#the good ones are good enough that the tuna salad recipe I use at home these days is based on a jimmy john's copycat recipe | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

1010ll · 3 years

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do you have any new recipes that you've learned recently? i remember you wrote something a while ago about carbonara and i tried it out for myself it was really fun!!

i love this 😭 im gonna write way too much idec! something that has changed since that post: my kitchen is worse. i have a horrible combi oven which has resulted in me accidentally eating raw chicken, because it had been in there for more than 2 hours at supposedly 230 °C and i was really hungry and thought it HAD to be done by then. also i have less time and less money lol. it has made me a bit sad, and less motivated to cook nice things but i also love food! which means these tips/recipes are gonna reflect that and might seem a bit dull but probably also relatable for a lot of people. i’ve definitely made spaghetti carbonara a bit too much because it’s simple and require few ingredients! will still vouch for that one tip about substituting the bacon with roasted veggies and other types of meat.

last week i made risotto for the very first time, i think? which means i might be assuming a bit too much, but i think it’s a great dish that you can almost make with whatever you have in your fridge. i made it with roasted beetroot(needs A LOT of time to soften, lesson learned), carrots and parsley root or parsnip(idk the difference), dried rosemary and thyme, garlic and onion. i had some leftover sushi rice, which is great for risotto apparently(love versatile ingredients), roasted them in some oil and then added white wine and chicken stock and actually added a leftover parmesan rind i had in the fridge to give the ‘stock’ some flavour, a bit of nutmeg and then in the end some shredded gouda lol… it was surprisingly delicious and i didn’t even really care to cook the rice perfectly. it also tasted delicious 3 days later, which was a nice surprise. i bet there are tons of risotto recipes online, but as long as you have rice, some kind of flavoured water, i guess you could kind of add whatever you want of veggies and top with whatever herb you have around.

another type of porridge i consume a lot these days is hot oat porridge, which i’ve eaten since i was little and it was the first ‘dish’ i learnt to make myself and it’s cheap. some people really dislike the consistency and look but i don’t. it’s also very easy to customise. i put in whatever nuts and seeds(which are often cheaper than nuts) i have around: flaxseed, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds and sometimes a dollop of peanut butter. i let them simmer along with the oats. i like adding those elements because it gives it some texture and it keeps me more full throughout the day. it’s very important to me because i hate spending money i don’t have on fast-food when i’m not home and i hate being hungry. dried raisins, cranberries for a bit of sweetness and if i’m treating myself i’ll add some fresh apples cut into small pieces or some homemade berry compote(i use frozen) or brown sugar. if i had more money i’d use maple syrup but i don’t at the moment. i also add a bit of cinnamon and cardamom, dried ginger etc, whatever you feel like. some people also add milk afterwards but i’d rather spend my milk on my coffee.

a small tip: making chili flake / garlic oil. it’s really delicious, you could put it straight on pasta with some parmesan and pepper and it would be a filling meal. either chop the garlic really fine, grate it, microplane it, smash it to pieces. heat some olive oil until it’s quite hot, then remove from heat and add the chili flakes and garlic. if the oil isn’t hot enough you can just put the pan or pot back on the heat but be careful you don’t burn the chili flakes or garlic, as it will make it bitter. the longer it will toast, the less pronounced the raw garlic flavour will be, so when it smells toasted enough for your taste, take it off. i store it in a tiny glass jar and add it in stews, sauces, toasts, pizza, sandwiches etc. the flavour is very strong imo and everything it touches will smell like it. something to drink: i like strong foods and i like sour foods, which is why i like lemon/ginger based drinks. to make it even more winter friendly and easy to make, i like to grate unpeeled ginger(i hate slices of ginger, they do nothing for me and seems like a waste of ginger), lemon zest, lemon juice and mix it or blend it with some water/apple juice and honey and strain it afterwards. if you have a really nice blender you can just add all of it together with some ice. i’m basically making a large amount of ginger shot mixture. then when i feel like it, i can take some of the mixture and either drink it as it is, add more apple juice if i need a refreshing beverage or add hot water and more honey for when im cold. you could also add turmeric, chili, use less sweetener and other sorts of healthy stuff but i honestly do it for the taste so i don’t care about that that much.

something sweet: i posted earlier about cakes and someone mentioned swedish kladdkaka, which is a super delicious, cheap, brownie-like chocolate cake that is easily customized and hard to fuck up which is why i’ve made it since i was very young and is a go-to and i didn’t even know it was a swedish thing. if you like airy, light cakes this is not for your. this is sticky, sweet and almost like confection. you can add nuts, swirls of peanutbutter, tahini, actual pieces of chocolate, replace the white sugar with brown sugar, the butter with oil(you can be fancy and use a bit of olive oil) or use a mixture, brown the butter, you name it. the recipe i use is this: melt 100 g butter and let cool. mix 2 eggs + 3 dl sugar in a bowl until fluffy in one bowl. mix 1.5 dl flour, 4 tbs cocoa, 1 pinch of salt in another. mix the dry with the wet mixture and add the cooled, melted butter. this is the point where you’d add chopped nuts, chocolate etc. pour the batter into a cake tin lined with parchment (i use one that is 16 cm in diameters i think). bake the cake for around 30 mins at 150°C - 175°C degrees. check on the cake using a cake tester or a a knife. if the knife is clean after … stabbing it, it’s done! the cake will change it’s texture after cooling. this is a cheap cake, and if you like cake dough you might want to give it less time in the oven for a more fudgey texture. make it your own! there are no rules. last time i made this, i left it in for too long in my opinion but it was still delicious. also i literally have a shit oven with a round oven rack that goes in circles no matter what due to the microwave function, and the only ‘mixing’ equipment i have is a whisk and a spatula. no need for kitchen aids or even electrical hand mixers.

something else i’ve been eating a lot for lunch is simple open faced sandwiches, and something that can really elevate those is: making your own mayonnaise(and toasting the bread). it can be challenging, but it’s really worth it imo and i can’t remember the last time i bought it in a store. i have a small plastic bowl, whisk and 1 egg yolk. something i can really recommend is buying pour snouts for bottles. i transfer my oils from their plastic bottles to smaller, old soda bottles because im cheesy like that and it’s really handy especially when making mayo. constantly whisking the egg yolk by hand and then adding the NEUTRAL oil ever so slowly. don’t be fancy and use cold pressed stuff or extra virgin olive oil because it will taste weird. i only ever fail when i try to use immersion blenders for some weird reason but i find it rewarding to do by hand anyways and i think it might be easier to make smaller portions that way. mayo needs acid and you can get it by adding regular vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, pickle juice, citric acid dissolved in water etc. it’s really easy to customise! when im making banh mi, i add some sesame oil, soy sauce for saltiness and use lime as the acidic element. for more regular use i add a bit of mustard(also helps with the emulsion), for fries, i like adding some fresh garlic. something as simple as mayo, tomatoes, flaky salt and pepper topped with chives is really nice. i also really like using slices of boiled potatoes or boiled eggs(idk if that’s only a thing where i’m from), mayo and the chili garlic oil. it’s also great for making tuna salad. yesterday i made a really simple sandwich with a very simple tuna salad(tuna, mayo, yoghurt, lemon and pepper), arugula, basil, the garlic/chili oil, cream cheese, pickled jalapeños and onions, green peber, cucumber and tomatoes. you could leave out everything but the tuna salad and it would still be a great little meal.

another nice condiment that beats the supermarket stuff by far is homemade ‘pesto’. when i buy parsley from my local grocery store, it’s a gigantic amount that i in no way can consume in a week. first of all when buying fresh herbs i really recommend washing them, wrapping them in a damp towel and keeping them in a closed container. it will prolong their lifetime from lasting a day to a week(change the towel if it seems too wet). i once had some cilantro in my fridge for several weeks and still be fresh. anyways, when i buy that much parsley, i like to remove the tougher parts of the stem(which i use in stews/sauces! chop it up and sautee it along with garlic and onion), add literally just olive oil, water, pepper, garlic, and a bit of acid and then blend away! it keeps for a long time in the fridge and is also delicious beneath tomatoes/potatoes/cheese on open-faced sandwiches. if you want to be fancy you can of course add some type of hard cheese, nuts, seeds, dried tomatoes, whatever.

i know this is the longest text post ever, but as a last reminder, i really recommend watching pasta grannies on youtube. really simple recipes with focus on few, good ingredients that just takes some time and love.

#sorry about the spelling mistakes and everything #it's not my first language but it probably wouldn't be much better if it were #food

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dclevinson · 4 years

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8/12/20: cognitive therapy

If Physical Therapies deal (basically) with one major problem, cognitive therapy deals with a nest of interlacing issues. Certainly short term memory, working memory, more complex processing. Likely some spatial perception/orientation issues too. Not to mention believing our house is actually our house --- an issue that can arise when we come back to it from outside. I know that I can’t fully trust my memory now; if I’ve told a story or described something that happened a long time ago in one way more than once, it’s hazy enough anyway that what happened and what I tell people happened is no longer very clearly distinguished in my mind. So I can only very, very vaguely imagine what making sense of the world and her life seems like to Cindy.

When I say complex processing, a task doesn’t have to be too intricate to cause problems --- say trying to add three single digit numbers instead of two. And, as her neuropsych mentor reminds me, she doesn’t have the mental scaffolding most of us use to problem solve. Switch some little thing to understand or do and it might be a whole new ballgame for her without the internal networking to adjust easily.

If you are just interacting socially with her, this may seem hard to believe. Her social intelligence is still nicely calibrated, and all those who know something about brain injury and rehab are routinely astonished at how sophisticated and quick her verbal intelligence still is. (Yesterday: hearing 60′s song Incense and Peppermint on XM in the car, she sang along with: Incest and Pestilence...) A long, slow recovery with standard therapies + some home tinkering has brought us now to a relatively stable six month period. She shows a range of behavior and mental processing (perception, memory, reasoning + motivation, will and emotion) that can swing wildly, but now seems to have a top and bottom “normal” range. I wish she operated near the top of that range longer and more frequently. But I’m grateful that bottoms are more often parts than full days.

One cog therapy example. She has been working on a very concrete memory task: seeing if on demand she can produce the names of all three of our synagogue’s rabbis. Something she knew as well as her own name once. The newest one keeps slipping her mind. The rehab technique is for me to remind her of the names often for several days before asking her to produce them. She’s always better with cues than a big blank canvas. Recently, after asking her to name them, I asked how many were women. She couldn’t, without lots of reframing help, do it.

Her reading of her own writing can be off, and though she’s writing on a straighter line these days and with not such teeny-tiny cramped lettering, she still adds extra letters when writing and doesn’t always accurately see what she’s written. When reading the newspaper, she might repeat headlines (yes, Cindy, I’ve heard that one three times) or just fuse several stories together without realizing it. Just to let you know how remarkable her easy social discourse and lively wit really are!

If these were normal times, her cog therapist would like to have set up a perceptual/visual screening. I know from experience now that she has trouble picking up the forest through the trees, separating foreground from background, etc. She can focus on one detail and not see a whole, etc. It can take a while, especially outdoors, to direct her to pick up something I’m pointing out to her in a little distance. Luckily, the red tailed hawk just outside our backyard a couple weeks ago liked his perch enough to stay long enough for me to find a view that let her pick it out. Wow. What all this must feel like day in and day out. Maybe it’s lucky if she doesn’t remember it very cohesively. Over time, it’s led her to be less determined, more willing to just see something as too hard to capture. No wonder.

Cog therapy work usually is very specific. Another recent example, working with 3 items from a recipe. Say tuna salad. What do you want to put in it? Can you write those ingredients down. Read what you’ve written. Remember what you’ve written and why. How’s the spelling? Spacing? (my questions to assist in remote work). I showed her that list a week later: she had no idea what it was.

The next week something much harder she actually handled better (it’s the day, not the task that’s key I tell her therapist). A house for sale on our block. 1500 square feet. $700,000. Brick. How accurate not an issue. She has no sense of market value now anyway. Then a bunch of questions, but built into a natural conversation about this house. Also, tricky, this week some statements that might or might not be accurate. Çould she tell the difference? Yes.

How Cindy describe her attention and focus: “It slithers.”

Danielle (Morgan, our SLP/cognitive therapist) asked us both not too long ago if we thought Cindy’s personality had changed since her bleed. Cindy didn’t know. I said, surprisingly, luckily, maybe remarkably: not much.

Danielle reminds me that research and experience tells rehab specialists that progress comes from concrete, specific goal focus.I note, from my untutored but long term close observation, that mental stimulation is good for her in many ways, stagnation is bad. A rising tide lifts all ships.

One recent evening it was getting on toward her bedtime, and we were in the kitchen watching one PBS thing or another to get to 8 pm. C is reaching out towards the table --- for water? --- having pushed herself away. She could use her chair’s wheel rims to get closer quickly, but she reaches. Even after I’ve reminded her. Maybe the gesture has less to do with reaching the water than something I don’t understand and she can’t communicate.

I joke: You look like you’re wishing and hoping and … what’s the rest of that song line? Dusty Springfield, right? Of course Cindy knows.

She: planning?

I look it up. Ah. Wishing and hoping and thinking and praying. Planning and dreaming… so planning is in there somewhere. Yep, I say, that’s what it looks like you’re doing when reaching for the table. Wishing and hoping and thinking and praying. Planning and dreaming…

8/12/20: our 47th wedding anniversary.

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bthenoise · 4 years

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Quaran-Dine & Chill: Here are 12 Homemade Food Recipes From Some Of Your Favorite Bands

Look, we get it: You’re bored. You’re stuck at home with nothing to do and to top it all off you’re absolutely starving with no idea what to make except for a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

Thankfully, we knew this would happen so we reached out to some amazing artists to see if they had any recipes to help us all get through this never-ending period of social distancing.

Submitting for a feature we like to call “Quaran-Dine & Chill,” bands like Mayday Parade, The Used, August Burns Red, Atreyu, Periphery, New Found Glory and more have all pitched in some of their most favorite recipes to make from home.

To check out how to create Groovy Toast, cook some of Herbie’s Homemade Chicken Taquitos or even put together some Veggie Pasta with Vegan Ass White Sauce, be sure to look below. Afterward, remember, before making anything to eat, WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS!

Oh, and there’s also a special 35-song Quaran-Dine & Chill playlist at the end of all this. Listen to it as loud as you possibly can -- we hear it helps the food taste better.

Enjoy!

JAKE BUNDRICK - MAYDAY PARADE

JAKE’S OVERNIGHT OATS

Ingredients 1/2 cup oatmeal (any type will work but I personally like Old Fashioned or Rolled Oats) 1 cup water 1 scoop protein powder (It's not necessary by any means but I prefer French Vanilla from TrueNutrition) 3/4 cup of either frozen berries or fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries... you can either add this now to soak overnight or wait until you're ready to eat and then add berries. It's up to you) 1 banana sliced 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter

Instructions Mix oatmeal, water, protein and frozen berries together in a bowl or jar (frozen berries are optional). You could forego this and choose to add fresh berries later.

Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight or for a few hours -- your choice.

After soaking, add fresh berries if you haven't already. Then add bananas and peanut butter.

Enjoy.

MATT HALPERN - PERIPHERY

REALLY HEALTHY “CEREAL”

I love cereal but I don't want all the bad stuff associated with most cereals. So I came up with a healthy alternative. It's pretty simple.

Grab a bowl

Add Trader Joe's Go Raw Trek Mix

Slice up some strawberries and add them too

Throw on a couple blueberries

Add 1% milk

And there ya have it! Really hearty, really healthy, easy to make “cereal” that actually fills you up!

MATT GREINER - AUGUST BURNS RED

DEER CAMP BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Ingredients 18 eggs 2 cups of milk 1 cup cheddar cheese 1 lb bacon 1 lb loose sausage 1 ts salt 1 tb pepper 1 pack hash browns

Instructions Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Brown sausage and bacon separately-drain

Pan fry hash browns until golden brown

Grease a 13” x 9” baking pan and line the bottom with hash browns

Add a layer of bacon

Add a layer of sausage

Whip the eggs in a large bowl, then add the mix, salt and pepper, mix well

Add the cheese to the eggs and mix again

Pour the egg mixture over the meat and hash browns

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove foil and bake until the top of the casserole begins to brown. Then remove from the oven.

BRENT WALSH - I THE MIGHTY

B-LEE'S BREAKFAST FEAST

Ingredients Hash browns 2 eggs Onions Garlic Mushrooms Peppers Cheddar cheese Black pepper Salt Ketchup Valentina (black label, extra hot) hot sauce Olive oil

Instructions First, get the hash browns going in a frying pan with lots of oil. They take the longest.

In a second pan, get all the veggies going adding garlic when everything else is almost done so that you don't burn the garlic.

When the hash browns are done, plate them and immediately add the cheese to taste.

The veggies should be about done by this time so add those on top.

Fry the eggs (I like mine over medium) in the original pan you cooked the hash browns in and add salt and pepper while they cook.

I like to top it all off with some black label Valentina hot sauce and a little ketchup.

Add a coffee and mimosa on the side and boom, you got yourself a good ol' quarantine breakfast feast.

MARK HOLCOMB - PERIPHERY

SRIRACHA TUNA SALAD

Take two cans of tuna, break it up in a mixing bowl, toss with two tablespoons of celery, half an onion and some chopped fresh parsley.

Add 1/3 cup of mayonnaise (or veganaise if you’re a tree-hugging hippy like me), 1 tablespoon mustard, and several tablespoons of Sriracha depending on how spicy you want it.

Top off with some ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste.

Also feel free to add half a diced apple if you like some sweetness and crunchy texture in there.

Delicious, healthy and super simple.

JEPHA - THE USED

GROOVY TOAST

Soak a cup of any kind of nut (almond, cashew etc..) overnight in water.

Next day, strain most of the water except for a little bit to help blend it.

Put soaked nuts in blender with a dash of lemon, a pinch of salt, pepper, two tablespoons of olive oil.

Blend until smooth.

Optional fun: slice something spicy like a jalapeño.

Add “Groovy cheese” to either toast or crackers.

Drizzle olive oil and lemon on top of “Groovy Toast” with a spicy, spicy jalapeño and let your mouth party like your stuck at home for the next month or so 🤙

CYRUS BOLOOKI - NEW FOUND GLORY

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Ingredients: Ground Beef (or turkey, or chicken, or any kind of meat for that matter) Onion, diced (optional) Frozen veggies (1 bag of pretty much anything you have, normally a carrot/corn/peas mix, but seriously, anything will do) Worcestershire Sauce (optional, but check the back of your cupboard because you probably have a bottle that’s been sitting there for years and is still good!) Potatoes (again, any kind of potatoes will do) Cheese (cheddar is the standard, but use what you have!)

Instructions: Cook your meat in a skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper and adding diced onion if you have while cooking.

Cook/microwave your bag of frozen veggies and add directly into the meat and stir.

Now’s the time to find that Worcestershire sauce if you have it -- if not, don’t worry, this is awesome without it too!

Add a cup of cheese in there and also 1/2 cup of liquid (could be water, could be chicken/beef broth if you have). Stir to combine all ingredients and turn to low heat to keep warm.

Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes however you can (whether by hand or with a box) and when done layer these two things in an ovenproof dish — meat/veggie mix on bottom, mashed potatoes on top.

Toss cheese all over the top of that and throw it in the oven on medium heat for 20 minutes to melt the cheese.

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy your dish whether with family or all alone. It’s a full meal all in one, tastes even better the next day and you can even freeze it!

BRANDON SALLER - ATREYU

WINNER WINNER ISOLATION DINNER (Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs)

Ingredients Bone-in chicken thighs w/ skin Salt (coarse salt works best but any will work fine) Pepper Garlic powder Mixed herbs or Italian seasoning Desired veggie - Whatever you have (ie broccoli, green beans, asparagus, zucchini) Italian dressing (your favorite)

Instructions Preheat oven to 400º

Pat dry chicken on both sides with a paper towel

Season both sides of chicken liberally. Especially the top. The key to this chicken is the well seasoned crispy skin.

Place on sheet pan and roast in oven for about 40 minutes. You are looking for the chicken to be cooked through and skin to be browned and crispy.

When chicken has about 20 minutes left, put marinated veggies on a sheet pan and roast until chicken is done.

When finished, let chicken rest for about 5 minutes as it just came out of a 40-minute fiery hell and will 100% burn your mouth.

ENJOY!

IRA GEORGE - MOVEMENTS

TACO SALAD

This is a very easy and fluid dish that you can make on your own with ease. Whether you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can make this fit your lifestyle.

Ingredients 1 bag of chopped romaine 1 can of black beans 1 frozen bag of white or brown rice 1 cup of frozen corn (thawed) Soyrizo (or any type of ground meat) 1/2 bell pepper 2 Roma tomatoes 1/3 yellow onion 1 avocado Cilantro 1 lime Taco sauce of your choice Cilantro dressing (or something comparable) Diced jalapeños Shredded Mexican cheese Handful of tortilla chips

Instructions Dice the bell pepper, yellow onion and Roma tomatoes

Chop a handful of cilantro

Thaw corn in microwave

In a small pot heat up the can of beans

Cook the soyrizo or other meat in a pan at the same time (if you are using meat you will need to season to your liking)

Heat rice in microwave (if using uncooked rice have it ready before everything)

Grab a big bowl and put rice down. Add the cilantro and lime and toss together

Now add everything else however you want. Remember this is a completely fluid meal, add or takeout any ingredient you feel. Get creative with it! DON’T FORGET TO ADD THE AVOCADO AND SAUCES!!

NICK VENTIMIGLIA - GRAYSCALE

HERBIE’S HOMEMADE CHICKEN TAQUITOS

Servings: 12 Calories: 241 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 20 min Total time: 40 min

Ingredients 3oz cream cheese 1/4 cup salsa of your choice 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 1/2 teaspoon of taco seasoning 2 fresh cloves of garlic, minced 3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley 2 scallions diced 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or whatever protein you desire 1 cup Mexican blend cheese or whatever you want 12 6in flour tortillas Cooking spray Kosher salt

Instructions Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, taco seasoning, garlic, cilantro, and scallions until well combined and creamy. Add in the cooked chicken and cheese; stir to thoroughly combine.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 10 seconds).

Spoon 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly.

Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone, making sure the taquitos are not touching each other.

Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little kosher salt (don’t skip the salt!)

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

BALSAC THE JAWS 'O DEATH - GWAR

I offered up my recipes for Feline Fricassee and Poodle Wellington but my publicist informed me that things hadn't yet gotten to the point where most people are ready to eat their pets. Instead, here is a recipe that you should be able to throw together without having to take that dreaded trip to the supermarket.

Now more than ever, everyone should be able to hunt and kill their own food. So the first thing you will need to do is grab your favorite battleaxe, knife or shotgun and go in your backyard. Look for the happy yellow flowers that are probably taking over your poorly manicured lawn. Pick as many of these as you can find, making sure to pull them out from the roots keeping the long dark green leaves intact. You may be asking, “What do I need this shotgun for?” The weapon is in case your neighbor sees you and tries to shake hands!

DOOMSDAY DANDELIONS

Ingredients Dandelion greens 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine vinegar or balsamic work best but whatever kind you can find in your cupboard. It is the apocalypse after all) 1 tablespoon mustard (Dijon if you've got it but who am I kidding, you only have that horrible yellow crap!) 2 cloves garlic minced Salt and pepper 2 teaspoons dry herb (use whatever you can find. What are you saving that stuff for?)

Instructions Pick the flowers off the dandelion greens (these are edible too, I suggest beer battering them and frying them, but that's another recipe and I'm not getting paid for this).

Trim the hairy roots from the greens and discard.

Wash all the dirt from the greens, cut them in half at the base keeping the leaves attached and soak in clean cold water.

Wisk all other ingredients together until they are a cohesive solution.

Drain and pat dry the greens and dress them with the vinaigrette.

Enjoy by yourself!!

SCHUYLAR CROOM - HE IS LEGEND

VEGGIE PASTA WITH VEGAN ASS WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients 1 medium onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic Red bell pepper julienned Broccoli florets Mushrooms sliced thin Zucchini halved and sliced Yellow squash quartered and sliced 1 or 4 splashes of white wine

Finisher Sauce 1/4 cup of unsweetened oat milk 1 or 2 tbs coconut oil 1/4 cup vegan mayo A few handfuls of vegan cheese (I used a vegan pepper jack by Daiya and a bit of Follow Your Heart Parmesan) 1/3 cup of Nutritional yeast Fresh basil

Herbs and Spices Kosher Salt Fresh ground pepper Herbes de Provence Some other optional shit

Pasta Fettuccine noodles ( I like that Ancient Grain in the blue box.)

Instructions Boil salted water for your noodles and in a separate pot boil a few cups of water to blanche your broccoli. You’ll be mad if your water is not boiling before you start sautéing your veg... that shit goes quick, watched pots never boil.

In a large saucepan over med/high heat: Sauté onion for about 5 minutes until it is soft and almost translucent. Add chopped garlic until that smell wakes up your girlfriend. Boom you’re cooking. Salt and pepper that junk.

Add the peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and squash, hit it with some more salt and pepper. I like to throw in some Herbes de Provence and a TINY SPRINKLE of cayenne (a little goes a long way) plus some truffle salt because I’m fancy.

By now the lil pot should be boiling. Throw those broccoli guys in there and when they turn dark ass green drain them and throw them in the pot with the other veggies.

Shit’s all steamy now. It smells crazy good. Your girlfriend and your dog are in the kitchen salivating.

Hit those veggies with some white wine. I say a few dashes, but you’ll know. You’re gonna want to let that cook off for 3-5 minutes.

Maybe you’ve already put your noodles in. If so, they’re ready to drain. If not, get to it 9 minutes after the water starts boiling again (read the box)

Now your noodles are in the strainer. Make your partner divide that into bowls.

After the wine has cooked off, add the veganaise, coconut oil, vegan cheeses and the nutritional yeast and stir all of that up until melty and gooey and combined with the veggies. I like the throw in about half a cup of chopped sliced basil and leave a little for a garnish after you’ve topped your pasta with this creamy ass veggie goodness.

OH! Pro tip: Garlic bread. (Do this 40 minutes ago before starting anything else.)

Take 2 heads of garlic and peel most of the skin off but leave bulb intact.

Chop the very top of the head off the garlic to expose the clove (like 1/16 of the top).

Place it in tinfoil and close it up around the sides. Douse with a generous amount of olive oil and salt and pepper all over that opening on the bulb and close the foil up tight around the top. Create a little oven inside your oven.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. You’ll smell it.

Let it cool well.

Toast a loaf of French bread.

Those little garlic cloves will pop out like little teardrops of pure heaven. Smear that junk on your toasted bread and thank me later. The oil is now roasted garlic oil. You could drizzle that on the bread too or over the damn pasta that’s in the bowl.

(Be careful. You will want to skip the steps of letting the bulbs cool. They are unforgivingly hot and will burn your flesh.)

#He Is Legend #Grayscale #Atreyu #New Found Glory #Periphery #August Burns Red #Mayday Parade #Gwar #I The Mighty #The Used #Movements #interview

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greekcookingmadeeasy · 4 years

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No-Κnead, 5′ Wholemeal Bread

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No-Knead Wholemeal Bread in Clay Pot prepared in 5’ – Pswmi Olikis sti yastra se 5’ horis zymwma BY: Greek Cooking Made Easy https://www.youtube.com/greekcookingmadeeasy

Check my YouTube Video: Here

Κοιτάξτε επίσης την συνταγή μου σε YouTube βίντεο, το λίνκ είναι: ΕΔΩ

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Makes 24 pieces, enough for 12 persons Can you think of anything more comforting and soothing than homemade baked Bread? My recipe to make this delightful, healthy bread, uses 7 ingredients that you usually have at home! I use a strong mixer to do all the job and a clay pot to give my wholemeal (or whole-wheat) bread that extra rural taste which we all yearn to taste! It is literally prepared in 5' and NO-kneading! You just need to wait for the bread to rise, of course! Check out how! Suitable for fasting and vegans.

INGREDIENTS: 460+40 gr /1lb 2oz / 4 cups Bread Flour 500 gr /1lb 2oz / 4 cups Wholemeal Flour 580 ml or 2 & 1/3 cups lukewarm Water 11 gr / 0.4 oz / 3.6 tsp. dry Yeast 16.5 gr / 0.6 oz / 3 tsp. Salt 18.75 gr / 0.7 oz / 1.5 tbsp. Sugar 25 ml / 1.7 tbsp. Olive Oil for the dough and A bit more to brush on the clay pot and the bread's surface

METHOD: A. Prepare the dough: 1. In the mixer’s bowl, whisk together (by hand) half of the lukewarm water, the yeast and 1 tbsp. Sugar until yeast is completely dissolved. 2. Whisk to mix them together well.

3. Gently add over the mixture half of the bread flour, until you cover it. 4. DO NOT mix flour with yeast and water-no need. 5. Simply set the bowl aside covered with a kitchen towel for about 30', until the yeast activates. You’ll know when that happens because yeast bubbles will rise on top of the flour. 6. It should look like this!

7. When the yeast has activated, place the bowl under the Strong! electric mixer using the hook attachment. 8. Start the mixer. 9. Gradually start adding the rest of the bread flour, spoon by spoon, beating to blend it in.

10. Slowly pour in the rest of the lukewarm water as well, alternating with the flour. 11. Note to keep aside about 40 gr/1.4 oz / 0.3 cup bread flour to use for flouring the clay pot! 12. Next, add the rest of sugar and salt in the dough. 13. Pour in the olive oil as well. 14. Continue, by adding spoon after spoon the wholemeal flour while beating the dough. 15. After about 5'-7', you will notice that the dough becomes one mass (lump) around the hook and has detached from the bowl. 16. Stop the mixer! 17. The dough should be elastic, soft but not sticky!

18. Use a round Clay pot (or alternatively a large round baking dish) with a capacity of 4.2 lt, dimensions DxH: 23x10 cm / 9x3.9 in.

19. Brush a bit of olive oil in the Clay pot (bottom and sides!).

20. Use the reserved flour, to flour the clay pot, making sure you cover its bottom and sides well by tossing and turning it all around. 21. Remove excess flour.

22. Now place the dough in the clay pot.

23. Wet your palm, to help spread the dough equally inside the clay pot and flatten it a bit. 24. Dough is now ready for proving, as I promised, with no kneading!! Sooo easy! Now all you have to do is wait.... B. Dough Proving: 25. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the clay pot with the dough. 26. Bread dough now needs time to rest, but also for the yeast to be fermented and activated and to help the bread rise. 27. To do that, you could either place the covered dough near a warm source (like by a window near the sun or a radiator) or put it in the oven setting: “Dough Proving” like I did. 28. The dough needs 1h-1h30' to rise. 29. After about 1h30', remove the kitchen towel from the dish. 30. You will see that the dough has almost tripled in size.

31. Note: As I saw after 45' that the dough was rising too high, I removed the kitchen towel earlier to avoid the dough sticking on it! 32. While you preheat the oven FAN @200℃ / 390℉, pat with your palm gently spreading a bit of Olive oil on top of the bread (don’t remove it from the clay pot!).

33. Optionally, you could use a sharp knife to make a few decorative shapes (like tacks or leaves) on the bread's surface.

C. Baking instructions: 34. Bake the wholemeal bread in the clay pot for about 45' or until it turns golden all around (depends on the oven). 35. Midway through baking, turn the clay pot around to ensure the bread is baked equally. 36. After 45', check with a knife is bread is baked through. Pierce the centre of the bread; knife should come out clean! 37. Beautiful, with a nice, golden crust! 38. When bread is ready, remove it from the oven. 39. Place the clay pot on the kitchen top until it cools down.

40. Can you think of anything better than home baked bread!? The earthy, rural, appetising scents of wholemeal bread fill the whole house.

41. To serve, wait until it cools down. Then simply turn the clay pot upside down. You get a big, round “form” type of Bread with a weight of 1.5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz!! 42. Here it is!!

Check how to make easy white Bread: HERE

D. Serving suggestions: 43. Break bread and share at the family table. Enjoy precious family moments!

44. Or simply cut it in generous slices with a good bread knife! You get a crunchy crust, with tender, fluffy, village style crumb! Easy in making, extra delicious in tasting!

45. The best combination is with Greek Kasseri cheese for a simple lunch!

46. Another lunch idea is to serve it as an open sandwich with Tuna Salad and boiled egg, seasoned with salt and ground Pepper (check my separate recipes).

47. Best classic Breakfast-A generous slice of wholemeal Bread with a spread of butter and some homemade jam (forest fruits) and of course, a cup of hot Greek coffee! (check my separate recipes).

48. Everyone knows that Bread is the world's favorite side dish for any main course you serve. Here it is served for dinner with Cauliflower Kapama.

49. Another example is to accompany Kritharwto with leek and vegetables! Enjoy 😍!!

E. Storing info: If you can't consume all the bread in one day, wrap individual slices and freeze them for max. 1 month. Take one out, leave it to reach to room temperature and then grill it for 2'; it will be as fresh and crispy as the day you baked it!! F. Greek Tourist Info: Windmills appeared and spread in Greece from the 12th century onwards. They were always built in places where there was a lot of wind and were used mainly for pressing wheat, barley, rye and oats. Today, about 2,000 windmills survive, mainly in the Aegean islands, as well as some mountain peaks in mainland Greece. The island that has, of course, been identified with windmills is Mykonos. In the 19th century, Mykonos had 28 windmills, and together with its bakeries, they were the main occupation of its inhabitants, before the island entered the international tourist map.

Windmills are considered monuments of modern Greek architectural heritage and are protected by law. However, few windmills have been maintained and currently remain operational.

Check my YouTube Video: Here

Ψωμί Ολικής Άλεσης στη Γάστρα, σε 5’ χωρίς ζύμωμα BY: Greek Cooking Made Easy https://www.youtube.com/greekcookingmadeeasy Φτιάχνει 24 φέτες, αρκετό για 12 άτομα Μπορείτε να σκεφτείτε τίποτα πιο ζεστό και γεμάτο οικογενειακή θαλπωρή από το σπιτικό, ευλογημένο, χειροποίητο φρεσκοψημένο ψωμί; Η συνταγή μου για να φτιάξω αυτό το υπέροχο, υγιεινό ψωμί, χρησιμοποιεί 7 συστατικά που συνήθως έχετε στο σπίτι! Χρησιμοποιώ ισχυρό μίξερ για να κάνει όλη τη δουλειά και γάστρα για να δώσω στο ψωμί ολικής αλέσεως την επιπλέον χωριάτικη γεύση που όλοι λαχταρούμε να δοκιμάσουμε! Είναι κυριολεκτικά παρασκευασμένο σε 5' και χωρίς ζύμωμα! Απλώς πρέπει να περιμένετε να ανέβει το ζυμάρι! Δείτε πώς! Κατάλληλο για νηστεία και Βίγκαν.

ΥΛΙΚΑ: 460 + 40 γρ / 1lb 2oz / 4 φλιτζάνια Αλεύρι για ψωμί ή σκληρό 500 γρ / 1lb 2oz / 4 φλ. Αλεύρι ολικής αλέσεως 580 ml ή 2 & 1/3 φλ. χλιαρό Νερό 11 γρ / 0,4 oz / 3,6 κ.γ. ξερή Μαγιά 16,5 γρ / 0,6 oz / 3 κ.γ. Αλάτι 18,75 γρ / 0,7 oz / 1,5 κ.σ. Ζάχαρη 25 ml / 1,7 κ.σ. Ελαιόλαδο για τη ζύμη και Λίγο επιπλέον για να απλώσετε στη γάστρα και στην επιφάνεια του ψωμιού

ΜΕΘΟΔΟΣ: Α. Ετοιμάστε τη ζύμη: 1. Στο μπολ του μίξερ, χτυπήστε ελαφρά μαζί (με το χέρι) το μισό από το χλιαρό νερό, τη μαγιά και 1 κουταλιά της σούπας Ζάχαρη μέχρι να διαλυθεί εντελώς η μαγιά. 2. Ανακατέψτε τα καλά με ένα αυγοδάρτη.

3. Προσθέστε απαλά πάνω από το μείγμα το μισό από το αλεύρι για ψωμί, μέχρι να το καλύψετε. 4. ΜΗΝ αναμείξετε το αλεύρι με τη μαγιά και το νερό – δεν χρειάζεται. 5. Απλά βάλτε το μπολ στην άκρη καλυμμένο με μια πετσέτα κουζίνας για περίπου 30', έως ότου ενεργοποιηθεί η μαγιά. Θα καταλάβετε πότε θα συμβεί αυτό επειδή οι φυσαλίδες της μαγιάς θα ανέβουν πάνω από το αλεύρι. 6. Θα πρέπει να μοιάζει κάπως έτσι!

7. Μόλις ενεργοποιηθεί η μαγιά, τοποθετήστε το μπολ κάτω από το ισχυρό! ηλεκτρικό μίξερ χρησιμοποιώντας το εξάρτημα γάντζο. 8. Ξεκινήστε το μίξερ. 9. Αρχίστε σταδιακά να προσθέτετε το υπόλοιπο αλεύρι για ψωμί, κουταλιά κουταλιά, χτυπώντας για να το αναμείξετε.

10. Αδειάστε αργά και το υπόλοιπο χλιαρό νερό, εναλλάσσοντας με το αλεύρι. 11. Σημειώστε ότι πρέπει να κρατήσετε στην άκρη περίπου 40 γρ / 1,4 oz / 0,3 φλ. αλεύρι ψωμιού για να αλευρώσετε τη γάστρα! 12. Στη συνέχεια, προσθέστε το υπόλοιπο της ζάχαρης και το αλάτι μέσα στη ζύμη. 13. Ρίξτε επίσης μέσα το ελαιόλαδο. 14. Συνεχίστε, προσθέτοντας κουταλιά κουταλιά το αλεύρι ολικής αλέσεως ενόσω χτυπάτε τη ζύμη. 15. Μετά από περίπου 5'-7', θα παρατηρήσετε ότι η ζύμη γίνεται μια μάζα γύρω από το άγκιστρο και έχει αποκολληθεί από τις πλευρές του μπολ. 16. Σταματήστε το μίξερ! 17. Η ζύμη πρέπει να είναι ελαστική, μαλακή αλλά να μη κολλάει!

18. Χρησιμοποιήστε ένα στρογγυλό πήλινο δοχείο-γάστρα (ή εναλλακτικά ένα μεγάλο στρογγυλό ταψί) χωρητικότητας 4,2 lt, με διαστάσεις ΔxΥ: 23x10 cm / 9x3,9 in.

19. Απλώστε λίγο ελαιόλαδο στη γάστρα (κάτω μέρος και πλευρές!).

20. Χρησιμοποιήστε το φυλαγμένο αλεύρι για να αλευρώσετε το πήλινο δοχείο, φροντίζοντας να καλύψετε καλά τον πυθμένα και τις πλευρές του, στριφογυρίζοντάς το. 21. Αφαιρέστε το περίσσιο αλεύρι.

22. Τοποθετήστε τώρα τη ζύμη στο πήλινο σκεύος.

23. Βρέξτε την παλάμη σας, για να βοηθήσετε να απλωθεί η ζύμη εξίσου μέσα στο πήλινο και να την ισιώσετε. 24. Η ζύμη είναι τώρα έτοιμη για να φουσκώσει, όπως υποσχέθηκα, χωρίς ζύμωμα!! Πολύ εύκολα! Τώρα το μόνο που έχετε να κάνετε είναι να περιμένετε .... Β. Φούσκωμα ζύμης: 25. Τοποθετήστε μια καθαρή πετσέτα κουζίνας πάνω από τη γάστρα με τη ζύμη. 26. Το ζυμάρι χρειάζεται τώρα χρόνο για να ξεκουραστεί, αλλά και να ενεργοποιηθεί η μαγιά και να βοηθήσει το φούσκωμα του ψωμιού. 27. Για να το κάνετε αυτό, μπορείτε είτε να τοποθετήσετε την καλυμμένη ζύμη κοντά σε μια ζεστή πηγή (όπως κοντά σε ένα παράθυρο κοντά στον ήλιο ή κοντά σε καλοριφέρ) είτε να την τοποθετήσετε στο φούρνο με ρύθμιση: "Φούσκωμα ζύμης" όπως έκανα εγώ. 28. Η ζύμη χρειάζεται 1-1.30' ώρα για να φουσκώσει. 29. Μετά από περίπου 1.30 ώρα, αφαιρέστε την πετσέτα κουζίνας από το δοχείο. 30. Θα δείτε ότι η ζύμη έχει σχεδόν τριπλασιαστεί σε μέγεθος.

31. Σημείωση: Όταν είδα μετά από 45' ότι η ζύμη φούσκωνε πολύ, αφαίρεσα την πετσέτα κουζίνας για να μην κολλήσει η ζύμη πάνω της! 32. Όσο περιμένετε για να προθερμάνετε το φούρνο στο ζεστό αέρα @ 200 ℃ / 390 ℉, πατήστε ελαφρά με την παλάμη σας την επιφάνεια του ψωμιού, απλώνοντας απαλά λίγο ελαιόλαδο (μην αφαιρέσετε βέβαια τη ζύμη από τη γάστρα!).

33. Προαιρετικά, θα μπορούσατε να χρησιμοποιήσετε ένα κοφτερό μαχαίρι για να φτιάξετε μερικά διακοσμητικά σχέδια (όπως κλαδάκια ή φύλλα) στην επιφάνεια του ψωμιού.

Γ. Οδηγίες ψησίματος: 34. Ψήστε το ψωμί ολικής αλέσεως στη γάστρα για περίπου 45' ή μέχρι να χρυσίσει παντού (εξαρτάται από το φούρνο). 35. Στη μέση του ψησίματος, γυρίστε τη γάστρα από την άλλη πλευρά για να βεβαιωθείτε ότι το ψωμί θα ψηθεί εξίσου. 36. Μετά από 45', ελέγξτε με ένα μαχαίρι αν το ψωμί έχει ψηθεί μέχρι μέσα. Τρυπήστε το κέντρο του ψωμιού- το μαχαίρι θα πρέπει να βγει καθαρό! 37. Πανέμορφο ψωμί, με ωραία, χρυσή κρούστα! 38. Όταν το ψωμί είναι έτοιμο, αφαιρέστε το από το φούρνο. 39. Τοποθετήστε τη γάστρα στον πάγκο της κουζίνας μέχρι να κρυώσει.

40. Μπορείτε να σκεφτείτε κάτι καλύτερο από το σπιτικό ψωμί!; Τα γήινα, αγροτικά, ορεκτικά αρώματα του ψωμιού ολικής αλέσεως γεμίζουν ολόκληρο το σπίτι.

41. Για να σερβίρετε, περιμένετε μέχρι να κρυώσει. Στη συνέχεια, απλώς αναποδογυρίστε τη γάστρα. Θα πάρετε ένα μεγάλο, στρογγυλό ψωμί, τύπου φόρμας, με βάρος 1,5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz !! 42. Εδώ είναι!

Κοιτάξτε πώς να φτιάξετε εύκολα άσπρο Ψωμί: ΕΔΩ

Δ. Προτάσεις σερβιρίσματος: 43. Μοιράστε το ψωμί στο οικογενειακό τραπέζι. Απολαύστε πολύτιμες οικογενειακές στιγμές!

44. Ή απλώς κόψτε το σε γενναιόδωρες φέτες με ένα καλό μαχαίρι ψωμιού! Η συνταγή μου φτιάχνει ψωμί με τραγανή κρούστα και αφράτη, μαλακή, χωριάτικη ψίχα! Τόσο εύκολο στην κατασκευή, άλλο τόσο εξαιρετικά νόστιμο στη γεύση!

45. Ο καλύτερος συνδυασμός είναι με τυρί Κασέρι για ένα απλό γεύμα!

46. Μια άλλη ιδέα για μεσημεριανό γεύμα είναι να το σερβίρετε σαν ανοιχτό σάντουιτς με Τονοσαλάτα και βραστό αυγό (κοιτάξτε τις ξεχωριστές συνταγές μου), με αλάτι και φρεσκοτριμμένο πιπέρι.

47. Το καλύτερο κλασικό πρωινό - Μια γενναιόδωρη φέτα ψωμιού ολικής αλέσεως με επάλειψη από βούτυρο και σπιτική μαρμελάδα (από φρούτα του δάσους) και φυσικά, ένα φλιτζάνι ζεστός Ελληνικός καφές! (κοιτάξτε τις ξεχωριστές συνταγές μου).

48. Όλοι γνωρίζουν ότι το Ψωμί είναι το πιο αγαπημένο φαγητό στον κόσμο και συνοδεύει τέλεια οποιοδήποτε φαγητό και να φτιάξετε. Εδώ σερβίρεται για δείπνο με Κουνουπίδι Καπαμά.

49. Ένα άλλο παράδειγμα είναι να συνοδεύσει Κριθαρώτο με πράσο και λαχανικά!

Απολαύστε 😍!! Ε. Πληροφορίες φύλαξης: Εάν δεν μπορείτε να καταναλώσετε όλο το ψωμί σε μια μέρα, τυλίξτε ατομικές φέτες και καταψύξτε τις για max. 1 μήνα. Βγάλτε μια μια έξω, αφήστε τη να φτάσει σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου και έπειτα βάλτε τη στο γκριλ για 2'. θα είναι τόσο φρέσκια και τραγανή όσο τη μέρα που ψήσατε το ψωμί!! Ζ. Τουριστικός Οδηγός Ελλάδας: Οι Ανεμόμυλοι εμφανίστηκαν και εξαπλώθηκαν στην Ελλάδα από τον 12ο αιώνα και μετά. Κτιζόντουσαν πάντα σε σημεία που υπήρχε πολύς άνεμος και χρησίμευαν κυρίως για να πατιέται σιτάρι, κριθάρι, σίκαλη και βρώμη. Σήμερα σώζονται γύρω στους 2.000 ανεμόμυλους κυρίως στα νησιά του Αιγαίου πελάγους, καθώς και κάποιες βουνοκορφές της ηπειρωτικής Ελλάδας. Το νησί που έχει βεβαίως ταυτιστεί με τους ανεμόμυλους είναι η Μύκονος. Τον 19ο αιώνα, λειτουργούσαν στη Μύκονο 28 ανεμόμυλοι, και μαζί με την αρτοποιία αποτελούσαν την βασική απασχόληση των κατοίκων της, πριν το νησί μπει στο διεθνή τουριστικό χάρτη.

Οι ανεμόμυλοι θεωρούνται μνημεία της νεοελληνικής αρχιτεκτονικής κληρονομιάς και προστατεύονται από την νομοθεσία. Παρόλα αυτά, πολύ λίγες εγκαταστάσεις ανεμόμυλων έχουν συντηρηθεί αρκετά και είναι σήμερα λειτουργικά άρτιες.

Κοιτάξτε επίσης την συνταγή μου σε YouTube βίντεο, το λίνκ είναι: ΕΔΩ

#breakfast #meze #lunch #dinner #sandwich #snacks #pastry #vegetarian #vegan #diet #fasting #lactose #children #greece #greek #greekrecipes #bread #wholemealbread #ψωμί #ψωμίολικής

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btsybrkr · 4 years

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Here’s A List Of Things I Hate

I've reached something of a mental block recently when it comes to writing. I think it's because, despite sometimes coming off like I'm mocking things or just being a general smart-arse, I usually write about things I genuinely love. I love The Apprentice. I love Come Dine With Me. I love the idea that the Saturday night schedule, currently occupied on ITV1 by The Masked Singer - a horrifying cross between The Voice and a recurring nightmare I had between the ages of 6 and 8 - might one day be livened up by a post-apocalyptic The X Factor-style talent show in which we choose the next Prime Minister from a roster of Average Joe’s that just feel like giving it a bash.

I usually have lots to say about things I love, but recently, for some reason, I’m struggling to even think of anything that I love enough to write about. Maybe I’m being dragged down by the fact that this January alone seemed to last three long months, or perhaps because January itself included ‘Blue Monday’, the so-called ‘most miserable day of the year’. Maybe it's neither of things, maybe I’m just suffering from a bad case of The Realisation That We And Everything That We Do Are All, In The End, Meaningless, And That Every Day, We Are Collectively Hurtling Closer And Closer Towards The Endless Void And There Is Nothing That Any Of Us Can Do To Stop It. There's probably a snappier name for that, but you know what I mean. In any case, I’m just finding it much easier to think about things I hate recently.

Anyway, what do we do with these feelings of negativity to get rid of them once and for all? We express them. So, for anyone willing to read it, here’s a list of things I hate.

Stephen Mulhern

ITV mainstay Stephen Mulhern arguably belongs on television - not for any positive reason, just because it’s only the barrier of television between him and the viewer that allows him to appear as a cheerful friendly presence, rather than an insufferable know-it-all prick, whose repeated condescending glances to the camera during interviews with rejected Britain’s Got Talent contestants just wouldn’t fly in real life. I mean, really, imagine you were having a conversation with someone, and they reacted to something you said by looking off into the distance, à la Fleabag, with an expression that quite clearly reads “This person is an idiot!! Laugh, everyone!! Laugh at the idiot!!” You know what, Stephen? You’re the idiot. But I won’t laugh at you, because then you might think that you’re funny, and I’m just not having that.

Coleslaw

I saw a tweet years ago that said “what was the first person to milk a cow thinking?”, and honestly, it raises a very good question. I can only imagine that there was some perverted ulterior motives at play, for someone to not only milk the cow’s udders in the first place, but then to drink it, at a time when that just wasn’t done. They must have been a pretty nefarious character, it almost doesn’t bear thinking about. Instead, I’d like to question the motives of the even dodgier character who first looked at grated carrots, cabbage and onions, and thought ‘You know what might really tie these bland individual tastes together? Mayonnaise. A fuckload of it.’

You know what, though? It's not the existence of coleslaw that confuses me the most about it - it's the popularity of it. It has pride of place on the table at every family buffet, it’s disappointingly included in otherwise-appealing wraps in the Boots meal deal fridge, and it's an option on the menu in a shocking majority of takeaways, despite the fact that nobody has ever emerged, staggering and bleary-eyed from Walkabout at 3:30am and thought ‘I could absolutely murder some coleslaw’. Most annoying of all is the way some restaurants chuck a bit of paprika in the mix and use it as an excuse to rename it ‘POW POW GROOVY SLAW’, or something equally ridiculous. Why are we trying to sex up a bowl of vegetables covered in mayonnaise? I can't think of anything less sexy, and I don't particularly want to try.

Let's face it, coleslaw has long overstayed its welcome. It's the last stubborn hanger-on from the pages of stomach-churning 1970s dinner party cookbooks (probably found somewhere between the recipes for spinach and tuna pie and a boiled, unglazed joint of ham suspended in gelatine), and it's time we admitted that and stage a renaissance for the real king of the veg/mayo combo. Rise, Sir Potato Salad - your rule has begun.

Facebook

I recently deleted Facebook off my phone, and immediately noticed an improvement in the overall quality of my life. I promise I don’t mean this in the typical ‘phone bad, book good’ way that fake-’woke’ holier-than-thou characters preach about (usually on Facebook itself, ironically). I still happily waste away hours of my life on Twitter, and Instagram, the latter of which arguably has the most negative influence on my brain out of all the social networks. The thing with Facebook is that it doesn’t necessarily have a negative influence on my brain, so much as it has no influence on any part of me whatsoever. Facebook is a vacuum. It's completely, entirely pointless. In fact, it’s where ‘point’ itself goes to die.

Considering there’s probably no two Facebook users out there with the exact same friends list, I'm willing to bet that everybody’s News Feed looks eerily similar. Every scroll through is the same - a former workmate announcing a pregnancy, someone you forgot about from school sharing a vague, ‘deep’ quote about their hurt feelings, an elderly relative you didn't realise was racist until literally right now, when they began sharing posts from a page eloquently titled ‘MUSLIMS!! it is TIME to go HOME so we can have BRITAIN BACK’, or something along those lines. If you ever have nothing better to do - although, I'm sure there is always something, anything, better to do - just set a timer, open up Facebook, and see how long it takes before you come across a single thing that genuinely resonates with you in any positive way at all. I just redownloaded Facebook to try it for myself, and it took me 46 minutes.

Sound like a lie? Well, to be fair, it is. But there's more truth in that than almost anything you'll see on Facebook.

Those Slush Puppy Straws With Tiny Spoons On The End

Plastic straws are on their way out, and quite rightly. The Sea Turtle Conservancy estimate that around half the world’s sea turtles have ingested plastic, and straws are believed to have accounted for a lot of that. With everything you read or learn about the effect of straws on the environment, it's surprising that it's taken this long for us to do something about it.

With that said, it's not just the turtles that are benefitting from the rise of the paper straw - I'm pretty pleased about it as well. Why? Because using paper instead of plastic might mean that we stop manufacturing those evil straws with tiny spoons on the end of them.

Yes, evil. How many times have you been enjoying a Slush Puppy on a hot summer’s day, only to realise you can't get to the bits at the bottom of the cup, because your straw inexplicably has a spoon on the end of it. What's that for? A Slush Puppy is a drink, and spoons are for eating things with. “It's for eating the delicious bits of vaguely-flavoured ice after you've sucked up all the syrup”, you might say, but then why? Mojitos are made with crushed ice, but you wouldn't go up to the barman and go "excuse me, mate, you forgot to give me a spoon so I could eat all these delicious bits of vaguely-minty ice", would you?

Anyway, you can't suck up all the syrup in the first place when the bottom of your straw just isn't a straw. This a problem we usually solve by holding the cup above our mouths and giving the bottom of the cup a gentle tap, usually sending the rest of it falling out of the cup and all over your face, shirt, anywhere but your mouth, faster than you can say “I can't believe I’m 23 years old and writing an angry blog about straws with tiny spoons on the end”. Another solution we often resort to is turning the straw upside down, which, in my experience, always leads to cutting the roof of your mouth on the tiny spoon that you were never going to use in the first place. No wonder it took us so long to show a bit of sympathy for the turtles - we've been ignoring our own straw-related injuries for years, probably just because we think it makes us look hard.

As far as I'm concerned, spoons are for food, and straws are for liquids. That's why, whenever I order soup in a café, I always ask for a straw. Yes, I get looks from the other customers, but I'm sure they aren't looks of amusement or confusion - everyone else just wishes they'd thought of it first.

Ladybirds

Ladybirds aren't cute. They are not ‘nice’ bugs. They are beetles, in a quirky disguise, who can also fly. With all that in mind, why are we taught to like them? Why do people spot one land on your clothes, or in your hair, and cheerfully announce “oh, there’s a ladybird on you!”, as if you’ve somehow been chosen by the ladybird and should feel honoured. Get it off me now, because I don’t know what it’s going to do! Don’t tell me that it’s ‘harmless’ and that I’m ‘overreacting’. We thought that cigarettes were ‘harmless’ before the mid-60s, cheerfully puffing our way through life, with one in each hand at any given moment, as we watched our darling babies speak their first words, which were usually something along the lines of “alright, mate, 20 Sterling Dual, please” - but then we learned. We learned that they weren’t as harmless as we first thought. And believe me when I tell you that, one day, we’ll reach the same conclusion about ladybirds. Just as soon as we find out exactly what they’re planning.

In fact, where have they gone? I haven’t seen one for a good while. Surely, they’re holed up in a specially designed lair somewhere, millions of them, carefully planning their next move in their efforts to overthrow the human race. Planning and watching. We may not be able to see them, but I’m willing to bet they have eyes on us. You know when you’re alone and you get the feeling there’s something or someone else present? It’s ladybirds. I’m sure of it. We need to watch our backs.

I’m not really sure where my fear of ladybirds has come from. Perhaps it’s down to a dream I’ve been having at least three times a year since I was a teenager, in which I’m leaving my Nan’s house and spot a ladybird the size of a Golden Retriever out in the alleyway, just sitting there, still and silent. I run around the corner to one of my friend’s houses, to warn him of the arrival of our ladybird overlords, but the entire front of his house is covered in millions of the things. I shout his name, up at an open window, and he replies that he’s coming down to open the door to me, but when he does, it isn’t him at all - it’s just a 6ft tall ladybird. I usually wake up in a cold sweat at that point, but when I try to go back to sleep, I can feel them crawling all over me.

I know I sound insane, but I promise you, I’m not - I just don't trust them, and I think that’s understandable.

Hate

If there's one thing I hate more than all the above, it's the very concept of hate itself. I don't just mean in a political or universal sense - although, I do agree the world might be a far better place if we all just hated each other a little bit less - hate has an effect on all our personal lives, too.

I'm really trying to make the most of my early twenties, and that means conserving what little energy I have left after I'm done working, drinking, and crying - just the usual daily activities that we all partake in - to be a little more productive. I can't be using that energy up on hate. In fact, in a scientific study that I've literally just made up, it was found that feeling hatred for even one fifth of a second uses up three times as much mental and physical energy as smiling at sixteen angry strangers, half of which are making fists at you. You can't argue with those sorts of statistics.

Anyway, I'm hoping to return to talking about things that make me feel a little more positive next time, because, besides anything, it's just nice to be nice, isn't it?

Not to Stephen Mulhern, though. He needs to learn his lesson.

If you like seeing me talking shit, but would rather it wasn't so bloody long, you can follow me on twitter here.

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bites-kms · 4 years

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Kalimera! Something to eat?

Greek hospitality means food. It taste like kalamata olives, fresh, sweet figs and strong, delicious olive oil, not to forget the soft grapes that torn you between harvesting them for the next delicious sip of House White versus indulging yourself in them straight out from the vine.

There are certain musts you should try in Greece (if you haven’t done so in Turkey or in Georgia) like Tomatokeftedes or sun dried tomato croquettes, Greek Fava Dip, that delicious yellow split pea puree, feta cheese in one of their multiple, exquisite special preparations, meat filled zucchinis and tons, tons of wine to pair with all of it.

I gained almost 2 kilos in 2 weeks, - thank god I was prepared and I lost weight before traveling - but no regrets nor harm feelings: those were the best 2 kilos I gained in a while. All the beauty and history surrounding you deserve a proper celebration, and when it comes to commemorate something, Greeks know exactly how to do it. A little bit of cheese, some home made pies or veggie croquettes, you name it. And that is just for starters.

We took this hospitality really seriously, and as my friend Mau would say, we knew our “priorities”, so FOOD became a crucial part of our experience and tour. The heat also made it easier for us to stop every 2 hours for a soul refill- since when we ate, we were happy. Here’s the recap of our favorites places went in Athens:

Diongenes Lisikratous, Athina, 105 58

It was our first dinner and we were both starving: Mau from flying 10+ hours from the future and myself flying almost another 10 from the past. Luckily, this restaurant which we researched before and was recommended to us, was around our place. It was a gorgeous taverna. Exactly as you would imagine a mild night in Greece might be like. We ordered some zucchini, tomato croquettes and an octopus, which seemed to be more tasty than what they usually and actually were given our flight famine. But still, the place is worth giving it a shot since the ambience and the service is very, very good. Kayak Durrachiou 30 & Amvrakias Athina, 10443

It wasn’t a brilliant idea, to be honest, to have a kick-in-the-butt-awaken Ellinikos or Greek Coffee that night instead of a regular espresso. Same as in Turkish culture, their coffee is extremely strong, heavy and with the grounded bean in it so it has this dusty and dry taste. Strong. Killer. Not at all jet-lag helpful. Worth it, though? Absolutely! Everest various locations Bites&Kms Fav: Syndagma Square, Athina, 105 63

photo courtesy of polyarch.com We found this place by chance and, oh, odds are in our favor! Since that moment, each time we needed a refilled, we stoped by the closest Everest we could find in seek for an orange juice or a cappuccino. Cheap, delicious, great service. Tons of food and snack options to go along, even at this store on Syndagma Square, freshly made pizzas, sandwiches and croque monsieur were available! Klepsydra Tavern Klepsidras, Athina 105 56

Finding this secret gem was pure coincidence but once again, we ended up in the most wonderful corner in between Plaka and Anafiotika. There was only one table left, with a “reserved” sign on it, and as soon as we mentioned we were there for lunch, they remove it, reverse their glasses and brought the bread. It was meant to be. The view, the service and the food was all perfect. We ordered some of our favorites: spanikopita, tzaziki and greek salad. Spanikopita or otherwise known as Greek spinach pie is a traditional yet delicious recipe. With its versatility the dish matches with every time of the day. Feta cheese, butter, olive oil all are mixed and baked until golden crispy perfection.

Greek salad is a must have for Greeks with almost every meal. Choriatiki, as they called them in Greek, are made of tomatoes, olives, cucumber and a large piece of feta cheese and served undressed. Dressing is left at person’s choice hence all restaurants serve vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil with the salad - although, in our experience, most of the times, it came already prepared. With the tradition of being a starter, Greek salad can also be a great side dish. Look at this beauty! We were definitely in food heaven!

Stamatopulos Tavern Lisiou 26, Athina 105 58

At night, we had a reservation on this place a Greek friend recommended. A little bit touristy yet fun, the only regret was that a couple came in after us and sat super close to our table, and started smoking non-stop, which became really annoying. Yet, there was nothing left to do, since it was an al fresco dinner place. Regardless, it was a lovely evening. They had live music with the traditional guitar and two guys with the typical voice you expect from the Greek coasts. The highlight of the night, aside from the great Moussaka, a lemon dressed lamb and some more croquettes, it was the time the musicians start playing the amazing Zorba Song! I couldn’t help myself and stood up, went to the front, and tried to learn that beautiful dance. After a while, right next to a two-left-legged old guy, I managed to do something, but the highlight of the night was when Mau joined and we killed the dance floor, throwing shame to all the other not-so-gifted people with our grace and moves! Coming back to the food, the moussaka is a legendary, traditional dish that is creamy and juicy. Moussaka is served in almost all tavernas in Greece. In the big family gathering this dish is prepared by Greek homemakers. In Moussaka, tomato sauce is used to cook minced beef which is subsequently layered with sweet eggplants and creamy béchamel sauce. This irresistible cuisine is filling so you don’t need too many side dishes. I was a little bit skeptical about moussaka at first since the ones I had before weren’t that good, but this one, OMG, completely changed my mind about them! Brettos Kidathineon 41, Athina 105 58

Brettos is Athens’ oldest bar and distillery, established by Michail Brettos in 1909. Most of the alcohol served there such as ouzo, mastiha, liqueurs and other beverages, are home made and they still respect the old recipe from Mr. Brettos. You can taste them are feel the fermentation happened in the old oak barrels placed inside. As soon as you step inside Brettos, you will be amazed by the wall adorned with colorful glass liqueur bottles and impressive original wooden barrels. Its unique décor is probably one of the reasons why Brettos is one of the most photographed locations in Athens, behind the Acropolis, Syntagma Square and other ancient monuments and sites in the city. We had two strong and delicious drinks: Aphrodite, which was ouzo gold, raspberry liquor, pink grapefruit soda and mint leaves and the one called Sea Breeze, made with Gin, fresh lime, fresh orange cubes and soda. Guess who got what ;)

Acropolis Museum Café Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athina, 117 42

When researching about the Acropolis, when to go, how to get tickets, etc, etc, the obvious question of “is the Acropolils museum worth a visit?” pops up. It is if you are super into history. Its greatly display showcases all the valuable stuff they removed from the Acropolis seeking for preservation. But, if you are like me and decide to go just for the real ruins per se avoiding an overflow of information, then the Acropolis and the other monuments spread out around Athens should do the trick. Although, there’s one thing not so many sites mention, and is that the Acropolis museum has a terrific terrace where to contemplate the Parthenon and a delicious seasonal menu to go with the view. We had some eggs, two delicious cappuccinos and the fantastic feta me meli - another Greek food dish that can be tasted as dessert or an entrée. Feta is wrapped in filo pastry before oven baked and honey is drizzled over it. The optimum balance between salty feta and sweet honey creates a mesmerizing taste. They served it with a tomato jam on the side instead of the honey and was absolutely delicious. Da Vinci Ice-cream various locations Bites&Kms Fav: 4 Selley Street, Athina, 10558

Play it safe, avoid a heat stroke: have an ice-cream! And if it’s a gelato, even better. The creative cone flavors at Da Vinci match the delicious and unique ones from the gelatos so be sure to pick wisely, or come again and again to try them all!

Thea Terrace Rooftop of Central Hotel Apollonos 23, Athina, 105 57

This was another fantastic, last minute Mau finding. It was so great, we ended up going twice. Close to Plaka but far enough from the crowd, this boutique hotel counts with a privilege terrace and rooftop bar from where we could see the sunset. It wasnt happy hour, but the drinks were so cheap and the prosecco was so good, we had two!

Nolan 33, Voulis 31, Athina 105 57

This place is definitely unique within the fusion restaurants I’ve been to. This is truly a delicious blend in between Greek, Asian and German cuisine, all the influences its owner has ingrained. As a Michelin recommendation, we left it aside pursuing Greek traditional tavernas, but it happens that after a while, you’re craving for something different like a burger or some pasta. What you don’t actually know is that what you need is a stop by Nolan. Once again, wondering in what we thought was a new, orthodox neighborhood, we ended up by its corner and its name rang a bell. We went in during a sunny Greek noon and we were lucky they were able to sit us regardless of not having a reservation. Minutes after, the restaurant got full, local artists started playing music on the streets and we were having a true fusion feast. We had some marinated tuna, a delicious octopus salad and some lamb dumplings. It was amazing, a must stop during your stayed in Athens.

Taf Coffee Shop Emmanouil Benaki 7, Athina 106 78

This is one of the top coffee places I’ve ever been to. Not because its price, look or location, but because of the love and passion they put on each brew. This is how they described their daily special - hence, the coffee of my choice: “Rosebud double shot cap creaming feeling, smooth body caramel chocolate and nutmeg aroma. Taste of cherry and caramel with apricot tangerine and almond nuts.”

Mind the Cup Emiliou Veaki 29, Peristeri 121 34

I took the train to Peristeri, just outside Athens, to check out what according to Buzzfeed “one of the coffee shops around the world you must check out before you die” Happily, it didnt disappoint. Not only the little town is super cozy, where I got a pair of amazing leather boots, but also, took the morning to write and to enjoy this wonderful plaza where Mind you Cup is located. It reminded me of old Montevideo, the city where I was raised when I was younger. I keep specifying this time and space issue since nowadays it’s quite different. It also reminded me of an out-side the tourist epicenter mini towns around the north of Spain or outside Porto, in Portugal. Even a “ciudad del interior” or countryside town from Uruguay. Even the tree to which shadow I was sitting and enjoying, was the same Willow tree I had at my school. It was a beautiful time travel adventure, on top of the delicious European house white wine, the home made pizza and the great service from the place. The menu looks like an old and corky newspaper and is not in English, which makes the adventure even more authentic, but the gentle waitress will assist you with all your questions. People were selling their crafts and some plants, and I couldn’t resist to get an envy eye anklet. On my way back, I found this delicious and traditional dessert Greek people have for Christmas, but I could have them every day with a glass of milk. They are called Kourabiedes, a shortbread-type biscuit usually made with ground almonds, flavored with either brandy, vanilla, mastika or rose water and they are shaped into little cute balls. In the end, they are sprinkled with icing sugar and they are just to die for!

Avli - Agiou Dimitriou Agiou Dimitriou 12, Athina 105 54

In the historic triangle of Athens there is a small tavern in a backyard called Avli which means ‘backyard’. This place is kinda secret: more and more people are accessing to its charms due to TripAdvisor’s fantastic reviews - although it still is easy to miss if you don’t go specifically looking for it. Within a small alley, behind a not so charming door, you can hear loud voices, laughs and some Greek music in the background. If you dare to go inside, disregarding your first thought of “oh, this is a private house, I shouldn't trespass it”, the scenery you will see is like it came from the ’60s. Checkered tablecloths, traditional chairs, old photos and a makeshift kitchen create an authentic feeling reminiscent of old Athens.

The always smiling owner, Takis, has operated this tavern since 1985. He pretended to know me, and after a nice “Kalimera, I remember you, please sit”, I sat down on one of the last free tables of the alley. I sat down right next to Stellios, this wonderful old man who greet me with yellow prunes, peanuts and come other spicy snack while we both waited to be served. He ordered some cheese and tomato, while I ordered the delicious feta with olive oil and some grilled peppers which were outstanding. I was so excited that I decided to copy Stellios and ordered a beer, the first Greek beer during by whole trip was waiting for me on my last day, and I ordered a Manos. It was good - that’s how far my beer knowledge and palate goes: good, not good :D To thank him for the company and the snacks, I invited him two more rounds of beer, which of course I’m not sure what happened since my Greek wasn’t that fluid so I made the best I could with Takis, so let’s hope at least some of the cash went for another Manos and the rest as tip! The whole experience was amazing, Stellios told me about his family, his lovely wife and two kids, as well as about his dog in very broken English. I showed a picture of my parents and told him I lived in New York, but that I was from Uruguay, land of football and meat. Yeap... some have Aristotles, others have Benedetti, and both of us share a Manos. Yamas, Athens!

#greece #athens #travel #food #foodie #love #passion #eat #europe

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gidget-losing-it · 5 years

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Day 6: Back to My Normal

**Pleasant Happy Sigh**

Today felt so nice to be back at work and feeling NORMAL after yesterday’s CrAzY!

I am HAPPY to report that I did not feel hungry at any point today! I think my body has finally gotten the hang of this 5&1 meal plan. I was already more of a snack person, but this was definitely a plan to get used to. I drank twice as much water than I usually do, but I will focus on water in this bloggy-thingy in week 2!

GET TO THE FOOD ALREADY!

I am happy to also report I have tried all things in my box! Well, there might be a bar or two I haven’t shared, but basically everything has been tried and I am ready to share it ALL! 😃

7 AM - Breakfast OMR - Raisin Cinnamon Oat Crisp Bar

I know I said I didn’t like the Crisp bars, but this is the exception! Well, this and the chocolate mint one. This was like eating Oatmeal. It was the perfect blend of sweet and spice and crunch and chewy (if that makes any sense). It honestly is the perfect on-the-go breakfast for me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

10 AM - 2nd Breakfast OMR - Cinnamon Crunchy O’s

I was looking forward to this cereal, but it fell flat with a very weird after taste. Like most diet foods, there was a STRANGE, unnatural after taste that was just unpleasant. These were originally my mom’s, so I only have one more bag of them (thank goodness). I might experiment with them and use Cashew or Almond milk as @derekhaleismypatronus talked about in her tumblr blog. ⭐⭐

1 PM - Lunch OMR - Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers

Yes, I am so afraid I am going to run out of these yummies. It is a real fear.

4:30 PM - 2nd Lunch OMR - Chocolate Drizzle Crisp Bar

If you like Chocolate, this is your bar. It was silky and crunch and the crisps were coated just enough to not be DRY. I had this fueling a little late because I just wasn’t hungry but knew I would be when I was driving home. It was perfect. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

7 PM - L&G Dinner - Lemon Skin-on Salmon with Spinach & Mushrooms

Another one of my own meal creations for the Recipe Vault! This one will have to be tweaked before posted (meaning this will probably be dinner tomorrow as well). Tonight’s meal got a little salty for my taste... I can hear Anne Burrell coughing and telling me it was like eating a salt lick... very disappointing... But that just means there is room for improvement. ⭐⭐ (stars to be re-evaluated)

9 PM - Dessert OMR - Chewy Chocolate Cookie

YUM! I was skeptical at first because the texture was a bit weird/off putting. However, once I dove in, it was like eating a half baked chocolate chip cookie (one of my faves)! SO GOOD! Much better than the brownie! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Challenge Day!

Tomorrow is the company quarterly In-N-Out lunch day. They bring In-N-Out for the entire company. Boyfriend is also planning a date night for us that evening. The struggle is SOOO real. I have decided to give my In-N-Out meal to whomever would like an extra burger (hopefully they order it right: Animal Style Double Double) and I will be having my fueling like I normally do. As for date night with Boyfriend, we are going to have sushi I think... well, he will be having sushi and I will be enjoying a nice salad with sashimi (yellowfin tuna to be exact). 🍣 Then we are going to see Dark Phoenix *squeeeeeeee* so excited! Not sure what I will bring to much on during the movie... Maybe I will stop and grab an approved “pop snack” or bring some celery (I always have 3 stalks on me at all times 😂)

If I am able to blog tomorrow, it will be pretty late! But until then, peace out!

#Day six #weight loss #weight loss community #wellness #optavia #challenge #im thriving #losing sixty pounds or more #get it #get healthy #health #healthy eating #meal replacement #mealplanning #meal prep #gotta get ready for #my sisters wedding

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eastofthemoon · 5 years

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Cooking Lesson

Summary: Years in the future, after the war with the Galra is over, Hunk takes on a challenge he never thought he would do. Teaching Shiro's son on how to cook.

Rating: G

Characters/Pairings: Hunk/Shay (background), Shiro, and original character in Shiro’s son.

Author’s Note: This is just a fic idea that has been poking around in my day for a few days and had to get written down. Don’t know if I’ll write more stories in this setting, but for now you get this fluffy thing. LOL

“Uncle Hunk, please teach me how to cook.”

Hunk paused, rolled out from under the ship he was inspecting and removed his goggles. Hiro stared at him, backpack hanging off one shoulder and both hands tucked into his pants pockets. Hiro wore the same uniform all the kids on the Atlas wore, although Hunk noticed it was beginning to look a bit snug on Hiro. He probably had hit another growth spurt without anyone knowing.

Yet, it was impossible to ignore the look of determination shining in the boy’s eyes. Hunk had only ever seen that kind of expression in the fiercest of warriors...and also Pidge when there was only one peanut butter cookie left on the plate.

Hunk rose to his feet and reached for a rag to wipe his hands. “Not that I’m against you learning how to cook, but why the culinary interest all of a sudden?”

Hiro was a smart kid, he was always reading books and absorbing them like a little sponge and he loved it when he and Pidge told him of their latest projects. Cooking, on the other hand, had never been an area Hiro seemed to care about.

Hiro’s black bangs hung over his eyes as he silently removed his backpack and reached inside. He brought out a container and held it out to Hunk for inspection. Not sure if he should be curious or fearful, Hunk glanced inside.

The contents were unappealing, to say the least. There was some kind of watery tomato sauce on top of a pile of white mush and some pieces of burnt meat on the side.

“What is this?” Hunk asked.

Hiro sighed as he zipped up his backpack. “It’s supposed to be spaghetti and meatballs.”

Hunk opened and shut his mouth. “Spaghetti and- Did the cafeteria make this?! I swear I taught Vrepit Sal better than this - what kind of kitchen disaster does he think he can get away with?”

Hunk hadn’t gone there last night. He and Shay had gone to his parents' anniversary dinner. If this was what they were serving, he was going to have to take a page out of Dayak's book.

However, Hiro shook his head. “No, Dad did.”

Lightbulbs went off in Hunk’s head as he slowly nodded. “Ooooh,” he muttered quietly. “Shiro’s on a cooking kick again, huh?”

Hiro’s heavy sigh was more than enough confirmation. Hunk couldn’t blame the kid. Shiro was a great leader and pilot, but his cooking skills were an absolute disaster. It hadn’t been a problem when Hiro had been a baby and was content with bottles of milk. It hadn't been a problem when he moved to baby food and Pidge declared her intent to 'puree everything', and it hadn't been a problem when they moved on to finger foods.

However, in the last few years, unless someone else had volunteered to cook Shiro would usually take Hiro to the cafeteria for their meals. Every few months, though, Shiro would begin to worry that he wasn't providing his son with enough proper home cooked meals and would try to rectify the situation.

Shiro’s last attempt before this had been meatloaf. At least, Hunk was hoping that that charred brick had been intended as meatloaf. Honestly that lump of charcoal could have been the remains of just about anything, but the thought of turning anything but ground meat to that kind of substance was kind of terrifying.

Hiro clasped his hands together as he looked up to Hunk with pleading eyes. “Please, teach me,” he begged. “I figured if Dad can’t cook, maybe I could?”

Hunk frowned as he rubbed his neck. Hiro was eight years old and that was about the age Hunk learned to cook things besides toast. “Did you talk to your dad about this?”

Hiro chewed his bottom lip. “No, I know I should, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” Hiro bgan to fiddle with his backpack strap. “Also, he’s always so tired when he gets home and I thought it be nice if I could make dinner for us.”

Hunk’s heart melted at that. Hiro was a good kid. Hard to believe he was already this big. Hunk still remembered all those years ago when they had received the distress calls from the small colony of Delta Seven. The people there were being attacked by some renegade soldiers that were trying to cling to the fading glory of Zarkon’s empire.

They arrived in time to capture the soldiers, but not in time to save the colonists. It was heartbreaking, but they decided to check for survivors and by some miracle Lance had found a baby. The sole survivor of the whole colony.

They had taken the baby back, but try as they might none of them could find any connection to the child's family. The only thing they knew was that “Hiro” had been sewn into his clothing. Not long after giving up the search, Shiro had decided to adopt Hiro as his son. A lot of people had been surprised by the decision, some had even attempted to dissuade Shiro from the idea.

Shiro was captain of the Atlas and he didn't have anyone to help raise Hiro. Whenever someone brought up the challenges of the single parent, though, Shiro would usually end the argument with a glare - assuming the other paladins or the Holts weren't there to speak up in his defense.

Still, being a single dad hadn't been easy, but looking back on it, Shiro had probably felt a connection to Hiro. He too had lost his parents at a young age and only had his grandfather to raise him. Shiro had been in Hiro’s shoes and probably felt it was only right he did the same.

“Uncle Hunk?” Hiro asked with a raised eyebrow. “You listening?”

Hunk shook his head to dispel the memories and crossed his arms. “Yeah, sorry, lost in thought.” He kneeled and held up a finger. “I’ll teach you a few things, but you have to promise me you’ll only cook when there’s an adult with you.”

Hiro wrinkled his nose. “Why? I’m not a baby.”

“No, but if you burn or cut yourself, you’ll need someone to help you,” he said, echoing the words his own mother told him years ago when he began. “So, promise me?”

Hiro frowned, but then gave a firm nod as he held out his hand. “Okay, I promise.”

Hunk grinned as they shook on it. “Alright, it’s a deal.” He rose and reached for his toolbox. “I was just about done anyway. Let me just put away my tools and then we can get some ingredients.” He looked to Hiro, considering the best starting point. “First thing to teach you is how to make a salad.”

Hiro scoffed as he rolled his eyes. “I already know how to make a salad.”

“Oh,” Hunk said as he arranged his tools into the box. “How do you do it?”

“Take lettuce, wash and tear it up and pour on some dressing,” Hiro explained.

Hunk wanted for more words to follow, but when they didn’t he leaned against the table. “And?”

Hiro blinked in confusion. “And what? What else is there?”

Hunk sighed as he rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, okay, we are definitely getting tomatoes, mushrooms and croutons.”

“What are croutons?”

“What has Shiro been feeding you?!”

0808080808080808080808080808080808080808080808080

“Good job,” Hunk assessed as he watched Hiro spread the cooked noodles in the pan. “Now just mix in the tuna with those seasonings we mixed up earlier.”

“Okay,” Hiro said as he reached for a can opener and tried not to trip over the apron hanging above his ankles; Hunk made a mental note to find one more appropriate for Hiro’s size. “And I drain the water from the can?”

“Yup, you got it,” Hunk said as he stood back and watched. “Once that's mixed evenly, just sprinkle the grated cheese on top, okay?”

Hiro nodded and proceeded to follow the directions as he glanced to the clock. “Dad will be home soon. I should go and set the table-”

Hunk ruffled Hiro’s hair. “I got it, kiddo, just focus on getting that into the oven - and don't forget the garlic bread!”

Hiro nodded as Hunk left to fetch the dishes. Shiro’s quarters weren’t huge, just like everyone staying on the Atlas he had a space about the size of a small apartment. They were currently stationed on Earth, and the Garrison did provide rooms on the base when the Atlas was docked, but Shiro preferred to stay near on his ship. Hunk imagined the Atlas preferred to have Shiro close by too, as did Hiro.

He set plates on the table, and started to arrange cutlery as the door opened. Shiro entered, pausing mid-step as he spotted Hunk at the table.

“Hey, Shiro,” Hunk greeted warmly.

“Hey,” Shiro said as he shut the door. “What are you doing here?”

Hunk pointed his thumb towards the kitchen. “Giving your son a cooking lesson.”

Shiro opened his mouth, but then blushed as he rubbed his neck. “He ah….told you about last night, didn’t he?”

“Yyyeeaahhh,” Hunk said as set out the cutlery. “What did you do to that pasta? I thought I was looking at a pile of mashed potatoes.”

“I don’t know, I thought I followed most of the instructions in the recipe,” Shiro said as he removed and hung up his coat.

Hunk blinked. “How do you manage to follow 'most of’ the directions?”

Shiro gave a sheepish smile. “Um well, I lost track of how long the pasta had been boiling. I wanted to make sure it was fully cooked, so I figured I better keep it going for the minimum time listed on the box.”

Hunk blinked and shook his head. “Okay, we're going to have to have words about the meaning of 'al dente', and I’m scared to even ask what you did to that sauce.”

Hiro poked his head out of the kitchen. “Hey, Dad, welcome home! Give me a tic and I’ll have garlic bread out of the oven.”

“Sounds great,” Shiro said as he approached. “How about I help-”

Hiro stood his ground and shoved at his approaching father’s chest. “No way! You stay out! I’m cooking this!”

Shiro gave a fake gasp as he placed his robotic hand over his chest. “My own son, casting me out. Truly, the greatest tragedy of all time. Everything...growing dark...”

Hiro paused as he looked up toward Shiro's face. “Um...well...if you really wanted to-”

“I’m just teasing,” Shiro said as he gave Hiro a hug. “I am fully aware how unskilled I am in the kitchen.”

Hunk briefly thought of suggesting Shiro wouldn’t be ‘unskilled’ if he just bothered to follow basic instructions, but he kept his mouth shut as Hiro smiled and hugged back.

“Okay, it’s almost ready,” the boy then paused as he turned around. “Oh, Dad, did you know you can add these toasted tiny bread things to a salad?”

Shiro blinked. “You mean croutons?”

Hiro frowned and tilted his head. “You knew about them?”

“Yes...Hiro, you’ve eaten croutons before,” Shiro argued.

Hiro looked skeptical as he crossed his arms. “When?”

“In the cafeteria, whenever I get you a salad,” Shiro remarked with a raised eyebrow.

“You always just told me that I should eat my greens, you never mentioned there was bread in it,” Hiro argued.

Hunk covered his hand over his mouth to stop snickering, having to fight laughter right up until the kitchen began to beep. Hiro growled as he glared into the kitchen. “Dad, tell Atlas to stop setting off the smoke detector.”

Shiro frowned in confusion as Hiro ducked inside and looked to Hunk. “The smoke detector?”

“It’s been going off and on, and everything is totally fine. I checked,” Hunk explained while pointing to it. “I think your ‘partner’ is just being over protective again, or acting like that's you in the kitchen.”

“Ah, I see,” Shiro said as he went to sit in a chair. “That would explain why she kept poking at me to rush home. At least she’s not just disabling the stove outright.”

Hunk nodded. Shiro shared a link with the Atlas the same way the lions did with the paladins. However, in the Atlas’s case she had more control over their environment and seemed to take it upon herself to be Shiro’s co-parent.

When Hiro was a baby, the Atlas would sometimes shut off the lights or turn off electronics in Shiro’s quarters to help the child sleep undisturbed. Granted, that was nothing compared to when Hiro started to walk and the Atlas kept locking doors to ensure he didn’t wander off. It took a week of crew complaints before Shiro could get her to relax about that.

They heard the stove door slam shut before Hiro emerged, grinning proudly as he held out a foil covered object with his oven mitts.

“Uncle Hunk, I think the garlic bread is ready,” Hiro said as he held it out.

“Awesome,” Hunk said as he did a thumbs up. “Won’t be long before we can eat the casserole.”

Shiro leaned on his hand. “You joining us?”

“I need to taste-test Hiro’s efforts,” Hunk remarked as he sat down. “Shay is getting home late tonight anyway. So, it’s fine.”

Shiro nodded as he rose. “Can I at least be trusted to pour drinks?”

“Ask Hiro, he’s the chef today,” Hunk said as he pointed.

Hiro frowned, and went quiet. Hunk began to wonder if Hiro was actually debating the question seriously or not.

“Okay, you can pour,” Hiro said as he pointed. “But stay away from the oven.”

“Understood,” Shiro said with a mocking sad sigh. “My own child, having so little faith in me.”

Hunk chuckled as he leaned back in the chair.

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Dinner was served promptly, and Hunk praised the meal with full marks. Hiro grinned and began to ask Hunk what they should make next, until Shiro pointed out they needed to eat the leftovers they would likely have from this meal first.

Truthfully, Hunk had planned it that way. The more leftovers they had, the longer it would be before Shiro tried to cook again. Not long after dinner, it was time for Hiro to get ready for bed. The boy pouted at this, but didn’t argue.

Hunk offered to wash dishes as Shiro went to attend to Hiro. After Hunk finished the cleaning and had put away the leftover food, he crept to where he heard movement from Hiro’s bedroom.

Hiro was already asleep, with the black and white winged lion plushes Lance had made for him years ago. Shiro looked at him with a content smile as he used his robotic arm to tuck him in and then then kissed Hiro’s forehead.

“Night, Kiddo,” he whispered as he sat up, the lights dimming without a word or motion. Hiro buried his face into his pillow as Shiro stood, and the proud parent quietly waved to Hunk as he shut the door.

“Thanks for the help,” Shiro told Hunk.

“No problem,” Hunk said as he crossed his arms. “You know I’m always happy to teacher when it comes to cooking. Day after tomorrow I should be free to give Hiro another lesson.”

Shiro laughed as he rubbed his neck. “Still, it's kind of sad I can’t make a decent meal for my own kid.”

Hunk patted his shoulder. “Hey, we all have our strengths and you’re a great dad.” He narrowed. “Even if you can’t make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning it.”

“Hey, I like them crispy,” Shiro remarked and then they both laughed.

“There's crispy, and then there's suitable to be armor plating. Anyway, I should be home to meet Shay,” Hunk said as he headed for the door. “See you in the morning.”

“Sure thing,” Shiro said as he looked to Hiro. “Although, I’m going to at least try to make Hiro pancakes.”

Hunk froze, turning to Shiro. “Really?”

“...Frozen pancakes that I just need to reheat. And by that I mean have the Atlas reheat,” Shiro argued.

Hunk internally cringed but gave a nod as he left. He had a feeling he was going to have a long list of things to teach Hiro.

#voltron #vld #hunay #takashi shirogane #hunk #my writing #fanfic

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paleorecipecookbook · 5 years

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Paleo Travel Snacks: How to Eat Healthy While You’re On the Go

Many of us following a Paleo lifestyle slide into a comfortable eating routine. Maybe you have perfected your meal prepping. Maybe you have a reliable rotation of favorite recipes. Maybe you eat have your basic breakfast down to a tasty science, switching up the veggies and protein as desired. When you’re in your own element and have total control over your food supply, it’s easier to stay on track. But what happens when you take a road trip or travel for your job? Take it from me, you’ve got this! I travel extensively, from book tours and conferences to vacations, so I know what it’s like to face this challenge of staying committed to this way of eating. But it’s doable—and I’ve gathered the best tips and tricks for staying Paleo while traveling, all in one place.

It can be hard to eat healthy while traveling. But with a little planning and flexibility, it is possible to stay Paleo on the road. Check out this article for my tips and recommendations on the best Paleo travel snacks. #paleo #healthylifestyle #chriskresser

Five Tips for Packing Paleo Travel Snacks

As you’re packing that suitcase, leave plenty of space for the snacks. Bringing your own food gives you the best control over the situation, so that you won’t find yourself hungry and cranky, tempted by a bright drive-through sign five hours into a long road trip.

1. If Possible, Bring a Cooler

Logistically, it’s definitely easier to pack a cooler for a road trip than for air travel, but however you’re hitting the road, being able to bring one will expand your eating options considerably. If you can bring a light-weight cooler—which you certainly can do if you’re traveling by car (or bus or train), there are loads of food possibilities:

Hard or soft-boiled eggs, perfect with cherry tomatoes and avocado

Thinly sliced leftover meats to pair with Paleo mustard or mayo

Lettuce wraps with leftover meats and veggies

Pumpkin hummus*

Full-fat yogurt or kefir (though not technically Paleo, some people tolerate dairy and incorporate it into their “Paleo template”)*

Cheese from grass-fed cows’ milk

Paleo “granola bars”

Raw veggies or fruit, like carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced bell peppers, and apples

“Dump ranch” dressing to dip veggies in*

Nut butters for dipping fruits (macadamia, almond, and hazelnut butters are best)*

Baba ganoush, but if you’re on the autoimmune protocol, you’ll want to skip this one because eggplant is a nightshade*

Fruit smoothie, with coconut milk, almond milk, yogurt, or kefir as a base*

A note on the foods starred with an asterisk: If you’re bringing these liquid or liquid-like foods through airport security, they will have to meet national Transportation Security Administration (TSA) restrictions—that means packed in clear containers and in amounts that are 3.4 ounces or less. (Check with your carrier for the latest TSA guidelines.) On top of that, bringing melting ice and cool packs can get a little tricky with the TSA.

Here is one workaround: Don’t use cool packs. Instead, use a freezer-grade resealable bag with ice to keep your food cool when you leave home, and bring some extra bags. Throw out the bag of ice at security, and then replenish the ice in a new bag at a food vendor in the airport. Most vendors will charge you for cups of ice, but it’s definitely worth it because you’ll have a cooler-full of Paleo snacks to satisfy your hunger. (And it’s worth pointing out that if you’re checking your bag, you can pack extra items that don’t require refrigeration, and just bring enough on the plane to get you through your flight!)

2. Try Paleo-Friendly Packaged Food

In general, I try to avoid packaged foods, which likely contain industrial seed oils, added sugars, excess sodium, preservatives, artificial colors, and other questionable ingredients. But, traveling can be an exception to this rule. I would rather have high-quality beef jerky and some dry-roasted nuts on hand than be forced to choose between fast-food restaurants after not eating for 12 hours. The key here is high quality. Learn how to read a nutrition label and ingredients list.

Sneaky names for gluten, sugar, soy, and more are hidden in ingredient lists. Don’t ever assume you’re in the clear with packaged food without first reading the label. I’ve seen added sugars lurking in places you’d never expect, like in canned kidney beans and feta cheese!

Some of my favorite packaged Paleo travel snacks include:

Grass-fed beef jerky

Prepared meats like salami, pepperoni, and coppa

Organic lunch meats, served with mustard

Smoked salmon (make sure it’s soy free)

Nuts and seeds (dry roasted or raw are best, as most manufacturers roast in industrial seed oils)

Olives to eat with nuts, cheese, meats, and pickles (watch out for artificial colorings)

Canned salmon or tuna (packed in water or oil)

Nori chips or sheets

Pork rinds

Siete “tortilla chips” made with cassava flour

Kale chips

Individual containers of plain yogurt, kefir, or nut milks

Freeze-dried fruit

90 percent cocoa dark chocolate

Coconut flakes (these are surprisingly satisfying and filling)

Energy bars are often considered Paleo because they only contain “Paleo” ingredients like dates, cashews, and egg whites, but I would only buy these in a pinch. This type of calorie-dense, semi-processed treat walks a fine line between real food and a dessert.

3. Go Plastic Free

Don’t put your grass-fed beef taco lettuce wraps into plastic storage containers! Plastics are among the worst environmental toxins. Even BPA-free plastics have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system. (1) Ditching the plastic wrap, bags, and containers also cuts back on waste.

My favorite containers for packing food to go are stainless steel LunchBots. Also check out reusable beeswax wrap, glass mason jars of all sizes, and Pyrex glass containers with lids.

4. Fuel Up before You Hit the Road (or Consider Fasting)

I deliberately eat a big meal at home before leaving for a trip. If the trip is half a day or less, this is often enough to tide me over until I reach my destination.

As an alternative to eating before you leave (or if you didn’t have time to prep any snacks), don’t be afraid to fast! Occasional fasting was common for our Paleo ancestors, and regular intermittent fasting has been linked to many health benefits, including weight loss and improved cardiac health. (2, 3, 4)

5. Shop Smart and Get Creative

Even if you’ve packed snacks and have a good meal before leaving, eating on the road is inevitable, especially for longer trips. Typical rest stops, gas stations, or convenience stores generally don’t have much to offer, but some might sell hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, or roasted nuts. Thanks to smartphones and GPS, it’s easy to search for other food options beyond the fast-food places that populate most interstate exits. But instead of searching for “restaurants near me,” type in “grocery store.”

It’s not even a contest—if a grocery store is near the exit, you’re much better off shopping there than at any fast-food chain. As a bonus, you’ll get in some light exercise walking around the store.

Not every exit will have a Whole Foods, but even an average grocery store will have some reasonable options, including the Paleo-friendly packaged foods I listed above. If you’re unable to find those, or you’re looking for something different, try one of these creative meals instead:

A rotisserie chicken (remove the skin since the seasoning may contain sugar)

A shrimp cocktail ring (just skip the cocktail sauce)

A raw vegetable or fruit platter (these can be pricey, but items are conveniently already washed and sliced)

Pre-washed sugar snap peas, green beans, or other veggies

Salad bar items that are Paleo friendly, including grilled chicken, veggies, and olives

How Eat Paleo in a New Place

When you’re away from home, don’t expect to wander into the nearest food establishment and find grass-fed steak and organic, locally grown grilled vegetables on the menu. When eating Paleo in a new place, planning is the key to success.

First, whenever possible, I book a hotel with a kitchen or at least a kitchenette in the room. That way, I can brew my own tea, keep my kombucha in the fridge, and save any delicious (but large-portioned) leftovers from a nice dinner.

Next, research nearby restaurants ahead of time. If I’m heading to a book signing in a new city, I always get great recommendations from social media. Or try searching for keywords like these:

Local

Foodie

Gluten-free

Grass-fed

Organic

Pasture-raised

For a group dinner, take the initiative and suggest a restaurant from your research. If you can’t choose the restaurant, visit the menu online and call the restaurant to inquire about special accommodations. If the menu is severely limited, eat a healthy snack before you go.

Here are some other tips for navigating a restaurant while staying Paleo:

Opt for grilled, steamed, or roasted meat, steamed or baked veggies, and a simple starch like potatoes or white rice.

Avoid sauces, which usually contain sugar, gluten, and/or soy.

When ordering a salad, request dressing on the side to avoid industrial seed oils. Try asking for olive oil and vinegar instead.

If you’re gluten intolerant, always ask if a dish has gluten. Restaurants notoriously have sneaky gluten additives, in spice blends or as thickeners in sauces.

Don’t be afraid to be “that person” who asks the server a million questions. Maybe if more people kept requesting the same menu adjustments, restaurants would better accommodate Paleo customers.

Remember: You Can’t Control Everything

Obsessing over every morsel of food during a long trip can be downright exhausting. In fact, I don’t think it’s healthy to be so rigid that there isn’t any wiggle room to try the world’s best beer when you’re in Belgium or authentic, freshly made pasta if you’re in Italy. Likewise, when your flight gets delayed five hours, it might be better to buy a chef salad or have a burger without the bun than end up grumpy, “hangry,” or light-headed.

Live by the 80/20 rule—80 percent of the time, adhere to the ideal Paleo diet, but the other 20 percent of the time, loosen up and eat whatever you want (or, if you’re stranded while traveling and starving, whatever options you have on hand).

More Holistic Health Travel Tips

Eating nutrient-dense, whole foods is just one aspect of healthy living. Don’t ignore other aspects of health while traveling:

Find time to move around. Walk around the airport terminal, do chair squats on long flights, and try some jumping jacks at car rest stops. Taking a long morning walk in your new location will familiarize you with the area and is especially beneficial for your circadian rhythm if you’re traveling to a different time zone.

Stay hydrated. When flying, it’s recommended that you drink a cup of water for every hour in the air.

Make sleep a priority. It’s important to maintain the same healthy habits you follow at home. If you normally go to bed at a certain time, try to stick to your established routine as much as possible.

Meditate, practice mindfulness, and find time to relax.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Do you have any other tips on how to eat Paleo while traveling? What are your favorite Paleo travel snacks? Let us know in the comments!

The post Paleo Travel Snacks: How to Eat Healthy While You’re On the Go appeared first on Chris Kresser.

Source: http://chriskresser.com February 21, 2019 at 05:05PM

#paleo #recipe #food #delicious #healthy #yum #diet

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needriddle7 · 2 years

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Creative Foods Catering

Looking for a particular restaurant or recipe? Leave a comment and I'll add it sooner than later. Half chicken marinated in our blend of herbs and spices, brushed with an herbed butter and baked until moist and juicy. Accompanied by a recent house-made chimichurri sauce and served with baked macaroni and cheese and vegetable medley. Fresh Ahi grade tuna grilled rare, sliced and placed atop recent salad greens, grape tomatoes, sliced mango and avocado, served with a mildly spicy apricot glaze. When we hear the words cream cheese, what do most all of us routinely think about? A schmear on a bagel, or a delicious creamy cheesecake right? Today we'll unlock the mystery of cream cheese and determine why this scrumptious, tangy, and versatile ingredient must be more entrance and middle in your recipes. A gooey, bubbling layer of Gruyère cheese adorns this rich, amber broth of beef inventory and caramelized onions—a combination that may only be described as délicieuse. 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#外燴

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purplesurveys · 3 years

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1176

survey by chasingghosts

Describe the last (or current) object you sat on. It’s my black work chair. It was initially a quick, last-minute purchase from when I started an internship with my now-employer just so that I had somewhere decent to sit on when I reported to work, so it’s quite cheap and not the most comfortable to sit on for 8–12 hours; I definitely need a much nicer chair that would help with my posture.

What was your favourite toy when you were a kid? I liked any toy that was interactive or had a lot of features that I could explore, so that said I liked toys like cash registers that had a lot of buttons or super detailed dollhouses.

What weird thing do you eat that most people dislike? Balut. Which isn’t weird in my culture, but I’ve seen enough people gag over it.

Would you change your name if you got married? Depends; I don’t seem to have a firm opinion about it. I was set on hyphenating my name with my ex, but my mind could always change should I ever get another partner in the future.

Were you in any clubs in high school? Which ones? Yeah, but this is also because it was required. I joined the table tennis and yearbook clubs.

What time do you generally wake up? 6:30 AM on the dot, no alarms. Sometimes I’ll roll back to sleep, other times I’ll already start trying to wake up properly just so I don’t feel like a zombie once I start my 9 AM shift.

Do you share a bathroom with anyone? Yeah, everyone in my family uses the upstairs bathroom.

Are there any songs you know every single lyric to? Paramore’s entire discography and most of Beyoncé’s songs. A few punk rock songs here and there.

How many amusement parks have you visited? Not a lot. I can think of four unique ones I’ve been to.

Who is your favourite character from the show Friends? Chandler, followed very closely by Monica. Then Rachel, then Ross, then Joey, then Phoebe.

Do you have any leftovers in your fridge right now? So many. I ultimately bought too much food for my birthday dinner, considering we’re only 5 in the household – two trays of takoyaki, two party-sized pizzas, two trays of tteokbokki, two orders of gimbap, one family-sized tray of paella; and then we also have three large cakes (one of them I bought, one that my manager got, and one from my parents). But given this was my 2nd pandemic birthday, my 1st birthday employed, and my 1st birthday without Gabie, I wanted to have a big and memorable celebration for it.

What was the last job interview you attended? The one I had for what is my job now. It happened via video call, though.

Have you ever had a panic attack? A few, but fortunately the last one had been more than a couple of years ago.

Where do you keep most of your clothes? In my closet.

What's your favourite kind of frosting? Any kind of chocolate frosting is good with me.

Who is the most annoying celebrity in your opinion? I’m not feeling that way towards any celebrity in particular at the moment.

Do you prefer watching movies or TV shows? When it comes down to it, movies. I’d rather be able to digest an entire story within two hours than wait for a week for a new episode, and a year or two for a new season.

What decorations do you have in your bedroom? I have some photos of V up on my corkboard, and wall decors of Audrey Hepburn on my wall. I’m planning to spruce up my room soon though, and I’m thinking of already putting up floating wooden shelves or something of the sort up on my walls to make my K-pop ~shrine~ look extra pretty. I already ordered a shit-ton of merch that’s supposed to arrive from Korea by May or June, and I want them to have a home by then.

What was the last notification you got on your phone? It was an update to a buy-and-sell chat group I’m part of on Messenger.

What career or study were you really interested in but didn't pursue? Political science/law.

Where do you buy most of your groceries? My parents split up the groceries depending on where they can get a particular item for much cheaper, since the prices differ per store. I know they alternate among SM, Robinsons, and a local grocery we have near our village.

Have you ever taken a painting class? I don’t think so, but that would sound lovely to take.

Is there a store or restaurant where you're considered a regular? The folks at Omakase probably already know me since I usually get my tuna salad and sushi from them on Friday nights.

How far do you have to travel from home to get to school or work? On the two times I was able to drive to work, it only took around 20-30 minutes. When I was still in school, the duration definitely depended on how heavy the traffic was that day; it ranged between 20 minutes to 2.5 hours.

Did you use Vine back when it still existed? Regularly. I’m still they shut down :( TikTok is great too, but it’ll never be the same.

Are you more creative or analytical? Analytical.

How do you like your eggs? I just want the yolk to be runny. I wouldn’t touch a crisp egg with a solid yolk. As for omelettes, I prefer mine with cheese, bell peppers, and bits of ham.

How old were you when you started wearing a bra, if ever? Around 10 or 11.

What was the last video game you played? I think it may have been The Sims 4, a couple of years ago.

Are there any recipes you really want to try? I’d love to try baking my own macarons, but I know I should probably start with something a lot simpler.

Has anyone asked how you feel today? Kinda. Andi and I had a conversation at around 2 AM today and we took a few minutes to ask each other how we’ve been doing.

Well, how do you feel today? Cranky because of the weather; but otherwise, I’ve been feeling pretty content.

On that note, how have you been feeling lately? Happy, light, pure.

Have you ever received a speeding fine? No. I don’t think we get fined for that here. We do have speed limits especially on expressways, but people break that allllllllllll the time and I have never seen someone get stopped.

Would you rather be incredibly smart or incredibly beautiful? Smart.

What's your favourite cookie? Chocolate chip cookie.

Do you have a doorbell at your house? Yups.

What percentage charge is your phone on right now? 1%, which is why I haven’t been touching it hahaha.

What was the last app you had open on your phone? I believe it was Facebook.

Do you use captions when you watch TV and movies? If they’re available, yes. It would also be a big relief, since I’m usually terrible at picking up accents, and what is being said, in general.

What's your skincare routine? I just douse my face with water every morning before work.

Have you ever visited someone in a psychiatric home or ward? No.

Do you spell it colour, or color? Color.

How tall are you? 5′1″.

What was the last movie you watched? I don’t even remember anymore.

#survey #surveys

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