Disappointed, maybe?

“I’m staying here for Thanksgiving.”

“What? Why?”

“Finals are next week. And honestly, I don’t have the money to fly home tomorrow just to turn around, fly back Sunday, then fly back for winter break.” You looked up at Scott with sad eyes. You already accepted you lame Thanksgiving weeks ago.

“But it’s Thanksgiving. You shouldn’t be here,” Scott tried to argue.

“It’s fine,” you said shrugging. “The international students are having an event and inviting anyone who can’t go home for break. I’ll just grab a plate from them and watch a movie.”

“Why don’t you come home with me,” Scott blurted out suddenly. 

You smiled softly at Scott. “Scott, that’s really sweet, but I’m not riding on the back of your bike for two hours. Plus, I don’t think my suitcase will fit.”

“Oh,” Scott said rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I didn’t think about that.” He thought for a moment then spoke again. “Give me some time and I’ll figure it out.”

You giggled. “Scott, it’s okay,” you said placing your hand on Scott’s. “I already accepted my sad little Thanksgiving. I’ll see my family in two weeks after finals.”

“No,” Scott said jumping up. “I’m going to figure this out. You’re going to have an actual Thanksgiving.” And with that, Scott grabbed his plate and cup and left the table. You turned and smiled at your other friends shaking your head about Scott. He was sweet, but as for now, a Thanksgiving in your dorm was scheduled on your calendar.

________________________________________________________________

A knock sounded at your door. You sat your laptop down, rolled out of bed, and then answered it. Scott was standing there with the biggest grin you had ever seen on his face.

“I hope you like pumpkin pie,” he said. You stepped aside to let him in.

“Uhh, I prefer pecan, but why the sudden urge for me to like pumpkin?”

“Because my mom would be really disappointed if you didn’t love her pie.”

“What are you talking about, Scott?”

“You’re coming home with me for Thanksgiving,” he said excitedly. He was like a cute little puppy smiling at you waiting for you to pet him.

“We talked about this already,” you said turning and hopping onto your bed.

“That was before.”

“Before what,” you asked.

“Before I called my mom and convinced her to drive down and pick the both of us up for Thanksgiving break.”

“What,” you asked shocked. “Scott, I can’t have your mom drive all the way down here-,” you began to argue but Scott interrupted.

“Too late, “he said shaking his head. “She already said yes, and she’s expecting both of us to be ready to go by 1 o’clock tomorrow,” Scott said proudly.

Your mouth dropped open in surprise. You weren’t sure what to say. “Scott, I..”

“Look, I know you were fine with not going home, but I couldn’t let you stay here alone over the holiday.”

“You didn’t have to do that, though. I don’t want your mom going out of her way for me.”

Scott stepped closer to you placing his hand next to you on the bed. “She wants to do it. I want to do it. You can stop trying to talk me out of it because it’s happening,” he said smiling sweetly at you.

“Okay,” you said smiling back.

“Good,” he said taking a step back, heading for the door walking backwards. “Pack a bag. I’ll come by your dorm tomorrow at 12:45 to get you.”

“Alright, Scotty,” you said happy about your new Thanksgiving plans.

________________________________________________________________

The next day Scott came by your dorm and helped you carry your bag to his dorm building where his mom was going to pick the two of you up. This was your first time meeting Mrs. McCall and she was incredibly sweet. The first thing she did was hug you and told you to call her Melissa, not Mrs. McCall. You were expecting the ride to be awkward. Two hours in the car with your male friend you had a crush on and his mom who you just met wasn’t something people really looked forward to. Surprisingly, the ride went okay. Melissa didn’t pry too much into your life or ask was anything happening between you and her son.

On Thanksgiving, Scott’s friend Stiles and his dad came over, and so did Melissa’s boyfriend Argent as well. It made you a little more nervous being surrounded by all these people from Scott’s life. You felt like the odd man out, but Scott constantly checked on you to make sure you were alright.

Everyone brought their own dish to the table. Sheriff Stilinski cooked the turkey. Argent, who didn’t seem like the homey cooking type of person to you, made the green bean casserole. Melissa made the macaroni and cheese and the pumpkin pie, which Scott kept raving about. You giggled at Scott’s contribution, which was just throwing the Kings Hawaiian rolls into the oven for a few minutes. He argued that it was more than what Stiles did which was just opening a can of cranberry sauce. You felt bad that you didn’t contribute to the dinner. Normally, your mom did all of the cooking and you just helped, so you didn’t know any actual recipes. Melissa assured you that it was fine. You were a guest and didn’t have to do a thing.

Dinner came and went. Everything was delicious and yes, Scott was right about his mom’s pumpkin pie. You and Scott washed the dishes together, bumping hips and throwing soap bubbles at each other. Scott, Stiles, and you decided you would go to the movies after everything was done. The adults were in the living room making small talk, so there was no point in you three hanging around for that.

Before you left, you went to go grab your coat and Melissa pulled Scott aside.

“I like her,” Melissa whispered to her son.

“Yeah, I do, too,” Scott whispered back looking up the stairs where you just went.

“Then do something about it,” she replied nudging him. “You haven’t dated anyone since Kira.”

“I know,” Scott sighed. “But I told myself I was just going to focus on school.”

“Oh, your grades are fine, Scott. It’s okay to date and fall in love. You can’t force yourself to be single all through college. You deserve to be happy.”

“I am happy, mom,” Scott pointed out.

“I know. But she makes you happy. And if you deny yourself that for some pre-college promise you made to yourself, you’re going to miss out on a good thing. You don’t just invite any girl home for Thanksgiving,” Melissa said then walked back to the living room.

The only decent thing to watch at the theater that wasn’t sold out was The Good Dinosaur, so you all decided on that. Scott sat in the middle of the three of you, holding the popcorn in his lap. Being the baby that you were, you cried as soon as the dad died in the movie and Scott reached over and grabbed your hand. You sniffled in his direction and smiled. He kept his hand there for the rest of the movie never letting go. The words his mom said echoing in his head.

After the movie, Scott drove you all back to his place. Stiles talked about the movie the whole way back and you couldn’t help but laugh. You sat in the passenger seat and Stiles stuck his head through the middle asking your opinion on the movie. When you pulled up to Scott’s house, you and Scott lingered out by the car but Stiles didn’t catch the hint.

“Is it like mandatory for Disney to only have one parent in their movies?”

“I don’t know Stiles,” Scott said annoyed his friend wouldn’t shut up for one minute.

“I mean, I’m sure they can make a good movie without killing off a parent as a plot device.”

“They’ve done it before,” you said sighing but smiling none the less.

“It was still a great movie though,” Stiles said. “I know it will get nominated for an Oscar.”

“I’m sure of it, Stiles,” Scott said attempting to casually nod his head to the door. Stiles stood there in silence while you giggled at Scott’s not so subtle attempt to get you two alone. It finally clicked in Stiles head what Scott was trying to do.

“Ohhh,” he said a little too loudly. He stretched his arms over his head yawning dramatically faking his tiredness. “I think I’m going to go ahead and head inside. Tell my dad it’s time we head home,” he said as he took big steps back heading towards Scott’s home. “It might take us a while to pack up our leftovers. Like ten minutes. Yeah.” Scott shook his head at his best friend watching him step inside the house.

“Sorry about him.”

“Don’t be,” you said. “He’s funny.”

“He talks a little too much sometimes,” Scott said running his hand through the back of his hair.

“I like him though,” you said shrugging. “It was nice to meet your best friend.”

“It was? I was sure he talked your ear off in the car.”

“He did, but I liked getting to see you in your element. School is one thing, but this is different.”

“So you had a good time,” Scott asked.

“Yeah, I did,” you said smiling up at him. “Next year I’ll have to bring you to my home. My mom makes the most incredible dressing. I still haven’t figure out how to make it yet. She literally throws everything in there but the kitchen sink and she doesn’t follow a recipe.”

Scott’s eyes lit up after you mentioned him coming home with you next year. He wasn’t really hearing anything you said about your mom’s dressing. He was just stuck on the idea of you and him together for another holiday.

“Next year,” Scott asked, a little goofy grin on his face.

“Uhh, yeah. I mean, you were nice enough to bring me home. It’s only right that I return the favor,” you replied fiddling with your fingers. Scott didn’t say anything for a moment and it made you nervous. Maybe you had been reading the signs all wrong. Maybe he was just a sweet guy that didn’t want you to be alone on Thanksgiving. “That’s only if you want to of course,” you quickly explained.

Scott sensed your nervousness and hurriedly tried to assure you. “Of course I want too!” He said a little too excitedly for his liking. “I mean, uh, it would be nice to meet your family.”

“It would,” you asked happily.

“Yeah,” Scott spoke softly.

Scott’s gaze dipped to your lips then back up to your eyes. You became even more nervous than before and began twirling your ponytail in between your fingers. Scott stepped closer to you, licking his lips. You eyelids fluttered shut as Scott leaned down to kiss you. At first, Scott only kissed your lips briefly before pulling back. Then you reached up connecting your lips again. The kiss was slow making your heart quicken with every second. Scott wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you into his warm body. The November night air made you cold, but right now you didn’t care. Your hands slowly came up and rested on Scott’s shoulders.

Right as Scott began to deepen the kiss, the front door opened and Sheriff Stilinski, Stiles, Melissa, and Argent came outside. Neither one of you realized until the Sheriff cleared his throat. You and Scott jumped apart but it was too late. All the adults were just smiling down at the two of you.

“Alright Scotty,” Stiles cheered nodding his head.

Your cheeks grew red as you mumbled an “Oh my God” to Scott and buried your face in your hands. Scott gave his best friend a look and Stiles tried to defend himself.

“Hey, I tried to stall, but they already packed up all the food.”

[thereifling]

Batman and the JL: JL Christmas Party at Wayne Manor (aka 4am Fast Food pt. 2)

           Alfred pulled the turkey from the oven. He breathed in the fresh scent sighing in satisfaction. Before placing the tray on the stove, the front door rang. Taking off the oven mittens he hastened to the door.  

           “Heya Jeeves!” Wally West stood outside tightly wrapped in a large coat and holding several pies. “Am I late?” He asked allowing himself in.

           “On the contrary, you are early.”

           “Woah, that never happens.” The red head laughed looking around for the kitchen. Alfred shut the door, keeping the December air out of the house, and ushered his guest to the living room. “So, where’s Bruce?” Wally inquired handing off his coat.

           “Master Bruce is currently on patrol but will return shortly.” Alfred took the pies heading towards the kitchen. “Dinner will be served once everyone arrives.”

           “Man, I’m so hungry I could eat a buffalo.” The front door rang again. “I’ll get it!” Wally rushed back swinging the large oak open to reveal Clark, Diana, and J’onn.

           “Merry Christmas!” Clark beamed. The three of them trudged in carrying several bags and platters of food.

           “Happy holidays Wally.” Diana undid her coat placing it on the rack with the rest of theirs. She gazed passed him frowning. “Where’s Bruce?”

           “Master Bruce is currently on patrol.” Alfred suddenly appeared making Wally jump. He took the bags and the pie in Clark’s hand.

           “It’s ma’s pie!” Clark exclaimed. “And here, let me take some of that.” He followed Alfred back to the kitchen. Diana, J’onn, and Wally made their way to the lounge settling in the cushions. They sat there in silence, feeling very awkward. Diana swore she saw Wally speed around the house several times but continued twiddling her thumbs.

           “Is it not customary-” J’onn suddenly spoke up. “-for the host to be present when his guests arrive?” Wally laughed at that.

           “It is, but we’re talking about Bats here.”

           “I do wish he could take one night of rest.” Diana sighed

           “Yeah well, he better get here soon, I’m starving!” The speedster flumped down on the couch beside her with a huff. Diana smiled sympathetically towards him.

           “Perhaps we should help the process further and head to the kitchen?” J’onn suggested.

           “Hey everyone!” Clark’s voice abruptly hollered from the hall. “I hear the car coming in from the cave. He’s here so we can eat!” Wally hadn’t run that fast in a very long time.

           Bruce laid another sample on the flask peering into the microscope. Coming out of the car he hadn’t bothered to remove the cowl and immediately set to work. Bruce had been working tirelessly for the past three weeks to get this sample and a new burst of determination bubbled up inside. Setting a new flask in, footsteps could be heard coming near.

           “What is it Alfred?” Bruce deadpanned, still gazing into the microscope.

           “Sir, your guests have arrived and are patiently awaiting your presence.” There was a hint of condescendence which made Bruce look up. What did he forget now?

           “Guests? I don’t recall inviting anyone…”

           “Your Christmas Eve party sir, with the founding members of the Justice League.” Alfred informed with a cock of his head. Bruce inwardly groaned.

           “I don’t have time right now.”

           “Sir, I insist that you head upstairs and be courteous to your guests.”

           “Alfred, I’m busy.” Bruce exhaled. “Can’t Dick entertain them?” Alfred erected himself raising an eyebrow at that.

           “Master Richard is out with miss Gordon as he will be unable to tomorrow since we are having Christmas with the entire family. These are your guests and friends whom you invited for today.” Bruce jabbed a finger at him.

           “I did NOT invite them over! You and slap happy Clark planned this while Diana practically had me pinned down. Now I have work to do and it cannot wait.” Bruce grew more serious. “I got a sample of the toxin.” Alfred’s eyes widened slightly.

           “Oh my.”

           “Yes.” Bruce turned back to the glass vials. “I finally acquired Sanders’ poison. I need to find a cure before she infects more people. I’m waiting for the results right now.”

           “As you wait, perhaps you could grace your associates with your presence.”

           “Alfred-”

           “A half hour, sir.” The two men stared at each other, a battle of wills. Bruce glared daggers into the old man. Alfred was giving him the look, one he has so far not been able to beat. With a sigh, Bruce removed his cowl and headed towards the changing room.

           “I’ll be up in five minutes.”

           “Very good sir.”

           When Bruce finally came up, having changed into a t-shirt and cargo pants, Shayera and John had just arrived. Wally practically forced them in their seats and seemed ready to throttle Clark for demanding to say grace before digging in. Bruce grimaced at the display of food. There were at least ten pies, several unidentifiable casseroles, pork, turkey, all forms of potatoes, a couple cakes, and many more sugar infested delicacies. He couldn’t eat most of it, not if he wanted to double his workout for the next week. He observed the rest of the guests and their lack of needing a restraint. Clark had a moderate portion, far less than he could handle, Wally had half his food stuffed in his mouth while simultaneously pouring more onto his plate. Bruce sighed, thankful that the others brought meals. Poor Alfred. At the far end of the table John and Shayera were flirting again, and that’s when he noticed Diana had been placed next to his spot. Nice try Alfred. J’onn ate very little more interested in his conversation with Clark. They were discussing tomorrow’s plans for Christmas. Bruce sighed again. These were all his friends, perhaps his only ones besides Jim. He could take a half hour off for them. A smile tugged at his mouth, resigning his fate to the party.

           “Diana, would you please pass the salad and the Greek dressing?” She beamed back at him.

           “Here you are.”

           “Thank y-” The bowl clattered on the table the moment he grasped it. Salad splattered across spreading all the way to Clark on Diana’s right. The room went silent, all staring at Bruce. He glared at them and began to pick up the pieces along with the sudden appearance of Alfred.

           “Sorry Bruce.” Diana whispered as everyone picked up their conversations again.

           “It’s all right.” He finished retrieving the last piece.

           “I will be back with more.” Alfred informed and promptly disappeared. Bruce nodded to him and reached for his glass. The way his hands shook did not escape him. Bruce flexed his other hand under the table. His muscles were stiff and achy. The past couple of days must have caught up to him making it act quicker. He growled to himself, taking a sip. He saw Clark eyeing him, a look of concern. Bruce mouthed I’m fine to only have the Kryptonian roll his eyes.

           “So, presents or a game?” Wally jumped up. They had finished eating and were now sitting in the main room. The speedster pulled several board games out of his bag handing them to Clark.

           “Oh!” Diana exclaimed. “I have heard of Scattergories, it sounds like fun.” She pulled it from Wally’s hand looking it over.

           “I’m in.” Clark nodded towards the box. J’onn, John and Shayera agreed as well. “You playing Bruce?” He turned to the billionaire. Bruce was slumped in a leather chair by the gigantic glittering tree.

           “I don’t play games.” He huffed.

           “You play chess with me.” Shayera smirked.

           “Chess is a strategic and mind building tool. I play enough games with the Riddler and Joker as it is, I don’t need another.”

           “Fine, suit yourself.” Wally shrugged, helping Diana unpack the box. Bruce sunk more into the chair. He hadn’t been feeling good since dinner and the constant noise was stabbing his head forming a headache. The chair felt amazing as his energy seemed to drain with every moment. His head swam. It felt heavy as he leaned against his hand on the armrest. Bruce checked his watch grimacing at the time. An hour over what he promised Alfred, but he just couldn’t will himself out of the chair just yet. Clark had asked him if he was all right several times and received a plate in the face when he tried to x-ray him. He was such a worry wort.

           “Yes! More food!” Wally cried. Alfred walked in with a tray of snacks placing it on the coffee table. Half of it was gone by the time anyone else got to it. Wally only stopped because of John’s glare.

           “Bruce, would you like some?” Diana inquired. Bruce stared off out the window, he couldn’t look at it, feeling nauseous.

           “No.”

           “Bruce, you hardly ate anything at the dinner.” Diana frowned, becoming concerned.

           “Are you sure you’re all right?” Clark joined in. Bruce clenched his jaw, this was getting annoying. He needed to keep up appearances, but their constant asking was really irritating.

           “I’m fine! See!” He grabbed some sort of pork and onion from the tray and plopped it in his mouth. He immediately regretted it. Nearly gagging, Bruce ran to the nearest trash and let it go. He heaved losing his lunch from earlier, but even when it ran out it didn’t stop. The convulses continued making him cough occasionally. He dry heaved until his throat hurt and sweat coated his face. A hand was on his back, rubbing circles. Clark’s soothing voice spewed comforting words. After what felt like an eternity, Bruce sat back on his knees gasping. Clark continued rubbing circles until he caught his breath again.

           “I’m okay.” Bruce rasped.

           “Looks like it.” sarcasm dripping from Clark’s voice. Bruce turned up to see Alfred coming towards them. They were the only ones in the hallway, the others giving the dark crusader is privacy.

           “Master Bruce, are you all right?” Master Bruce was getting really annoyed with people asking that.

           “You have a fever.” Clark frowned feeling his head. “Did you catch the flu?” Bruce swatted his hand away dismissing both their concerns and stood up. At least he tried to. Bruce’s shaky legs immediately collapsed under him and he grasped the trashcan for support. His headache was turning into a migraine and his chest burned. It had begun.

           “I need to get to the cave…” Bruce rasped starting a new fit of coughing.

           “I think you mean upstairs to bed.” Clark chided. Bruce ignored him, attempting to get up and succeeded, even if he was leaning on the wall.  

           “Master Bruce, now is not the time to be stubborn. Healing requires rest.” Alfred held one of his arms urging him towards the stairs. The billionaire resisted forcing his way to the clock. He returned to the living room full of leaguers who all watched on in concern. Growling at their looks, he turned the clock hands opening the secret door. Bruce’s chest suddenly flared up like it was on fire. He grasped it with a groan falling to the floor again.

           “Bruce!” Diana cried, catching him before he hit the floor. The rest gathered around in distress. “Bruce, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

           “I…need to get, to get to the cave…” He began to cough again, clutching his burning ribs. Diana bit her lip trying to decide what to do. She stopped suddenly reaching for his neck.

           “Bruce, what’s that?” In place of his veins were a purple venomous color snaking up his body. She noticed that they had curved down his left arm more numerous and black in color.

           “No!” They all swiveled around meeting a distressed Alfred. “You bloody idiot! You did not, did you?!”

           “It…it was the only way…” Bruce murmured, still clutching his chest. He eyed his butler daring him to argue.

           “What did he do? What on earth is going on?!” Wally burst out.

           “Bring him downstairs post haste!” Alfred commanded motioning Diana towards the clock entrance. Without question she picked up Bruce and flew down in a blur.

           “Alfred, what’s going on?” Clark calmly asked. Alfred huffed setting towards the stairway down.

           “I will explain in the cave.”

           Diana gently placed the dark knight down in the medical bay. The coughing had returned, and he squeezed his eyes shut clutching his chest. His face was so stricken in pain that tears were streaming down his face. Diana tried to remain calm, but she didn’t know how long for. Bruce was in pain, a lot of it. She rubbed his back whispering that it was okay, but a lump settled making it harder. Alfred suddenly appeared with the rest of the league at his heels. They crowded around the still hacking vigilante growing increasingly worried. The purple veins had reached his jawline.  

           “Listen.” Alfred demanded. “I am sure master Bruce was planning on being more coherent for this segment, but that does not seem to be the case at this moment. I will need your help.” The butler revealed no emotion on his face, but Diana was certain she heard a tint of irritation in his voice. “For the past three weeks a serial killer known as Jessica Sanders has been spreading a toxin all around Gotham. The poison has no known cure and leaves no traces after death. Master Bruce has…has, well, injected himself with the toxin in hopes to procure a cure for the next victims.” Alfred faltered clenching his fist. “This is beyond my medical experience, if you all wo-”

           “Way ahead of you Jeeves!” Wally hollered from beyond in the lab room. J’onn moved towards the now limp form of Bruce, eyes glowing.

           “I know Batman will not appreciate me entering his mind, even for his information on the toxin.”

           “But he was being an idiot anyway.” Clark smirked, eyes turning to x-ray. Diana placed a hand on the butler’s shoulder.

           “We’ll save him Alfred, I promise.” Wally zipped by them, taking a syringe, and drawing blood from the patient.

           “Only bats would poison himself to get out of a Christmas party.”

THE END

[dinakaplan]

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You? Everything You Need to Know

Sweet potatoes are a favorite fall food. But are sweet potatoes good for you and should you be eating them year-round? Here’s what you need to know about sweet potato nutrition, sweet potato health benefits, and more.

When I was a kid growing up in British Columbia, my kale and turnip-loving parents didn’t feed us processed sugar of any kind.

But once in a while, on a special occasion, we’d have sweet potatoes. When they were baking in the oven, our tiny cabin would fill with warmth (which was its own special treat, especially in the Canadian winter!) and the exquisite smell of sweet-potatoey goodness.

Clearly, I’m extremely fond of sweet potatoes. So when I decided to write an article about them, I had to check all my happy memories at the keyboard and look at the evidence.

Are sweet potatoes good for you? Are there any sweet potato health benefits? Where do they come from?

How can we prepare them, aside from in holiday casseroles and pies? And most confusing of all (to almost everyone), what’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?

Meet the Sweet Potato

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Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are large, starchy, sweet-tasting vegetables. They actually belong to the morning glory family.

Despite the shared name, sweet potatoes are only distantly related to the potatoes used to make French fries or potato chips. Non-sweet potatoes (including red, white, and Yukon gold varieties) are part of the edible nightshade family. Other members include tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplants, peppers, pimentos, and Goji berries.

Sweet potatoes are root tubers. Other root tubers include beets, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, and turnips. Root tubers store water and energy, like starch and other carbohydrates, underground. They draw upon these resources to feed the aboveground parts of the plant.

The Origin of the Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are some of the oldest foods known to humanity.

They are native to Central and South America. We have fossil evidence that sweet potatoes were growing in the Americas 35 million years ago. But very recently, scientists discovered 57-million-year-old leaf fossils in India that appear to be ancient morning glory leaves. This could beat the American claim as the point of origin of the sweet potato family by about 22 million years.

Wherever and whenever they originated, and however they have traveled the globe, I’m incredibly thankful that most of us have sweet potatoes in our lives today.

What’s the Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam?

People often mistakenly refer to sweet potatoes as “yams.” But these two plants aren’t actually related at all.

Yams are related to grasses and lilies and native to Africa and Asia. They’re usually cylindrical with black or brown, rough, bark-like skin, and white, purple, or red flesh. Sweet potatoes have characteristic tapered ends with smoother skin.

You can find sweet potatoes at just about any grocery store. However, in North America and Europe, you will only find true yams stocked at international and specialty markets.

You might be thinking, “but I see yams at my grocery store all the time” — and you’d be right that they’re labeled that way. But this label is deceiving.

There are actually two types of sweet potatoes in most mainstream produce sections: firm and soft. Grocers needed a way to differentiate between the two types. The soft kind, which includes the Garnet and Jewel varieties, resemble yams. This is how they picked up the false name.

How Many Sweet Potato Varieties Exist?

iStock.com/xuanhuongho

While most supermarkets carry one or two different types of sweet potatoes, about 25 varieties are available in the United States. And I was amazed to discover that this represents only a tiny fraction of the total diversity of sweet potatoes.

The sweet potato geeks of the world may be fascinated to know that the International Potato Center in Peru maintains a gene bank consisting of over 6,500 varieties of sweet potato. I don’t know about you, but personally, I wish I could try them all!

Sweet potato varieties range in color from dark red to brown to purple to orange-yellow to white. They also have different tastes, sizes, shapes, and textures.

Here are Just a Few of the Most Popular Types of Sweet Potatoes:

Garnet, Jewel, and Beauregard sweet potatoes have reddish-orange skin and deep orange flesh. These are often the ones masquerading as yams at mainstream grocery stores. Who knew sweet potatoes could be so sneaky?

White sweet potatoes are crumbly, with white flesh and golden brown skin. They don’t contain as many antioxidants as orange varieties.

Okinawan sweet potatoes are also known as purple sweet potatoes because of their high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, blue, and violet plant foods their beautiful colors. Anthocyanins are also what give Okinawan potatoes 150% more antioxidant power than blueberries.

Despite their name, Okinawan potatoes are actually native to the Americas. They were brought over to Japan sometime in the 16th century, where they grow well and have become a staple in Japanese dishes. In North America, you will most likely find true purple sweet potatoes in an Asian supermarket.

Japanese or Satsumaimo sweet potatoes are known for being sweeter than most other types. This is especially true when they start caramelizing in the oven.

Sweet potatoes are very hardy vegetables. They’re able to grow at many altitudes, in many climates, and under compromised soil conditions. Even if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs, sweet potatoes are pretty forgiving with just a little TLC.

What Makes a Sweet Potato Sweet?

iStock.com/HausOnThePrairie

Have you ever smelled a sweet potato caramelize in the oven or used them to make a pie or a cake?

If so, you know that even though they aren’t related to what we think of as potatoes, at least the “sweet” part of their name is entirely appropriate.

When you heat sweet potatoes, an enzyme starts breaking down their starch into a sugar called maltose. Maltose isn’t as sweet as table sugar. But it’s enough to satisfy a sweet tooth that hasn’t been entirely overwhelmed by M&M’s and Hershey’s Kisses.

You can control the sweetness of sweet potatoes somewhat by how you cook them. Cooking sweet potatoes quickly (for instance, by steaming them or cutting them into smaller pieces before roasting) can reduce their ultimate sweetness.

On the other hand, cooking sweet potatoes slowly on low heat will allow that maltose-making enzyme more time to convert the starch into sugar — giving you sweeter sweet potatoes.

Looking for even more control over the sweetness? The sweet potato enzyme is activated once they reach around 135°F and stops working at around 170°F. (That’s 57° to 77°C). So the more time they spend in that range, the sweeter they’ll be.

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for You?

iStock.com/piyaset

The people of Okinawa, Japan have traditionally enjoyed one of the highest life expectancies in the world. I discovered this when my dad was researching his book Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World’s Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples.

One of those secrets, it turns out, is lots and lots of sweet potatoes. The traditional Okinawan diet consists of minimal meat, dairy, eggs, and processed foods. Instead, they eat mostly whole plant foods. And they get a remarkable 60% of their calories from sweet potatoes alone.

It’s partly because of this high-fiber and antioxidant-rich dietary pattern that Okinawans enjoy such a long lifespan. Living to be one hundred years or older is not uncommon in Okinawa. Okinawans also experience less chronic disease than Americans do — with significantly fewer deaths from heart disease and cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate.

Traditional Papua New Guinea Highlanders have also been known to eat a lot of sweet potatoes. In fact, tubers like sweet potatoes and yams provide 90% of their calories!

They don’t eat much, if any, meat either. How has a sweet potato-based diet affected their health?

A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine in 1994 found that, when these native groups still followed this traditional way of eating, they enjoyed lower blood pressure and weight than Westerners. And they almost never experienced heart disease, strokes, or other modern chronic diseases.

So are sweet potatoes good for you? Yes, they are!

What makes them so good for you?

Sweet Potato Nutrition

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and copper.

They get their orange color from beta-carotene, which is a pigment and antioxidant. Sweet potatoes also contain a modest but helpful amount of protein — around four grams per cup when cooked.

When compared to white potatoes, sweet potatoes offer more vitamins and antioxidants. Surprisingly, considering their sweeter taste, they also have a mildly lower glycemic index score. This makes them slower to digest.

But the greatest sweet potato nutritional glory of all may be its rich supply of vitamin A. A single sweet potato offers over double the daily value for vitamin A.

Sweet Potatoes Are Remarkably High in Vitamin A

Worldwide, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children become blind every year due to a lack of this critical nutrient. Half of these children die within a year of losing their sight.

Hoping to solve this problem (and with perhaps a few other less noble motives in the mix), over the last several decades, biotechnology companies, governments, foundations, and scientists have spent hundreds of millions of dollars attempting to develop and popularize “golden rice.”

This is a form of rice that’s been genetically engineered to provide beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). Despite decades of effort, the product still hasn’t reached the market.

How ironic that this same effort could have gotten sweet potatoes and the means to grow them into the hands of most of the impoverished families now suffering from vitamin A deficiency. Of course, that wouldn’t have made biotech company, Syngenta, any money. But it would have helped a whole lot more people than golden rice ever has, and most likely, ever will.

News flash: The biotech industry and its supporters have long promoted GMO golden rice as an urgently needed solution to vitamin A deficiency. But in late 2018, in a surprising twist, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded its consultation process on golden rice by informing the current developers, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), that golden rice does not meet the nutritional requirements to make a health claim.

In effect, the FDA was saying that GMO golden rice offers no meaningful nutritional benefits.

Which again raises the question: How much better off would people be if the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on developing golden rice had instead been used to support the growth of sweet potatoes, carrots, and other vitamin A-rich vegetables in parts of the world where vitamin A deficiencies are a problem?

10 Incredible Sweet Potato Health Benefits

The unique nutritional profile of sweet potatoes makes them powerful allies in preventing disease and supporting overall health.

Here are some health benefits of adding sweet potatoes to your diet.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #1: They Support Digestive Health

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber, especially when you eat the skin. Fiber is important for your digestive health, preventing constipation and serious diseases, such as colon cancer.

One medium sweet potato has six grams of dietary fiber. They also contain resistant starch, a type of starch that plays a role in feeding your body’s “good” bacteria.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #2: They Keep Your Heart Healthy

The high fiber content of sweet potatoes can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, helping to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Sweet potatoes are also high in potassium, which works in balance with sodium in your body to maintain healthy blood pressure.

They’re also high in copper, an essential metal for making red blood cells and keeping your heart healthy. Low levels of copper have been linked to dangerously high homocysteine, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #3: They Help Stabilize Blood Sugar

The fiber and complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes can help keep your blood sugar stable. And it can help you feel full longer. Sweet potato varieties also contain other substances that benefit stable blood sugar.

A 2004 study published in Diabetes Care successfully used Caiapo, an extract from white sweet potatoes, to naturally reduce and manage blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.

The 30 participants who were given 4 grams of Caiapo every day for 12 weeks saw a decrease in their HbA(1c) (going from 7.21 to 6.68), fasting blood glucose (143.7 vs. 128.5), and two-hour blood glucose (193.3 vs.162.8). The 31 participants who were given a placebo instead saw no such results.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #4: They Can Boost Your Immunity

Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants that prevent free radical damage in your body.

One cup of baked sweet potato contains 52% of your daily value for vitamin C, which is important for wound healing and tissue repair.

And the vitamin A in sweet potatoes helps your body make immune cells that stave off infections and disease and have anti-tumor effects. Purple sweet potatoes contain especially potent antioxidants.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #5: They Are Good for Your Eyes

Sweet potatoes contain several nutrients that have been linked to improved eye health and vision. Some of the most powerful are the carotenoids. They include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Beta-carotene, when taken as a supplement in isolation from the other carotenoids, can cause imbalances. But when eaten in foods, where it is always accompanied by, and in balance with, an entire suite of carotenoids, it’s been shown to have powerful anti-cancer and vision-enhancing properties.

Orange sweet potatoes (as well as other orange plants, including carrots) have particularly high concentrations of carotenoids.

It’s not just the orange sweet potatoes that are good for your vision, though. A class of anthocyanins called PSPA, derived from purple sweet potato roots, might also benefit your eyes.

A study published in Food & Nutrition Research in 2015 looked at whether PSPA could influence the health and growth of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

Why does this matter? The RPE is responsible for helping your eyes absorb light. It also directs immune response when faced with a threat to eye health. The researchers found that PSPA promoted DNA synthesis and healthy RPE cell growth and survival. They concluded that PSPA could potentially find use as a supplement for maintaining healthy vision.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #6: They Fuel Your Brain

Sweet potatoes also contain compounds that help your brain function at its best, including choline and manganese.

Choline is an essential nutrient for brain growth and development, as well as the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that sends messages between cells.

Manganese is also important for brain health. It binds to neurotransmitters and helps move electrical impulses through your body faster. You can find 43% of your daily value of manganese in one cup of baked sweet potato.

The anthocyanins unique to purple sweet potatoes may also have memory-enhancing properties.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #7: They Can Help Ease Stress and Anxiety

Sweet potatoes may help you relax. They’re high in magnesium, which has been shown to play a role in calming the brain. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to depression, mood disturbances, and headaches.

Other good sources of magnesium include avocados, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.

(I’m dreaming right now of a loaded baked sweet potato piled high with a soft nut cheeze, avocado, a drizzle of flax oil, and a sprinkle of seasoning. It’s also accompanied by some freshly steamed and piping hot leafy greens for a delicious, magnesium-rich meal.)

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #8: They Can Help Boost Fertility

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for healthy reproduction. And as we know, sweet potatoes are a fantastic source.

Sweet potatoes also offer a rich supply of iron, which has also been shown to be important in supporting fertility.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #9: They Can Help Fight Cancer

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially in their skin. They have other anti-cancer properties, too.

Up to 80% of the protein in sweet potatoes is a type of storage protein known as sporamin. This unique protein has been studied for anti-cancer ability and found to be effective in several disease types.

Research has been promising in the use of sporamin to inhibit tongue, gallbladder, and colorectal cancers. It has also been shown capable of slowing cancer cell growth and reducing cell migration and invasion in metastatic cancers.

Sweet potato peels, particularly those of the purple varieties, may be especially powerful when it comes to cancer prevention.

A study published in Nutrition and Cancer in 2016 looked at the antioxidant and anti-cancer effects of an extract from sweet potato peels. They found promising anti-cancer activity for cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, lung, and head/neck.

Sweet Potato Health Benefit #10: They Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Eating sweet potatoes may also help reduce inflammation.

This is chiefly due to their high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and magnesium. Their abundance of antioxidants doesn’t hurt here, either.

One of the particular antioxidants that’s found most abundantly in purple sweet potato flesh is cyanidin. Cyanidin has been linked to reducing inflammation, especially in the digestive tract.

How to Choose and Store Sweet Potatoes

Next time you shop for sweet potatoes, here are a few things to keep in mind.

When you pick one up, take a close look at its skin (no, you don’t have to pack your magnifying glass). It should all be mostly the same color without visible signs of decay or cracking.

Give it a little squeeze. You don’t want your sweet potato to be squishy anywhere, as this could indicate rotting.

When you get your sweet potatoes home, make them a nice place to rest in a basket on your countertop or pantry. You should keep them dry and cool (room temperature, not refrigerated).

Typically, you should use sweet potatoes within a few weeks of purchase.

The Best Way to Prepare Sweet Potatoes

iStock.com/vaaseenaa

Maybe you eat sweet potatoes regularly. Or maybe you only think of them as a seasonal side dish.

Me? I’ve enjoyed a baked sweet potato for breakfast with a delicious organic tofu chive spread on it. Or for lunch with salad dressing or a peanut curry sauce. Or as a base for dinner, or even dessert.

I haven’t tried a steamed sweet potato smoothie (although, come to think of it, maybe I should!). Sweet potatoes are delicious, incredibly versatile, and you can eat them in more ways than you think.

You can prepare them by boiling, steaming, baking, stir-frying, grilling, or cooking and mashing.

But the bottom line is: You just might want to cook sweet potatoes in whatever makes you most likely to eat — and enjoy them.

The only way I’d recommend not preparing sweet potatoes is by deep-frying them. This isn’t the healthiest way to cook food anyway. But for sweet potatoes, it can actually lead to the creation of acrylamide — a potential carcinogen.

If it works well with your recipe, try leaving the skin on for some potent fiber and nutrients. Sweet potato skin is also full of antioxidants. In fact, sweet potato skin may have over 10 times the antioxidant power of the flesh inside.

Including a few grams of fat in your sweet potato recipes can significantly increase the amount of beta-carotene your body absorbs from the meal. Just use a small amount of nut butter, avocado, olive oil (if you use oil), or have a fat source in the same meal.

5 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes

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My mouth is watering as I think about all the ways you can prepare sweet potatoes.

Check out some of these healthy recipes if you want some delicious ideas.

Oil-Free Baked Sweet Potato Fries from the Conscious Eater

These healthy, seasoned, oil-free fries take little time to prepare and could pair well with just about any meal.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Herbed Mushroom Stuffing from Forks Over Knives

Sweet potatoes provide the base of this filling, nutrient-packed casserole layered with mushrooms, onions, cranberries, and savory herbs.

Berry-Stuffed Breakfast Sweet Potato from Forks Over Knives

Sweet potatoes may not be a traditional breakfast, but this hearty recipe will have you starting your day with a slew of antioxidants and a nice, warm belly.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup from Minimalist Baker

Here’s a sweet and creamy soup with a little bit of spice and fewer than 10 ingredients.

Healthy Sweet Potato Pie from Chocolate Covered Katie

You don’t only have to reserve your sweet potato pie consumption for the holidays. Enjoy this flavorful, filling, healthier dessert any time of year.

Sweeten Your Health with Sweet Potatoes

Fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals are essential for good health. And sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to add them to your diet.

Many of us have ancestors who reaped their benefits for a very long time, and there’s certainly no need to stop now. Luckily, sweet potatoes are affordable, easy to use and store, and available in many parts of the world all year long.

Sounds pretty sweet to me!

Tell us in the comments:

Did any of the sweet potato health benefits surprise you?

Will you eat more sweet potatoes now?

What’s your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes?

iStock.com/Eleonora Tuveri

Read Next:

Are potatoes healthy? The surprising truth about this controversial vegetable

[Read More ...] https://foodrevolution.org/blog/sweet-potato-health-benefits/

[grumpytrashpanda]

Sweetest Of Dreams - My Valentine - [Archive Of Our Own]

A Valentine’s Day themed project by Archive Of Our Own.

Original Link - Click Here To Read It @AO3

Chapter 1/3: My Valentine

Author: Go_LuckyFanfics

Word Count: 3149

Rating: General - Will change later in the plot for heavy smut.

Summery: It’s the holiday for endless romance among the stars and our hopeless romantic Peter Quill is looking to indulge his fiancé and favorite trash panda in the foreign traditions known as Valentine’s Day. Perhaps a spicy retreat away from the Guardians while planet-side is in order to help kindle their relationship.

It’s another special time of year, one that our romanced Guardians have of yet to celebrate and the humanly side of the relationship would stop at nothing to make it another occasion for the future. It’s a holiday meant for sharing the closest of moments with our significant other, though it’s not a time to treat them with extra kindness simple because it’s a holiday of love but rather to remember why two souls can still be together despite all the differences between them.

It’s the kindling of romance in the night sky, an unsure ache in someone’s heart of what might await down the road and where to go from here. I’m of course talking about Valentine’s Day.

So let’s begin our story...

The Milano cruised just outside Xandar’s atmosphere in the galaxy with their new designated pilot Kraglin, at the helm. The humbled Xandarian gladly accepted the role bestowed to him allowing everyone else to attend to their own things, the importance of their current activities questioned when comparing it to his current place in the cockpit.

Drax was downstairs in the common room benching with a large white towel draped over the room’s table nearby, the growing band of misfits always making a beeline to avoid eating in the room whenever the muscular brute was working on his abs. At least since they’d gotten some proper exercise equipment, the Destroyer had mostly stopped taking his rage out on the ship’s accommodations and dashboard.

Gamora had mostly been keeping to herself for the past few days in her bedroom away from the others, sometimes talking to her sister who’d long since left after the events on Ego’s Planet. She felt like something really changed in Nebula back there in the caverns, something she’d been hesitant to believe was still a part of their sibling rivalry, a piece inside that wanted to know more and maybe have an actual relationship like they once did. Maybe she was right.

Mantis and Groot had made a surprising connection as of lately, the two of them sparking their own little thing in the background. The empath with using her abilities could connect with the growing teenage tree in the same fashion as his friend Rocket could but it went beyond just communicating. For someone like him that only spoke three simple words there was always such a profound meaning in how they were spoken.

She learned through their time together bonding alone that Groot wasn’t angry at everyone around him, rather more at himself. He might’ve been a teenager and had his typical mood swings like anyone else in his place but there was a place of him that felt left out, like they knew his entire life and he didn’t. it was frustrating for everyone in his family to know his life and yet he didn’t but of course he couldn’t. That was someone else, another soul that gave itself up to ensure his new family could go on without him leaving this small gift for Rocket to care for all those nights like the friendly log did for him al his lowest points in the form of a potted twig not to take his place but to carry his heart and the love hidden inside.

Meanwhile, secluded away in the captain’s bedroom our two space dorks have been attending to important matters of their own, slumbering away in somber from a long in and beyond their shared bedroom under the sheets when Peter blinked his eyes awake.

The half-human turned over and stared at Rocket always seeing a small twinkled shine in the peace during early mornings watching his fiancé sleep under the many blankets on their bed. The ringtail was always a cuddler in his own way even more so during his first rutting season while dating Quill. He’d likely obliterate anyone who accused him of being such a softie in these moments even though it wasn’t really a secret around the Milano, as if the idea of keeping secrets was a fruitful thought when you’ve got this many people living together in one place.

With a very tender touch lie caressing a gentle flower, Peter smoothed a single finger across Rocket’s left brow and watched his mate’s eyes gently awake to face him.

He used to be afraid of sleeping, the thought of being awakened from something or someone would draw the old instinct to fight like it meant thinking otherwise would spell something grave if he didn’t. Since he began sleeping with Quill in his room and their relationship continued to grow, there wasn’t a need to think about it anymore or the fear the threats of the outside world. When he feel asleep every night with his lover beside him there was no dread or despair and the nightmares were shared together when one couldn’t sleep.

These lives, the both of us here, it’s something we’ve learned to share. The pain of what we’ve endured before and those lost along the way. I choose to share it aside the one I trust the most, the only one I wish to spend my life with everytime I stare at our commitment when in doubt.

I share with you my pain, my tears, my past, and above all...my love.

These days Rocket would look forward to what might’ve awaited them when falling asleep for the night, it felt surreal at times.

“Good morning babe.” Peter chirped propped up on an elbow when he booped his mate’s wet nose as part of their morning ritual, gaining a small smile from the mammal.

“Mornin’ boo.” Rocket let out a long yawn while nestled under the covers and not making any attempt to move much aside from stretching his limbs as they popped a few times. “Does the charm ever die with this one? I thought you’d still be out and we could just sleep through the whole day.” His normally deep voice cracked mid-sentence, rubbing one of his eyes.

“Nah.” Peter replied as matter of factly on the subject. He’d always wake up ahead of the raccoon early in the morning, just the Star-Lord and Gammy silently sharing coffee in the common room before chaos would break loose when the rest of the crew would rise from the dead. “Someone on this ship has to cook and it isn’t Drax or you, as much as I love you when I say that.”

Hey for your information I can cook..” Rocket argued, the nude ringtail sitting up in the bed to match Peter’s height. “but why should I have to when I’ve got you to do it for me? I burned that casserole to prove a point to everyone.”

“That you’re an asshole and people don’t like tail-fur in their meals?”

“Yeah and you can’t blame me for that either, I know you of all people like tail-fur in your face.” The raccoon snickered to which Peter playfully shoved him aside, even if it was true to an extent. Truth be told Rocket was perhaps a better cook then any of them though his height made reaching some things difficult the few times he was tasked with making a meal more complicated then a sandwich. It wasn’t much different then advanced chemistry only with cooking you got to eat your creations when finished such as indulging in a decadent lava cake Rocket made once with Vyloo eggs, never minding the destroyed kitchen he left in his path to create the masterpiece.

“You’re something else...” Peter chuckled stepping outside the bed, putting on some jeans and staring at his bare shaved chest as Rocket did the same with a pair of grey boxers just out of sight when his voice perked to the figure collecting himself from the other side of the bedroom.

“Hey Rocket?”

“Yeah?”

He listened to the footsteps form behind when thinking on how to ask the question, the latter searching through varies clothes in their closet when he paused thinking something was wrong. They weren’t facing each other in the moment but Peter could feel Rocket staring over his shoulder while getting dressed so he quickly just spit the thought out to be heard. What’s the worse that could happen?

“What do you think about us and Valentine’s Day?” Quill wasn’t sure why it seemed weird to ask scuffing his foot across the floor, especially to the guy he was planning to her married to within the new few couple months. Maybe it’s because even if they’d been dating for close to a year the two males hadn’t done much in the ways of traditions aside Christmas or other gimmicks with what they had going on.

“Aw here we go again with your dang’ traditions nobody besides you ever celebrated around here.” For a moment Peter thought they were going to have another long discussion about the history of Terra’s holiday rituals when it came into their conversation.

“Well I-”

“I’m just joshing you Pete, I know what yer’ talking about.” Rocket rolled his eyes, showing he did have an interest in Terra’s traditions after the Guardian’s celebrated Christmas last year. “Gotta admit though, should surprise me our hopeless romantic remembers something so mushy like that and forgets to tell about News Years Day which I might add would’ve been my favorite holiday.”

Rocket was quick on those feet when he wanted to be, already fully dressed in casual clothing and a black t-shirt and disappearing into their bathroom before Peter could reply now trotting after the smaller male whom jumped onto a stepstool to reach the counter’s sink running some cold water to wake himself up while reaching for his toothbrush across the sink.

“So what do you think about it?” Peter asked standing aside his partner, the latter only shrugging and mumbling something of uncertainty with an extra amount of mint-flavored toothpaste in his mouth, typical behavior by the overly-hygienic trash panda when it came to his presentation in public. From Rocket’s point it sounded like such a strange idea to make a special day out of something they had no issues embracing. Celebrating Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be anything different in his eyes since they didn’t need a foreign ritual or supposed holiday of love to solidify their romance.

“So....is that shrug agreeing to a special date? You know because we don't have to if you don’t like the idea.” Peter urged with a hint of hesitance in the question. He didn’t want to put pressure on the silly idea, being nothing more then just that but he also believed in trying new things to help the spark in their relationship. Without a doubt, Peter would love to share this special day with the first person he genuinely loved in a very long time. Sure he screwed around most of his life and with his smooth demeanor bedded all kinds of people among the galaxy but it’s not until you truly fall in love for someone that you realize no matter how much tail you chase in the universe and the amount of sex you get from various hookups, it’s meaningless if it doesn’t stand for anything the morning afterwards.

“I da’ know, sounds eh...” Rocket spat into the sink, rinsing his mouth with some more water and messing with the matted fur around his ears In the room’s mirror. “I mean, I’m not like some prancing gal-toy that’s swoon over some sweets and all that d’ast getups.”

“I know that, of course I do.” Peter eased wrapping his arms around his fiancé's waist from behind, it was nice to be able to hug his lover like this thanks to the height advantage of the bathroom’s stool. “I’ve got a few ideas for us if you’re interested.”

Rocket was resting with his paws on the sink and head hanging down staring at his reflection, considering the idea with a sigh as Peter placed his head on Rocket’s briefly and gave a very small kiss to his left ear while continuing to hug onto him. The smaller male wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not when it happened but a hint of him was already turned on when the man’s sheltered member was rubbing in clockwork against his hip from behind, a petite moan escaping Rocket’s muzzle he tried to keep hidden form being heard.

“Ok I give, so what would you have in mind for this dumb thing?” The raccoon straightened his posture putting his palms on Quill’s arms wrapped around him like a snuggled blanket. There was something comforting about being held in this way that always put Rocket at ease, his mind in a place of peace and warmth as the all-so quiet purrs filled the couple’s bedroom.

“Well...” Peter in-wrapped himself from the hug and spun his mate around on his heels so they could look at each other seeing the small twinkle in his white teeth and a hopeless romantic in the heart that’d only be of his Star-Dork. “I was thinking we could take the day and go out to this fancy club I made reservations for us at. Get some good food, actual good food and maybe some exotic drinks too, just the two of us.”

“You always have to use booze to win me over for your plans?” Rocket snorted giving a small grin of his own. The sounds of foreign drinks did sound enticing and he’d try anything at least once, recalling back a few months at a bar when Drax jokingly ordered the tomboyish tyrant something called a Sunset Mimosa while he was in the washroom and upon returning to his barstool Rocket shrugged playing his bluff for ordering what many would call a frilly drink and downed it anyway. Now he’d never admit it to anyone aside Quill but he was head over heels fro any drinks with fruit in them, call him frilly for thinking so because he didn’t know alcohol could ever taste that good.

“Nope. I’ve just learned how to treat my favorite boy well, know all the things he enjoys and little quirks that’ll make him happy.” Peter was always a charmer when being persuasive and speaking in a softened tone he only used with his furred mate. His lowered voice sounded so dorky coming out but who said that wasn’t one of Rocket’s favorite kinks about him when trying to ease him over.

“Ok maybe I’m a tad intrigued, been so long since-” Rocket spoke up, his damp whiskers perked and unable to finish the sentence. The idea of this date didn’t sound too out of the ordinary for their usual outings but if he knew his partner better and the lengths he’d go to make it memorable for him, he was going to be spoiled rotten.

“It’s just been us? Yeah that’s part of living with five other people, ain’t much privacy to be had around here.” It was true with everything going on as of lately, that there wasn’t as much time for themselves as they would've wished but their last job brought in enough units to pay off their upcoming wedding and all the usual expenses for them to live lavishly for a while. “So I went ahead and rented us a room for tonight at one Xandar’s most lavish hotels, get us some private time away from the others and send them on their own adventure while we-”

Peter cooed his head next to Rocket’s and began to whisper with a very seductive breath, his smooth break tickling the hairs around his fiancé’s attentive ears a couple smutty things about he was going to make him feel beautiful tonight and ne nearly choked when his face blushed under all that facial fur, his own member unsheathing itself and aching to break free from the clothes separating them form conjoining in what would’ve been their fourth trip around the clock this week alone.

“Do what do you say, be my Valentine Rocky?” Quill asked with a goofy grin etching for permission on a mischievous retreat but it was given with the same sincere face as Rocket’s marriage proposal. He planned the whole night just for them both and it was the first time in a long time they’d be on a genuine date.

“Aw what the flarkin’ hell,” Rocket gripped Peter’s hands and pulled him closer causing the man to stumble lightly when the raccoon clicked his teeth and caught him, burying his head into his shirtless partner’s chest. “sure I’ll be your sack of hearts to pamper all night.”

“So it’s a date.” Peter exclaimed as they both nodded in agreement, staring into each other’s eyes and watched the unique speckles in each of their faces massaging one of his knuckles on Rocket’s left cheek. “We’ll have fun, I ain’t dressing formal or nothing for it.”

“Oh please. You, acting formal and in a suit? “Rocket laughed, deciding he’s just go with the flow and whatever tonight might bring for them. “Since when was that ever a thing for either of us? You’re just as much of a disaster as I am on that.”

“Well you’ll have to wear one at the wedding.” Peter shook his head turning around to exit the bathroom and leave Rocket alone while he made breakfast for the crew when he was snatched back into a surprise kiss from his mate’s inviting muzzle and many teeth grazing his lips, the strong scent of mint-flavored toothpaste they shared between their mouths when the raccoon gave him a taste of what awaited him later in the night.

“Yeah don’t remind me...” Rocket punched the man in the chest before sending him off to make some food and leaving the door open. “and take a d’ast shower already before we go out later, I’ll be back in my old room if you go another night without one.”

“What about you? You got that weird aroma going on...”

“I was going to when I came in here,” Rocket hollered with a humored snap at the trailing man’s voice leaving the bedroom. “until Hefner interrupted me with his stupid holiday rituals.”

He started undressing from his clothes listening to the door slide shut when he knew the Terran had left him to his thoughts to take a quick shower, the group heading planet-side after everything was discussed.

Huh, so Valentine’s Day...

Oh glorb, what did I get myself into this time...

[ketoconnect]

Keto Staples

          Top 20 Keto Staples from the Experts

The keto diet has helped thousands of people improve their health and lose weight, but if you’re just starting out, something as simple as grocery shopping can seem scary. We’ve asked bunch of keto experts to to dish the details on their keto staples.

Check out how these keto veterans stock their keto kitchens in the video and blog post below.

What are the staples of a keto diet?

Keto Staples will vary from person to person, but there are a few things you will almost always see on a keto grocery list: High fat foods, good sources of protein and some low-carb vegetablesThe HUGE list of keto friendly foods.The keto food pyramid starts with a solid base of healthy fats like tallow, lard, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil. Moving up the pyramid you have fatty cuts of meat like beef, bacon, chicken legs, and eggs. As you get higher, you will see vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, spinach, and cauliflower – veggies that are high-fiber and low in carbs. Near the narrow top of the pyramid are things like nuts, berries, and keto treats.

What groceries should I buy on keto?

When starting the keto diet, it’s best to find a few low-carb meals you enjoy eating. When you’re excited to eat delicious food, it makes sticking to a diet so much easier. Things like Keto Taco Casserole, Easy Bacon Chili, or Chicken Salad are easy to meal prep and taste really good.

We asked several keto professionals to share their keto staples to hopefully give you a clear idea of what to buy the next time you go shopping.

1. Eggs

It’s no surprise eggs top the list of keto staples.

Eggs provide a delicious keto meal in under five minutes.

Eggs have the perfect ratio of fat-to-protein that will keep you full for a long time.

The yolk is packed with important nutrients.

Eggs are budget-friendly!

Make them into Egg Salad, as Breakfast Casseroles, or in a Quiche.

2. Butter

One of the first lessons you’ll learn on the keto diet is butter is healthier than margarine and other vegetable oil spreads, especially if you can find a grass-fed variety. Cook your meals in butter or add some to roasted veggies to easily increase your fat intake. If you’re lactose intolerant, try ghee!

3. Meat

The base for most of keto meals is a good source of protein. When shopping for meat, choose the fatty cuts like chicken thighs with skin on or regular ground beef instead of the lean options. This is an easy way to ensure you get in enough fat every day to maintain energy and satiety.

Pasture-raised or grass-fed meat will have a better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in comparison to grain-fed animals. We like to buy our pasture-raised meat from a local farm or from a delivery service called Butcher Box. To learn more about connecting with local farmers, check out Matt’s course on The Curve where he explains exactly how he started shopping locally.

4. Avocado

When we’re talking about keto staples, we have to discuss avocados. Whether you think they’re a fruit or a vegetable, we can all agree they are a great source of fat and fiber. This creamy, delicious green fruit is low in carbs and high in potassium.

On a keto diet, you hold onto much less water which means you need to increase your electrolyte intake. We recommend supplementing with sea salt, magnesium, and potassium. (View Keto Supplement Guide) One avocado contains more than 900mg of potassium!

5. Coffee

Coffee is a keto staple for many people even though it’s calorie-free and is lacking in nutrition. The reason people love coffee on the keto diet is because of something called Bulletproof Coffee or Butter Coffee.

If you practice intermittent fasting, some black coffee makes it easier to push off your next meal and extend your fasting window. Take our Fasting Course on The Curve to learn more about the amazing benefits to intermittent and extended fasting on the keto diet.

6. Heavy Whipping Cream

If butter coffee isn’t your thing, then a splash of heavy cream is a great replacement to your regular high-sugar coffee creamer. Heavy cream or canned coconut cream if you’re dairy-free, is a great thing to have on hand for keto recipes.

We add cream to keto Bacon Cheddar Soup, Butter Chicken, Chicken Florentine, and all kinds of low-carb desserts.

7. Cauliflower

If you’re new to the keto diet, you’re going to want to pick up some cauliflower. This low-carb vegetable is a great alternative to some of your favorite high-carb foods. Here are some of our favorite cauliflower recipes.

8. Pork Rinds

At first, it may be hard to find the crunch you crave on a keto diet, but luckily there are plenty of keto chips you can enjoy, including pork rinds. Look for brands cooked in lard, not vegetable oils, like our favorites 4505 Meats and Epic Meats.

Grind up pork rinds to use in crispy coatings or for deep fried breading. They give the perfect crunchy exterior to our Fried Goat Cheese Appetizer and Sweet and Sour Pork recipe. They also make a great Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal!

9. Healthy Cooking Oil

Cooking oil or cooking fat is definitely part of our must-have keto staples, but before you go shopping we recommend reading our Guide to Healthy Cooking Oils. You will need to understand the different between refined, cold-pressed, and extra virgin in order to make smart purchases.

There are also many common cooking oils that you should avoid due to their damaging effects on health, like canola oil and soybean oil. Look for cooking oils that are minimally processed like coconut oil, avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil, or opt for animal fats like tallow and lard which have high smoke points and are good for frying.

10. Cream Cheese

Cream cheese has a way of making any recipe delicious, which is why it makes our list of keto staples. Eating keto food that is delicious and that you enjoy is crucial to sticking to the low-carb lifestyle. We like to add cream cheese to fat bombs, desserts, soups, sauces, and dips. It’s high in fat, very low-carb and calorie-dense.

Check out our Fat Bomb Bible eBook for tons of high-fat snack recipes for mug cakes, fat bombs, dips, and drinks.

11. Seasonings

To keep your keto meals exciting and flavorful, we recommend having good seasonings on-hand. They add a lot of flavor without adding a bunch of carbs or calories. A few of our favorites are curry powder, garlic, or the Everything But the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe’s. (Especially on our Keto Bagels!)

Remember to read the labels on seasonings as some of them may be quite high in added sugar that can add up quick when used in abundance.

12. Berries

A common keto myth is that you can’t enjoy fruit on a low-carb diet, but that’s not the truth. We love berries for their low-sugar content and enjoy them as a snack, in salads, or with some cream for dessert.

Blueberries – 13g carbs

Blackberries – 5g carbs

Raspberries – 5g carbs

Strawberries – 6g carbs

Buy your berries frozen or in season when they’re sweet and delicious. Great options are raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

13. Protein Powder

Aaron from our Keto Baking Course on The Curve loves protein powder not only as an extra source of protein for after his workouts, but as a baking ingredient!

You can find low-carb protein powder and use it as a low-carb flour replacement in all kinds of recipes like our Protein Cake, Protein Waffles, or Chocolate Glazed Donuts. Our favorite brands are Quest and Isopure.

Aaron also recommends using protein powder as a coating before crisping up foods in the Air Fryer...YUM.

14. Chocolate

No, Mars Bars and Kit Kats are not keto-friendly, but there are plenty of ways you can enjoy chocolate on a low-carb diet.

Lily’s Sweets carries keto chocolate bars, baking chips, and other candies like chocolate covered caramel.

Dark chocolate – look for varieties containing 80% cocoa or higher for the lowest carb content.

We have a delicious Keto Chocolate Bar recipe on the blog you can whip up at home.

Choc Zero carries low-carb chocolate products.

SlimFast has a new keto line of products which aren’t all great for low-carb (read the labels!) but their fat bomb Peanut Butter Cups are a great replacement for Reese’s.

If you prefer homemade treats, our website is packed with low-carb chocolate sweets you and your family will love, like our Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudgy Brownies.

15. Cookware

No, you can’t eat cookware and there’s no such thing as “keto cookware”, but we think good equipment can make all the difference in your cooking experience. Here are a few of our keto kitchen favorites.

Cast Iron Cookware

Fat Bomb Mold – great for keto desserts and snacks!

Air Fryer – Crisp up your favorite foods and cook dinner in half the time.

Instant Pot or pressure cooker – Makes bone broth in just a few hours!

Kelsey, better known as @lowcarb.kelsey on Instagram, loves her cast iron cookware for searing meat on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven. The cast iron can do both! And if you take good care of it, it will last you for years.

16. Liquid Stevia

Sometimes, you just want a touch of sweetness whether it be in your morning cup of coffee or in a batch of cookies. Liquid stevia is a great ingredient to have on hand since it only takes a few drops to add a ton of sweet flavor and it’s completely zero-carb and zero-calorie.

Some people notice a bitter aftertaste with stevia, so monk fruit might be a better option for those folks. We like to use a combination of stevia and erythritol in our baking recipes to reduce the bitterness, but keep the sweetness.

17. Fresh Herbs

You’re going to be spending a lot more time in the kitchen now that you’re on the keto diet. There are so many recipes to try, you won’t be able to keep up! With a new found love for cooking, we guarantee you’re going to have a whole new appreciation for flavor and freshness.

Fresh herbs are a fantastic way to take an average keto dish to the next level. If you don’t have an herb garden, then we recommend keeping the stems of your herbs in water to keep them fresh for longer.

Try fresh basil in our Pesto Chicken or cilantro in our Spicy Salad Dressing.

18. Electrolytes

Because your body holds onto less water when you consume less carbs, it also holds onto less electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and magnesium). Without enough electrolytes on a keto diet, you will feel tired, sluggish, and even experience leg cramps.

Chela, also known as @foodieturnedsleevie on Instagram, is an endurance athlete following a keto diet and she says electrolytes are a staple for her. She recommends Pure Planet Sports Salts and Zip Fizz.

We have a full guide on Keto Supplements where we talk about the importance of electrolytes on keto, so check that out for more information.

19. Keto Bars

Keto bars may not be a staple for everyone on the keto diet, but they do come in handy when you’re transitioning away from granola bars and Oh Henry! bars during office coffee time.

Keto snacks and bars aren’t necessary to achieve great success on the keto diet, but they’re convenient and tasty. Here are a few of our favorite and a list of the top keto protein bars.

The Original Keto Bars

Perfect Keto Bars

Epic Bar – a savory option!

Chela recommends a Keto Bar or Stoka bar as a pre-workout snack. It’s light, tasty, and provides a good source of fat and energy – especially with some nut butter on top.

20. Canned Fish

You’re going to learn a lot about good fats and bad fats on the keto diet and fatty cold water fish is a great source of good fats. Fish like sardines and mackerel are packed with omega-3 fatty acids which are important for lowering inflammation in the body.

Look for wild-caught varieties that are in water or olive oil, not soybean oil or canola oil. These oils are high in omega-6 fats which increase inflammation! If you don’t like the taste of fish, but still want to increase your omega-3 fats, we recommend a supplement like cod liver oil.

What are your keto staples?

These 20 items are a great starting point for any keto diet and you will begin to generate your own keto staples as soon as you get cooking and eating.

Been doing keto for awhile? Comment below and tell us your keto staples. We would love to hear them.

20 Keto Staples in Summary

Eggs

Butter

Meat

Avocado

Coffee

Heavy Cream

Cauliflower

Pork Rinds

Healthy Cooking Oil

Cream Cheese

Seasonings

Berries

Protein Powder

Chocolate

Cookware

Liquid Stevia

Fresh Herbs

Electrolytes

Keto Bars

Canned Fish

[theliterateape]

My 600-pound Bowl of Cheesy Fear

by Don Hall

According to national health statistics, an average adult male needs 2,500 calories and an average adult female needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight.

Further, it takes 3,500 calories to gain a pound of weight.  Lastly, the most common size for a bowling ball is 13 pounds.

Recently, at a friend’s house, my wife and I stumbled upon a TLC show called “My 600-lb Life” and were suddenly sucked into watching the trials of two women, both of whom were pushing past 600 pounds.  The show is one of those reality documentaries that hit the people being documented at a point in their lives when they realize the dark abyss they have sunk into and are now seeking help.

The first woman could barely get up out of bed, her feet were the size of paint cans and her son, who was easily pushing 350 pounds himself, had to help her roll out of bed, into a wheelchair, roll her out to the parking lot, open up a van and help her roll into the back of the van just to transport her to the televised doctor’s office.

She said she wanted to lose weight but she didn’t really want to put in the work.  “The work” mostly being not eating so much fucking food and taking a few walks a day.  At the end of the episode, it was apparent she would be buried in a piano-sized coffin because she simply didn’t want to lose the equivalent of two whole people.

Don't worry, though. At our current rate of political genius, she'll be president in no time at all.

Around ten years ago, I was carrying around 265 pounds of weight.  I was a chunky dude but I thought I was pretty strong and that most of it was “table muscle.”  It was Christmastime and the food was plentiful.  After gorging ourselves for three days straight - turkey, ham, cheeses, crackers, cakes and pies, candy, cheeses, pizza, pizza rolls, tacos, cheeses, mashed potatoes, yams, and bread in every fucking form bread could take, my mom suggested we all go to the gym.

I laughed.  “I don’t go on some treadmill like a hamster on a wheel.  No.  Not for me.”

“You could use some exercise,” my mom gently nudged.

Reluctantly, I decided to go with she and my wife just to see.

LATE NIGHT PERFECTION

One Brick of Cream Cheese 1 can of Hormel chili with beans 1 white onion, diced 1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese 1 large bag of Fritos

Mix the cream cheese, can of chili, onion and cheddar cheese in a casserole dish.  Microwave for eight minutes.  Pour the bag of Fritos into a mixing bowl, dump the gooey mess on top and eat while watching your favorite sci fi series on your laptop.

Calories: 6,400

While watching the TLC show, my mind was flooded with questions about being 600 pounds plus.

How do you get that big? What do you do with your time? How do you wipe your ass?

So, later, I looked it up online.

Weight gain in the land of plenty, regardless of your economic status is fucking easy.  Fast food is the biggest culprit, followed only by snack foods.  Rich people can afford personal chefs and personal trainers.  Middle income people can afford to get a gym membership and like to run 5Ks.  Poor people are pretty much fucked.

A Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Large Fries and a Large Coke (the biggest seller at most McDonald’s) contains 1700 calories.  A bag of regular chips (the tiny ones) are 320 calories.  A Chipotle Burrito is 800 calories.  A beer has around 300 calories.  Do the math, man.  Walking a mile only burns about 70 calories so you’d have to walk 25 miles just to burn off that Mickey Dee’s lunch.  Which is the equivalent of walking to Evanston and back from Smoke Daddy in Wicker Park.

You certainly don’t get to be 600 pounds by doing much walking, or yard work or going to the gym.  Turns out, in fact, that working out has less to do with weight loss than simply not eating as much.  Working out, however, improves your chances as it boosts your metabolism and stamina.  And, you know, that heart thing.

Mom and Jen went off to work out together.  I went to the stair master.  I set the speed to 10 out of 20 because I wanted to start out slow.  Couldn’t do it.  Too fucking fast.  I kept lowering it until it was at 1, the lowest setting, and I did those stairs until I was huffing like I was going to die, sweat pouring into my eyes.  It took me less than five minutes.

So I moved over to an exercise bike.  Same result.  Five minutes on the lowest setting and I thought my chest was going to explode.

Maybe it’s just that I’m strong, right?  I head downstairs to the weight room area.  I can only do two pull ups.  I can only do four tricep pulls with 30 pounds.  I can’t lift more than 25 pounds more than ten times before I turn into a sack of sweaty, grunting suet.  A woman sees me struggling with a dumb bell.  

“Are you Jackie’s son?  She was right.  You got fat!”

BRUNCH ON A SUNDAY IN WICKER PARK

A three egg cheese omelette with sausage: 800 calories A side of bacon: 210 calories Hash browns: 300 calories Three buttermilk pancakes with syrup: 600 calories

How far do I have to run to burn off that brunch? 20 miles.

I found out that for a 600-pound person to wipe his or her ass, they generally need a bidet or a stick with a towel on it, like one of those squeegee guys on the sidewalk.  That they will lift a 125 pound ass cheek to get the stick up under and into the crevice-like ass crack.  That to simply wipe your ass, you’re going to spend about 40 minutes to get to the toilet, take your enormous dump, wipe yourself and clean things up.

If it took me 40 minutes to drop a douce, I’m guessing I’d opt for laying around, the iPad teetering on my giant mound of stomach and just watching Netflix while casually munching on Chicken Nuggets.  So it’s hard to lay too much blame on someone that size for deciding to give up.

I got home from Christmas and joined the YMCA.  I’m not funny enough to be the Funny Fat Guy in any comedy troupe.  I didn’t diet - I just ate half as much as I wanted to.  I worked out for at least 45 minutes every day.  I’d lose some weight and feel elated.  Then do the same amount of work and eat the same amount of food and not drop a pound for two months.  I’d eat bread the night before and gain four pounds.  Pasta?  Fuck you.  Pizza?  Get thee behind me, Satan.  Cheese?  Aw, christ - cheese is my kryptonite.

Snickers Bar = 250 calories Two Pop Tarts = 400 calories A plate of Curly Fries = 600 calories Wendy’s signature Apple Pecan Chicken Salad = 570 Calories

Christ - even Fast Food salads pack on the shit like duct taping clay to your ass.

Two and a half years later, after completely changing how I ate and incorporating a fairly rigorous amount of gym time into my daily grind, I had dropped 80 pounds.  The equivalent of six 13 pound bowling balls.  Down to the weight I was when I graduated high school.

Ten years later, I’m pretty much still around that weight - five or ten pounds depending on the weather and the holidays.  I still count every fucking calorie.  I weigh myself every week. I still work out almost seven days a week.  And I still feel like I’m a fat guy just dying to balloon back up.  Once in a while, I go for a gluttonous meal.  Once in a while, I’ll eat half of a Dimo’s Pizza (3,000 calories) or binge on Snickers Ice Cream bars (180 calories apiece.)  I always feel shitty the next four days because it takes me four days to feel like I’ve worked it off.

Weight loss in the Land of IHOB (…really? IHOB?) is hard. It takes a determination to change yourself. All the quick fixes are horseshit and it's harder when you're poor than when you're rich. Weight loss is change and we don't really want change because change is work. If it's this hard to drop a few bowling balls offa yer giant gut, imagine the work it takes to change your worldview. Imagine the sheer force of will it takes to reverse your own racism or sexism.

When you're scraping by, dancing the dance to pay all of your earnings to a slum landlord and taking out a mortgage to get your colonoscopy, more work is just another big ass boulder to push up that mountain.

On the other hand, I'm guessing Sisyphus was in pretty good shape.

[dailynynews-blog]

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House

New Post has been published on https://www.usatelegraph.com/2018/miss-mary-bobos-boarding-house/

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House is one of the main attractions in Lynchburg. It doesn’t take Huntsville residents long to find out about the exceptional dining experience, just 45 minutes north of town in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Many are more than willing to make bi-monthly trips north to sit at the dining table of Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House and eat family-style home cooking.

It’s hard to believe that the little town of Lynchburg, boasting of a county population of a little over 5,000 and home to Jack Daniel’s Distillery, can bring in busloads of tourists every day.

The church group I went with signed up for Miss Bobo’s Boarding House almost 2 months in advance. I was on their waiting list and was told that it was a “miracle” that they’d had a cancellation and I would be going with them.

I counted myself lucky and boarded the bus with much anticipation. I’d heard about Miss Bobo’s from different people in Huntsville and now I’d be going to see and eat for myself.

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House began in 1908 when the young spinster assumed ownership of the historic Salmon Hotel. It used to be a traveler’s hotel and was built over a spring.

Miss Bobo died in 1983, just five weeks short of her 102nd birthday. She remained sharp-witted and involved in the Boarding House all her life.

She was confined to a wheelchair for just a few months before her death.

The Boarding House is a beautiful white painted Federal-style building with giant maple trees in the front yard, a spacious porch with swings and wooden chairs where guest can rest before or after their meal. There are ferns and flowers to rival many gardens.

The noonday dinner is served at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for 65 people at each sitting. We were told by our tour guide to be there a half hour early or we’d lose our place.

Dinner is by reservation only. A dinner bell is rung to let guests know when they can be seated. There are several dining rooms on the main floor and two rooms in the basement where people can eat.

Since it was my first time, I was encouraged to eat in the basement to experience the real atmosphere of Miss Bobo’s. Originally the dining room and kitchen were in the basement.

We descended the wooden stairs to the basement with its brick floors and glimpse of the spring it had been built over.

One unique feature of Miss Bobo’s is the hostesses. Every table has a local Lynchburg lady for their hostess. Ours was a tiny woman who didn’t look like she ate two big meals a day. This was one of those jobs that you only dream about having. She said she only works two or three days a week and is careful to eat the main course with one group and dessert with the next.

Her duties include sharing local Lynchburg history, encouraging conversation among those at the long table (we were from the same group, so this wasn’t hard), and making sure that dishes are passed to the left and no one leaves the table hungry.

Lunch includes generous helpings of two home-styled meats, six vegetables and side dishes, hot cornbread, biscuits or rolls, freshly brewed iced tea, homemade dessert, and a hot cup of coffee.

There is always at least one item on the menu that contains the local hometown “product” in it–good old Jack Daniel’s Whiskey. The menu is varied every day except during the month of December, when a holiday meal is served every day.

The hostess told us that one item that is always on the menu is fried okra.

Reservations can be made up to a year in advance. Our hostess informed us that it was best to make reservations just as soon as you know you want to come. If they are full, they are happy to take a waiting list. And if you’re driving by Lynchburg at lunch time, it wouldn’t hurt to stop in and see if they had some last minute cancellations.

The day we were there, they were able to accommodate two people on the spur of the moment.

The day I was at Miss Bobo’s, we enjoyed chicken casserole, baked apples cooked with the local “product” in them, a delicious squash casserole, fried corn, barbeque ribs, pinto beans, pasta, cornbread, chow-chow (tomatoes and onions), and fried okra. Dessert was pumpkin chess square cake topped with cream cheese icing and crushed pecans.

Our servers were scholarship students from one of the local universities. Our only complaint was that the plates were too small and our stomachs wouldn’t hold enough.

I have to admit: the food was just as wonderful as everyone had promised it would be. It was a feast and an adventure. No wonder some people in Huntsville make it a monthly or bi-monthly routine in their travels.

Miss Bobo’s is now run under the direction of Jack Daniel’s great-great niece, Miss Lynne Tolley. Miss Tolley carries on Miss Bobo’s tradition of southern hospitality. She autographed the Jack Daniel’s Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook I bought and greeted everyone in our party.

The Jack Daniel’s company now owns the Boarding House. You can get on the reservation list at Miss Bobo’s Boarding House by calling 931-759-7394. Just remember: Don’t eat for at least two days before you go!

[home-startroystonsouthcambs]

I’m great at multi-tasking.

If you need someone to sit down for two hours to complete and finish one single thing to a high standard, I’m the wrong person entirely.  If you want someone to flit around getting lots of little things half-done whilst achieving a few quick-fixes at the same time, I’m your girl…!

There’s a current fashion for “mono-tasking.”  People are rightly pointing out that if your brain is trying to flick at lightning speed between a hundred different things, it risks not doing any of them terribly well.  That’s fair enough in a lot of work situations, but it doesn’t help me as a Mum.  Imagine the parent who ignores their toddler’s shouts from the loo, because they haven’t yet finished using the spirit level to ensure the playgroup paintings they are sticking up on the kitchen cupboards are perfectly straight.  No, I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that.

When your children are young, it seems to me that mono-tasking is a complete waste. For example, when my three-year old yells, “watch me!”  I don’t actually need to give him 100% of my attention.  Not when I know he’s about to squash his cheek slowly upwards until it overlaps his eye socket then grin maniacally and yell, “I’m winking!!!!!” for the fifty-fourth time today. “Wow, that’s brilliant!” I coo, giving him the affirmation he needs whilst I carry on peeling a potato, mending a ripped-off book flap, or using the kitchen scissors to cut a stubborn tangle out of my daughter’s hair.  

I can, however, be my own worst multi-tasking enemy…  Yesterday, I had a friend over.  A musician, Paul, who I used to play guitar with, and who had stayed at ours after playing a local gig the night before.  I also had some friends due over later with their kids for tea in the garden to celebrate my husband’s birthday.  We’d also been to a church event that morning, and had invited my son’s school friend, who had come back with us to play.  Oh, and I had my own four children. Somewhere…

I wanted to make a chocolate birthday cake for my husband.  There was a window.  Somewhere between clearing lunch and saying goodbye to Paul and setting out chairs and tables in the garden, there was a window.  The window was one of those very narrow, slitty ones you see in mediaeval castles.  But no matter, it was a window, and I decided to squeeze a Ruby Tandoh Chocolate Lime Mud Cake into it…  

I focused… ish.  I read the recipe.  I measured out ingredients (in between wiping noses and trying to decline enthusiastic but essentially unhelpful offers of help).  I greased the tin.  I set the oven.  I followed the steps.  I separated eggs, melted chocolate, whisked sugar.  I got the cake in the oven in time to have a quick and really fun sing-along with Paul, regaling the children with silly songs we hadn’t sung for years, before he and his guitar had to leave.  

The oven beeped soon after he had gone.  I checked the cake.  It looked great but seemed very sticky in the middle.  I put it back in for five more minutes.  On closing the oven door, my eyes alighted on a pink plastic bowl on the side.  In it was some flour. Exactly 50g of flour.  50g of flour that were supposed to be in the cake.  

Darn.

The cake was actually delicious.  It had completely sunk of course, so that by the time it was out of the tin, it was essentially a very chocolatey omelette.  But I broke it into flat little mouthfuls like some kind of floppy chocolate communion wafer.  Nevertheless, the whole plateful was devoured, along with the scones, jam and clotted cream which I’d made (actually, bought) earlier.  

“I’m so stupid” I said to my husband later on.  “If I’d focused on that cake and taken more time, it would have been absolutely glorious.”  

He disagreed.  

“No,” he said, “if you’d focused any more on the cake, you wouldn’t have had time to jam with Paul, you wouldn’t have had so much fun or re-connected with him and the kids wouldn’t have got to see you two sing together.  You compromised on perfection, but you got your priorities right”. I smiled. Sometimes, he does actually say exactly the right thing...  

“Besides,” he said, “it wasn’t nearly as bad as that time you left the chicken out of the chicken casserole…”  

[dailynynews-blog]

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House

New Post has been published on https://www.dailynynews.com/2018/miss-mary-bobos-boarding-house/

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House is one of the main attractions in Lynchburg. It doesn’t take Huntsville residents long to find out about the exceptional dining experience, just 45 minutes north of town in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

Many are more than willing to make bi-monthly trips north to sit at the dining table of Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House and eat family-style home cooking.

It’s hard to believe that the little town of Lynchburg, boasting of a county population of a little over 5,000 and home to Jack Daniel’s Distillery, can bring in busloads of tourists every day.

The church group I went with signed up for Miss Bobo’s Boarding House almost 2 months in advance. I was on their waiting list and was told that it was a “miracle” that they’d had a cancellation and I would be going with them.

I counted myself lucky and boarded the bus with much anticipation. I’d heard about Miss Bobo’s from different people in Huntsville and now I’d be going to see and eat for myself.

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House began in 1908 when the young spinster assumed ownership of the historic Salmon Hotel. It used to be a traveler’s hotel and was built over a spring.

Miss Bobo died in 1983, just five weeks short of her 102nd birthday. She remained sharp-witted and involved in the Boarding House all her life.

She was confined to a wheelchair for just a few months before her death.

The Boarding House is a beautiful white painted Federal-style building with giant maple trees in the front yard, a spacious porch with swings and wooden chairs where guest can rest before or after their meal. There are ferns and flowers to rival many gardens.

The noonday dinner is served at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for 65 people at each sitting. We were told by our tour guide to be there a half hour early or we’d lose our place.

Dinner is by reservation only. A dinner bell is rung to let guests know when they can be seated. There are several dining rooms on the main floor and two rooms in the basement where people can eat.

Since it was my first time, I was encouraged to eat in the basement to experience the real atmosphere of Miss Bobo’s. Originally the dining room and kitchen were in the basement.

We descended the wooden stairs to the basement with its brick floors and glimpse of the spring it had been built over.

One unique feature of Miss Bobo’s is the hostesses. Every table has a local Lynchburg lady for their hostess. Ours was a tiny woman who didn’t look like she ate two big meals a day. This was one of those jobs that you only dream about having. She said she only works two or three days a week and is careful to eat the main course with one group and dessert with the next.

Her duties include sharing local Lynchburg history, encouraging conversation among those at the long table (we were from the same group, so this wasn’t hard), and making sure that dishes are passed to the left and no one leaves the table hungry.

Lunch includes generous helpings of two home-styled meats, six vegetables and side dishes, hot cornbread, biscuits or rolls, freshly brewed iced tea, homemade dessert, and a hot cup of coffee.

There is always at least one item on the menu that contains the local hometown “product” in it–good old Jack Daniel’s Whiskey. The menu is varied every day except during the month of December, when a holiday meal is served every day.

The hostess told us that one item that is always on the menu is fried okra.

Reservations can be made up to a year in advance. Our hostess informed us that it was best to make reservations just as soon as you know you want to come. If they are full, they are happy to take a waiting list. And if you’re driving by Lynchburg at lunch time, it wouldn’t hurt to stop in and see if they had some last minute cancellations.

The day we were there, they were able to accommodate two people on the spur of the moment.

The day I was at Miss Bobo’s, we enjoyed chicken casserole, baked apples cooked with the local “product” in them, a delicious squash casserole, fried corn, barbeque ribs, pinto beans, pasta, cornbread, chow-chow (tomatoes and onions), and fried okra. Dessert was pumpkin chess square cake topped with cream cheese icing and crushed pecans.

Our servers were scholarship students from one of the local universities. Our only complaint was that the plates were too small and our stomachs wouldn’t hold enough.

I have to admit: the food was just as wonderful as everyone had promised it would be. It was a feast and an adventure. No wonder some people in Huntsville make it a monthly or bi-monthly routine in their travels.

Miss Bobo’s is now run under the direction of Jack Daniel’s great-great niece, Miss Lynne Tolley. Miss Tolley carries on Miss Bobo’s tradition of southern hospitality. She autographed the Jack Daniel’s Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook I bought and greeted everyone in our party.

The Jack Daniel’s company now owns the Boarding House. You can get on the reservation list at Miss Bobo’s Boarding House by calling 931-759-7394. Just remember: Don’t eat for at least two days before you go!