#there are like: tons of variations of the recipe

[eighthwholove]

OK I have attempted to make *ahem* a certain pudding for Christmas. It is currently steaming in the crock pot, and will be for 6 freaking hours. Oh boy.

I personally blame Eight (And my love for A Christmas Carol) for this disaster

[demonslayedher]

The first fanbook tells us that lately, Mitsuri is hooked on "youshoku" (Western food) like pork cutlet and omelette rice, so her expenditure on food is pretty extreme.

Nowadays, these Japanese-style "Western foods" are pretty ubiquitous but not actually things you run into much in "the West." The ingredients and recipes have changed here and there with how long they've been around, so a nerd buddy who knows Tokyo better than I do (and who is a Mitsuri fan) insisted I try out what these things would have tasted like in Taisho. That's why she took me to Rengatei, where some of Mitsuri's favorite dishes were born.

I'm going to let this food blog do the talking about the restaurant itself and how it has the credit for creating many well-known dishes, including pork cutlet and omelette rice. It's an interesting, short read.

We'll focus most on what Rengatei might mean for Mitsuri, and on that note, I'll call your attention to the fact that this food blog article first mentions looking for a similar restaurant with a long history in the Azabu Juban area. Mitsuri is from a spot that was known as the Iikura neighborhood of the Azabu area in the Taisho period, and what is now known as the Azabudai area. Back in the Taisho period, this was a glitzy shopping and entertainment area where Mitsuri would have had many options for popular Western style restaurants. Even today, Azabudai feels like an area meant for people who make far more money than I do.

So, if she was spoiled for choice closer to where she lived back then, would she have bothered going over to Ginza, another glitzy shopping area of Tokyo, to visit Rengatei? The restaurant opened in 1895, a year or so before she was born, so it would have been well established, but not exactly new. To that I say, let's assume she'd have had plenty of opportunities to go to Ginza. It's perfectly reasonable to assume she might have visited the restaurant that developed some of her favorite dishes. Even today, Rengatei plays up the retro atmosphere with the table setting and wait staff uniforms.

Thing is, despite the retro feeling of modern-day Rengatei, this building was constructed in the 1960s. Mitsuri's wouldn't have seen the place in the same way you can see it today.

The kicker is that it would have been the same Meiji era recipes.

My friend who took me along asked for my thoughts on the food afterward, and we arrived at the same conclusions about it being not amazing, but feeling a little imperfect compared to many other versions of these recipes that we've had. Like you can tell these were freshly developed and on the homestyle side. I had the omuraisu (omelet rice, as it is better known today instead of the long o-mu-re-tsu-rai-su* as it used to be known), and she had the tonkatsu (pork cutlet, which is also a shorter way of saying po-o-ku-ka-tsu-re-tsu*, with "ton" for "pork").

*Both the KnY fanbook and the Rengatei menu use old, long names, though there was some linguistic variation like ka-re-ka-tsu or ka-to-re-to until the current names were settled on.

So why were these sorts of foods such a big deal? There were a lot of new foods introduced to the Japanese diet over the course of the Meiji period, especially meat, since Japan was very influenced by Buddhism and not widely in the habit of eating it (but you can always find exceptions, and different strains of Japanese Buddhism vary in how much they condemn certain lifestyle choices). Many new meat dishes, like curry and sukiyaki (or rather, gyunabe as Rengoku knew it in his bentou), were fancy and expensive and novel in the Meiji period. Perhaps more surprisingly, eggs were also a luxury item (though they have a complex history in the Japanese diet).

Granted, by the time the Taisho period rolls around, a lot of high society in Tokyo has already had some time to get used to these new menu items being a thing, and how much they were adopted into people's lifestyles varied as much as how much they adopted Western attire and houses. On that note, it is very interesting how in the flashback to Mitsuri's family life, they live in a very Japanese-style home and visit Japanese-style establishments and eat Japanese-style sweets, but by the time we join Mitsuri for Hashira training, there are Western elements to her home (though it is not clear if she lives with family or not), and she eats Western style sweets (beekeeping has a long history, and Western methods of beekeeping were introduced in Meiji long before Mitsuri was born). We can see how quickly what was normal for Mitsuri changed over the course of her life, so it's possible she really hadn't been in a habit of eating Western food until closer to when she joined the Corp. While I'm sure Rengoku was happy to eat anything, his home and tastes still seem to lean distinctly non-Western in comparison.

Anyway, so how was the food at Rengatei? Back to that topic!

I usually associate restaurant omuraisu with being impeccably fluffy, and with a variety of sauces and rices seasonings to choose from, even if ketchup is traditional. However, this omelet had a distinctly flatter, more inconsistent texture than you usually get with standard restaurant omuraisu. It's closer to just the usual flat, bumpy, but at least smoothly beaten omelette you'd be more likely to accomplish at home. Even the ketchup had a bit of a freshly-blended quality to it, but I can't exactly say I'm ketchup connoisseur. For all we know about Mitsuri, she might be.

The pork cutlet was, as you get into it yourself instead of having somewhat pre-cut strips like at many tonkatsu establishments, very clearly a hunk of meat. My usual image of tonkatsu is a evenly tenderized, evenly cooked hunk of white meat, with a stretch of fat along one side. Not so with this--the textures and darkness and lightness of the meat, as well as the amount and distribution of fat, was more typical of a cut of meat that is first and foremost meat; not a uniform product. My friend really loves tonkatsu, and says she prefers this juicy, not-quite-perfected version. Because it is a greasy dish, this is why Rengatei introduced the convention of serving it a bed of shredded cabbage to aid in digestion, which all of Japan has copied ever since.

As a brief note, most online sources say "yeah, Rengatei invented tonkatsu (but we're all probably copying the same source)." It seems there is another restaurant (Ponchitei) that claims to have invented tonkatsu before or after 1897, and for what I've poked around, the claims for Rengatei's invention aren't clear, but 1899 seems like the most likely time it entered the menu (I saw a claim for 1890, but the restaurant didn't open until 1895...).

Anyway, tl,dr; I did feel I was eating something closer to what Mitsuri would have known and loved by having eaten at Rengatei.

I also felt it went to show why her food bill was so high, because Rengatei is not cheap (like, about twice what I'd typically be willing to pay). You're paying for some ambiance and history here, as opposed to just a standard meal. Also, it is worth noting that although there is scant official information for the parent restaurant in Ginza, there is a lot more information for an off-shoot restaurant in Fukagawa that opened in 1928. That includes a short, cute English article introducing Western foods.

But hey, despite the stiff prices, I was full and satisfied after one plate of omuraisu and a couple bites of pork cutlet. Mitsuri-chan has a Hashira salary, so she can afford as many servings as she likes.

[sharenadraculea]

Writing Tips: Autistic characters and their Safe Food

Disclaimer at the start: this here is mostly based on my own experiences and some stuff online written by other autistic people

So, first off, what is a Safe Food? A lot of autistic people struggle with food, especially due to sensory sensitivities. A Safe Food is a food that can be eaten at pretty much all times without distress. Depending on the person they might eat their Safe Food just like once a week or it might literally be all they can eat. A person might have multiple Safe Foods (I have three, one of has variations) or just one.

I often see the cliche that every autistic persons safe food is dino nuggets or plain pasta, which is just not true and it‘s kind of annoying me to see this reflected in stories, so here is some advice to avoid this a bit!

First off, decide wether the character in question is a sensory seeker or sensory avoidant in regards to food specifically. A sensory seeker well seeks out strong sensory input, like food that is very spicy, sweet or salty or food that‘s very crunchy or a lot of diffrent textures and tastes mixed in one dish (this is what I am). Someone who is sensory avoident on the contrary would prefer plain foods, without tastes and textures mixing.

This can be enough to know in a lot of cases, but if you would like to go into further detail, you can also think about things like the following: -Does your character prefer salty, sweet, spicy or bitter food? -Chewy vs soft vs chrunchy food? -Hot vs cold food? -Certain foods they absolutly won‘t eat? -Textures that just ick them out? -Do they have additional intolerances/allergies?

Something very importang with safe foods is that they are always the same. This is why many autistic people struggle with fruit, a apple tastes diffrent every time. Because of this a lot of peoples safe food is highly processed, like dino nuggets or pasta. The only reason why I can have a specific veggie dish as one of my safe foods is because I cook it myself, so I can always use the same ingredients in the same amount, and I use a ton of spices. (I should also note that I at the moment don‘t struggle as much with food as many other autistic people do)

It should also be noted that safe foods often change throughout a persons life time. This can be because a food becomes unsafe, for example due to trauma/bad experiences or a changed recipe, or just randomly. This can happen very quickly or over the course of multiple weeks.

Some other things to keep in mind/think about: -Safe Foods are often hyperspecific, like a certain brand of a food, and the cooking process usually needs to always be the same -Can the character in question cook for themself or do their caregivers cook for them? -Do they mealprep or not? (A reheated food might not be tolerated) -A lot of people stockpile their safe food -A safe food might need to be taken along while traveling -How many other foods can they eat? (At some point you enter ARFID-teretory, which is a whole other beast) -Do they have other issues that may make eating more complicated? (For example I have coordination and fine motor issues, that make eating with a fork or fork and knife more difficult) -Safe drinks also exist! -A Safe Food can be literally any food

There are definetly more things, these are just the ones that came to my mind! I hope this is helpfull!

[picnokinesis]

What are your three favorite family recipes?

Oh man, okay so this has been in my inbox for AGES (I'm so sorry!!) because I was like damn, this is such a cool ask, but honestly I wouldn't say my family has any 'family recipes' so to speak, at least not anything that I'm aware of as something that's been passed down, y'know? I think this is mostly because my mum is a fantastic cook, and generally found/came up with her own recipes rather than doing anything my gran taught her haha. I learnt pretty much everything about how I cook from her, which is what I would describe as 'a vibes-based approach', where rather than precise measurements, she'll say 'oh a bit of that, a bit of this', and also ignore half of what the recipe says and do her own thing. She makes roux sauce without measuring anything and by pouring all the liquid in at once, and just whisking it like a mad thing to get rid of the lumps hahaha

So then, following on from that, I figured actually whilst I don't really have any passed-down family recipes (other than like, my mum's amazing quiche, which I do not know how to make myself rip), I do have recipes that I've made up, based on other recipes! So I'll quickly tell you about those!

Courgette Pesto Pasta Ingredients:

Pasta (I use 50g of penne per person)

1 onion (or half if you're only cooking for one person)

Mushrooms (like. a bunch. follow your heart)

Courgette

Bacon (2 slices per person)

Pesto

Lemon Juice

Butter

So you'll need to chop up everything before hand (or, if you're like me, time it with how long it takes the kettle to boil, but I have a gas kettle that takes 5-10mins to boil, and also screams at me). So: chopped onions, sliced mushrooms, sliced courgette, and cut the bacon into little squares. Then - kettle boils and pasta goes on. By the time you're done with cooking everything, the pasta should be about ready.

Put the courgette in a small pan, and add a lump of butter, some lemon juice and a bit of some of the boiled water left over from the kettle. The aim of the game here is that the water/lemon juice is gonna boil off and leave the butter behind to fry the courgette a little before adding it in with everything else, so only have enough liquid that it doesn't quite cover the top layer of courgette. Then whack that on the heat. Grab a wok, throw some oil in and start frying the onions. After a few, throw in the mushrooms. Then, add the bacon. I personally like my wok-fried food a little seared, so when it's getting crispy, the courgette will hopefully be beginning to fry in the other pan. At this point, I usually tip the courgette AND whatever liquid is left in that pan into the wok, and start frying it all together. By now, it should have been about five or ten minutes, so test the pasta, see if it's cooked. When it's ready, drain the pasta, turn the heat down on the wok and then add the pasta. Then mix in a healthy teaspoonful of pesto for as many people as you're making it for, and that's it!

Potential variations:

So my mum makes this one differently - no lemon juice, no courgette, no pesto. Instead, she cuts up a red bell pepper and adds that into the wok after the bacon, and adds in a ton of Philadelphia cream cheese for the sauce. It tastes incredible haha. I've also made a variation on this where it's the same as my mum's version, but I add in a couple of teaspoons of sun-dried tomato pesto as well, which was glorious. And then the other day I made up a new variation, which takes my version of the recipe as outlined above, but uses grilled vegetable pesto instead of normal pesto - and then, before serving, beat one egg per person in a mug, and pour that into the wok and stir it in throughout. That was AMAZING

Quail Egg Carbonara Ingredients:

Quail eggs (5 per person)

Pasta again

Single cream

Butter

Parmesan cheese (1 hearty tablespoon per person)

Mushrooms

Bacon (again, two slices each)

Okay so you don't have to use quail eggs. However, I get quail eggs for free from work because we have like, six or seven quails HAHAH so we get a ton of eggs and most of my co-workers don't eat them so I make the most of it. This recipe is based on a recipe from a cook book that I have, but the proportions are kinda whack, so I riffed off it, and I use quail eggs because the yolk to egg white ratio works out better, I think? However, you can absolutely try and use a chicken egg - my mum tried this the other day and just used one chicken egg per person, and she said it was fine, just a lot more liquid than my version haha.

Anyway. This one is so simple. Make the sauce first: beat all the eggs together in a large bowl, then add a lump of butter and the single cream (I'm so sorry. It's like - okay, last time I made it, I wanna say I used about 100ml cream to cook for three people, and a healthy sized lump of butter. But it's a vibes based approach. Follow your heart) and then 1 hearty tablespoon of parmesan cheese per person. Yes, it's a lot. That's because this recipe is good for the soul. Anyway - important note, do NOT MIX the ingredients together. Just throw them into the bowl and let it stand. Put the pasta on to cook, and then fry the bacon in a frying pan (oh, the bacon and the mushrooms should be chopped). After the bacon is getting on, add the mushrooms. Again, we love these slightly seared. THEN. When the pasta is cooked - do NOT turn off the heat, but turn it down, and then drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the mushrooms, bacon and pan juices into the pan with the pasta, put it back on the low heat, and then pour everything in that bowl into the pan and mix it together. The og recipe was like 'turn the heat off, the heat of the pasta will cook the eggs!!' but I don't trust that lol so I do keep it on the low heat as I stir it for about a minute or so, and then I take it off the heat and serve it immediately. With more parmesan on top, of course.

The other three main things that I cook that are actually pretty decent/interesting come from some recipe books that I have, but they are: Sausage and Bacon Casserole, Chicken in Cider (this one is AMAZING and also so easy but looks very impressive haha), and Pork in Apple Gravy (also amazing, but less simple - you kinda make a roux sauce but use apple juice rather than milk!). I also like a lot of vegetarian food, so my mum and I work together to make a really lovely nut roast from an old recipe book, and also stir fry with cashew nuts fried in soy sauce, and I'm actually hoping to try and make a vegan version of that first recipe with pine nuts and cashews rather than bacon for my vegan friend who makes her own pesto at some point!

Anyway!! Hope the person who originally asked me this sees this lol, and if not I hope it's interesting for other people! I'm always interested in new recipes that don't involve spices because I'm very weak when it comes to heat in food (like......peppery sauces taste spicy to me RIP) so if anyone has any recommendations, send them my way!

[cursivebloodlines]

011. in the dining room building a home: a gingerbread home! decorate the home and make it one fit for a little gingerbread man. - lydia!

🌙 * ― 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒: 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ( a collection of various settings for drabbles or prompts, or both!) | @overnightheartbeats

011. in the dining room building a home: a gingerbread home! decorate the home and make it one fit for a little gingerbread man.

The first – and last – time Lydia attempted to build a gingerbread house, it had been a catastrophe. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong: the house itself crumbling, pieces not staying together, icing smudged the whole thing and the candy pieces of decoration fell off. Honestly? It had looked like the wolf from the Three Little Pigs story huffed and puffed and blew the silly, little gingerbread house down. It was all so completely unlike Lydia, someone notorious for her perfectionistic ways and meticulous precision. The hours she spent dedicated to it and nothing to show for it. A complete waste of time. And so, she vowed she would never ever waste her time trying to make one again. Never. Ever.

That was… until Aaron suggested trying to build one. Lydia’s face must have said it all, her nose scrunched up, eyebrows furrowed. “Why on earth would I want to waste time doing that when you can buy one that already looks nice enough from the store?” she questioned, a not-so-subtle ploy of trying to wriggle her way out of it. Aaron had gave her a look that said, really? She wondered what else was running through his mind. Maybe something along the lines of, since when does Lydia turn down a challenge? In that moment, she knew there was no way she was escaping it. Even a small smile threatened to worm its way on to her lips. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? He’d said. She looked at him blankly, eyes going distant as she spoke, deadpanned, “The worst thing that can happen?” A dramatic pause. “I’ll show you.” With that, she cleared her throat, picked up her phone and scrolled through until she found the photo from a good few years ago. Without saying anything else, she passed her phone to Aaron, feeling quite triumphant with herself about being determined, not going through that ordeal ever again. Her gaze fixated on him as she watched his reaction, watched as his expression swiftly changed from being puzzled, to curious and morphed into amusement. Brows arched, Lydia mirrored his face, her hands on her hips as she demanded, “What’s so funny?” Trying to conceal the laughter in her voice as she quickly cleared her throat. But she couldn’t keep a straight face for long. The sound of his laugh was contagious, his smile so wonderful and infectious. Even if she had a severe case of Resting Bitch Face, she couldn’t stop herself from cracking. So, now they were both just laughing. 

In the end, he managed to persuade her to take another shot at building a gingerbread house. “The way I see it…it can only go up from here.” Or something along those lines. Some variations of it can’t get any worse. Earning a playful roll of her eyes, but in the end, she conceded. She’d already lost some of her pride and dignity the moment she showed him her poor first attempt. But at least if this one sucked, then they would suck together. But weren’t two heads supposed to be better than one? If it had been with anyone else, she may have disagreed. Having someone under her feet whilst she was trying to concentrate on achieving perfection? Lydia would’ve ushered them away and not-so-politely told them to go away. But nope, he was persistent. They were definitely doing this.

A quick trip to the store to get everything they need, and more just because they may as well since they’re there… and there they were, diving straight into it. Lydia read out the instructions from the recipe she found on Pinterest after tons and tons of scrolling, and they took it in turns to do all that was needed to do. Getting the things out as and when they needed, she was surprised how comfortable and easy it was to adjust, shuffling around each other. It was amazing how he fit in perfectly with her. No awkwardness, no Lydia getting frustrated because something was out of place or not done to her standards - a shocker. It was all very new to her but it didn’t feel new. It was like they’d been doing this forever. Shuffling around, arms occasionally brushing against each other, smiles on their faces all around. Christmas songs faintly played from the stereo, humming along as they made the dough; humming turned into singing as they waited for the gingerbread to break, happily setting up the dining room ready for decorating. She playfully swatted Aaron’s hand when she realised he was slipping the candies meant for decorating their work-in-progress gingerbread house in for a little treat. “Enough of that, we won’t have any for the -” Until he was the one plopping a gumdrop into her mouth - she wasn’t complaining then. Another laugh tumbled from her lips as she chewed it, leaning in to kiss his cheek gently before the timer on her phone beeped. They were ready!

“Now… now is make or break,” Lydia declared when the gingerbread finally cooled. Everything already set out, ready for them to dive straight in. First, to assemble the house. Her mind cast back to her first attempt, how disastrous the whole thing went. It will be better this time. Had to be. The aroma of cinnamon and ginger filled the cosy, festive-filled atmosphere, every inhale made it all the more tempting to just give it all up and dive right in to gobbling it all up. It was like she was waiting with bated breath, any moment it could crumble and fall apart. But Aaron’s extra pair of hands made it all worthwhile. He would help her assemble the little house piece by piece, holding things in place as she brought the next part out. So far, so good. It was like they had all the time in the world, every piece fitting together felt like a gigantic milestone worth celebrating. And at some stage, Lydia definitely cracked out the bottle of wine as incentive to keep them going.

In the end, it was all worth it. She hated to admit defeat but Aaron was right; it did only go up from there. Though, the bar was pretty low to begin with. And sure, maybe it wasn’t her ideal version of perfection but the time spent with him absolutely was. Lydia placed the final piece, the marshmallow snowman outside the newly built gingerbread house before leaning back against him with a content sigh. “We did it. I can’t believe we actually did it.” A beaming smile on her face as she tilted her head to look at him adoringly, before looking right back at their little creation before them. The walls of the house were slightly uneven, a few cracks in the icing revealed glimpses of golden-brown gingerbread underneath, gumdrop windows a little askew, and licorice shingles overlapped on the roof. These imperfections which, any other time would have had Lydia fuming and threatening to smash the whole thing over the kitchen counter, were the magic and beauty of it. Perfectly imperfect. It was magical because it was theirs. It was something they built together, and it was what they had to show for it. A funky yet whimsical-looking gingerbread house. Feeling him nudge her with his elbow, a grin curved Aaron’s face as he passed her something, a brief flicker of confusion etched on to her face as she lowered her gaze to her hands, a laugh leaving her as her fingers traced the ridges of the gingerbread man - or should she say woman? - before her. “Is this supposed to be me? Wow. Impressive. And, that’s funny, actually, because…” Biting her lip to conceal a laugh or give away the reveal. She couldn’t get her head around the fact they had both been doing the same thing without the other knowing. Putting her gingerbread persona to the side, she picked up the version of Aaron she’d secretly made, laughter finally escaping as she passed it to him. “I swear I didn’t steal your idea! We just…clearly have great minds that think alike.” 

In that moment it was inevitable: this was going down as one of the best Christmases Lydia had in a long, long time.

[ketogenicbliss]

Dive into the Delicious World of Keto Egg Recipes: 10 Tasty Ideas to Spice Up Your Low-Carb Meals

Hey there, fellow keto enthusiast! Are you ready to jazz up your meal routine with some egg-citing dishes? Well, you're in for a treat! Eggs are like little miracle workers in the keto world – they're packed with protein, low in carbs, and oh-so-versatile. Get ready to crack a few eggs and whip up some mouthwatering keto creations that'll leave you feeling satisfied and energized.

Let's Get Cracking: Understanding Keto and Eggs

Before we dive into the recipes, let's chat about why eggs are the MVPs of the keto game. The keto diet is all about low carbs and high fats, and eggs fit the bill perfectly. They're like little powerhouses of nutrition, with protein and healthy fats to keep you feeling full and focused. Plus, they're super versatile, so you can enjoy them in a ton of different ways.

Why Eggs Are Keto Superstars

They're low in carbs, so they won't kick you out of ketosis.

Eggs are packed with protein, which helps keep you feeling full and satisfied.

They're loaded with healthy fats, like omega-3s, which are great for your brain and overall health.

You can use eggs in so many recipes – from breakfast to dinner and even dessert!

Now, let's crack on with our 10 delicious keto egg recipes!

Recipe 1: Classic Keto Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 tbsp heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp butter

Instructions:

Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.

Pour in the egg mixture and scramble until cooked to your liking.

Serve hot and enjoy fluffy, flavorful scrambled eggs!

Tips:

Add some cheese or veggies for extra flavor and nutrition.

Recipe 2: Cheesy Keto Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup diced bell peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat your oven and grease a muffin tin.

Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper.

Stir in the cheese and bell peppers.

Pour the mixture into the muffin cups and bake until set.

Enjoy these portable, cheesy egg muffins anytime!

Variations:

Mix in your favorite keto-friendly ingredients, like bacon or spinach.

Recipe 3: Keto-Friendly Egg Salad

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup mayo

1 tbsp mustard

2 tbsp chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chop the eggs and mix them with mayo, mustard, chives, salt, and pepper.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve on lettuce wraps or with keto crackers for a tasty snack.

Serving Suggestions:

Spread on toast for a quick and easy breakfast or lunch option.

Recipe 4: Savory Keto Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

8 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup diced ham or bacon

1/4 cup diced bell peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper.

Stir in the cheese, ham or bacon, and bell peppers.

Pour into a greased baking dish and bake until set.

Slice and serve this hearty egg casserole for a satisfying meal.

Meal Prep Tip:

Make ahead and reheat for a quick breakfast or lunch during the week.

Recipe 5: Zesty Keto Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup mayo

1 tbsp mustard

1 tsp hot sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Instructions:

Slice the eggs in half and remove the yolks.

Mash the yolks with mayo, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites.

Sprinkle with paprika and serve these zesty deviled eggs as a snack or appetizer.

Flavor Variations:

Get creative with toppings like bacon bits or avocado slices.

Recipe 6: Crispy Keto Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

2 eggs

Almond flour or crushed pork rinds

Grated Parmesan cheese

Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Marinara sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Slice the eggplant and dip in beaten eggs.

Coat in a mixture of almond flour, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Bake until crispy, then top with marinara and mozzarella.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown for a delicious keto-friendly twist on a classic dish.

Keto-Friendly Tip:

Serve with a side of zucchini noodles for a complete low-carb meal.

Recipe 7: Spicy Keto Shakshuka

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Onion, garlic, red bell pepper

Diced tomatoes

Smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Eggs

Fresh parsley or cilantro

Instructions:

Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper in olive oil.

Add tomatoes and spices, then simmer until thickened.

Make wells in the sauce and crack eggs into them.

Cover and cook until eggs are set.

Garnish with herbs and serve this spicy shakshuka for breakfast or dinner.

Cooking Tip:

Adjust the spice level to your taste by adding more or less cayenne pepper.

Recipe 8: Creamy Keto Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken or vegetable broth

Eggs

Coconut aminos or soy sauce

Sesame oil

Ground ginger

Salt and pepper

Green onions for garnish

Instructions:

Simmer broth and seasonings.

Slowly pour in beaten eggs to create ribbons.

Cook until eggs are set, then garnish with green onions.

Warm up with a bowl of this creamy egg drop soup on chilly days.

Ingredient Substitution:

Use tamari or liquid aminos if you don't have coconut aminos or soy sauce.

Recipe 9: Flavorful Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl

Ingredients:

Ground pork or chicken

Onion, garlic, ginger

Coconut aminos or soy sauce

Rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha

Shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix

Salt and pepper

Green onions for garnish

Instructions:

Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger, then add meat and cook until browned.

Stir in sauces and cabbage, then cook until wilted.

Season with salt and pepper, then garnish with green onions.

Dig into this deconstructed egg roll for a satisfying and flavorful meal.

Recipe Variation:

Make it vegetarian by swapping the meat for tofu or tempeh.

Recipe 10: Decadent Keto Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

Ripe avocados

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Powdered erythritol or monk fruit sweetener

Coconut cream or heavy cream

Vanilla extract

Salt

Sugar-free chocolate chips for garnish

Instructions:

Blend avocados with cocoa powder, sweetener, cream, vanilla, and salt.

Adjust sweetness to taste, then chill until set.

Top with chocolate chips for an indulgent and guilt-free dessert.

Make-Ahead Tip:

Whip up a batch and store in the fridge for a quick and satisfying treat anytime.

Time to Get Cooking!

There you have it – 10 egg-cellent keto recipes to fuel your low-carb journey. Whether you're craving something savory or sweet, these dishes have got you covered. So grab your apron, fire up the stove, and let's get cooking! Don't forget to share your creations with us and spread the keto love. Happy cooking! 🍳

[suppernatural]

Click recipe cards to enlarge.

Benny's Chicken Sausage Gumbo

I wanted to dedicate my first recipe post to my friend Benny who is from the Lafayette area and took the time to come over and teach me how to make chicken and sausage gumbo recently—which was a real labor of love, because gumbo is NOT quick or easy to make. But he's one of the coolest and nicest people I've ever met, and he loves to cook, and he wanted to make sure I had the good stuff, so he was happy to teach me... in fact, he said he'd be happy to come again and teach me some more Louisiana recipes in the future.

Now if you've ever had gumbo NOT in Louisiana, Benny says you may not have ever had a good gumbo, so don't judge gumbos as a whole based on that one gumbo you ate at some random restaurant once. Benny says the world is FULL of crap gumbos that just don't taste right, because it's very hard to get gumbo right! He also told me there are many variations on gumbo that are very normal even within Louisiana, and they are all delicious when they are done right, and this is just the kind he makes because of the area he was born. So if you want the good stuff, you just gotta go to the right place. The very best place to get gumbo, Benny says, is in a Louisianian's home... because then you know it's made with love, and is probably made by a recipe passed down through generations.

Now there are three main components to a chicken sausage gumbo the way Benny makes it:

The roux. This is the most time consuming and difficult part to get right but also the most important part and the part people are most likely to fuck up according to Benny.

The meat. Chicken and sausage. You wanna use chicken thighs if you can get 'em and andouille sausage if possible. However, many varieties of sausage are acceptable. Just be aware the sausage is part of what flavors your gumbo, so pick a good one!

What's referred to as the holy trinity in Louisiana cooking: yellow onions, green bell peppers, and celery. Garlic, Benny says, is also a given in ANY Louisiana dish (and luckily he isn't actually allergic though some people in his life might think that).

Here's all the supplies you're gonna need:

A big ass pot and a spoon and a ladle. Benny says gumbo takes forever, so if you're going to make it, you might as well make a shit ton of it so that either you can feed a whole bunch of people, or, because it'll freeze real well, you can do that.

A cast iron skillet or dutch oven and a whisk or a flat bottom wooden spoon. This is for making the roux.

A knife and cutting board for chopping all your shit up.

A strainer to strain your broth.

Ingredients List

1 cup oil

1 cup flour

4 lbs of chicken thighs

1 Ibs link sausage

3-4 bay leaves

several garlic cloves

large yellow onion, chopped (2 to 3 cups)

2 to 3 celery stalks, chopped

green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 Tbsp minced garlic

Salt to taste

black pepper to taste

red pepper to taste (or cajun seasoning)

Instructions:

First, the roux:

Whisk together the oil and flour in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven. Now, you wanna turn the heat on your burner to medium—never higher or lower than that! And then you just start stirring—and you keep stirring and stirring and stirring constantly... for like 30 minutes to an hour. You need that flat bottomed spoon (or your whisk works) so you can scrape the bottom and sides of the pot/skillet on repeat so nothing sticks and burns. You constantly gotta be scraping your roux off the bottom and sides of the pot. If you stop, the roux will BURN and you cannot let that happen or you have to start over, okay? You DO however, want it to get darker and darker. It'll start a milky white, and where you stop does depend on personal taste, but Benny says he considers his done when it's the color of a Hershey bar. Remember that your cast iron is going to stay hot after you turn the heat off, so turn the fire off a little before you think you should and continue to stir until your pot has cooled enough that it isn't cooking your roux anymore or you will STILL burn it! This is why this is the hardest part of making gumbo. The roux is easy to burn!

Second, the broth and the holy trinity:

Dump all your chicken in that big ass pot with about 12 cups of water, along with the bay leaves and some halved garlic cloves. Bring all of that to a boil, then turn down to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour (until your chicken is boiled through). You will need to remove the fat that bubbles to the surface as you boil the chicken.

While that's going, dice up all your vegetables (onions, celery, green bell pepper, and MORE garlic—this time minced).

When your chicken is boiled through (but hopefully before it turns stringy—you don't want that!) remove it from your pot and set it aside somewhere, then pour your broth through a strainer to get rid of any more bits of skin or fat from the chicken. You wanna have about 12 cups of broth, so if you don't have enough, if you've gotta, you can add some chicken broth you have stored somewhere or from the store. Pour the broth back in your big pot and bring it to a boil, then dump all the vegetables you diced up in there (onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic) AND the roux.

Turn the heat to low and let it all simmer for about an hour. While it's cooking in there, you add the sausage so it adds flavor, so...

Third, the meat:

Slice your sausage up into little… medallions? (You know what I'm talking about—how you usually cut link sausage) and cook it in a skillet just to brown it and remove some of the fat, then add it to the gumbo so it can add some more flavor to that simmering broth and roux. Continue to cook on low.

Now when your simmering time is over, you'll nearly be done, so when it's close to time, dice up your chicken into pieces (and debone of course if you used bone-in thighs). Kitchen shears are also good for this but a knife will also do you just fine.

Now add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste (Benny was very generous—this ain't one of those "just a little salt" type deals). You can also put cajun seasoning in there. Add your chopped chicken into the pot and simmer for about 20 more minutes, and it'll be ready to serve.

Gumbo is best served with rice (I don't mean like a gravy type deal—this is a soup! But you often put rice in that soup!) and some french bread, which tastes fucking awesome dipped in that broth.

Gumbo freezes well, and you can also make a big batch of roux ahead and keep it in a jar in your fridge if you want, so it's possible to prep that ahead so you don't spend so long preparing it all in one day. Anyway, there you go! That’s Benny’s chicken and sausage gumbo!

[smute]

[SORRY to the anon who wanted the soup resippy i tried saving your ask as a draft to type all this out but then it disappeared 😬😬😬]

ok so this is essentially a variation of my grandma’s [1] linsensuppe, so im gonna give u both resippies. my version isnt technically mine, i stole the inspiration for it from the fancy restaurant deli place i worked at many moons ago, but i never saw an actual recipe, i just got one free meal per shift and had this soup very often and eventually tried to recreate it from memory months after i was fired for being too cute and handsome and sexy. its also the first time im writing this down, so dont expect any exact measurements please. measure with your heart <333

ingredience:

an assortment of (root) vegetables [2] such as:

onions

carrots

celery [3]

leek

potatoes

also:

large brown lentils

bacon

sausages [4]

and of course:

some herbs [5]

salt and pepper

white wine vinegar (for grandma's version); yes lemon juice works too

chili peppers (for mine)

and/or cayenne pepper (for mine)

white vermouth (for mine)

heavy cream (for mine)

prepping the stock:

wash and peel and dice your veggies somewhat finely (like bite-sized pieces, not super fine)

render the bacon (fry on low heat until the fat is extracted) save the bacon bits to add back later if u want

brown the veggies in bacon fat. i start with the onions and then go by hardness. for example, i would add the carrots before the celeriac, which tends to soften pretty quickly [6]

once all the veggies have softened and turned a nice color, simply add water and your leafy herbs and simmer on low heat for as long as you want or can lol. an hour should be enough but the longer the better. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT.

congratulations, you have made unsalted vegetable stock.

for both lentil soup varieties:

rinse the lentils and add them to the unsalted stock [7]

once the lentils have softened, start seasoning

add the diced potatoes and cook those until soft

variety numero uno aka grandma’s lentil soup:

the traditional (german?) lentil soup is seasoned with a splash of vinegar so go ahead and add that (careful though, its just meant to add some tang, not ruin the fucking soup lmao)

add sausage bits and bam. ultimate comfort food. well, penultimate.

variety numero due aka smute’s stolen resippy:

when prepping the stock, add fresh chili peppers according to your own spice tolerance.

also, DEGLAZE THE POT WITH A SPLASH OF WHITE VERMOUTH [8] before u add the water and let it cook down (it will be pretty pungent and smell very citrusy and spicy and vanilla-y and boozy initially but it mellows out quite quickly so just trust your nose. THEN you can add the water and do all the other shit i just told you ok thank you

season with a shit ton of cayenne pepper – either in addition to or instead of the chili peppers, and according to your own spice tolerance. i wouldnt use any spice mixes though. this is just to add heat, not any overpowering flavors

do not touch that fucking vinegar. turn off the heat and add half a cup of heavy cream instead. your soup should turn from toddler poop into a delicious thick beige-y white clam chowder slop. maybe with an orangy cayenne pepper tint if youre not a pussy (/handjob)

add sausage slices to warm them up and dig in

🦶footnotes:

[1] idiomatic; my grandma wasnt very big on cooking lol

[2] commonly referred to as “suppengrün” in german, a flavor base similar to a french mirepoix or an italian soffritto. the specific ingredients vary by region but usually suppengrün includes carrots, celeriac (see below), parsley root, rutabaga or some other turnip variety, curly parsley, et cetera et cetera

[3] celeriac aka celery root aka knob celery; yes, you can use celery stalks instead but they do taste different imo. celery stalks are also a lot saltier so idk how that would affect the lentils. dont skip the celery though because it gives you that essential soup flavor

[4] frankfurters? the smoked pork link sausages kind. i know food terminology is somewhat tricky once you cross the atlantic (im just assuming an american will read this lmao) and ive heard that you guys have hot dogs without the casing on like. crustless sandwiches? which. i cant even imagine what that is like but anyway. not the canned vienna sausages please. for my grandma

[5] you cant go wrong with curly parsley, i mean its so mild and inoffensive parsley goes with pretty much anything and it adds some nice color as well. yes you can use flat leaf instead lmao. basickly i would recommend anything you'll find in a fines herbes mix aka parsley, chives, chervil, and tarragon. that combo is a staple of french cuisine but they're widely used here as well so if you're going for the classic flavor, any of these will do the trick.

[6] if you don’t eat pork or want a vegetarian version, or if you’re just making stock, you can totally skip the bacon and use oil instead

[7] i’ve always been told that lentils have to be cooked in unsalted liquid. idk the science behind it and if we’re being honest, it’s probably some bullshit myth BUT! one time i did cook them with salt and they came out weird and hard and disgusting and it could of course be related to something totally different but what can i say. belief integrated. dont add salt until they’re soft. something that IS NOT a myth is the lentil variety. for this resippy you need LARGE BROWN lentils (tellerlinsen for all germans). the whole point of this soup is its creamy sloppy deliciousness and the soft mealy mushy consistency you get from large brown lentils adds a lot to that. small brown varieties (berglinsen for all germans) tend to keep their shape more and refuse to be slopified. ive never used red or yellow lentils or whatever for this soup so try at your own risk.

[8] vermouth is just fortified (distilled) wine thats been flavored with all kinds of shit (herbs and spices). i have a small bottle of martini bianco in my pantry that i only use for special dishes and while it is disgusting as a drink, it adds SO MUCH complexity to all kinds of foods it really is worth it. anyway. im gonna go out on a limb and say that you can also use a sweet white wine. maybe use a more generous amount and cook it down a bit? and maybe add a PINCH of sugar

[thissilentcloth]

Fresh off the needles: socks! (ft. Lulu)

26 Jan. 2024 - 31 Jan. 2024

Ravelry project page

Yarn: Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Coloria Socka Color sock yarn in the colorway 9096 Blau Wei.

Needles: 2.75mm bamboo DPNs

Pattern: Improvised

What I binged: like 80% of the Technology Connections.

I normally wouldn't buy this yarn, as I'm team natural fibers. I thrift all of my yarn, and last year they had a ton of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (on half off day!!)....mixed with other yarns and divided amongst several bags 🙄 They included two sock "kits" (two skeins of yarn each + a printed out pattern).

This week I found one of the kits in my stash. I'd recently used DPNs for the first time to knit some sweater cuffs and found that I liked them for that, so I decided to give them a go with this sock yarn since my only DPNs were the same size called for in the pattern.

Long ago I had the goal of never buying socks again, but I really struggled with knitting them on circulars and gave up. I started many, many socks but had only finished one pair, which ended up being huge.

The "pattern" was basically just a generic 60 stitch cuff-down recipe, but I prefer knitting socks toe-up, so opted to just improvise a toe-up pattern. I bumped the stitch count up to 65 stitches as I have large feet. I do wish I'd stuck with 60, as they are a little loose on me.

The yarn is self-striping and I decided that I wanted them to match, so it was interesting having to think about that. It was challenging getting the striping to work out well on the heel, but I appreciated that it made it easy to ensure they'd be the same length. I did, however, underestimate how much yarn I'd need for the bind off of the first sock and ended up binding off about 1/4 of the stitches with the white yarn. I'm trying to convince myself that it's charming so I don't have to redo it.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how they might have looked had I decided to go in a different direction with the striping, I kinda wish I had several more skeins so I could try a few variations. I do think I could squeeze some ankle socks out of the remaining yarn (a little over 40g out of 100), but I do still have the other sock kit somewhere, so I may want to combine the extra yarn from both kits.

[trkstrnd]

here’s something i’m realizing i genuinely think my asd has made me a better writer

and i know that it’s like “oh you’re autistic that means you’re just good at something like a savant” for a lot of people but may i just say that’s a disgusting stereotype and a lot of autistic people are just okay at things and just have trouble peopling.

it’s so annoying you have like the poles of autism where you’re either intellectually disabled on top of autism and people blame the autism for something that maybe that other disability causes, or maybe you just have a fuck ton of high support needs, or maybe you’re just dummy good at something and there’s nothing in between but they call it autism SPECTRUM disorder for a reason

and when you think spectrum stop thinking of a fucking gradient a gradient is this like i know that a lot of people think this when they think autism

^ ^

low support needs high support needs

BUT THAT IS SO INCORRECT AND DAMAGING TO AUTISTIC PEOPLE

autism is like a chocolate chip cookie recipe. there are so many different variations out there, but a good chunk have close to the same ingredients in different quantities. in the end, you’re still gonna get a chocolate chip cookie, regardless of if you used milk or dark, butter or margarine, a teaspoon of salt or a pinch, it’s still gonna be a COOKIE

if the ingredients are present, no matter how severely or not they’re impacting a person, it’s STILL AUTISM.

oh my god i’m gonna have to make another post about how my asd effects my writing though because i got so off track just know i am very passionate around this subject.

[blsm-m]

All images by Sonja & Alex Overhiser. Couple cooking First published in July 2021 Summer is here, and just like food, it's the best season for cocktails (in my opinion). Summer Cocktails A seasonal berry, stone fruit, or fresh herb theme makes cocktails endlessly fun. This is the perfect time of year for a refreshing bubble or ice-cold frozen puree with just the right amount of sweetness - no alcohol needed! Mocktails are king, even in summer. These refreshing summer drinks are best enjoyed outdoors, whether in the backyard, on a restaurant patio, or poolside. Here are some classic cocktail recipes that are perfect for drinking this season. Each basic recipe is listed at the beginning, along with some creative variations to inspire you. Enjoy! 1. Mojito The Mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail that can be enjoyed in any season, but is best in the summer when fresh mint is in abundance. It's made with plenty of mint leaves, white rum and sparkling water, and can be mixed with berries or peaches for extra flavor.recipe: Classic Mojitovariation: try out Strawberry Mojito, Raspberry Mojito, Peach Mojitoor Virgin Mojito 2. Aperol Spritz A spritz is a bubbly cocktail that's perfect for beating the heat. The most popular is Aperol Spritz, but you can make it with other liqueurs too. The basic idea is to mix sparkling wine (aka Prosecco), liqueur, and club soda in a 3:2:1 ratio. The slight citrus flavor makes this drink even more refreshing.recipe: Aperol Spritzvariation: St. Germain Spritz, Rillet Spritz, Amaro Spritzor Limoncello Spritz 3. Spritzer A spritzer is similar to a spritz, but is a completely different concept. Mix wine with club soda and you have a spritzer. The concept has been around since the 1800s for a reason: it's easy and super refreshing. Use your favorite wine.recipe: White wine spritzervariation: Rose Spritzer 4. Highball Highballs are the height of refreshment. Add alcohol and tons of bubbles! There are many variations on the concept of mixing alcohol with carbonated water. The whiskey highball dates back to the early 1900s. A trendy new variation you've probably heard of? Ranch Water! recipe: Vodka Sodavariation: Whiskey Highball, Tequila Soda, Ranch Water 5. Gin Rickey A rickey is similar to a highball, but contains gin and lime juice. The classic gin rickey was invented around the 1880s, and has since evolved into a popular variation as a mocktail, an infinitely customizable concept. recipe: Gin Rickeyvariation: Cherry Lime Rickey, Raspberry Lime Rickeyor Lime Rickey 6. Shandy A shandy is to beer what a wine spritzer is to wine. Have you ever made a homemade shandy? It's a British drink that dates back to the mid-1800s. Originally beer was mixed with ginger beer or ginger ale, but today's shandies are mixed with lemon-lime soda or sparkling lemonade. Summer Shandies and Grapefruit Shandies (recipe linked below) are a refreshing twist on the classic shandy, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and grapefruit juice.recipe: Classic Shandyvariation: Summer Shandy, Grapefruit Shandy 7. Whiskey Smash The classic whiskey smash dates back to the 1880s as a Victorian summer refreshment, and many variations have sprung up since then - try any libation and mix in some fresh berries for a twist.recipe: Whiskey Smashvariation: Gin Basil Smash, Berry Vodka Smash, Blackberry Bourbon Smash 8. Moscow Mule The Moscow Mule, a classic combination of lime and ginger beer, is one of the most popular cocktails in the country. The cocktail has spawned countless variations using different liqueurs, and the watermelon version is the perfect summer treat. recipe: Classic Moscow Mulevariation: Mexican Mules, Kentucky Mule, Jinjin Mule, Watermelon Mule 9. Frozen Daiquiri

Frozen daiquiris are a bit 1990s, but we love them. The classic daiquiri is made with lime, rum and syrup, and when frozen it's a staple at resorts and restaurants. It's incredibly refreshing and easy to make as a mocktail. Just mix the ingredients, add a garnish or two if desired, and enjoy.recipe: Strawberry Daiquirivariation: Lime Frozen Daiquiri, Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri 10. Sangria The final drink in our roundup of summer cocktails is a big pitcher of sangria. This Spanish wine punch has been keeping people cool for centuries. Typical ingredients are fruit, sugar, wine, brandy, triple sec, and sparkling or soda water (optional). There are lots of fruit-forward variations that are perfect for this time of year. recipe: Red Sangriavariation: White Sangria, Rose Sangria, Watermelon Sangria, Strawberry Sangria Want to enjoy a refreshing summer cocktail? Browse by alcohol vodka, rumor gin. Sonia is the author of the award-winning food blog Couple cooking And cookbooks A pretty simple dishAlong with her husband, Alex, the couple are plant-based diet gurus and authors of the Washington Post Food recipe series, Greedy: Plant PowerFeatured from the TODAY Show to Bon Appetit, Sonja encourages adventurous eating and aims to make the world a better place with every bite. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '374634936281400'); fbq('track', 'PageView');

[weightlose123]

Is there a difference between British weight and American

While the United States and Britain share a common language, their systems of measurement can sometimes cause confusion. This is especially true when it comes to weight. While they may seem identical at first glance, there are some key differences between British and American weight measurements.Both systems share the pound (lb) as their base unit. Up to this point, there's no difference: 1 pound is 1 pound, regardless of location. However, things diverge when we move beyond pounds.

The Great Divide: Stones, Hundredweights, and TonsThe key difference lies in larger weight units. The US utilizes a decimal system, with 100 pounds making up a hundredweight and 2,000 pounds forming a ton. This is known as the "short" hundredweight and "short" ton.Britain, on the other hand, employs a system with some historical roots. They use the stone (st) as a unit between pounds and hundredweight. One stone is equal to 14 pounds. A British hundredweight (also called a "long" hundredweight) is then comprised of 112 pounds, which is 8 stones. Finally, the British ton (or "long" ton) is 2,240 pounds, heavier than its American counterpart.Here's a table summarizing the key differences:Unit US BritishPound (lb) Same SameHundredweight (cwt) 100 lb (short cwt) 112 lb (long cwt)Ton 2,000 lb (short ton) 2,240 lb (long ton)Stone (st) N/A 14 lbdrive_spreadsheetExport to SheetsReal-World ImpactThese seemingly minor differences can cause confusion in various situations.

For instance, if a British recipe calls for 2 stones of flour, an American baker would need to convert that to pounds (28 pounds in this case).Similarly, weightlifting competitions might use different weight classes depending on the location. Understanding these variations is crucial to avoid misunderstandings.A Move Towards Metric?Both the US and Britain are outliers in the world, with most countries adopting the metric system. The metric system offers a simpler, decimal-based approach to measurement, potentially reducing confusion.The UK has partially adopted the metric system, with some products labeled in both metric and imperial units. However, the US has been slower to embrace this change.ConclusionWhile the core unit of the pound remains the same, British and American weight systems diverge when it comes to larger units like hundredweights and tons. Understanding these differences can help avoid confusion when encountering recipes, weightlifting data, or other situations involving weight measurement. As the world continues to move towards the metric system, it will be interesting to see if these traditional weight measurements fade or persist alongside the more standardized approach.

[adamgant]

10 Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Soup Recipes

10 Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Soup Recipes https://ift.tt/rtMEy6w Sharing 10 gluten-free, dairy-free soup recipes: nourish your body with flavorful, allergen-friendly soup recipes made with wholesome ingredients. Hi friends! How’s the day going? I hope you’re having a great one so far! It’s finally WINTER here in AZ. our warm weather has transformed into a wintery tundra, and all I’m craving is a hot, comfy bowl of soup. For today’s post, I’m sharing a roundup of 10 delicious and healthy soups you can try this winter! 10 Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Soup Recipes 1. Sausage Kale Soup via Fit Mitten Kitchen This Sausage Kale Soup (also known as, “Zuppa Toscana”) is a comforting dairy-free soup classic. A healthier take on the Olive Garden recipe with a variety of ways to lighten things up. Make in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or on your stovetop! Dairy-free, Paleo, and Whole 30 friendly. 2. Instant Pot White Chicken Chili via The Almond Eater Easy Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is a creamy and delicious soup recipe that’s both gluten free and dairy free. It’s made with beans, corn, chicken, and plenty of spices, and then topped with cilantro, avocado and tortilla strips, making it incredibly filling, too. 3. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup via Cookie & Kate This homemade butternut squash soup is the best I’ve ever tasted! This recipe is super creamy (yet cream-less) and full of delicious butternut flavor. Leftover soup tastes even better the next day.  4. Detox Soup via Eating Bird Food Give your body a reset with this veggie filled detox soup. It’s healthy, filling and packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric, ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper. It comes together quickly in just one pot and is perfect for meal prep! 5. Dairy-Free Tomato Basil Soup via The Whole Cook This creamy tomato soup is completely dairy free but you’d never be able to tell from the taste! Plus it’s loaded with fresh ingredients and ready in only 30 minutes. 6. Coconut Curry Soup via Fit Foodie Finds This coconut curry soup is the perfect weeknight meal. It is packed with veggies, healthy fats, and a ton of flavor. It’s ready in 30-minutes and perfect for leftover soup, too. 7. Broccoli Soup via Love & Lemons You’d never guess that this creamy vegan broccoli soup is totally dairy-free! It’s made of a rich, savory blend of potatoes, veggies, and herbs. 8. Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup via Minimalist Baker A creamy, spicy vegan carrot ginger soup made in 1 pot with just 8 ingredients! SO vibrant, warming, and perfect for chilly weather. Stovetop and Instant Pot versions included. 9. Vegan Coconut Tomato Lentil Soup via Ambitious Kitchen Nourishing vegan coconut tomato lentil soup simmered with delicious, warming spices like cumin, coriander and turmeric. This creamy tomato lentil soup recipe has plenty of plant-based protein and makes a wonderful meal prep lunch or dinner! 10. Mediterranean Lentil Soup via Downshiftology Lentil soup is a classic vegetarian soup recipe. It’s hearty, healthy, delightfully filling (with plant-based protein), and warming on those cold, wintery days. While there are many variations of lentil soup, you can’t go wrong with a simple, delicious Mediterranean version. You may also enjoy: Our Favorite Healthy Fall Soup Recipes Single Serving Bone Broth Soups The Best Black Bean Soup Liv’s Favorite Soup The post 10 Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Soup Recipes appeared first on The Fitnessista. via The Fitnessista https://ift.tt/gscIDXV January 11, 2024 at 02:42PM

[mohitvatra]

Mango Mastani Recipe 

A unique and delicious desi style mango milkshake made with lots of dry fruits and mango pulp. It is commonly made and served as a road food dessert on the streets of Pune city, but has led to riots across India. This recipe post is based on my own experiments, as there have been many variations as it has grown in popularity.

Indian Road Food Recipes has a ton of bites and chaat recipes that will fill your mouth with different flavours. It goes without saying that some sweet dessert milkshake recipes are all you need to tone down the spice level. Mango Mastani Recipe, which combines ice cream, mango pulp and dry fruits, is one such popular dessert recipe.

As mentioned earlier, Mango Mastani recipe can be prepared in many ways. The main differences are in the proportions of mango pulp used in different recipes, ice cream and mango milkshake. In contrast to the mango flavor, some recipes are overly generous and add too much ice cream flavor. Instead of mango base, I call these ice cream mastani. I tried to make the milkshake more balanced by adding more mango and concentrated mango pulp. You may not be sure to see many street traders adding mango mash to it, yet I think this is nothing but a real mango sweet. If the amount of cream is increased it may taste better or bring more customers to these street vendors, but it is not an authentic recipe.

Furthermore, I would like to conclude with some advice, modifications and suggestions for mango mastani recipe. firstly, for this recipe, i highly recommend using sweet mango pulp and extract. It should be fully prepared and should not have any pungent taste. Use Badami, Neelam, Alphonso, Dussehri and Raspuri mangoes whenever possible. Second, when it comes to ice cream stick to creamy vanilla-flavored ice cream. Butterscotch or caramel can be used, but you should avoid dark-colored or strongly flavored ice cream. Finally, be generous with how much dried organic produce you include in this recipe. Plus, there are plenty of options, so try a different kind of nuts for crunchy, creamy flavor in each bite.

For more information visit the link: https://cookingkhajana.in/mango-mastani-recipe/

[eazy-group]

Moroccan Spiced Rice: How To Make Simple Moroccan Style Rice

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Moroccan Spiced Rice: How To Make Simple Moroccan Style Rice

This Moroccan Spiced Rice is a basic recipe that can be totally adapted to the rest of your meal with a variety of add-ins. It’s one of the most versatile camping side dishes you can have on your menu!

Moroccan Spiced Rice by CampingForFoodies

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Methods & Equipment

If you are making this as one of our easy campfire recipes, you’ll need a heavy cast iron pot or skillet with a tight-fitting lid.

This works really well as one of our camp stove recipes because you are just going to boil a liquid, cook the rice and stir in additional ingredients.

Recipe Steps

Step 1. Prepare your ingredients, heat source and equipment as directed. You’ll need a pot for cooking the rice. Then, a big bowl for tossing everything together. You can simmer the rice over any heat source including a camp fire, camp stove or RV stovetop.

Step 2. Make the rice according to the package directions. You can use almost any type of rice you like, try:

brown rice

white rice

basmati rice

long grain rice

If you want to substitute a flavorful cooking liquid for the water, you may want to try:

vegetable stock (great if you’re making vegetarian camping recipes)

chicken broth (perfect if your main dish is a chicken, fish or pork dinner)

beef broth (wonderful for beef main dishes)

Step 3. Heat the vegetables in a pan. You’re just defrosting the veggies and giving them a little warmth.

Step 4. Make the dressing with the fresh herbs and spices. I like doing this in a big bowl so I can just add the rice and vegetables to the dressing to mix everything together.

Step 5. Assemble the rice veggies and dressing. Serve immediately.

Variations & Pairings

I really like using basic recipes that I can modify based on the rest of the meal. I like serving this rice with my Dutch oven Middle Eastern Chicken which has tons of flavor that comes from a simple marinade that features garlic cloves, ground ginger, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and salt. Then I add dried apricots, dates and kalamata olives. So, I want the rice to act as a subtle backdrop for this meal.

When I serve this rice with a simple grilled protein, I add more flavors to the rice to give it interesting tastes and textures. Here are some of my favorite add-ins:

Fresh vegetables: sliced green onions, tomatoes etc.

Dried fruit: raisins, ​cranberries, currants etc.

Crunchy nuts: almonds, pecans, pine nuts etc.

A bolder rice (with the stronger flavored add-ins) works really well with these main dishes:

Leftovers

You can refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight container. The rice can be easily reheated or re-invented. I like using it as a base in a raw veggie wrap for lunch with a slice of lean lunchmeat like turkey or chicken.

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Print This Recipe

Moroccan Spiced Rice

Kim Hanna

Camping For Foodies Sides Camping Recipes: Adapt this basic recipe with a variety of add-ins to compliment your main dish.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Sides Camping Recipes

Cuisine Moroccan

Servings 6

Calories 183 kcal

4 cups cooked rice (see * Note)

1 cup mixed frozen veggies (with carrots, peas and green beans)

Dressing Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Optional Add-Ins (see ** Note)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

*NOTE: Brown or white rice, basmati rice or long grain rice all work well here. Instead of cooking the rice with water, use a liquid that adds additional flavor, like vegetable stock, beef or chicken broth. **NOTE: There is so much flavor in our Middle Eastern Chicken dish so we like milder flavors in the rice pilaf. Depending on what you are serving with this Moroccan rice, you can add additional flavors to the pot by stirring in additional ingredients. Here are some suggestions for optional add-ins:

Fresh vegetables like sliced green onions and tomatoes.

Dried fruit like raisins, ​cranberries and currants.

Crunchy nuts like almonds, pecans and pine nuts.

Serving: 1gCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 115mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 2094IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

Source

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Book Review

Honey From a Weed: Fasting and Feasting in Tuscany, Catalonia, the Cyclades and Apulia by Patience Gray

When it comes to food, Europeans have great traditions. In America, on the other hand, we make ourselves an easy target of ridicule. For example, think of drive-through windows at restaurants. Not only is fast food crappy tasting and terrible for your health, but eating a meal in your car is just downright gross. No class, no style, no elegance, no taste. People turn their vehicles into motorized garbage cans this way. I realize not every meal can be gourmet, but with a minimal amount of effort you can be a little less trashy. And its nice that we have a much broader range of ethnic options than we used to, but so many of these restaurants Americanize their food to the point where they no longer resemble the authentic dishes you get in their nations of origin. I’ve had Thai curries that were so sweet they tasted like desserts and larb without fish sauce. Ask for something spicy and they dump a ton of salt in it. Burritos, nachos, and fajitas aren’t eaten in Mexico. Hummous and falafels aren’t Greek, having their origins in Palestine. Greek people eat massive amounts of seafood but you never see fish on a Greek menu in America. The vomit they serve at The Olive Garden bears little resemblance to real Italian food. Don’t get me going on how fake our Chinese food is. Our fruits and vegetables taste like plastic, unlike the produce in other countries. Obviously not all food in America sucks, but more than half of it does. At least we have better food than British people do. What hell is marmite? Industrial sludge on bread?Axle grease in a jar? It tastes like cigarette ashes with shoe polish.

Mediterranean people, on the other hand, know all about food. So when I heard about Patience Gray’s Honey From a Weed, I knew I had to read it. The author spent time living in rural Mediterranean countries during the 1960s and 1970s with her husband, an artists she calls The Sculptor rather than using his real name. She witnessed the farming lifestyle of people in Catalonia, Tuscany, the Greek island of Naxos, and Apulia, the part of Italy shaped like the heel of the boot, a place where the local language is a mixture of Italian and Greek. As she wrote down her collection of recipes, she decided to put them into context with passages about how the cooking materials were collected or harvested, and detailed all this with short passages about the culture of the people she encountered. What results is a cookbook you can read as part ethnography, part memoir, part travelogue, and part philosophical discourse examining what it means to live a good life.

The recipes cover a wide range of ingredients with chapters on farmed vegetables, wild herbs, mushrooms, seafood, and game. If you’ve ever wondered how to cook a fox, a horse, or a sea urchin you need look no further. If you want to cook everyday items like chicken, mussels, or zucchini you can find that here too. A lot of the recipes are redundant, being variations of food fried in olive oil with garlic and diverse seasonings, occasionally with anchovies or tomatoes thrown in. But here is the catch: the types of tomatoes, or other vegetables used, depends on the season since different kinds of produce naturally ripen at different times of the year depending on the season and climate. These people did not have supermarkets that have the same industrially-grown, genetically altered produce all year long the way we do in the 21st century. European farmers lived so close to nature that the seasons dictated what kind of game you had, what fruits you could pick, or what kind of wine you could drink. It may have been a harder life, but the food was of much higher quality. In the 1970s, Patience Gray realized these cultures were vanishing so she wrote all her observations down for posterity.

The author, rightly so, must have thought that not many people would be interested in a cookbook full of recipes that most people probably wouldn’t use or even couldn’t use considering that some of these food items no longer exist. Some of the cooking utensils are rare or obsolete. In my favorite chapter of all, she gives a detailed analysis of how cooking over open flames with different varieties of wood complement the flavors of all kinds of dishes. With this in mind, you begin to see why these traditions couldn’t survive. Most of us don’t have the time or the resources to find twenty different kinds of wood to cook twenty different meals.

But to get back to the main point, she made this book readable by adding in passages about the different places she lived in. There are descriptions of villages, architecture, farms, kitchens, and landscapes. She makes mention of some of the rural people and their customs along with musings on their religious and political beliefs. With a healthy contempt for the fascism of Mussolini, she points out that these rural people were mostly anarchists or communists. In our day you can criticize these ideologies all you want, but with hindsight you have to realize that when industrial capitalism is the dominant economic system and your community is famished and living at the edge of death, all those “isms” looked like desirable alternatives.

Finally, Gray iterates her own philosophy, simply put, that lacking something is what makes it pleasurable when you get it. Tomatoes taste like ecstasy when they are harvested because the farmers can’t have them for three-quarters of the year. It’s like saying Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas if you have it every day. This might be a cause of such widespred psychological dissatisfaction in our times. At least that’s what The Unabomber Ted Kaczynski said. In our age of abundance and mass conformity this might not be so clear, yet we may still know it by unconscious instinct. It is why a rare book might sell for $500 while a mass-produced Harry Potter novel will get a book dealer little more than fifty cents. The problem is that Patience Gray states her philosophical position but never explores it in depth.

In fact, she doesn’t explore many ideas at all in depth. Her writing just isn’t that good. It’s interesting that she created a cookbook you can read, but the things to be read are not always clear or even interesting. The recipes get redundant and a bit of a chore to read and some of the rest of it is just weak in its execution. I am in love with the idea of this book, but not the final product.

Patience Gray’s Honey From a Weed is not one of the most memorable books I have come across, but I don’t regret reading it. Having traveled and studied a lot, I can’t say I’m lacking in alternate perspectives on the world and the current state of our society, but I did enjoy imagining myself being in the Mediterranean places she described. It also gave me renewed inspiration for cooking; I learned the best way to cook radicchio and was reminded that I haven’t had any scungilli in a really long time. Once was enough though and I probably won’t be re-reading it this the future.