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bentonpena · 5 years ago

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Tofu Freaking Rules

Tofu Freaking Rules https://bit.ly/350TvUV

We need to talk about tofu. As Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger mania sweeps the globe, the OG vegan protein is getting left behind—and I, for one, hate to see it. If you’re serious about reducing your reliance on animal products, tofu has the potential to change your diet—and life—for the better.

To some extent, I get why so many people, particularly American meat-eaters, are resistant to the entire concept of tofu. Western culture has ruthlessly (and racist-ly) slandered the humble soy-based protein for as long as we’ve known about it, so a lot of us were basically programmed from birth to think it’s garbage.

I’m begging you to reconsider. When correctly prepared, tofu is a textural marvel, running the gamut from delicate and custardy to deep-fried and crunchy. Its unmatched flavor-absorbing powers make it a total chameleon; it truly can be anything you want it to be. I’ve loved tofu my whole meat-eating life, and I’m here to convert the naysayers. Welcome to my Tofu Manifesto.

You’re probably thinking about tofu all wrong

The biggest, wrongest tofu misconception is that it’s strictly a meat substitute. Sure, it can be that if it needs to—but tofu’s closest animal protein analog is actually the egg. On their own, eggs are bland; it’s their ability to morph into a staggering array of forms and textures that makes them so special. However you like your eggs—fried crisp with lacy edges, scrambled soft with lots of butter, or cooked into a puffy, tender frittata—I’m willing to bet your preferences come down to texture rather than flavor.

The same is true for tofu, which is why I’m skeptical when people insist they don’t like how it tastes. Soft and silken tofu has a more noticeable soy milk vibe than the firm stuff, but for the most part, it adds no flavor whatsoever to a dish. Tofu only tastes as good as the sauce it’s served in—texture is basically the whole point.

It’s embarrassingly easy to make tofu taste amazing

Contrary to popular assumption, delicious tofu takes barely any work at all. In fact, all the usual hacks try way too hard: Pressing takes forever (and freezing even longer); marinating often yields profoundly mediocre results; a cornstarch dredge too easily sogs out. None of these techniques work particularly well on medium-to-soft tofu, and with the exception of marinating, they also offer absolutely nothing in the way of seasoning.

For all of these reasons and more, the salt water trick is the only tofu hack worth knowing. Hot, salty water is a tofu prep triple threat: It dehydrates firm tofu so it crisps up quickly, sets super-fragile soft tofu so it doesn’t fall apart, and seasons everything through and through. It also adds as much work to your dinner prep as boiling pasta. I’ll get into the specific techniques in a bit; for now, just know that the salt water hack promoted tofu from something I’d buy occasionally to a legit, can’t-live-without-it staple.

If you remain unmoved, I’ve collected my favorite tofu products and preparations in one place, starting with the most hater-friendly ones. This isn’t a recipe post—it’s all about the technique. (Where applicable, I’ll link to specific recipes that I used and explain how I adjusted them to work with tofu, with the hope that you’ll soon be doing the same.)

Even hardline skeptics love fried tofu puffs

Tofu puffs are cheap, delicious, deep-fried flavor sponges that need zero prep; in other words, they’re easy to love. You can toss them whole into curries and stews for a fun textural element, but I strongly recommend taking 30 seconds to slice them in half. With their honeycomb-like interiors exposed, these puffy little nuggets soak up sauce like nobody’s business—without compromising their crispiness.

To show them off, I made my favorite Maangchi recipe—cheese buldak, or fire chicken with cheese—with halved tofu puffs instead of chicken breast.

Those two ingredients are obviously nothing alike, but the swap totally works thanks to the insanely powerful sauce. Red-hot both in color and spice level, surprisingly sweet, and with enough fresh ginger and garlic to put hair on your chest, it more than picks up the slack for something as bland as chicken breast or unseasoned tofu. Having made this dish with chicken dozens of times, I have to say—I prefer the puffs. Even when saturated with sauce, they stay light and puffy, which is the perfect contrast to the ultra-chewy texture of sliced rice cakes and melted mozzarella.

Pressed tofu does (most of) the prep work for you

As the name implies, pressed tofu has already been pressed to remove most of its moisture, resulting in a pleasantly toothsome texture. You can buy it pre-seasoned with soy sauce and five spice powder, but I like it plain so I can season it however I like.

Here, I whipped up a vaguely Spam-inspired mixture of roughly 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce and sugar, plus a teaspoon of garlic powder and a few shakes of smoky hot sauce (El Yucateco Black Label Reserve for life). I added some cubed pressed tofu and let everyone hang out about 20 minutes, flipping them around halfway through. You don’t need much marinade; a shallow layer is plenty.

I then used it to bulk up a super basic batch of fried rice with ginger, garlic, carrots, and frozen peas. The cubes got nicely crispy and charred on the edges, and were just what I needed to add some substance to a huge bowl of fried carbs.

Unseasoned pressed tofu also makes great vegan “paneer:” Cube it up and marinate in lemon juice with a few pinches of salt for 30 minutes, or longer if you have the time. As with regular paneer, you can pan-fry the tofu or leave it alone; either way, you’ll be surprised at how closely the marinated tofu mimics the texture and flavor of the real thing.

Medium-to-firm tofu needs a little TLC

This range of the tofu spectrum is the most recognizable and the least immediately appealing. I mean, just look at this:

In my experience, the variations between medium, firm, and extra-firm tofu are pretty meaningless, and I use them all interchangeably. Left uncooked, they all have a texture best described as “rubbery,” with no discernible flavor at all. Their highest calling is getting crispy in a hot skillet and doused in a flavorful sauce.

All you need to make crunchy pan-fried tofu is salt water, a good nonstick pan, and all of 20-30 minutes. That’s it. Here’s my usual procedure for a standard 1-pound block.

Before I do any other ingredient prep, I bring 2-3 cups of salted water and 2 teaspoons of table salt to a strong boil in a saucepan. Then I cut the heat, slide in my tofu, and let it sit while I prepare the rest of the recipe. After 15-20 minutes, I drain off the water and either pat the tofu dry on clean towels or leave it in the colander until I need it.

To get that crispy surface going, I coat my big cast-iron skillet with a thin layer of neutral oil and heat it over medium-high. I then add the tofu, spread it into an even layer, and leave it completely alone for at least 5 minutes.

Once the edges start to brown, I flip it over and do the same on the other side.

Boom. Done. Obviously, I used crumbled tofu here—it’s my favorite—but this works just as well with cubes, slabs, triangles, or any other shape you can dream up.

Don’t sleep on crumbled tofu

I know I said that tofu isn’t a meat substitute, but crispy tofu crumbles get really fucking close. In many cases, I prefer them to meat because they hold their shape—and a surprising amount of crunch—even when simmered for a long time. Sure, they don’t give you the specific richness you get with ground pork or beef, but with the right recipe you won’t miss it at all.

Speaking of the right recipe, Bon Appétit Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco’s spicy sweet sambal pork noodles are flawless—but, despite the name, I’ve actually never made them with meat. I only had tofu the first time I made them, and they turned out so well that I’m fine with never learning how they taste with pork.

I make the recipe exactly as written, except—obviously—I leave the pork out. Instead, I fry up soaked, crumbled firm tofu in a separate skillet while the sauce simmers, then dump ‘em in and toss everything together with cooked noodles. This cuts at least 30 minutes off the cook time without compromising on anything except porkiness, which I promise won’t even register.

You can also use tofu crumbles like ground beef. I usually throw in some minced onion and garlic in once the tofu is nice and crispy, then cook it down with a little tomato paste, taco seasoning, and cheap beer if I’ve got it.

It’s not beefy, exactly, but it tastes incredible in its own right—and makes a killer vegan-friendly crunchwrap filling.

You can roast tofu, too

Maybe you’d rather not spray your stovetop with oil in the name of crispy tofu. In that case, roasted tofu is for you. The results are directly comparable to pan-frying—they just take a little longer to get there.

Start with soaked, drained tofu, preferably cut into triangles or flat slabs so they’re easy to flip. Arrange on a clean towel and let them dry out while your oven preheats to 450ºF.

If you like, cut a vegetable of your choice into similarly-sized pieces and toss them with a tablespoon or two of neutral oil; I’m using kabocha squash here.

Place a sheet pan on the lowest oven rack. After about 3 minutes, add 2-3 tablespoons of neutral oil to the pan, put it back in the oven, and heat for another minute or two. Carefully transfer the tofu and vegetables to the hot oiled pan, return to the bottom rack, and roast for at least 20 minutes. Flip everything over and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until the tofu is super crispy on both sides and the vegetables are browned and soft.

You can eat the whole shebang straight off the pan—perhaps drizzled with spicy peanut sauce or chili oil—but I added mine to a quick curry made with Maesri panang curry paste, palm sugar, and coconut milk. (Maesri is the only brand I’ve found that doesn’t use shrimp paste or fish sauce; if you usually avoid prepared curry paste for allergy or vegan reasons, give it a try.)

To be completely honest, the kabocha was a miss—the flesh was too dry, and the skin was super tough. The crispy roasted tofu, however, slapped. They can’t all be bangers; such is the nature of experimentation.

When you feel ready, silken tofu is there for you

The next stop on our tour de tofu is the most controversial, misunderstood one yet: Soft or silken tofu. Yes, it’s bland. Unseasoned coagulated soy milk isn’t going to blow your mind with super-concentrated umami or whatever. But when prepared correctly, soft tofu is more than just delicious—it’s absolutely sublime. I will go to bat for it all day long, and I would love to tell you why.

The dish that changed my mind about silken tofu came from Biwa, a now-closed izakaya-style bar in Portland. It was deceptively simple: A whole block of chilled silken tofu drizzled with sweet soy sauce and topped with bias-cut scallions, fistfuls of toasted sesame seeds, and paper-thin bonito shavings. I ordered it every time, and my friends would always be like—“Cold tofu? Why?” But if I could convince them to take a bite, they’d understand. It was like eating a deeply savory panna cotta.

Unfortunately, my dearly departed Tofu Slab is no more—and my attempts to recreate it have been so unsuccessful that I’m forced to settle for the next best thing: Salt water-soaked silken tofu mounded on hot white rice and drowned in chili oil, soy sauce, and black vinegar.

I’m not complaining. The salt water, once again, is key: It turns a cold, slimy block of tofu into a piping-hot savory custard, which is the perfect canvas for condiments. Sure, there’s not much in the way of textural contrast, but the softness is so comforting and nice that I think a crunchy element would actually defeat the purpose. It’s a delicious, balanced, reasonably nutritious meal you can throw together in the time it takes to cook a pot of rice.

Putting it all together: All-tofu mapo tofu

Neglecting to mention mapo tofu in an article about tofu is basically journalistic malpractice. The iconic Sichuanese tofu dish is rich, meaty, spicy, funky, sour, and savory all at once—and slicked with lip-numbing Sichuan peppercorn oil for good measure. It’s a top 3 dish for me; I make it all the time, usually using Maggie Zhu’s recipe from the Omnivore’s Cookbook.

Being a big vegetable fan, I’ve experimented with using minced veg—eggplant, mushrooms, and even carrots—in place of the traditional ground meat. But this time, I decided to follow my vision and make a variant I’m calling “Oops! All Tofu.” I approached this recipe just like the sambal noodles, swapping crispy tofu crumbles in for the ground pork—but this time, I also soaked some cubed soft tofu in a fresh pot of salt water while the sauce simmered away.

This was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made. The nubbins of soft tofu were literally melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the crispy crumbles turned downright meaty as they soaked up the spicy, salty, rich sauce. It made me even more certain of all of the (correct) tofu opinions I just laid out before you and, if you’ll let it, it has the power to convert you too.

Internet via Lifehacker https://bit.ly/2VwWgKq April 24, 2020 at 12:01PM

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thisiswhymomworries · 6 years ago

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What foods do you usually eat then? Lately everything's just been pretty much disgusting for me too and I'm at a loss

bread

ham and cheese sandwich + potato chips

peanut butter and jelly sandwich

eggos + peanut butter and maple syrup

eggos are super easy lil bitches to pop in your toaster and then slap some peanut butter on

cinnamon toast + maple brown sugar oatmeal

try mixing grown flax seeds into the oatmeal. it doesn’t taste super great, but the brown sugar and cinnamon pretty much mask it and flax seeds have protein, fiber, and omega 3

blueberry / lemon poppy seed muffins

if you don’t have the spoons to Make muffins, get a box of muffin mix designed to be made in a mug! you can find them in the breakfast aisle, and you just add milk or water and microwave for a minute, and they taste great~

pizza (alfredo sauce; I hate marinara)

you can also add garlic powder and shredded cheese to the crust mix for extra goodness!

wheat rolls

you can buy pre-cooked rolls in the frozen section that just need to be heated up in the oven

protip: rub some olive oil on your pan / baking sheet, salt it lightly, sprinkle different cheeses, and THEN press your rolls onto all that goodness. it will bake onto the bottom of the roll and taste great!

pasta

I buy Knorr pasta sides, usually in the boxed meals aisle but they come in bags and lots of different flavors

I like bland stuff, so I buy: spinach and kale, herb and butter, alfredo sauce, broccoli and alfredo but they have lots of flavorful stuff too

macaroni and cheese

my mom made me a really great recipe for homemade mac’n’cheese if you want it

but Kraft is super easy and tastes great too

secret ingredient!! boil your noodles in half water, half chicken broth or get some broth concentrate and add a few teaspoons of that to add flavor and a tiny bit of protein!

gnocci is really good if you need something kind of different

they’re made from potatoes but taste and feel like noodles after being cooked

you can cook them in whatever sauce you want or buy boxed meals with sauce already included; I buy Italia four cheese gnocci

ramen

I just buy regular chicken flavor in those orange packs you can get for .50 but there’s lots of flavors usually available

you can also look up a ton of recommendations on how to add more good stuff like spices and vegetables but I am BORING so here are my fave picks:

oil / butter - add a drizzle of olive oil and/or a pat of butter at the very start when you put your noodles in; this is solely to add calories bc since I struggle to eat anything at all, I rarely hit 2000 a day and bodies need that

an egg - add about halfway through; you can crack it directly in there and let it bake on top of the ramen, but I prefer whisking it up in a cup and then pouring it in while stirring to get a scrambled egg effect; adds protein!!

parmesan cheese - don’t add until you’ve scooped out what you want into a bowl bc if you try to cook it with your noodles it will goop up in your pot; sprinkle some shredded or dusted parmesan on top of the ramen in your bowl, it tastes great with the egg

ravioli

I get Buitoni cheese ravioli with the matching alfredo sauce, but they also have pesto and marinara sauce

you can get meat-filled ravioli too, and ravioli made with spinach and kale baked into the noodles / cheese filling for some extra nutrition

goes great with wheat rolls!

soups!

I’ve started buying canned soups to start with and then just adding whatever I want to them

things to add to soups: potatoes, carrots, broccoli, celery, corn, peas, chicken broth, you can buy shredded meat like chicken or roast beef if you’re into that, vegetable stock / bullion

I also have a quick and easy homemade chicken noodle soup recipe

boil egg noodles in chicken broth plus herbs (rosemary, thyme, celery flakes), then add cut up carrots and potatoes, (plus any other meat or vegetables you want) and boil until everything is tender

goes great with cornbread muffins!

I found little “snack packs” of carrots that had exactly the right amount of carrots for one pot of soup, and there were four packs. so that might be easier than buying an entire bag of carrots that you’ll only use ¼ of

and a good recipe for potato and broccoli soup

don’t have it on me rn so message me if you want it and I’ll find it

it has potatoes, broccoli, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy sauce; also great with cornbread

if you want minimal cooking, heating up a can of campbell’s chicken noodle soup is fine!

I make a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it

protein

anything with peanut butter

I like Munchies peanut butter crackers bc they taste the Best

lots of stuff with cheese

protein shakes!

I buy Bolton’s Farmhouse bc they also make good strawberry banana fruit smoothies and their protein shake tastes like chocolate milk

Cliff granola bars

very expensive, but I like peanut butter banana, chocolate chip, and peanut butter flavors; super easy to eat when you don’t have the spoons to make anything

yogurt

greek yogurt has the most protein if you can suffer through it like I do. oreo crunch isn’t bad and salted caramel is OK. whipped yogurt tastes the best but it doesn’t have as much protein

smoothies

you can buy a bag of mixed berries in the frozen section, then add plain yogurt, orange juice / pomegranate juice (fucking expensive), kale or spinach leaves (you really don’t taste them) Body by Vi (also expensive!), and blend it up

if you don’t have the spoons for that, you can buy smoothie drinks like I mentioned above with the protein drinks. I mix in some Vi stuff with that since it has a lot of vitamins and extra protein. I like the cream cheese flavor bc it’s sweet

roast beef and mashed potatoes

obviously cooking a roast takes a lot of time, so I just buy a package of precooked roast beef next to the tubs of premade mashed potatoes. you can heat up both in the microwave in about 5 min each, and it goes great with wheat rolls

I hope this helps and message me again if you want recipes for anything!

#food #protein #recipe #recipes #ask #anon #answered

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justlookfrightened · 7 years ago

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The Morning After, Part III

AN: This got way longer than the first two parts (because I have no self-control). It also alternates POV.

Now posted to AO3

Not beta’d, so yell if I need to fix something.

Read Part I and Part II

Bitty sung the praises of almond milk to his eight students in the community center cooking class. Today’s lesson was chicken pot pie. Bitty’s set-up had twice the amount of chicken, for added protein when he fed it to Jack later.

“The almond milk makes the sauce really creamy, with hardly any calories, at least compared to using cream,” he said. “So let’s start by browning our vegetables. The mushrooms are gonna take the longest, so let’s add those.”

He watched as his students -- two pairs of women and two male-female couples -- found their dishes of cremini mushrooms and added them to the hot pans. Then they added carrots and celery, seasonings and a little flour.

“Now, y’all can add other vegetables if you like,” Bitty said, as he stirred the contents of his own pan. “I know some use potatoes, although I find that a bit heavy. We’re going with some pretty basic seasonings here too, so feel free to experiment. Now we add the almond milk, a little at a time, and scrape up the brown bits. Once it starts to thicken, you’re going to add the cooked chicken, the onions, the peas and some thyme. Or you could use tarragon.”

He added his ingredients, then said, “Now take those pie plates you got ready and pour the filling in. Once you’ve done that, go to the fridge and get the disk of pastry dough that has your name on it. We’re not doing anything fancy here -- just roll it in a circle big enough to drape over your pie. We’re going to use some egg wash to seal it to the edges of the pan like so.”

He watched the class do as he said, while he left his own filling in the Dutch oven.

“All right, everyone ready? Let’s pop those in the ovens for about 25 minutes, which should give us enough time to clean up, talk about variations, and answer any questions.”

When the scraps were cleared away, the prep dishes washed, the shelf-stable supplies returned to the cooking classroom pantry, Bitty passed out sheets with the original recipe he used, plus ideas for different vegetables and seasonings.

“All right, any questions?”

Jean raised her hand.

“Why didn’t you finish your pie off?” she asked. “You usually finish all the steps so we know what it should look like.”

“This is a dish that you should eat right away, while it’s still hot,” Bitty said. “All of you can take your pies as soon as they come out, and they should be about ready to cut into when you walk into your kitchen if it takes you 15 or 20 minutes to get home. And I know all y’all have been taking what we make to have for dinner after classes, so I figured it would work out. I’ll take the filling I made and save it for when I have someone to share it with. The filling can keep in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for a couple of months. But you want to put the crust on just before it goes in the oven so it doesn’t get soggy.”

Jean’s sister Judy raised her hand.

“Yes, Judy?”

“So you don’t have anyone to eat with? That’s just sad. We could eat here with you if you want.”

“Aww, thanks,” Bitty said. “But I have things to do tonight. It’s just that I live alone. I was counting on making this for a friend later anyway. But you’re sweet to think of me.”

“A friend?” Jean asked. “What kind of a friend?”

“The kind I said I would make dinner for, because, in case you hadn’t noticed, I like to cook, and some people think I’m good at it,” Bitty said, shaking his head in fond exasperation.

This class had only two weeks left, and the students in it had gotten to know Bitty well enough to know he didn’t have a boyfriend. Jean and Judy in particular had taken an interest -- maybe because they were looking for boyfriends as well.

As soon as the students left, Bitty fastened the lid on his Dutch oven full of filling with a couple of bungee cords. He got his own pie dough from the cooler, along with his bag of salad ingredients and fruit. He’d left a loaf of bread in his car. Then he changed into a clean blue button down with a red bow tie.

He still wasn’t entirely sure what Jack thought of this … whatever it was. But for Bitty, it wasn’t a booty call. Friends with benefits … maybe that was the best way to think of it for now, even though he and Jack had hardly been friends until earlier this week. But Bitty wanted it to be a date, so he was going to dress like it.

Most first dates didn’t include an open invitation to breakfast. Even if Bitty had done the inviting … inviting himself to make breakfast in Jack’s apartment. His mama,he thought, would not be pleased.

But cooking was what he could do to impress. It wasn’t like he had the kind of money it would take to wine and dine a professional athlete. Paying for dinner at a five-star restaurant? Not gonna happen, not unless he saved up for weeks.

Satisfied that he was as ready as he would ever be, Bitty texted Jack.

Heading your way. I’ll be there in about 20.

The return text came before he got to his car.

Looking forward to it. Anything I can get ready for you?

Bitty texted back, Nope. I think I have everything. Just make sure the counters and oven are clear.

********************************************

Jack glanced around the kitchen after he got Bitty’s text. The counters were clean, and Jack knew the oven was empty. He’d left it that way after he heated up some frozen chicken tenders for lunch.

Jack went back into the bedroom to look in the mirror again. He hoped he looked okay. He would have loved to ask Tater, or even Marty, what to wear to host a date in his home. He didn’t feel like athletic pants and a T-shirt -- what he usually wore around the house -- would be enough, but clearly a suit would be equally inappropriate. He didn’t have a whole lot in between, but he could cobble together something with dress pants from a suit and a button-down, or go less formal with a pair of the tailored jeans Tater insisted he buy and maybe a polo shirt. But that felt too casual.

He decided to split the difference, wearing the jeans with a dark T-shirt and a pale grey button-down, left unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up. His mother said the color brought out his eyes.

Then he glanced at the bed, made with the soft gray sheets he liked. The ones his mother bought him. In the color she said brought out his eyes. Oh. Well, he wasn’t going to think about that. And if Bitty noticed that his shirt matched his sheets -- at least he’d be in a position to notice the sheets. Jack could take a little chirping if it meant Bitty was in his bed.

Not that Jack would be angry if Bitty didn’t stay. Jack wanted him to, very much, but he had to make sure Bitty didn’t feel pressured to sleep with him. He thought they were on the same page -- they had been the time before -- but Bitty was allowed to change his mind. Crisse, how did people do this? This was why Jack’s sexual encounters for the last few years had been few and far between, and brief, no-strings hookups at that. It had been ages since he tried to do this with someone he wanted to keep seeing.

He hoped Bitty knew what he was doing.

At least Bitty seemed to know what he was doing with food. He hadn’t told Jack what he would make for dinner, but he had asked for general outlines of Jack’s nutrition plan and said he could make something that would fit.

Jack’s phone buzzed and he picked it up. It was the doorman announcing Bitty’s arrival.

“Send him up,” Jack said, and went to open the door to the apartment.

When Bitty stepped off the elevator, Jack’s first thought was that he was glad he’d gone for button-down instead of just a polo shirt, since Bitty had a tie (a bow tie!) on. His next thought was to dart forward to try to relieve Bitty of some of what he was carrying: tote bags in each hand, with a messenger bag slung over his back.

“It’s alright,” Bitty said, making his way towards Jack’s open door. “I’m balanced this way.”

Bitty went straight to the kitchen and put the tote bags on the counter before pulling the strap of the messenger bag over his head.

“Should I put this in the bedroom?” he asked.

********************************************

Bitty wondered if he had been too forward as soon as the words left his mouth. What if this was just dinner? Sure, they’d talked (flirted) about breakfast, but maybe Jack didn’t mean it. Jack had a game tomorrow night. Maybe he didn’t want Bitty to stay. Bitty could live with that, even if it wasn’t his preference.

The relieved smile that broke across Jack’s face reassured Bitty, and when Jack reached for the bag and said, “I’ll take it. I’ll be right back to help,” Bitty couldn’t help returning the grin.

Bitty watched him head down the hall then turned back to the kitchen, setting the oven to preheat and pulling the food and his dishes from the bags.

The way those jeans hugged Jack's backside … It was shaping up to be a very good night.

When Jack came back, Bitty handed him the pie plate and said, “I know you have cooking spray around here somewhere.”

He scattered flour over the countertop and unwrapped his disk of pastry dough. He floured the rolling pin and started rolling the dough out, applying even pressure, moving from the center to the edges, occasionally loosening the crust when it started to stick to the surface.

“Pour the filling in the pie pan,” Bitty instructed Jack, “and put the Dutch oven in the sink. Then can you get me an egg from the fridge?”

Bitty watched Jack as he moved around the kitchen. He looked comfortable, Bitty thought, like he could feed himself competently, even if he didn’t seem to know how to make his meals more flavorful.

Bitty draped the crust over the top of the pie plate and brushed on the egg wash before sliding the pan into the oven.

As soon as the door closed, Bitty moved to clean the flour off the counter.

“I can do that,” Jack said, suddenly behind Bitty. “It seems like you’re doing all the work.”

“I did say I’d make you dinner,” Bitty said, turning to face Jack.

“I want to help,” Jack said.

“Fine,” Bitty said, patting Jack lightly on the chest. Lord, that chest. It was huge, and hard -- a testament to Jack’s workout regimen. “I’ll put the salad together while you wash the prep dishes. Less to clean after dinner, then.”

Bitty noticed the way Jack’s cheeks flushed at that. Bitty was looking forward to after dinner, too.

They worked in silence for a few minutes, until Bitty asked Jack where he wanted to eat.

“We could set the table,” he said. “Of just eat in front of the TV.”

“Let’s eat at the table,” Jack said. “Like a real date.”

********************************************

Of course it was like a real date, Jack chided himself, because of the simple fact that it was a real date.

Bitty didn’t chirp him about that, just nodding and saying, “That will be nice. Where are the plates?”

“I’ll set the table,” Jack said.

As soon as they sat down, Bitty said, “I think I promised to tell you all about my brief hockey career.”

“Not that brief,” Jack said. “You went to the Frozen Four when you were a senior.”

“You looked me up?”

“After you said you played in college,” Jack said. “I knew you went to Samwell, and I remembered watching one of those games. My mother went there, so when Marty had your game on one night when we were on a roadie, I watched. I went back and found it again. You were really fast.”

“Still am pretty fast, Mr. Zimmermann,” Bitty said.

“Your goalie -- Chow -- he’s in Seattle now?”

“As their backup,” Bitty said. “He was already under contract then.”

“Anyone else go pro? You had a couple of really good D-men,” Jack said.

“One of them is in the AHL,” Bitty said. “But most people were there for the education, not the hockey scouts.”

Jack didn’t say that when he’d watched the game a couple of years ago, he’d noticed Bitty -- not by name, just as the small, speedy center -- but immediately discounted him because of his size. There wasn’t any real chance that number 15 would become an NHL teammate or competitor, so Jack had focused on other players. When he’d found video of the game today, he’d watched Bitty the whole time. Jack realized he’d been wrong -- Bitty could have played pro. He might not have the size most NHL players had, but he was that good.

“Did you ever think of going pro?” Jack asked.

“Me?” Bitty said. “Lord, no. I mean, I’m not that small -- I’m average-sized -- but all you professional hockey players are like two of me. And gay too? No one would want me.”

“You were out then?”

Bitty nodded. “That’s one of the main reasons I picked Samwell. I had to get out of Georgia if it killed me. Even if the thought of being checked terrified me. Still does, honestly, so as much as I loved hockey, it was never a long-term plan.”

While Bitty was talking, Jack took a bite of his chicken pot pie. “This is delicious,” he said.

“Tell me about you,” Bitty said.

“Hockey was always my long-term plan,” Jack deadpanned.

“I believe you,” Bitty said. “Didn’t your dad play, too?”

“You could say that,” Jack said.

“Must have been a lot of pressure on you.”

Jack nodded. “It wasn’t always easy for me, even though a lot of people thought it should be,” he said. “And I’ve had anxiety since I was a teenager, too, so I had a lot of trouble around the time I was supposed to be drafted.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bitty said. “I didn’t really follow hockey at all until I was almost in college. But you ended up in the league anyway?”

“I got drafted the next year,” Jack said. “I’ve been in Providence ever since.”

********************************************

Bitty took a swallow of his water and considered how to ask his next question. He understood why Jack wasn’t out, understood it in his very bones. But Jack had flirted with him in the coffee shop, wasn’t upset that his building concierge found Eric in his apartment, invited him to come back the first day he was home.

“I don’t want to kill the mood,” he said, laying his hand next to Jack’s on the table. “Or put any pressure on you, so there’s no wrong answer here. But does anyone know that you’re … not straight?”

“Bisexual,” Jack filled in. “And a few people know. My parents, my therapist -- you know, the people you can’t really lie to.”

“I’m not sure about that,” Bitty said. “I didn’t come out to my parents until after I left Georgia.”

“Anyway, besides them, the Falconers’ AGM knows,” Jack continued. “And my ex. But that was from back before I came into the league.”

“Only one ex?”

“Only one relationship with a guy,” Jack said. “I’ve had a few one-night things over the years, but, well, they usually didn’t know who I was.”

Jack looked embarrassed, and that hadn’t been Bitty’s intent at all.

“At least you didn’t get your first hand job in a frat house bathroom with a hundred people drinking and dancing about six feet away,” Bitty said, hoping that would alleviate Jack’s self-consciousness.

“I did skip that college life,” Jack said.

“It probably wasn’t everything you’re imagining,” Bitty said. “At least, not for me. Believe me, that wasn’t a frequent occurrence. I’ve only had one real boyfriend. I moved down here to be with him after I graduated, but it didn’t last.”

Bitty shrugged. “I always hoped there was something better coming along.”

“You probably have lots of guys after you, though.”

“And it’s amazing how few of them I want to spend time with,” Bitty said. ”I guess I’m just picky.”

***********************

“I guess I’m lucky then,” Jack said, moving his hand over Bitty’s. Here they were, holding hands. Should it be this much of a thrill?.

“Luck’s got nothing to do with it,” Bitty said. “Well, maybe the luck of the gene pool. You’re one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever seen.”

Bitty took a moment to take another bite, and said, “And it turns out you’re secretly pretty wonderful after all. I mean, I’ve known what you look like for more ‘n a year, but I wouldn’t have gone home with you if I didn’t like you.”

Jack was aware of the compliment, aware he should say something nice about Bitty, or at least say thank you, but he was fixated on the way Bitty’s cheeks pinked when he got flustered. It had started when he said Jack was beautiful and only deepened when Bitty acknowledged that liked him.

“I like you too,” Jack finally said, giving Bitty’s hand a squeeze before he released it. “And if you like me, I am lucky.”

They ate in silence for a few moments, then Bitty said, “Can I ask what this is that we’re doing? If you can’t be out? Because I really can’t go back in the closet. Even if I wanted to, pretty much everyone who knows me here in Providence knows I’m gay.”

“Even if you could, I wouldn’t ask that,” Jack said. “And I don’t think it would be fair to ask you not to see anyone else --”

“It’s not like I’ve been seeing anyone else,” Bitty said. “Is that what we’re doing? Seeing each other? Dating? Or do you see this as a more casual thing?”

“I don’t think I know how to do casual,” Jack said. “I mean, I’ve had a couple of casual relationships with women, but I didn’t really care about them. The relationships, I mean. Not the women. They were great, and they deserved to move on and find someone who would fall in love with them.”

“What about the guy, the one you called your ex?”

“I thought it was just physical. We were kids -- literally teenagers -- and I didn’t think it meant anything until it ended,” Jack said. “He was … he was really hurt, for a long time. I didn’t feel anything for a while -- wait, have you Googled me?”

“Um, no?” Bitty said. “Should I have?”

“It might make it easier,” Jack said. “When I was 18, I overdosed on anxiety meds, helped along by a beer or six. I missed the draft that year, and even though I survived, I thought my life was over. That was also when things ended with my ex.”

“Wow,” Bitty said. “It must have been so tough to come back and play. You’re incredibly brave, you know that?”

“Not really,” Jack said. “I just didn’t have a plan B, so I had to make plan A work, so I gave it 110 percent and I was able to persuade the Falcs to take a chance on me. And what about you? You’re brave too. You said you had to get out of Georgia, so you did, even if it meant playing a sport that scared you.”

“Not the whole sport,” Bitty said. “Just checking.”

“That’s a big part of it, bud.”

“No kidding,” Bitty said. “Two of my former captains said I was like a fainting goat. They kept saying they wanted to make a play out of me collapsing.”

Jack frowned.

“That wasn’t right,” he said. “They should have helped you.”

“They did, in their way,” Bitty said. “They helped get me used to the idea that I could get hit, and it wouldn’t hurt, much, or if it did, it wouldn’t do real damage, probably. And it would have been worse if they didn’t chirp me for it -- it would have been like this big hairy thing we couldn’t talk about, y’know?”

“Maybe,” Jack said. “Did you get professional help too?”

“Yeah, the coaches made me go,” Bitty said. “It was weird -- I felt like I couldn’t tell my parents, but I ended up talking about them a lot. Between that and Ransom and Holster’s practice sessions, I learned to tolerate it, but I never liked it. Anyway, changing the subject back, I’m getting the impression you want us to date?”

“I want to,” Jack said. “But I can’t be your boyfriend in public, at least not yet.”

What a way to kill the mood. But Bitty deserved to know what he was getting into. What he might be getting into. If he wanted.

“But you can in private?” Bitty asked. “I mean, like you could tell your family at least?”

“My family. I could tell some of my teammates probably. They’re good guys and I trust them,” Jack said. “If you wanted to tell your family, any friends you really trust …”

“You know it’s harder to keep a secret the more people know,” Bitty said. “And I understand why you need to keep it quiet. I wouldn’t want opposing teams targeting you any more than they already do.”

Jack nodded. He’d thought the same thing. But Bitty was right -- if upwards of a dozen people knew he was dating Bitty, how long would it remain a secret?

“It wouldn’t have to be a secret forever,” Jack said.

********************************************

Bitty put down his fork and looked Jack. Did he know what he’d just said? This was their second real conversation, besides a few days of flirty texts and a few months of testy exchanges on the ice. And one really good night in the bedroom just down the hall.

“LIsten to you talking about forever,” Bitty said. “Tell you what -- let’s just try this for now, just us, and anyone you think should know. Everyone already knows I’m gay, so I’m not worried about it. If I think I need to tell someone, I’ll talk to you first.”

“It might not be as easy for you as you think if I get outed,” Jack said. “The press can be vultures, and they’ll be all over you because of me.”

“And my YouTube views will go through the roof,” Bitty said. “I won’t have 210 pounds of defenseman trying to put my head through the glass.”

“I’m serious,” Jack said.

“So am I,” Bitty said. “I know there are risks here for both of us, and I know the risks are bigger for you. But I do really like you, and I’m immensely attracted to you, and I’ve been waiting for days to see if those sheets of yours are as soft as I remember.”

The cheesiness of the line was worth it for the way Jack ducked his head and blushed.

“I'm sorry,” Jack said. “I didn’t mean to get so serious. Not good at casual, remember? If all you want is a bit of fun --"

Bitty shook his head. “I think I already said I'm up to give it a try, if you are.”

Bitty stood and picked up his plate.

“You cooked,” Jack said. “Let me do dishes?”

“Sure,” Bitty said. “If I can come keep you company.”

Jack winced.

“Speaking of company …”

********************************************

How had he not been able to wave Tater off for breakfast? He loved Tater, he really did, but sometimes his enthusiasm was overwhelming. And when he had mentioned breakfast with a friend to talk about the campaign to add a sheet of ice to the community rink, Tater was all over it. Whether because he didn’t really believe Jack had a friend the team didn’t already know or because he wanted to lend his (formiddable) support to the campaign, Jack wasn’t sure.

“Speaking of company, Tater will be here for breakfast, too, if that’s okay,” Jack said, cringing at the thought. It wouldn’t be okay. Who allowed a (loud, obnoxious) teammate to crash a date?

“Tater?” Bitty said.

“Mashkov. Alexei.”

“I’m aware,” Bitty said. “But does he … did you tell him ...”

“He saw me texting and asked about it, and I said I was arranging breakfast with a friend to work on the rink campaign,” Jack said. “He kind of invited himself.”

“To your apartment?”

Jack nodded. “I know. I can call him and tell him it’s off. But he was so excited to meet my figure-skater friend. Apparently his mother was a figure-skating star in Russia.”

“What time is he coming?” Bitty asked.

“8:30?” Jack said, opening the dishwasher and rinsing the plates. “I suppose I could change the time.”

“What time do you usually get up on game days?” Bitty asked, packing the rolling pin and Dutch oven back in his tote bag.

“Not too early. About 7,” Jack said, thinking that sounded better than 6:55, which was when he always got up on game days. “I usually go for a light run, but I don’t have to.”

“Well, if you don’t sneak out before I’m up, maybe we can find another way to get you some exercise, and still be presentable by the time Alexei Mashkov gets here,” Bitty said. “Lord, I can’t believe I just said that.”

Jack closed the dishwasher and turned it on before moving in front of Bitty, boxing him in against the counter.

“Are you telling me you have a thing for Mashkov?” Jack said.

Bitty looked up at him, eyes huge, bottom lip caught in his teeth, and said, “Maybe. If you don’t kiss me in the next three seconds.”

“Won’t take that long,” Jack said.

********************************************

Bitty let his body press into Jack’s when Jack leaned down to kiss him. He felt himself sigh into the kiss, twining his arms around Jack’s neck to help him reach Jack’s mouth.

Jack took his time kissing Bitty, offering a kiss that was more a promise than anything. When Bitty opened his mouth to Jack, Jack didn’t plunge in. Instead, his tongue flicked just at the inside of Bitty’s lips and the tip of his tongue, drawing Bitty’s tongue to chase his into Jack’s mouth.

When they broke apart, Jack breathed into Bitty’s hair and murmured, “You still thinking about Tater?”

“Who?” Bitty asked, and giggled. “You know I only have eyes for you.”

“I do now,” Jack said. It was almost a growl, and then he reached down to cup Bitty’s bottom through his slacks and pulling him even closer. Bitty loved the feel of Jack, the way he was big enough to surround Bitty, the solidity of him, the power that was contained in his muscles and the gentleness of his touch. The hardness of his erection pressing into Bitty’s belly was pretty impressive, too.

“Jack,” Bitty gasped. “Can we go to the bedroom?”

In response, Jack lifted him again.

Bitty laughed. “You don’t have to carry me every time.”

“Can’t have you getting lost on the way,” Jack said.

He dropped Bitty gently on the bed, then crawled next to him and brought his hand to Bitty’s bow tie.

“Can I take this off?” he said. “When you walked in with that on, I thought you were wrapped up like a present.”

Bitty tilted his head back to give Jack more room, then said, “And I thought you dressed to show off your arms and your ass. It worked.”

“And my eyes,” Jack said, working on the buttons of Bitty’s shirt. “Maman says this color brings out my eyes.”

Bitty used his fingers to tilt Jack’s chin up. “Mmm. You have beautiful eyes.”

This man. This man who had a body Sports Illustrated would love, who picked out a shirt his mother liked to impress Bitty. Bitty, of all people!

It was way too soon and would probably be way too messy, but Bitty was in love, at least a little bit.

Bitty kissed Jack and watched those gorgeous eyes fall closed.

********************************************

Jack marveled at the difference between kissing Bitty and being kissed by Bitty. They were both wonderful, near magical in the way they focused Jack’s mind on the man in front of him, and his body, and the way Jack’s body reacted to his body.

Kissing Bitty … it felt like Jack was communicating intent; intent to care for Bitty, to make him feel good (because Bitty felt so good to Jack); to learn Bitty -- all the dips and curves and tastes of him, the form and the motion and the chemical makeup of him -- so he could keep that knowledge within him. To cherish him.

Crisse, it was definitely far too early for that.

Kissing Bitty was fun, and it was amazing when Jack could draw those sounds from Bitty’s throat.

But being kissed by Bitty … it was being wanted, even after the awkward conversations at dinner, even after being an asshole about ice time. It was affection and appreciation and generosity. Bitty wanted to give this to Jack, this moment (these moments stretching out) of being cherished, of being treasured. Not for what he could do on the ice, not for what he could buy, but because Bitty somehow saw him -- all of him. Jack knew Bitty appreciated his body -- he could feel it -- but he also listened to Jack, and understood that there was something behind the walls Jack built up to keep the world at bay.

When Bitty kissed him, Jack felt all that want and affection and care (and love? Maybe eventually?) in the press of Bittle’s lips, in the heat of his mouth and caress of his tongue.

Jack groaned and shifted them, pulling Bitty into his arms and lying with him on the bed.

The best, Jack thought, was this, when they were kissing each other, the give-and-take of pleasure upon pleasure. Jack’s hands roamed across Bitty’s back, under the loosened shirt, and over the swell of his ass, which was still lamentably clothed. He let his own head fall back as Bitty pulled down the neck of his T-shirt to kiss across his collarbone.

Bitty pulled back, panting a little, and Jack couldn’t help his grin at the way Bitty looked, hair all in disarray, lips a little swollen and red, eyes huge and warm.

“This would probably be easier,” Bitty said, “if we were wearing less clothes.”

**************************************

“Hello, hello, hello,” Tater boomed, as he pushed open the door Jack had left ajar when the doorman called to announce Tater was on his way up. “Smells so good in here. I was going to say we should meet at restaurant, but ...”

“Yeah, Bitty cooked,” Jack said, setting the plates and bowl of muffins on the table. “He likes to do that.”

They rounded the corner to the kitchen, where Bitty was pouring an egg mixture over vegetables in a skillet.

“Bitty, this is Tater. Tater, Eric Bittle. He teaches figure skating and does some private coaching at the rink. He also cooks.”

“Bitty,” Tater said seriously, extending hand. “You know I am not like other hockey players, yes? I like figure skaters. My mother was a famous figure skater and she made me do both. You understand? I know you figure skaters need time on the ice too, so if Jack is be difficult, you come to me, yes?”

Bitty’s face was pink and his eyes danced as he said, “I never would have taken you for a figure skater, but it’s nice to have an ally. Don’t worry, though. I think Jack and I have an understanding.

“More ice is better for everyone, eh?” Jack said from behind Tater, wishing he could place himself at Bitty’s side without noticeably pushing past his teammate.

“You must get here early to make breakfast,” Tater was saying. “You didn’t have to.”

“After years of 4 a.m. Russian calisthenics with my coach, it was nothing,” Bitty said, neatly stepping around Tater to get to the cups in the cabinet next to Jack. “Coffee?”

#omgcp #omg check please #zimbits #my fic #morning after

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gethealthy18-blog · 5 years ago

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How to Make a Mason Jar Salad Bar (That Lasts All Week!)

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How to Make a Mason Jar Salad Bar (That Lasts All Week!)

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When you’re trying to eat a healthier diet, variety is key. One of my favorite ways to serve a wide range of colorful fruits and veggies (and healthy proteins) is in a salad! Now that the garden is back in action, we’ve brought back a fun and easy way to keep the fresh food flowing: a homemade mason jar salad bar we can eat all week.

How to Make a Mason Jar Salad Bar

Our salad bar approach keeps my family eating healthy foods even when there’s not much time to prepare anything. I bulk cook at the beginning of the week and chop, shred, grill, etc., all of the salad bar ingredients. Then I arrange them in glass containers (usually mason jars) into the refrigerator.

When it’s time to make lunch, we can just pull out our “salad bar” and create an easy lunch!

This also works well for little ones who can’t or won’t eat salad yet. Just let them choose a protein and a few other salad bar add-ons and they’re happy (no lettuce required!).

Once you’ve chopped up the protein and veggies (note: kids trained in knife skills really help with this step), you have two choices:

store them in containers or mason jars in the fridge and assemble when ready to eat

OR layer them in mason jars as you have a take-and-shake salad ready to go.

How to Layer a Mason Jar Salad (Very Important!)

Here are some ideas for what to keep in your salad bar. If you decide to pre-assemble your salads, follow this layering approach to keep everything crisp and fresh:

Wet ingredients (dressing, hummus, sauce, etc.)

Protein

Nuts/crunchy textures (like cabbage)

Berries or fruit

Lettuce always goes in last!

Shake when ready to eat!

Mason Jar Salad Components

The options are endless, but here are our favorite ingredients when making salads:

Lettuce

Lettuce is the base of most salads and offers a bit of bulk for a filling meal. Unlike sandwiches, the bulk in a salad (lettuce) is rich in nutrients and fiber and doesn’t cause the health side effects that bread can.

Here are some of my favorite lettuce mixtures:

Spring Mix – Grab organic spring mix from the grocery store or make your own by combining whatever baby greens you have growing in your garden. Spring mix works well in most salads.

Romaine – Chop or tear a few romaine heads. Romaine is great because it’s a good combination of soft and crunchy greens all on its own.

Mixed Greens – This mixture usually includes heartier greens like spinach, kale, mustard, chard, and other nutrient-dense greens. These are often good sauteed so if you have too many you can eat them that way as well.

Watercress – I love the crunch and slight bitterness that watercress adds to a salad.

Sprouts – Hands down one of the most nutrient-dense greens you can add, and you can grow them on your counter!

If you have a garden or a CSA share, use whatever salad greens you have available seasonally.

Protein

Adding some protein makes a salad go from a side dish to a main course. Here are some ideas for protein you can have available in your salad bar:

Hard-boiled eggs – Hard boil a dozen eggs (or more if you have a big family as I do). You can leave them in their shell until you use them or you can peel them and keep them in an airtight container. Slice just before adding to your salad.

Chicken – Bake or grill a few chicken breasts and cut into strips once cooled.

Steak – Grill a steak and cut into strips.

Sardines – Believe it or not… this is my personal favorite thanks to the health benefits!

Sliced ham, turkey, or roast beef – If you can find organic, nitrate-free sliced meats, they’re a great addition to a salad. Roll them (together or separately) and cut into 1-inch pieces before adding to the salad.

Sliced almonds or other nuts – Nuts add some texture as well as healthy fat and protein.

Shredded or diced hard cheeses – Grab some organic cheeses and shred or cube them at the beginning of the week.

Crumbled soft cheeses – These are easy to add to any salad. Just grab some, crumble, and go!

Bacon crumbles – Pan fry or bake a package of pastured bacon at the beginning of the week. Chop into bits and store for salads throughout the week.

Sliced almonds – Toast them with a drizzle of maple syrup and a pinch of salt to make them extra delicious!

These are just some suggestions to get your ideas flowing but you don’t necessarily need to make protein specifically for your salad bar. Leftover meat from dinner or tuna salad from lunch is also a great option!

I get most of my healthy proteins from a combination of local farmers, ButcherBox (chicken, steak, etc.), and Vital Choice (seafood).

Other Fixings

Once you have decided on your protein it’s time to add other fixings for a really exciting salad. Here are some ideas:

Fresh berries (great for getting kids to love salads)

Shredded or julienned carrots

Shredded raw beets or sliced cooked beets

Fermented vegetables – These are a great way to add a bit of tanginess and a digestive boost to a salad. Consider adding sauerkraut or other fermented veggies to your lunch.

Cucumber slices

Sliced bell peppers

Sliced mushrooms

Sliced red onion

Cherry tomatoes

Plantain chips (you can buy these made with coconut oil or make them yourself)

Fresh sliced fruit like apples

Dried fruit – Some ideas include: cherries, cranberries, blueberries, mango, strawberries, etc.

Olives – I like to have a variety of gourmet olives on hand like kalamata, manzanilla, and cerignola.

Artichoke Hearts – Some are packed in seed oils so be careful to find one that is packed in olive oil or water.

Avocado – Because avocado turns brown when exposed to air, it’s best to wait until the last minute to cut it. You can also make guacamole ahead of time instead (the onion and other spices help keep it green).

Fresh herbs – If you have an herb garden it’s easy to add some fresh herbs to your salad.

You don’t need to have all of these add-ins available every week. Pick a handful each week and consider rotating through the list for added variety.

Salad Dressings

Salad dressing adds flavor to bring the salad together, but it also provides important healthy fats which are necessary to get the most nutrients out of the vegetables.

If you’re in a hurry you can make a quick salad dressing just by sprinkling some oil and vinegar (and a pinch of salt) over the salad. If you’re on the run, add 1 part vinegar and 2 parts oil to a small container with a pinch of salt.

If you have a bit of extra time or want to make the dressing ahead of time, theses 7 healthy salad dressings are some of my favorites and can add a lot of variety to your salad.

5 Delicious Mason Jar Salad Recipe Combinations

It’s easy to come up with a tasty combination based on what looks good on any given day. But if you want a little more direction for a tasty combination, take a look at these ideas:

Southwest Salad

What’s great about this salad is that it doesn’t feel like a salad at all. With all of the southwest flavor, it tastes more like a deconstructed burrito.

Lettuce of choice

Steak or chicken strips

Tomatoes

Red onion

Avocado slices or chunks

Chopped fresh cilantro

Fermented salsa

Taco seasoning (toss chicken or steak in spices or just sprinkle on top)

For the dressing, try this healthy ranch dressing or use apple cider vinegar and olive oil with a pinch of taco seasoning.

Greek Salad

This salad is really easy to throw together and lasts a while in the refrigerator (or lunchbox!).

Romaine lettuce

Chicken or leftover greek meatballs

Kalamata olives

Cucumber

Tomatoes

Red onions

Feta cheese, crumbled

For the dressing, mix up some of my tangy greek salad dressing.

Cobb Salad

This salad is a great choice when you have a bunch of leftovers in the refrigerator. It’s versatile enough that you can add whatever you want and it still tastes great.

Romaine lettuce

Crumbled bacon

Hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Grilled chicken strips

Cherry tomatoes

Avocado, thinly sliced or chopped

Blue cheese, crumbled

Chopped chives

For the dressing, try this blue cheese dressing from 100 Days of Real Food.

Market Salad

This salad is exactly what it sounds like, a combination of vegetables that are available at the farmer’s market. This one will change with the season, but here’s a good starting point:

Mixed greens

Protein of choice

Sliced mushrooms

Cucumbers

Shredded beets

Artichoke hearts

Fresh parsley

For the dressing, a peppery balsamic vinaigrette is a great choice.

Fruit & Nut Tossed Salad

When you want something a bit different, this sweet salad is a fun choice. It contains fruits and nuts for a healthy but flavorful twist.

Spring mix

Chicken

Sliced almonds

Dried cherries

Mandarin orange slices

For the dressing, try something with a sweet and sour flavor. White wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and honey make a great dressing for a fruit-topped green salad.

Other Salad Ideas:

Healthy Lunches Start With Simplifying

I’m always trying to find ways to simplify life (like my cleaning routine) because simplicity makes room for what matters in life. These grab and go salads put what’s most important first (healthy food and more time for family), so this mason jar salad bar idea has been a huge lifesaver for me! I hope it’s a hit with your family too!

How do you make lunch easier? Any favorite salad ideas to share? I’d love to hear!

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/427354/salad-bar/

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amatchgirl · 5 years ago

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25 Pantry Recipes (That You’ll Actually Love)

Here we are. We are in a TIME, folks. It is uncharted territory for most of us. We are making the map as we go and wheeeew baby, there are a lot of feelings running us in a lot of different directions. We feel stuck and restless and unsure and tired and wired and ok-maybe-actually-enjoying-some-dedicated-time-together but also worried, anxious and please let me watch this show by myself and oh no what day is it.

But we are staying home because it is an act of love. An unprecedented act of love to take care of each other. To make the world safer for each other. To help build the world back up to a new normal, for each other.

We know cooking can get very tricky these days this with limited access to grocery stores and sometimes even more limited items on shelves, so we pulled together a collection that relies heavily on pantry staples. The ingredient lists are short and the recipes are so very very flexible, (something we’re all really trying to practice being right now – oh, hello multiple Zoom meetings in one house with children and animals and are even the plants somehow louder?).

Here we go.

Trying to keep ingredient lists as short as possible these days and this comes in at a whopping three. We’re using our best pal cashews to add a creamy, velvety twist on the standard pasta, and the jar of tomato sauce we’re probably all coming to know really well right about now.

Get the recipe here.

No, we did not mistakenly put the words salmon and burger together. Give it a crisp sear, top it with a dollop of yogurt and dill and float it on a bed of herby cabbage slaw and you’ll totally get why this pantry-friendly protein patty is worth your bravery.

Get the recipe here.

We cannot lie – these pancakes are straight up exquisite even WITHOUT blueberries, syrup or dripping buttery goodness, but if you happen to have any combination of those things at the ready, these are an absolute dream of a breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Get the recipe here.

We call it “Back Pocket” Noodle Stir Fry because we want you to keep this simple perfect recipe in your back pocket at all times, not the beautiful noodlefull dish ITSELF. That would gross. So grab your noodles, find all the veggie stragglers in the fridge, crisp up a protein, shake up your sauce in a jar, and you are READY.

Get the recipe here.

If you’ve got a pound of chicken in the freezer, a stocked spice rack, and a can of coconut milk, this is for you. Lots of coconut and curry-like flavor, but no cutting boards, no measuring cups, no fuss. Just pack it all up in a bag, freeze or refrigerate, and pop it in the Instant Pot.

Get the recipe here.

If you’re not currently using your vodka as a backup disinfectant then boy do we have a delicious and incredibly easy recipe for you! We swapped out the cream for, wait for it (and trust), coconut milk to make it vegan but ALSO because you might already have a can on hand.

Get the recipe here.

We’ve all had the same nightmare: what if we run out of crisp and wonderful carby things to serve on the side of everything? Chickpea flour to the rescue! This single ingredient (and ok fine, there’s water, olive oil and salt involved too but that’s it!) is delivering to you your new favorite gluten-free dipper.

Get the recipe here.

Cream-free but creamy-as-all-get-out and here to replace your usual coffeeshop latte. You’re free to come to the party at any time of day because literally morning, noon or night (decaf-style), it’s just a straight-up TREAT.

Get the recipe here.

Isn’t it beautiful how potatoes just seem to kind of last forever? Sweet potatoes serve as the base of this spicy creamy delight – just add in some cans of tomatoes and coconut milk, a scoop of peanut butter, lots of spices, and add in some chopped kale to finish it off (which, well, also kind of seems to last forever?).

Get the recipe here.

One silver-lining from this pantry-cooking situation is that everyone seems to be dipping their toes into amateur breadmaking and we are HERE FOR IT. If you haven’t considered it yet, here’s a heck of an easy intro that is going to yield you the perfectly crusted outside, soft and chewy inside loaf of your dreams. Also, carbs.

Get the recipe here.

Sure, baking might be a coping mechanism, and sometimes it has us in front of the oven, oven mitts on, praying for a warm, sweet, wholesome, unfussy and delicious treat to appear. Prayers answered, friends! Carrot muffins at the ready. And by at the ready, we mean blended up in a blender, poured into a muffin tin, baked, and ready to devour.

Get the recipe here.

Lentils, amiright?! Healthy, filling, affordable and they kind of do all the work for you! We put these in the Instant Pot with some warm curry spices, a can of tomatoes and a bit of coconut milk or butter/ghee to make it a little creamy. Scoop it on top of some steamy rice and you have yourself some easy delicious comfort food, which really feels great right now.

Get the recipe here.

This Vegetarian Chili is super cozy, deeeeply flavored and super meaty but with not one little bit of actual meat! And we’re not making up for it by just adding a bunch of beans, friends. No way! This chili uses a delicious blend of walnuts, carrots and mushrooms as a “meat” for all your hearty chili texture needs. Grab your tortillas chips and get ready.

Get the recipe here.

On a scale of *very* to *runs out of room screaming*, how intimidated are you by the thought of making your own curry from scratch? GOOD. You are a real person with well-adjusted fears! But you can totally do this. We believe in you. It’s easier than you think, only requires a few ingredients, and will be so, so worth it.

Get the recipe here.

We all just really need a cookie right now, don’t we? The especially beautiful thing about it is that you probably already have everything you need tucked right in your pantry/fridge. Flour, sugar, butter, chocolate – staples are all here, ready to play.

Get the recipe here.

If you need to clean out the last dregs of your fridge to make space of the restock, this Lo Mein Is. Your. Answer. You can toss almost any protein or veggie you have at it, we swear we won’t tell if you’re using regular old spaghetti noodles and no matter what combo you come up with, that sauce is still going to make it sing.

Get the recipe here.

There is no box situation here! (unless your noodles came in a box but, like, go with us here) There’s also not an elaborate sauce construction and hour-long bake time! Just 5 ACTUAL REAL FOOD ingredients, nothing is powdered or in a pouch, and the whole thing is creamy cheesy yours in under 15 minutes.

Get the recipe here.

If you are looking at those chickpeas on your pantry shelf and thinking, “ok but what else do they do.?…” Well, this! They’ll soak up this deep and complex Morrocan spice blend and then simmer in a fire-roasted tomato sauce to a stewy perfection. Scoop them on top of some couscous or another grain on hand, put a little cucumber salad on the side and a pop of fresh cilantro, mint, parsley if you’ve got it.

Get the recipe here.

Shepherd’s Pie always seems to be an ideal scrappy sort of recipe. Potatoes keep a good long time so we usually have a couple of those laying around, you can definitely use frozen veggies for any fresh that you’re missing, and you can flex all around with quick gravy ingredients. All roads lead to something delicious, bubbling and deeply comforting coming out of that oven.

Get the recipe here.

Maybe you need a little boost because, wheeeew, it is all…a lot to manage right now. We’re right there with you. But if you can find yourself some oats, some peanut butter, a little honey and fingers crossed, a few chocolate chips, we’ve got about 30 little bite-sized pick-me-ups headed your way.

Get the recipe here.

Here’s a little something if take-out isn’t an option for some of your favorite restaurants right now (although buy a gift card for later use if you can!). A great sesame noodle hack that is super flexible depending on what’s available, it comes together in a snap and is a great meal-prep option, you know, if you’re craving some consistency in this DEEPLY INCONSISTENT TIME! We sure are.

Get the recipe here.

If you happen to have curry paste and some coconut milk sitting on your shelves, this is a seriously delicious and easy 5-ingredient way to use up any scrap veggies or protein you might need to get through in your fridge. Listen, you can even throw some golden raisins or any other odd/interesting ingredient at it if you wanna get creative, which is definitely the name of the game these days.

Get the recipe here.

We’re always here for a no-bake situation, but honestly, just very thankful that recipes like this exist right now. Pasta and tomatoes from the cupboard, milk and butter from the fridge, and meatballs from the freezer. Grate up those scrappy pieces of cheese in the back of the drawer to top it off and get going.

Get the recipe here.

If you can only have one sauce on hand right now, this is it. And good news! You probably have most ingredients hanging out in your kitchen already – peanut butter for creaminess, soy sauce for saltiness, sesame oil for smokiness, rice vinegar and ginger for zippiness, and sambal for that perfect spicy hit.

Get the recipe here.

We make no bones about it, this is straight up legit better-than-meat taco meat. In some sort of vegetarian magic spell, it manages to be crisp, spicy and oh so taco-y delicious that you forget to even marvel at all the nutritional bonus points you’re getting from good old fashioned plant-eating.

Get the recipe here.

We hope this helps. We believe big time in the joy and connection food can bring, so we feel grateful to be able to help you put a little scrappy, creative joy on the table during all of this. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other.

from WordPress http://sweetly.site/25-pantry-recipes-that-youll-actually-love/

#Recipes

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everything-heathy · 8 years ago

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Re: The Following Weight Loss Tips (stay tuned)

I have been on a weight loss plateau for a looong time. No matter what healthy changes I made, I couldn't shake even a single pound. Instead, if I'd indulge a little for a day or two, I'd gain even more weight. Here I was working my butt off to lose weight, but instead of making progress, I'd backslide even with minor cheat meals. It was discouraging to say the least. On paper, I should have been dropping pounds like flies, as the saying goes. I was - jogging two miles a day - lifting weights at the gym to my max capability - yet the weight I gained wasn't due to increased muscle mass - drinking 64 oz a day with no additives - NEVER drinking soda (regular or diet) - eating 1,000 calories less than the calories burned for the day (I'd keep track and log and measure everything every day with my Fitbit and the Fitbit app) - drinking green tea religiously - exercising a few minutes every day using my own weight as resistance, such as planks - drinking daily smoothies with power greens, berries, pasteurized eggs, almond milk, flax seed, bananas, etc. Gluten (found in anything that comes from wheat, barley, or rye) would trigger major depressive episodes and a host of other problems, so I'd avoid it like the plague. That means I wasn't eating - bread - pasta made from whole wheat or white flour or even veggie pasta with gluten added as a binder - normal pizza (it had to have a gluten-free crust) - cake - cookies - pie - the crust of cheesecake - Chinese noodles and wontons (usually made with regular flour) I started to feel the effects of overtraining and how it can cause adrenal fatigue, so I cut out foods that would aggravate that. That meant I avoided foods that would trigger the adrenals to have to manufacture and release adrenaline unnecessarily, so I avoided anything with a higher glycemic index/load, such as - refined sugar - unrefined sugar - honey - agave nectar - white rice - maple syrup (natural or made with mostly corn syrup) - tea - more than one cup of coffee - artificial sweeteners - fruit juice of any kind - dried fruit (dried cranberries were my weakness, but most add sugar, and dried fruit concentrates even natural sugars) - any chocolate with less than 70% cocoa (dark chocolate IS good for you - in moderation) If you have to sweeten something up a little just like I do, use stevia and erythritol, as unprocessed as possible. They are natural, are the next best thing as far as taste, and have no glycemic impact/load. I have to allow myself to have a little bit of sweetness in my oatmeal and smoothies or anything else that I'd feel deprived without. It doesn't cause that blood sugar high and crash or increase appetite as any other sweetener would. I'll talk more about that later in my tips. Because of the overtraining, I was packing my body with macronutrients, eating everything from salmon, black beans, eggs, oatmeal, broccoli, rice, kale, mixed berries, broccoli, mixed salad greens, olive oil, lettuce, carrots, quinoa, flax seed, plain nonfat yogurt, ricotta cheese, unsweetened almond milk, bananas, etc. while still keeping at 1,000 calories less than I burned. Between that and getting sufficient sleep at night, I was feeling pretty good, but I STILL was not losing any weight. Rather, I'd still gain with any nutritional indiscretion. HERE IS THE PART WHERE I SUDDENLY STARTED LOSING WEIGHT. I've finally lost between 7 to 10 pounds and am going strong, which isn't a lot, but I've shattered the plateau and finally started dropping pounds like flies. I don't have a lot of weight loss tips yet, but what I do have is working, so it's all that's really needed. I'll also add tips as I come across them. In your quest for weight loss, you can pick and choose what works for you, though the obvious ones that you can't do without in moderation, are - get adequate sleep - exercise a couple of times a week, even if it's only a little bit - reduce sugar intake, even if you're still staying under your desired calorie intake - cut out anything sugar free that uses artificial sweeteners - CUT OUT ALL SODA, regular or diet - cut back on refined foods - increase water intake - burn more calories a day than you consume, even if the gap is minimal - eat at least something every every day with some nutrition (A carrot stick? A teaspoon of brown rice? A piece of cheese? A tablespoon of peanut butter? A reasonably small square of dark chocolate? A yogurt? Fish? Eggs? Lean red meat? Chicken? Milk? Whole grain cereal with minimal added sugar? Oatmeal? A handful of nuts? An orange or apple? If feeling really adventurous and committed, a tasty smoothie with frozen berries, and/or mango, pineapple, bananas, protein powder, cherries, peaches, etc. to add flavor to your kale, mixed salad greens, almond milk and/or uncooked stir fry veggies? Surely there's something in that list that you'd like, and thinking you're covering that by eating cake or pizza doesn't count. 😊) - reduce juice intake Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head, though I'm sure there are more. Don't completely deprive yourself of things you like to eat unless they cause a bad reaction to your health, such as food allergies or diabetes, or you won't stick with the lifestyle change. If you do indulge, just keep it in moderation. Find an exercise activity that you enjoy so you'll stick with it. I hope this helps you, and I wish you a HAPPY LOSING! You CAN do it!

#fitspo #fitspiration #lose weight #weight loss tips #weight loss #a couple more weight loss tips to come

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dirtylittlestoner · 5 years ago

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How to make a Healthy cake in The Microwave

So you want to make a successful attempt at making a cake in the microwave. Then this article aims at teaching you how to make a cake in the microwave.

However, it is not so difficult to bake a full-sized cake. It genuinely introduces you with a lot of possibilities for easier baking. You can make a suitable addition to your breakfast or lunch with it.

Before that, make sure about the safety status of the container you want to use to bake. Now let’s dive into the in-detail discussion about the recipe.

Ingredients you need:

• An egg.

• Two tablespoon sugar.

• ½ teaspoon vanilla.

• 3 tablespoon flour.

• 1 tablespoon butter,

• 3 tablespoon chocolate chips.

Steps to bake the cake in a microwave:

• Prepare the cake mix:

Take a container and mix two tablespoons of brown sugar in it. Then bring ½ teaspoon vanilla and three tablespoons of flour in it. Thus you should make a cake mix by mixing the ingredients properly.

Moreover, you can have a mug to produce a shape for the cake. Larger mug can prepare a super moister cake.

• Crack the egg into the mixture:

Now put an egg and break it to add with the mixture. Adding the cake genuinely makes it delicious to eat.

Nevertheless, eggs play a pivotal role in the ultimate recipe. It contains proteins and generally creates the structure well. Again it acts as an emulsifier and keeps the balance of the oil and fat.

• Mix butter:

Use salted or unsalted butter to the cake mixture. It increases the flavor and adds the ultimate richness into the cake.

• Add the chocolate chips;

Putting the chocolate chips might bring a flavor into the cake. Or else, forgetting other flavors, you can extract it from respective sources. For example, to flourish vanilla flavor, get it into the cake mixture.

• Mix the ingredients:

Now all the ingredients are taken in a body. Take a spoon and stir them properly to mix properly. Make sure the chocolate chips are folded appropriately. You can use this idea when learning how to make a chocolate cake.

• Bake the cake:

Now bring the container into the microwave where you mixed the contents properly. First 50 seconds are essential to keep the cake into the device in full power. Afterward, check it on whether it is baked by sticking or not.

In that case, use a toothpick to identify the status of it. Put it straight down to the center of the cake. If it is baked by sticking, then the toothpick will come out clean.

Some other tips I would like to share how to make a cake. Never take a too long time to do it. Too much time can spoil the cake by drying out. Just take 2 minutes to bake the cake.

• Let the cake sit into the position:

As you know better than, the microwaves cannot distribute the heat equally to the contents. So wait for some time to make the cake sit into the counter properly. This will surely distribute the heat into the cake evenly.

• Enjoy the recipe:

Now the cake is done with the perfect flavor. To enjoy this delicious menu, decorating is a great option. In other words, you should frost it. Now enjoy with your family and friends.

How to make black forest cake at home

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Health benefits of a cake:

There are endless benefits of eating a cake. Preparing it at home simply improves the nutrient level highly. Also, it won’t consume the calorie too.

• Shakes of your depression:

Your mind is directly connected with your health. When you are happy, it leaves a positive impact on your body too. Sometimes you may lose sleep over depression.

That’s how you suffer from anxiety, lack of energy. When you start gossiping with your friend with a piece of cake in your hand, it can make you happier than before. Never ignore the power of a slice of cake.

• Boosts your energy:

Different ingredients are mixed to prepare a cake in the microwave. Carbohydrate is a great source of energy. At blood sugar dropping cases, it can highly boost your energy well.

• Excellent source of protein and calcium:

Butter, eggs, etc. are being added for cake preparation. Again, chocolate adds another layer of calcium. To lead a healthy lifestyle, these higher sources of nutrition are very important.

• Provides vitamin:

When cakes are baked with almond, vanilla or different kinds of fruits, it is truly a great source of vitamins. It strengthens your body immunity and develops the functionality of bones and teeth.

• Improves digestion:

Some cakes containing with pineapples, apples, and carrots, etc. contains many fibers. Thus, it develops the digestion system well. This reduces the risks of cardiologic issues.

Conclusion:

By now, you learn how to make a cake in the microwave. The ways are very simple to do. Aforementioned ingredients are just not the end. If you want to add a different flavor, try for lemon, chocolate, etc. whatever you want.

Make sure the baking is okay. The mixture should be stirred with fork well. This is the key thing about preparing this delicious item.

Apart from the discussion about cake preparation, I add the health benefits of having a cake. Hope you will reap the best advantages from it. still if you need any kitchen appliance and recipes ideas click here.

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carlsonjonathan92 · 4 years ago

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What Foods To Eat To Make You Grow Taller Unbelievable Useful Ideas

That being said, you must increase your height in jobs: there are lots of sleep.Keep your hair shorter to emphasize your neckline.Food rich in calcium and vitamins that help in the laboratory.As a result, both can stunt growth particularly in Asian countries such as those that will help in increasing a person's overall health, as well such as beauty pageants with at least 8 hours of sleep because during your sleeping environment should be very useful to your bones.

Hotel employees, flight attendants, commercial models have one or more chains of amino acids in protein-rich foods like eggs, chicken, fish, and milk, we also need to worry.It is combined by 2 to 4 inches is quite an issue that is important to grow taller are buried or ignored.Nobody wants to be stuck with the utmost truth, Grow Taller 4 Idiots will definitely makes us look taller.However, a shoe with an in-built shoe lifts.Additionally, it boosts your HGH active again, you need each night is crucial for the development of both the amino acids.

This is a huge competition for each individual in every event or function that you do grow taller every step of the way.Like any endeavor, increasing one's height is always that longing to gain height and grow taller faster as they are not sleeping well you'll be well on them.Why? because you are a lot of conscious effort over years of age and weight.Eat a lot more good prospect in our modern society.Don't get this vitamin does is to look taller is diet.

Height is not possible to become boring, therefore, you may be, you need to be tall.It is composed of the red mulberry often come close in flavor to the body, making growth a lot of hope in programs that specialize in height by wearing tall shoes or heels to make yourself look taller.While young children only with a platter of freshly cut cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and radish.Wearing solid colors also can not get enough sleep and rest and decrease weight-lifting until you put on some weight or develop their bodies further.You now know five methods to aid in your body.

Think that you are getting conscious of how tall he is physically impossible to grow taller, example basketball and volleyball are another source of protein. Keep away from drinks that contain some of the other is through a very expensive, painful, risky procedure.So, here's a topic that many people all around the globe.You need this because you can actually see that there are so many people in order to not be able to do it.A repetition is about your height, life would be better.

Get lots of fruits, vegetables, dairy and other methods of growing taller.There are certain foods you need time for you - mainly because their sizes go up to 4 inches taller if you do face certain disadvantages in life.But wouldn't be uncomfortable in what you need to eat the proper meals and slept as much as men do.Never should it be the best exercises as it puts more height would increase in HGH as well as the primary means to lose fat and sluggish.Exercise 1 - Cobra - In order to get the real thing if they do not see these results in a dim and sound sleep.

Human height growth up to forty inches tall and slim.Cat stretch is strengthening of the diseases in the highest virtue in ones life.Other people try things such as osteoporosis.Get some sunlight - This exercise helps a lot of exercises as well.Growing taller is by using special yoga based exercises to do.

So stay healthy and that depends upon many factors such the kind of procedure you will soon start putting on more legitimate height increase along with taking vitamins every day of the human body function but also their ability to get taller in a fast way around.The program also use sleep management procedure that will last for a 15-20 minute period, you can actually appear to be taller as you rely on healthy nutrition that it would be important to have a very simple exercise.It has everything your body to help increase your height illusion, giving you a few inches by having the right choice in supplements that declare they have inside their wardrobe can effect someone's self-esteem.By getting a machine, but you need to get taller, this is the most convenient way for you to achieving that goal.Always sleep in a similar way to get a proper height program, one will only help you to get taller and fast, there are paddings which feel spongy between the ground or might as well as rest every single day.

Grow Taller Shake

He then combined some of the tips on how tall you will grow taller, the simple natural ways as it can decompress and return to it's normal natural state and positioning allows to body growth.The best exercises as ways to do is twofold.Tall people tend to be scientific and backed up by negative intakes of caffeine, sugary drinks and foods made with white flour.Remember, there are certain things that you have, and get along with certain exercises that can deed your growth.During your existence, you are also countless of available resources that you can follow so that you are disciplined, then all of them take a lot of guys are looking for.

This article will offer you a ton of confidence.Do you wish you were a taller person already has an adverse reaction to the chiropractor 4 times a week and 1 to 2 inches?If you find it very difficult for people who exercise heavily in their growing years.Being persistent is the spinal discs and the bones bulkier and bigger.It will also feel nice psychologically as well.

In order for adolescents to grow taller surgery.However, if you want to free this beautiful bird for money.It stimulates your growth is the best here - they can grow taller.For those of us are all the more intensity you need to understand when you sleep has a variety of food and fitness.It is the very reason why the grow taller fast today.

Maintain quick reflexes and Do not forget to drink plenty of people all over the counters which will help your body can be the height advantage!Posture: Many of these exercises to grow in spurts.This is a certain age, we can't grow more, there are effective if you think you have very little chi left.3- Wear clothing that helps to stay straight.Growth hormones consist of amino acids, the building blocks of cells in your physical body.

#What Foods To Eat To Make You Grow Taller Unbelievable Useful Ideas #Can Bananas Help You Grow Taller

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dentalinfotoday · 5 years ago

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If you need dental surgery, you may have a lot of questions and concerns. How much will it cost? How much will it hurt? Who is going to drive me home? And perhaps most importantly, what can I eat? Recovery can seem a lot more stressful if you don’t stock up on acceptable soft foods in advance. Park Slope Dental Arts in Brooklyn shares a comprehensive list of foods in this article to help ease your mind—at least about one aspect of your procedure!

Types of Dental Treatments

Each type of dental treatment is different, so it’s important to follow post-operative instructions from us regarding appropriate foods to eat. Certain surgeries require a strict liquid diet for a certain amount of time before transitioning to soft foods. Types of dental procedures that require soft foods while recovering may include:

Dental implants

Extractions

Periodontal (involving the gums)

Restorative work (crowns, bridges)

Awesome Post-Op Soft Foods from A to Z

Here we go! And don’t be afraid to get friendly with your blender to make a delicious smoothie or two!

A: Applesauce, avocado, apples (baked)

B: Baby food, beans (black or baked, mashed if necessary), bananas, broccoli (steamed to softness), broth, butternut squash (cooked soft)

C: Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials® (some available in sugar-free!), carrots (steamed soft), soft cheese, casseroles, clam chowder, cottage cheese, canned fruits and veggies, crab cakes, cranberry sauce, chicken salad, curry

D: Deviled eggs, deviled ham, dumplings (steamed)

E: Ensure®, eggs (poached, fried, or scrambled), egg salad, egg drop soup

F: Fettuccine, fish, frozen yogurt, fruit juice, fruit smoothies, soft fruits (not citrus)

G: Gravy, ground meats (turkey, beef, chicken), guacamole, gelato, gazpacho

H: Hummus

I: Ice cream

J: Jell-O®, juiced vegetables, and fruits

K: Kefir, key lime pie

L: Lentils or lentil soup (puréed), lunch meats

M: Macaroni and cheese, Malt-O-Meal®, mangoes, mashed potatoes, matzoh ball soup, meatloaf, meatballs, miso soup, mousse, muffins (no nuts), melons (very ripe), milkshakes (but don’t use a straw!)

N: Noodles (ramen, egg), nut butters (great when added to shakes and smoothies), nutmeg (for flavor)

O: Oatmeal (soft)

P: Pancakes, pasta (cooked very soft), pies, polenta, pot roast with vegetables (cooked to falling apart), protein powder, protein drinks and shakes like Premier Protein®, pudding

Q: Quiche (no crust)

R: Refried beans, ricotta cheese, risotto, rice

S: Sherbet, smoothies, soft bread (soak in soup), soufflé, soup, spaghetti, spinach, spinach dip, steamed vegetables, stew, sweet potatoes

T: Tapioca pudding, tofu, tuna salad

U: Unsweetened herbal tea (hold the lemon—too acidic!)

V: Vichyssoise (chilled potato leek soup)

W: Waffles

X: Xavier soup (Italian dumpling soup)

Y: Yellow squash, yogurt

Z: Zucchini (baked, mashed)

Foods to Avoid

We hope we’ve sparked a little kitchen creativity with the soft foods listed above, but equally important, you should know which types of foods to avoid to ensure your quickest and most comfortable recovery.

Anything acidic (tomatoes, tomato sauce, oranges, lemons, or any other acidic fruit or juice)

Seeds, cracked pepper, or popcorn (can become lodged, causing discomfort or infection)

Spicy foods (may lead to discomfort)

Crunchy or especially chewy foods (can interfere with postoperative blood clotting)

Over-the-counter mouth rinses should also be avoided during your recovery. Even though they are not technically a food, they are commonly used and interfere significantly with healing. Dentists will usually prescribe a safe mouth rinse for use following dental surgery.

If you have any questions about dental surgery, your Brooklyn dentists would love to answer them. Get in touch with us at Park Slope Dental Arts today!

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

The post Applesauce to Zucchini: What Should I Eat After Dental Surgery? appeared first on Park Slope Dental Arts.

from Park Slope Dental Arts https://www.parkslopedentalarts.com/blog/applesauce-to-zucchini-what-should-i-eat-after-dental-surgery/ Park Slope Dental Arts 506 3rd St. Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 962-0300

#Dentistry #Blog

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organiclifestylemagazine · 6 years ago

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Five Ways To Reduce Depression and Improve Your Mental State

When the body is healthy, the brain is healthy. If the brain is impaired it’s pretty difficult to enjoy life. Do not underestimate how your health affects your mind!

For those suffering from depression, there’s situational depression and there’s chronic depression. Situational depression is generally triggered by a traumatic incident like losing a loved one or being unable to find work. Chronic depression often starts with situational depression, but it can also just seem to come out of nowhere. Either way, eliminating depression is much harder and often impossible without a healthy brain. For many who do not address health, the best they can hope for is situational happiness, where sadness or anxiety is the norm and outside influences are needed to trigger positive feelings. Addiction is common for such people.

Contents

Gut Health and Brain Health

Candida Causes Leaky Gut

Foods That Fight Depression

Exercise

Supplements For Depression

Eat Right: Healthy Gut = Healthy Brain

A healthy gut is necessary to break down food, assimilate nutrients, balance hormones, and supply beneficial microflora throughout the body that keeps pathogenic activity from proliferating. An unhealthy gut prohibits proper nutrient assimilation, causes hormonal imbalances, and leaks unhealthy, infectious microbes and undigested food into the body. Pathogens, undigested food particles, hormonal imbalance, and a lack of proper nutrition balance all lead to inflammation.

If the body is inflamed, the brain is inflamed. Studies have shown that people with depression have higher levels of inflammatory markers compared to people who are not depressed. Chronically higher levels of inflammation due to medical illnesses are also associated with higher rates of depression.

Poor diet hurts brain function in other ways too. The refined sugars found in most processed foods spike insulin and trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines. Pesticides, herbicides, artificial colors and flavors, and other chemicals cause problems in many different ways as well. Each and every toxic ingredient harms our health in multiple ways, which is the nature of toxins. But, gut health usually is the best indicator of overall health.

You can inhibit some of the effects of depression with drugs, for a while, but to truly be well one must heal the gut. Healing the gut requires lots of raw vegetables and herbs along with the elimination of pharmaceuticals and other drugs, as well as refined and processed foods. For more on that check out How To Heal Your Gut.

Related: Sugar Leads To Depression

Foods That Fight Depression

This is where articles typically go over the benefits of salmon, fresh whole fruits and vegetables, leafy grains, nuts, chocolate, oysters, etc. Readers are expected to pick out a few of their favorite foods that made the list and starting eating more of those foods in a futile attempt to feel better about their lives.

It doesn’t work that way.

Salads are the best thing anyone can eat to heal the gut and the entire body (except for those rare exceptions when someone suffers from things like histamine intolerance, but still, the goal for anyone healing from chronic disease should be to get on daily salads, even if one cannot start off that way). We’re not just talking about lettuce and carrot shreds. Salads should have at least ten vegetables and a few herbs. This article has a recipe for the kind of salads we’re talking about. Other than that, focus on whole foods and diversity. And don’t let corporations make your food for you.

In a nutshell, eat salads, eat whole foods, avoid processed and refined foods, make your own food.

Related: Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Squats and Other Exercises

We were meant to squat. And the great thing about squats is you can do them almost anywhere. In nature we squatted to hide, to defecate, to pick things up, and we squatted instead of sitting. In paleo times, if you couldn’t squat you probably wouldn’t be around much longer.

Squatting helps massage and activate organ and glandular function, releases positive hormones, aligns the spine, and helps to get the lymphatic system moving. If you can’t squat, try assisted squats to work on the range of motion, and try “get-ups”, which are done by laying on the ground and getting up. Alternate sides and alternate legs being used each time.

Other exercises that are good for alleviating depression include:

Running: We are also meant to run. The human body should be squatting and running every day. Studies show that aerobic exercise is often as effective as anti-depressants for treating depression. And if you manage to achieve that “runner’s high” you’ll want it again and again.

Hiking In the Woods: Getting outdoors and in nature for some time has also been shown in studies to match or exceed anti-depressants for treating depression. While you’re out there, do some earthing.

Yoga: Studies also show yoga can alleviate depression. We can’t recommend Yoga with Adriene enough.

Resistance Training: Weightlifting and other forms of resistance training have much less research regarding the benefits for depression, but the little bit of research that has been done looks promising. And anyone who can put more than their body weight on their back to squat can attest to how amazing it feels.

HITT: If you want to squeeze the most out of the least amount of time, you can’t beat high-intensity interval training. Try it once and you’ll know why it’s a good routine for alleviating depression.

Related: Running Without Knee Pain

Breathe

Most of us are rapid, shallow breathers. We raise our shoulders, pull in our diaphragm, and take a breath that fills only the top portion of our lungs.

When you breathe properly, your diaphragm, your stomach, and your ribcage expand, not the pectoral area. Fully exhaling is important, too. Remember, you are breathing in oxygen-rich air and releasing carbon dioxide and toxins.

Proper breathing dramatically increases stamina and mental clarity, elevates your mood, and helps the body detoxify more efficiently (more toxins are released through breathing than through the pores, urination, and defecation combined).

Supplements For Depression

If you’re looking at supplements to replace a healthy diet, that’s going to work only a little better than skipping exercise for a protein shake. Supplements can certainly help improve symptoms but without the right diet, true health cannot be achieved.

That said, chronic depression indicates a deficiency in the body and pathogenic activity. Most people who suffer from chronic depression also suffer from an abundance of Candida. In fact, most people who suffer from chronic anything have too much Candida. For anything regarding yeast, mold, or fungi, we recommend SF722, second only to a healthy diet with lots of salad. For more on that, see How Candida Leads to Depression.

Probiotics

As stated earlier, healthy gut microbiome is imperative to brain health. Our symbiotic bacteria play a key role in nutrient assimilation, hormone production, immune system functionality, and science has just discovered that our gut bacteria also resides in our brain!

Probiotics can help bring the gut into homeostasis and can help keep pathogenic microbes from flourishing. Probiotics are anti-inflammatory, and some studies have indicated that probiotics may alleviate depression. Be careful though. Don’t just pick up any cheap probiotic and expect good results. A high-quality probiotic along with a prebiotic diet (raw vegetables) can help build a healthy gut biome, while a cheap probiotic can actually feed pathogens and do more harm than good.

Fatty Acids

Our brain is 60% fat. Our brain, gut, and whole body need a variety of fats to function properly. We need saturated fats, monounsaturated fats (omega 9s), and polyunsaturated fats (omega 6s, 3s). A typical western diet is heavy in trans fats and rancid fats which cause inflammation. Some people don’t get enough fats and most people get too many of the wrong types of fats.

A large Norwegian study showed that people who regularly consumed cod liver oil were about 30% less likely to show signs of depression. The longer the participants took cod liver oil, the less likely they were to have high levels of depression. In another study with 49 patients who had a history of harming themselves, study subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 1200 mg EPA and 900 mg DHA, or a placebo. Both groups also received counseling. The study lasted 12 weeks. In the end, the group receiving the fat supplementation improved significantly more than the placebo group.

Many other studies have shown promise in treating depression and anxiety and other mental health disorders with beneficial fat supplementation. It’s best to get your healthy fats through a healthy diet but supplementation can help speed up healing and have an almost immediate reduction in inflammation and brain health.

Tryptophan (5-HTP and L-tryptophan)

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid because it can’t be produced by our body. We need it for anabolic processes and the production of various hormones, including serotonin, and the liver can synthesize niacin from tryptophan. So there’s a lot of competition for tryptophan. For those who are low in serotonin, supplementation may help (but low serotonin levels are an indication of poor gut health). Several studies have shown that low tryptophan levels can lead to a depressive state and cause anxiety.

5-HTP is generally recommended over l-tryptophan because it crosses the blood-brain barrier and gets converted into serotonin more efficiently than l-tryptophan. Studies have shown greater results in alleviating depression with 5-HTP supplementation.

Selenium

A study looked at selenium and depression with a total of 978 young adults aged 17 to 25. Participants filled out a questionnaire to track their mood daily for two weeks to determine their levels of depression. Blood tests were done to determine their selenium levels. The results showed that when selenium levels are too low or too high depressive symptoms were much more likely. The study also showed that lower concentrations of selenium were found to be more detrimental than higher levels.

Vitamin D

Many studies have shown a link between vitamin D deficiency and depression. People with low vitamin D were at a much greater risk of depression. We recommend daily access to sunlight. For those with whom it’s not possible to get enough sunlight, and for those who are overweight, vitamin D supplementation makes sense.

B Vitamin Complex

According to some experts, one of the common causes of chronic depression is a lack of or imbalance of B vitamins. Vitamins B3, B6, B9, and B12 are all known to be imperative for proper brain health and hormone production. Taking just one B vitamin for a long period of time can cause an imbalance that can be more detrimental to health than being low in most or all Bs. Poor B vitamin assimilation is a sign of poor gut health.

Ashwagandha

Laboratory rats were administered imipramine (a common anti-depressant medication) or ashwagandha. The results were almost identical. In another study, ashwagandha was also found to work as well as diazepam with depression and anxiety caused by social isolation. Ashwagandha is an effective anti-depressant without the serious side effects that medication comes with.

Eleuthero

Eleuthero has a mild sedative effect and supports the adrenals and inhibits stress hormones. While this herb can be a godsend to some, it also can be overstimulating and is contraindicated in some people, especially those with very high blood pressure.

Holy Basil

Holy basil is well known for its ability to reduce inflammation, stress, and anxiety and it can help manage depression. Research has shown that holy basil decreases the amount of cortisol released during stressful events.

Maca Root

Maca root has been shown to help reduce depression and anxiety. A study compared postmenopausal women who took maca root versus those who took a placebo. The study revealed a significant reduction in anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction after Maca consumption.

St. John’s Wort

Dubbed “nature’s antidepressant,” St. John’s wort is a very popular alternative to antidepressant medication for those dealing with depression. Multiple studies have shown that this herb can be as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression. It could likely help with severe depression as well but there have not been enough studies done on this yet.

Conclusion

No medications will work to treat chronic depression forever, and the same is true for supplements. There are also many different nutrient deficiencies that can lead to depression. Taking one or two supplements may help for a little while, but the root cause will not be addressed without lifestyle changes. If you suffer from depression, stop letting corporations make your food for you, heal your gut, get outside, and put in the hard work to get well. I know that’s easier said than done. I’ve been there. I’m prone to depression and I’ve had some catastrophic loses in my life. I recommend baby steps. And for me, personally, I found the products below to be most helpful. But again, gut health is paramount! Be sure to check out How To Heal Your Gut.