#i was hoping the yogurt would end up cream cheesy

[the-best-bagel]

i just added like 5 tablespoons of yogurt to my buttercream instead of milk. why did i do that.

[jessamine-rose]

✿ Sweeter than Honey ✿

I am still not sane after reading Barbatos’s new UR. Honey’s Sweet Allure was rlly good so I wrote a spicier continuation. Enjoy this sweet treat of our favorite butler (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)

Devilgram spoilers ahead!! Story context:: Barbatos wants to promote common varieties of honey in the Devildom. His plan is to make several honey desserts then share the pics and recipes on Devilgram with help from Mc.

♡ 0.7k words under the cut ♡

“...and that is the final dessert.”

In Barbatos’s Devilgram post, the honey yogurt parfait couldn’t look more delectable. The video shows the demon butler mixing plain yogurt with richly-colored honey. A spritz of lemon juice causes the color to fade from bold amber to pale yellow. The finished dish is a glass cup filled with colorful layers of honey yogurt, berries, and granola.

You glance at the real dessert on the kitchen countertop. The parfait is half-eaten, too scrumptious for only one bite. Asmodeus will be thrilled with the leftovers, judging by his comments.

“Once again, thank you for your assistance.” Barbatos puts down his DDD and turns to face you. His poised smile is tinged with satisfaction. “Thanks to our efforts, the Devildom will gain a better appreciation for our ordinary varieties of honey.”

“No problem!” you reply. “Thank you again for letting me taste-test your sweets. Everything was absolutely delicious!”

“I am pleased to hear that. To that end, I would like to ask an important question: Which dessert was your favorite?”

“Hmm, that’s a difficult question. And a subjective one at that. Why are you asking me?”

There is a faint twinkle in his viridian eyes. “I’d like to know your personal favorite so that I may recreate it for you in the future.”

“Aw, thank you.” Looking away, you reexamine the assorted desserts on the countertop.

The roll cake. In addition to a light honey cream filling, the cake features an intricate pattern of honeycomb and flowers.

The patterned hard candy. It doesn’t have the magic trick of the candy sticks you shared at the park, but the swirly design is far prettier.

The honey shortcake with extra honey. After the initial excitement of having a cake all to yourself, you settled for two slices to make room for the other desserts.

Your gaze returns to Barbatos. He is sampling the souffle pancakes drizzled with floral honey. A spot of honey glistens on the back of his bare hand.

You blush, recalling your previous accident. Barbatos had been so unfazed as he wiped the honey splatters off your hand and commented on your flustered reaction.

“Oh? You seem to be blushing,” he observed, a knowing smile on his face. “Were you hoping for something else, perhaps? How adorable.”

“You!”

“I beg your pardon?” Barbatos puts down his fork, eyes widening by just a fraction.

You flash him a bright smile. “My favorite dessert is you, of course! Don’t you get it, honey?”

A short pause. “Are you referring to the use of ‘honey’ as a term of endearment?”

“Exactly!”

What a cheesy line. Nonetheless, your smile doesn’t waver.

There is a drop of honey on his lips. Barbatos must’ve missed it when he heard your sorry excuse for a pickup line. The sophisticated butler is totally oblivious to that imperfection.

Was your poor flirting attempt that effective? This day keeps getting better and better!

The corners of his mouth tilt upward. “You certainly have a unique way of picking favorites. However, it would be rather inappropriate of me to promote myself to the Devildom masses.”

“In that case, does that mean only I can indulge in you?”

His only response is an enigmatic smile. You help yourself to another slice of honey shortcake, savoring the heavenly sweetness

Barbatos taps the corner of his lips. “There is some honey on your lips, ______.”

“Oh, really?” you ask innocently. “Could you please clean it up for me, then?”

He picks up a napkin. “Certainly.”

You shake your head. “No, not with that. With your lips!”

“Oh? That method sounds rather ineffective and improper,” he shoots back.

Now he is just teasing you. Already, Barbatos is caressing your cheek and looking at you with half-lidded eyes. His tongue darts out to slowly lick the honey off his own lips. An immodest, purposeful gesture.

“As you wish. Be careful what you wish for with an attitude like that.”

♡

I enjoyed all of the Devilgram stories for the Beware the Bees?! URs but Barbatos rlly takes the cake for leaving me wanting more. How dare he make me crave honey and romance....

A big thank you to @diodellet for peer-reviewing this and witnessing my brainrot. I hope I was able to satisfy everyone's cravings for Barbatos (っ˘ڡ˘ς)

Tag a Barbatos enjoyer!! @haru-kichi @whoretaglia @paradisoperdita @luyo-mi

[waywardscorpio]

Chapter 4: You're Our Omega, And We're Your Alphas

Tag list: @callmekda @braunstrowmangirl @phoenixoffiretwo @luna-loo @scuzmunkie @fanfiction-san @omg-im-such-a-masochist

*Dean's POV*

Y/N's now six months along in the pregnancy. I was pacing the locker room lost in my thoughts, until Y/N, snaps me out of it. "Dean?" She calls out from the door of the locker room, with one hand on her belly and the other on her hip. "Yes, Baby Doll?" I replied looking at her. "I'm hungry. I want jalapeno cheetos and yogurt." She said waddling over to me carefully. "In my duffle bag is some cheetos you like, and the yogurt is in the fridge over there, Baby Girl." I replied to her as I held her hips and kiss her softly. She smiled kissing back. "Thank you, Daddy." She said softly to me so, only I hear it.

"You're welcome, Baby Doll." I replied. There was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" I called out. "Nia and Randy." Randy calls back. "Come in." I said to them. "Hey." They said as they walked into the room. "Hey. What's up?" I asked. "Nia and I, are coming to watch over Y/N." Randy said. "Okay. She is not to leave either of your sides." I said as I finished taping my wrists off for my match. Nia nods her head. "We know Dean. I will not let her out of my sight. Someone tries to hurt her I'll break the bones." Nia said. "Good." I replied as Y/N absentmindedly watched videos and ate her food. I kissed her forehead before I went to leave for my match tonight.

*Little time skip*

After my match with Baron, i walked to my locker room and seen Y/N, sleeping and Randy and Nia talking quietly. Y/N stirs in her sleep whimpering a little. Knowing the reason she is stirring I lay my hand softly on her belly humming to sooth the pups movements. After a minute the pups relax and Y/N stops stirring and whimpering. Her eyes flutter open as she looks at me "Thank you" she whispers softly before drifting back off to sleep. "You're welcome, Baby Doll." I whisper to her. I look over at Randy and Nia. "What are y'all talking about?" I asked them as I stood up and walked over to them. "Randy here is wanting to court a female but can't figure out how what to get her" Nia said to me as she looks at me." I looked at Randy "What is one thing that she loves more than anything?" I asked him as I sat down and talked with them. "She loves to draw, dance, take photographs" Randy replies to me. "Okay. Why don't you buy her one of them computers that will allow her to record videos, has the pen and apps to draw, a camera to take as many photo's her little heart desires." I offered. "Thank you, I just said that to him" Nia said. "You can also get it in her favorite color(s) too." Nia said. "It won't be cheesy will it?" Randy asked us. "No, it won't but, even if it is, it's the thought that counts." Nia said. "I agree with Nia. The courting gift that I picked out for Y/N, was a necklace with a little teddy bear and ice cream pendants on it. She loved it and wears it still to this day." I said to him.

"Thanks you too" Randy said to me. "You're welcome" Me and Nia said at the same time to Randy. "So, who's all coming to the baby's shower?" Nia asked me. "Well for a sure note so, far it is going to be, You and Randy, Lana, Rusev, Me, Roman, Seth, some of the other wrestlers and divas will be there as well. Y/N invited her family and friends outside of the wwe as did me and the guys did. Y/N wasn't leaving her friends that has been like family to her since she's been here." I said. Nia smiled as she nods. "You okay?" Randy asks. "Yeah just hoping I'll be a good father." i said to them as I turned my head to check on Y/N before I turned back to Randy and Nia. "You will be Dean" I heard a small voice say. I turn my head to the voice and it was Y/N, sitting up on the couch rubbing her eyes softly. "I'm sorry, Baby Doll. I didn't mean to wake you up." I said to her as I watched her get up and waddle over to me to sit on my lap. "No, Daddy it's okay." Y/N said to me as she snuggles into me.

Roman and Seth, walked into the room and looks at us. "Wrapped around her finger" Roman whispered to Seth. "I heard that. And I won't argue with the statement either. I don't care that I am wrapped around her finger." I said to them. Nia and Randy just chuckled as they stood up. "We're going shopping to get stuff for the Baby shower." Nia said. "Rusev, and a few of the others will meet us at the huge mall" Randy said to us. "What happened between him and Lana." Nia asked Randy. "Lana divorced him for another alpha."

I looked down at Y/N, as she was eating her food while looking at her Tumblr. I smiled seeing her happy and relaxed for once and not upset and scared. She went from lookin' at Tumblr to lookin' at Wish. I knew she wanted something by the fact she would pout at me and show me what she was looking at. I pulled out my wallet, an handed her my credit card. "Get whatever you want Baby Doll." I said to her. Triple H walked in and seen what I did and chuckles. "She definitely gets what she wants." Roman nods. "He doesn't tell her no" He said. Y/N, giggles softly. "Nope, I don't tell her no. If she wants something she gets it." I said to everyone. "Told you." Randy, said to Seth. Seth, grumbles and hands Randy, fifty dollars. "Alright Baby Doll, I have to go get ready for my match." I said as I softly set Y/N, down. She whines softly "Nooooo." I frown a little "I promise, I'm coming back as soon as I am done with my match."

"Okay." She said. I hated leaving her side but I still had a job to do. I give her a kiss on the lips before I walked to the gorilla pen. "Here is your number one contender for the Wwe world heavy weight championship. Dean Ambrose!!!!" Jillian announced. I walked out to the ring with a firm glare set on my face. I knew this was going to be a long match because I was going against, Matt Hardy. He is one hell of a fighter and neither one of us get along with the other all that great.

As the match went on me and Matt were both bloody. I was able to get him with Dirty Deeds. "1...2...3... and your new champion is Dean Ambrose." The ring announcer says threw the mic. I walk up the ramp backwards holding the title up in my hands smirking evily.

I walk behind the curtain and walk down the corridor to my assigned locker room. I hear shouting and stuff crashing. I ran into the room seeing Y/N, hiding and Rusev and Bobby Lashley going at it while Seth and Roman are protecting Y/N, by standing in between her and them. "What the fuck is going on?" I yelled. "Bobby started it with Rusev." Nia said. Nia and Randy are trying to break them up. Bobby throws a vase at Rusev who ducks and it hits the wall beside Y/N's head. Dean dropped his belt and grabs Bobby, and throws him. "Now you fucked up you son of a bitch" I scream heated as I swing on Bobby. Y/N was shaking and crying. Seth picked her up checking her. He seen her hand is cut from accidently setting her hand on it trying to push against the wall to hide from all the yelling, and she was bleeding on the cheek from the glass bouncing off the wall. "Roman she has glass in her hand and cheek" Seth said. Roman's eyes went wide and he growls and pulls me away and grabs, Bobby himself. "Your my next match next week. I'm gonna show you what pain feels like" He said throwing Bobby, out the room and drags him to Triple H where him and The Rock was talking. They look at him and he tells them what happened. The Rock, growled "Make that a tag team match." He didn't like Alphas messing with other Alphas ladies or them causing harm to females.

"I will go announce it tonight at the end of the show." Triple H, said to Roman. Roman nods walking back not seeing us because we had took Y/N, to the infirmary. Roman panicked and only got angrier. "Y/N!!!!" He said looking for Y/N, Seth and Dean up and down hallways and locker rooms. Y/N, jumps hearing Roman yell for her. "Roman's mad." She whimpers softly looking at Seth. "Shhh it's okay. I'll go get him and let him know you're safe." Seth said to her softly kissing her cheek that wasn't cut. I held Y/N's, hand while Seth, went to find Roman. "Hey, she is okay just a small little cut on the cheek and the palm of her hand." Seth told Roman. "No, one came and fucking told me she was being taken to the infirmary." He said enraged by the fact no, one told him that Y/N, was going to the infirmary. "Calm down, Roman. We just wanted to make sure she was okay and not seriously hurt." Seth said to Roman. "And I'm her mate I should know too." He yells. "Okay, next time we will tell you. Please calm down. Y/N, can feel your anger and it is upsetting her." Seth adds as he looks at Roman. Roman rubs his hand down his face sighing. "Okay. I am calm. Now can I go see her?" Roman asked. Seth steps out of his way to let him by. Roman walked into the infirmary where Y/N, was at sitting on the edge of the bed and I was between her legs comforting her. "Daddy Roman!" She said reaching for him. He looks at her and walked over kissing her lips resting his head on hers. "I'm sorry Princess, for upsetting you." Roman said apologizing to her. She snuggles into him. "It's okay. You were worried about us. I understand, Daddy." She said. "I love you, Daddy." She whispered to him. "I love you, Princess." Y/N, smiles softly at his words until she whimpers seeing someone walk in.

"Oh look the big dog has been tamed by the little bitch." Dolph said laughing as he looks at Roman. "What did you just say about them?" I said to him. "I called her a Little bitch." He repeated. Roman growls pulling away from Y/N, making her whimper and reach for Roman. "She isn't no, such thing. She is beautiful and smart." Roman said. His eyes changed to a fiery red. "What's wrong Big Dog? Your lesh being pulled to tame you some more." Dolph said. "You can say what you want about me. But, you leave Y/N, the fuck alone." He said punching him in the jaw hard. Y/N, watched what was happening. I picked up Y/N, and carried her out as Seth pulled Roman, off Dolph. "Come on Roman, stop before you get arrested." Seth said as he pushes Roman back. "I don't care. No, one calls Princess, a Little Bitch." He said to him as he looks at him. "But beating him almost to death isn't gonna do anything either. Roman roars and throws stuff starting to get everyone's attention. "Roman you need to calm down." Seth said, to him. I knew Roman would calm down if Y/N, was there to sooth his angry Alpha side. "Okay I wanna help him. Take me to Daddy Roman, please?" She said reading my mind. I nodded my head carrying her. "Okay Baby." I set her on her feet as she makes slow steps towards Roman. He felt her presents and swiftly turns to her, eyes still red. "Daddy, its me. Your Princess. Y/N" She said softly reaching her hand up to touch his cheek. He growls a little but not to scare her. He wraps his arms around her waist pulling her close to him. "Shhh relax. It's okay. I'm okay, and I am safe." She said soothing the angry Alpha. He placed his head on her shoulder nudging her neck softly with his nose which earned a small mewl from Y/n's, lips.

I watched relieved that he calmed down. I hated seeing my brothers upset. Me, Roman, and Seth were like brothers.

[inyournightmares97]

Au!Mark x Introvert!Reader

“OK, but like, could you maybe put some extra green tea into my smoothie? And I’d kind of like to know what milk you use, because I only drink organic.” 

You took a deep breath and forced a smile at the handsome man in front of you. Jackson Wang was a regular at your local gym, and he could almost positively be seen hanging around it on Saturday mornings, wearing a tank top that showed off all of his buff arms and most of his chest. But it wasn’t his visuals that were the most striking thing about him; no. His high-pitched laugh and loud voice could be heard jabbering from miles away. 

“We have an option of organic milk,” you reassured him with a sigh. Considering that the smoothie store you worked at was located right outside the gym and aimed at attracting the gym’s clientele, you needed to keep some healthy options at hand. 

He blinked. “Okay. But is the milk UHT? Because I heard that since most of organic milk is imported from different countries, they need it to have a longer shelf life and they put it through the UHT process.” 

You blinked at him dully. Did you really have to go through this with him every single morning? Could Jackson Wang not simply order his smoothie and buzz off? You took a deep breath and held back your frustration. 

“I don’t know what UHT means,” you said through gritted teeth. 

“It’s Ultra-Heat Treatment, it’s a process they use to sterilize the milk in order to kill the spores and you basically heat it to insanely high temperatures. It’s extremely unhealthy and bad for pregnant women because it risks the brain development of their unborn babies.” 

“I’d be more worried about your own brain development,” you muttered, before entering the order for Jackson’s green tea, blueberry and banana smoothie into the system in front of you. You turned your head and called out to your co-worker, who was in charge of making the smoothies. “Mina! Can you bring out a can of the organic milk we use so that Mr. Wang can verify if it meets his health standards?” 

Mina gave you an exasperated look. “Yes, of course.” 

Jackson looked pleased as he headed over to the side of the counter where Mina was standing, and proceeded to analyse the container of milk that she showed him. You sighed and turned to Jackson’s friend- the quieter, more pleasant guy that often accompanied him on his gym trips. You forced a smile at him. 

“And for you, sir?” 

Mark gave you a small, rather shy smile. You much preferred Mark to his loud and boisterous friend. He rarely spoke except to place his order, and he’d never once complained about his smoothie. He bit his lip and pointed at the menu. “I’ll have a berry smoothie, please. How much is that?” 

You told him the bill amount, glancing out of the corner of your eye at Mina, who was struggling to answer Jackson’s questions about whether the UHT destroyed the vitamin content of the milk. Mark handed you his card and forced a smile. 

“Sorry about him,” he said awkwardly. 

You blinked. “Huh? No, that’s okay-”

“You could honestly just make his smoothie with normal milk and he wouldn’t notice the difference. He just gets unbearable after his workouts,” Mark told you. You cracked a smile, wondering if you should just put a huge dollop of store-bought ice cream into Jackson’s low-fat organic smoothie and see if he noticed the difference. The thought pleased you as you returned Mark’s card to him. 

“That doesn’t sound so bad. Thank you for placing your order, you can take a seat and the smoothies will be delivered to your table.” 

Mark nodded. He hesitated near the counter for a moment, opening his mouth and then closing it again. You waited for him to say something but he merely gave you a sweet smile and went to find himself a table. 

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“You need to do something about it, Mark,” Jackson insisted, as he took a sip of his smoothie and winced. “I can’t keep coming here for you just because you have a crush on the girl who works the counter. I don’t even think the green tea she put in my smoothie is organic.” 

Mark sighed. “It won’t kill you, Jackson.” 

“You don’t know that. What’s the use in working out this wonderful temple of a body, if all I’m going to do is inject it with pesticide-filled green tea? Look. Just go and ask her out so we can start drinking homemade smoothies.” 

Mark didn’t reply, his eyes were following you as he watched you slide out from behind the counter and exchange your shift with a co-worker. He glanced at his watch. You always ended your shift at exactly 11 am. He often thought about following you out and asking you for a cup of coffee, but he hadn’t yet gathered the guts to do it. He hadn’t gathered the guts to do anything except smile at you while he placed his order. 

Hell, he didn’t even like smoothies all that much. 

“Go,” Jackson insisted, giving Mark a light shove as you exited the smoothie store. “Go, go, go, go!”  

Mark took a deep breath and finished the last of his smoothie in a gulp, before following you out of the store. He caught up to you and gave you a smile, hoping that you wouldn’t think he was being creepy. 

“Hi,” he managed to blurt out. 

You blinked at him. “Hi.” 

“So, uh, today’s... the smoothie tasted really good today. Did you put something special in it? Or was it maybe Jackson’s organic milk?”  Mark blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. You blinked at him in disbelief. What was he even trying to say? You raised an eyebrow. 

“I didn’t make the smoothie today. Mina did.” 

Mark flushed. Why couldn’t he have said something cooler?  “Right, right. Of course. But the smoothies over here are way better than the ones at the store down the street. I wonder what makes them taste so good? Some secret ingredient?” 

“Sorry, I’m not allowed to discuss the store’s recipes with customers, it’s a clause in my employment contract,” you replied firmly. Mark looked dumbfounded for a moment and you sighed. Was he going to keep standing there? You really wanted to go home. “Anyway, it was nice talking to you. Glad you enjoyed the smoothie. Bye.” 

Mark watched you leave, holding back a miserable sigh. 

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Honestly, you were a little tired of all this. 

It had been a full three months since Jackson and Mark had started frequenting the smoothie shop and it was frustrating you. Jackson’s requirements changed every day- one day he was on a purely fruit diet, the next day he’d decided that he would only drink goat milk and this week, he’d read some research study which claimed probiotic yogurt was all a scam. 

“What would he do if I made his smoothie using full-fat, non-organic cream?” you muttered under your breath. Mark heard you and gave you his usual smile. To be honest, you didn’t mind Mark much. He kept Jackson under control and while he often made awkward attempts at conversation with you, you had to admit that he had a really nice smile. 

“He honestly wouldn’t notice,” Mark insisted. He cleared his throat and watched you enter numbers into the computer in front of you. “Uh... would you like to get coffee sometime?” 

You weren’t really listening to him, busy typing up his bill. It was a pain to calculate how much Jackson’s smoothie cost because he always made so many customizations. “Huh? Oh, we don’t sell coffee. There’s a coffee shop across the street.” 

Mark flushed pink, his eyes wide. “Uh, that’s not-” 

“Your total is $9.50.” 

“R-right.” 

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“This isn’t working,” Mark muttered. he gave Jackson a helpless look. “I’m shit at flirting and she never gets the point. She literally just answers my questions and then turns away from me. What am I supposed to do?” 

“Well, you can’t just keep smiling at her like an idiot and hoping she’ll understand your crush. You have to push her into noticing you. And not with cheesy lines. She looks like she doesn’t like flirty guys,” Jackson mused. He had tried dropping a few pick-up lines on you himself, and had received nothing but a stony glare in response. 

“How?” 

Jackson sighed. “Well, there’s nothing we can do. When in trouble, we always turn back to the classics. Leave it all to me.” 

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You watched in horror as the smoothie fell to the floor. You swore that you had handed the cup to Jackson carefully (you were always careful when handling drinks) but it literally flew out of both of your hands and went flying to the right. 

Landing all over Mark’s sweatpants and running shoes. 

You let out an audible gasp and the clattering noise caused your manager to come running. The pink smoothie was rapidly soaking through Mark’s (expensive-looking) white sneakers. You rushed the grab tissues and climbed out from behind the counter to help him dab it up, but they were clearly destroyed. 

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry, I don’t know how that happened. Shit, shit, shit...!” you mumbled, panicking. If there was one thing your manager hated, it was spilling smoothies. It ended up in a waste of ingredients, caused you to have to apologize to the customer and created a ruckus in the shop. 

Mark grabbed the tissues from you and dabbed at the shoes himself. “It’s fine, really, it wasn’t your fault. I’ll handle it, you don’t need to worry-” 

You closed your eyes in horror as you saw your manager approach. You were screwed. You were so, so screwed. You lifted your head hesitantly to see the manager give Mark and Jackson an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about all this mess. We’ll pay to have your shoes cleaned and we’ll bring you your smoothies on the house for today. Please take your seats.” 

You stayed kneeling on the floor, eyes squeezed shut and praying. 

Your manager glanced at you. “Come see me in my office.” 

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After getting chewed out by your manager and being told that the money for cleaning Mark’s shoes would come out of your paycheck, you trudged back out miserably. It was tough enough to keep this job considering it let you work weekends, and now you were in the manager’s bad books. You spotted Mark waiting outside for you, looking nervous. 

“Hi,” he greeted you hesitantly. 

You forced a smile at him. You hated having to apologize to people but you didn’t have much choice in the matter. “Hi. I’m really sorry about your shoes and everything. I don’t know how I let it slip out of my hands. I’m not usually so clumsy. I hope you’re not too upset.” 

Mark’s eyes widened. “Actually... it was Jackson’s fault. He dropped it on purpose.” 

You blinked at him. “What?” 

“I-I can explain! It wasn’t his fault, he did it for me. I mean, he did it because I didn’t have the guts to. The truth is, I’ve been coming here to buy smoothies for the past three months but I don’t even particularly like the smoothies here.” 

You were appalled. 

Mark panicked at the sight of your expression. You clearly weren’t taking this very well and Mark took a deep breath, trying to find the right words that would express what he was feeling. It was difficult to think with you glaring at him like that, though. “I mean to say... I come and buy smoothies from here because I want to talk to you. And I’ve tried hitting on you a couple of times but you either don’t seem to get or you cut me off, so I just tried something desperate to get your attention. It was a stupid idea. I’m sorry.” 

You stared at the man in front of you, paying attention to him for the first time. You had never really bothered to look at him properly, too absorbed in your irritation with Jackson. But Mark was actually extremely handsome. You took a deep breath. 

“My manager is furious at me because of you.” 

He winced. “I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to him if you want. Can I make it up to you? Maybe I can buy you a cup of coffee or something, if you don’t hate me...” 

You blinked at him for a long moment. 

“Considering you nearly got me fired, the least you can buy me is dinner, don’t you think?” 

Mark grinned slowly. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.” 

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A/N: This was requested by @galeanthrophyx, I’m so sorry that it took soooo long! Also, I know this reader isn’t exactly an introvert but I sort of based her off the way I usually behave with boys, lol. I hope you still enjoyed it!

Requests are still closed, but I’ll be posting more writing soon!

(Also, super pumped about GOT7 winning two awards at the Gaon Chart Music Awards today, go check out their performance!)

[chimchims-cheeks]

Third Love pt. 1

Genre: Fluff, soft Yoongi, smut later on, slight angst, an attempt at

humor, mentions of rape later on 

Word count: 2941

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader (for a hot sec), Yoongi x Reader

Warnings: Really bad humor, Yoongi is really soft and sweet in this fic, none this chappy

Description: After you and your boyfriend Namjoon break you, you meet your best friend’s cousin Min Yoongi.

A/N: This is my first time writing anything like this. Please be kind, but definitely leave some criticism if you have any to offer.

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In your life you were told you would have three great loves. The first love, the second, and naturally the last. Unfortunately for you, you were on the second love of your life. You and your boyfriend Kim Namjoon had been dating since your freshman year and his Sophomore year of University. Namjoon was the sweetest, funniest, and most intellectual man you had ever come across. He was your diamond in the rough. Of course all good things must come to an end at some point, somehow. As much as you loved each other there was no getting around the different paths life was going to lead you on.

The night was off to a good start you were both in the kitchen at your makeshift table eating last night's heated up leftovers.

“I got the promotion.” He whispered, face splitting into a wide grin. He was a general surgeon intern and had been working to gain this promotion that would help him receive experience years ahead of his time and speed up the internship. You shrieked and jumped your from seat.

“Oh my gosh, Namjoon this is huge!” You screamed throwing your arms around his neck. He laughed at your antics and leaned down to kiss you. He pulled away after a short time but when you looked at him all you could see was nerves painted across his face.

“Joonie? Are you okay? Aren’t you happy?” Your eyebrows furrowing in concern.

“We need to talk, Y/N.” He said pushing you back into your seat gently by the shoulders. You could feel anxiety beginning to swirl in your stomach.

“Y/N...this internship would entail me moving to England...London to be exact.” He paused to inspect your facial expression only to watch it drop. Tears began welling up in your eyes. You couldn’t believe it. He was leaving.

“Well...what if I come with you? We could move there together. Start a new life there together.” You whispered hopefully, voice cracking at the end.

“You know you can’t leave. You’re almost finished with your last year of University and you already have a job set here. Y/N, I love you so much but - but you are smart. You know what the best, logical thing to do here would be.” He choked out, barely finishing before the first tear drops spilled from his eyes. You had already succumbed to them, not even trying to hold them back.

“I don’t wa-want this t-to be the end. This is t-too soon.” You sobbed. You were hiccuping now and shaking your head profusely. You didn’t want this to be over so soon. He pulled you into a hug and rubbed your back in a failed attempt to be soothing. You were too upset to be soothed. He pulled back and wiped your tears away with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

“I know, I know. It’s not what I want either but this is the best way. While I’m there I need to devote my life, my mind, my body, all of me to this promotion. I love you but this is my dream. You’ve done so much for me and have always been there for me. I’ve been prolonging this for a week now because I couldn’t bare doing this any sooner, but my flight is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon and I couldn’t hide it anymore. I’m so so sorry that I’ve been keeping this from you, Y/N. I hope you can forgive me.” He looked at you sadly, and you could tell this broke him just as much as it did you. It hit you even harder now that you know he’s leaving tomorrow.

“Fuck.” You said quietly, not knowing what else to say or do. You stared at the wonderful man in front of you. You thought about all the times he talked about his dreams of being some sort of doctor superhero. You thought about how much his eyes shone while talking about his one true love and passion, saving people’s lives. You were going to miss his bed head and how sweet he was in the morning time. You thought about how deep his dimples were when he smiled at you, and you pictured what that same smile would look like at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. You were going to miss him to no end but you couldn’t stand in front of his dream job. You were not going to be the Ross to his Rachel.

“I love you so much Namjoon. I’m immensely proud of you. You’re going to do so much good. I could never stand in the way of your future. God, you are so bright. You are so amazing. Never stop being you, okay?” He fake gagged at your cheesiness. You smiled and let out a small laugh while shoving his shoulder.

“Hey, I’m trying to spill my heart here. Kim Namjoon you’ll do fucking amazing. I know you will.” You gave him a large honest smile.

“Thank you, Y/N. For everything. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. You are my biggest supporter. I love you.”

“And I love you, Dr. Kim Namjoon.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It had been a week since Namjoon’s departure and you honestly didn’t know what to do with yourself. It had been the first night of spring break when you and Namjoon had parted ways. So you had thankfully had the entire week to sit around and mope. On your way home after dropping Namjoon off at the airport and saying your final goodbyes you had picked up and entire gallon of Superman ice cream, your favorite, which you planned to eat over the span of the week. It was the last day of spring break and you were being plagued with sad dreams. That morning you jolted awake and and had to wipe away the tears leaking down your face. You had dreamt of Namjoon again. Which was no surprise really, you had always had wildy vivid dreams at least once a week but it got worse the more stress and mental hardships were placed upon you. Your emotional pain was almost physical as you could swear you felt the faintest ache in your chest where your heart was placed. Jimin had called you at least six times within the past hour and fourteen times over the past few days. You had decided to call your best friend and talk over everything with him.

“Is this the one and only Y/N finally calling me back? I want an explanation of where the fuck you’ve been. You haven’t called or texted me back. I was planning on sending a fucking search part-”

“Namjoon and I broke up Jimin.” You whispered. You had only known he heard it by the small intake of breath and the words dying in his mouth.

“You what? When? Why? How? Where? What? When?” He stuttered.

You let out a small laugh at his antics. Jimin and you had been best friends since your junior year of highschool. He had always been there for you when you needed him and you loved him for that. Jimin was the definition of the word extra, but you didn’t complain, because so were you and that’s why you both got along so well. That and your love of helping those in need. He is only 22 and has already started a nonprofit organization for homeless men and women in your state, to be fair he has been working on it since you both were 17 and still in highschool. He, along with Namjoon, is the most dedicated person you know.

“He got the promotion, but along with the promotion he got moved to London. We both knew with his busy upcoming schedule settling into the new workplace and along with mine since finals are coming up very soon, it’d be best to end that part of our lives together. Plus long distance relationships of that caliber are just plain rough, and he doesn’t need that distraction right now.” You said sadly, sniffing and holding back tears.

“I’m coming over.” He stated and before you could protest he had already hung up the phone. Half an hour later Jimin was stepping through your threshold with a jug of chocolate milk and a bag of gummy bears.

“I brought snacks, I figured you’d already have the ice cream.” He held up his hands as if it wasn’t obvious enough and smiled sweetly at you.

“Thank you. You’re the best Chim Chim. But I get to pick the movie.” He groaned in reply. You both got situated on the couch, you curled up in a blanket leaned on his side as the opening theme credits of Pirates of the Caribbean had began to play.

Tomorrow you had to go back to school and push Namjoon as far away in your mind as you could.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This morning was a struggle. You had woken up with a headache and much to your dismay had started your period.

“Son of a fucking, fuck. Mothertrucking buttcheek on a stick.” You growled out as you stripped out of your clothes and stepped into the shower. “I swear to god this month as been the worst. I’m going to die before I even graduate at this rate. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll get hit by a car on my morning commute. And now I’m talking to myself like a crazy person.” Of course you didn’t actual want to die. Although you had once gotten to a point in your life where the depression was almost too much for you to handle you had overcome it and now no longer had such thought. Plus to add onto it your anxiety had made you fear all the unknowns that death held.

After your shower you had gotten dressed, ate a sad breakfast that consisted of yogurt and water, brushed your teeth. You had just stepped out of your house when you realized you had forgotten tampons. Reentering and grabbing the cotton sticks of fuckery in a rush was not a good idea as you were a naturally clumsy person. You got caught in one of the discarded bras on your bedroom floor which sent you tumbling to the ground and you smacked your head on the door handle of your bathroom. In the midst of your pain you had mumbled out a joke to yourself about the fact you had literally just fallen into a booby trap.

After pulling yourself together you had let again. You had 20 minutes until class began and the walk there takes about 10 minutes. You put your headphones in and began your Troye Sivan playlist. The classroom was about half filled when you entered it, you took your normal seat towards the middle of the classroom, you liked it there as you were not too close to the front but also not too far away. You were watching students file in slowly, just as Bloom began to blast through your headphones a man you hadn’t ever seen before walked through the door. Nothing special happened how it does in the movies. There was no slow motion, there were no fireworks, and there wasn’t some magical fan that made his hair blow in the wind. However there was no doubt that he was just plain hot. He had fluffy black hair and a smirk that sat so naturally on his face he might’ve been born with it on his lips, there was confidence radiating off of him in waves. Despite this you couldn’t help to think that he resembled a kitten. His eyes skimmed the room only falling on you for a second before giving a bored huff. He began walking in your direction before passing you and sitting in the row behind yours about three for four seats to your right. You let out a small breath and cracked your neck, pulling out your headphones when the professor walked into the room. You were not going to let some cute guy distract you this close to graduation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Turns out he was going to be more of a distraction than you had hoped for. After a few days had passed when you met Jimin at his apartment for your monthly movie night, the man had reminded you of kitten had been sitting on the couch stuffing popcorn in his mouth.

“Oh Y/N, this is my cousin Yoongi. He’s staying with me until he can get settled and find his own place. I would’ve told you sooner but with everything that’s been going on with Namjoon I decided to leave it for a better time.” He smiled sheepishly.

You looked back at Yoongi and smiled. “Hello. My name’s Y/N.” You said awkwardly, talking to hot people was a struggle. Yoongi just stared at you, his lips turning up in a slight, polite curl.

“Alrighty then, enough introductions. Let’s get this movie night on a roll. What’re we watching? Mulan or Mulan?” Before you could even open your mouth, Jimin was already putting Mulan in. You rolled your eyes letting it slide because just as Jimin does, you love Mulan. You looked over to see how Yoongi felt about the movie but only saw his normal RYF (resting Yoongi face). Not sure what to take from it you looked back to the movie and reached for some popcorn You felt something warm, another hand and when you looked up you saw Jimin’s face inches from yours.

“Are you going to at least take me out on a date before you start holding my hand?” You shoved him away and heard him giggle.

“Shut it Chim Chim the movie is starting.” About halfway through the movie shifting to the left of you caught your attention. You looked over to see Yoongi passed out on the chair next to the couch.

“Hey, why did Yoongi move here all of a sudden and switch universities?” You asked in a whisper.

Jimin looked at you with furrowed brows. “I don’t actually know. When my mom called me to ask me if he could move in she didn’t explain much. Just that he wasn’t doing too well where he was at. I of course said that he could stay here as long as he needed, we were pretty close up until freshman year of high school, when my family moved. He’s changed a lot since then but he’s still a pretty good guy from what I’ve seen.” He informed you.

You pursed your lips and nodded your head. He did seem like an alright guy, a little distant, but nice nonetheless. About 30 minutes later the credits began rolling and you yawned. It was 10:30 and there was no way you were walking home at this time. You informed Jimin you were gonna stay the night. He nodded his head and went to his room, returning with a sweatshirt and sweatpants for you to borrow for the night. After you were finished changing you asked Jimin whether or not he should wake Yoongi up and tell him to move to his bed.

“Uhhh he’s kind of scary when he’s tired. Y/N, you have a hard exterior. You do it.”

“What he’s your cousin dipshit you do it.”

“No you!” With that he smacked you on the back and ran to his room.

“Fuck you Park Jimin.” You hissed out and grabbed your shoulder. You looked over at Yoongi’s sleeping form wearily. “Alright. You got this Y/N. You can do it. You just have to wake him up. No biggie.” You tiptoed over to him and gently shook his shoulder.

“Yoongi. Yoooongi.” You whispered. When he didn’t respond you shoved him slightly harder. He stirred but only a little bit before becoming a rock once more. You decided you had to change up your tactic, leaning down you put your lips two centimeters from his ear and took a deep breath.

“Yoongi!” You whisper yelled. He jolted up and shot his arm out in your direction. His hand made contact with your crotch and you doubled over.

“Jesus Christ your scared the fuck out of me!” He said frantically.

“You punched me in the fucking vagina!” You responded in the same tone. He looked down at his hand and back at you, his cheeks flushed ever so slightly. If it weren’t for the circumstances you would have laughed or gushed at how cute he is when he blushes.

“Who wakes a person up like that? W-what are you even doing anyways?” He said almost accusingly.

“Well maybe if you didn’t sleep like a rock I wouldn’t have to. I woke you up to tell you to go sleep in your actual bed. You’ll be more comfortable there.” His face softened slightly to this.

“Ah, okay. Are you staying here tonight?” He gestured down to your change in attire.

“Um yeah. I didn’t want to walk home this late at night. It’s kind of scary.” You smiled shyly, not expecting him to notice your outfit change.

“You can sleep in my bed if you want, I’ll take the couch.”

“No no it’s okay, I can’t take your bed from you. Thank you though.” You respond with a slight shake of your head and a smile.

“Alright, goodnight Y/N. Sweet dreams.” He gave you the gummiest smile you had ever seen. You waved and flopped onto the couch. You giggled slightly to yourself and couldn’t help but fall asleep to the thought of what his bed would be like to fall asleep in.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[prosejudo56-blog]

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

I’d like to tell you that this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon is a foolproof side dish that is sure to wow at your Thanksgiving and holiday tables, convince even the staunchest of veggie skeptics to eat their greens, and have everyone begging for the recipe, but (while I firmly believe all of this to be true), I have to confess something else instead.

I have absolutely no idea what this would be like as a side because, despite my intentions to serve it as such, we devoured the entire thing for our main meal.

I meant to serve this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with chicken, but as soon as he tasted the mac, Ben scooped a huge serving of it onto his plate, gave me a sincere look, and stated matter of factly, “I’m not having any chicken.”

I reacted the way I did whenever my mom made the blue box mac growing up: I piled my plate high with Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese too. I couldn’t let Ben get to it all!

If ever there were a mac and cheese recipe to eat as a main event, it would be this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.

It’s rich, creamy, and tastes over-the-top indulgent. I do truly hope you make it for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and every holiday to follow because it will fit right in with the classic spread. Thanks to a few sneaky swaps, however, this mac and cheese recipe is actually far healthier than its creamy, cheesy taste and texture suggests.

In place of heavy cream, I used low-fat Greek yogurt, which gives the sauce the same velvety richness but is far lower in fat and high in protein.

For the cheese, I selected varieties that pack a punch, so a lesser amount goes a long way. My picks are extra-sharp white cheddar, which melts beautifully and has a classic mac-and-cheese taste I adore, along with Parmesan for its savory/salty factor and the way it browns in the oven to give the mac and cheese its tasty golden top.

My final two healthy tricks: I used whole wheat pasta in place of the regular white pasta (undetectable!), and, of course, we have our glorious green, the brussels sprouts!

I am firmly convinced that anyone who doesn’t like brussels sprouts simply has not had tried them cooked properly yet.

If these crispy, caramelized Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts don’t convince you, then this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon assuredly will.

First, we sauté the brussels sprouts with bacon (YUM), then liven them up further with a touch of lemon juice and generous amount of black pepper. Don’t skimp here.

The lemon might sound like an odd choice, but brussels sprouts crave acid. The lemon also helps cut some of the richness, making it even harder to stop yourself at one serving. The black pepper is lively and gives the Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese true pizzazz.

I decided to create this healthy mac and cheese recipe when a neighbor mentioned that she’d ordered a brussels sprouts mac and cheese at a restaurant and knew I’d love it. I started poking around for recipe inspiration and found it in a cookbook written by one of the food bloggers I admire most, Deb from Smitten Kitchen.

In her latest cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day, Deb has a recipe for a weeknight brussels sprouts pasta bake that she touts as one of her household’s new favorite weeknight dinners. Deb’s recipe goes heavier on the cheese than mine does. I promise this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese is plenty cheesy; I’m actually glad I didn’t add more. Deb’s version also does not include bacon, which we certainly enjoyed.

When I first looked at the recipe, I thought that it seemed more of a side dish versus a main, but after witnessing the way Ben and I inhaled it, I can state from experience that it’s a fantastic option for both. Give this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese a test drive for dinner this week, then make it again to wow your guests at Thanksgiving and beyond!

Recommended Tools to Make Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon. Creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious! Perfect for a comfort food side or weeknight dinner.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese, Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe

Servings: 4 servings (as a main or 6 as a side)

Calories: 390 kcal

Author: Erin

8 ounces whole wheat “twisty” pasta such as gemelli, cavatappi, or rotini (shells, bowtie, and penne all work too!)

4 slices bacon cut into lardons

1 pound brussels sprouts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 small lemon zested (about 3/4 teaspoon zest), plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

7 ounces 2% Greek yogurt

2/3 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar divided

2/3 cup coarsely grated part-skim mozzarella divided

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated (ground) Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes short of al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart or 9-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over low heat until it is crisp and the fat is rendered, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir periodically and don’t rush the process. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet (you may not need to drain the pan at all). Increase the heat to medium high.

While the bacon cooks, trim off the ends of the brussels sprouts and cut them into very thin slices or shave them on a mandoline. Add them to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until brighter green in color but barely wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir until blended, about 1 minute more.

Splash in the broth about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly to blend between additions and prevent lumps from forming. Let simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then the cooked pasta; stir to coat evenly. Stir in the Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Scrape the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheddar and 1/3 cup mozzarella, then the cooked bacon, then the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until bubbly around the edges and browned in spots on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 of 4)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 59g 20%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 7g

Protein 26g 52%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

posted in Almost Vegetarian, Any Season, Casseroles/Bakes, Christmas, Entrees/Main Dishes, Fall, Healthy Savory Dishes, Pastas, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Winter

Source: https://www.wellplated.com/brussels-sprouts-mac-and-cheese/

[guitarboard42-blog]

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

I’d like to tell you that this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon is a foolproof side dish that is sure to wow at your Thanksgiving and holiday tables, convince even the staunchest of veggie skeptics to eat their greens, and have everyone begging for the recipe, but (while I firmly believe all of this to be true), I have to confess something else instead.

I have absolutely no idea what this would be like as a side because, despite my intentions to serve it as such, we devoured the entire thing for our main meal.

I meant to serve this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with chicken, but as soon as he tasted the mac, Ben scooped a huge serving of it onto his plate, gave me a sincere look, and stated matter of factly, “I’m not having any chicken.”

I reacted the way I did whenever my mom made the blue box mac growing up: I piled my plate high with Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese too. I couldn’t let Ben get to it all!

If ever there were a mac and cheese recipe to eat as a main event, it would be this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.

It’s rich, creamy, and tastes over-the-top indulgent. I do truly hope you make it for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and every holiday to follow because it will fit right in with the classic spread. Thanks to a few sneaky swaps, however, this mac and cheese recipe is actually far healthier than its creamy, cheesy taste and texture suggests.

In place of heavy cream, I used low-fat Greek yogurt, which gives the sauce the same velvety richness but is far lower in fat and high in protein.

For the cheese, I selected varieties that pack a punch, so a lesser amount goes a long way. My picks are extra-sharp white cheddar, which melts beautifully and has a classic mac-and-cheese taste I adore, along with Parmesan for its savory/salty factor and the way it browns in the oven to give the mac and cheese its tasty golden top.

My final two healthy tricks: I used whole wheat pasta in place of the regular white pasta (undetectable!), and, of course, we have our glorious green, the brussels sprouts!

I am firmly convinced that anyone who doesn’t like brussels sprouts simply has not had tried them cooked properly yet.

If these crispy, caramelized Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts don’t convince you, then this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon assuredly will.

First, we sauté the brussels sprouts with bacon (YUM), then liven them up further with a touch of lemon juice and generous amount of black pepper. Don’t skimp here.

The lemon might sound like an odd choice, but brussels sprouts crave acid. The lemon also helps cut some of the richness, making it even harder to stop yourself at one serving. The black pepper is lively and gives the Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese true pizzazz.

I decided to create this healthy mac and cheese recipe when a neighbor mentioned that she’d ordered a brussels sprouts mac and cheese at a restaurant and knew I’d love it. I started poking around for recipe inspiration and found it in a cookbook written by one of the food bloggers I admire most, Deb from Smitten Kitchen.

In her latest cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day, Deb has a recipe for a weeknight brussels sprouts pasta bake that she touts as one of her household’s new favorite weeknight dinners. Deb’s recipe goes heavier on the cheese than mine does. I promise this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese is plenty cheesy; I’m actually glad I didn’t add more. Deb’s version also does not include bacon, which we certainly enjoyed.

When I first looked at the recipe, I thought that it seemed more of a side dish versus a main, but after witnessing the way Ben and I inhaled it, I can state from experience that it’s a fantastic option for both. Give this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese a test drive for dinner this week, then make it again to wow your guests at Thanksgiving and beyond!

Recommended Tools to Make Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon. Creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious! Perfect for a comfort food side or weeknight dinner.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese, Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe

Servings: 4 servings (as a main or 6 as a side)

Calories: 390 kcal

Author: Erin

8 ounces whole wheat “twisty” pasta such as gemelli, cavatappi, or rotini (shells, bowtie, and penne all work too!)

4 slices bacon cut into lardons

1 pound brussels sprouts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 small lemon zested (about 3/4 teaspoon zest), plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

7 ounces 2% Greek yogurt

2/3 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar divided

2/3 cup coarsely grated part-skim mozzarella divided

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated (ground) Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes short of al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart or 9-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over low heat until it is crisp and the fat is rendered, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir periodically and don’t rush the process. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet (you may not need to drain the pan at all). Increase the heat to medium high.

While the bacon cooks, trim off the ends of the brussels sprouts and cut them into very thin slices or shave them on a mandoline. Add them to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until brighter green in color but barely wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir until blended, about 1 minute more.

Splash in the broth about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly to blend between additions and prevent lumps from forming. Let simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then the cooked pasta; stir to coat evenly. Stir in the Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Scrape the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheddar and 1/3 cup mozzarella, then the cooked bacon, then the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until bubbly around the edges and browned in spots on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 of 4)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 59g 20%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 7g

Protein 26g 52%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

posted in Almost Vegetarian, Any Season, Casseroles/Bakes, Christmas, Entrees/Main Dishes, Fall, Healthy Savory Dishes, Pastas, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Winter

Source: https://www.wellplated.com/brussels-sprouts-mac-and-cheese/

[northsyria04-blog]

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

I’d like to tell you that this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon is a foolproof side dish that is sure to wow at your Thanksgiving and holiday tables, convince even the staunchest of veggie skeptics to eat their greens, and have everyone begging for the recipe, but (while I firmly believe all of this to be true), I have to confess something else instead.

I have absolutely no idea what this would be like as a side because, despite my intentions to serve it as such, we devoured the entire thing for our main meal.

I meant to serve this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with chicken, but as soon as he tasted the mac, Ben scooped a huge serving of it onto his plate, gave me a sincere look, and stated matter of factly, “I’m not having any chicken.”

I reacted the way I did whenever my mom made the blue box mac growing up: I piled my plate high with Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese too. I couldn’t let Ben get to it all!

If ever there were a mac and cheese recipe to eat as a main event, it would be this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.

It’s rich, creamy, and tastes over-the-top indulgent. I do truly hope you make it for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and every holiday to follow because it will fit right in with the classic spread. Thanks to a few sneaky swaps, however, this mac and cheese recipe is actually far healthier than its creamy, cheesy taste and texture suggests.

In place of heavy cream, I used low-fat Greek yogurt, which gives the sauce the same velvety richness but is far lower in fat and high in protein.

For the cheese, I selected varieties that pack a punch, so a lesser amount goes a long way. My picks are extra-sharp white cheddar, which melts beautifully and has a classic mac-and-cheese taste I adore, along with Parmesan for its savory/salty factor and the way it browns in the oven to give the mac and cheese its tasty golden top.

My final two healthy tricks: I used whole wheat pasta in place of the regular white pasta (undetectable!), and, of course, we have our glorious green, the brussels sprouts!

I am firmly convinced that anyone who doesn’t like brussels sprouts simply has not had tried them cooked properly yet.

If these crispy, caramelized Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts don’t convince you, then this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon assuredly will.

First, we sauté the brussels sprouts with bacon (YUM), then liven them up further with a touch of lemon juice and generous amount of black pepper. Don’t skimp here.

The lemon might sound like an odd choice, but brussels sprouts crave acid. The lemon also helps cut some of the richness, making it even harder to stop yourself at one serving. The black pepper is lively and gives the Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese true pizzazz.

I decided to create this healthy mac and cheese recipe when a neighbor mentioned that she’d ordered a brussels sprouts mac and cheese at a restaurant and knew I’d love it. I started poking around for recipe inspiration and found it in a cookbook written by one of the food bloggers I admire most, Deb from Smitten Kitchen.

In her latest cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day, Deb has a recipe for a weeknight brussels sprouts pasta bake that she touts as one of her household’s new favorite weeknight dinners. Deb’s recipe goes heavier on the cheese than mine does. I promise this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese is plenty cheesy; I’m actually glad I didn’t add more. Deb’s version also does not include bacon, which we certainly enjoyed.

When I first looked at the recipe, I thought that it seemed more of a side dish versus a main, but after witnessing the way Ben and I inhaled it, I can state from experience that it’s a fantastic option for both. Give this Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese a test drive for dinner this week, then make it again to wow your guests at Thanksgiving and beyond!

Recommended Tools to Make Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese with Bacon. Creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious! Perfect for a comfort food side or weeknight dinner.

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese, Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe

Servings: 4 servings (as a main or 6 as a side)

Calories: 390 kcal

Author: Erin

8 ounces whole wheat “twisty” pasta such as gemelli, cavatappi, or rotini (shells, bowtie, and penne all work too!)

4 slices bacon cut into lardons

1 pound brussels sprouts

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 small lemon zested (about 3/4 teaspoon zest), plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

7 ounces 2% Greek yogurt

2/3 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar divided

2/3 cup coarsely grated part-skim mozzarella divided

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated (ground) Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until 2 minutes short of al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart or 9-inch round baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over low heat until it is crisp and the fat is rendered, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir periodically and don’t rush the process. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet (you may not need to drain the pan at all). Increase the heat to medium high.

While the bacon cooks, trim off the ends of the brussels sprouts and cut them into very thin slices or shave them on a mandoline. Add them to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until brighter green in color but barely wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir until blended, about 1 minute more.

Splash in the broth about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly to blend between additions and prevent lumps from forming. Let simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then the cooked pasta; stir to coat evenly. Stir in the Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Scrape the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup cheddar and 1/3 cup mozzarella, then the cooked bacon, then the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until bubbly around the edges and browned in spots on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts

Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Amount Per Serving (1 of 4)

Calories 390 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 59g 20%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 7g

Protein 26g 52%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

posted in Almost Vegetarian, Any Season, Casseroles/Bakes, Christmas, Entrees/Main Dishes, Fall, Healthy Savory Dishes, Pastas, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Winter

Source: https://www.wellplated.com/brussels-sprouts-mac-and-cheese/

[yumyummunchies-blog]

89+ Best Super Bowl Appetizers (Ultimate Guide to Super Bowl Food Concepts).

Super Bowl Appetizers are the real winner on the big video game day. No party would be total without the very best Super Bowl Appetizers and the very best Super Bowl Snacks. From dips to wings to sliders and more, all the best Super Bowl food concepts are right here!

Finest Super Bowl Appetizers

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, the greatest day of the year for everyone's favorite thing: treats! I suggest ... football ...

Okay, I'll be sincere. While everybody else heads to the Super Bowl parties to see the video game, I'm truly just there for the Super Bowl appetisers. And I understand most of you are too! You know what though? That's okay! It would not be a good party without some tasty Super Bowl treats.

I'm talking dips galore, chicken wings, meatballs, chips (and more dip), sandwiches, sliders, cheese ... only the best Super Bowl appetisers! Whether you're throwing a party, headed to a pal's, or just cooling at home to see the game, you need some scrumptious Super Bowl food ideas to formulate.

I understand a thing or more about tasty and easy appetisers (it's one of my favorite types of recipes to make), so I have actually got you covered with LOTS of amazing video game day appetisers and simple Super Bowl snacks.

Keep reading for more than 89 of the BEST Super Bowl Appetizers to make for the special day!

Super Bowl Food Concepts

Here's a fast introduction of the different types of recipes you'll find below:

Super Bowl Dips

Video Game Day Wing Recipes

Finest Meatball Appetizers

Super Bowl Sliders and Sandwiches

Bacon Appetizers for Video Game Day

Finest Super Bowl Snacks

Much Healthier Super Bowl Snacks

Super Bowl Finger Foods

Easy Super Bowl Food Concepts

I am SO looking forward to all that food on game day! It helps to have a little bit of a method when you enter. Start with some cheese and crackers, then veggies and dip (to get the healthy part out of the way). Move on to all of the hot tacky dips, and graze on some of the finger foods. Ensure you've got a cocktail in there someplace to cancel the food.

After a few hours, I like to proceed and consume something a bit more significant, like a sandwich or tacos. This is a great time to get a couple of wings too! And when you believe you simply can't eat anymore, take a break and simply get a handful of chips or Chex Mix.

When the game is over and individuals start leaving, slip in for a last round of your preferred Super Bowl appetizers for one last taste. The goal is to end the day sensation SUPER STUFFED. I constantly win at this obstacle.

Essential Kitchen Area Tools

Whether you're making ALL the appetisers to host your own Super Bowl party, or simply making a meal or two to bring to another party, here are a few of the kitchen tools you may need to prepare these dishes.

Slow Cooker

Pots & Pans Casserole Dish Serving Platters 89 Finest Super Bowl Appetizers & Snacks Finest Super Bowl Dips No video game day is total without a dip or more (or three, or 4 )to serve. Whether you're looking for cheesy queso,

, or some simple salsa, here are my

favorite Super Bowl dips:

Smoky Blue Cheese Dip

Homemade Hummus Dish

Mexican Street Corn Dip Hot Jalapeno Popper Dip 4 Ingredient Beer Cheese Dip Cowboy Dip Queso

King Cattle Ranch Chicken Rotel Dip All American Bacon Cheeseburger Dip Hot Corn and Bacon Beer Cheese Dip

Best Guacamole Dish

Cheesy Caprese Dip

Mixer Salsa Want even MORE Super Bowl dip dishes? Have a look at our Hot Dips Guides for more! Best Super Bowl Wing Recipes Chicken Wings seem like the official food of the Super Bowl. Buffalo wings, hot wings, and all the most scrumptious wing sauces and dips ... prepare to

get those fingers messy! Here are my fave wing dishes for video game day: Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings Best Baked Chicken Wings Sesame Baked Wings Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Wings Best Fried Buffalo Wings

are the ideal Super Bowl appetizers since ... well, they're

simply plain great! It's so simple to pop them into your mouth, and there are so many delicious flavors to pick from. Here are a few of our best

meatball dishes: Finest Swedish Meatballs Dish Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Orange Marmalade Meatballs Peruvian Chicken Meatballs Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Meatballs Super Bowl Sliders and Sandwiches Sliders and sandwiches are a great Super Bowl food idea. They're pretty simple

to put together, they're filling, and they're simple to consume while enjoying the game. Baked Cheeseburger Sliders

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Crockpot BARBEQUE Pork Sandwich

Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders Bacon Appetizers for Game Day Ah, bacon. Really the BEST Super Bowl appetisers are the ones wrapped in bacon. Shrimp, tater toddlers, crackers, fries ... add bacon to anything and it's excellent to go! Bacon Covered Shrimp Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

Bacon & Cattle Ranch Cheese Ball

Bacon Covered Crackers

Bacon Cheese French Fries with Cattle Ranch

Bacon Covered Tater Tots Bacon Covered Water Chestnuts Basic Super Bowl Snacks

In addition to all of the hot food and appetisers on the table, it's great to have a few basic Super Bowls snacks going around too. Set out bowls of chips, crackers, and Chex Mix so everybody has something to snack on in between the other stuff. Finest Young Puppy Chow Recipe

Homemade Gardetto's Dish

Sugary Food & Salty Hot Buttered Cheerios

Homemade Tortilla Chips( Garlic Parmesan ) Finest Chex Mix Party Mix Dish Homemade Cool Cattle Ranch Doritos Tequila Lime Baked Tortilla Chips Mexican Spice Cheese Crackers Pink Yogurt Covered Pretzels Healthy( er)Super Bowl Snacks The Super Bowl is absolutely not the day to be healthy ... but for

Rainbow Hummus Dip

Bowl finger foods are where you get a possibility to

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Tortilla Roll Ups

Homemade Taquitos(Cheese, Bean, Green Peppers)

Sausage Rolls with Hot Pepper Jelly Ham and Cheese Roll Ups Pepperoni Pizza Sticks Cheeseburger Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

French Bread Pizza Bites

Baked Chicken Alfredo Nachos Mini Fried Taco Pizza Pockets

Cattle Ranch Fried Pickles

After all the snacks and apps, it's nice to have a couple of heartier options to serve on video game day. Let people graze on whatever else as they please, but include in a few other foods that can function as more of a meal for those who are extra starving. Tacos, nachos, burgers, and chicken tenders are constantly a great idea! Finest Cheese Ball Recipe Slow Cooker Kielbasa Bites Baked Chicken Tacos Meat Lovers Stromboli Buffalo Shrimp Tacos Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas Cheddar Bacon Cattle Ranch Chicken Tenders Curry Chicken Hand Pies Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Steak Fajita Nachos And now that you've got the Super Bowl food all covered, you might need a few drinks to go along with it! Search through our mixed drink dishes for some ideas. My primary choice for Super Bowl cocktails is this Pitcher Margarita Dish!.?.!! I hope you got plenty of Super Bowl food ideas from this guide! If you're still searching for the perfect thing, have a look at the rest of our

appetisers right here. Whoever you're rooting for on the special day, make sure you have plenty of food to delight in! The post 89+Best Super Bowl Appetizers(Ultimate Guide to Super Bowl Food Concepts) appeared initially on The Cookie Novice ®.

[riannagalvez]

Hello, dolls! Hello, Throwback Tuesday! I am now 2 days away from my due date and feeling every symptom that I could be in labor soon except for my water breaking. I have never felt this restless after 2 weeks of relaxing — how is this even possible? There is no doubt that I am in full on pregnancy brain mode now and just 1 million percent nesting! I have been trying to get our house organized and I find it really….soothing.

Our trip to the Philippines is still 7 months away but it feels like it’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s going to be a big trip for me since I will be traveling with both kids so I guess that’s why I started planning everything as early as January of this year lol. I started a list of restaurants I miss and would love to try and I just hope I have the time to go to all of them!

I have been on many adventures with my boy, but I know nothing will compare to the joy he will feel once he becomes a big brother ❤

TICKLE YOUR SWEET TOOTH

Were you even on vacation if you did not indulge in sweets? Whether it’s a refreshing milkshake or a dessert I’ve never heard before, I always look forward to satisfying my sweet tooth every day when I am in the Philippines!

SPLURGE: SUNNIE’S CAFE – The Fort

Sunnies Cafe is a growing brand in the Philippines. They started as a sunglass hub that blossomed into different branches like the cafe and their cosmetic line that a lot of Filipinas go gaga for!

Since food is closest to my heart, I knew I had to go to Sunnies Cafe and try their milkshakes! Lucky for me my sister came with us so I was able to try their KimYe and Matcha milkshakes.

Sunnies Risotto

(cheese risotto, crispy bacon, sous vide egg, caramelized onion, homemade gravy)

I loved this so much because it was creamy and extra cheesy. I was impressed to see a cooking method that I know is not commonly used in restaurants in the Philippines — sous vide! Every ingredient complimented each other so well. Honestly, I would go back to Sunnies Cafe just for the milkshake and this perfect plate of risotto!

Creamy Carbonara

Same ingredients as the Sunnies risotto above minus the gravy! My sister’s all-time favorite is carbonara, if she sees it on the menu, she’ll order it!

The matcha milkshake was worth every calorie!

The main purpose of our Sunnies Cafe trip, for these babies to meet and for the Moms to catch up 😛

These cuties are only weeks apart! Angela and Hannah were my seatmates in college and it’s funny how we all had babies at the same time (pretty much).

SAVE: VANDERLUST BISTRO + PATISSERIE – Quezon City

Living in Quezon City is so convenient because we are so close to a lot of restaurants that are open late. My siblings love to take me to new dessert places whenever I am home, and I don’t mind if it means going there right before bedtime 😛

They know I love to try new things so they picked Vanderlust, a European inspired dessert place in the heart of Quezon City.

Cannoli

Pistachio, White Chocolate Lemon, Purple Yam

Red Velvet Churros

Being a red velvet lover, this was heaven for me!

Paired our desserts with delicious drinks.

My choice? Matcha forever! Look at my delicious cup or Matcha Latte ❤

A’s drink of choice, beer! 1906 Black Coupage brewed in Spain.

Cookies and Cream Schneeball

This was a whole experience for me! I’ve never had a dessert that I have to smash before so there was no doubt I enjoyed it so much! lol

Peanut Brittle

Schneeball reminds me of chocolate bark. I like how both flavors were not overly sweet! One Schneeball is perfect to share.

ITALIAN FOOD

A is half Italian and loves pasta SO much. Taking him to Italian restaurants in the Philippines gives me anxiety because I know how he could be when it comes to food, and I am the same when it comes to Asian food here in the US. I think since we know a lot about the cuisine and food itself, we tend to have expectations when it comes to certain price points or restaurants — we do not expect gourmet food from a fast food restaurant of course! lol

SPLURGE: PARMIGIANO – Resort’s World Manila

Parmigiano is one of the best restaurants in Resort’s World Manila. I think the fact that they’ve been around for more or less a decade now show how well-loved their food is. My first time going there was in 2011 and the food was just as good!

The best way to start an Italian meal!

Caprese Salad

FRESH everything — tomato, mozzarella, and basil. YUM

Insalata Di Greca

Risotto Al Funghi E Crema Di Tartufo, Risotto Al Parmigiano

Margherita pizza, 6 cheese pizza

Going to an Italian restaurant means loading up on carbs and CHEESE!

Spaghetti Calamari Nero

Come to Mama!! Squid ink pasta is one of my favorites and this did not disappoint.

Rigatoni Ala Grica

Chicken Parmigiana

The only dish we ordered with meat! 😛 This was a little disappointing because the breading was too thick, the hefty amount of mozzarella on top made up for it though.

SAVE: SHAKEY’S

This is probably not too “Italian” for this category but I think the pizza and pasta dishes will make do. Shakey’s is a fast casual restaurant in the Philippines that has been around for decades. My siblings and I love their “mojos”, who doesn’t really? I also love how you can get “family meals” that you can customize.

Thin crust or thick crust? Growing up thick crust was my choice because that’s what we were used to eating. Now that I understand calories and all that, thin crust has been my go to! And I actually prefer how the crunchy the crust gets.

Aside from pizza, Shakey’s has delicious fried chicken too — lightly breaded and friend to perfection! YUM

Another reason why Shakey’s is on my list every time I am in the Philippines is because of their caesar salad with tuna that A and I got addicted to 4 years ago! It’s not very special but for some reason, everything just works together. Sometimes when we just want a relaxing night at home with no added pressure on dinner, we just make caesar dressing and croutons, toss them with freshly cut romaine and top off with tuna — all inspired by Shakey’s!

Best of all? This cost us less than $100 and there were almost 10 of us!

EASY FIX

Since we always have a gazillion things to do whenever we are in the Philippines, there are times when we know we do not have more than 2 hours to spare for dinner or lunch. Luckily. there are a lot of options for quick meals in the Philippines.

SPLURGE: TONG YANG BUFFET – Greenhills

If you are really hungry but pressed for time, buffets could be a good option! food is ready and all you have to do is serve yourself.

My relatives wanted to have dinner with us before our flight to Baltimore. They know how much A loves Asian food especially noodles so they picked Tong Yang.  The selections were amazing! From having your own pot of soup to cook your noodles and “hot pot fixings”, smokeless grill for barbecue meat, sushi, other Asian favorites like fried rice and savory dishes, and of course DESSERT to end the meal!

  SAVE: MISTER KEBAB – Quezon City

Mister Kebab is another all-time favorite! I have so many memories here, especially with friends. This was our “3AM” spot after bar hopping in Makati, go-to place when we feel like hanging out, pretty much one of the constant things in our friendship.

Their keema, beef kebab, and YOGURT SHAKE are to die for! It was hard to type these without salivating for real lol.

  Little A’s first trip to the Philippines was unforgettable because of our family who planned adventures for us every day.

Can’t wait to have an updated family picture in 6 months! ❤

…and feel like a kid again around my Dad because he loves to spoil us lol

Are we going to be a family of 4 in 2 days? Let’s see! The anxiety is killing my sanity and I know it’s not ideal because I am only adding pressure to my mind and body! But really, I am so ready to push this baby out! lol

Little A’s life is going to change and I know his excitement will bring so much love to his sister once she’s home. I can’t wait for him to have the playmate he’s been wanting! I know he is going to be an amazing brother ❤

xx

R ❤

Where To Eat In Manila: Save VS Splurge Hello, dolls! Hello, Throwback Tuesday! I am now 2 days away from my due date and feeling every symptom that I could be in labor soon except for my water breaking.

[unwritrecipes]

At Home with Natalie's Spinach, Mushroom & Cheese Empanadas-Famous Fridays

Hiya! I’m back with another edition of Famous Fridays. Celebrity cookbooks seem to be all the rage now. There’s Chrissy Teigen’s which I’m loving and promise to share soon, Joanna Gaines’ which is fun and sweet but a lot of the recipes rely on too much butter, cream and processed foods so the verdict is still out on it for me and Reese Witherspoon’s which I haven’t even laid eyes on yet, to name a few. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m always a little bit skeptical of cookbooks written by folks who became famous for something other than their cooking. So what a lovely surprise to find that At Home with Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living From My Family’s Kitchen to Yours by Natalie Morales, (think Today Show and Access Hollywood) is a real cook’s cookbook and one I’ve been turning to again and again over the last couple of months. You’re gonna love it and these gorgeous Spinach, Mushroom & Cheese Empanadas. TGIF!!

I’ve been watching Natalie on TV for years, so it’s kind of fun to get a chance to see her life behind the camera a little bit and the fact that she’s just like the rest of us moms—trying to juggle keeping her family eating healthy with the demands of work, school, sports schedules etc. At Home is a terrific compilation of easy, nutritious, unfussy recipes that will make doing everything you do, a lot easier and more tasty. Natalie literally grew up all over the world and has parents with Puerto Rican and Brazilian roots and all of this travel and cultural exposure is definitely reflected in the book. There are recipes for standard American fare like Effortless Buckwheat Pancakes, Healthier Mac & Cheese and Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado-Yogurt Vinaigrette as well as more traditional family recipes like Black Beans & Classic Brazilian Rice, Slow-Cooker Ropa Vieja ,Pollo al Ajillo (Garlic Chicken) and this more modern twist on the traditional empanada that I know you’re going to love!

It was tough figuring out what to feature from her book for this post because so far everything I’ve made has been spot on delish, but in the end the fact that I’ve always wanted to make empanadas and never have and that the Super Bowl is coming up and I was thinking that these would be fun to serve (it’s all about the food for me!) won out. Also, with the weekend coming up, these are a not-too-time-consuming project that would allow you to make them ahead and freeze. A win-win all around!

Now you could buy ready-made empanada dough but if you can possibly swing it, I would really advise you to make Natalie’s homemade version. It comes together really easily in one bowl and homemade dough is always better than store bough. After you’ve cut the butter into the flour mixture, you simply make a well and pour the egg mixture into it, mix with a fork and chill.

Meanwhile, you make the filling, which is nothing more than sautéed onions, mushrooms and spinach. Easy-peasy and good for you too!

Once the dough has rested, you roll it out, cut out circles (I made them about 3-inches, Natalie makes them double that size but I wanted to use them as something small and snacky) and place a little dollop of filling in the middle.

And add a sprinkle of cheese. Take my advice and resist the urge to overfill. You’ll see why later.

Then you use your finger to brush a little egg wash all around the outer edge of each circle to help seal the dough once you fold it in half.

The tines of a fork help to lock everything in tightly and give it that iconic empanada look.

Right before you’re ready to bake, you brush the tops of the empanadas with a little more egg wash which allows them to bake up shiny and golden brown.

In about 30 minutes, you’ll find yourself willing to suffer a burned tongue just to gobble down one or two (or three) of these delightful little homemade Hot Pockets.

Gotta love that light and flaky pastry! And wonderful savory, cheesy filling!

Now. remember a few paragraphs back when I warned you not to overfill? As you can see from some of the overflow, I didn’t heed it myself! If this happens to you too, no worries—I promise that people are going to be too busy gobbling them down to care!

So pick up At Home with Natalie—I really think it’s a cookbook you’ll put to good use. We’re home this weekend (no hockey to travel for) so I’m thinking about tackling a babka (it’s been on my to-do list forever) and this wonderful quinoa oatmeal we had last week when we were down in DC. Whatever is on your agenda, hope it’s yummy! Have a great weekend!!

At Home with Natalie’s Spinach, Mushroom & Cheese Empanadas-Famous Fridays

Makes about 2 dozen

Prep Time for dough: 10 minutes, plus at least 1 hour of chilling; Prep Time for Filling: 15-20 minutes; Assembly Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Empanada dough

1/3 cup ice water

1 large egg

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

For the filling

2 tablespoons olive oil

About 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

5 ounce bag baby spinach

1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and black pepper to taste

About 1 cup shredded cheese ( i used a swiss/gruyere blend)

1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water for empanada assembly

The Recipe

1. To make the empanada dough: Add the egg and vinegar to the measuring cup with the ice water and beat with a fork. Set aside

2. Place the 2 cups of flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk together. Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with little pea shaped pieces of butter. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour the egg mixture into it. Use a fork to stir until almost all the flour is incorporated—it’s ok if some of it is not mixed in-you don’t want to over mix. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until it’s smooth. Form into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

3. Meanwhile make the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until the onions start to soften and the mushrooms begin to brown a little. Add in the spinach and cook for a few minutes, tossing it often, until it is wilted but still bright green. Add the broth, season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.

4. When you’re ready to assemble the empanadas, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Tear off another piece of parchment paper and lightly flour it. Now flour a large board and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter or an upside down mug or glass to cut out rounds.

5. Place the rounds on the floured paper. Place a small spoonful of the filling into the center of each round and sprinkle with a little cheese—try not to overfill or things will seep out as they cook—not that this affects the taste but they won’t look as neat. Use your finger to take a little bit of the egg that’s beaten with the water and brush it around the outer edge of a circle of dough. Fold the shell over and use the tines of a fork to help seal the edges so that you have a little half moon. Repeat with all the remaining dough circles.

6. Transfer the finished empanadas to the lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg wash and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes or so and serve.

7. You can definitely make these ahead, bake and reheat and though I haven’t done it yet, I suspect they would freeze well too. Line the unbaked but filled empanadas on a baking sheet making sure they have a bit of space between them so they don’s stick together as they freeze. Don’t brush with the egg wash. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and store in an airtight bag. When ready to bake, simply line a tray with the frozen empanadas, brush with the egg wash and bake.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from At Home with Natalie by Ann Volkwein and Natalie Morales. I cut the dough out into 3-inch rounds instead of 6 to make mini-empanadas, tinkered with the proportions of veggies and subbed in a swiss/gruyere mix instead of using manchego.

[thinspomotiv31]

*copied from myproana website.

To help you and myself when we feel like b/ping because it is a terrible cycle and we can get through it together!

This post will be explaining my method of how I stopped binging and purging after 2 years of doing it several times a day. I do not promote starving yourself but I know for a lot of people they won't stop purging because they're scared of gaining weight from binges. This is directed towards people who wish they could restrict to 500-1,000 calories (or more) but end up bingeing and purging. THIS IS NOT TO HELP TEACH YOU HOW TO RESTRICT. THIS IS PURELY TO HELP PEOPLE EASE OUT OF A HORENDOUS B/P CYCLE. It is my personal opinion that you must restrict a little in order to feel comfortable not purging.

If the following sounds similar to you, I believe this method can help you if you give it a try and at least you'll be able to keep down a good amount of nutrients and stop making yourself throw up which we all know is terrible for your health and causes major guilt and depression and is a very addictive cycle. The night before when you binged and purged you told yourself that it would be the last time. You told yourself you would either heavily restrict or fast in order to compensate. So the next day you manage to restrict and go all day without bingeing. At night however, you're so hungry you can't sleep or get the munchies while watching your late night TV shows. Or maybe it's night and you're alone in your thoughts contemplating whether to eat more or not. Maybe you eat a small unhealthy snack (potato chips, cookies, ice cream, etc.) which tastes so good and is so comforting that you say fuck it and eat a ton of unhealthy food, feel guilty and have a massive fear of gaining and then purge. Maybe you decided to eat a small low calorie healthy snack to satisfy your hunger or cravings and put you at ease thinking it's only 100-200 cals and you'll be fine if you eat just that since you restricted all day and would still be in a deficit. The nutrients taste so good and feel great that you say ok, if I have a little more I'll be even healthier and still be in a deficit. You keep doing that until you've reached a caloric total that you feel uncomfortable with and decide "fuck it" and eat everything in sight, and then purge. It seems anything you do ends up in a purge as if you can't eat a single thing or you'll binge, so you try to fast and not eat anything the next few days but you always binge because you're absolutely ravenous at some point and can't take it anymore or are so weak you convince yourself you need food (and you do!) but you overdo it and purge. There IS a possible solution. It works for me, it may not work for you but I sincerely hope you try it because b/p cycles that seem to never end are pure hell.

First, understand that you have to eat. I know you're scared because they trigger binges but just stick with me here. You can avoid binges on as little as 800 calories a day. You WILL lose weight on this much especially if you go for a walk everyday but still even if you sit around. I am 4'11 and 80 lbs and lose weight on 800 a day. It won't be extremely rapid weight loss but it is weight loss and you won't want to kill yourself over purging 7 days in a row. You can even have 1,200 calories if you wish but for some this is too high to avoid a binge or just too high to not trigger weight gain anxiety. Also understand that once you get out of your b/p cycles you can reduce your caloric intake slightly over time if you're feeling in control so just bare with the 800 cals for a little while.

The first thing you need to burn into your brain is that bingeing never brings what your brain and body is promising. It does not relieve stress or anxiety or help you cope with whatever problem and will not make you feel healthy and amazing if you always purge after. It does the opposite so remember that. Binging is not the answer. You may not plan to purge but once you get going and start eating just to eat you'll probably purge. You need to eat 3 small meals a day or 2 slightly bigger meals a day.

A lot of us don't have appetites in the morning and don't really feel the need to binge in the morning. Perhaps instead of eating you can enjoy some nice sweet creamy coffee (I put like 60 cals of mocha latte mix and 35 of coffee mate peppermint mocha creamer and 30 cals of almond milk but you can have it anyway you like). Have as many coffees as you want, however you like it. Make sure it totals to no more than 200 (we're saving these cals for hearty meals later so you don't night-binge). If you don't like coffee or only drink black, enjoy a nice healthy fruit smoothie. You can pack a lot of good stuff in there with 200 cals to work with and they're filling. Maybe put some vegan (or non-vegan) protein powder to get the calories up and increase how filling it is). You should feel ok for the morning. Have a couple nuts or crackers or some grapes or apple if you get hungry and feel a binge coming on. The smoothie or coffee can be replaced by 1 or 2 greek yogurts (usually 130 or so cals each) or those instant quaker oatmeal packets (130-160 cals each) but I find that solid food make me anxious if I have them in the morning. Do what works for you.

For lunch, eat a healthy 300 calorie meal. 300 cals goes a long way when it's healthy food. You want to eat healthy so you're body isn't craving nutrients at night. Some ideas: those pre packaged bistro bowl salads (I like the Caesar salad kind) always have the total calories right on the front label and they range from 230-300 or so. They're delicious and filling and they usually give you too much dressing so you might not even consume every calorie that it says is in it but feel free to enjoy it all if you like it that way. There's a huge variety of kinds, some more fruity than others and some more cheesy and meaty. Each ingredient is individually packaged so you can keep out the ones you don't like (helpful if you're vegan). Some more ideas: Plain oatmeal (150 cals in half a cup dry quaker) with fruit (fresh, frozen, even dry) and Activia (100 cals) or greek yogurt (roughly 150), Fruit and granola, Bananas and peanut butter, cheese and crackers, 1/2 cup mixed nuts, a smoothie, etc. Lots of choices just stay away from super salty calorie dense unhealthy foods. You want water dense nutrient dense foods.

Finally, DINNER. The one we all struggle with. Do not skip dinner. You'll binge or not be able to sleep. Let's eat a healthy hearty dinner with 300 more cals to work with. You might still be full from your healthy lunch! Or maybe you weren't very hungry at lunch and didn't meet 300 cals so you have a little more cals to work with. It's a good idea to have a hot meal to help you sleep. Soups are a godsend. I particularly love Amy's Organic Soups. Try to find it or something similar. There's many kinds and most are vegan. You can even have the whole can not just a "serving". The following calories are for PER ENTIRE CAN  not per serving. There are 2 servings per can which would be half the calories that I'm listing. Tomato bisque (220), Lentil Vegetable (320), Vegetable Barley (140), Chunky Vegetable (120), Thai Coconut (280), Split Pea (200), Tuscan Bean and Rice (320), Spanish Rice and Red Beans (280), Rustic Italian Vegetable (280), Alphabet (160), Summer Corn and Vegetable (300). If you check their website they also have some foods that are low calorie like the light and lean pasta and veggies (280) and Tofu Scramble Pocket Sandwich (180). I highly suggest you look at all their products  because a lot are 350 cals or less. You can create you're own healthy meal too. I like to make hot quinoa or couscous salad. You boil the grains and boil some vegetables (I love to toss wilted spinach in mine) mix them together and add some Italian dressing, lemon, and salt if you like. Make it how you prefer, it's very low calorie just make sure there's more veggies than grain. There is a lot of warm healthy clean meals you can make for 350 cals or less. If it fits in your budget, or even if it doesn't honestly, I highly recommend drinking some sort of nutritional shake with your meal like the 130 calorie ensure active bottles or a powdered mix protein shake (there are good vegan ones if you're vegan such as Phood or Sunwarrior, non-vegan I recommend Skinny Jane Strawberry). 1 scoop in all those brands individually tends to be around 100 cals. Even if it doesn't fit in your budget I REALLY hope you do this because it makes the meal 10x more filling and contains a lot of nutrients you need to feel happy and healthy and continue on your purge free life.

If you're still struggling here's some more tips.

1. Gatorade Low Calorie. 30 cals in 12 oz. This helps me resist bingeing so well and has electrolytes and keeps me hydrated.

2. Gummy multivitamins because delicious and assures me that I don't need to binge to be "healthy" and cram nutrients in my body when in the end I binge on crap food.

3. Drink a glass of milk or milk alternative like almond or rice milk if you're craving fatty foods. A handful of nuts helps too.  

4. Read about how to resist bingeing.

5. Keep yourself busy so you're only eating when you're hungry not when you're bored.

6. I do not recommend 30 calorie air popped popcorn because people and myself tend to eat the entire bag.

7. Country Farms Superfood Greens (Berry or Alkalizing Greens mix) is only 70 cals per scoop and has tons of nutrients and makes you feel great and energized.

8. Drinking an ensure or protein shake that's 100-150 cals when you want to binge is better than bingeing

9. KRATOM. Kratom is a ground plant available in several different strains and blends of multiple strains. You can buy it on Green Leaf Kratom and lots of other places. If you feel a binge, take 1 teaspoon at first and then another teaspoon if you feel no effect after 30 minutes. It can be taken on an empty or full stomach. You can buy it as a powder or capsules, I prefer the powder. It tastes like shit and is super bitter. Wash it down with coffee or strong tea to cancel out the bitterness. Try to get it down, it's really really bad but puts you off your binge urge pretty well. After it works, it suppresses your appetite about 75% and makes you feel very optimistic for 1-3 hours and by then your binge urges probably will have passed. It is completely legal and has no health risks and can be addicting but in my experience I have never had a craving for it and only use it as a last resort to avoid a binge. I've never heard of someone being addicted to Kratom. I do not condone appetite suppressants or drugs but this is a plant that can help you not binge and hurt yourself.

10. Drink some sleep aid tea or chamomile before bed to warm you up and not feel so deprived. You can even put some honey and milk in it. The 800 calories in not a set and stone thing it's just the number that works best for me.

Again I don't support starving yourself but if you try to keep down a 3,000 calorie binge you could become very constipated and be in a lot of pain so I feel it's best to ease into it and start off small. You can choose to either up your calorie intake or reduce it once you have your binge urges under control. Your body will trust you to supply it with food after a while.  I hope at least 1 person finds this helpful I just figured I would share my experience.