#so i’m not allowed to add salt to my food and i have to do exercise. which is going to be interesting with the aforementioned fucked up knee

[velvet-apricots]

A series of Codexs i wrote about my Rook. Taken from this post.

Note found in Rook’s pocket

A note of poetry with deep creases indicating its been folded and unfolded many times. The lettering is written in a neat, loopy cursive in emerald green ink

Eyes of spring beheld by my eyes of winter

Hair of autumn betwixt my weathered fingers

Lips like berries and all for me to devour

My clever bird, my darling Rook

May your hands forever more hold my heart

For as long as it remains beating

E.V

An entry from Rook’s journal

I dreamed about Weisshaupt the other night. All those Wardens we couldn’t help. Davrin said there were a thousand of them. Now there are only a quarter of that. Solas said it was a victory. I don’t know what to think.

Varric said it helps to say or write out what did go right so-

I got to punch the First Warden in the face

An Archdemon is dead. 

Davrin is alive. 

Ghilan’nain is mortal. 

That's four good things. I am particularly glad that Davrin is alright. 

Solas also said that I may have to sacrifice someone to win. I said that I was ready… But I am not. I refuse to let that happen. No one in my team will die. Call it childish, but I won’t be like him. I am already on the right track, given Davrin somehow got out not dead. No idea why, but Bellara says it probably has to do with Ghilan’nain being out of the fade and back in the real world. Something about the soul and stuff.

I don’t remember. I’m not smart like her.

Rook's Shopping List

A list written in a messy scrawl that drifts downward across the page.

Lucanis, please buy these for me. I have to go somewhere with Bellara. No time to get it myself. I left some money to pay for it.

Lipstick. Cherry red. (For me. Last pot was dropped into blighted water. Davrin said I should throw it away.)

Pistachios. Roasted and salted (for me to snack on)

Chocolate (also for me. I need it)

Honey (to make honey roasted almonds as we have way to many of them now)

Beans (for Emmrich. He can't just eat yams and fruit)

Several sacks of Flour (also for Emmrich. Needed for Seitan)

Jam, preferably cherry or apple (for Harding, wants me to try her ham and jam slams again with “proper jam”. Pray for me.)

Spicy Peppers (For Taash to add to their food)

A message between two companions about Rook

A series of messages written in Davrin and Neve’s handwriting.

Should we be worried about Rook? She keeps talking about Varric like he’s still around. - Davrin

What do you mean by “like he’s still around”? - Neve

I mean she’s saying stuff like “I am going to go talk to Varric” then she goes and talks at his stuff like he's actually there. But he's not. He’s dead. Doesn’t that bother you? - Davrin

I have seen people react to loss in similar ways in my work. They talk to the person they lost like there are there. To help them sort their thoughts. It’s a form of coping with grief. I am sure Emmrich would be able to explain it better than I can. - Neve

And watch him fuss over her like a mother hen at dinner? Not a chance. - Davrin

Letter from Rook to their love interest

Emmrich,

Amatus. That's all I want to call you. It's all I chant in my head (along with your name). I feel like a little girl gushing over a boy who shoved mud in her face (not that you ever would).

I can’t write poetry but I can tell you that I want to call you Amatus. Do you know what that means? It means beloved. That is what you are to me.

When we next meet in private. I want you to leave with my name chanting in your head too. Not Rook. But my real name. I think you will like my name. It’s a flower, and you like flowers. 

- The letter is signed with a lipstick mark.

A letter to Rook from a family member or close friend

A letter lost in the chaos of Elgar’nan’s attack on Minrathous. Stained with blood and blight, sealed with the wax seal of Legatus Charon Mercar

My Sweet Rabbit,

Never apologize. You did what you had to.

I will be waiting for you in Ventus. Do not die. You are not allowed to. Not until I see you again.

Love, 

Papa

A note/letter that Rook never sent

An unsent, unfinished letter. Crumpled up and left near the fireplace.

Dear Hawke,

I hope this letter finds you well. You do not know me, but I knew Varric, and you through him. I am Rook, and I traveled with him to stop Solas. I knew him for only six months, but I considered him a wonderful friend and a great mentor.

I send you this letter to tell you that 

I regret to inform you 

I am grieved to say 

Harding probably already told you that

He meant a lot to me

 I have his belongings still and 

The remainder of the letter carries on the same way until there is no more room to write.

[magical-glimpse]

Hey! Just wanted to ask, what would you do spiritually to protect your peace? I’m dealing with some… hexes/evil eyes/attacks from a shit ton of family members, like my mom, as well as people close to my family and it’s gotten to the point in which I’m barely getting through the day (not trying to trauma dump, and I’m very much aware that you are not a therapist lol).

So buckle up bc this is going to be long lol

I reblogged a post recently about the four different types of protection, you can look it up for further info.

THIS IS PROTECTION 102

THE DAILIES

I mentioned them previously to another anon, but i recommend doing some small rituals daily. This helps for 1. stopping the negative energy from building up and 2. Builds your magical stamina for bigger spells.

What you can do :

-visualizing : visualize yourself surrounding by a white or pink light, and visualize it removing all of the negative energy from you, and protecting you from outside negative energy. You can do it once or multiple times a day, when you are in public, before going to sleep, when you wake up etc.

-daily hygiene: while you are taking a bath or a shower, visualize the water cleansing you and watch as the negative energy goes down the drain. This works especially well if you are washing your hair.

Food and drinks: throw salt over your left shoulder while you cook, stir your tea/ coffee clockwise to add protection into the drink, or anticlockwise to remove negative energy. Drink water with the intention of it cleansing the negative energy.

Clothes : the color black, as well as iron, are both associated with protection. You can wear one or both with intention as an extra layer of protection.

You can add affirmations to any of these in order to strengthen them.

NOW ONTO LEVEL 2

We are now going into more long term rituals and spells.

In order to do these, you will need to learn two skills first: how to direct your focus and energy and how to ground.

Direct your focus and energy: The previous exercises can serve as a training. You can also try to do yoga and focus on your body sensations, do meditation, sit under the sun,watch a candle flame, feel water on your hands etc. The goal is to try to avoid your mind from wandering in the middle of your spell, rendering them less effective.

How to ground: the goal is to get you to be connected to your body and to earth. The exercises from the “direct your focus and energy” category can work as well. You can also sit and visualize your core energy center (it can feel different for everyone) being connected to the Earth. A good thing about grounding is that it allows you to borrow from Earth infinite energy, so you don’t have to use your own for your spells.

In order to know what works best for you, you have to tap into your sensitivity. If you are very affected by the moon, then do a ritual linked to the moon. If you are more seasonal like me, do something yearly or linked to the seasons.If you have deities, do something linked to them or ask them to help you protect you.

I personally have a very layered protection, with a mix of deity help, runes, sigils ( i love sigils), enchanted objects and a few spell bottles or jars.

Let’s go with the different types of protection:

Defensive : These act as a shield or a fence. When you build one, make sure you do it in a way that it keeps you away from energies you don’t want, but let in other things. For example, if you use a good luck spell later, it would be sad if it was stopped by your own defensive spell. You can use affirmations such as “I am protected from energies which are not in my highest good”.

Illusory: you can lead the negative energy towards something that is not actually you. For example, you can make a spell jar containing a hair, and fill it with vinegar and nails, with the intention that negative energy that seeks you ends up stuck in the jar. You can then hide this jar in your bathroom, or in a plant etc.You can also learn to shield your energy in a way that you become invisible to people who seek you (I am such champion at that that i once wasted a paid reading bc the reader did not have the best intentions apparently and could not find me lol).The same way as before, add an an affirmation which make sure it wouldnt block you from receiving good things.

Aggressive: I put it last because usually people don't recommend beginners to start off with these. Basically, aggressive spells can require more energy, and it is with experience that you learn when they are necessary, or when they are going bad and you need to do something. The usual protective aggressive spells are “return to sender” types. But you can also find spells that are meant to scare the attacker into retreating.

CORRESPONDENCES:

Salt is commonly used as protection and purification, so is rosemary.

You can mix salt with ashes and it becomes black salt, which will absorb and transform negative energy.

Black crystals, such as black quartz, obsidian, tourmaline, have protection properties.

The color black and the element of iron have protective properties.

Runes:

The rune Algiz is considered a defensive rune.

Sigils : sigils are symbols that belong in chaos magic. They take effect when they become invisible or are destroyed. I personally prefer to create my own and i'm not willing to share them, but many people created some and shared some around witchblr. You can put a sigil on a paper and burn it, write it on toilet paper then put the paper down the toilet, write it with holy water around your windows and doors, hide it in or under your shoes etc

Ward :a ward is a visible symbol of protection. It can for example be a witch ladder, a dream catcher, a horseshoe, or any symbol you put over your door or around your entrance. My mom has a protective psalm in malagasy above a door which all guests face when they enter, for example.

Spells jars, bottles, powders, candles etc : I can't remember which ones I did off the top of my head, but many. A lot exists online as well. As I said previously, do what draws you in the most.

Electronic spells: Tech witches are a thing. The tech witch tag will probably be more helpful than my small category here, but there are many spells you can do without actually having to gather ingredients, especially if any form of witchcraft will be frowned upon in your household. You can do your spell on Minecraft, use a candle app, use a website etc. This is a great way to stay discrete as well.

WARNING: Every spell has a cost. I don't say this to scare you, but every spell you do has consequences. The first and most common one being energy. You can feel tired, drained, sleepy, have a headache, or have sore muscles after a spell. You should not do a spell if you are not in the right space to do so. It is normal if it is tiring. In order to help, you can borrow energy from other places. For example, ground and borrow energy from the Earth. Ask to borrow energy from the elements or your deities. Borrow it from running water or from sunlight or a candle or your phone (charge your phone if you are doing a spell using your phone). Especially dont forget to “close” the spell after you are done building it. Don't let it run on its own forever, you will be drained. I say this with experience lol, i am the type to forget i got a spell started and let my phone candle run and wonder why i got a headache. After you have done a spell, focus on self care. Hydrate, have a snack, go to sleep, rest. Enjoy feeling safe and protected lol.

Some people are massive energy powerhouses and can handle doing spells from their own energy. I am very not like this, i have little stamina so i instead guide existing energies towards where i want them to go.

I hope it was helpful !

[padawansuggest]

I add truffle butter (homemade by myself with both real truffles and fancy butter) to ramen. I’m gonna fry prosciutto till it’s actually crisp. I refuse to touch sushi cause I hate both rice vinegar and raw fish but if I have to I’ll fry the fish on the stove right in front of you and make the rice into fried rice. Unless it’s eel, that shit is good as is. Caviar is disgusting and I weep for the fish you’ve taken the life of because sturgeon can live as long, or longer than a human and that’s a damn shame what people do for them, one of the oldest fish species who are massive and beautiful and dinosaurs. At least some other fish will always die after they release so I can understand taking from them at the end of their life. Sometimes I just pour beer salt in my mouth cause it’s so good and because of my disabilities it’s actually helpful. I think all wine not made from apples are disgusting and I couldn’t care how old or fancy that bottle is, but if you buy champagne just to pour out the bottle in front of me, you can catch these hands. That is a person’s livelihood right there and you are so disrespectful of them.

You are allowed to have your favorite foods, random food combos that others thing are gross. Food rules don’t have to apply because you are the one who controls your diet. I don’t care if you put ketchup on sushi and anyone who does is a moron who can’t respect others. As long as you respect that food and don’t waste it, it’s okay. You are also allowed to have morals. I can’t stand caviar but the reason I’m so against it is because of sturgeon being killed at like 4 years old when they’re a species that can live as long as a human. I don’t like the fact that buying champagne just to pour the bottle out (the worst disrespect I can think of to a food in general) is an actual common thing in France.

Food doesn’t have to follow rules. It doesn’t have to be seen as insulting to see someone else eat differently than you.

Anyways. Don’t eat the rich, they’re all full of plastic and cancer. Just slaughter them. Go find a truffle pig in the apocalypse and farm with them randomly bringing you truffles all year that you lovingly can in brine to keep them safe, so you guys can add that shit to anything you feel like with your lesbian wife who’s churning butter and slap some truffle and butter on a rainbow trout.

Be kind to what you eat. Don’t waste needlessly.

[huntingteeth]

What do you think about the world - where do you find the most beauty in it? What inspired you to begin writing, and what prompted you to write about Sleep Token? What's your favorite food?

i get really in my head sometimes. sometimes when i go to restaurants, i have meals and i think, “i can make this better,” and i go home and workshop the recipes until i get it the way i pictured it in my head when i was back at the restaurant. i like to take cherry tomatoes and slice them into tiny circles and lay them artfully until the cover the surface of the plate, little pops of color, reds and yellows and deep purples, and julienne basil leaves and scatter them across, and drizzle it with good olive oil and balsamic vinegar and crack a ball of burrata on top, flakey sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. the insides of the burrata mix with the oil and vinegar and makes a light dressing and it’s maybe what i think happiness is supposed to feel like.

i think i write because otherwise what do i do with all the thoughts in my head? i feel like i’m doing three things at all times; when i write, i usually have a video playing on the television, and then there’s the writing, and then there’s all the thinking. sometimes i watch a video on the television and then i watch videos on my phone at the same time because there’s too much thinking. i don’t know if anyone picked up on this, but i’m an incredibly anxious person. i think it’s easier to filter out the worst parts of my personality on the internet, but the anxiety is the worst part. at my worst point, i was convinced my house would burn down if i so much as looked at the oven so i stopped using the oven. i pretended it didn’t exist in my house and it worked for a while.

all of my degrees are in education; it’s great if you want to understand how the world works but it’s bad if you want to understand how the world works. the thing is that everyone has a perspective and not everyone is allowed to share it. it’s a gift to be able to share my perspective, even if it’s sleep token fanfiction on the internet, and i think that when you read what i write you’re able to get a sense of the things that i value: community, prioritization of people, and the intrinsic magic in the parts of life that are not magical.

i guess found sleep token in october or november of last year through tiktok, and then started listening to their music, and then i sought out the fandom. and i guess, as they say, the rest is history.

i take a lot of pictures, because i like the idea of a personal history, of taking a visual record of the marks you left in the world. i like to take pictures of myself in places as if to say, “i’m here, i’m here.” i like to take pictures of my food, both dishes i’ve made and dishes that i’ve ordered. this, too, is a type of history, i think: a documented list of the ways in which i’m allowed to take up space in the world.

a thick slice of tomato. the crunch of toasted bread, slathered in butter. green beans cooked down, simmering on a stove like generations of relatives have done in the past. cornbread and pinto beans and collard greens. yogurt with fruit and granola and a dollop of lemon curd. plump portobello mushrooms fresh off a grill. zucchini with sear marks. chocolate eclairs.

take equal parts butter and flour and make a light roux. add in heavy cream, panic because it curdles at first, but keep whisking it in. it’s going to work out. keep adding cream until you have an amount of sauce that makes your heart full. add it freshly ground black pepper. no, more than that. no, more than that. the béchamel should be flecked heavily with black pepper. there’s as many spots of black pepper as there are thoughts in your head. add in sliced sundried tomatoes, the dry ones. not the ones packed in oil that look like little organs and make your stomach turn. pour in a little bit of starchy pasta water. toss your pasta, an interesting shape, in the sauce. plate it, dust it with just the barest amount of parmesan cheese. you don’t need as much as you think. squeeze a wedge of lemon overtop all of it. flakey salt. take a bite. you don’t need anything else.

[bigtreefest]

Biscoff Cookies and the Effects of Airplanes on Food Taste

Posting this bc I promised @krirebr I would. I hope y’all love your weekly dosage of science I’ve gathered in the tidbit below. I also just wanna say, one of my least favorite words is ‘umami.’ It’s been used increasingly in recent decades to describe a certain savory flavor profile amongst scientists and culinarians alike, and tbh, I just don’t like it. Be that as it may, its use is essential for this mini informative post, but I just want you guys to know the inner turmoil I faced every time I had to use that word. 🙄

Ok, so we’re answering three questions here:

1. Why does stuff on planes taste so bad? 2. Why do they serve Biscoff on planes? 3. What is my opinion on biscoff?

Let’s get it:

1. Why does stuff on planes taste so bad?

Well, does it taste bad, or just different? Airplane food is universally known as the butt of the jokes of bad comedians, whether or not they’re telling the truth. Let’s start with the explanation of what happens to our perceptions of food when we get into the air. The higher you climb in elevation, the lower the air pressure. To explain it simply, it’s because there are less molecules on top of you, pushing down, and therefore less pressure. The same effect is seen in how deeper waters have higher pressure, because the weight of the water molecules above adds up the deeper you go. Although most flights reach above 30,000 ft (~10,000m) in elevation, air plane cabins (where you sit) are pressurized to somewhere around the density of air at ~5,000ft (~1,600m). Even at this change in pressure/elevation, there are many changes the body goes through (I went to science camp for 2 weeks to study some of these effects. Ask me about that some other time.). You breathe faster since oxygen does not reach your lungs as easily from the decreased pressure. Essentially, the molecules are not being shoved as forcefully into your body, so they don’t attach and aren’t sensed as readily. The same thing happens with your senses of smell and taste (which are associated). Most of the taste profiles, including spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, are decreased by the increase in elevation and decrease in air pressure. In contrast, the one flavor profile that is increased is umami/savory. HOWEVER, this can sometimes be difficult to sense if there is a lack of salt (seasoning things with salt makes them taste more like themselves. That’s food science, baby). These considerations go into the preparation of food for planes, where extra spices and salt are added in their preparation so they taste more similar to something you would experience on the ground. A normal meal would lose a lot of flavor, and I’m sure airplane-intended food tastes much better on the ground. But also, at the end of a day, it’s a prepared meal, served in a mobile metal tube, designed to be reheated, so it’s not going to be really phenomenal anyway.

2. Why do they serve Biscoff on planes?

Now, if you ask Kris, she’ll say ‘captive audience’ (and my college roommate agrees), but there could be a few other factors to it. Biscoff has been branded as a staple for several airlines, especially Delta. They come in small packages, which is ideal for serving many passengers while dealing with very little space in the plane refreshment areas. They can be eaten easily out of small packages and easily cleaned up (unless they crumble everywhere, which I have to say, they have a pension for. That’s something I don’t like.). They also have an incredibly long shelf life (likely due to their dryness, along with other ingredients), making them ideal for something on-the-go and to ward off health code violations. And also also, if you think about it, the cookies are highly spiced in cinnamon, allowing their flavor to come through in the higher elevations, which may be pleasant for many. They’ve also been dubbed as the snack equivalent of drinking ginger ale on planes, which is hilariously common. What does surprise me, though, is that to me, they seem like a bit of a luxury snack cookie, so I’m sure they get a great bulk deal from the company with humble family beginnings.

3. What is my opinion on Biscoff?

Yeah, I think they’re pretty good. My first experience eating them was loopy off knee surgery (ask me about that later, too, if you want) and I remember asking for more because I thought they were so good. I’ve been given them a handful of times on planes, but I commonly don’t eat them. They just get shoved in my backpack and never touched because I have to be in the right mood to eat them. I think they’re alright, but they’re far from a first choice. Their grandma-like nature makes me feel like they’re healthier? Yes, the cookies are dry, but they’re not drying to my mouth. Plus I love the spice of the cinnamon. Something about the paste they form in my mouth, too, is nice. Comforting, somewhat. Would enjoy with a glass of tea, but I can see how others wouldn’t like them. Plus, I feel like when they’re put into cookie butter or something, they lose a little character. 5.5/10. But I’ve already spoken about how Ransom doesn’t have the greatest taste. Plus, I’m sure he was eating them because they were what was around. Like I said, grandma food.

I think that’s all I have to say. I will be taking questions. It was nice to research something fun for a change.

References (links bc I know you guys def don’t want APA citation format):

Why does food taste bland on planes? (WONG Tak-kan, 2018)

The reasons airplane food tastes so different than on the ground (Jade Tungul, 2021)

Why does food taste different on planes? (Katie Moskvitch, 2015)

Why Are Biscoff Cookies Such A Popular Inflight Snack? (Matthew Austin Ryan, 2023)

How Biscoff Became the Cookie of the Skies (Lillian Stone, 2022)

How Biscoff Cookies Became the Snack We Crave on Planes (Kaitlin Menza, 2020)

[tuffgreg]

You've had emmrich/merrick navigating kink now try them navigating cooking a meal together (or other home peculiarities they both have that they have to get used to)

a little emmrook cooking early in merrick and emmrich's friendship -- im going to be absolutely insufferable and swap between merrick and rook depending on whether i think merrick has told emmrich his name yet at any given point in time lol

ty for the prompt!! there's a couple more in my inbox and i will fill them in the next day or two ehehe

emmrook -- cooking -- 911 words - gen, developing relationship

“You know, you’re pretty good with a knife.” 

They’re cooking together, or trying. Rook has helped, when his attention can be diverted long enough to chop celery or wash potatoes. Now he’s lurking at Emmrich’s side, attention single-mindedly focused on Emmrich’s hands as he cubes the potatoes in question. 

“You’re meant to be sautéing the vegetables, Rook,” Emmrich says dryly, even as he fights against the urge to preen under the intensity of Rook’s attentions and the charm of his flattery. Rook looks up, eyes heavy-lidded and as distracting as always – deep brown and bright blue, framed by long lashes that add to the deceptive sweetness of his soft face. “Thank you – a rare intersection of our professional experience, I imagine. Stir, please.” 

It wins Emmrich a snort of laughter, and Rook slides behind Emmrich far closer than he needs to as he makes his way to the pot on the stove – fingertips skimming along the linen of his vest, crowding Emmrich’s side as Rook nudges a pile of chopped leeks and vegetables and sprigs of thyme around in the bottom of the pot. “You get to cook a lot?” 

Rook phrases things like that a lot – you get to? Emmrich would like to think he’s overthinking it, but he’s seen Lucanis stare at Rook the same way he feels he must as well. You’re allowed? You can do that? 

Emmrich doesn’t have it in him to follow up. Rook’s quite proud of being a Crow, but there’s a certain line of questioning that makes him skittish, like a bird prepared to take flight the moment the breeze winds through its branches unexpectedly. “Not as often, as a senior mage. There are cooks, at the Necropolis, but I’m still perfectly capable of fending for myself.” 

Rook stirs, still watching as Emmrich cuts up chunks of another potato. “I’m pretty good at picking ingredients out, but the cooking part…” He huffs out a faint laugh. “I think Viago thought it was cheating, if I knew what was in the food in advance.” 

He watches as Emmrich starts scooping up piles of potato into the pot with the rest of it. “Figuring out if someone added something or just fucked up with the potatoes.” 

“Solanine,” is Emmrich’s idle reply, focusing on that instead of the implications of the rest of it. He cubes the last potato and adds it to the pot. “Nasty illness. Do you want to cook more?” He goes to reach for the broth, and glances to Rook instead. “Would you add that please?”

“Would Lucanis let you teach me?” There’s a charming intensity to his expression as Rook pours it in carefully, doing his best not to spill anything. “You know he hates leaving anyone alone in the kitchen.” 

Emmrich considers the pot for a moment before adding a pinch more salt and a bit more pepper, pleased with their progress so far. He wipes his hands on a nearby dish towel then gently reaches out to touch Rook’s wrist when he goes to stir again. “Time to leave it for a bit, my dear Rook. I’m sure between the two of us we could charm Bellara into supervising. Surely that would settle his nerves.”

He sets the dish towel aside, and when Emmrich glances back at him Rook is still looking at his wrist, then looks back up to Emmrich with that same distracting expression – wide eyes, soft lashes. A coy tilt to his mouth that Emmrich tries not to read too much into. “I don’t think you have to work that hard to charm anyone,” Rook breathes, leaning in closer as Emmrich feels his own eyes widen in return.

“Rook,” Emmrich murmurs, taking half a step closer. “If you were curious about dinners at the Necropolis –” 

Rook’s head swivels for him to stare at the door half a moment before it flies open, Lucanis standing in the door frame staring between them with a panic in his expression that Emmrich is not entirely sure is exclusively about who was using his kitchen. 

“Spite smelled potatoes,” Lucanis offers, by way of explanation. He looks between the two of them and then stares at Emmrich for a long moment with an inscrutable expression. 

Emmrich takes a step back from Rook, and tries not to look at Rook’s face again. If he doesn’t, he can pretend Rook is disappointed by the distance, and guard the little flame of hope that his attentions might be something more than friendly. “I make a perfectly good potato-leek stew, Lucanis.” 

Lucanis looks to Rook, and Rook just laughs. “I mean it’s not gonna kill us, that’s all I can tell you.” 

“You would know, I suppose,” Lucanis stares Rook down again for a moment, and then finally seems to relax. “Do not defile my kitchen –” 

Rook chokes at Emmrich’s side, and Emmrich tries to keep his expression neutral. Lucanis just lets out an annoyed noise. “-- with any more potato monstrosities.” 

He stalks past them to the pantry, and Rook glances up at Emmrich with a teasing little grin. “Think that means we could defile it with something else?” 

Emmrich clears his throat and touches Rook’s wrist again, gesturing towards the simmering pot. “Best not to push our luck,” he retorts, trying to keep his tone light and quickly looking away. “Stir, please.” 

He turns away to tidy up where he’d been chopping vegetables, and pretends not to hear the plaintive sigh at his side.

[lethalrexie]

just saying if you can’t l0se we!ght and you’re complaining it’s just because you’re either not disciplined enough or don’t have enough self control. (unless your life circumstances literally don’t allow it) i’m l0sing about 1!b per day (give or take depending on water intake) due to pretty 8 much factors. SORRY I TALK SO MUCH 😦

1. keep your e@ting window as small as possible aka eat to live don’t live to eat (the r3xie motto 🤪). i’m f@sting minimum 16:8 and i try to extend that. but major thing is don’t beat yourself up if you can’t make it 16hrs and be happy the days you can make it longer!! esp if your just starting out.

2. stay low c@l. i’m trying my best to stay under 500 c@l/day. and consume that how it works for you. if five 100 c@l snacks over 8 hrs work best some days that’s ok. if OMAD works best, great! my mom is a dietitian and i promise, eating a little of each food group (dairy, carb ik scary, protein, veg & fruit) will help your metab which in the long run will help you l0se more weight.

3. don’t do long term fasts. i’d say up to a week with liquids is okay. but long term fasts can lower your metabolism, deplete electrolytes, and sodium, which long term is going to bloat you, keep weight on, and overall make you feel like shit (which could lead to hospitalization)

4. don’t eat refined sugar or refined foods. do literally AS MUCH AS YOU CAN to eat sugar free and whole foods. i have a major sweet tooth so i turn to sugar free jello/pudding, sf caramels, halo top ice cream if i REALLY need it. otherwise i do sweet fruit and veggie based substitutions for carbs. i use cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or there’s these great hearts of palm noodles.

5. eat tons of fiber!! i add unflavored benefiber to a lot of my drinks (the flavored ones have added sugar). i honestly could promise you that fiber will help with shedding !bs.

6. drink as much water as you possibly can. yes you can become over-hydrated so add electrolytes or legit just a lil salt to your water here n there. but your body is going to retain water (!bs), and bloat if you are dehydrated.

7. stay distracted! discipline and hunger may hurt now, regret and guilt are going to hurt 50x worse later. get some motivational phrases, tactics, distractions, that work for you and RELY ON THEM. water, i use mio in mine when i’m desperate, gum, diet soda, bubbly water, reading, tv, ANYTHING. i have other reblogs with some good motivational tactics. i also look at th!nspø as well as pics of my own body multiple times per day to keep me on track.

8. exercise if you are mentally & physically able to. i have some other limiting factors which make me unable to go to the gym or get as many steps in as id like. an avg day is 2k-5k steps for me rotting on the couch. i PROMISE like 100% money back guarantee (ik you’re not paying me but istg if there was a r3xie program 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE) your diet is 1,000,000 more important than any exercise you’re going to get in. exercise will help with toning so i try to get some laying ones done on the couch but dude you burn calories just existing. so if you eat lower than that which is 1k-2k (you can look it up it’s your TDEE) you will lose weight. give it time.

essentially there’s many different tactics, routes, strategies whateva to l0sing weïght. do what works best for you and give it time. you will not lose 30!bs overnight. just make sure to take your supplement and stay safe <3 I’m currently taking one called “obvi. BURN” it has collagen in it + a bunch of stuff that’s speeds up metab. idk if it’s actually doing anything for my metab but the collagen is amazing.

***special mention: incorporate foods/drinks that speed up your metab. coffee, green tea, spicy foods (pepper, cayenne pepper), cinnamon, B12 there’s sooo many***

[winter-angst]

Do either of the hydra husbands ever need comfort from the other and if so

1) why?

2) how would they give comfort?

I totally see them needing to comfort each other often considering their profession is risking their lives. And while they’ve accepted that reality and cope decently with it, sometimes it all catches up.

Brock would never openly admit to needing comfort but Jack knows all the signs of his distress. When Brock gets more moody than usual, when he’s tense and jumpy out of the field, or snaps at Jack over things that he usually doesn’t get upset about.

Jack responds to this by encouraging self-care bc that always refreshes Brock. Runs him a bath, adds essential oils and bath salts and lowers the lights, adds some scented candles. Goes to the book store to find something that’s short enough for Brock to consume before the bath water cools and will interest him. Usually it’s self-help novellas bc those are Brock’s favorite. He always on a journey to “better” himself bc he’ll never be satisfied with who he is. Jack will bake him a goodie, something small enough not to stress out Brock’s need to be healthy but decadent enough to really be a treat. And, after the bath, Jack helps him into the robe he stole from a nice hotel room when he was put up undercover on an op and brings him to the living room where The Kardashians and Below Deck episodes are waiting for him and Jack will hold Brock close and card his fingers through his hair while Brock watches and comments on the stars’ decisions.

When Jack needs comfort he’s much less obvious. He gets physically stiff and he answers in slightly shorter ways than usual but never really gets cross with Brock. But Brock knows his body language and is quick to run to Jack’s favorite coffee shop to get him a large earl gray tea because Brock can’t brew a proper cup of tea to save his life. And he finds documentaries that he queues up for when he gets Jack to settle down. When Jack is stressed out he likes to hold Brock, something that Brock loves but pretends to hate bc he claims he doesn’t like to the “princess” treatment (he does) so he curls up against Jack and lets him cradle him close. Brock reminds him how much he loves him and goes against his usual healthy-only mindset to make some good comfort food for Jack. Braised short ribs, chicken pot pie made with thigh meat and heavy cream, chicken fried steak bc it was a staple of Jack’s childhood, and Brock simply allows Jack to love him without his “I’m a man” resistance (and probably some head, too).

As for what would cause the boys distress I can see work being a huge trigger. That and family tensions from having a profession that requires silence. Brock also has meltdowns over things such as unexpected weight gain (an increasing problem as he gets older), the prior trauma of his childhood, and a never-ending midlife crisis despite him truly feeling like he’s doing what he wants to in life, trying to do something meaningful that makes a difference. Jack, on the other hand, I see having a lot of family conflicts. He was close with his family before he enlisted and ended up working for SHIELD and eventually HYDRA, and his parents aren’t afraid to accuse him that he’s forgetting all about them. And, if he has a sister (in my brain, he does), she always guilts him to tell him that she’s taking care of their parents on her own and it’s not fair. Jack always argues that he’s paying the bills but his sister says it’s not money their parents need, it’s seeing their son. And I can also see Jack having some slight guilt about working for HYDRA, wondering what his parents would say if they knew what he was doing.

But, no matter the stressors, he and Brock can comfort each other and make things better, if only temporarily. ❤️

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Another good article from The Cut

MEGHAN MARKLE MAR. 13, 2023

Is Meghan Markle Getting Back Into Blogging?

By Claire Lampen, a staff writer for the Cut 

After six long years, famed blogger Meghan Markle may finally be resurrecting her defunct lifestyle site, the Tig. Markle pulled the plug on her “passion project” in 2017, shortly before becoming engaged to her partner in crimes of corniness, Prince Harry. But now? Now she may be bringing back her beloved Tig: According to the Mirror and the New York Post, Markle has filed with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office to launch a “revamped” version of the site — covering “food, cooking, recipes, travel, relationships, fashion, style, interior design, lifestyle, the arts, culture, design, conscious living, health and wellness” — as soon as next week.

A natural next question for you to ask at this juncture would be: What is a Tig? Debuted in 2014, Markle’s Tig took its name from Tignanello, the wine that finally allowed her to “get” wine and thus became her shorthand for the feeling of suddenly understanding something. Thus her site was devoted to “those Tig moments of discovery,” if that makes sense to you, and also to topics like her dog, cooking, fashion, avocado toast, books and her “badass reading list,” personal revelations, self-love — the list goes on. Here’s her 2015 entry on Valentine’s Day, via Cosmo, to give you a feel for the genre:

This Valentine’s Day, I will be with friends, running amock [sic] through the streets of New York, likely imbibing some cocktail that’s oddly pink, and jumping over icy mounds in my new shoes through the salted snowy streets of the West Village. But those shoes, by the way, were my gift to myself. Because I’ve worked hard, because I’m not going to wait for someone to buy me the things I covet (nor do I want to), and because I want to treat myself as well as I treat those dearest to me. Because I am my own funny Valentine.

Before you get too excited about Tig 2.0, I will simply caution you that its author has renewed her trademark on the site in the past (in 2019, for example) not to revive it, but to prevent frauds from posting under her byline. That said, our funny Galentine is in a different position now, having taken her final curtsy as a working royal three years ago. She and Harry preside over a burgeoning entertainment empire, which includes a podcast and books and Netflix docs and a lot of oversharing. No better way to best the media than by becoming the media, so why not add a blog to the roster? Why not feed us informative posts on how to pack up your royal cottage in one fraught weekend after your husband’s estranged family evicts you via email? Why not give us tips about how to host a children’s birthday party that doubles as a “proxy war” in the ongoing beef with your in-laws? Why not tell us how to deal when your husband tells millions of readers around the world about his frozen penis? Live laugh love, girl! Live laugh love.

Meghan didn't mention Chef Cory, her live-in partner, in this blog post.

"This Valentine’s Day, I will be with friends, running amock [sic] through the streets of New York, likely imbibing some cocktail that’s oddly pink, and jumping over icy mounds in my new shoes through the salted snowy streets of the West Village. But those shoes, by the way, were my gift to myself. Because I’ve worked hard, because I’m not going to wait for someone to buy me the things I covet (nor do I want to), and because I want to treat myself as well as I treat those dearest to me. Because I am my own funny Valentine."

[pun-o-rama]

Note to self SEND THAT CHRISTMAS GIFT ALREADY

Ok now that’s out of the way, ok so I’m just gonna address to those as reading as reader, ofc.

So, reader how you doin. Good? Well I’ve been good, I’m currently sitting in my parents kitchen writing this entry. Which has been a great visit, massive improvement compared from when I moved out about a couple years ago. Lots of great food and LAUNDRY. I am so ready for my bed, clean sheets and the whole nine yards. (My back only allows for me to sleep on the couch at my parents place…) And, I’ve had some BOMB Chinese food this weekend, like really really good. fantastic dumplings, salt and pepper wings to die for, and beef chow fun that I’m still dreaming about.

So for some reason, I seem to annoy my parents with my plush making.

Ok so YES, I made beetle Scarab again, but I looked back at my previous attempt and thought, “you know what, I think I can do better”

its head is actually the same one from the first edition. Just popped the head off and attached it to this one.

And I’m so glad I did, this variation is sooo cute. Better proportions and weight, I loaded this little dude with more poly beads this time.

Made the body using less parts and made it more proportional to the head. And made the feet pattern so they don’t kill my fingers and sanity.

I’m still missing some last details but they’re easy additions. I think that I’ll offer this pattern for like a couple bucks reader if you’re interested.

I made this pattern while I was racing against the clock as my sleeping edible kicked in. Drafted the pattern first, then cut out the pieces, shoved them in a bag, and packed it away to do at my parents place.

Pattern worked great! I am very pleased with how the buggy came out. Probably gonna make like 3 more, but I don’t want to burn myself out and focus on getting the pattern digitized. Then MAYBE I’ll make some to sell, but priorities. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

I’ll make some on my flight over to France this summer! I’ll make more then!

So far I’ve got Cake the cat, Jake the dog, and now Scrabby! I think I’ll make a prismo cube next too, lol.

I’m gonna add those details and then take better photos of Scrabby within this week.

That’s all I really got.

Have a good one ya’ll, stare at a star and have a little treat on me,

best, @pun-pun-pun

PS. NO AI Please, I do not consent to my work being scrubbed or copied for AI learning. Please make your own art, you are essentially creating worthless garbage that is devoid of all meaning and making a mockery of your humanity. Just make art yourself, you’ll have more fun that way.

[callsignspark]

Mar(r)y Me - strawberry shortcake recipe

Mar(r)y Me is the love story of Bradley Bradshaw and Mariella Vertucci, as told through friendship, laughter, and food. As part of writing their story, I’m sharing the recipes for the food featured in each part. Most of these recipes are family recipes that I’ve changed and developed over the years to make them my own. Any recipes that aren’t mine will have the proper credits listed. Let me know if you make these!

The full version of part two will be dropping tonight, June 16th, at 6PM EST! See the part two teaser here!

strawberry shortcake with lemon pound cake prep time: 15 min | bake time: 75 min | makes about 12 servings

the perfect summer dessert, even if you do have to turn on the oven. or skip that step and get store-bought pound cake! the important part is that no matter what, you cover the final product in enough whipped cream that each bite gets its own fair share. (don't forget to squirt some whipped cream directly into your mouth. it's a crucial step of the baking process.) as you'll read in part two, Mary's Aunt Denna came up with the perfect sugar-to-berry ratio for this dessert, credits my own Aunt Denna for this recipe. and a special thanks to my cousin for being a terribly undatable person and her only child, so this recipe was given to me and not you! also if this recipe seems super indulgent and full of butter and sugar, that's because it is. it's pound cake.

ingredients:

1 pound softened butter (4 sticks)

2 cups granulated sugar

8 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

juice and zest of 1 large lemon

1-quart strawberries, rinsed and cubed

1/2 cup white sugar (for the strawberries)

1 can of your favorite whipped cream

instructions

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour your pan(s). I typically use a Bundt pan for this recipe.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter then add 2 cups of sugar. Beat until well mixed.

Add the eggs and mix until combined. It may help to crack the eggs into a separate bowl, whisk them some, and then add them to the batter.

Add the salt, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Then slowly add the flour, and mix to incorporate. Be careful not to overmix your batter.

Pour into the prepared pan(s).

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes* or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean**.

Allow the cake to completely cool on a cooling rack before slicing.

As the cake is baking: combine the diced strawberries and 1/2 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl. Cover and let sit in the fridge for a minimum of two hours***.

To serve: cut a thick slice of pound cake, add a few spoonfuls of strawberries (be sure to add some of the strawberry syrup!), and a swirl of whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Notes *If the pan(s) you are using make the cake thinner/smaller than it would be in a Bundt plan you may need to adjust the baking time. **This means there is no raw batter on the knife. If only baked crumbs come out - it's baked, take it out of the oven. ***The juice from the strawberries and the sugar will create a simple syrup. The longer it sits, the more the strawberries will break down and create the syrup. When serving be sure to mix the berries in the syrup before spooning on onto the cake.

fic tag | main masterlist | credit for dividers here

[koranojd]

LA-2;HAWAII

The second place I went to was Hawaii. This is actually a state that is a part of The United States, not a country like my other two. Hawaii is a combination of nine different islands, leaving Hawaii being the biggest one and allowing that one to be the name of all of them. The other island names are Maui, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and Kaula. To get to the other islands, you would have to take a boat trip. To get to Hawaii you would have to take a plane because it is around 2400 miles from the mainland. But luckily since they are a part of the US, they take US dollars so there is no problem with currency. Although it may be hard to communicate with the native people because they actually have their own language, most people who live there do speak some english. 

This time when I got here, I wanted to drop off all my stuff at my airbnd and so I had to take a quick uber to get there. Mine this time was a little more expensive but it is okay because I just have sooo much money. 🙂 This one is $360 a night, and I will be staying here for another two nights. After all of the fees it comes out to be $1050. The complex is right on the water facing the everlasting ocean tide. This place is definitely more expensive than Panama because I also had to pay for washing my clothes, which is actually okay because I had so much change to get rid of. One thing that both of the places did not have was heating, which totally makes sense because they are so close to the equator so there would be so reason to have that since it probably doesn’t get colder than 50 degrees. 

After I stopped at the beautiful airbnb, I decided to go get some traditional Hawaiian food and what would be better than their national dish; poi, which is actually a Polynesian dish. Poi is basically taro that has either been steamed or baked and then smashed into a pudding consistency. If you don’t know what taro is, it is a root that actually comes from Asia but is also found in different tropical regions. The taste of taro is very unique, many people think of it as a mild-sweet taste. I think taro has a kind of nutty vanilla flavor, which makes a great addition to boba tea or ice cream. To add some protein and taste to poi, some people add either pork or lomi-lomi to the dish, but I personally do not think that would be good because of the salty taste of the meats and the sweet taste of the taro. Lomi-lomi is a very simple mixture, it includes salmon, tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, and then both white and green onions. 

The national flower of Hawaii is the yellow hibiscus. Although it wasn’t always just confined to be the one color, before 1988 any hibiscus flower was seen as the flower for Hawaii. No matter what color hibiscus comes in, both the color and the scent attracts bees and butterflies to help them pollinate. The bright flower grows on all nine of the islands and isn’t just used as decoration.  Hibiscus has a unique flavor to it and it is actually pretty sweet. I use to work at Dunkin’ and we had these hot tea bags that were “Hibiscus Kiss” flavor and it was extremely floral and surprisingly good. The petals can also be dried out and eaten as candy. In fact even when they are not dried they are still completely safe to eat, although I’m not sure if they would be very good. The flower also has many health benefits such as being high in vitamin C and can even help to lower blood pressure.

[thedisneychef]

Do More Recipes Make You A Better Cook?

Cooking is a passion of mine, and I'm always looking for ways to become a better cook. One way I've found that helps me in the kitchen is by using recipes. But do recipes really make us better cooks? In this article, we'll explore how following recipes can lead to improved cooking skills and why it's important to also develop an independent understanding of ingredients and techniques. Let's dive into the world of recipe-following – let’s see if recipes really do make us better cooks! The Benefits Of Following Recipes Cooking is an enjoyable activity that can bring people together and help them explore different flavors. Following a recipe provides the opportunity to master timing, which is essential for getting dishes just right. It allows me to practice measurements, too: understanding how much of each ingredient should be used in order to get the desired effect. I also find it helpful when trying out unfamiliar recipes; having specific instructions makes it easier to experiment with new ingredients or techniques. It’s important to remember, though, that following a recipe doesn’t mean you always have to stick exactly to what’s written down – sometimes making small changes can make all the difference. For example, if something calls for one teaspoon of salt but I think it needs more flavor, I might add another half-teaspoon and see how that works. Recipes are great guidelines for learning about cooking basics and exploring flavors - they aren't meant as rules restricting my creativity in the kitchen! Overall, using recipes has been instrumental in helping me become a better cook. They provide clear directions so I know where I'm starting from, then from there I can begin experimenting and adjusting things according to my own preferences. As long as I stay focused on mastering timing, exploring flavors and being creative in the kitchen, any dish will turn out delicious! Learning Ingredient Knowledge Following recipes is a great way to become a better cook, but mastering flavors and sourcing ingredients can take your cooking skills to the next level. To truly experience culinary success, it's important to understand what goes into each dish you make. This means getting familiar with different types of spices, herbs, oils, and other flavoring agents that give dishes their unique taste and texture. It also means knowing where to source quality ingredients such as organic produce or ethically-raised proteins. These two areas of knowledge go hand in hand when it comes to becoming an expert cook. By understanding flavor combinations and how they work together, you can elevate basic recipes into something special and sophisticated. And by having access to fresh ingredients from local farms or sustainable suppliers, you'll be able to craft meals with superior quality every time. You don't need advanced training in order to learn these concepts – anyone who loves food can master them through experimentation and practice. Start small by trying new ingredient pairings at home or taking trips out of town for specialty items that are hard to find locally. With dedication and enthusiasm, you'll have all the tools necessary to become a creative chef in no time! Developing Technique Mastery I've found that practicing techniques is key to becoming a better cook. It's important to learn from mistakes and use them as a learning opportunity. Consistency is also essential - practice dishes multiple times and know the recipe by heart. I'm always trying to perfect my techniques, and I find that recipes can be a great guide. You don't need to follow recipes to the letter, but they can definitely help you create something delicious. To become a master chef, it's important to practice and learn from your mistakes. Practicing Techniques I'm a firm believer that practice makes perfect. It's the same with cooking - getting to know your ingredients and understanding different techniques is key to becoming an experienced cook. Through tasting, learning food combinations, and mastering both classic and modern recipes, I've been able to develop my own unique style of cooking over the years. Practicing specific tasting techniques such as identifying flavors in foods or pairing dishes together has enabled me to explore new cuisines more easily. Learning how to balance saltiness, sweetness, sourness and bitterness are also essential for creating delicious meals every time! With all these skills under my belt now, I get immense satisfaction from seeing my guests' reaction when I serve up something special each time. Learning From Mistakes I'm a firm believer that practice makes perfect, and this is especially true when it comes to developing cooking techniques. Learning from mistakes has been an integral part of my technique mastery - trying new flavors or experimenting with different techniques can sometimes lead to unexpected results which I've taken as learning experiences. Over the years I've become more confident in creating dishes, having explored various food combinations and mastering both classic and modern recipes. With every dish I try, I’m able to learn something new about how ingredients interact, allowing me to tweak the recipe for maximum flavor! It's always rewarding seeing people enjoy the meals I create using these newfound skills. Developing Consistency Once I had a good handle on the fundamentals of cooking, I started to focus more on developing consistency in my technique mastery. Timing techniques were key - making sure that each step was done just right and not rushed or prolonged would create the desired balance of flavor. Being consistent with measurements also helped ensure similar results every time. Even though it takes some trial-and-error for me to get everything just right, having this level of precision helps me create dishes exactly as intended. With practice and patience, I'm now able to reproduce recipes at will with confidence! Attaining Consistency In Cooking I believe that recipes can definitely make a better cook. Having the right recipe and following it correctly will ensure you make a great dish every time. I find that reading through different recipes for inspiration is also really helpful, as it allows me to create my own unique dishes using ingredients I already have on hand. In addition to having the right recipe, there are some key techniques to being an even better cook. Tasting your food while cooking is an important technique that helps you adjust seasonings so they match your desired flavor intensity. Also, meal planning can help you save time in the kitchen by allowing you to plan out what meals you’ll be making in advance, which makes grocery shopping simpler too! Ultimately, if you want to become a better cook, it’s important to practice regularly and hone in those tasting techniques and meal planning skills over time. With enough practice and good recipes at your disposal, mastering delicious home-cooked meals becomes much easier! Enhancing Creativity In The Kitchen I believe that recipes can be hugely beneficial for cooks of all levels. With a recipe, you have the initial steps and ingredients needed to create meals, allowing even novice chefs to make delicious dishes with ease. When it comes to spicing up your cooking skills, however, having the confidence to deviate from a recipe is what really makes a good cook great. Being able to take an existing recipe and experiment with different flavors or techniques without feeling overwhelmed is where creativity in the kitchen truly shines. This isn't something that comes easily; it requires practice and time spent enjoying food-related experiments before you gain enough experience to feel comfortable taking risks while creating meals. In turn, this will help develop your palate and allow you to measure success by taste instead of following directions on paper. Frequently Asked Questions How Much Time Should I Spend Following A Recipe? The amount of time you spend following a recipe will depend on your experience level. If you’re new to cooking, it might be wise to take the extra time to read through the instructions and tasting ingredients as you go along. That way, you can get familiar with different timing techniques and flavor combinations. On the other hand, if you already have some experience in the kitchen, then spending less time on recipes may work better for you - just remember to pay close attention while cooking so that everything turns out right! Is It Possible To Become A Great Cook Without Following Recipes? Yes, it is possible to become a great cook without following recipes. In fact, many experienced cooks rely more on taste testing and ingredient substitution than they do on recipes. When cooking without a recipe, you'll have the freedom to experiment with different flavors and ingredients until you find something that tastes just right. However, in order to reach your full potential as a cook, experimenting with recipes can be incredibly useful for honing your skills and expanding your knowledge of flavor pairings. Are There Any Risks To Following Recipes? Following recipes can be a great way to learn how to cook, but it's not without its risks. When making any dish from a recipe, it’s important to pay attention to detail and make sure you understand the instructions correctly. Otherwise, your meals may come out tasting off because of incorrect measurements or bad flavor pairings. It’s also easy to make mistakes when preparing ingredients – like forgetting an ingredient entirely or overcooking something – so being extra careful is essential if you want delicious dishes every time! What Type Of Recipes Should I Start With? If you're interested in learning the basics of cooking, starting with recipes is a great way to go! Once you get comfortable reading and understanding them, it's time to start experimenting. You can look for basic kitchen tips that are easy to understand and follow. There are so many different types of recipes out there—from baking and desserts to main dishes like pasta or casseroles—so pick something that interests you and challenge yourself to make it. With practice, patience, and some determination you'll be whipping up delicious meals in no time! How Do I Know When I'm Ready To Start Improvising? When you feel comfortable following recipes accurately and are confident in your cooking skills, it may be time to start experimenting with improvising. There is no one-size-fits-all answer for when this should happen though; it depends on the individual cook's experience level and familiarity with different ingredients. Before jumping into improvisation, practice techniques such as substituting ingredients or altering amounts within a recipe so that you can gain an understanding of how specific foods interact when cooked together. Once you have a good grasp of these basics, it will be easier to start making changes without relying solely on written recipes. Conclusion I believe that recipes are a great starting point for any aspiring cook. They provide structure and guidance to help you learn the basics of cooking, while also giving you an opportunity to experiment with flavors and techniques. As you become more comfortable in the kitchen, following recipes can make it easier to develop your own creative dishes without fear of making mistakes. With practice and patience, anyone can become a better cook by utilizing recipes as a foundation for their culinary journey. Read the full article

[piedpiperart]

Before college I did not season eggs

Now I do, mostly because of my poc roommate who cooks with me every night. I cannot eat eggs (or any bland foods usually cooked with no spices)(cough cough my moms cooking) without spices now.

Have to add salt, pepper, chilli flakes, sometimes paprika, garlic powers, basil, or oregano too.

Didnt even think to add anything before and lemme tell you, it tastes so much better. I was missing out. Now everytime i go back home to my moms bland and gluten free food I have to smuggle in some spices or ketchup so some sort of flavor. I’m not allowed to cook at my moms house anymore bc my family thinks it’s too spicy or that I’m adding mushrooms or spinach to the eggs. I cant even.

I used to not be able to tolerate hot sauce and chilis but now,, oh man. I get to eat all the food my family thinks is too spicy now, but otherwise have to suffer through bland food the rest of the time. Not even garlic! My friend and I make pasta and add like four to six cloves, but my mom put in like one or two. It’s a tragedy.

reblog for sample size etc.

[eazy-group]

Vegan Lemon Rice Soup | Slimming World Friendly Recipe

New Post has been published on https://eazydiet.net/vegan-lemon-rice-soup-slimming-world-friendly-recipe/

Vegan Lemon Rice Soup | Slimming World Friendly Recipe

This beautiful vegan Lemon Rice Soup is one of those comforting soup recipes that’s so surprisingly tasty. It is loaded with speedy vegetables, and keeps you feeling full and satisfied. You can easily make this vegan lemon soup with very simple ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge. 

If you’ve made any of my soup recipes before, you’re probably pretty sick of reading all about how much I’m obsessed with soup. But I literally love the stuff!!! It’s warming, it’s filling, it makes for a light lunch or a hearty evening dinner, it’s perfect for sneaking veggies into kiddos… what is not to love about this awesome delicious liquid?

Why you’ll love this recipe….

Light, tasty and full of flavour

Tangy and sweet

Filling and delicious

Freezes really well

Syn Free when following Slimming World

Only 91 calories per serving!

Full of healthy nutrients

Easy to swap out veggies for whatever you have available 

What are the benefits of making a soup with lemons?

It’s a great way to cut down on salt intake. There are some people that will actually add lemon juice to their recipes and soups over adding salt.

Lemon is an appetite stimulant, so it will make all the other vegetables in this soup even more enjoyable! Perfect for those children who aren’t so keen on veggies.

Lemons contain a high amount of vitamin C, soluble fiber, and plant compounds that give them a number of health benefits. Lemons may aid weight loss and reduce your risk of heart disease, anemia, kidney stones, digestive issues, and cancer.

Looking to take this soup to work?

My dad actually recommended this product after he started his weight loss journey. He is obsessed with homemade soup (and his soup maker may I add..) and he was desperate to take soup to work. His company is tight and wouldn’t fork out for a microwave so he invested in this awesome soup thermos. It will keep food hot for up to 6 hours! Perfect for soup, porridge, curry etc.

Batch Cook – Storage Information

Fridge: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on the hob.

Freezer: Allow to cool before placing in a suitable containers. Keep for up to 6 months. Thaw before reheating. 

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Vegan Lemon Rice Soup

This Vegan Lemon Rice Soup recipe is absolutely delicious and so easy to make! It’s comforting, quick and loaded with nutrients! Who knew a lemon soup could taste so amazing? Well you do now! This recipe has been created with Slimming World followers in mind but it is also suitable for WW followers and anyone following a calorie deficit.Nutritional InformationSlimming World: Zero SynsWeight Watchers : Coming SoonCalories: 91 Per Serving

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

1 Large Onion [Peeled, Diced]

2 Large Carrots [Sliced]

3 Large Celery Stalks [Chopped]

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Black Pepper

1 Medium Courgette [Chopped]

100g White Rice, Long Grain [Uncooked weight]

950ml Vegan friendly vegetable stock

60ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice [Retain a tablespoon of zest]

½ tsp Oregano

Low calorie cooking spray

400ml Water

3 Garlic Cloves [Crushed]

Spritz a pan with low cal cooking spray (such as Frylight) and throw in onion, carrot and celery. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes.

Add garlic, pepper, salt and oregano. Cook for a further 2 minutes. If the mixture is really dry add a splash of water.

Add courgette and rice. Pour over the stock and extra water. Stir well and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil for 1 minute.

Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for approx 25 – 30 minutes or until the rice is light and fluffy and the vegetables are soft.

Remove from the heat and stir in half of the lemon juice. Taste and add additional lemon juice if you require. This is quite an acquired taste. You may find it will need some additional salt too.

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Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram tagging me at @fatgirlskinny__ and the hashtag #fatgirlskinny.

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High Blood Pressure 10 Ways to Lower Your BP

Do you have high blood pressure and are unsure what to do to get it down? Are you hesitant about starting HBP medication to get your blood pressure under control? There are things you can do to get it down, naturally.   Are you looking for an easy way to get it down without the work? Well, there is no such thing as having excellent health without work. Sorry, friend. It’s going to take some action. You must not get overwhelmed by the list and think you must do all these to get your high blood pressure down. Of course, incorporating all these things will help lower your blood pressure, but you can start with one item and build on that over time.   What Causes Hypertension? One of the primary underlying causes of high blood pressure is related to your body, producing too much insulin and leptin in response to a high-carbohydrate and processed food diet. As your insulin and leptin levels rise, it causes your blood pressure to increase. Research published in 1998 in the journal Diabetes reported that nearly two-thirds of the test subjects who were insulin resistant also had high blood pressure, so the link is significant. Dr. Mercola What Can Help Lower Your High Blood Pressure? 1. Potassium If you consume a lot of salt in your daily eating, adding potassium (a mineral) to your daily intake may be beneficial.   Potassium allows your body to process the sodium/salt intake and expel it from your body. In doing so, potassium relaxes your blood vessels’ walls, allowing blood to flow more easily. Thus, contributing to lowering your blood pressure. Potassium also helps with muscle cramps. 2. Calcium/Magnesium These minerals go beyond stronger bones and teeth. Calcium/Magnesium is also beneficial for women regarding PMS/PMDD.  Calcium helps lower your blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels and tightening when needed. Magnesium also assists you by preventing your blood vessels from constricting, causing high blood pressure. Try this Calcium/Magnesium supplement. 3. Garlic  Allicin is found in garlic and is responsible for lowering high blood pressure. You can add garlic to your meals, salads, etc., or you may prefer to take a Garlic supplement like this one.  4. Nitric Oxide Nitric Oxide allows your blood vessels to open and blood to flow more efficiently, lowering your blood pressure. You may have low nitric oxide levels, quickly testing with at-home testing strips.   5. Omega 3 Fish oil omega 3 has helped me in so many ways, including lowering my triglycerides. But, it also helps lower high blood pressure by improving your overall cardiovascular system.  6. Folic Acid This supplement helps open your blood vessels and improve your skin, hair, and nails. Try this Folic Acid.  7. CoQ10 You’ve probably heard about Coq10 for antiaging benefits, but it also helps lower high blood pressure. CoQ10 is an antioxidant that helps your body convert food and produce energy. I use this CoQ10. CoQ10 is thought to improve heart-related conditions, like high blood pressure, by increasing the production of energy in cells, neutralizing free radicals that cause cell harm, and preventing the formation of blood clots. Verywellhealth 8. Lower Salt Intake Increased levels of salt make it harder for your kidneys to eliminate water. Adding this extra strain causes your blood pressure to increase. Limit your salt intake by avoiding processed foods (contain high sodium levels), ready-made meals, soups, sauces, and more. Read the food label and see how much sodium that bottle of ketchup, soup, or pasta sauce contains.  9. Food Changes Changing your regular food or diet (I’m not too fond of the word diet) is essential. In making healthier food changes, you may naturally lower your sodium intake, and increase your potassium, calcium, etc., naturally with food.  You can begin with whole 30, paleo, or keto eating methods. Everyone is different, so your body may respond better to one of these than the other. Try these out and see which is the best option for you.   I’ve found a winning balance with all 3 of these methods of eating healthier. I’m not 100% off cheese (paleo), as I enjoy fat bombs from the keto method. I do avoid grains and make most meals with whole foods at home. Find what works for you. You don’t have to follow each method as die-hard as you think. Sure, it’s easier to make the complete change in the beginning, but with experience and attention to your body’s response, you can adapt to what works best for you.  Still, the main culprits will stay off the list, like sodium, sugar, grains, and fried foods. No matter how you modify your eating habits. These offenders are not beneficial to any healthy lifestyle. Learn more about Grains, the top ingredient Paleo, Keto, and Whole-30 recommend avoiding. 10. Exercise You knew it was coming. You can't improve anything health-related without moving. How are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure. Mayo Clinic If you're not used to going outside and walking around, it's time to start. It's that simple get up and start walking. Exercise doesn't mean creating a full-on gym routine, running miles on end, or doing bodybuilding. You don't have to go from 0 to 100 in one day. Make it easier on yourself by walking. Start by doing what you can and build up from there. Find things you enjoy, like walking outside, yoga, hiking, biking, whatever it is, do it. Be safe if you're going to the gym during COVID. Stay with it and get moving! It'll improve your stress levels too. Use a Blood Pressure Monitor If you’re dealing with high blood pressure, monitor your BP daily. Use a blood pressure machine and log your results daily to track changes. I’ve used this base model and just upgraded to this one.  Tracking your blood pressure daily will also help you improve your blood pressure from your changes in food and supplements.  What Happens If You Do All This, and There Is Still No Change in Your High Blood Pressure? Then it's time to get more serious and drill down. If you’re doing the necessary steps, perhaps you must make more specific modifications to your body.   Did you eliminate or lower your salt/sodium intake? Seriously, did you take the time to calculate how much salt is in each of your meals? You’d be surprised to realize that some of your food and snacks are still high in sodium. Use a tracking app like Lifesum or Shopwell (not an affiliate) to assist you in drilling down on your intake and finding alternatives. Take the extra steps, and you may find some eye-opening answers. Both apps will help you and make it a little easier on you. Lastly, I recommend reading the Paleo Cardiologist for more information. Are You Consistent in Your Healthier Changes? Be honest with yourself. You will only be hurting your health if you’re not totally honest.   Are you consistent with taking your supplements? Are you taking them every day for at least a month before determining they’re not working? And are you eating healthier consistently every meal? Even “bad” or “cheat” meals will increase your blood pressure. Are you monitoring your blood pressure every day and keeping a log? As I mentioned above, you’ll need to take action to lower your blood pressure and begin to feel better. Everything listed here is helpful for your overall health. Eating healthier and avoiding sugar, sodium, and grains will help your overall health. You may lose weight, yay! Or you may start to have more energy, have a clearer mind, and not feel so sluggish and worn down; you may have lower blood pressure! All of these things in your health intertwine. Focusing on lowering your blood pressure is a great place to start and will have a domino effect on the rest of your health. Please don’t fall into the trap/myth that high blood pressure runs in your family, so there’s nothing you can do about it because it’s hereditary. Nope. That is not a good answer.  It’s also a myth. It is so common to hear this, and it's baffling to me because it allows people to have a victim mentality that your health is not your own. It is your own. You may have a family history, but you can also make the necessary changes in your life not to follow the same path. Do everything you can to not be just like your family.  Let's Take a Closer Look Into Your Family You may have the same unhealthy lifestyle or health issues as your family because you also eat and live the same unhealthy lifestyle as a said family member. Which is maybe what caused or led to their high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or what have you. You followed in their path. It’s interesting to see a healthy and active family where the parents are fit and active with kids following the same suit. It’s what the kids know and are taught to be. Likewise, if you see unhealthy parents, the children are usually the same as their parents. It may not be every single case, but more so than not.  Reflect on what you’ve seen in your family. How did you grow up, and what were you taught or shown to be healthy or unhealthy? How have healthy or poor habits been passed on to you? What healthy or unhealthy habits are you passing on to your family? Just something to think about. I, too, was raised with regular, fatty meals, saturated fats, lots of sugar, high sodium foods, etc. My parents now live with healthy eating habits. But only after both suffered a stroke and diabetes. Their lifestyle has since drastically changed after poor dietary eating leading up to that point.  So I’m there with you, friend. I use my parent's health issues as a wake-up call to not follow suit and live my healthiest life by making healthy lifestyle changes. I work on it every day. You’ll need to do the same if you want to be around for a long time. Let's be clear; it is no one's fault; I'm not blaming your parents or family. When you know better, you do better. Use these observations as a way of improving your health. You’ve made all of these changes for months, and still, your blood pressure is high. At this point, if you can say without a doubt you’ve done these things at 100%, then it may be time to look at starting BP medication. As I am not a doctor, please talk with your doctor and see what steps you can take to be healthier. However, I strongly believe that making these changes will help you lower your blood pressure. Personally, after making the change to more Paleo and avoiding foods with high sodium, my BP went back to normal ranges. When I eat at a restaurant, I know my BP will go up due to the amount of sodium used.   It will take about 24-48 hours for my levels to get back to normal. It’s essential to be mindful of how your blood pressure reacts to certain foods or meals. This way, you know what to avoid. It’ll be different for everyone. You can also try an elimination diet to find foods that cause reactions or try an at-home food allergy and intolerance test. I've done both and have found food sensitivities trigger other health issues such as coughing and congestion. Where Do You Begin? First, I would start with modifying your daily meals and sodium intake. This way, you start with an improved diet change and pinpoint what change or supplement is helping you lower your blood pressure. No two people are the same; therefore, no two people will respond the same or need the same supplements or diet changes to see the benefits.  What works for one may not work for you. This is the key to making lasting changes in your life. You’re not like anyone else. You’re unique and need to find what works for you and not someone else.   It brings me joy to share my journey and everything I’ve tried/learned to help you on your journey. And give you some tips, so you know you're not alone. I am releasing a reference guide that you can print and quickly go back to; instead of stopping what you’re doing to try to find that one site you saw that one thing on, click here for the guide.  I wish you peace and guidance on your journey. Take care and be well. Check out the Top Supplements To Take Everyday blog post for more, and Do you live in one of these cities suffering from high cholesterol? UPDATE 4/1/2021 I began tracking my foods and meals to see the correlation between the foods I eat and my BP. I also monitored my weight daily to see if the influx or decrease affected my BP. Of course, the foods I eat play a significant role in my BP, mainly when we would go out to eat. The next day my BP would be higher than my normal reading. So I cut back on going out, best for everyone in the family. It's hard sometimes because I don't want to cook every single day. I get burnt out like everyone else. I stick to meal planning, which keeps my BP within range for the most part. If I feel it creeping back up, I can now associate that with it because we went to dinner. It's all the salt that restaurants use to cook with (I don't use it at home). And if you eat out enough times back to back, you're consuming high sodium amounts, thus increasing your blood pressure. And in doing so, you keep your blood pressure elevated. Thus not giving it a chance to come back down. Read the full article