#still not a huge steak person but I very much loved the texture which was my number 1 priority

[artificial-condition]

I’m home all alone for the weekend (everyone else went on an impromptu weekend trip but I have to work 😭) so I decided to treat myself

Made filet mignon, skillet potatoes, and asparagus. Served with brown bread and butter 🧈

[gethealthy18-blog]

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

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

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

How to Make a Mason Jar Salad Bar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Protein

Nuts/crunchy textures (like cabbage)

Berries or fruit

Lettuce always goes in last!

Shake when ready to eat!

Mason Jar Salad Components

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

Lettuce

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

Here are some of my favorite lettuce mixtures:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Protein

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

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

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

Steak – Grill a steak and cut into strips.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Fixings

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

Fresh berries (great for getting kids to love salads)

Shredded or julienned carrots

Shredded raw beets or sliced cooked beets

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

Cucumber slices

Sliced bell peppers

Sliced mushrooms

Sliced red onion

Cherry tomatoes

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

Fresh sliced fruit like apples

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

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

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

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

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

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

Salad Dressings

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

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

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

5 Delicious Mason Jar Salad Recipe Combinations

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

Southwest Salad

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

Lettuce of choice

Steak or chicken strips

Tomatoes

Red onion

Avocado slices or chunks

Chopped fresh cilantro

Fermented salsa

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

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

Greek Salad

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

Romaine lettuce

Chicken or leftover greek meatballs

Kalamata olives

Cucumber

Tomatoes

Red onions

Feta cheese, crumbled

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

Cobb Salad

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

Romaine lettuce

Crumbled bacon

Hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Grilled chicken strips

Cherry tomatoes

Avocado, thinly sliced or chopped

Blue cheese, crumbled

Chopped chives

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

Market Salad

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

Mixed greens

Protein of choice

Sliced mushrooms

Cucumbers

Shredded beets

Artichoke hearts

Fresh parsley

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

Fruit & Nut Tossed Salad

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

Spring mix

Chicken

Sliced almonds

Dried cherries

Mandarin orange slices

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

Other Salad Ideas:

Healthy Lunches Start With Simplifying

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

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

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

[nuclearmu5hroom]

*cracks knuckles*

Get comfy kittens, we’re gonna be here a while (THANKS GUYS I LOVE YOU)

1. What do they smell like?

Chell smells like hubflower and gun oil.(hubflower smelling an awful lot like Cannabis)

Drake: No matter what he always smells clean.

2. What is their voice like?

Chell’s isn’t very girly to be honest; it has a little bit of a lower end to it (alto at least) which works well when talking to troops or trying to scare Raiders.

Drake’s voice is a high baritone, slightly nasal but flips the tone to his chest when he needs to be more persuasive.

3. What is their biggest motivator?

Chell didn’t really have any motivation at first; she was actually ready and waiting to die for the first 6 months but she just kept going anyway. Eventually she found out her kid was still alive so that pretty much consumed her to the point she amassed an army to burn the Institute to the ground.

Drake’s got a strange motivator really. After the events of his Pre War back story he ends up back home in Boston and works his way into the Institute after finding out about it from Harkness. His goal once he’s there is to take the Directorate himself and bend the surface world to his ideals. Once the Institute blows up, his primary goal is to hunt down and murder Chell for robbing him of his success.

4. Most embarrassing moment?

Chell once experimented with changing the Mentat formula in college (the precursor to Grape Mentats) and accidentally dyed her mouth purple for a week.

Drake’s was the one and only time he tried to express affection and was rejected by the boy in Pre Med.

5. How do they deal with/react to pain?

Chell wont hesitate to slam 3 vials of Med X and bump a line of Buffout to get to the next hospital if she gets hurt. She likes getting into physical fights though and enjoys the adrenaline more than any chem.

Drake….um….he likes it. Too much.

6. What do they like to wear?

Chell wears a few things; green shirt with combat boots, the Disciples wrap with ripped jeans (when she’s out traveling), or the Pack sweater with socks if she’s just at home.

Drake wears the standard SRB Institute uniform while working. Once that becomes too high profile though he opts for a clean labcoat.

7. Which of their relationships have impacted them most positively?

Chell and Hancock are inseparable. They share the same ideals of helping people and liberating people and their relationship is a huge influence on her drive to make the Commonwealth a better place.

Drake has very problematic relationships, nothing that could be considered positive. He is incapable of feeling love or romance but he is exceedingly possessive and co-dependent.  

  8. What’s the weirdest thing they’ve ever eaten?

Chell ate Bloatfly once. She hated it, never again. What the hell is wrong with you people.

Drake once had to eat Cram and nearly hurled cause of the texture.

9. Describe the way that they sleep.

Both have nightmares - Chell dreams about her dead husband guilting her over her lifestyle and choices post war and Drake has nightmares about THAT PLACE (how he got to the year 2260)

10. What is their favorite food/kind of food?

Chell’s favorite food is Razorgrain oatmeal with tarberry

Drake’s is spite Brahmin steak as rare as it can get.

11. What do they feel most insecure about?

Chell feels really insecure about what other people think about her. She often feels the need to please everyone unless they’ve made themselves hostile or stupid to her.

Drake can’t stand to feel like he’s failing in some respect and if he does he tends to get more belligerent and abusive.

12. How do they like to dress?

They both tend to stick with what’s practical, although I think Drake has more of a sense of hygiene so he will be more careful with his clothing and poor traveling conditions. Chell doesn’t give a fuck and will plunk herself head first in Lake Quannapowitt if given half the chance.

13. How do they react to feelings of guilt?

Chell doesn’t cope with guilt. She will binge on chems until she passes out, or get black out drunk instead of actually dealing with it.

Drake never feels guilty about anything. Ever.

14. How do they react to/deal with betrayal?

Chell tends to go quiet and reacts very minimally outwards. Internally though it feels like her brain is on fire. Depending on the type of betrayal, it ranges anywhere from fury to crushing depression.

Drake handles betrayal violently every time, but he will find people who aren’t involved in the issue to take it out on. Not many people survive intact.

15. What is their greatest achievement?

Chell’s greatest achievement would be helping Sturges build that damn Molecular Relay. That boy is a genius; she’s just glad she could help.

Drake’s would be crossing Siberia into the former US and trekking his way halfway across the globe in 10 years.

16. What are they like when they’ve gotten too little sleep?

Chell’s pretty grumpy but she was used to the sleepless nights Prewar when she had Shaun. She functions pretty well considering and can go on about 3 hours of sleep a day if needed.

Drake is such a bitch about it, but likewise doesn’t sleep much. Its hard to tell if hes miserable from that or other things.

17. What are they like when they’re drunk?

Chell loooooves being drunk; life of the party kinda behavior. Prefers Whiskey but will slam a bottle of Bobrov’s if there’s a special occasion

Drake detests being under the influence of anything so he wouldn’t indulge.

  18. What kind of music do they enjoy?

Chell likes Rockabilly, jazz, and swing

Drake prefers Classical

19. Are they right or left handed?

Chell is right, Drake is lefty

20. Fears?

Chell fears being abandoned and left behind

Drake fears failure or being humiliated.

21. Favorite kind of weather?

Chell likes thunderstorms, rain and if she’s in the mood Radstorms are guaranteed to have her rip your clothes off. Hates the heat.

Drake would rather not be outside at all, but if he had to pick it would be overcast and cool.

22. Favorite color?

Chell’s is yellow, Drake’s would be transparent because “what kind of question is that anyway? I don’t care.”

23. Do they collect anything?

Chell likes to collect the little robot model kits and assemble them when she’s really high.

Drake used to collect small animal skulls when he was a kid but he doesn’t have time to waste on collections.

24. Do they prefer either hot or cold weather more?

Both prefer it cooler. Summer just sucks all around.

25. What is their eye color?

Chell has blue eyes; Drake’s is dark brown/almost black

26. What is their race/ethnicity?

Both white. Drake is the whitest, white bread mayo motherfucker ever.

27. Hair color?

Both blonde, although Chell’s is a shade darker

28. Are they happy where they are currently?

Chell is actually pretty well adjusted and content. She’s very much in her element. Drake….not so much.

29. Are they a morning person?

NO.

30. Sunrise or sunset?

Neither one have a preference; Chell appreciates both equally where as Drake doesn’t give a shit about either.

31. Are they more messy or more organized?

Chell’s a mess; her house has paperwork everywhere, empty Jet canisters and beer bottles and dirty clothes on the floor.

Drake has panic attacks if there’s anything too out of place. He will be vocal and obnoxious about it but doesn’t lift a finger to fix it.

32. Pet peeves?

Chell can’t stand smugness despite being cocky herself. She also really dislikes bigoted statements or people who feel superior to others.

I could literally write a master thesis on all of Drake’s pet peeves but I will just include that he cant stand idiocy, kindness, or empathy.

33. Do they own any objects of significant personal importance?

Chell managed to save one baby picture of Shaun so she keeps that close to her, even after the events of the Nuclear Option.

Drake feels that personal objects only weigh a person down and the sentimentality of them is childish and irrelevant.

34. Least favorite food?

Chell - Bloatfly (as answered above)

Drake - Cram or potted meat

35. Least favorite color?

Chell - isn’t real into pink but I guess it would depend on what it is

Drake’s least favorite color is all of them

36. Least favorite smell?

Chell really has a hard time with the smell of death or decay so she is really hesitant to go places where Raiders are holed up.

Drake thinks the whole Commonwealth is just the worst in regards to odor.

37. When was the last time they cried?

Chell cried when she found out that Shaun was the head of the Institute.

Drake cried when ******* ******* **** ***** ****** ****** (you’re never going to know unless you were there.)

38. Were they with anybody the last time they cried?

Chell was alone, Drake was….not….

39. Tell us about one of the times they got injured?

Chell almost died fighting Sinjin; she had been so hopped up on Psycho she didn’t realize she caught a bullet in her hip and she started to bleed out. She flatlined by the time she got back to Goodneighbor and had to be resuscitated.

Drake only has to open his mouth for 3 minutes before the threat of being injured is a very real and present danger. He antagonizes the shit out of his assailant though because he likes getting hurt.

40. Do they have any scars?

Chell was burned by the cryostatis chamber on her right cheek; she also has a sizeable gouge that starts above her left eye and trails down to her lip and chin.

Drake’s a pretty boy with no scars.

41. Do they struggle with any mental health issues?

Chell suffered from PPD after Shaun’s birth and some PTSD from the war when she was in Anchorage. At the moment she has survivors guilt and suffers from addition.

Drake…….Narcissistic Sociopath. *think Ted Bundy*

42. Do they have any bad habits?

Chell’s got every bad habit. She bites her fingers and tears the skin, she drinks and does way too many chems, she forgets to eat, she hates drinking water, she doesn’t sleep, she falls in love too easy.

Drake’s habits are so ingrained into him that if his routine is disrupted he gets irritable. He can’t stand disorder so he will meticulously try to straighten things.

43. Why might someone dislike them?

Chell is cocky and sarcastic with no respect for authority (IM LOOKIN AT YOU MAXSON)

and everyone should hate Drake. That’s not really a question for him haha.

44. Why might someone love them?

Chell wears her heart right on her sleeve and would move heaven and earth to make sure your safe and secure. She loves so deeply and compassionately that its hard not to love her back.

as for Drake go ask Clint cause I have no idea…. he doesn’t deserve any of your love and affection because he will absolutely use that against you to his advantage as soon as he can.

45. Do they believe in ghosts?

Chell absolutely does. She studied the occult when she was a kid and while she doesn’t have a particular religion she believes that there is definitely something beyond the mortal coil.

Drake just rolls his eyes and tells you to stop asking stupid questions

46. Is there anyone they would trust with their lives?

Chell trusts Preston, Hancock, Mac, Deacon, and Nick completely.

Drake literally can’t go anywhere without Clint but at the same time is constantly wondering when Clint is going to kill him.

47. Are they romantically interested in anyone?

Chell: Hancock and Glory

Drake: is incapable of romance (hes aro) but he will fuck any guy he thinks he can manipulate easily.

48. Are they dating/married to anyone?

Chell: Dating Hancock (not sure if she wants to get married again)

Drake….can you call it dating if you’re bound to someone hell bent on murdering you?

49. Do they like surprises?

Chell likes certain kinds of surprises but not major ones (hey I got you flowers! :D \ Hey your kid is the head of the Institute D:)

Drake will hit you if you try to surprise him.

50. When is their birthday?

Chell: February 21st 2045 (32 at time of cryo)

Drake: November 8th 2041

51. How do they usually celebrate their birthday?

Chell makes a big deal out of her birthday and will buy everyone drinks at the Third Rail or at the Dugout for weeks before and after

Drake forgot when his birthday was during the trauma of his backstory

52. Do they have any family?

Chell had a sister who had moved overseas before the bomb fell. She never knew what happened to her but at this point all of her immediate family is dead so she created her own family.

Drake was an only child. No kids.

53. Are they close to their family?

Chell was. She was particularly close to her Oma as a kid.

Drake could’ve cared less. He pretended to be a nice boy but he really felt nothing towards anyone.

54. What is their MBTI type?

I’ll be honest I’m kinda crap at assigning these so I’m gonna skip

55. What is their zodiac sign?

Chell’s Pisces

Drake’s Scorpio

56. What Hogwarts House would they be in?

Meh, not really feeling this question tbh.

57. What D&D alignment are they?

Chell is CG; Drake is NE

58. Do they ever have nightmares? If so, what about?

Answered above already.

59. What are their views on death?

Chell is afraid to die alone. She hates to think about dying and will take steps to end suffering when she can.

Drake can’t WAIT to die. Its all he’s wanted to do since he was a kid.

60. What is something that they’re sure to laugh at?

Chell is easily amused and laughs easily at mostly anything.

Drake only ever looks satisfied when someone else is uncomfortable or in pain

61. When bored, how do they pass time?

Chell plays checkers, draws, or reads comic books or builds models

Drake reads if he can. Old textbooks, history books mostly. He laments the lack of text that survived and misses the Institute archives.

62. Do they enjoy being outside?

Chell does, Drake no

63. Do they have an accent?

Not really

64. Upon seeing a slice of chocolate cake, what is their first reaction?

Chell gets heart eyes motherfucker.

Drake would only eat some if no one was around because he would be that guy who tells everyone he hates cake.

65. If they knew they were going to die, what would they do/say?

f Chell could help it she would want to just spend it at home at Red Rocket. In a perfect post apocalyptic world, dying in bed is a blessing so she’s aiming for that.

Drake would mouth ‘I love you’ to his murderer and die happy.

66. How do they feel about sex?

Chell - yes please. Anytime

Drake - We’re gonna do it and you’re not gonna like it

67. What is their sexuality?

Chell is Bi/Pan

Drake is Gay Aro

68. Do they become squeamish at the sight of blood?

Both went through rigorous biology courses in College and worked in a biochemical research for the US Army. Blood isn’t an issue for either.

69. Is there anything that they find really gross?

Chell hates the giant fucking bugs everywhere like seriously what the fuck?

Drake hates when people try to be affectionate to him.

70. Which TV Trope(s) best describes them?

You assume I watch TV! I cant really think of appropriate answers to this question really.

71. Do they enjoy helping people?

Chell lives for helping people.

Drake serves no one but himself

72. Are they allergic to anything?

No neither one has any allergies

73. Do they have a pet?

Chell has two dogs - Dogmeat and Daisy

Drake should stay away from animals

74. Are they quick to anger? What are they like when they loose their temper?

It takes a lot to get Chell mad but sure fire ways would be being openly bigoted or just unnecessarily cruel. She also hates being taken advantage of so if you pulled a Bobbi No Nose you end up pushing daisies.

Drake is always in some state of discontent; it doesn’t take much to get him to lash out. He talks you in circles first then gaslights you until you doubt what you said. 

75. How patient are they?

Since the bombs fell Chell got a college education in patience and it bent her in a much less rigid direction than she had been Prewar.

Drake is much less patient but can appreciate the need to be if the means justify the ends. Hes only patient when he wants to be.

76. Are they good at cooking?

Chell is very good

Drake could probably cook with a recipe but cant cook beyond boiling an egg without one

77. Favorite insult? Do they insult people often?

Chell only insults BOS to their face if they run their mouth about Ghouls or Synths while she’s around. Otherwise if its a random skirmish she makes kissy faces and calls her opponents endearing terms while she’s clearing them out.

Drake is sassy all the time and cant go more than 5 minutes without telling you he can hear the way you breathe and you should close your mouth. 

78. How do they act when they’re particularly happy?

When she’s genuinely happy shes affectionate af. If you’re traveling she will walk close and bump into you a lot. Shes giggly and bubbly when shes high, she’s highly motivated if she feels loved or happy.

Drake doesn’t really feel ‘happiness’ but he does get satisfaction

79. What do they do when they learn about other people’s fears?

Chell can empathize with a good deal of trauma and fear so she will be as supportive as she can. She tries to encourage them to face it and to overcome.

”I must not fear, fear is the mindkiller…”

Don’t let Drake know what you’re afraid of, please. He will try to find out and he will use it against you.

80. Are they trustworthy?

This is an interesting one for Chell because in the grand scheme of things she is, but due to her chem usage she sometimes avoids or deflects responsibility until it becomes overwhelming to deal with.

Drake should never be trusted. Why would anyone do such a thing?

81. Do they try to hide their emotions? Are they good at it?

Chell has no problem expressing most emotion with the exception of her abandonment issues which she over compensates by trying to make herself indisposable.

Drake has like 3 emotions and he doesn’t really want to waste any of them on you.

82. Do they exercise regularly?

Does sex count as exercise? cause then yes for Chell

Drake has a really high metabolism so he always appears thin but its a softer kind of thin, the kind that has no muscle definition.

83. Are they comfortable with the way they look?

Chell is self conscious about the burn on her face but otherwise she’s alright.

Drake takes great pride in his appearance.

84. What are some physical features that they find attractive on people?

Chell likes eyes. They’re the windows to the soul and all that jazz.

Drake likes teeth. If you have a nice set he might be more willing to talk to you.

85. What kind of personalities do they find attractive?

Chell prefers carefree, non judgmental people who can be both sweet and vicious. She needs someone in her life that can make their own decisions and be their own person but still stick with her through the thick of it.

Drake likes easily manipulated people to surround himself with but if hes confronted with a strong personality he panics because he’s rendered much more defenseless.

86. Do they like sweet foods?

Chell gets munchies. All your sugar bombs are belong to her.

Drake is indifferent really.

87. What is their age?

Biologically Chell is 32; Drake is 36.

88. Are they tall or short or somewhere in between?

Chell is about 5���4″ Drake is 5′7″

89. Do they wear glasses or contacts?

Chell wears glasses and is nearly blind without them, Drake has no vision problems.

90. Do they consider themselves attractive?

Chell does not. She wonders what the hell anyone even sees in her.

Drake knows hes is and it comes through loud and clear whenever he speaks to anyone.

91. What is their sense of humor like?

Chell is a sucker for a good pun and makes them often and in inappropriate situations. She doesn’t shy away from dick and fart jokes. She is 85% sarcasm.

Drake will find people getting humiliated amusing.

92. What mood are they most often in?

Chell might never be always happy, but she’s a positive realist.

Drake hides his psychopathy behind a thin veneer of distain for literally everything after the Institute was destroyed.

93. What kinds of things anger them?

Chell hates when people talk down to her, when they try to suppress peoples natural way of life. She hates the idea of coercion and brainwashing. Torture is right the fuck out.

Drake scorns compassion like the plague. If you’re kind in any way it just means you’re weak and who has time for weakness? His possessiveness of Clint also causes him to get extraordinarily hostile.

94. Outlook on life?

”Shit’s good, man.” - Chell

”Why are you bothering me again?” - Drake

95. What kind of things make them sad/depressed?

Chell’s heart is with her love so losing that would crush her.

Drake has difficulties with feeling sadness but there is a definite emptiness if he finally ever finishes what he set out to do. At this point Drake’s only reason for living is to cause harm to everyone.

96. What is their greatest weakness?

Chell’s would be love.

Drake’s is his ego.

97. What is the greatest strength?

Chell’s would be love :)

Drake’s is his ego.

98. Something that they regret?

Chell carries a world of regret from her former life; regrets for joining the Army, regrets for getting married to Nate, regrets for feeling sorry for herself.

Drake regrets allowing himself to get close to anyone but he is and now he’s in it for the rest of his life (which hopefully wont be too long)

99. Biggest accomplishment?

She managed to keep and maintain a peace with 3 out of the 4 major factions and mostly everyone gets to live.

Drake has yet to accomplish what he needs to do, which is to kill Chell.

100. Create your own!

How about I don’t, but if anyone has any HC for either one of them please let me know I would be so freaking happy to have them interact with your ocs.

[halfblood-fiend]

So I just wanna make a huge, and I mean massive, thank you post for all y’all that came out and supported me during my liveblogging of finishing The Calling over the last couple days. It’s honestly been the best part of being stuck in bed sick and it actually made me want to finish that bound--forgive my language here--piece of crap. (If you wanna see the posts, you can find it all under #Fiend attacks The Calling and spoilers are tagged, just in case.)

For anyone who’s interested in me doing it again, the other two DA books I haven’t read right now are Asunder and The Masked Empire and you can let me know via ask, message, reply, or whatever, which one should be done next (though I think I know which one might win).

If you replied to any of my posts and didn’t get a shitty personal reply I tried to do through mobile, I am literally gonna put them all here, under the cut (and if you have the time, I feel like it’s worth looking through all of them because some people said interesting things and I like to think I can be pretty funny with my responses. lol). Lmao.

Thanks for enjoying this mess of a book with me! When I first started venting my frustrations, I low-key thought I’d be slamming a book everyone loved. Lol. I’m glad I was wrong.

@inuy21 replied to her own reply post:  I’ll have to give Stolen Throne a look to see if will change my mind Loghain. Though I wasn’t really a fan of his in the game nor Maric’s in The Calling. And it’s Empress Celene, right? LOL

Nah, that book is actually called The Masked Empire. It’s the one where allegedly Celene and Michel de Chevin are The Worst™.

Anyways, do at least take a look at Stolen Throne because Loghain is 15/10 in that, honestly. I hated him too until I read that book and now I’m in love.

@thexann replied to Why do I hate David Gaider’s book’s so much?:  The only good thing his books did for me were make me unconditionally love Loghain, but even then, his writing was so difficult to give a damn about I skipped around the ENTIRETY of The Stolen Throne, read all the good Loghain bits, then never picked it up again!

Same! High five for solidarity sisterrr!!

Skipping around, that was smart. That could’ve saved me a lot of Maric moaning and complaining as he destroyed not one, not two, but THREE of his friends’ lives. WHat a swell guy!

@october-rosehip (I hate it when it doesn’t TAG PEOPLE!!) replied to the same post: Dude needs an editor, BAD. He also suffers from… severe need for someone to hide his thesaurus. He’s written about people sitting redolently, smoking *kohl*, and once, three elves were playing HARPSICHORDS in a town center. Outdoors. Also, pacing issues. Dude has great ideas, but he’s not a novelist. Or historian.

He does! I’m surprised he didn’t have one? Isn’t everyone supposed to have one? Or did it not matter because he was riding on the coattails of a successful game of a hopeful franchise?

But yeah, I noticed that too. There’s overly conspicuous complex words, like he actually went into Word processor and tried to find the biggest word he could to replace his plain English ones. Causing no one to understand him. I mean harpsichords?? outside?? Has he ever SEEN a harpsichord??? Gaider wtf man... I look forward to that nonsense.

@cullenstairshenanigans replied to Dusty. Everything is “dusty” with this guy.: I quit after the 20th use of “the man”

Oh yeah. I saw that. He was notorious for that.

Don’t be afraid! Use people’s names! Do you realize how many men there were in this book?? Especially at the beginning?! Use. Names. There’s some free writing advice for ya, Gaider.

@october-rosehip replied to the same post: Oh, I guess someone DID steal his thesaurus.

Lmao. Only when it wasn’t convenient. Not only did he use “dusty” for everything, he also believes that the only noise swords make is a “clatter,” be it a “dull clatter” or a “clear clatter” (literally both phrases he used in the same scene!) Not to mention that he also thinks warriors just drop their swords willy nilly all over the place, as if they aren’t the most important singular possession to a SWORDSMAN.

@oh-thatcal  replied to “She had never spoken of this to anyone.”:  if you wanna rage, just read The Masked Empire… OTL these books are both good and awful at the same time.

I am actually rather beside myself with excitement tbqh.

@bombasticpro replied to  Oh god now Maric is doing it too…: Dat dab

Now I’m not sure if I’m Young and Hip™ enough to understand this correctly, but I’ll go out on a limb and say, “Yeah, I know right??”

Maric and Fiona bled their hearts out to each other for literally no reason. Do real life people actually do this? I don’t go around spilling my deepest secrets. Maybe it’s just that no one has gained enough Approval to unlock my Tragic Backstory™ yet.

@oblivionscribe replied to Maric has been stabbed by several spears...: For all the head trauma Maric received, I’m surprised he lasted long enough to sire sons.

Me too. I seem to recall that this isn’t new either, that Maric was often receiving head trauma in The Stolen Throne too!

What I would like to know is why is no one wearing a fucking helmet???

@thecrazyfereldan replied to I think that I’m starting to see one...: His writing also tends to be rather dry.

TRUE. It’s hard to read. Like, I read his story the way I would eat beef jerky: slowly, in near agony because I like the taste but hate the texture, and with my jaw aching because I had to chew so god damn much. And in the end, it’s for what? A steak tastes better, is easier to eat and is still beef.

(the steak in this metaphor is a DA game btdubbs, lol)

But seriously, it goes right up there with show and don’t tell. Telling only takes me to Snoozeville.

@october-rosehip replied to the same post: Dislocated thumbs continue to dislocate for MONTHS if you keep using your hands. Guess how I know. Also? Putting them back in hurts just as much as putting them out in the first place.

Oh, yikes!! I am so sorry there, friend. But, yeah, I can see that because my jaw still gives me trouble. Not that it redislocates, but it’ll pop sometimes and it HURTS.

So that means that Duncan would have been in WAY more trouble by doing that to himself. Imagine being a rogue who’s thumbs kept dislocating??? Especially when he was trying to pick the locks on their manacles again in the climax?

And when Duncan popped his thumbs back in, all he said about it was that second quote (“He took a moment to get used to the stabbing pain…”). That was it.

Gaider, I can only suspend my disbelief so far, bro.

@oh-thatcal replied to @starlanellfic ‘s post about my liveblogging:  Do all the books!

Dude... I kinda want to...

Although I wouldn’t do Stolen Throne again only because it would probably crumble into me fangirling over Loghain which no one, except maybe @@element-104 , would want to see. lol.

@ma-sulevin  replied to Okay, so, as much as I sorta like Duncan...: My personal favorite part is when the mage asks him about Grey Warden stamina and he’s like “uhh….. YES yes we do have that let me show you”

*snorts* omg YES. It was classic! Predictable, but classic, and I was totally willing to accept that from him. xD

@ma-sulevin replied to WHY DID SHE KISS HIM I AM SO MAD... : It literally made no sense

I’m still mad. I haven’t gotten over it. There was no romance until that happened and even that was forced af. Not one piece of it felt real. At least I can thank the Maker that he didn’t write about Fiona “boobing boobily down the stairs” or any of that other male gaze nonsense.

@thesecondsealwrites replied to Duncan has an obsidian dagger. Smh.:  \o/

Bless you, PonySeal. I feel like you might’ve already figured this was a peeve of mine. Lol.

@queenofeire replied to the same post:  0/10 against any kind of armor Hella sharp for 5-10 cuts then pretty much useless….

^^Yup, basically.

Granted, it ended up being magical? But if that mage didn’t enchant it with an Unbreakable spell, chances are it’s still useless. Fite me.

And @fenriswaifu? You’re welcome. :) Sorry if I ruined your Aesthetic.

@valammar replied to Gaider keeps using the word “almost.”:  I’m still cackling at the last line of this post.

Look, I’m still VERY angry about obsidian knives, okay?? lmao. Volcanic glass IS GLASS, it’s not ALMOST GLASS. It is.

It is.

@amarmeme replied to Well that resolved neatly...:  yea, that book was… not my cup of tea

Mine either. Of the three DA books I have now read, The Caling is my least favorite. And by least favorite, I mean it was awful. Sorry to those who love it.

And that’s all te replies for now. LMao.

[shorilicious]

♡Sweet Valentine’s Q&A♡ (part 1)

Q1. If you were a girl, which member would you give chocolate to?

Kento: Marius! His charm is that he has manly sides on him but that he also has a Virgin Mary-like atmosphere around him too. If I were to give something to Marius, I’m sure I would get something great in return (laughing). He made us pretty cookies that had an unique, foreign flavour before.

Fuma: Myself (laughing)! Is there a choice to not give it to anyone? If not, I want to give it to myself (laughing). I don’t mean to say that I love myself in that way but because I think I’m a good person I don’t have to be concerned about anything. It would be fun to be with me, I guess (laughing).

Shori: Fuma-kun! If I were a girl I wonder... who I would fall in love with~ I guess Fuma-kun. Because he’s manly and popular. Being popular makes him attractive as a person, so I wonder if boys like him as well and not just girls.

Sou: Fuma-kun! Because generally I will eat delicious foods with him (laughing). Fuma-kun always tells us his thoughts properly. That’s why I will put a lot of thought into the chocolate and I want him to properly taste it and give me his thoughts~ It’s Fuma-kun after all♪

Marius: Sou-chan! Because he’s the closest to my age we get along well. He has a friendly, pure side and I think it’s wonderful how he is always shining brightly. If I were a girl I would definitely think „he’s such a cute guy~“ and my heart would beat faster.

Q2. Which chocolate would you like to give them? (related to previous question)

Kento: How about rum alcohol flavoured chocolate? So he can experience the taste of adults a little (laughing). Although he might be surprised because of the taste at first, during these circumstances, I wonder if he will think if I want to get him drunk? But I feel like I will get a happy reply from him.

Fuma: Handmade chocolate. Anything is okay though. It doesn’t have to be fancy, something simple like heart-shaped chocolate is okay. I like plain things that are easy to make. In truth I’m sensitive so I cannot even eat onigiri(t/n: because it’s handmade) but Valentine’s is a special day!

Shori: I wonder if truffles are okay. Since I also like them (laughing). Truffles have two layers. Outside is the hardened chocolate and the inside is soft! I think it would be enjoyable to be able to taste those two textures. It also feels like it’s chocolate for adults.

Sou: Even if I say something simple, I will probably end up not getting one from the store but make it myself. I’ll make many star shaped and heart shaped ones. Even if there are shapes it will still be simple. I feel that Fuma-kun will be pleased about that too!

Marius: I want to try out making chocolate ganache~ I’m good at cooking so I think I can make chocolate ganache. Which essence should I add? I’ll decide that after looking it up on the Internet (laughing)! I will give him delicious chocolate ganache full of love.

Q3. What is your SWEET point?

Kento: If I go somewhere, I will bring you lots of souvenirs at once. For the person I like, I will also buy a lot of stuff (laughing). For that, I always receive your love savings in return.

Fuma: Generally speaking, I will do anything for my girl. If you want to spoil me you can do that, if you say selfish words I will grant your wishes as long as I can. If we interact flexibly, then that is my happiness as well.

Shori: My child-like points! Basically I’ll always play around (laughing). However, that’s not everything, sometimes I also show my strength. Also there are times when I’m sweet. I’m including that point as well!

Sou: Because I’m good at spoiling myself, I will say „Excuse me for interrupting you ♪“ while hugging you and I’ll awaken your maternal instincts. I think I also have some doS-sides too that I will demonstrate at the right time, I definitely have that kind of gap!

Marius: Because I can speak English and German, I can definitely escort you on your travels in a smart way. Of course you can also leave your English homework to me. I will kindly teach you the things that you don’t understand!

Q4. Which kind of group work do you want to challenge with all members of Sexy Zone?

Kento: Draw a picture with everyone I would like to try drawing a huge picture with everyone! Any theme would be okay but if I draw it while following my heart I can create artistic works like Picasso (laughing). I wonder if Marius and Matushima will take the initiative~ For example, I would be in charge of finishing it up with shading.

Fuma: Maybe something like a boat race I have done something like that but since I will do it with everyone together, it will be much more difficult than just watching. If I do it with the members, our bond will deepen and we definitely have to match with each other and consider everyone’s positions!

Shori: Community life at a share-house I would like us to live together for about two weeks. Of course it seems like Matsushima will keep the rooms clean (laughing). I think Kento-kun and Fuma-kun will do things at their own pace.

Sou: Double dutch It’s long ago since we did double dutch. We experienced it for tv but this time I want to try doing it to a complete song. Because Fuma-kun hates losing I think he will be the most enthusiastic~ I’m the type who wants to keep up that competitive spirit (laughing).

Marius: Make full-course dinners I would like us to do a full-course dinner together. Dessert, appetiser and main dish, I want to make everyone responsible for each. I have confidence in myself for the dessert. Because I will probably burn the horse steak if I have to prepare it medium rare.

Q5. Which sweets other than chocolate would you like to try making?

Kento: I can cook but to be honest I’m not really interested in making sweets~ (bitter laugh). But because the wobbly texture of pudding reminds me of carbonara that I’ve been making often recently, maybe I can try that out. I would like to try to make creme brulee which has a crispy upper part as well.

Fuma: That’s so difficult. I love eating but I don’t have any interest in making it myself (bitter laugh). Making sweets is especially difficult, that’s why I’m not interested in making any food. Also I never help anyone cooking and I’m sure that won’t change from now on.

Shori: Bavarois. At first I was wondering, what’s bavarois (laughing)? It’s extremely delicious but it’s not jelly, it’s not cream as well, so what on earth are you? It gives me that kind of feeling. That’s why to find out those things, I want to try making it once.

Sou: I guess muffins. My friends from school have made some before and they were very tasty. Compared to cakes it’s casual and you can eat it easily, also you can put various things inside and have fun while baking. I want to bake various kind of things.

Marius: Matcha sweets. Because I love matcha I want to try making things like cookies and roll cakes. It’s not just about matcha, something with a rich taste like matcha is okay too. It tastes a little bitter so it might suit the tastes of adults.

Keep in mind I am not a native speaker therefore there might be mistakes in my translations. Also I’m not exactly translating word for word. Feel free to correct me in my ask box any time you want, I’d appreciate it! I apologize if someone already translated something before me and I didn’t notice, I hope you don’t mind.

Credit goes to yoshiko_mama @ LJ for the scans, thank you!

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

A College Celiac's Favorite Gluten Free Frozen Meals

New blog post! Sometimes, I love cooking a delicious gluten free meal from scratch. But during especially busy times of the year, having a gluten free frozen meal waiting for me in my kitchen makes life with celiac disease a whole lot easier. And since my life has been extra crazy the past few years due to working two jobs while also being a full-time grad student, I’ve tried my fair share of gluten free frozen meals recently.

So considering that the holidays is certainly one of the busy seasons of the year, I thought I would round up eight of my favorite gluten free frozen meal brands that I often rely on for busy days. And whether you’re looking for the best gluten free frozen pizza, easy gluten free and vegetarian pre-made meals or paleo freezer meals, I have a yummy option for you on this round up!

1. Real Good Foods

We’ll begin with a grain free and gluten free brand that consistently blows my mind: Real Good Foods. I first learned about them through a sponsored partnership opportunity, but can honestly say that I love their food. Their products range from gluten free frozen pizza made with cauliflower to grain free Italian-like entrees to stuffed chicken breasts. All of their products are gluten free and grain free (they do contain dairy, FYI!) and I’ve loved every version that I’ve tried.

My personal favorites are the Pepperoni Grain Free pizza, which are single-serve size, and the Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Most of their products are completely pre-cooked so you can whip them up super fast in the microwave or oven. If you’re looking for delicious gluten free and low carb freezer meal options, Real Good Foods is a tasty brand to start with.

2. Saffron Road

Saffron Road is another gluten free company that was kind enough to reach out to me on Instagram and even surprised me with a few samples during an especially crazzzzy week at grad school. I’m often a bit cautious with trying pre-made curries since I’m a baby when it comes to spice, but even their medium spicy Madras Curry with Chicken Meatballs was mild enough for my taste buds to handle. But there was still tons of flavor.

Besides all of their gluten free frozen foods being certified gluten free, Saffron Road’s entrees also include a few vegan options like (one of my favorites) the Vegetable Biryani and a Vegetable Pad Thai. I haven’t ever tried any of their enchiladas or lamb dishes, but all of the Saffron Roads frozen foods I have eaten have impressed me with how tender the meat tasted (if it was included), how well everything was spiced and the soft, pillowy texture the basmati rice. I also love that these gluten free meals are suuuuper convenient since you can just pop them into the microwave for a few minutes and dig in.

3. Scott and Jon's Shrimp Bowls

I’ve never considered myself a huge shrimp lover but Scott and Jon's Shrimp Bowls have definitely put me on the path to conversion! They do sell some pasta bowls that are not gluten free, so be sure to grab their rice bowls if you’re interested. And note that these gluten free freezer meals are indicated gluten free, but are not certified gluten free if that is a trait you look for in all your meals. However, their gluten free shrimp and rice bowls are very delicious. Again, I was a bit worried that their Shrimp Jambalaya bowl would be too spicy for me, but the fluffy white rice was the perfect mild accompaniment to the spiced shrimp and crunchy bell pepper, celery and onion. I liked their Cilantro Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl even more since it basically tasted like a burrito bowl with a seafood twist.

I’ve seen these meals on sale pretty often at local grocery stores like Hy-Vee and if you are interested in lower-calorie options, these gluten free freezer meals are 300 calories or less each. I think the meals could definitely do with some more shrimp and toppings, as sometimes I ended up with a bowl of rice near the end of eating, but when I’m craving seafood and don’t have time to cook, I greatly appreciate Scott and Jon’s for providing a gluten free option.

4. Path of Life

Whether you’re looking for a full gluten free frozen meal or just easy sides to make cooking a lot quicker, Path of Life’s frozen quinoa mixes are one of my favorite products to keep in my freezer. Path of Life also offers frozen cauliflower rice and roasted cauliflower blends, and all their products are certified gluten free.

My personal favorite are their Southwest Mango Quinoa Blend, which has black beans, fire-roasted corn and cilantro and lime, and their Deep Roots Quinoa Blend with root veggies (yay for sweet potato!) and kale. You can eat these frozen quinoa meals on their own, but I find them even tastier when paired with other odds and ends I already have in my kitchen, like avocado, leftover salmon or hummus, added to a wrap, etc.

5. Beetnik Foods

If you’re looking for certified gluten free freezer meals or paleo frozen meals, Beetnik Foods is one brand that should be on the top of your list. All their foods are also certified USDA organic and they’ve recently added even more meal options to their line-up. Beetnik Foods offers frozen meals ranging from Fire Roasted Pepper Steak with Whipped Potato to Grassfed Beef Meatballs to Sesame Ginger Chicken. My personal favorites include their Lemongrass Chicken (I could smother the thick lemongrass sauce in this meal on basically any savory dish and live happily!) and their Chicken Meatballs in marinara sauce.

Again, these meals are super convenient to make since they come out delicious just from the microwave. I also love that they include more vegetables than most freezer meals and that all the meat is always super moist and tender. All of Beetnik Foods’ meals do contain meat, so they aren’t a good option for everyone. However, if you eat paleo or just want an easy certified gluten free meal, Beetnik Foods is definitely a quality buy.

6. Feel Good Foods

Finally, a gluten free freezer meal that can help satisfy your take out cravings! I again discovered Feel Good Foods via Instagram, and was sold at first bite. All of their products are certified gluten free, non-GMO and they also use antibiotic-free proteins. My favorite part, though, is that Feel Good Foods offer gluten free alternatives that are often in limited supply: in particular, egg rolls, taquitos, potstickers, empanadas and snack bites.

So far, one of my surprise favorites has been their Chicken and Chipotle Taquitos. I wasn’t expecting too much from a stuffed corn tortilla, but the chicken was super tender and flavorful and the tortilla got deliciously crispy in the oven. The taquitos were on the edge of being too spicy for me (I am team mild), but the flavor was worth it and I appreciated that the onions mixed in with the chicken were very subtle. I’ve actually never had an empanada, potsticker or egg roll since my celiac diagnosis, so I’m hoping to try some of those soon!

7. Mikey's 

Whether you're gluten free, grain free or just want a healthy freezer meal to keep for busy days, Mikey's is a brand you need to know about. I'm an ambassador of theirs and was immediately blown away by how all their products are gluten free, grain free, soy free and dairy free. Then I taste tested a bunch of products and soon found myself addicted to Mikey's fluffy, grain free English muffins, soft and chewy cassava tortillas and dairy free pizza pockets that take me back to bagel bites and after-school snacks.

I also love that all of Mikey's products can be defrosted quickly, and Mikey's also offers goodies like paleo muffin tops, a grain-free pizza crust and egg pockets, all made of simple ingredients.

8. Blake’s Chicken Pot Pie 

If you’re craving gluten free comfort food and don’t have the time or energy to make it yourself, you might love my mom’s go-to Walmart treat: Blake’s Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie! This gluten free freezer meal is also milk free, and Blake's offers a cornbread crust version too. Since Blake's regular chicken pot pie is nearly identical to the gluten free version, make sure you look for the gluten free symbol on the front of the box.

As for how it tastes, I actually haven’t given it a try yet. However, my mom is a huge fan of the flaky crust and tender chicken, and appreciates that it’s still light enough to not upset her sensitive stomach. My mom usually bulks it up with some extra rice and chicken, but you can eat it on its own for a lower calorie meal as well.

The Bottom Line of Gluten Free Freezer Meals

When you have celiac disease or a medically restricted diet, it can be hard to find safe, easy and quick meals. I know that in college, I definitely felt jealous about how easy it was for my friends to grab a frozen pizza or ramen cup while my gluten free food typically took more work and time. Luckily, even just since my celiac diagnosis six years ago, there are a lot more delicious gluten free freezer foods out in the world - and whether you’re craving Asian, Italian, Indian or classic comfort food, there is a gluten free freezer meal out there for you. And hopefully this round up gave you some solid places to start your yummy, convenient gluten free eating! Which of these freezer meals sounds yummiest to you? Tell me in the comments!

via Blogger https://ift.tt/36hsFXU

[jakehglover]

A Critical Look at 'The China Study' and Other Diet Plans

By Dr. Mercola

Denise Minger is perhaps most noted for her comprehensive rebuttal of "The China Study" some eight years ago. She's heavily vested in the vegan versus omnivore battle, having cycled through vegetarianism and raw veganism, finally coming full circle to being an omnivore.

Minger took to vegetarianism when she was just 7 years old. "I was eating steak one night at dinner and almost choked on it. I developed some kind of phobia surrounding things with meat textures and went vegetarian overnight," she explains.

Raw Veganism Took a Toll on Health

However, during the 10 years she remained a vegetarian, she began developing food allergies, including wheat and dairy allergies. "By the time I was a teenager, I was really health-conscious," she says. "I had to get into that whole scene just to stay healthy." At age 15, she discovered the raw vegan movement and got on the 80/10/10 diet, promoted by Dr. Douglas Graham. The diet is based on the hypothesis that we should eat what other primates eat, particularly frugivorous chimpanzees and bonobos.

"I was reading about it online at the age of 15 without having any background in human biology, physiology or anthropology … I fell into this trap of logic, that humans are the only animals that cook our food. We're the only animals that eat this species-inappropriate diet, [so] I went raw vegan overnight," she says. "For one year straight, [I ate] nothing but fruits, vegetables and some nuts — all uncooked.

I did great for the first month, as most people do when they stop eating crappy foods. After that, I started losing weight and muscle. My hair was falling out. My energy levels were fluctuating like crazy. I was in high school at the time, taking the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). My brain fog got so bad at one point that when I was taking the SAT, I would read the question and by the time I got to the end I couldn't remember what the first part said …

The kicker for me, because I've always taken great care of my teeth, was at the end of this period of raw veganism I had 16 cavities in my mouth, after a lifetime of what had previously been perfect dental health … It was actually the dental health issue that really turned my mind around … At that point, I had to let go of the vegan philosophy. I had to start questioning things …

That's when I came across things like the Weston A. Price Foundation, which [details] what humans have been eating that has supported health in the past. I learned about the paleo movement — different forms of health-conscious omnivory. That's where I ended up. It was a process."

Debunking 'The China Study'

As mentioned, Minger produced a very comprehensive critique of "The China Study" which is the scientific justification for many vegan positions. Her analysis — which some suspected to be funded by the meat industry — was actually undertaken while recovering from an accident. At the age of 22, she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle and shattered her elbow. Her convalescence afforded her the time to work on this project.

"I got a huge book of the raw 'China Study' data. I love numbers. I have fun with correlations. I have fun looking at patterns. My brain gets happy. I spent about two or three months poring over the data. I needed a project, because I had nothing else to do.

I was poring over the data and that's when I realized I needed to write a critique of the book. So much of what [author T. Colin] Campbell said was not supported by his own data. I just felt like if there's anything I needed to do in life, it was going to be this.

I didn't expect anyone to read it. I had a little blog. I like to say I had six readers, five of which were my mother on different computers. I didn't realize at the time how much interest the critique would gather; how much interest there was in that book itself. I hadn't really seen the rivalry upfront between the vegan and the paleo worlds. When I released this critique, I didn't know it was going to be that influential," she says.

Minger developed quite a bit of notoriety as a result of that critique, especially in the vegan community. She's been vilified by many, including Campbell, who wrote personal rebuttals to her commentary on his work. Some have gone so far as to characterize her as someone who's promoting processed food.

The Case for Lowering Protein Intake

For all its drawbacks, there are benefits to veganism. The biggest one, from my perspective, is that vegans have — compared to those who eat the standard American diet — a significantly lower protein intake. I think there are valuable insights that can be drawn from that, which can be integrated into a low-carb paleo approach. Minger agrees, saying:

"For the protein issue, what I find interesting is that whenever we look at the actual China Study, for example, when you look at their food intake, it's much different in terms of the types of animal parts they consume than what we see in America.

The protein issue is complicated, but I will say that high methionine intake — for example from muscle meat — [needs to be balanced with] glycine. You get that by eating the entire animal, the skin, tendons, connective tissue — all the stuff that Americans typically discard …

In the China Study, you don't see them eating steaks and chicken breasts at every meal. Even the lower animal product-consuming societies, a lot of them eat insects. A lot of them eat the weird parts of the animal. I think that's imperative for staying healthy on an omnivorous diet. Because the way we eat meat in America is pathogenic. It's not healthy. But it's not necessarily because animal products are bad for you …

What was amusing to me, because it was completely left out of 'The China Study' book, was that the healthiest populations were the seafood eaters … They had the best health outcomes. The only disease that they had more of was liver cancer. That was because they were living in humid areas where aflatoxin was more prevalent … But it wasn't because of the animal protein. It wasn't because of the fish."

This makes sense considering the importance of long-chained omega-3 fats: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Those who restrict themselves to a plant-based diet are only getting alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which, while being a precursor for EPA and DHA cannot be converted at significant, therapeutic levels.

Protein Cycling

Clearly, the composition of the animal protein is a significant issue. We don't want processed foods. We don't want meat from factory farms that is contaminated with glyphosate (due to contaminated grain feed). But there's also the issue of the amount. Many are simply eating far too much protein, which (when consumed in excess) activates mTOR, a pathway involved in both aging and cancer. Pulsing higher and lower amounts of protein also seems a wise strategy.

"When we look at historical groups of humans, the animal food intake was generally on the lean side. We don't have year-round access to these big fatty animals … It's going to be seasonal when it occurs at all," Minger says. "I'm reminded of a study on Australian aborigines. They put people out in the wild to try to acquire foods from their environment and survive on that …

Their fat intake ended up being something like 8 to 12 percent, because the animals were so lean and the lean protein intake was consequently much higher. I have trouble believing that animal protein itself is going to be a problem. I think what might be a problem is this consistency thing — the idea that eating the same foods year-round, without any fluctuation in the composition of the diet, is healthy. I don't think that's the case …

I think things like protein cycling might be therapeutic for humans. I think that even carb cycling and going through different periods of different macronutrient intakes instead of always being low-fat or always being low-carb [is a good idea]. That's probably what the human body is best adapted to."

Macronutrient Cycling — An Overlooked Component of Optimal Health

In deconstructing and assessing the low-carb, high-fat approach, Minger concluded the lack of high and low nutrient cycling was one of the main problems, especially long-term, and particularly for women. "I do one-on-one consulting with people," she says.

"A large group that I have come in contact with are women who've done low-carb. Their thyroid function is tanking. They're gaining weight. They feel terrible. Their hair is falling out. It happens with men too sometimes, but I think women, hormonally, are more sensitive to the lack of carbohydrates."

She's also found evidence suggesting chronic lack of carbohydrates may be having an adverse effect on your gut microbiome. In his commentary, "Sorry Low Carbers, Your Microbiome Is Just Not That Into You,"1 Jeff Leach with the Human Food Project details the likely shifts found in the gut microbiome composition of people who consume low-carbohydrate diets. Whether or not those shifts are wholly detrimental or not is still unknown, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Minger is equally ambivalent about long-term, chronic high-fat consumption, as some of the evidence suggests it may increase gut permeability and the transport of endotoxin from gram-negative bacteria into the bloodstream, which increases chronic inflammation and related health problems.

"On one hand, we see people switching away from the standard American diet to low-carb. Yeah, they're going to feel great. Yeah, they're going to lose weight. There's going to be this initial honeymoon period, just like I had with raw veganism. My question is what happens over the course of many years on a large scale … I'm wondering what the bulk of the evidence is going to show. I don't know if we really know that yet."

From my perspective, I think there are compelling reasons to suspect one might run into problems, for many of the reasons Minger cites. It appears nutrient cycling (i.e., cycling between higher and lower amounts of fat, net carbs and protein), and also cycling between high and low calorie intakes (fasting and feasting), are foundational criteria for optimal biological functioning.

The challenge is to find that happy balance. When writing "Fat for Fuel: A Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power, and Increase Your Energy," I dove deep into the scientific literature looking at this aspect of health.

Cyclical Ketogenic Diet Is Ideally Combined With Cyclical Fasting

First of all, the late Dr. Joseph Kraft showed that using sensitive oral glucose loading and testing insulin levels that insulin resistance is pervasive. Based on a more refined definition of insulin resistance, at least 80 percent of the population have diabetes in situ,2,3 which means they're insulin resistant even though their fasting glucose is normal.

This is where low-carb can be really useful, yet it alone will still not be enough for many. A lot of people need to get even more aggressive and do fasting. Once you've done that for a while and resolve the insulin resistance, you need to cycle net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) back in.

"Low-carbohydrate eating … is a great tool to lose weight, and lose fat around the organs. You start improving insulin sensitivity because of that weight loss, and because of the reduction in the energy surplus that many people are constantly surrounded with. But I use the analogy of a [broken] refrigerator.

Your refrigerator breaks. You can do one of two things. You can say, 'OK, I'm never going to buy any perishable food again. Everything I'm going to buy is going to be dry goods as long as the freezer or the refrigerator is broken.' Or, you can fix the refrigerator.

Low-carbohydrate diets are like saying, 'Let's not use our refrigerator anymore.' Let's not use our carbohydrate metabolism pathways anymore. Let's just avoid those. It's not actually fixing the issue. As anyone who knows who's been low-carb, you go low-carb for a while, and then you reintroduce carbohydrates and, whoa, it's terrible.

Your blood sugar goes crazy. You feel awful. It's like, 'Wow. The carbohydrates are terrible.' No. It's because your body is no longer working to metabolize them efficiently."

The converse can also occur. If you suppress insulin for too long, your blood sugar will tend to rise from hepatic gluconeogenesis. If you reintroduce carbohydrates at that point, it will raise insulin and lower your blood sugar. You can also eat too much fat; since fat is high in calories, the excess calories alone can lead to weight gain. As mentioned above, protein intake also needs to be regulated to avoid mTOR activation.

Traditional paleo is frequently high-protein, high-fat, similar to the Atkins approach. But you're not going to get all the benefits unless you restrict protein. As a general rule, I recommend limiting protein to half a gram per pound of lean body weight, to ensure you're getting the protein you need for muscle maintenance and repair. The answer is not to cut protein out altogether. You do need some, just not the enormous amounts most Americans are used to eating.

Focus on Nutrient Density

When asked what the best animal food composition might be, Minger stresses the importance of nutrient density over any specific dosage recommendations, as the ideal amount will depend on the type of meat you're eating. "For my own diet, I focus on organ meats and shellfish," she says. "Those are the primary foods I eat that are of animal origin. Oysters are my favorite. Nutritionally, if you look at liver and oysters, oysters are kind of like the liver of the ocean."

People who shun animal foods due to ethical concerns about eating something that is highly sentient can also take heart in the fact that oysters lack the central nervous system "that would make them equivalent to a cow." "There's a bivalve vegan movement, where people are vegan with the inclusion of certain shellfish. I think that can go a long way for people to balance out a vegan diet," she says.

As for cooking, Minger recommends using gentle methods to avoid the creation of carcinogens associated with high-temperature cooking. These byproducts "seem to be driving the correlation between meat consumption and different cancers that we see in observational studies," she says.

"Whenever you look at a study that actually controls for the cooking method, typically once you take away the high-heat kind of strategies for cooking your meat, the correlations with various diseases start to diminish, if not disappear completely." Byproducts created during grilling and frying include heterocyclic amines and polyaromatic hydrocarbons that form carcinogens. So, don't overcook your meat, and balance muscle meat (steaks) with organ meat and other animal parts.

How Minger's Diet Has Changed Over the Years

When asked how her diet has changed over the past seven years, and what insights changed her approach to eating the most, Minger replies:

"I started out really fruit-based from my raw vegan history. I would eat a ton of fruit in the morning; smoothies … In learning more about the gut microbiome, learning about digestive-resistant starch; different forms of fiber and their effect on the body, I've been incorporating more legumes, lentils and potatoes that have been heated and cooled [to increase] the resistant starch content. I think that has helped a lot.

I've also flipped my diet in terms of staggering macronutrients throughout the day. I used to start with a lot of carbohydrate and not much else (in the form of fruit). Now, I usually start with a lot of protein and vegetables, and have my high-carb meals at the end of the day. I find that helps with sleep, energy levels [and] focus."

It's worth noting that legumes may not be ideal for everyone, especially if you have autoimmune issues. I've previously interviewed Dr. Steven Gundry, author of "The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in 'Healthy' Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain," on this issue, and I believe his theories are solid.

Minger, who does a lot of work with autoimmunity, agrees lectins can be problematic if you are susceptible to autoimmune problems, whether caused by genetics, lifestyle, antibiotic use or gut microbiome issues. "At that point, the lectin problem can be real," she says.

"There can be a legitimate reason to avoid foods that are high in certain lectins, especially the ones that are individually triggering autoimmune responses. But for people with a healthy gut microbiome, I don't see that being necessarily bad, because if you look at human history … the lectin content of wild foods is generally pretty high.

There's going to be a long adaptation period for us to learn how to coexist with those lectins in our diet. I think [the larger issue] is that the modern environment is creating a really unhealthy microbiome that's making it so some people cannot handle what should be a natural lectin load. That's my takeaway right now, subject to revision."

Critiquing the Blood Type Diet

In preparing for this interview, I watched some of Minger's latest material on YouTube. One of her most recent videos was a Weston A. Price Foundation presentation in which she critiqued Dr. Peter D'Adamo's blood type diet, detailed in his book, "Eat Right 4 Your Type."

I tried this diet back in the '90s and had to quit because it made me diabetic. My personal take on it is that while his recommendations for blood type O, which is about half the population, is consistent with what I believe is a healthy diet, it doesn't seem to work well for the other blood types. According to Minger:

"The fundamental issue with everything he's saying is that it's all wrong. The premise of his diet — that foods have different lectins [that] interact with what's expressed on our blood cells to cause issues within the blood, which then causes inflammation and disease — there's absolutely no mechanistic evidence showing that we can obtain high enough levels of lectins from certain foods, and that those foods will specifically interact with our specific blood type to create these problems.

That evidence just isn't there … [He may have had] a lab, but there are problems with the research actually being published. It certainly hasn't been replicated by other researchers. It's more of a, 'This is what I found. You have to take my word for it, because I wrote a book and I have a [medical] degree.' There's a certain, 'Just trust me. I'm a scientist,' behind that. If there's anything I don't like, it's that …

What fascinated me … [was that] our ABO blood group can actually influence the composition of our gut microbiome for people who are secretors — people who secrete their blood type antigens on the surface of mucous cells throughout the body, the saliva and the gut, the gut in particular.

Let's say you're a blood type A and you're secreting the A antigen on different cells within the gut. There are going to be certain bacteria that use that antigen as a food source and as an attachment site. Those specific bacteria are going to be more attracted to your microbiome. They're going to set up camp there, in a way that they might not be doing to somebody who's a blood type O. You're actually going to start shifting the proportion of different bacteria because of your blood type.

Tied into this is the idea of being a secretor versus a non-secretor. Most people are secretors. They will express their blood type antigens on the surface of different cells throughout the body. About 20 percent of the population are non-secretors.

For this group, regardless of what their actual blood type is, they have a much higher risk of a lot of digestive diseases, a lot of different health conditions in general, related to the fact that their microbiome is fundamentally different. It's providing a lack of attachment sites for different bacteria. So, there is an influence of blood type on different things going on in the body. It's just not through D'Adamo's theory."

Awesome Omnivore

After taking a professional hiatus, Minger is now working on a few new projects, including an e-book called "Awesome Omnivore." The book is a how-to guide for eating animal products in a way that minimizes potential risks and maximizes nutrition, including guidance on balancing methionine and glycine, differences in A1 versus A2 dairy, how to prepare meat to reduce carcinogen exposure, how to modify your animal food consumption based on genetics, and how to combine meat with other foods to reduce the absorption of heme iron to lower your risk of intestinal cancer and other health problems related to excessive iron.

High iron increases oxidative stress and can cause serious mitochondrial dysfunction. I have a genetic condition called thalassemia, which predisposes me to high iron levels. I have to be really vigilant about keeping my iron level low for these reasons.

As explained by Minger, because the molecular structure of heme is so similar to chlorophyll, if you eat lots of green leafy vegetables with your steak, the chlorophyll will inhibit absorption of some of the iron. "That alone is going to make that meal probably, on the whole, healthier for you," she says.

"There's this kind of dichotomy — you have the vegetable eaters and the meat eaters. The meat eaters are not usually eating enough vegetables to offset the heme issue. But if you look at studies that actually adjust for that one variable, the link with meat's problems tends to disappear.

It's, again, veggies to the rescue. But it doesn't mean that you can't eat meat too. Anyway, the book is going to be a collection of things people can do to ensure that the meat they're consuming, the eggs and the dairy products (if they're doing that), are as healthy as possible."

Plant-Based Paleo

Minger is also working on a book about plant-based paleo, designed for people who are committed to avoiding animal products, for whatever reason. The aim of this book is to provide strategies to help you stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible within the limitations of a plant-based diet.

"There are vegans who have survived a long time on their diet. It's not impossible. The human body is incredibly adaptable. But we need to understand what's working for those people.

We need to understand that there are a lot of genetic components that go into being able to convert plant-based nutrients into their active forms. Take beta-carotene, for example. People who have really good conversion of beta-carotene into retinol, they're probably not going to run into reproductive issues, teeth issues, skin issues or eye issues, like I did.

But for about 45 percent of the population, there are mutations with the BCMO1 gene that prevent that conversion from being efficient. If you have two very common polymorphisms, your conversion rate is going to drop by almost 70 percent.

Another less common mutation will tank your conversion by 90 percent. If you're a vegan, you're not eating any preformed vitamin A, and if you have some of those mutations, you're going to have problems pretty quickly. How do we work with people's genetics? How do we work with their dietary limitations?

Supplements would be good. I'd love for people to take cod liver oil if they can get over that one issue. But you need to be really aware of your specific conditions … I have those BCMO1 mutations. My vitamin A conversion is terrible. That's part of the reason that eating liver was a huge boon for my diet. It's my first concentrated source of vitamin A that I had in a decade, more than a decade."

Lifelong Learning Is Key to Staying Ahead

As nutritional science keeps moving forward, we're bound to learn new things about what we currently think of as factual. For example, Minger touches on evidence suggesting really low-fat intake may actually improve carbohydrate metabolism.

"We have the Randle cycle. There's competition between free fatty acids and glucose in the bloodstream for use as fuel. I think we have enough evidence to say pretty clearly that when you combine fat and carbohydrate within the same meal, if you're a healthy person — you're going to see a reduced blood-glucose response, but you're going to see the same amount of insulin secretion.

Fat doesn't decrease the insulin needs of your body when you're eating carbohydrate. It kind of amplifies it. There have been studies where they'll take a potato, feed it to a diabetic, then repeat the study with butter added … The more butter added to the potato, the more insulin the diabetic needs to use to deal with that meal. There's an interactive effect, even within the span of one meal, between fat and carbohydrate …

I don't believe in staying at one [end of the spectrum, i.e., high-carb or high-fat] forever. Obviously, you need fat-soluble nutrients. You're going to need some fatty foods that are highly nutritious too. At the same time, you're going to need to cycle in more carbohydrate to deal with the long-term consequences of ketogenic diets …

"I believe there's a way to integrate everything. What it comes back to is all the warring diet communities need to let go of the ego and communicate with each other. Stop saying, 'We own the truth.' Start listening to the other side and be curious about why things are working for them.

For me, that's the way I've learned best — by challenging what I believe. Because if what I believe can be dismantled, then it's not a good belief to hold. You need to constantly revise your theory about the world, about nutrition, about everything. It needs to be in a state of flux."

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/07/08/the-china-study-and-other-nutrition-plans.aspx

[sherristockman]

A Critical Look at 'The China Study' and Other Diet Plans Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Denise Minger is perhaps most noted for her comprehensive rebuttal of "The China Study" some eight years ago. She's heavily vested in the vegan versus omnivore battle, having cycled through vegetarianism and raw veganism, finally coming full circle to being an omnivore. Minger took to vegetarianism when she was just 7 years old. "I was eating steak one night at dinner and almost choked on it. I developed some kind of phobia surrounding things with meat textures and went vegetarian overnight," she explains. Raw Veganism Took a Toll on Health However, during the 10 years she remained a vegetarian, she began developing food allergies, including wheat and dairy allergies. "By the time I was a teenager, I was really health-conscious," she says. "I had to get into that whole scene just to stay healthy." At age 15, she discovered the raw vegan movement and got on the 80/10/10 diet, promoted by Dr. Douglas Graham. The diet is based on the hypothesis that we should eat what other primates eat, particularly frugivorous chimpanzees and bonobos. "I was reading about it online at the age of 15 without having any background in human biology, physiology or anthropology … I fell into this trap of logic, that humans are the only animals that cook our food. We're the only animals that eat this species-inappropriate diet, [so] I went raw vegan overnight," she says. "For one year straight, [I ate] nothing but fruits, vegetables and some nuts — all uncooked. I did great for the first month, as most people do when they stop eating crappy foods. After that, I started losing weight and muscle. My hair was falling out. My energy levels were fluctuating like crazy. I was in high school at the time, taking the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). My brain fog got so bad at one point that when I was taking the SAT, I would read the question and by the time I got to the end I couldn't remember what the first part said … The kicker for me, because I've always taken great care of my teeth, was at the end of this period of raw veganism I had 16 cavities in my mouth, after a lifetime of what had previously been perfect dental health … It was actually the dental health issue that really turned my mind around … At that point, I had to let go of the vegan philosophy. I had to start questioning things … That's when I came across things like the Weston A. Price Foundation, which [details] what humans have been eating that has supported health in the past. I learned about the paleo movement — different forms of health-conscious omnivory. That's where I ended up. It was a process." Debunking 'The China Study' As mentioned, Minger produced a very comprehensive critique of "The China Study" which is the scientific justification for many vegan positions. Her analysis — which some suspected to be funded by the meat industry — was actually undertaken while recovering from an accident. At the age of 22, she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle and shattered her elbow. Her convalescence afforded her the time to work on this project. "I got a huge book of the raw 'China Study' data. I love numbers. I have fun with correlations. I have fun looking at patterns. My brain gets happy. I spent about two or three months poring over the data. I needed a project, because I had nothing else to do. I was poring over the data and that's when I realized I needed to write a critique of the book. So much of what [author T. Colin] Campbell said was not supported by his own data. I just felt like if there's anything I needed to do in life, it was going to be this. I didn't expect anyone to read it. I had a little blog. I like to say I had six readers, five of which were my mother on different computers. I didn't realize at the time how much interest the critique would gather; how much interest there was in that book itself. I hadn't really seen the rivalry upfront between the vegan and the paleo worlds. When I released this critique, I didn't know it was going to be that influential," she says. Minger developed quite a bit of notoriety as a result of that critique, especially in the vegan community. She's been vilified by many, including Campbell, who wrote personal rebuttals to her commentary on his work. Some have gone so far as to characterize her as someone who's promoting processed food. The Case for Lowering Protein Intake For all its drawbacks, there are benefits to veganism. The biggest one, from my perspective, is that vegans have — compared to those who eat the standard American diet — a significantly lower protein intake. I think there are valuable insights that can be drawn from that, which can be integrated into a low-carb paleo approach. Minger agrees, saying: "For the protein issue, what I find interesting is that whenever we look at the actual China Study, for example, when you look at their food intake, it's much different in terms of the types of animal parts they consume than what we see in America. The protein issue is complicated, but I will say that high methionine intake — for example from muscle meat — [needs to be balanced with] glycine. You get that by eating the entire animal, the skin, tendons, connective tissue — all the stuff that Americans typically discard … In the China Study, you don't see them eating steaks and chicken breasts at every meal. Even the lower animal product-consuming societies, a lot of them eat insects. A lot of them eat the weird parts of the animal. I think that's imperative for staying healthy on an omnivorous diet. Because the way we eat meat in America is pathogenic. It's not healthy. But it's not necessarily because animal products are bad for you … What was amusing to me, because it was completely left out of 'The China Study' book, was that the healthiest populations were the seafood eaters … They had the best health outcomes. The only disease that they had more of was liver cancer. That was because they were living in humid areas where aflatoxin was more prevalent … But it wasn't because of the animal protein. It wasn't because of the fish." This makes sense considering the importance of long-chained omega-3 fats: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Those who restrict themselves to a plant-based diet are only getting alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which, while being a precursor for EPA and DHA cannot be converted at significant, therapeutic levels. Protein Cycling Clearly, the composition of the animal protein is a significant issue. We don't want processed foods. We don't want meat from factory farms that is contaminated with glyphosate (due to contaminated grain feed). But there's also the issue of the amount. Many are simply eating far too much protein, which (when consumed in excess) activates mTOR, a pathway involved in both aging and cancer. Pulsing higher and lower amounts of protein also seems a wise strategy. "When we look at historical groups of humans, the animal food intake was generally on the lean side. We don't have year-round access to these big fatty animals … It's going to be seasonal when it occurs at all," Minger says. "I'm reminded of a study on Australian aborigines. They put people out in the wild to try to acquire foods from their environment and survive on that … Their fat intake ended up being something like 8 to 12 percent, because the animals were so lean and the lean protein intake was consequently much higher. I have trouble believing that animal protein itself is going to be a problem. I think what might be a problem is this consistency thing — the idea that eating the same foods year-round, without any fluctuation in the composition of the diet, is healthy. I don't think that's the case … I think things like protein cycling might be therapeutic for humans. I think that even carb cycling and going through different periods of different macronutrient intakes instead of always being low-fat or always being low-carb [is a good idea]. That's probably what the human body is best adapted to." Macronutrient Cycling — An Overlooked Component of Optimal Health In deconstructing and assessing the low-carb, high-fat approach, Minger concluded the lack of high and low nutrient cycling was one of the main problems, especially long-term, and particularly for women. "I do one-on-one consulting with people," she says. "A large group that I have come in contact with are women who've done low-carb. Their thyroid function is tanking. They're gaining weight. They feel terrible. Their hair is falling out. It happens with men too sometimes, but I think women, hormonally, are more sensitive to the lack of carbohydrates." She's also found evidence suggesting chronic lack of carbohydrates may be having an adverse effect on your gut microbiome. In his commentary, "Sorry Low Carbers, Your Microbiome Is Just Not That Into You,"1 Jeff Leach with the Human Food Project details the likely shifts found in the gut microbiome composition of people who consume low-carbohydrate diets. Whether or not those shifts are wholly detrimental or not is still unknown, but it's worth keeping an eye on. Minger is equally ambivalent about long-term, chronic high-fat consumption, as some of the evidence suggests it may increase gut permeability and the transport of endotoxin from gram-negative bacteria into the bloodstream, which increases chronic inflammation and related health problems. "On one hand, we see people switching away from the standard American diet to low-carb. Yeah, they're going to feel great. Yeah, they're going to lose weight. There's going to be this initial honeymoon period, just like I had with raw veganism. My question is what happens over the course of many years on a large scale … I'm wondering what the bulk of the evidence is going to show. I don't know if we really know that yet." From my perspective, I think there are compelling reasons to suspect one might run into problems, for many of the reasons Minger cites. It appears nutrient cycling (i.e., cycling between higher and lower amounts of fat, net carbs and protein), and also cycling between high and low calorie intakes (fasting and feasting), are foundational criteria for optimal biological functioning. The challenge is to find that happy balance. When writing "Fat for Fuel: A Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power, and Increase Your Energy," I dove deep into the scientific literature looking at this aspect of health. Cyclical Ketogenic Diet Is Ideally Combined With Cyclical Fasting First of all, the late Dr. Joseph Kraft showed that using sensitive oral glucose loading and testing insulin levels that insulin resistance is pervasive. Based on a more refined definition of insulin resistance, at least 80 percent of the population have diabetes in situ,2,3 which means they're insulin resistant even though their fasting glucose is normal. This is where low-carb can be really useful, yet it alone will still not be enough for many. A lot of people need to get even more aggressive and do fasting. Once you've done that for a while and resolve the insulin resistance, you need to cycle net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) back in. "Low-carbohydrate eating … is a great tool to lose weight, and lose fat around the organs. You start improving insulin sensitivity because of that weight loss, and because of the reduction in the energy surplus that many people are constantly surrounded with. But I use the analogy of a [broken] refrigerator. Your refrigerator breaks. You can do one of two things. You can say, 'OK, I'm never going to buy any perishable food again. Everything I'm going to buy is going to be dry goods as long as the freezer or the refrigerator is broken.' Or, you can fix the refrigerator. Low-carbohydrate diets are like saying, 'Let's not use our refrigerator anymore.' Let's not use our carbohydrate metabolism pathways anymore. Let's just avoid those. It's not actually fixing the issue. As anyone who knows who's been low-carb, you go low-carb for a while, and then you reintroduce carbohydrates and, whoa, it's terrible. Your blood sugar goes crazy. You feel awful. It's like, 'Wow. The carbohydrates are terrible.' No. It's because your body is no longer working to metabolize them efficiently." The converse can also occur. If you suppress insulin for too long, your blood sugar will tend to rise from hepatic gluconeogenesis. If you reintroduce carbohydrates at that point, it will raise insulin and lower your blood sugar. You can also eat too much fat; since fat is high in calories, the excess calories alone can lead to weight gain. As mentioned above, protein intake also needs to be regulated to avoid mTOR activation. Traditional paleo is frequently high-protein, high-fat, similar to the Atkins approach. But you're not going to get all the benefits unless you restrict protein. As a general rule, I recommend limiting protein to half a gram per pound of lean body weight, to ensure you're getting the protein you need for muscle maintenance and repair. The answer is not to cut protein out altogether. You do need some, just not the enormous amounts most Americans are used to eating. Focus on Nutrient Density When asked what the best animal food composition might be, Minger stresses the importance of nutrient density over any specific dosage recommendations, as the ideal amount will depend on the type of meat you're eating. "For my own diet, I focus on organ meats and shellfish," she says. "Those are the primary foods I eat that are of animal origin. Oysters are my favorite. Nutritionally, if you look at liver and oysters, oysters are kind of like the liver of the ocean." People who shun animal foods due to ethical concerns about eating something that is highly sentient can also take heart in the fact that oysters lack the central nervous system "that would make them equivalent to a cow." "There's a bivalve vegan movement, where people are vegan with the inclusion of certain shellfish. I think that can go a long way for people to balance out a vegan diet," she says. As for cooking, Minger recommends using gentle methods to avoid the creation of carcinogens associated with high-temperature cooking. These byproducts "seem to be driving the correlation between meat consumption and different cancers that we see in observational studies," she says. "Whenever you look at a study that actually controls for the cooking method, typically once you take away the high-heat kind of strategies for cooking your meat, the correlations with various diseases start to diminish, if not disappear completely." Byproducts created during grilling and frying include heterocyclic amines and polyaromatic hydrocarbons that form carcinogens. So, don't overcook your meat, and balance muscle meat (steaks) with organ meat and other animal parts. How Minger's Diet Has Changed Over the Years When asked how her diet has changed over the past seven years, and what insights changed her approach to eating the most, Minger replies: "I started out really fruit-based from my raw vegan history. I would eat a ton of fruit in the morning; smoothies … In learning more about the gut microbiome, learning about digestive-resistant starch; different forms of fiber and their effect on the body, I've been incorporating more legumes, lentils and potatoes that have been heated and cooled [to increase] the resistant starch content. I think that has helped a lot. I've also flipped my diet in terms of staggering macronutrients throughout the day. I used to start with a lot of carbohydrate and not much else (in the form of fruit). Now, I usually start with a lot of protein and vegetables, and have my high-carb meals at the end of the day. I find that helps with sleep, energy levels [and] focus." It's worth noting that legumes may not be ideal for everyone, especially if you have autoimmune issues. I've previously interviewed Dr. Steven Gundry, author of "The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in 'Healthy' Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain," on this issue, and I believe his theories are solid. Minger, who does a lot of work with autoimmunity, agrees lectins can be problematic if you are susceptible to autoimmune problems, whether caused by genetics, lifestyle, antibiotic use or gut microbiome issues. "At that point, the lectin problem can be real," she says. "There can be a legitimate reason to avoid foods that are high in certain lectins, especially the ones that are individually triggering autoimmune responses. But for people with a healthy gut microbiome, I don't see that being necessarily bad, because if you look at human history … the lectin content of wild foods is generally pretty high. There's going to be a long adaptation period for us to learn how to coexist with those lectins in our diet. I think [the larger issue] is that the modern environment is creating a really unhealthy microbiome that's making it so some people cannot handle what should be a natural lectin load. That's my takeaway right now, subject to revision." Critiquing the Blood Type Diet In preparing for this interview, I watched some of Minger's latest material on YouTube. One of her most recent videos was a Weston A. Price Foundation presentation in which she critiqued Dr. Peter D'Adamo's blood type diet, detailed in his book, "Eat Right 4 Your Type." I tried this diet back in the '90s and had to quit because it made me diabetic. My personal take on it is that while his recommendations for blood type O, which is about half the population, is consistent with what I believe is a healthy diet, it doesn't seem to work well for the other blood types. According to Minger: "The fundamental issue with everything he's saying is that it's all wrong. The premise of his diet — that foods have different lectins [that] interact with what's expressed on our blood cells to cause issues within the blood, which then causes inflammation and disease — there's absolutely no mechanistic evidence showing that we can obtain high enough levels of lectins from certain foods, and that those foods will specifically interact with our specific blood type to create these problems. That evidence just isn't there … [He may have had] a lab, but there are problems with the research actually being published. It certainly hasn't been replicated by other researchers. It's more of a, 'This is what I found. You have to take my word for it, because I wrote a book and I have a [medical] degree.' There's a certain, 'Just trust me. I'm a scientist,' behind that. If there's anything I don't like, it's that … What fascinated me … [was that] our ABO blood group can actually influence the composition of our gut microbiome for people who are secretors — people who secrete their blood type antigens on the surface of mucous cells throughout the body, the saliva and the gut, the gut in particular. Let's say you're a blood type A and you're secreting the A antigen on different cells within the gut. There are going to be certain bacteria that use that antigen as a food source and as an attachment site. Those specific bacteria are going to be more attracted to your microbiome. They're going to set up camp there, in a way that they might not be doing to somebody who's a blood type O. You're actually going to start shifting the proportion of different bacteria because of your blood type. Tied into this is the idea of being a secretor versus a non-secretor. Most people are secretors. They will express their blood type antigens on the surface of different cells throughout the body. About 20 percent of the population are non-secretors. For this group, regardless of what their actual blood type is, they have a much higher risk of a lot of digestive diseases, a lot of different health conditions in general, related to the fact that their microbiome is fundamentally different. It's providing a lack of attachment sites for different bacteria. So, there is an influence of blood type on different things going on in the body. It's just not through D'Adamo's theory." Awesome Omnivore After taking a professional hiatus, Minger is now working on a few new projects, including an e-book called "Awesome Omnivore." The book is a how-to guide for eating animal products in a way that minimizes potential risks and maximizes nutrition, including guidance on balancing methionine and glycine, differences in A1 versus A2 dairy, how to prepare meat to reduce carcinogen exposure, how to modify your animal food consumption based on genetics, and how to combine meat with other foods to reduce the absorption of heme iron to lower your risk of intestinal cancer and other health problems related to excessive iron. High iron increases oxidative stress and can cause serious mitochondrial dysfunction. I have a genetic condition called thalassemia, which predisposes me to high iron levels. I have to be really vigilant about keeping my iron level low for these reasons. As explained by Minger, because the molecular structure of heme is so similar to chlorophyll, if you eat lots of green leafy vegetables with your steak, the chlorophyll will inhibit absorption of some of the iron. "That alone is going to make that meal probably, on the whole, healthier for you," she says. "There's this kind of dichotomy — you have the vegetable eaters and the meat eaters. The meat eaters are not usually eating enough vegetables to offset the heme issue. But if you look at studies that actually adjust for that one variable, the link with meat's problems tends to disappear. It's, again, veggies to the rescue. But it doesn't mean that you can't eat meat too. Anyway, the book is going to be a collection of things people can do to ensure that the meat they're consuming, the eggs and the dairy products (if they're doing that), are as healthy as possible." Plant-Based Paleo Minger is also working on a book about plant-based paleo, designed for people who are committed to avoiding animal products, for whatever reason. The aim of this book is to provide strategies to help you stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible within the limitations of a plant-based diet. "There are vegans who have survived a long time on their diet. It's not impossible. The human body is incredibly adaptable. But we need to understand what's working for those people. We need to understand that there are a lot of genetic components that go into being able to convert plant-based nutrients into their active forms. Take beta-carotene, for example. People who have really good conversion of beta-carotene into retinol, they're probably not going to run into reproductive issues, teeth issues, skin issues or eye issues, like I did. But for about 45 percent of the population, there are mutations with the BCMO1 gene that prevent that conversion from being efficient. If you have two very common polymorphisms, your conversion rate is going to drop by almost 70 percent. Another less common mutation will tank your conversion by 90 percent. If you're a vegan, you're not eating any preformed vitamin A, and if you have some of those mutations, you're going to have problems pretty quickly. How do we work with people's genetics? How do we work with their dietary limitations? Supplements would be good. I'd love for people to take cod liver oil if they can get over that one issue. But you need to be really aware of your specific conditions … I have those BCMO1 mutations. My vitamin A conversion is terrible. That's part of the reason that eating liver was a huge boon for my diet. It's my first concentrated source of vitamin A that I had in a decade, more than a decade." Lifelong Learning Is Key to Staying Ahead As nutritional science keeps moving forward, we're bound to learn new things about what we currently think of as factual. For example, Minger touches on evidence suggesting really low-fat intake may actually improve carbohydrate metabolism. "We have the Randle cycle. There's competition between free fatty acids and glucose in the bloodstream for use as fuel. I think we have enough evidence to say pretty clearly that when you combine fat and carbohydrate within the same meal, if you're a healthy person — you're going to see a reduced blood-glucose response, but you're going to see the same amount of insulin secretion. Fat doesn't decrease the insulin needs of your body when you're eating carbohydrate. It kind of amplifies it. There have been studies where they'll take a potato, feed it to a diabetic, then repeat the study with butter added … The more butter added to the potato, the more insulin the diabetic needs to use to deal with that meal. There's an interactive effect, even within the span of one meal, between fat and carbohydrate … I don't believe in staying at one [end of the spectrum, i.e., high-carb or high-fat] forever. Obviously, you need fat-soluble nutrients. You're going to need some fatty foods that are highly nutritious too. At the same time, you're going to need to cycle in more carbohydrate to deal with the long-term consequences of ketogenic diets … "I believe there's a way to integrate everything. What it comes back to is all the warring diet communities need to let go of the ego and communicate with each other. Stop saying, 'We own the truth.' Start listening to the other side and be curious about why things are working for them. For me, that's the way I've learned best — by challenging what I believe. Because if what I believe can be dismantled, then it's not a good belief to hold. You need to constantly revise your theory about the world, about nutrition, about everything. It needs to be in a state of flux."

[authorjanellesamara-blog]

My First and LAST Time at Hy-Vee Market Grille

If you're from the central midwest, you've probably heard of the grocery store chain, Hy-Vee. It's a middle-grade grocery store, not full-on gourmet, but not a discount store, either. They're employee owned and they usually have decent stuff. It's a bit more expensive than Walmart, but they have a higher quality of fruits and vegetables and a larger selection of organic food, which is mostly why I shop there. In the last year or two, they've been adding a restaurant to many of their stores here in Kansas City, which is named Market Grille. We decided to try it, and we were not very happy with our experience.

This all started in early May, the day after my husband's immigration interview. We wanted to celebrate his recommendation for citizenship, so we went out to lunch. We don't eat out very often since I cook so much, and we didn't really know where we should eat. We settled on Hy-Vee Market Grille since it was supposed to be such fresh food. 

Fucking shit... We were there for over an hour for just burgers.

We got there and waited at the front counter for at least five minutes before the guy came to help us. We both got the special--a burger, fries, and a drink for $6.99. We both ordered cheddar on our well-done burgers. We were given two small plastic cups and pointed toward the Coke Freestyle machine. He said we could sit wherever we wanted. 

Most of the tables were empty and dirty. We found a clean one in the corner and sat down.  In the middle of the room, several tables had been pushed together so that a group of ten could sit together. He'd said that he'd put our order in first so that it wouldn't be stuck behind the large order he'd taken from the cluster in the middle. They got their apps after ten minutes, but whatever. We figured our burgers couldn't be too far behind.

Twenty minutes later, the guy came out with two burgers and said, "American and gouda?" Um, no. We both had cheddar. He apologized and took the food to the right table. A table that I'm pretty sure got there a while after we did, but contained a guy who worked for Hy-Vee, so it was possible he got his order put in before we'd arrived. 

Another fifteen minutes had passed when I saw someone exit the kitchen carrying two burgers. He walked around to the other side of the huge wall/partition that splits the dining room and was intercepted by the guy who'd helped us earlier. They talked for a couple of minutes before he finally came back into view with our plates and set them down. He hightailed it out of there and was not to be seen again until long past when we were ready to leave.

My husband and I both reached for our fries first. They were cold and hard like they'd been overcooked and then left to sit out for a while. I only ate three fries off of my plate. They were just intolerable. I tried to build my burger--a hugely thick patty that was smaller around than the bun because whoever formed the patty is a moron. It's charred black on the outside, but at least it wasn't bloody on the inside. (I love my steaks to be medium, but I only eat thoroughly cooked burgers.) I had two complete stacks of toppings on my plate--lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. My husband had one stack and it only contained the first three. No pickles for my sweet Karim who's just trying to celebrate. I insisted he take one of my stacks of veggies.

The stack that I kept was despicable. Part of the lettuce was hanging off the edge of the plate and it was literally dried to a crisp like it had been dehydrated under the heat lamp. The lettuce that rested on the plate was hot, dark, and wilted. I wasn't eating that crap. I don't eat raw onions, and the tomato slices had a gritty texture when I touched it--a sure sign of them being hothouse garbage. So, I only put the two pickle slices on my burger. 

There were no condiments. No ketchup or mustard sat on the table. We were not offered any. There were no small ramekins of sauces to accompany our burgers. We were expected to eat them dry. No mayo, no mustard, no ketchup, no BBQ sauce, no nothing. And dry they were! The buns were hard and stale but also toasted in order to make them extra dry and hard. All that time under the heat lamp sure didn't soften them any, either. Like, could they not even bother to give us fucking packets of ketchup for our fries? I'd seen stuff for coffee and tea over by the drink machine--sugar, creamer, etc.--but I sure didn't see any ketchup anywhere. Not that I eat ketchup, anyway, but most people do, so...What the fuck?

When we were done, we waited for our bill. We waited to complain. We waited for over ten minutes after we were finished, getting more and more angry that this guy was nowhere in sight. Finally, we went to stand by the front counter, while I looked back into the kitchen. It's clearly a shared kitchen for the hot deli, salad bar, soup bar, Chinese food, and pizza bar that are all inside the grocery store. We waited some more.

Another customer approached me and we started talking about how it seemed like this one guy is the only person who works in the restaurant part. There's no bartender, even though several people were sitting at the bar, drinking. There was no cashier. There were no other servers. He and the obvious cook who came out of the kitchen with our food were the only people we'd seen. But the one guy who's working was spending 90% of his time in the kitchen, well out of sight and earshot of his patrons. Bad. Fucking. Job. One of the first things you learn working the floor at a restaurant is the 80-20 rule--80% of your time is spent on the floor and no more than 20% of your time is spent in the back. And you'd damn well better be in the back for a reason, like retrieving an order.

The only good reason he could've been back there so much was if it was also his job to cook everything for that restaurant. If that's the case, shame on you, Hy-Vee, for placing so much on the shoulders of one person when there is a kitchen full of people. If it's a shared kitchen, it should be shared work. 

Finally...FINALLY! This guy comes out of the back. He's not carrying anything. All of that time in the kitchen, ignoring the paying customers, and he's not even bringing out anyone's food! The big table of ten people has still only gotten their appetizers. Whatever. His friendliness and seeming attentiveness once he sees we've seen him is all just a spectacular front. Dude should be an actor. If he really cared as much as his smile claimed he does, he would have done his job better. 

"Oh, hi! Were you guys ready to check out?" he asked us as he rushed to the computer.

"Yep." I popped hard on the p, showing my dissatisfaction. "We have been for a while." Yes, I'm sassy. Or a bitch. Whatever. If I'm not happy, you're going to know it. I'll get mouthy. I don't expect perfection, but I expect people to try. I've never understood complacency in others. How can people not try to be better? How can they be fine with remaining stagnant? But that's a whole other thing...

His brow furrowed. "Are...are you sure you didn't already pay?" He looked up at us, his smile fading in his (perhaps feigned?) confusion. 

"I...I don't know. I don't have a receipt." I turned to my husband. "Did you pay? When we got here?"

Now it's his turn to look confused. "I don't carry cash. I didn't swipe a card?" He wasn't sure and he stared off at nothing, trying to remember. "No?" He said it like a question, still not positive.

"I have cash, but did I pay?" I looked in my wallet, but it didn't matter since I didn't know how much money I had, anyway. 

"I only have three open tickets," the guy said while he looked at his computer. "The table of ten, a table of three, and the people at the bar. I don't have an open ticket for your burgers."

"But I don't have a receipt. I keep my receipts."

He shrugged. "Sometimes, they get lost in the shuffle up here."

I looked up at my husband and saw it in his eyes. Let's go. 

Fine. I wasn't going to complain. I wasn't going to let this guy have it. I'd already unloaded by telling the dude from the bar that it was terrible and we'd never be back. He'd commiserated with me, said the place was great when it first opened. Fully staffed, quick service, good food. Anymore, though, it was only ever one person, even during dinner. They were killing their own restaurant by not staffing the damned thing. Sucks to be them, I guess.

We checked all of our cards later. None of them had a charge for our meal on it. The more I thought about it, the more I was sure that we hadn't paid. I don't recall ever hearing a total, nor do I remember dropping coins into my wallet, both of which are things I always take particular notice. Then there's the receipt...If I'm not given one, I ask for it. 

Now, I'm certain I've unraveled the mystery. I believe I've figured out why it was free and why it took so fucking long. He didn't complete our order. He didn't do whatever he had to do to send our order to the kitchen. There wasn't an open ticket, because there wasn't a ticket, period. When he brought out the other people's burgers, he realized that they should have been ours. He went back into the kitchen like, where are my other burgers? He had to have them make them on the fly. But clearly the cooks suck at timing and staging orders, so they dropped the fries and started the burgers at the same time. Prepped the plate, cold veggies and dry bun sitting with the heat lamp ruining it all while it waited for meat. The meat got added and it sat there and waited for a good while longer until a cook came out to look for him since he'd needed these now ruined burgers so urgently. He probably stood over there, arguing with the cook, then gave up and brought us our crappy food.

Yeah. That's my theory. He probably hid in the back to hide from us. I was facing the kitchen while we waited for our food and ate. I've been told that I have one hell of a mean/angry-face. I've never really seen it for myself, but I have seen other people's faces when they see me irate or furious. So, I think he let us have our food for free because he forgot to enter our ticket. I think he was avoiding confrontation by confusing and surprising me with free food because an angry woman wearing a camo floppy hat over purple hair is more likely to make a scene.

Well, scene avoided, dude.

Future customers avoided, too. An understaffed restaurant stays empty because no one wants to come back. I also won't be going back because if this is what happened--if he really forgot to send back our ticket and then just let us have it for free--then he should have told us. He should have come to the table and explained why it was taking so long and that it would be free for the inconvenience. That would have been much preferred over us waiting, wondering, and getting angrier the longer we waited. A sure-fire way to have cemented that we'd go back would have been to offer a free dessert after our meal. But, then...that's how I do my customer service, so...yeah. Either way, we won't be going back due to poor customer service.

[ruthcarroll-me-blog]

Be Unreasonable To Grow Your Business

How unreasonable are you?

Odd query, isn't always it? I for one try to be affordable most of the time, though my loved ones might not agree! Still, it is a worthy goal, right?

That affordable method would not continually work. Sometimes, it can pay to be unreasonable. On reason.

Why? Being unreasonable in your aim setting can carry you to a whole new level for your enterprise.

Don't simply set a aim - set a 10x mega-goal.

Is this your reaction: Wha? I've were given sufficient to do to attain the modest goals I've set.

If it's miles, that is the complete point. Setting modest goals may be holding you returned. Big time.

Setting a mega-goal can release you ahead, waving merrily at the ones modest dreams as you whiz with the aid of.

Here's the way it works.

What would you do otherwise if your goal became to boom revenue 10x in preference to 10%?

That's the point of 10x desires - to push the edge of normal, and to nudge you into wondering in a different way approximately your commercial enterprise.

It's actual, putting not anything but 10x dreams will drive you to distraction. You're excellent to have one or two mega-dreams.

Make your mega-purpose potential by means of setting intervening time dreams. The point is, your period in-between dreams are very tons informed by way of your mega-goal, and will be drastically exceptional now that you're at the route to your mega-purpose. It's a path that you wouldn't have taken if you hadn't set your 10x goal.

This 10x method does not suggest you ought to abandon all purpose at the door. Continue to make your 10x goal, like each different intention, measurable, so you can decide in case you're making development.

Create quick-time period targets that do make sense, all together with your mega-purpose in mind.

So how do you decide your 10x mega-purpose? Simple.

Let's start with earnings. Say your earnings remaining 12 months turned into $50,000. Your 2017 intention has been to growth revenue by way of 10%, to $55,000.

To get that incremental increase, you could were planning a few tweaks, some modifications.

What in case your goal turned into 10x instead of 10%? $500,000. Wow. That's a huge soar! And it is no longer one you may take in one certain.

Instead, with that purpose of $500,000 in sales in thoughts, what might you need to start doing to get there?

Instead of enhancing your sales, your conversions, by way of a few percentage factors, what could you want to do to shift that improvement by an order of significance?

Challenge yourself to come up with new approaches to method this heightened intention.

See how being bold opens you as much as new opportunities?

And it is not just opportunities in your enterprise. It's opportunities for you too.

So tons of creating extra profits and moving your enterprise to a new degree is changing yourself. In order to be the person that makes $500,000, you will be one-of-a-kind from who you are now. You'll develop.

Consider the ways you may have to become the businessperson who has a $500,000 enterprise. What can you do, beginning right now, to emerge as that man or woman? What could you need to research? What skills could you need to expand? What mentoring would you need?

Having a business is a lot about your very own private growth. Here's an opportunity to outline for your self where that boom goes, and how you can acquire it.

You may be tempted, if you've had a few setbacks, to be careful in your purpose putting.

Instead, be unreasonable! Mega-dreams will deliver your business a mega-raise. Set 10x goals with a view to encourage you to extra than you have ever imagined to your enterprise.

4 Food Ideas to Give a Healthy Twist to Your Diet after Gastric Bypass

Life after Gastric Bypass surgery can be difficult for some individuals, especially christmas dinner ideas . Given the fact that you have to follow a stringent exercise and diet regimen, it is not easy to keep up the motivation level high and dedicatedly work towards achieving weight loss goals. Often, individuals lose motivation the mid-way, when they have to eat the same type of christmas dinner ideas every day. Understanding the concern, we give you four innovative and healthy diet recipes that you can include in your diet plan after  gastric bypass surgery . christmas ideas after Gastric Bypass Surgery - 1. Baked Chicken with Garlic and Sun Dried TomatoesTypically, gastric bypass diet should include low fat protein, lightly cooked veggies, and raw fruits, in equal amounts. This recipe of baked chicken breasts here, combines all of the above elements into a tasty concoction that will leave you both satiated and happy. Baked chicken has high protein and low carbohydrate content, making this the perfect recipe to accelerate weight loss. You can serve this recipe at the weekend brunch with friends and family, or prepare it for dinner each day, choice is yours! 2. Pumpkin MousseOften, patients have to bear with tasteless, often boiled food after bariatric surgery. This will not be the case with the Pumpkin Mousse, which offers a refreshing alternative to the otherwise boring post-surgery diet, and yet packs a punch of essential elements including beta-carotene, carbs and proteins. In addition, each serving of this mousse contains 130 calories, 1 g total fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 11 g sugars, and 9 g protein. 3. Beef Sirloin Kabobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping SauceGreat news for the beef lovers out there, you don’t have to give up your favorite meat after gastric bypass surgery. Instead, you can combine lean beef top sirloin steak with other elements such as tomatoes, thyme, and white wine (for dipping sauce), to prepare a sensational recipe for lunch. Each serving of this recipe contains approximately 224 calories ( comprising 2 g saturated fat and 4 g monounsaturated fat), along with 49 mg cholesterol, 635 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1.1 g fiber, and 27 g protein. 4. Steak Crock PotBeef is not the leanest of meats probably, but there are lean cuts (5 grams of fat or less per 3-ounce serving) that can be included in your low fat diet. The problem with the leanest beef cuts, however, is that they’re tough and chewy. There’s one way to enjoy the protein, vitamins and minerals that beef has to offer though, prepare a slow cooked pot roast! This interesting concoction contains approximately 265 calories, total fat 5.3g, cholesterol 91mg, sodium 305mg, carbohydrate 19.2g, fiber 4.8g, protein 35.3g. Wrapping up Diet after Gastric bypass surgery  doesn’t have to be an ordeal, when you have hundred other ways to experiment with healthy food. Similarly, keep innovating with christmas desserts , textures, and flavors, while keeping in mind daily nutritional requirements. For more gastric bypass diet related tips, it is advisable to consult your dietician, so that you can keep a tab on your daily calorie intake.

Deciding To Go To College Is A Big Decision

It's not easy to start college. You will find yourself in an all new environment surrounded by total strangers. Many people are not able to make the adjustment and struggle. If it's hard for you, keep reading this article. Utilize the tips provided above in order to assist yourself in transitioning Tesol Certification to this complicated world.

Before you leave for college, make a checklist of everything you will need. You need to be prepared for school to avoid calling your parents for items weekly. This is beneficial if you are traveling a long distance to your college.

Take part in all the activities you can during your college years. This will look good on your resume, and employers like to see a candidate with a variety of interests. However make sure to only take on what you can maintain on top of your school work.

Be aware of where you sit in your classroom. Instead of slipping into class at the last minutes and sitting in the back row, arrive on time and sit in the front of the room. You will be able to concentrate and ask the professor about any questions you might have.

No matter if you are a man or a woman, hitting the gym on campus is always a great idea. You can also meet other people that like to work out at school. You can also find friends to join you at the gym, which may enlarge your circle of friends.

When classes begin, it's important you know all your teachers. Take a walk to their offices and speak with them face to face. Build a strong repertoire with them to achieve a better understanding if an issue like turning in something late or having something come up.

You no longer live at home, and you will have to care for yourself. It is now your job to make sure you are eating well, getting sleep and keeping tidy. Schedule equal time for attending classes, studying, recreation and taking care of yourself. You can become ill as a result of stress and poor nutrition.

Even if you love coffee, don't purchase it at a cafe. It's just too expensive. Brew your coffee instead of buying it at a coffee shop. Sure, it isn't as quick as stopping by Starbucks, but it will save you a heap of cash. The amount of money you save will allow you to purchase a great coffee machine.

Try to get up somewhat early every day. If you can get up, eat breakfast and even work out, you'll find your mind is clearer all day.

If you have a full-time job and want to go back to college, think about an online school. On-line schools are great for those with busy Tesol Certification  schedules. You'll be able to work at your own pace, according to your own schedule, while pursuing a degree with an online university.

If you will be staying in dormitory room on campus, bring only what you will need. Dorm rooms are not that spacious and can get cluttered quickly. Write out a basic list of necessities and then shop strictly within it. There are many clever storage containers and compact multipurpose dorm room items.

Take co-op or work/study positions very seriously, regardless of how relevant they are to your major. Future employers will look at both your experience and your academic performance. When you have work-study and you do well, you can work off your college costs and start beefing up your resume.

Try to surround yourself with people that are doing the same things in college as you are. When you are around hard working, successful people, you will be inspired to work equally as hard. You and your friends can still have fun. Maintaining equilibrium is important while in college.

Many college students live in the dorms with roommates to save costs. That said, it doesn't make studying easier! It can be fun to live in a dorm, but staying with relatives might be better for your education.

There are times when you will not enjoy the classes you take, but they may be necessary. Keep your grades in these classes high to ensure you come out on top.

Try to identify schools that give you a comfortable feeling. Once you make a decision, decide how you will pay for it. Don't let financing concerns keep you from getting everything you can from college. You should apply for scholarships, find a job on campus and apply for federal assistance or loans.

Your adviser needs to be working in whatever field you're trying to get into. They are sure to have the best information about the courses you ought to take. They often provide advice on which school would be the best choice, too. Do not just talk to the head of your department, talk to each adviser on staff.

You should carefully consider whether you should attend college immediately after you graduate from high school. Many decide it is best to take some time off to earn some money and better prepare themselves for college. That's alright, but your parents may not like it. Just be sure you think everything through prior to making a decision.

As was stated earlier in this article, transitioning to college can be difficult for anyone. It can be tough to start life somewhere Tesol Certification  new, but when you use the tips and tricks laid out here, you are going to put yourself on a path to a successful and enjoyable college life.

Beauty Tips That Everyone Should Know About

The world of beauty is very vast and exciting. There are so many ways that one can gain, and then use knowledge of this field to help themselves feel more confident and attractive Tribal Tattoos . It depends completely on the individual. That said, no matter what your beauty skills are, here are some tips that you wil find to be extremely useful.

Smear Vaseline onto your feet before you go to bed. This softens them and makes them smooth, almost as if you had just come from having a pedicure. Make this a nightly ritual for your beauty routine so it becomes a habit. After applying the Vaseline, make sure you put on breathable cotton socks in order to allow your feet to properly absorb the benefits.

You can easily exfoliate your face lightly during your daily bath or shower by using a soft, nubby terrycloth or wash rag. This is especially effective if the water is warm, not hot, and only if you are using the cloth for the first time. Never use the same cloth two days in a row as bacteria may build up overnight.

Use fake eyelashes. They are actually easy to apply and can be found at a cheap price. They can really enhance the look of your eyes and are great for creating that dramatic look. You can use a look like this anytime, but it's often a look many try to go for at night.

Your hair color should influence which cosmetic colors look the best on you. For example, if you are a brunette, you can use a dark mahogany eyeshadow as a multitasking tool. In a pinch, it can be used to fill in sparse eyebrows, line your upper lash line, and even cover gray roots on your hairline.

These processes open up your follicles, leaving skin vulnerable. If you do it anyway, you take the risk of severe irritation. Also stay away from products that have a strong scent after you sugar or wax, they will also lead to irritation that can be hard to find relief from.

Give yourself a quick facial at home by filling a bowl with hot water, and then steaming your face over it with a towel draped over your head. This will open your pores and help to eliminate black heads. Follow with a cold water rinse to close the pores and continue your makeup routine.

If your face is a bit on the long side, you can make the effect seem less severe, simply by using some well-placed cream blush. Opt for a dark rose or brick shade, then use your fingertips to apply the color only on the apples of your cheeks; do not extend the color past this point, as it can actually make your face appear, even more narrow.

If you have very narrow eyes, you can create the illusion that they are more widely opened by first using an eyelash curler to curl your top lashes. Apply a dark brown mascara to the middle lashes, then tilt the wand diagonally and apply the mascara to the outer lashes.

Duplicate beauty products can help you to limit any beauty emergencies. You should keep these in an accessible place, like on your bathroom counter. By doing this, you are certain to be prepared to apply makeup at all times.

Avoid licking your lips. When you constantly lick your lips, rather than become moist, they actually dry out. Try carrying a lip balm or gloss in your pocket or purse, and put it on anytime you feel like doing some licking. You will soon find your lips in beautiful condition.

Do not pick or squeeze at your face. A simple beauty rule is to keep your hands off of your face, except to clean or moisturize. You run the risk of causing scars when you pick at your face. You can also transfer oil and dirt onto your face when you are touching it.

Beauty is a fascinating and exciting world that is only limited by the extent of a person's imagination. There are endless possibilities, products, combinations, and techniques. Start experimenting to find something new for yourself or to learn something new that you can better for your own usage. Become inspired by these tips!

[chilandian]

10 weddings this year?! 10??And it doesn’t include non-relatives! Did somebody say wardrobe over-haul?

Stayed at Aloft Sentral KL :

Currently my fave accommodation in and around KL. 3rd time staying here I have yet to be disappointed. We drove in from SG, but its conveniently located next to KL Sentral station, the gateway to all of Malaysia’s rail services (you can take a train to Batu Caves from here!!). The shopping mall (comparable to Vivo City), is connected to the hotel via a sheltered+air-conditioned walkway and is barely a 5 minute walk! 

I’ve always said that a measure of a good hotel is their room service and breakfast spread, and it is of my personal opinion that their food is UHMAZING. 

Travelled around town using:

Rapid KL & KL Monorail. If you flew into KL, you can get here (Aloft/KL Sentral) via the ERL-KLIA transit. The transit from KLIA is simple and convenient enough. The view entering the city from the outskirts is always something I’ve enjoyed on my travels in other countries too. The transition is somewhat calming, and the metaphor allows for many things to be reflected upon.

Fairly familiar with Rapid KL because we usually avoid driving within KL. Their signs and maps are not reliable (itu cerita lain). But what was new to us was the KL Monorail. Great experience, but it would help if they put the station signs at the station platform?? Still trying to get in their head; why would they design it as such? What are you thinking Malaysia?? But I didn’t want to give myself too much of a headache, I get that everyday from our Malaysian counterparts at work. 

It was just us girls shopping the 3 days in KL while the boys busied themselves with food and entertainment of sorts, and it was great that my mum didn’t have to stress about driving. I love people watching, and I love discussing my observations with my mum and sis. Rest assured we had alot to discuss about our new experience (why do you not put station names at station platform??); on Malaysian culture and economics, topped with a dash of sociology, a pinch of engineering and a hint of literature. Alhamdulillah for my mother and sister.

Ate at many (many) places, but here are just a few:

1. Rimba & Rusa

Trying more fusion-type cafes. Its a tragic story of sorts. My sister actually wanted to come here last year but it was closed (it pays to do your research people). But yay we finally made it and the food is great! The soft-shell crab linguine was exquisite and the desserts were so full of texture and so full of yum. Cafe food is so much cheaper in Malaysia, it really makes your wallets happy. 

2. Moroccan cafe along Bukit Bintang

Mummy was craving for Arab food, plus my sis and I were missing Moroccon food so we gave this restaurant a try. The food was good! The Tagine was reminiscent of the ones we had in Morocco, and the Iranian kebab and rice took me back to a restaurant my mother and I frequented back in Washington. Too bad they didn’t have Mint tea. I miss having mint tea with every meal. 

3. Tony Romas

Not much of a meat person, except for the good old beef burger. But I definitely don’t eat steak and ribs on a regular basis. Huge portions, huge flavors. Took a bite of my brother’s ribs (my virgin rib experience) and it was okay but I could hardly chew my food with all that beef fat. Lucky for me I shared my order with my mum; a well-done New York Strip steak with the sides. And throughout dinner Anthony Bourdain’s voice kept ringing in my head “Never order your steak well-done”. Sorry tak sorry, I like my food cooked. 

Shopped at: 

Oh boy, this list will be long too. I guess I can list everything if I read back all my receipts, but I’d rather not. 

1. PKNS compleks

2. Ampang Park

3. Pavillion

4. Sogo

5. Isetan the Japan Store

6. Parksons @ KLCC

Won’t go into much detail. The Japan store was fun. It made me reflect and appreciate working in a Japanese company, which is hard to do when you are frustrated with work. Parksons was great too because we got to see more Indonesian designs. They really revamped the place so kudos to them. PKNS is baju kurung haven. We initially wanted to go to Kenanga, but after PKNS we found that there wasn’t really a need. We’ll just be overwhelming ourselves. 

Oh and I really didn’t expect this, but my mother and sister got very excited at all the wedding dresses and have insisted that I do my own version of “Say Yes to the Dress” with all the woman in our family. Even the family helpers. That will be kecoh with a capital “K”. But then Vietnam has cheaper cloth are we going to fly our whole family there? Hmm

OK dah lah, I nak sleep. Damage done: undisclosed, but priority savings remain untouched. I’ll be waiting for you, credit card bill. 

**so glad my sister made the vlog for our Andalucian trip. I would just cry my eyes out if I had to draft something as detailed as this. But then again I’m not paid so “where got time?" 

[localfreshies]

New Post has been published on Local Freshies | Be a local wherever you go

New Post has been published on http://localfreshies.com/lookout-pass-easiest-backcountry-access-out-there/

Lookout Pass - Easiest Backcountry Access out there

WOOSH. The curtains swing open exposing a white winter wonderland. Massive flakes plummet to the ground at a solid pace. Today is going to be epic backcountry skiing Lookout Pass! Long before our Idaho arrival, we researched the terrain and its snowpack for access. Every season has its share of good and bad days, but Idaho has the best of both worlds with their type of snow. It settles like a maritime snowpack yet is dry like their inter-continental neighbors.

What’s our plan? It’s snowing hard and we’re inexperienced in these mountains. For us, every backcountry mission, regardless of location, starts with the avalanche forecast, period! Reviewing all the information, we decide the mission is a ‘Go’, but we would avoid all North facing slopes and anything over 30°. Speaking with Jason, Marketing Director at Lookout Pass Ski area, we learned the forested area across the Highway from Lookout Pass is a great introduction to what the region has to offer. With the zone picked, avalanche forecast reviewed, and plan set, it was time to head to breakfast.

The Brooks Hotel – Where everybody knows your name

Swinging open the main door, I am transported back to one of the many older buildings in Chicago. The interior has a hallway that meanders through the first floor with multiple storefronts, much like the Edgewater building. On the left is the door to the Brooks restaurant. Finding a few seats by the window, the server gives us a couple cups of coffee. Our trust in taking the local’s tips continues as she says we should try the chicken fried steak and a veggie omelet.

With our order in, we immediately spot a couple we met yesterday. We exchange “Hello’s” and they ask if we’re having a good time while in Wallace. “Absolutely” we reply, giving big smiles back their way. The veggie omelet is out first and perfectly cooked with the vegetables soft but with a wonderful little crunch.  One thing that is a bit different about the omelet is the house-made Hollandaise sauce blanketing it. By far the best Hollandaise I’ve ever had! Topping that, the star of the morning is the Chicken fried steak.  The breading is caramelized and crispy on the outside while the inside is tender and juicy where you don’t even need the sauce. Of course the house-made sausage gravy is amazing too, but this breakfast meat could stand on its own. With stomachs full and coffee cups filled, it was off to backcountry ski Lookout Pass.

“Hello. Is anybody out there?”

Taking the path less traveled

We swing by Lookout Pass Ski area to give Jason our route plan, part of our backcountry avalanche safety checklist. Pulling up to the trail head entrance, are we really the ONLY ones venturing into the wilderness? Hopping out of the car, our feet hit the ground with a large POOF.  While the resort across the way is only reporting a few inches, it’s nearly a foot deep where we’re standing. With nobody around, we feel both nervous and excited that no one is here. To ease our fears we review the plan again and make sure we’re not missing anything. “Snow? Check. Route option to avoid North slopes and stay away from terrain greater than 30°? Check.” With our plan still in tact, we start putting on our gear.

How do you climb a mountain in the backcountry?

Splitboard in action skinning up in Lookout Pass backcountry

For those inexperienced with heading into the snowy wild, you might ask how do we climb up a mountain without having to post hole the entire way up? Simple. There’s a piece of equipment called ‘skins’ which attach to the bottom of your skis, allowing you to go up instead of down. Originally made out of animal skin, these are now made of synthetic material that act very similar to cross country skis. When you slide your ski upward, the bottom surface is smooth but once you put weight on them leaning back, they lock into the snow allowing you to schuss up a 40° slope without sliding back down. (It’s not really that easy but practice makes better.) Once you reach the top, all you have to do is pull off the ‘skins’, throw them in your pack and ride down!

What’s a splitboard?

Splitboards in the Lookout Pass backcountry

Besides ‘skins’, another amazing invention, if you love to snowboard, is the splitboard. It’s ultimately a snowboard cut in half. With a locking mechanism, you use it as skis to climb up the mountain, then clip the skis back together to make your snowboard and shred back down. Sweet idea!

Easiest Backcountry Access EVER!

With the ‘skins’ on our splitboards, we begin to plug our way up. After a few minutes, we quickly exit the thick forest and enter a huge burn area.  The slope isn’t too steep but we could tell it was going to be perfect for those huge swooping-like turns.

6″ in Idaho is like 4′ in Tahoe!

Enjoying the fruits of hard labor snowboarding down at Lookout Pass

After about an hour, we reach the summit. The view is spectacular, but surveying the area, we literally can’t see more than a 100 yards in front of us. With the weather deteriorating, we decide it is a ‘one lap kind of day.’ Enjoying every minute of it, we pull off our ‘skins’, snap our splitboards back together, and we’re set to drop in!

Proof that it was thigh deep in the Lookout Pass Backcountry

The snow is nearly thigh deep, cold, and most of all, perfect to take nice easy turns all the way down. 6″ in Idaho really is like 4′ in Tahoe! Turn after turn come easy as we head back into the forest. Letting the boards float, we arrive back at the car slapping high fives.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! It may have only been a small mountain and a couple hours of work, but it felt like Mt Everest in triumph to us. A new mountain with unfamiliar snow and conditions – we studied, we planned, we conquered! With the day still young, it’s time to celebrate with lunch at the Blackboard Café.

Local Freshies® tips: What to know about backcountry skiing Lookout Pass

Easiest introduction to backcountry – One of the coolest things about the Lookout Pass backcountry is the now defunct rail grade that slowly meanders its way to the summit. No need to engineer a zigzag skin track all the way up – you get a perfectly graded road-width path. This makes it the EASIEST backcountry ascent I’ve EVER done. Nice slow sweeping turns allow you to climb easily while enjoying the serenity.

Not just for backcountry skiers – Be aware this area is also snowmobile accessible so be sure to stay on the side of the trail if you’re there on a busy day. When we visited there wasn’t a single person, motorized or not out there, but you never know who or what may show up!

Blackboard Café – How a pro skier found his calling

Right in the center of Wallace is a café that seems unpretentious and unassuming.  Rather, they should have a blinking sign outside that glaringly waves you inside. Rob and Luanne, the masterminds behind it all, have a fascinating story of how they got here. Rob skied professionally for years but fell in love with the culinary arts. After a skiing accident sidelined his career, he made the decision to follow his other passion… crafting amazing food! From studying in Europe to designing a culinary experience in the Caribbean and a world famous restaurant in Taos, they were looking for a place that was a bit different and off the beaten path. This is how they found Wallace. With so much skiing, hiking, and mountain biking surrounding this little gem, they knew it was home and couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.

The greatest food for the price EVER!

The Cuban sandwich at the Blackboard Café is to die for

All things food in Wallace is amazing, but the creative level that Rob is on is out of this world! If you are within a few hundred miles of Wallace, we HIGHLY suggest making a detour and eating here.  His sandwiches are some of the best I’ve had in YEARS!!!  The Cuban sandwich will live in my memory forever. The shredded pork is tender but has a secret spice, Garam Masala, bringing it to another level along with the perfect paring of mustard and cheese.  I would personally travel back to Wallace just to eat here… it’s that good.

Turkey sandwich… the likes I’ve never had

An incredibly tender turkey covered with a sweet bacon and caramelized onion schmear

Just when we thought we had the best sandwich on the menu, Rob comes out with a Turkey variety. Sure, it sounds like nothing special. BOY were we wrong! The turkey is incredibly tender and covered with a sweet bacon and caramelized onion schmear. If that wasn’t enough, the cheese is melted to the point where it has the texture of a warm brie… so soft and creamy. All the ingredients combine, making it taste like a French onion soup sandwich. Blown away with all the flavors, Rob just smiles and says, “We don’t take shortcuts.”  That is an understatement. Stumbling out of the café in pure shock at what we just ate, we had some time to check out a few more cool spots in town.

Glow-in-the-dark, chocolates and a wedding

On the same block sits a cool little spot called Johnson’s Gems. Filled with everything from baseball cards, memorabilia, and beautiful minerals, one of the coolest things you’ll see is a display of glow-in-the-dark stones. When the lights turn off in the special rock room, you’ll experience rock displays glowing in the darkness.

From there it was off to meet up with Eureka Sally. A free spirit originally from Michigan, she still has the candor of a Midwesterner.  Her storefront is filled with amazing art and in the back, she’s created a ‘classroom’ for people to let their own inner artist reign free. To top that, she also crafts some AMAZING chocolate. Our favorite is a dark chocolate made with Ecuadorian Cacao, infused with locally picked huckleberries. Eureka Sally is diligent about her ingredients and quality. She buys direct from the source or picks it herself!

A great example of supporting Local

Walking down Cedar Street, we noticed an adorable place called the Woodland Market. Filled with locally made Idaho products, this is definitely a place to check out. T-shirts, wooden trail signs, and even locally roasted coffee from Silver Valley Coffee Roasters, there’s something for everyone. Oh, and in the back room, they have a charming little chapel for weddings!

A historic bar + SmokeHouse =  BBQ galore!

Hungry again, it was time for dinner. Entering the SmokeHouse BBQ and Saloon, you’re shifted back in time, expecting to see old-time miners from the 1800’s sitting at the bar. This location has been a bar for over 116 years and you can feel the memories! On the wall is a mural spanning the entire length of the building.  Painted by a man named Johnny Hart, he traveled through mining towns creating elaborate murals for $300 and all the beer he could drink. His mural at the SmokeHouse is one of the largest he’d ever done. The owners, Sheila and Max, came to Wallace because of the skiing and the outdoors. Originally from New Orleans, Sheila’s inspiration to serve good southern BBQ came naturally.

Huckleberry Margarita?!?

Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming are gifted with tons of wild huckleberries. The SmokeHouse BBQ and Saloon is ingenious in their huckleberry creativity. It might’ve been cold outside but we were having a Huckleberry Margarita. Normally, a margarita is quite sweet but since the huckleberry is tart, it really transforms into a refreshing drink that is addicting. Regardless of weather, this is definitely a must try for anyone.

Besides an epic drink, what should you order if you do visit The SmokeHouse? Their trout dinner is super flavorful, but the star of this show is the Ribs. Through his travels, Max experienced many styles of

BBQ. Memphis-style is the standout for him and the inspiration for the ribs he crafts today. They’re seasoned perfectly with a dry-rub and incredibly tender to the point that the meat just falls off the bone.

Southern style fixin’s and the tasty ribs at the SmokeHouse BBQ

They make a killer house-made BBQ sauce, but honestly, these ribs don’t even need any! For the sides, you must try one of their true southern-style fixin’s. From jambalaya to baked beans, you won’t go wrong in any direction. With another amazing meal under our belt and nighttime upon us, it was time to head back to home base.

Tomorrow is another day to play in the snow. It was our turn to check out the other major resort… Silver Mountain Ski Resort!