all i have been eating for the last week when i remember to cook actual food for dinner is a combination of Ingredients with kangaroo to make like taco meat with it. and adding rice and putting that in a tortilla and one vegetable if i have it. or just eating it with rice alone

What Recipes Use Cream Of Tartar

Hey there! I'm sure you've heard of cream of tartar, but have you ever wondered what recipes use it? Well, if that's the case then look no further because today we're going to discuss all kinds of delicious dishes that call for this versatile ingredient. From savory entrees to sweet desserts and everything in between, let's get into some yummy recipes using cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is a great way to add an extra punch of flavor without overwhelming your dish. It can also help stabilize egg whites when baking, making it a must-have baking staple in any kitchen. Whether you’re looking for something special or just want to try something new don’t worry! We'll explore plenty of tasty recipes with cream of tartar that are sure to please everyone at the table. Baked Goods I'm a big fan of baking treats that use cream of tartar. It's an ingredient I always keep in my cupboard, as it adds so much to recipes! One of the best ways to put cream of tartar to work is with eggy custards - it helps stabilize and thicken these desserts, making them extra creamy and delicious. Cookie doughs are also a great way to incorporate cream of tartar into your baking. It provides structure for the dough itself which means when you pop those cookies in the oven they'll maintain their shape instead of spreading out too thin. Plus, because it reacts with other ingredients like baking soda, you'll get light and fluffy baked goods every time! In short, if you're looking for mouth-watering results from your baking then don't forget to add some cream of tartar - it makes all the difference! Sauces And Dressings I'm really interested to learn more about sauces and dressings! To start off, I'd love to know what kinds of salad dressings use cream of tartar. Also, I'm curious to know what recipes are used to make BBQ sauces with cream of tartar. I'm sure there's lots to learn, so I'm excited to get the conversation going! Salad Dressings Salad dressings are a key component of any meal, and they can come in many different forms. Whether you want a light vinaigrette or something creamier, there's sure to be an option that works for you! Marinades and pickling solutions often include ingredients like vinegar and oil, but did you know that adding a pinch of cream of tartar can make these sauces even more flavorful? Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the acidity in marinades and pickling solutions, making them much smoother on the palate. Furthermore, it also adds a nice zing without overwhelming your dish with too much saltiness - perfect for those looking for subtle flavor enhancement. So don't forget about this versatile ingredient when creating tasty salad dressings at home; it'll really take your recipes up a notch! Bbq Sauces Grilling techniques are a great way to bring out the natural flavors in your food, and adding an extra layer of flavor with BBQ sauces makes it even better! When making your own marinade or BBQ sauce at home, there are some tips to keep in mind. For starters, you'll want to use both sweet and savory ingredients like honey, garlic, onions, and tomato paste for maximum flavor. You can also add herbs and spices depending on your preferences - just make sure not to overdo it! Finally, if you'd like something richer, consider using butter or cream; these will really give the sauce depth. With all these marinade tips in mind, you're ready to create a delicious BBQ sauce that everyone's sure to love! Main Dishes I love to cook, and two of my favorite dishes are grilled salmon and roast chicken. Both of these recipes use cream of tartar as an ingredient for a zesty flavor. To make the perfect grilled salmon, I start by mixing together 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar with lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Then I rub the mixture all over the fillets before popping them on the grill. The result is succulent fish that's full of flavor! For the roast chicken, cream of tartar can be used in combination with other ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and oregano to create a delicious dry rub that adds loads of flavor to your bird. After rubbing this seasoning blend onto both sides of the chicken breasts, you can pop them into the oven or onto an outdoor grill for restaurant-quality results every time! All it takes is a little bit of preparation using cream of tartar – plus some patience while it cooks – to enjoy amazing meals at home with friends and family. Snacks And Appetizers Now that we’ve discussed some delicious main dishes, let’s explore some healthier snacks and appetizers. Cream of tartar is an ingredient found in many recipes for both savory and sweet treats. A popular use of cream of tartar is to stabilize egg whites when making meringues or angel food cake. It can also be used as a leavening agent in biscuits, muffins, and quick breads like banana bread. Cream of tartar can even add a bit of zest to your snack platters! Try adding it to homemade ranch dip for vegetables, spicy popcorn seasoning for movie night, or even a simple hummus recipe for extra flavor. Another great way to incorporate cream of tartar into healthy party platters is by using it in simple syrup when making candied nuts. The combination of sugar and spice makes these crunchy treats irresistible! If you're looking for something unique but still satisfyingly tasty, why not try macaroons? These light-as-air cookies are made with almond flour and whipped egg whites stabilized with cream of tartar - perfect for afternoon tea parties or served alongside coffee after dinner. With all the different uses of cream of tartar available, there's sure to be something on the menu everyone will love! Desserts I love baking with cream of tartar! It adds a unique flavor to many desserts, and it can be used in some really delicious recipes. I especially like using it when making frostings and meringues. Cream of tartar helps create the perfect texture for both of these types of treats, giving them a light and airy consistency that is just irresistible. Plus, because it's relatively inexpensive and easy to find, it's something I always keep stocked up on in my pantry. When creating frosting or meringue recipes with cream of tartar, you need to use the right ratio so that you get the desired result. A good rule of thumb is two parts sugar to one part cream of tartar; this usually creates the ideal balance between sweetness and tanginess. Additionally, make sure to whip your ingredients together until they are nice and fluffy before adding in any other flavoring elements such as cocoa powder or extracts. This will give the final product an even fluffier texture that everyone loves! No matter what kind of recipe you're making with cream of tartar, remember to adjust your measurements according to what type you have there are different grades available which can affect how much should be added into each dish. But if all else fails, simply taste-test throughout the process until you achieve the results you want! The end result will definitely be worth it – trust me! Frequently Asked Questions What Is Cream Of Tartar? Cream of tartar is a versatile baking ingredient with many uses in cooking. It's most often used as a leavening agent when making baked goods like cakes, cookies, and meringues. But it can be used for other techniques too! Cream of tartar helps create stable egg-whites for fluffier omelets or mayonnaise; stabilizes whipped cream so it holds its shape longer; and adds a tangy flavor to icings and frostings. All these applications make cream of tartar an essential part of any baker’s pantry! How Do I Store Cream Of Tartar? Storing cream of tartar is fairly simple. You should keep it in an airtight container away from any heat or moisture sources, and it will last for up to two years. If you need a baking substitute, you can use an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar as a replacement. Keep in mind that the substitution ratios may vary depending on what recipe you’re making, so be sure to double-check your measurements if using this alternative! How Much Cream Of Tartar Should I Use? When it comes to baking, cream of tartar is an essential ingredient. It's a leavening agent that acts as a stabilizer and helps give baked goods the right texture. The amount of cream of tartar used depends on what you're making – if you don't have any, there are some acceptable substitutes like baking powder or lemon juice. Generally speaking though, I would recommend using 1/4 teaspoon for each cup of flour in your recipe. This should be enough to help give your bakes that perfect lift! Is Cream Of Tartar Healthy? When it comes to dietary benefits, cream of tartar is generally considered a safe ingredient. It’s an acid salt that can be used in cooking as a leavening agent or stabilizer, but there are some alternatives you could use if you don't want to include this ingredient in your recipes. If you choose not to use cream of tartar due to health concerns, baking soda and vinegar are two common substitutes for the same purpose. Ultimately, whether or not you decide to use cream of tartar is up to you - just make sure you do what feels best for your body! How Can I Substitute Cream Of Tartar? Wondering how to substitute cream of tartar in baking? Good news, there are several alternatives! If you’re looking for a direct substitution, try replacing with an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar. Baking powder is also a great option; use twice the amount as what your recipe requires for cream of tartar. For those of us who don't have any of these ingredients on hand, you can still bake without it - just increase the number of eggs slightly and remember that creaming butter and sugar together will take longer since you won't be using cream of tartar to help stabilize them. Conclusion In conclusion, Cream of Tartar is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. It adds flavor and texture to many dishes, and its unique tanginess makes for delicious results. As long as you properly store it, use the right amount for your recipe, and substitute it correctly when necessary, then you’ll have no problem using this wonderful ingredient. I encourage everyone to experiment with Cream of Tartar in their cooking – the possibilities are endless! Read the full article

Recently found out about thermopolia, places in ancient rome where you could buy quick and easy take-out food or the roman version of fastfood. And I can't help but wonder what each of the Scrolls races would sell at their own thermopolia.

I'm of the opinion that Tamriel would grind to a halt without quick foods to keep us going. Every Province of course has its own specialties, but these are some of the most popular snacks you have to try!

Altmer

Eating on the go is difficult to manage in Summerset. After all, eating with your hands is uncouth, so what is one to do? Ricepaper-wrapped salads are a staple for healthy eating when pressed for time, and can contain any number of ingredients one likes. Common fillings for these ricepaper rolls include lettuce, shredded carrots and cucumber, sweet shrimp, cold roast chicken, and tahini.

Argonians

While Argonians prefer to sit down for a meal with friends and family, sometimes it's necessary to grab a bite before heading into the swamp. Saltrice steamed in banana leaf packages with tasty ingredients on the side makes the ideal portable meal. Each package is water-tight and contains just enough for a single meal, while the banana leaf imparts a great aroma on the saltrice. For something similar, why not try my Blackwood Stuffed Banana Leaves?

Bosmer

Out of all the races, the Wood Elves have truly mastered the art of quick and easy foods to eat on the road. While it's less appetising than other snacks, pemmican, a type of dried meat and tallow patty, is great for filling your belly when you don't have the time for a meal. It can be eaten as is, or is sometimes pre-fried to make a crunchy, meaty snack. More interesting than jerky, and quite nutritious too!

Bretons

High Rock is renowned for its excellent inns, and many of them cater to travellers needing a quick bite to eat. Hot pies and pasties are a Provincial favourite, and they are usually filled with meat and vegetables, though plenty of other variants exist. When I'm in High Rock, I spend a lot of time eating my favourite steak, cheese and onion pasties, or a good steak pie with mushy peas on the side.

Dunmer

Dunmeri traders and travellers for centuries swear by wickwheat rolls, which are soft rolls that are a bit like a cross between puff pastry and rye bread. These rolls are baked with fillings and are easy to bring around with you, and taste great regardless of their temperature. One of the most common variants is a chunky mix of scuttle, hackle-lo leaf, and nix-hound meat paste, which is seasoned with a good amount of herbs and spices. It's meaty and creamy, and sure to keep you sated for some time.

Imperials

There are so many types of snack foods in Cyrodiil that it would take a day and a half to list all of them, but out of all of them, fried bread sandwiches are probably the most common and popular due to their versatility. These aren't sandwiches per se, but are pockets of bread that are flash fried in olive oil after being stuffed with ingredients like cured meats, cheese, tomatoes, and peppers. They are usually served with a topping of fresh salad and shaved pecorino.

Khajiit

Rice rolls, rice rolls, we love rice rolls! These wonderful snacks are easily portable, making them the ideal meal on the go, and they taste great hot or cold too. Fresh fish, vegetables, pickled spicy cabbage, and grilled meat are among the fillings you'll find tightly wrapped in a sizeable tube of seasoned brown rice, which is wrapped again in nori to hold the tube together. Filling and delicious!

Nords

There's nothing better than a fresh hot waffle on a cold day...except for a freshly grilled horker sausage or rabbit meatballs wrapped in a waffle, with a good spoonful of crispy fried onions, juniper berry relish, and strong wholegrain mustard. Eating these gracefully is an impossible task, so remember to pack napkins!

Orcs

Most Orcs prefer sitting down to a meal than a quick lunch on the go, but if you're heading out the door, it doesn't hurt to pack a potato croquette or two. Mashed potato is patted around meat and diced radishes, rolled in panko breadcrumbs, and deep fried until crispy. These greasy treats stay warm for ages when packed in metal lunchboxes, so they're ideal for travellers.

Redguards

The Redguards use folded cactus skins to make takeaway boxes, and their watertight properties mean that it's possible to pack soups quickly and easily for eating on the go. A goat meatball stew drizzled with yoghurt and honey is a nomad's favourite dish as it contains all the nutrition you need to stay alive in the inhospitable Alik'r for extended periods of time. The lid also acts as a way to eat your soup without sand getting in- just slurp it through a straw! You can also try my Pack Guar Pide for a Hammerfell-style street food favourite!

|[Cooking adventures]|

[Corpse Husband x GN! reader]

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Genre: Fluff (kinda)

Word count: 2K

Requested: no

To request: Corpse requests, Dream SMP and Comfy cartel are all OPEN

Synopsis: Corpse cooking dinner with his s/o, just a cute stuff. 

Warnings: none

A/n: I made dinner with my brother a few days back and then I kind of questioned what it would be like to do that with a s/o and then this idea plagued my mind for a few days until I managed to make time to write it all down.  It also may include some wrong words, english isn't my first language and I don't usually write things that include cooking so terms may be off!

Masterlist

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"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Corpse looked at you, questioning as you calmly washed your hands.

Shrugging your shoulders, you met his eyes as you replied, "nope, not at all," a small teasing smile formed on your face as you moved past him to dry your hands, "but I used to do this with my brother when I was younger and it turned out fine then. So I'm sure it will be edible."

Still your boyfriend didn't seem convinced, his eyebrows raised in question as you placed all the ingredients on the counter.

What you had told him was the truth however, you had made this recipe countless of times with your older brother when you still both lived with your parents. It had gone well each time, so you didn't worry much.

"I promise there won't be any aluminum foil involved." You teased as you turned to look at him over your shoulder, a small smirk tugging at your lips at the playful glare he send your way.

Corpse chuckled as he gave in, following your lead and washing his hands as you placed a pan on the counter, “will this be large enough?” you questioned as you held up the pan in your hand, questioning to Corpse as he looked at you, “how much do you plan on making?”

You thought for a second, it wouldn’t be bad to make more than necessary and keep the left overs in the fridge for tomorrow, besides that the family recipe that you knew was made to feed an entire family of people.

“It’ll be big enough, probably” you answered your own question as you placed the pan on the stove, returning to the counter as you tried to remember the recipe. It had been a while since you last made it.

Corpse seemed to realize he didn’t even know what you were going to make as he looked at the ingredients that littered the counter top, “what are we making anyway?” his tone questioning as he watched you move around the kitchen, grabbing one of the largest kitchen knives you owned and a cutting board in your other hand.

“Spaghetti Bolognese.” You answered simply, putting the items on the counter as you looked at him, “family recipe of course.”

He nodded his head, unsure of what to do as you moved around and prepared the kitchen for your endeavours.

His eyes followed your movements wordlessly, a small content smile on his face. You had always known your way around a kitchen, somehow whenever you entered one something would just change in your step.

Your otherwise somewhat chaotic movements fluid as you pulled one cabinet open and pulled out a bowl, placing it on the counter as you pushed the cabinet door back with your hip. Even when he had just met you, you held a certain affinity to the kitchen.

Once you’d told him how your mom taught you how to cook and bake, and you carried along the tradition of baking something in the weekends.

As someone that was a walking mess in the kitchen and often ended up with take out as a result, you were magical. It was a mystery to him how you could enter the kitchen and come out half an hour later with two plates of tasteful goodness.

When you became friends with him you learned about his eating situation, the image of which horrifying to you. It didn’t take long for you to drop by occasionally with extra food you had prepared to make sure he would at least consume a nutritious meal every so often.

Over time it became more often and you started to take your own portion with you as well after Corpse invited you to eat at his place instead. As this happened you grew closer to the male and eventually you started dating, the confession taking place at one of these nights.

When you moved in you took the task of buying groceries and cooking whenever you had the time to do so upon yourself. Corpse enjoyed the increase in tasteful cooking, grateful for it even after telling you that you really didn’t have to do it.

“Corpse?” your question pulled him out of his thoughts as he hummed in response.

A small smile tugged on your lips as you pointed to the pot on the stove, “Can you boil some water for the spaghetti? I think around half of the package should be fine.” He could see the packet of spaghetti noodles beside the stove as he moved over.

Beside him you were dicing up a union and carrot before putting them in the small bowl you had put beside the cutting board earlier.

Corpse looked curiously as you worked from beside you. The kitchen knife moved precisely and fluidly in your hands as you worked with it. Somehow you always chose the larger and sharper knives in the kitchen for cooking, claiming they were the most comfortable to use.

You added some garlic to the vegetables before moving to the pan on the stove and turning it on. Emptying the bowl in the pan, you looked at Corpse beside you.

“Can you make the broth? Just add one of those small cubes into around a cup of hot water.” Corpse grabbed the packet and pulled out one of the small cubes for the broth before the writing on the package caught his eye, “this says one cube per one litre.”

As you looked at him he could see the confusion on your face, a small smile on your lips as you shrugged your shoulders, one hand stirring the vegetables in the pan.

“It’ll be a strong broth then?” you questioned, eying the package suspiciously as Corpse chuckled, “Y/n, how long has it been since you made this?”

Now it was your turn for a nervous chuckle to fall off your lips, avoiding eye contact as you turned back to the pan, “like a year or two?” the answer more phrased as a question as you spoke.

You cut Corpse off before he could give up, “it’ll be fine, in the worst case we’ll just order take out later, just give it a chance for now?” the look on your face convincing him as he turned back to the task you had given him.

He dumped the cube in a cup of hot water like you instructed him to do, the cube barely dissolving like he was sure it was supposed to.

As he tried to figure out what he did wrong, you added the meat to your pan as you stirred, looking at what Corpse was doing out of the corner of your eye after his sudden silence.

“Are you okay?’’ you asked as he turned around, the glass measuring cup with a barely fallen apart broth cube in the middle of the orangey water.

“Y/n, it’s not doing the thing.” His voice almost a whine as he presented his failed task to you, a raised eyebrow his only response as you tried to figure out what happened, “Did you use boiled water?”

Now it was Corpse’s turn to be confused as he looked at you, “boiled water? You said warm water!” his voice frustrated as an amused chuckle left your lips.

“Its fine, don’t worry, just add the same amount of water but then boiled and I think we should be fine.” You answered, making Corpse grab the kettle with boiled water for the spaghetti as he poured it into the broth.

As he stirred the mixture the cube started to dissolve, just like you had said, “Won’t we have double the amount of water now?” He looked at you curiously as you stirred the pan, checking if the meat was ready so you could move to the next step.

“I mean its water right? So I guess it’ll just evaporate eventually?” you shrugged your shoulders as you answered.

You left the pan to sit for a while as you moved to your boyfriend, pressing your lips against his cheek, “don’t worry about it, it’ll be fine.” Your voice reassured him as your hand trailed down his arm, pulling your head away you spoke up again, “you can add the broth now by the way.”

Corpse placed a soft kiss on your forehead as he moved away, carefully dumping the broth in the pan together with the other ingredients.

Humming as you watched him, you moved back to the stove to start stirring the mixture of ingredients once more.

You were taken aback when Corpse caged you against him, his hands resting comfortably on your hips as you leant back against him. His head rested on yours as he watched your hands work.

A small smile tugged on your lips at the sweet moment, your hand leaving the ladle you had used to stir the soup like mixture.

You placed it on his hand on your hip, guiding it up so he could stir in your stead as you grabbed the tins filled with tomato paste and diced up tomatoes.

Carefully adding all of it to the pan, a small chuckle left your mouth at the volume the sauce had become. It was hard not to spill it over the edge of the pan as Corpse stirred, making you place your hand over his as you guided him, careful and slow movements keeping the sauce in the pan.

After a few minutes you turned back, your hand leaving Corpse’s as you pressed a soft kiss against his lips, your hand finding his hair as you brushed through it, the dark curls curling over your hand.

“I think it’s time now to start cooking the spaghetti, can you do that?” you looked up at him as a small smile tugged at his lips, “of course, babe” the nickname bringing a small flush to your cheeks.

Before he turned to you for questions you pointed to the package, “there are instructions on there, just use like half of the package.” You responded his unasked question with a small smile as he turned back.

He followed the instructions on the package flawlessly as you grabbed different spices and dumped different amounts into the sauce.

It didn’t take too much longer for your dinner to be finished, the soup like texture replaced by the thicker sauce after all the excess water evaporated.

After dividing the noodles and sauce over two bowls you allowed the remaining sauce to cool off so you could put it in the fridge for tomorrow. Corpse looked over your shoulder as you carried the two plates out, he had grabbed utensils and brought your drinks out to the living room.

You leaned against him on the couch, your bowl in your lap as you ate, a movie playing on the television in front of you. A satisfied hum left your lips as you took the first bite, covering your mouth as you spoke, it’s perfect.”

Beside you Corpse took his first bite beside you, twisting the spaghetti around his fork before he nodded his head.

“It is perfect.” A small smile formed on your face as you looked up at him from your position, leaning your head on his shoulder, “did you enjoy cooking together?”

A small smile formed on his face, “I expected to be worse at it.” A chuckle left your lips, “your always welcome to join me.”

“maybe I will more often.”

tips for developing Flavour flavour in a dish

you can make your own stock for soups, rice, lentils, &c. by simmering vegetable & meat scraps in water for a few hours. take it from stock to broth by adding some salt, a couple bay leaves, & some black peppercorns or other whole spices to the water. just don’t add anything rotten (obviously) or cruciferous. anyone who tells you that you need whole fresh vegetables & meat cuts to make stock has too much money. I save whatever scraps I have from one dish in a bag in the freezer & use those the next time I cook, so that 1. I can make the broth while doing prep & 2. the flavour profile is a bit more diverse than if I were to use the scraps from the vegetables I was currently using

season every component of your dish individually. it’s a good idea to do this even with salads before you add dressing.

relatedly, continue to add seasonings at different stages of the cooking time, especially in things like soups and curries. spices will have different degrees of integration into the dish and different degrees ‘forwardness’ at different stages of cooking--this is why lots of curry recipes call for adding e.g. garam masala only at the end of the cooking time. so I’ll do oil --> whole spices --> aromatics + salt and black pepper --> first ingredient + a few spices and cook --> second ingredient + a few spices and cook and so on. I’ll keep a bowl of chopped fresh herbs on hand and add some with the first batch of ingredients, some with the broth / curry base, and some at the end before serving.

always bloom the majority of the spices you use in a dish in oil. this means frying them a bit before (for whole spices) or along with (for ground spices) your aromatics (onions / scallions / leeks / shallots, garlic, ginger--also essential), & maybe adding a few more (as mentioned above) as you add the main components of the dish. you want the spices to be able to release flavour directly into the oil before you add any liquid ingredients that would disallow this.

similarly, for most one-pot dishes, I allow the vegetables to brown directly in the oil a bit (after I’ve finished frying the aromatics, of course) before adding anything that will disallow browning (tomatoes, broth, anything with a high water content). & only then add tomatoes (making sure they get adequate contact with the oil and are allowed to fry before I add broth).

speaking of allowing everything to have direct contact with the cooking oil at some point of the cooking process, don’t overcrowd your pan!

salt your pasta water generously--the pasta is only going to be in the water for a short period of time & most of that water is going to be drained away, so don’t be stingy. you can stop cooking certain types of pasta when they’re almost al dente & then finish cooking them in the sauce to avoid wateriness. don’t try to cook pasta in the sauce (especially if it’s milk or cream-based!) all the way & don’t bother cooking pasta in stock or broth--it won’t really absorb much of it. also cook pasta on the side, drain the water, then add it to soup, unless you don’t mind a bunch of starch in your soup.

if you have any extra oil that you’ve fried aromatics or meat in, or any rendered fat from cooking meat, save it for another dish, or integrate & reuse it at different points throughout that same dish. similarly, water that you’ve used to cook dried beans can be used in soups, stocks, & to cook more pots of beans. water that you’ve soaked dried mushrooms in? same deal.

be patient when frying onions. many people think that they’ve “browned” or “caramelised” their onions when they absolutely haven’t. to caramelise onions, the heat should be low, you ought to have something to deglaze the pan, & the entire process shouldn’t take much less than an hour. browning onions may be done on medium or medium-high, but will still take 10-15 minutes to take the onions past “translucent.” aromatics are the base of the flavour of many dishes, so don’t skimp if a recipe calls for browning or caramelising.

Marcus Armstrong & Callum Ilott - Prema Cooking Challenge

I will start with saying I’m quite high on painkillers right now, so if there’s anything that’s messed up (even after reading through it at least 20 times), please do let me know and I’m really sorry 🤦 Otherwise, this was really fun to write, and I really do hope Prema will bring that mentioned cooking challenge, or more like ‘not setting the kitchen on fire challenge’ as Oscar said. 😂 Thank you so much for requesting, it was a real challange to write a boy friendship rather than a male-female one 😅 Have a fantastic Friday 🥰🧡

Masterlist | Taglist/Queue | Request

Thanks to it being the winter break and off season most people had too much free time on their hands. You would think with F1 and F2 being two of the more serious sports in the world, people associated with it would put their new found time towards training or improving their skills. However, working your ass off in a gym didn’t mean there wasn’t space for some fun with older and newer friends. That was exactly what the people at Prema planned, after a few of their past and present drivers took to Twitter and joked about a challenge that fans immediately loved the sound of. It was easy to please their followers when they showed them what they would love to see happening in the future. Even better when it was a challenge that was easy to set up and just invite some people over for a few days to film it. The most they had to plan was the setup of the small little kitchen areas and getting the equipment needed.

Several of the invited people took flights to Italy that gave them a few days prior to the filming days and planned on going home only after spending a bit more time there. Most of them haven’t been for a visit since they left the team and wanted to catch up with past colleagues and friends. That was exactly how Marcus planned his visit to Italy and arrived there two days early, texting their group as soon as he was in the hotel to finally meet up with them. Even after going their own ways the group chat stayed active and they made sure to catch up when they had time. Having a great friendship didn’t mean they can keep that up without working for it. It was easier when you met up everyday thanks to working together, but they managed to get into a rhythm that worked for everyone, after changing teams and moving away. They now had two days to fully catch up, not just over the phone but in real life, giving them a chance to focus on the tasks on the real filming day, and not on finally meeting again.

After those first days it was time for the filming day, meaning an early start for everyone. By 9 a.m. everyone was changed into clothes that went with the cooking theme and was accepted by all the other teams and sponsors for the challenge and ready to start. They were separated into pairs and sent to different rooms. They set up cooking stations in different rooms of the building, so they could record everyone at the same time but still separately. It would have been chaos if they tried to get 15 youngsters to work next to each other. It would have been fantastic for a food fight video, but not for anything else.

“ Are we ready? ” Callum heard and looked up from where he was organizing the ingredients they were given, just seconds ago. Looking to his right he could see Marcus nodding and he repeated the movement with his own head. “ Then 3, 2, 1. Rolling. ” The same person counted down and then stepped aside

“ Welcome everyone. We’re back at the Prema office for a day, sporting the Italian red color, to show you guys our kitchen skills. ” Marcus started speaking immediately, remembering the script perfectly and looking into the camera that was positioned in a way to see both of them and the countertops in front of them. “ Yes, you heard right, we’re the ones cooking today, but I’m not sure these will be served at lunch for safety reasons. ” Marcus smiled, making everyone laugh around the room.

“ Yes, we’re not here to kill anyone. We have a few ingredients, but did not get a receipt if I’m right. ” Callum looked around, waiting to see if someone would deny what he said. “ So I guess our objective is making something that involves everything we got? ” He asked looking down at the ingredients around the counter.

“ Exactly. Firstly, we will give you a minute to look at everything and then you will have to guess what you have to make. The one who guesses right gets a bit of help from us. ” The organizer told them, both of them nodding and going through all the food in front of them to get an idea what they’re making. “ Okay, times up. Take a guess in 3, 2, 1. ” Both of them were still looking down waiting for the countdown.

“ Lasagna. ” Callum spoke up, his voice showing it was more like a question than a statement. They had to wait a second, but when Marcus replied with the word ‘Pizza’, it was time for the reveal.

“ And that’s exactly what you’re making. It’s gonna be a delicious lasagna… or just a simple lasagna. Let’s stay with that. ” She let out a chuckle, motioning for some of the guys behind her, to get Callum’s prize from the fridge. “ For guessing right you get the dough for the pasta that one of the chefs from Prema’s kitchen put together. A bit of help. ” She added while Callum took the dough that was placed in front of him and looked a lot better than what he would have made probably.

“ That’s not fair. Shouldn’t the less experienced one get the help? ” Marcus asked, offended at the idea, that Callum already did better than him. “ And that’s not me saying I’m worse than you. Just less experienced. ” He pointed a finger at his friend even before he could open his mouth to say anything. He would never accept being the worst from the two of them without a fight.

His whines were dismissed, with one of the guys putting their time on the clock and starting it after once more counting down for them. Both started off immediately, Callum with the sauce and Marcus with the dough. While they were only ‘racing’ each other now, they knew in the end their results would compete against everyone who takes part in the challenge today. It wasn’t all about winning, but if you already had to try you usually wanted to at least get up to a podium spot, didn’t you? It was even harder when all your friends who took part were competitive racing drivers and knew exactly what they wanted. Maybe cooking wasn’t their profession but if they tried hard enough they could do enough to not starve. Maybe a lasagne wasn’t the thing that will beat them.

“ Whoever wins is the one buying lunch. ” Marcus spoke up as soon as he saw how far behind he was, thanks to the help his friend got at the start. He was still getting the dough together, with it sticking everywhere onto the counter, while Callum was almost finished with the meat for his sauce. “ And the loser decides where they’re eating. ” He added, although almost took it back, remembering that it was still the start and he had a chance to be better than the other one.

“ Deal! ” Callum nodded before Marcus could have said anything else. That was a big enough of a price for the winner to pay just because they were better or luckier. Even if Marcus would have made it worse with his next few words, he couldn’t have known which one of them would win.

Their time was slowly ticking down, leaving less and less chances for them to keep everything clean while making everything that was needed. When Callum was already filling up his casserole with the pasta, sauce and mozzarella on top, Marcus was still stirring his sauce and adding the last few spices to it. They still had time and as the baking itself wasn’t included he felt like it would be easy to finish everything. Neither of them seemed sure about what they were doing, but it was probably mostly because of the lack of recipe and instructions, not getting immediate feedback for their actions.

While Marcus was waiting for the sauce to finally boil he watched as the brit was precisely positioning every sheet of pasta to make it look perfect. Taking a chance while his ‘enemy’ wasn’t looking he took his plate full of cheese and just quickly put it under a kitchen cloth he had laying around. In his head he gave about a minute for Callum to notice the missing bowl from his station and he was right as a bit later he could see him looking around for it. Mumbling something under his breath, Callum soon realised where it went but still had to almost fight Marcus for it, getting both of them soaked by the little bit of water that was under the cheese. After all he had his cheese back and even sacrificed a slice to throw it at Marcus, hitting him on the shoulder and neck, before using the remaining amount to cover his pasta.

“ You’re doing quite good. ” Callum came up to Marcus when he was already finished and had some time to poke at his friend and break his concentration. What the other one didn’t know is how the hand patting his back was in the bag of flour just seconds prior. He even let a smile get on his face before the strange feeling registered in his mind and he immediately turned his head trying to look at his back.

“ Mate, what did I do to you? ” Marcus asked, squinting his eyes at him and getting a bit of the tomato sauce on his fingers and just seconds later chucking it towards Callum, who tried dodging the attack the best he could. It still hit him but at least only his white apron and not other parts. “ You’re lucky. ” He rolled his eyes, while Callum rather stayed away from him so he couldn’t mess with him again. There was too much expensive equipment in the room to start a foodfight.

“ Okay, half a minute remaining. ” The organizer spoke up, making Marcus act at two times the normal speed, pouring the last bits of sauce onto the pasta and then getting the cheese on the top. “ Thre, two, one. Hands up ‘chefs’. ” The timers went off and both of them stepped back from their station. The dishes were taken away to the ovens, so they were done in time for the inspection.

“ Guess I’m getting free lunch at least. ” Marcus sighed, washing his hands but when he turned around he could only see Callum’s face pale. Looking at where his eyes were stuck he knew exactly why he looked so sickly. “ Or maybe not… ” He let out a laugh, bumping their shoulders and taking a piece of meat that was left out of Callum’s sauce and waiting in a container on the side until now.

“ I just lost… ” He sighed, staring at his probable only mistake, that cost him the whole challenge against someone he could have beaten easily. “ You know what? I’m ordering the most expensive thing off the menu. ” He stated, turning to Marcus as it was now his friend’s turn to pale a little, but straightening up he took the thought as a champ.

“ I would say I don’t deserve that… but it was me bringing up the deal, so I can’t say anything. ” Marcus shrugged a little, starting to clean up his station, to help a little while their creations were baking. They were free until the inspections were over and it was time for the announcement of the results.

“ How could I leave the meat out? That’s the main ingredient in the whole sauce. ” Callum was close to fuming as he took his coffee from under the machine, sitting down on the sofa across Marcus. Maybe caffeine wasn’t what he needed, but in a way it always calmed him down before giving him any energy. “ I just handed you the victory between the two of us. ” He shook his head, taking a sip of his drink rather.

“ Let’s hope I at least will use the chance and win it all then. ” Marcus shrugged a little, holding his own cup while all the others were sitting around them on random chairs or sofa spots. He really didn’t know if he even had a chance or not, but remained positive about it all until the end.

An hour later Marcus had the third place tiny trophy in his hands and they were in an Uber on their way to a asian restaurant, that was their favourite while living here. Callum did get an honorary ribbon for ‘Worst mistake made’, but he did not wear it as proudly as Marcus held his trophy during the whole car ride. There were a few others with them, and in the end Marcus did pay for Callum’s lunch, although he didn’t order anything too special, sparing the kiwi’s wallet. There will probably be another occasion where he’s gonna be in Marcus’ shoes and will be paid back for this one time. He was the best on the track anyways, no?

🌞🧹🌻Hearth Witch Tips!🌻🧹🌞

04: Your kitchen eats with you!

Just like with the rest of the house, what you put into the kitchen also heavily affects its energy. When you treat the hearth in certain ways, it reacts in certain ways. Your relationship with any room in the house is give-and-take. That means that if you don’t give back occasionally, the room will grow cold and stop appreciating your presence. But there are plenty of ways to mend your relationship! And the first step is to identify the problem!

From my experience, there are three main reasons why the kitchen stops being a warm and inviting place: 1) You are filling the cupboards with too much toxic, processed foods; 2) You aren’t spending enough time in that room; 3) Or you aren’t keeping the room clean enough.

When there’s a problem in the hearth, it’s always either one of these things or some combination of them. We’ll start with number three since it’s the easiest to explain. The kitchen should be anyone’s top priority to keep clean. It’s where all of your food, the nutrition and fuel of your physical and spiritual bodies, comes from! What you eat is your first defense against illness, injury, and your mental health. If the kitchen is filthy, then the food you take into your body will also begin to develop the same properties.

To keep the kitchen clean, I always start my day by washing last night’s dishes and give the counters a quick wipe. Once a month, I take stock of what’s in the fridge and freezer and scrub them out to prevent bacteria build-up. Sweeping the kitchen floors happens once a week and takes me all of three minutes to complete, tops. Once per season, normally at the beginning, I scrub the floors with soap and water, descale the coffee maker, wipe down the other appliances, and clean out the cupboards. So the only true “cleaning days” for the kitchen is four days out of the entire year. The rest of the time, the chores only take me about 30 minutes. As a quick tip, rinsing your dishes before setting them in the sink speeds up the dish washing process a ton! I’ve personally never trusted dishwashers since they don’t clean stuff well enough and it’s easier, faster, and far more cost effective to do it by hand.

The next problem the kitchen’s energy might be suffering from is how much time you’re spending there. First, spending a lot of time in the kitchen is a great thing! It absorbs the energy you feed to it, so when you don’t go in the kitchen very often or just don’t spend much time in there to begin with, the kitchen grows darker and colder. It loses the warmth and emotion and love that would’ve been sinking into it when you aren’t there.

The way to fix this problem is actually really easy! Cooking your own meals ensures that you are in there for a good amount of time each day because of the prep work and meal planning, etc. Plus, you get healthier, tastier food that way too! If you can’t cook all that well yet, don’t worry! Just like any skill, there’s no talent involved in learning something. It just depends on how much effort you apply to it. Another way to boost the hearth’s energy is to just hang out in that room. Invite some friends over, set out a snack tray, and just chill in the kitchen. Of course, since it’s pandemic right now, it’s best to wait until that’s over with to try this approach. But you, yourself, can still hang out in the kitchen!

The last problem, and a very, very common one in this day and age, is the influence of toxic food. Just like how your house absorbs energy from the land its on and what its built with, the kitchen also absorbs energy from the ingredients you keep within it. Toxic foods include anything processed or with a bunch of added sugars, and even GMO ingredients to some extent due to the trace chemicals that are still on the crops. These kinds of foods, if that’s the only thing in your house, will rot the energy. Not to mention, easy to grab snacks also end up causing you to spend a lot less time in the kitchen if that’s all you eat. Needless to say, no one eats healthy all the time. I don’t either! But having only toxic food in your kitchen isn’t great for you or the hearth.

Once again, cooking comes to the rescue! Even if you’re bad at it, it’s the thought that counts and little by little, as your skills grow and improve, the kitchen will learn to help guide you. There have been many times where I’d be stuck on how to fix something and a bottle of spice would fall of the shelf right next to me. If you listen to the kitchen, it will listen to you, too! Even if you don’t have time to cook, snacks like apples, berries, seeds, nuts, and dried meats are all healthy alternatives! I usually keep kale chips in the house for some yummy, salty crunchiness!

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

If you are worried about cost with this approach (believe me, due to my own situation it’s been a struggle at times), I’ve found out several tips and tricks to significantly lower the grocery bill. Anymore, my bill would actually be bigger if I bought crap food instead! Here’s my advice:

☀  Plan your week ahead! I always plan four meals a week that I’ll cook, and three days that I’ll scavenge for snacks and leftovers. I also stick to the rule of “one simple, one chicken, one meatless, one freebie” to remain more cost effective! The “simple” meal is just something I can make quickly if I know I’ll be short on time. The reason for have one of the meals be chicken is because it’s a much less expensive meat than beef or pork, and it’s a little better for the environment. The meatless meal is for the same reasoning. Meat is expensive and commercial brands are horrible for both the environment and the animals themselves. When I do buy meat, I make sure to buy local, grass-fed, organic meat as often as I can afford to. Keep in mind that every time you purchase anything, you are casting your vote for what is acceptable for society to continue. The “freebie” meal is just whatever I’ve been craving. If I want some kind of beef, I wait until this day.

☀  Learn to bake your own bread! For those of us with the time, this is a great way to save money and to stay healthy! Basic, white bread is actually pretty easy to make and only uses a couple ingredients. Those ingredients also go a long way. It costs me about 24¢ to make one loaf of bread because things like flour, sugar, salt, butter, honey, and yeast are all things that you buy once and can use for several loaves before you have to buy them again! It’s also not as time consuming as you’d think. Yes, it takes about 2 hours, but most of that time is proofing so you can easily be running around doing other things in between.

☀  Grow a garden! Even if it’s just a small, window herb garden, it can take the edge off of your overall food cost. Portobello mushrooms are also super easy to grow inside with minimal effort and equipment. If you have outdoor space, planting a small garden with the ingredients you use the most can help immensely!

☀  Only buy what you need! I know those sales look crazy tempting, but most of them are actually bogus and don’t actually save you any money. Think about what you are actually going to use before it goes bad and stick to your list. The bottom shelves at the store, aka the ones not in your direct line of sight, are usually where the grocery stores hide the better priced goods. At the back of most stores that have bakeries, there’s also usually a spot to get baked goods left over from the previous day for a slightly cheaper price. Day-old baked novelties like bread, cookies, and cakes are still perfectly good, and much easier to enjoy where you don’t have to spend as much!

☀  Check what’s already in your fridge before making your list! This is a huge one, since it prevents food waste, which in turn prevents money waste! What can you make during this week that can use up some of the ingredients leftover from last week? You’ll be impressed how quickly your food cost drops when you aren’t throwing things away. Waste not, want not! This trick also applies in another way, as well. When making your weekly meal plans, what types of foods use similar ingredients? If one meal calls for a slightly pricier ingredient, what other food can you cook with that ingredient to make the cost worth it? This also ensures that you get full use of things without wasting them. For example, this week I bought some fresh mozzarella cheese. Because this item is a little more expensive, I’m using it to make both the tomato mozzarella sandwiches and the beef wellingtons I’m making this week!

☀  Buy mostly produce! One of the best ways to lower your bill while still eating healthy is to simply add more fruits and veggies into your diet! There are so many tasty recipes that call for these babies that you’ll never run out of options, and there’s several things out there for everyone! Because I deal with sensory issues, I had to experiment a lot with what textures and tastes I could handle, especially on the bad days, but even still I found an over-abundance of things I love to eat. Fresh produce is way less expensive than meat, and much less expensive than many of the more mainstream snacks like chips or other processed foods.

                                     ------------------------------ All in all, taking care of your kitchen will also end up taking care of you, as well! Spending time there, actually using the kitchen the way it’s supposed to be, and just keeping it clean can work wonders in opening up your home and making it ten times warmer and more inviting! Trust me, your health and home will thank you for it!

PANGLOSSIAN

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV

Characters: Pyotyr Ilych (Male Duskwight Elezen WoL OC), Aymeric de Borel. Aymeric/Male WoL.

Rating/Warnings: T (Sexual Situations)

Summary: The Warrior of Light settles into domestic life at his husband's mansion in Ishgard. Set in an imagined peaceful era post-Shadowbringers, but spoilers only really apply up through the end of Heavensward. Written for Prompt #18 of FFXIV Write 2020.

---

The first time Pyotyr had insisted on cooking for himself at the Borel Mansion, his husband was slightly confused, but supportive and intrigued, and his husband's servants ran the gamut from scandalized to absolutely beside themselves with laughter to very excited to have an evening off. Pyotyr however, insisted he was serious to any doubters, saying, "Noble by Adoption and Marriage or not, I'm still just a common country doctor at heart! I've cooked my own meals, done my own laundry, and made my own way for decades, and I can't just quit all that right off, now, can I?"

Thus, on this particular day, for far from the first time, Pyotyr Ilych had once again shooed his husband's servants from the kitchen, and immediately taken to bustling about, stoking a fire, and gathering various spices and foodstuffs from various cabinets and cupboards. And thus, by the time Aymeric returned from the House of Lords, he found him there. Apparently content to watch, he leaned against the doorframe to see the cook in action.

Pyotyr, in the meantime, flitted from place to place, absorbed in his culinary dance. After chopping up a few stalks of celery and a large, yellow onion, he leaned up over the counter to pluck a few springs of thyme and a few bay leaves from the herb rack overhead, before finally turning to the cauldron hanging over the stove to fish out some browned meat and dump in the onions and a few bulbs of garlic into the pot instead.

From helping his mother prepare dinner at their old seaside shack, to mess duty on board the Pomona, to scrounging dinner for himself and his daughters almost every night for years, Pyotyr had found that he enjoyed the rhythm of the kitchen, and the poetry of the product of the labor: disparate ingredients, mixed just right, to create something predictable,yet slightly different every time, a wonder of taste and discovery, the ultimate alchemy.

As the wondrous smell of garlic and onion began to fill the kitchen, he finished his preparation: Meat went back in the pot, a bowl of tomatoes he'd crushed earlier poured on top of that, the rest of the vegetables and a bit of water and a pour from a jug of cooking wine after that, then the thyme and bay leaves (He'd already added salt and pepper to the meat earlier, of course - Ishgard might prefer their salt in rocks, but Limsa knew to add it to the dish!), check the fire, lean back against the counter, wipe your brow, and await the fruit of your labors.

It was only then, as Pyotyr beamed at the bubbling pot in satisfaction, that Aymeric rose off the doorframe and stepped into the kitchen. Pyotyr looked over, eyes slightly wide in surprise, and quickly strode the length of the kitchen to wrap his arms around Aymeric and bestow a kiss on his cheek.

"Aymeric," he said, warmth and happiness in his voice and his face alike, "I'm sorry I didn't see you there earlier! Welcome home, my dear."

"'Tis good to be home, Pyotyr," Aymeric said in return, arms around his husband's waist, forehead pressed to his forehead for a moment, "And think nothing of it. 'Twas I who hung back to watch you work rather than announce myself. Whether on the Battlefield or in the Kitchen, I am always awestruck and transfixed to watch you in your element."

"Flatterer..." Pyotyr answered, his voice a murmur, his cheeks blushing as he wrapped his arms around his husband's neck. They stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying being close to each other again after a long day.

"So," Aymeric broke the silence first, "How was the Scholasticate?"

"Oh!" Pyotyr said, lighting up with a smile, "It was wonderful! There was a young lady from the Brume who came to sign up today. She attended my first lecture, and she had so many interesting, piercing questions about Arcane Rune theory! I've already given her a reading list and she sounded so eager to dive into it. I am so glad you expanded the scholasticate and opened it up to everyone. There are so many bright minds among the common folk that will get chances they might never have had."

Aymeric smiled back, "I'm glad to hear it. These years of peace will only last if we allow all of Ishgard's children to partake of its fruits. The noble houses have hoarded too much for too long."

"It always cheers me to hear you speak so, my ravishing revolutionary," Pyotyr laid his head on Aymeric's shoulder for a moment, "And speaking of, the House of Lords didn't given you too much trouble today, I hope?"

"Dzemael is up to their usual complaints," Aymeric said, "but it is nothing I can't handle. I think even Durendaire is finally coming around to the new ways, and the reconstruction bill the Commons put forth is so airtight, I don't think even Dzemael will be able to vote against it in good faith."

Pyotyr chuckled, "Hm. I'm sure they received some wonderful guidance and advice, to write such an airtight document."

Aymeric looked innocent, "Well, if the common machinists at Skysteel Manufactory heard some things from Sir Stephanivien, and Hilda happened to overhear my discussion with Lucia regarding the Dzmael's complaints regarding the taxes on Falcon's Nest, I can't say what they might have done with that information..."

Pyotyr blinked innocently, "Oh, the things people will do with idle chatter indeed."

After another beat, Pyotyr kissed his husband's cheek one more time,

"Thank you," He murmured into his ear, softly, lowly.

"Thank you? For what?"

"For this. For everything. After so many years of struggle, to think that I'm here, in the arms of the man I love, in the house we live in together, with nothing spread out before us but lives to build together and a hard fought peace to enjoy. I do not know what the future may bring, but right now, I cannot imagine a more perfect world."

"I am glad," Aymeric said, "For I feel the same. But come, am I right in thinking the stew will keep on its own for a while?"

"It will," Pyotyr said, his voice a murmur as he hung happily off his husband, "Why?"

Aymeric began to walk, his steps guiding Pyotyr back toward a nearby table, then, leaning back, back over the table. Finally, Aymeric answered him.; 

"Because," he said, "That just means I shall have to sate my hunger in other ways for now."

Pyotyr blushed and chuckled, reaching up to undo the first button on his shirt collar, "I take it back, what I said earlier. NOW it's perfect."

Hi there honey! Can I ask for BucciG with Mexican S/o that cooks mexican food for them? We LOVE spicy things, do italians like spicy? of course not EVERYTHING is spicy, we have a lot in the menu but is part of us like tomato to the pizza XD. For example eating a taco without salsa is a CRIME XD So, Who Stando spicy the most and who just downright gets red and needs water asap? Bonus: We like spicy so much is normal munching jalapeño like it's candy XD I bet Mista would be: Da fuk??? 🤣

AND HERE I FINALLY AAAAAAAM, yeeeesss, last request!! Uhm, it really depends! In some areas there are a lot of spicy dishes, while somewhere else hot pepper is not used! Soooo, here we go: the boys vs HOT PEPPERS! I hope you’ll like it :3

Bruno’s gang with a Mexican s/o who makes them taste real Mexican food

(Under the cut for length!)

Bruno Bucciarati

Bruno is not a closed-minded man; in fact, he likes to try new things, as new dishes! He also loves his s/o’s traditions and often asks them the meaning of this and that, always yearning to learn more about their native country. So, when they proposes to have a typical Mexican lunch, he’s enthusiast! He also helps them to cook, as he, all in all, likes to cook -especially fish dishes-, to see how those delicious dishes are prepared!

Brunos is pretty neutral towards spicy flavours. He doesn’t seek it out, but he’s also not revulsed by it; he’d give it a try! Something may be too spicy for him, but, in general, he holds his ground. Plus, the dishes are so tasty that a little too much spicy is worth it! He loves the care and the sincere passion they put in the preparation of their country’s food; it speaks of love for their country and he admires it! It makes everything even more delicious…

Bruno is a man who, despite everything, knows his limits. And he knows that eating jalapeño is way over his limits. He politely declines the offer, but nonetheless he watches in awe as they pop jalapeño over jalapeño in their mouth as it’s nothing more than a candy; how can they do that?! How can they not explode or melt?! He’s sincerely in awe; he has never seen something like this in all his life!

Leone Abbacchio

Abbacchio may seem a sort of “Ghiaccio-like” man, anchored to his own tradition, but truth is, it’s not so. Yes, he’s annoyed when someone defines “Italian” something that it’s clearly not Italian, but he actually appreciates other cultures and traditions. So, he’s open to his s/o’s culture, to their traditions, to their cuisine! So, when they propose to try some Mexican dishes, even if he grumbles, he’s actually glad to do it. He just loves to grumble!

Abbacchio’s not a fan of spicy. He can tolerate it, but, if it’s too much, his eyes start to water and he hates it, as it ruins his make-up. He can’t allow his flawless make-up to end up ruined! However, he’d gladly taste something mildly-spiced, especially if it’s meat based. He likes how his s/o cooks the meat, how the spices and the sauces make the meat tender, juicy and tasty… it’s like nothing he has ever tasted before!

And so, he’d never, never try to eat a raw jalapeño as his s/o does. He’d watch in awe and horror as they, purposely slowly, eat the hot pepper without batting an eyelash, and then another, and another one. How can they?! It’s not human, it’s beyond human abilities!! He also pushes them away, complaining, when they try to kiss him with their lips all stained in jalapeño’s taste, making them laugh until they’re crying. The hot pepper can’t make them cry, but, oh, their Leone’s complains yes!

Guido Mista

Mista, even if he loves with all his heart his cultural heritage and holds it high, doesn’t despise other cultures and traditions. Every culture has something unique and he loves to find out more about it! And, also, he’s firmly convinced that a culture can be really known through food. Ancient traditions, stories, legends… food contains this all.  So he’s always ready to taste new food, and he doesn’t shy away when his s/o proposes him a typical Mexican meal!

Mista can handle pretty well spicy foods. He doesn’t crave them, but he also doesn’t shy away when they’re offered to him! He’d try at least a bite of everything his s/o, with his help, had prepared, even if it’s so spicy to make him sneeze! He loves how juicy and tasty everything is, how smooth and soft some sauces are, how everything mixed heavenly… he finds himself to be a big fan of Mexican cuisine!

And yes, Mista is in totally awe when he sees his s/o picking hot peppers and popping them in their mouth as they’re candies! But, despite knowing how spicy jalapeño is, he’d like to try to eat one! He asks them what it’s the best way to eat it -munching really fast and gulping it down, as a vodka shot, or going on slower?- and, after it, and after they brought him a good glass of milk to soothe the pain after the trial, he proceeds, trying to eat it as they did. It’s too spicy for him, to the point that he has to gulp down in 0.1 seconds the whole glass of milk, but it was worth a try!

Narancia Ghirga

Narancia is pretty chill about other cultures. Yes, there are things he’d never eat, but not due to a “hate” toward the different culture, but because he really doesn’t like some ingredients in the dish! So, if those ingredients are not present, he’s more than happy to taste new things -even if pizza, for him, is still the best-! And so, when his s/o proposes a “Mexican night”, to make him have a taste of real Mexican cuisine, he’s absolutely ready to try it!

Even he doesn’t eat spicy so often, he has a pretty good tolerance to it. Yes, it’s better he doesn’t eat tons of it, not to end up dying with cramps! But, at little doses, he enjoys it a lot.  And he also enjoys a lot the dishes his s/o has prepared! They’re spicy, yes, but also fresh and so tasty! He goes crazy for tasty dishes, it’s the only way to make this small pile of bones eat a complete meal! And Mexican cuisine is tasty enough to conquer his heart!

He feels shivers running down his spine, when he sees with how much easiness his s/o eats hot peppers. How could they?! Doesn’t their tongue end up burnt? How could they resist it?! He’s absolutely fascinated. And, as the reckless boy he is, he wants to try! He’s absolutely not ready to face the real hotness of the jalapeño, but he approaches the challenge with confidence and a brave heart; he ends up wheezing and tearing up, gulping down milk and pieces of bread to soothe the pain. At least he can say he has tried and he’s pretty proud of it!

Pannacotta Fugo

Fugo loves knowledge. He loves to know more, always more, and not just about maths, law or what concerns Italy, but also, and especially, regarding other countries! He finds interesting to see how are other cultures, to compare them to his one, to see in what they’re similar and in what they’re different, to learn new way of thinking! And, as the true scholar he is, he’s ready to try also different way to know the other culture! As a good Mexican meal…

Fugo’s not a fan of spicy. He prefers sweetness over salt and spices, but this doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate a good dish when he has it in front of him! He’s amazed by the unusual combinations of ingredients and flavours and, even if in the beginning they may results too weird for his tastes, but it’s a matter of habit! Soon he gets accustomed to the particular flavours and he comes to love them! They remind him of his s/o…

He absolutely refuses to eat the jalapeño. He can’t, he’s not able to bear the spiciness of it!! He makes it clear: he knows his limits and eating a jalapeño as it was a candy is way beyond it! So, he just watches his s/o munching a hot pepper after another, calm and relaxed as they’re eating chips and not damn jalapeño. How the hell could they do something like this… he’s at the same time horrified and fascinated! He’d stay to watch them gulp down hot peppers all the day, while asking them how they’re feeling, if it’s starting to burn… it’s too interesting!!

Giorno Giovanna

Giorno, being himself from another culture, knows how fascinating is to get to know more cultures. And how difficult, sometimes, it’s to make a good mix of more cultures! He had to do so when he came in Italy; a little Japanese child who had to adapt to a completely new culture, language, way to live. But, in the end, this made him stronger, as it opened his mind and allowed him not to just close himself in one culture! So, he’s totally ready to get to know his s/o’s culture and, especially, as they proposed it, their cuisine!

Giorno doesn’t shy away from spicy food, even if he doesn’t bear it really well; he tries, in any case! However, even if he’s not the biggest fan around of hot peppers, he loves the great variety of dishes and their stories, the traditions and legends tied to them… it makes the food even more interesting! It’s like diving down into the millenary history of Mexico…

Giorno is not easily impressed, but, when he sees his s/o eating a jalapeño like it’s nothing, he’s really, really impressed. He has never seen something like this!! Is it a sort of trick? How can they? When they explain him that it’s common, in Mexico, to eat hot peppers like this, he’s totally baffled. No, it can be… they can’t eat something so spicy like it’s chips!! He decides to try, hoping not to be wrong about their spiciness; he’s wrong. The jalapeño is so spicy that it makes him tear up, his tongue is burning, as his lips! They can’t help but chuckle a little, watching him gulping down a glass of milk: the mighty Don Giovanna beat by a hot pepper!

BONUS: Trish Una

Trish, as the others, is open to get to know other cultures. He finds stupid to close just into one culture and to refuse to receive any influence from others; in this way, someone’s fated to fall! Instead, from knowing and experiencing more and more, a person is allowed to grow, to become a better person! And, since his s/o is Mexican, she’s particularly prone to get to know more about Mexican culture, to get to know better them too!

Even if it may not seem so, just by watching her, Trish is used to spicy food. She’s from Calabria, a region famous for its hot pepper and spicy food, in particular nduja; so, Trish is not scared to eat even the spiciest food her s/o may offer her! It reminds her of her home… and, also, the pleasant contrast with more fresh dishes is something that enthuse her!

As said, Trish is Calabrese and she’s not scared by spicy flavours. She may never have eaten a raw hot pepper, but, oh god, she’d die before she turns down a spicy challenge. Determined and methodic, she gulps down jalapeño over jalapeño, matching her s/o’s rhythm, to their utter surprise. Wow… she’s incredible!! And, when they’re done, not only she’s fine, considering how many hot peppers she has just eaten, but she has found out she likes it even too much! Soon enough it becomes her favourite snack!

TITLE: Angel of Death

CHAPTER: 7/? (Chapter Masterlist)

WORD COUNT: 8361

AUTHOR NOTES/WARNINGS: this was supposed to be posted on tuesday, but i’m currently staying with my sister on the other side of the country and have been helping decorate her place. i’m going to try to have the next chapter out by the end of this week though to try to put myself back on schedule. this chapter is unedited x (AO3 LINK)

TAGLIST: @inumorph​ @literally-anythin​

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged for anything :) x

Veleda lied.

That was your conclusion as the week had come to a very uneventful end. Almost a week had passed and there were no sudden changes, no people coming to congratulate you on being free from a curse, not that you expected anyone to do that, and there were no obvious things happening around you that could be accurately described as change or an ending of suffering. What exactly counted as change? Surely, Loki may have known, but if he did, he wouldn’t say.

Am I just impatient? You wondered as you stared off into space.

A book sat in your lap as you laid, sprawled out on the couch as if you were never planning on moving. Which, by all means, was entirely true. There was absolutely no point in moving when you had nowhere to be, no friends to contact, and no police knocking on your door.

You shut your eyes, letting your mind roam to the endless possibilities behind the word “change.” Perhaps you fell asleep in that small amount of time - a deep, dreamless sleep. To say you were exhausted would have been considered an understatement. You were more than just exhausted, and there was nothing left to do besides wait for a certain God of Mischief to come knocking at your door. If he ever did, that is.

Maybe you hadn’t slept at all, and you had simply thought too deeply and lost your train of thought entirely, sitting in silence with a mind so blank and body so still, you could have been mistaken as dead.

When you opened your eyes, the glowing emerald eyes of Loki were above you. At first, you thought to scream, but then you realized that the walls were thick, but they weren’t thick enough to block out a blood curdling scream. Besides, how could you scream with such beauty looking down at you?

You grinned sleepily at him, sitting up. Loki offered his hand to you but you waved him off. From your spot on the sofa, you could see a shopping bag sitting on the kitchen counter. Squinting at it, you opened your mouth to question the god.

“Ingredients for dinner,” he answered, already knowing what you were going to ask. “You mentioned that there were items you were missing.”

You nodded, “Shall we start, then?”

Loki had expressed the previous night that he had never really cooked anything before, and of course, you took that as a challenge to get the god to cook with you. With the boxes of spaghetti noodles and long forgotten cans of crushed tomatoes sitting in your pantry, you figured it would be an easy feat to overcome. Something to cross off the immortal being’s nonexistent bucket list.

However, with every second that passed in the kitchen, it was proving more difficult than you had hoped. Every instruction you seemed to give to Loki was met with quick and decisive yeses and the occasional phrase, “I am not feeble-minded.” The amount of times you rolled your eyes as he continuously did things incorrectly was immeasurable - he was horrible at cooking. You decided that very quickly.

Some part of you really wished you had thought of the fact that your kitchen was very small, because that meant there wasn’t much space to move around. Half the time, you were practically hovering over each other, to which you had to keep reminding yourself to keep your distance. Loki barely seemed to mind being in such close proximity to you, and you wondered if he really didn’t care or if he was just very good at hiding it.

“What are you doing?” You asked, watching as Loki began to tilt the can of crushed tomatoes in order to pour it into the boiling water with the barely cooked noodles. He paused, following your gaze to the can in his hands. The god sighed, placing it on the counter as you attempted to stifle your laughter.

“Do you find this amusing?” He asked, seemingly upset at your poor attempt to hide your gaiety. At the upset look, you only choked out more giggles. Loki closed his eyes, a distressed sigh escaping his lips while a contradicting grin appeared in its stead. “Please, do carry on. Laugh all you wish instead of helping me.”

“I thought,” you sputtered, covering your mouth with your hand before another laugh could unleash itself. “I thought you weren’t stupid, oh glorious one.” Loki’s eyes were trained on you, probably wondering why you found the events so amusing. You couldn’t find it in yourself to care if he was offended, because the fact of the matter was, you were having fun. Having fun didn’t have to lead to kissing, and he said himself that he didn’t want to sit around and mope all day. However, that did make you wonder what it was that he did when he wasn’t with you.

“Out,” he ordered, fighting the smile that was so stubbornly trying to make an appearance. Playfully pouting at him, you spun on your heel, turning to walk towards the living room.

You took a seat at the counter, watching as Loki fumbled with various ingredients as if he knew what he was doing. Perhaps he did, but from all you could see, he seemed as though he was struggling to figure anything out. A small giggle escaped your lips as he dropped some spices on the ground. He let out a frustrated huff, peering up at you through his messy locks that he had unsuccessfully tried to keep tucked behind his ears. When he turned away, you could have sworn there was a grin on his face.

“Need some help?” You asked, knowing that he would probably just ignore you. Which he did.

So, instead, you tapped your fingers against the countertop, chin resting in your palm as you watched every glorious muscle in his back move with ease. You mentally sighed, wondering how much longer you’d be able to see him so lively - so beautiful.

To you, it just didn’t seem fair that he had to take part in such a strange, twisted fate because of something like a kiss. How could the world be so cruel? How could the universe put this dangerously handsome god in front of you and ask you not to be tempted? Not only that, but how could they have allowed him to be even the least bit interested in you? Fate was twisted.

You continued to watch as Loki finally seemed to figure out how to make it look like he knew what he was doing. By then, the moonlight was trickling in, highlighting his figure from where he stood. Silence danced on the walls, echoing the faintest sounds of clattering dishes as you sat there observing.

Before you knew it, Loki was placing a plate of his creation in front of you. The smell of spices filled your senses, drowning out everything else as he sat beside you with his own dinner. It was then that you noticed that he had already given you utensils as well as a glass of water, but if you were being honest with yourself, you weren’t entirely sure when he had done so.

Loki’s eyes were pleading with yours in the most childish of ways, watching expectantly as you picked up your fork. Eat it, his mind seemed to scream at you, wanting to see your reaction before all else. Without hesitation, you began to eagerly dig in, hoping to appease the god. It was an action you regretted almost immediately after putting the first forkful in your mouth.

You chewed slowly, feeling your mouth ignite with a pungent taste that could only mean that Loki most certainly did not know what he was doing in the kitchen. After swallowing, you gripped your glass of water, attempting to appear unfazed by the overpowering flavor profile you had just experienced. Shutting your eyes tightly, trying not to cough, you took a long sip from the glass. Upon opening your eyes, you saw Loki’s confused stare.

Attempting to smile, you took another sip of water. “It’s… lovely, Loki.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at your hesitant opinion before following your actions to take a bite of the spaghetti. You watched as he seemed to freeze as the flavors touched his tongue, squeezing his eyes shut as if he were in pain. You bit your lip while you watched, holding in a laugh that would most certainly cause him to either get annoyed or adorably embarrassed. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing before he cleared his throat, placing his fork to the side.

An uneasy grin made its way onto his features, and even as sheepish as he looked, he was still breathtaking. Unfair, you thought, chewing on your bottom lip as he met your eyes.

“Perhaps,” Loki began. “Cooking is not a talent I possess.”

“Or, perhaps, you just need to listen to your mentor,” you teased, a hesitant smile playing on your lips as he held your gaze. Loki offered a glare in your direction, but you could see the playful undertones to it. Trying to keep the light atmosphere, you grabbed your fork again. As torturous as the heat was that overpowered the taste of the food, you couldn’t help but feel bad that his first attempt at cooking had gone so horribly wrong.

Before you could even shove another regretful forkful in your mouth, Loki was grabbing the plate from in front of you. His plate rested in his other hand as he stood to his feet. “You needn’t force yourself to eat such a vile platter,” he muttered, and you could have sworn that there was a light blush gracing his cheeks as he walked around the counter to dispose of the food.

What a waste, you thought, standing from your spot. It could’ve been worse, though. As you stood, you felt the soft vibration of your phone in your pocket.

“Hello?” You spoke into the receiver, walking over to the sofa. Taking a single glance over your shoulder, you saw Loki rummaging through your pantry, probably trying to put things back. Probably in all the wrong places.

“Turn on the news,” the voice of your mother resonated through the speaker. Her voice seemed strained as she spoke, and it put an uneasy feeling in your stomach. Grabbing the remote, you felt the uneasy feeling only grow as you began to flip to the one channel you avoided at all costs ever since the first time you realized that you were behind the deaths of almost a dozen individuals.

When you finally found the channel, your eyes widened. Even with the muted volume, you could see the footage, and with that, it wasn’t too hard to figure out what they were talking about. The TV showed a clip of you being motioned into apolice vehicle, and you felt your heart plummet as your face appeared on the screen.

“Mom,” you choked out, attempting to hide any emotion in your voice. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

Before she could even protest, you had hung up the phone, eyes trained on the screen. Your jaw clenched as you took in the sight before you. The bold words, “Suspect Brought in For Questioning” were displayed on the lower portion of the screen. You weren’t even an official suspect, were you?

Everything around you seemed to drown out as you felt a brooding darkness begin to seep through your skin and flow through your veins. It was almost as if you were six years younger, watching your world crumble for the first time - the first time you ever realized that things would never be the same. The room began to feel colder and the lights seemed to dim in your vision; then suddenly, the screen went black, and you could see Loki’s shadow beside you.

“No wonder people have been looking at me funny all week,” you muttered. “That’s probably how Veleda knew me, too.” You ran your fingers through your hair, tugging at the strands as if to punish yourself for even bothering to think that you deserved things like having fun. “Fuck, Loki, they have my face all over the news. There’s probably people gossiping about me already, you know that’s what they do, right? Everyone I know and everyone I don’t know are going to have a very similar opinion on how horrible a person I am by the end of tonight.”

“You are not a horrible person,” his voice was low as he spoke, repeating the words he seemed to say far too often. Loki tossed a towel onto the back of the sofa, and you realized that he had probably come out to the living room while drying his hands just to find you sulking. You looked down at the floor, hands clawing at the clothing covering your thighs. You could feel darkness beginning to overtake you again

“How many times are you going to say that?” You said, eyes shutting tightly at the frustration pulsing through your body. It wasn’t directed at Loki, nor was it directed at the news. It was pure, scathing frustration and pent up anger boiled over the course of years at yourself. How could you have allowed things to get so far? Why did you not turn yourself in the moment you found out what you had done? “How many times are you going to allow yourself to be led astray by me? I look all good and normal, I’m sure, but I’ve killed people, and there’s no going back from that.”

“If killing corresponds with the type of person you are, then tell me,” Loki’s voice was still calm. “Why are heroes so glorified? Have they not done their own fair share of killing to claim such titles?” You didn’t understand how an individual could have such control over their voice. For a moment you wondered how many times Loki had to mask his emotions in order to be that in control; however, the thought was slightly heartbreaking, seeing as though he had been alive for over a millennium.

“That’s different,” you countered his words.

“Ah,” he said, and you opened your eyes to see his shadow merge with yours, signifying that he was directly behind you. “Different in scenario, perhaps, but not in action. You did not kill with darkness in your heart.”

“I don’t get it,” you huffed, growing even more frustrated as you turned to face him. He wasn’t as close as you had thought, but the close proximity still caused you to take a step back in hopes of increasing the distance. “Why are you being so persistent?”

“Why are you being so persistent?” He retorted, raising an eyebrow in your direction.

“This is infuriating,” you grumbled under your breath before raising your voice. “You’re defending me. You kissed me, got told you’re going to die, and you’re defending me. You must be mad, do you know that?”

“Perhaps I am, but as you can see, I am not dead yet.”

You froze, processing his words. As you turned the words over and over in your head, you realized that he was right. A week had passed and it was overall uneventful - no death, no croaking, and no blood. Nothing. No positive or negative events seemed to have taken place. Nothing had changed. That wasn’t right; that could not possibly be right. Usually, by now, the men were gone - tipped over the iceberg of no return and well on their way to whatever came after death. Was there no time limit for Loki? Did it apply differently for him?

“I mean this in the nicest way possible, I swear, but why aren’t you dead?”

“You ask as if I would know the answer to such a question,” Loki scoffed.

Ignoring his words, you continued questioning him. “Does it not affect you?”

“I don’t know-”

“Or does it not affect you the same because you’re a god?”

Loki took a step closer, his eyebrows drawing together as you bombarded him with questions. “Once again, I do not have the answer for such questions.”

This time, you allowed yourself to step closer to him, eyes searching his face for any ailment whatsoever. “Are you feeling okay?” You asked, instinctively reaching up to touch his forehead before retreating your hand, not wanting to cross that line despite how closely the two of you stood. “You don’t feel sick or anything?”

“I feel fine.” Loki’s hands were running through his hair as if he, too, were growing frustrated with the conversation.

“Then-” You began to speak again. Loki, however, seemed to have had quite enough of such incessant rambling from you. In one swift motion, his hand reached up to press against your cheek as he surged forward, pressing his lips onto yours with more force than you could have possibly been ready for. His other hand rested firmly at the small of your back, supporting the weight of his sudden attack as he guided your body backwards. You were glad for the extra support as you stumbled backwards, following his lead as he pressed your body to the wall beside the window.

“Silence,” he mumbled, drawing back slightly to practically whisper the words onto your lips, wishing them into effect. Perhaps it was the adrenaline from such a sudden action, or maybe it was the fact that Loki didn’t seem affected by whatever curse threatened those who came too close to you. Maybe, just maybe, it was because it was him, and you couldn’t find a single part of you that would want to reject his advances right now despite knowing the possible outcome.

You knew your feelings, but you didn’t know his. Loki was over a thousand years old; he had centuries to learn how to sweet talk a woman and how to get her to succumb to his touch without a single grievance. He had an immeasurable amount of time in which he could have practiced that. You, on the other hand, still felt giddy at the idea of just being touched by someone who had a mutual attraction to you.

Loki hadn’t tried to touch you since the initial kiss, and it could probably be explained with the immense amount of regret he most likely felt after it occurred. After he realized he had risked his life for something as small as a mortal’s kiss - a mortal who may or may not mean something to him, he was surely mortified. Now that the god knew that you might not be able to cause any harm to his immortal being, was he intent on getting his way?

Your thoughts were brushed aside as Loki’s hand moved to your neck, caressing the skin lightly as he seemed to urge you to respond. When you didn’t reciprocate the kiss, he pulled away, eyes glazed over with a strange and seemingly displaced vulnerability. “Please,” he whispered, his forehead resting against your own. “Do not make me beg.”

Your eyes widened at his words. His thumb brushed your jaw and you swallowed thickly before bringing your hand up to grip his wrist, giving it a light squeeze. You reached up with your free hand, letting your fingertips brush the skin on his cheek as you gazed down at the almost nonexistent space between your bodies. Everything in you screamed and cried to touch him, cherish him.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” you whispered, repeating the words you had said the first time he had placed his irresistible lips on yours. Even with such words escaping your mouth, you found yourself gripping the collar of his shirt and pulling him ever so closer. Loki smiled gently down at you, leaning forward, and just as his breath fanned against your lips, he replied: “Don’t think about that.”

And so, you didn’t. You allowed your mind to go completely blank, letting go of every worry as Loki’s lips captured your own once again. This time, you ran your fingers through his hair, enjoying the feeling of the soft locks slipping through your fingers. This was right. How could you have ever thought this was wrong?

Loki cupped your cheeks with his hands, thumbs pressing lightly on your chin to allow for his tongue to slip into your mouth. Electricity pulsed through your veins as his tongue massaged your own, tasting you.

Your eyes fell shut, every bit of your senses being entranced by the God of Mischief’s scent, his taste, his touch. As you inhaled, you could smell a faint cedar and mint scent that was both calming and alluring. As you allowed him to taste you, you, in turn, tasted him. And as he touched your skin, your body reacted with fiery passion. His fingers left your skin burning; you almost feared that you would turn to ash in his hands.

When he finally pulled back, you couldn’t help but follow his lips, not wanting to disrupt such bliss. But Loki’s grip on your cheeks stopped you from getting too far. You opened your eyes, meeting the gaze of the god standing in front of you. A lazy smile was adorning his features, and you almost wanted to take a picture to commemorate the moment.

His touch lingered as his hands fell to his sides; you were certain you would melt from how hot your skin felt. Leaning forward, he placed a languid kiss to your forehead, letting his lips hover in their place for a few seconds before he finally stepped back. The silence between you two was one of peace. Neither one of you broke eye contact as you seemed to process the events of the night.

“Did,” you stuttered, “Did you finish cleaning up in the kitchen?”

Loki shut his eyes, breaking eye contact, and let out a laugh. “Is that truly all you can think to say?”

Heat crept up your neck and into your cheeks as you blushed. It had been a while since your last encounter like this one, and you couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed about what had just happened. “I’m only joking, darling.”

The term of endearment did not go unnoticed as Loki turned away, walking to the kitchen as if nothing had happened at all. A smile ghosted your lips as you followed closely behind to offer a helping hand.

As you helped him clean the pots and pans, there was a lightness to the air that had been missing since before the initial kiss you shared. Loki’s hands occasionally grazed yours as the two of you washed the dishes scattered along the counter and stove, and you couldn’t help but smile. Part of you, however, screamed. It urged you to take into account the news and the danger that you could put the god in. Even if he was nonchalant about the possible repercussions, you needed to stay wary.

So, when he finally left, you stayed awake. You wondered about it all and if you could afford to be so careless. But then you thought about how Loki’s hands caressed your skin and how he had practically pleaded with you to reciprocate his actions, and you couldn’t find a reason to dwell too much on something that the god so easily brushed aside. Perhaps he was different. Perhaps he was the change you so desperately needed.

***

The following day was much like the one before. Loki was quite happy to express that he had spent the night reading recipes and learning how to properly prepare food without almost killing you with an outrageous amount of spice.

Before he had arrived, you spent your time lounging about, sitting by the window and watching as the sun’s rays beamed on all who graced the streets. When you had first woken, you had contemplated the idea of going out, walking around, and perhaps even doing some shopping. The idea was short lived as you recalled the video that had been put on display for anyone and everyone to see. Not many people watched the news these days, but that still didn’t stop you from imagining the worst possible scenarios in which your identity gets out and safety is no longer a word you could properly understand.

Basking in the sun with your back propped against the window was the best option for you, and although it was unfortunate, you tried to think on the bright side. Later, when the sun went down, you could enjoy the presence of another being, and that thought alone was enough to spur you on in your silent endeavor of watching the world pass by.

With all the looming hours ahead of you, it was hard to concentrate on just one thing. You found yourself addressing the most prominent issue within your mind: Loki.

According to all the evidence you could recall, he should not have been able to walk leisurely along the path of the living for more than a few days; yet, he did just that. It was as if he had laughed in the face of fate itself and continued his trek through life. You wondered what was different - what could have changed that allowed him to live freely. However, the more you dwelled on it, the harder it was to come up with an answer that you couldn’t find a million reasons why that was not it.

What was the reason behind his immunity? Nothing made sense. Well, nothing that you could wrap your mind around so easily at least.

The possibilities were endless, and you found yourself having to forcefully pull yourself from all the ideas running through your mind as the sound of faint knocking bounced off your walls. You blinked away the haze that had overtaken your senses before standing up to open the door. The sky was already dark, more dark than usual for when the God of Mischief decided to come stalking into your home. For a moment, you allowed a bit of déjà vu to settle in as you recalled the last time you had opened the door with the complete intention of coming face to face with Loki. The memory was enough to make you hesitate when you grasped the knob, peering out the peephole in hopes that the same detective was not standing on the other side. In fact, the memory was enough to make you anxious, sending your heart on a race with your mind, speeding up with every thought.

When you caught sight of who you expected, a breath of relief escaped your lips, but your heart was still racing as you stepped back. You turned the knob, ridding yourself of the barrier between you and the god on the other side. His presence was immediately soothing to you. Not because he made you feel safe, but because you felt as though he would not disappear if you could keep a watchful eye on him. Any amount of time spent with him out of your sight was a reason to set panic into your being.

Loki’s eyes scanned your features as he stepped into the apartment. The door fell shut behind him, and you took the briefest of moments to fight the urge to give him a hug. Despite what had happened the night before, you still could not fully convince yourself that you were in the clear, that you didn’t have to worry for Loki’s life.

You offered a smile in hopes of distracting his impervious gaze, but the action seemed to do the opposite. His eyebrows knitted together in concentration as he took a step closer to you. Loki’s hands lifted and rested on the curve of your shoulders, gently rubbing against the fabric of your shirt as if to soothe the tension you weren’t aware you were showing.

Maybe he could see the conflict in your face because, within a couple seconds, he was pulling you closer to him, wrapping his arms around your waist. You couldn’t find a reason to protest; you basically had told yourself not to initiate contact, but you had never said that you would say no if he were to be the one to make the move. Reaching up to grip the fabric of his shirt, you let yourself melt into the embrace.

“Are you alright?” Loki mumbled into your hair as he seemed to pull you as close as possible. You nodded, feeling your heartbeat pick up again from the mere sound of his voice. “Don’t lie. You seem upset.”

“I’m not,” you sighed, shutting your eyes. “I was just thinking of some stuff before you showed up.”

His arms tightened around you, and you let it happen. He didn’t speak for a moment, and you felt yourself growing drowsy from the lack of sleep you had been living off of. Just sitting around all day only seemed to make you feel more tired.

“Thinking about?” Loki’s voice vibrated in his chest as your head rested against his chest. You didn’t speak; instead, you clutched even more tightly at his shirt. “Darling?” He asked and the word made your heart flutter. You knew that there probably wasn’t much meaning behind it, but even so, it made you feel warmth that you had only dreamt of.

“Just stuff,” you mumbled, eyes still shut as you allowed Loki’s embrace to hold you in your spot. The answer didn’t seem to suffice as the god leaned back, tilting your chin with his finger to get you to look at him. When you opened your eyes, his own were trained on you, filled with concern. He sighed as your eyes darted to the left to avoid his stare, and he leaned down to press a kiss to your forehead before resting his against your own.

Honestly, how could you ever say no to someone when all they ever did was make you feel unbelievably safe? Even if there was no special meaning behind his actions, you couldn’t help but think that it was special. Besides, such a comforting hug was something you could never turn down.

“If something bothers you, I’d much rather you tell me,” Loki said, his voice low. “But if you do not want to, I will not press you further.”

He pulled away from the embrace, but grazed the skin of your cheek with his fingertips before fully turning to walk into the apartment. You stood there silently, watching him retreat into the living room. Without responding, you followed in the god’s footsteps. He stood leaning against the counter, motioning you towards him. Another moment of déjà vu seemed to rush through you as you recalled the moment when you had first spoken to Loki and how regal he looked when motioning you forward. Now that you knew that he was a god, it only made him seem all the more dignified.

Although it was only weeks ago, there were many things that had changed. You couldn’t say that you regretted any of the events, but you also couldn’t decide if you would go through it again - if you would put Loki through it again. Would he even want to risk himself if he was aware of the circumstances back then?

“I’m pleased to inform you that I spent the night reading recipes, and I believe I would be more successful in cooking if I were to try again,” he said as he crossed his arms across his chest. “Shall I show you?”

“Will I die from spice overload?” You attempted to tease, but your voice was still slightly strained as the words left your mouth. Loki did not seem to notice your unsuccessful attempt as he scoffed with a playful smirk playing on his lips.

“I will be sure not to overdo it this time, darling. Do not underestimate how quickly I learn,” he retorted. Your eyes were trained on him; you’re heart beating frantically as every worry began to crash down on you again and again and again. Loki’s smirk faded as he watched your demeanor change once again. “Come here,” he murmured, uncrossing his arms.

You walked towards him slowly, arms wrapped tightly around your body as if you were trying to keep the demons in your mind from running loose within your apartment. There were enough ghosts in your life, you didn’t need any more of them in the one place you felt relatively safe. Loki held his hands out slightly, apparently wanting you to walk near him. You did as he wanted, allowing his hands to slip around your waist as you stood between his legs.

“Would you like to watch me prepare a meal for you?” Loki asked, his voice muffled once again by your hair. You wrapped your arms around his waist, enjoying the feeling while it lasted and hummed against his clothed chest.

“In a minute,” you sighed, closing your eyes.

When the two of you had finished eating dinner a couple hours later, Loki had gone into the living room while you cleaned up. Throughout dinner, a very needy part of you wanted nothing more than for him to pull you close again, but there was also a part of you that still said to run as far away as possible. No matter what your instincts said, the invisible barrier that forced you and Loki apart seemed to be breaking. You were still guarded, of course, but it wasn’t hard to admit that Loki was very skilled at tearing the heavily fortified walls around your heart down. Or maybe you just had a serious weak spot for the god. Either way, if things were to go terribly downhill, you could not afford to let yourself fall apart again.

You approached Loki slowly after finishing the dishes, standing before him. He still held a look of concern as he looked up at you from his spot on the sofa. A few moments of silence passed between you two before you decided that you might as well find something to do while he relaxed. As you turned to walk away, Loki’s long fingers wrapped delicately around your wrist, holding you in your spot.

“Sit with me,” he spoke. It sounded more like an order than a command, so you listened and moved to sit beside him, but his grip was firm. It was at that moment that you realized that he only allowed you to have the illusion of even a shred of control. He was still very much in control of this situation. His grip tightened as he pulled you down onto his lap.

Opening your mouth to protest, you turned your head to see him smirking. The smirk was one of absolute, breathtaking arrogance, and suddenly, you didn’t want to argue or resist anything he had to do or say anymore.

Loki’s eyes were dark as his hands rested on your hips, lightly pulling at them to urge you to straddle him. You bit your lip, eyeing him as you did what was silently requested of you. Resting your hands on his shoulders, you stared at him not knowing what to say or do.

Too fast, your mind seemed to scream. This is moving too fast. Wasn’t I just worrying about killing him less than a day ago?

Loki leaned forward, placing a small kiss to the corner of your mouth, letting his lips trail along your jaw to your ear, and it took everything in you not to melt into his touch. “I will not pressure you to go further than this,” he whispered as if he had read your mind. A shiver ran down your spine as his lips pressed against your neck, nipping lightly at the skin.

Your eyes fell shut at the sweet sensation of his lips against your skin. His fingertips skimmed over the skin above your waistband as he reached beneath the fabric of your shirt. Then, much like the night before, Loki’s lips pressed against yours, devouring your worries with a single kiss. The cool skin of his fingers spread against your back, pulling your body ever so closer, and it took all the effort within you to attempt to push away from the embrace.

Despite the silenced worries, and the overwhelming amount of sexual appeal Loki seemed to carry with him at all times, there would always be a small, nagging part of you telling you to leave him be, to not allow him to get more involved. He sighed in disappointment as you successfully pushed him just far enough to allow for a sliver of space to come between your lips and his. Loki’s hands withdrew from their spot on your back, trailing up your sides to cradle your face to pull you forward again.

“Loki,” You started to say. “It’s just that-”

“Must I tell you to stop thinking again?” He mumbled, leaning his head down in defeat, his forehead falling onto your chest. You reached up, running your fingers through his hair. Loki hummed in appreciation as you felt the soft locks slip through your fingers and fall back against the nape of his neck.

“Can I finish what I was going to say?”

“I suppose,” he replied, placing a delicate kiss to the base of your throat before leaning back and placing his hands back on your hips.

“Aren’t you worried?” You pried, eyes dancing with uncertainty as he furrowed his brows.

“About what?”

“Dying? You’d think that you would be more worried for your health. Don’t you think that you should be a little more worried about dying from the hands of a near stranger?” You kept speaking as Loki opened his mouth to speak, but you cut him off before he could emit any words. “It just doesn’t seem right that you’re risking your life just for the sake of a few stray kisses.”

Loki’s fingers tightened on your hip, but loosened almost immediately afterward. “I don’t follow, my dear.”

“Well, don’t you think you should be more concerned about your health. It’s not like I’m particularly worth losing your life over,” you spoke.

This time, Loki looked downright confused, which made you confused as well. He opened his mouth and shut it a few times. It was a silly sight; he looked like a fish trying to breathe out of water for a moment. You wanted to laugh, but the lack of response was more overwhelming than your desire to giggle.

“Darling-” he began to speak, but the sound of aggressive knocking cut him off.

Both of your heads turned to face the door as it opened forcefully within seconds. You yelped at the sight, and Loki’s fingers dug into your hip as he stilled. Standing quickly, Loki followed in your stride, shielding you with his body as he pulled you behind his taller frame.

“I was curious as to where you seem to think you can sneak off to, brother. You should know by now that your illusions do not work on me like they once did.” A voice spoke. You craned your neck to peak from behind the God of Mischief’s shoulder.

Loki’s body was tense, and every bit of you kind of wished you had helped him unwind when you had the chance. He never seemed this tense around you, but was that only with you? Was there no other person who treated him decently enough for him to sit back and feel safe?

After a quick glance at the man standing near the entrance, you noticed that it was none other than Thor, the God of Thunder. He was a burly, intimidating looking god, and just the sight of him standing at the threshold of your abode made you feel frightened. You looked up to see Loki roll his eyes, his grip on your forearm never faltering as he took a small glance at your hidden silhouette. Hopefully, your fear was not evident on your face.

When he looked back up, his eyes met with Thor’s, and Loki’s knowing, arrogant smile appeared once again. You watched as he squared his shoulders from where he stood in front of the sofa - it was a clear, dominant motion that spoke into the silence between the brothers.

“Come now, brother, my illusions have always worked quite thoroughly on you last I checked.” Loki boasted. “If they did not work on you, you would have followed me here months ago.”

Thor glared at Loki, and then his eyes landed on you as you peered at him from your place behind the God of Mischief. His eyes seemed to narrow as they dragged themselves from your face to Loki’s hand on your arm. “I see,” he spoke, arms crossing in front of his chest as a smirk appeared on his face. “So it is a secret rendezvous. Tell me,” he took a few steps forward, eyes trained on you. “Are you a lady of the night?”

You felt the grip around your arm tighten and watched as Loki’s jaw clenched in irritation. At the same time, you felt your chest tighten. Did he just call me a prostitute? Your thoughts were practically audible as Loki looked down to gauge your reaction. Upon seeing your face and the apparent offense you had taken from the question, he let out a deep sigh.

“She’s no such thing,” his tone held a bite to it. Loki’s thumb began brushing gently against the skin of your arm while still holding you in your spot. It was quite contradicting compared to the obvious annoyance dripping from his voice, but then you thought about how tense he seemed around his brother versus how he seemed around you. The Loki standing in front of you was a mixture of the two; he was tense, but he was also still attempting to comfort you in whatever way he found possible.

“A lover, then?” Thor questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” you scrambled to say, pulling your arm from Loki’s touch. “Not lovers.”

Thor’s gaze rested on you once again, his eyes narrowing in scrutinization. A moment of silent regret washed over you as you began to think that he didn’t want you to speak to begin with. You looked up at Loki as you stepped out from behind his shadow. His face showed no visible emotion, but his eyes were still fixated on his brother standing across the room. Thor, however, was still staring at you with squinted eyes.

Yeah, gods are definitely blind or something, you thought.

“Actually,” Thor spoke, calmly walking towards you and Loki. “You look quite familiar, have we met?”

“No,” you choke out, wondering if he was aware of the news broadcast from the night before. If he was one of the individuals who was meant to find you, then could this be him retrieving the wanted woman the police and media raved about? “We haven’t met.”

“I’m certain I’ve seen you.”

“She has a familiar face,” Loki cut in, his features stoic as he intercepted Thor’s path to you.

The two of them seemed to exchange unspoken words while glaring at one another. Perhaps that was normal for them to be able to communicate without speaking. Is that what happens when you’ve been siblings for a millennium? Thor seemed to be in deep thought for a moment before he took one long look in your direction.

“Perhaps you’re right.” He said, his voice still booming but holding more merriment than before. It was such a quick change to his mood that you couldn’t help but feel as though you were being deceived. “I apologize for your door, Miss…” You promptly informed him of your name and if your eyes had seen correctly, you could have sworn that his eyes had widened before returning back to their normal, seemingly unfazed size. Loki’s impenetrable gaze was harsh upon your skin, setting fire to your cheeks as you blushed in embarrassment. Maybe telling the god your name wasn’t smart; after all, weren’t you considered a suspect to a case that the Avengers had been called in to help with?

“Yes, well, I will fix it and be on my way.”

“No need, I will do it,” Loki spoke up, his impatience showing. Thor glanced at Loki, a smirk on his lips before he raised his arms in mock surrender.

“Of course, brother.” The God of Thunder boomed, a hearty laugh escaping his lips. “There is no need to be so serious, I simply offered to fix what I broke.” A more serious look washed over his features as he straightened his back. “Stark will not be happy to hear that you are roaming about the city unsupervised.”

Unsupervised? You thought, a questioning glance being cast at Loki. He ignored your look and remained staring at Thor. You wanted to ask what that meant, but you were not too keen on the idea of interrupting the lovely interaction between brothers happening before you.

“What Stark does not know cannot hurt him,” Loki retorted as he glowered at the other god.

“You want me to lie for the sake of an innocent meeting between not-lovers?”

“Yes,” Loki responded. “If you must say it like that.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“And why not?”

“If it were anyone else, perhaps I would lie for you.” Thor’s gaze fell on you once more, and this time, a very strange smile adorned his lips. “I do not believe that any of the others will be too fond of you making friends with a wanted criminal.”

Your heart dropped, and Loki made quick steps to attempt to guard you once again. However, Thor was faster, surging forward to grip your forearm. His immense amount of strength was frightening as his touch pressed tightly into your skin, and you realized that Loki could have very well done the same to your skin, but he never did. He was always gentle with you.

“You will not touch her, brother,” Loki seethed, his face ignited with a venomous fury as he approached you and the other god.

“Loki, this woman is wanted, she must be held accountable for her actions. You cannot protect her here,” Thor reasoned, his grip tightening even more. The pain pulsed through your arm and you let out a small whimper that seemed to go unnoticed by the God of Thunder. Loki, however, seemed to notice before you had even acknowledged the pain. His glare was set on the contact between you and Thor, his fists clenching by his sides as he took another stride in your direction.

“I’m not wanted,” you attempted to say.

“You are,” Thor spoke. “I suspect that it will not be long until you are sought out by the local authorities or our team. We have been searching for you, and now I know why we were not able to find you.”

“What-” You began to question him while you followed his gaze to Loki. Had Loki done something?

“Why did you hide her?” Thor asked, his grip finally loosening slightly.

“Lock me up with her,” Loki spoke, ignoring the question.

“What nonsense are you speaking?”

“If you insist on giving this woman to Midgard’s authorities, they will lock her away for the rest of her mortal life, or they will test her. You know this to be true.”

“If that is the punishment they see fit, then so be it.” Thor growled in response.

“She wasn’t even aware of what she was doing,” Loki’s voice rose as he spoke, and he was now standing face to face with his brother. His hand reached out to grip Thor’s wrist, pulling harshly at it in order to free your forearm from the bruising grip. When you were finally freed, Loki reached for your other arm, pulling gently to get you to stand behind him once again. “I will not allow you to take her. I have taken more lives than she has; lock me up with her if you insist. I must warn you, though, I will not go down without a fight.”

“We have already been through this. Do not act foolishly, you once told me I was foolish for loving a mortal; yet here you are, risking your freedom for the sake of a criminal. This is no time for your mischief.”

“I am not here to cause issues,” Loki spoke, his eyes no longer trained on Thor. Instead, he had turned to face you, his long, nimble fingers, tugging at the sleeve of your long-sleeve top to reveal a reddening mark that would surely become a prominent bruise. “I am telling you that the people of this planet will take her life without explanation.” He exhaled deeply, fingers tracing the bruising skin like a feather. “There is no explanation that her people will accept. They will act out of the emotions they harbor against her, nothing more.”

“And if that is the case, then let them do so,” Thor argued, his voice just as firm and assertive as Loki’s. It truly felt like you were standing between two princes that were well aware of their prestige. “She has killed people. She must accept punishment.”

“Can you honestly stand there and say you have not taken lives as well?”

“That was war, Loki. I was protecting and restoring peace to the realms.”

“And perhaps there is a battle within her,” his voice was lower now, but it was not due to a sudden meekness, it was the way his voice became when he cared. You had noticed that after a few too many deep conversations. His eyes captured your own as his fingertips continued to caress the irritated skin. “A peace that needs to be restored before you decide to make such hasty, life-changing decisions.”

When you looked back at Thor, he was already looking at you. Loki did not allow his eyes to wander in the slightest as he stood before you. Thor’s stare was harsh, glaring with a hatred you couldn’t quite understand. He swallowed before looking away, eyes still narrowed.

“Fine.”

Chili

I don’t know why it took me so long to get into beans.

I always used to stray away from them. They tend to give me bad connotations of goopy, bland, and generally unpleasant. I mean, just think of beans floating in that translucent liquid from the can! That was my thinking but could not be farther from reality!

As I search to expand my grocery cart with options that are 1) budget-friendly, 2) healthy, and 3) easy to cook, beans come out strong in every category. And when done correctly (spoiler: a very easy thing to do), they are so delicious and versatile.

This chili recipe is delicious, easy-to-make, and so filling. Tomatoes, onions, beans, corn: all delicious! Someone decided one day to just throw them all together and make it acceptable to eat on it’s own, and I could not agree more!

Is it a soup? Not exactly. A stew? Maybe closer. At the end of the day, it’s chili! And you should not shy away from it.

It is absolutely fool-proof and so customizable. This here is vegetarian, but if you want to add ground beed, ground turkey, whatever go ahead! Take this as inspiration and a framework, and then just throw in whatever you have lying around!  

This recipe is great on a sandwich à la Sloppy Joe. But a bowl with some cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and sour cream is a perfect way to serve this too.

Filling. Warm. Comforting. And healthy. This dish is a perfect weeknight lunch or dinner. When you’re at a loss for something to make, you probably have everything you need to make this recipe.

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Cook time: 20 minutes Prep time: 0 minutes Ingredients: - 1/2 onion, diced - 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely - 3 tablespoons tomato paste - 1 can black beans, 1/3 reserved - 1 cup frozen corn - 1/2 can of whole peeled tomatoes - spices (red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper)

These measurements are kind of approximate, but should be a good approximation! In the end, do what tastes good to you! It’s your food, after all!

Heat up a large skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until onions are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add some spices here too to enhance their flavor. Add tomato paste and cook until color deepens. Add beans (reserving 1/3) and corn. Cook for a minute to thaw corn, then add canned tomatoes, crushing by hand or with a spoon. Cover and let cook for a minute. In the meantime, mash the remaining 1/3 of the beans and add to skillet. This is thicken the chili and give it better texture. Stir to combine. If too thick, add 1/4 cup of water at a time.

Season, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once heated through and tomatoes fall apart, crush any remaining large pieces, squishing beans is fine. Enjoy on a sandwich or with onions, cheese, and sour cream!

What Recipes Use Cream Of Tartar

Hey there! I'm sure you've heard of cream of tartar, but have you ever wondered what recipes use it? Well, if that's the case then look no further because today we're going to discuss all kinds of delicious dishes that call for this versatile ingredient. From savory entrees to sweet desserts and everything in between, let's get into some yummy recipes using cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is a great way to add an extra punch of flavor without overwhelming your dish. It can also help stabilize egg whites when baking, making it a must-have baking staple in any kitchen. Whether you’re looking for something special or just want to try something new don’t worry! We'll explore plenty of tasty recipes with cream of tartar that are sure to please everyone at the table. Baked Goods I'm a big fan of baking treats that use cream of tartar. It's an ingredient I always keep in my cupboard, as it adds so much to recipes! One of the best ways to put cream of tartar to work is with eggy custards - it helps stabilize and thicken these desserts, making them extra creamy and delicious. Cookie doughs are also a great way to incorporate cream of tartar into your baking. It provides structure for the dough itself which means when you pop those cookies in the oven they'll maintain their shape instead of spreading out too thin. Plus, because it reacts with other ingredients like baking soda, you'll get light and fluffy baked goods every time! In short, if you're looking for mouth-watering results from your baking then don't forget to add some cream of tartar - it makes all the difference! Sauces And Dressings I'm really interested to learn more about sauces and dressings! To start off, I'd love to know what kinds of salad dressings use cream of tartar. Also, I'm curious to know what recipes are used to make BBQ sauces with cream of tartar. I'm sure there's lots to learn, so I'm excited to get the conversation going! Salad Dressings Salad dressings are a key component of any meal, and they can come in many different forms. Whether you want a light vinaigrette or something creamier, there's sure to be an option that works for you! Marinades and pickling solutions often include ingredients like vinegar and oil, but did you know that adding a pinch of cream of tartar can make these sauces even more flavorful? Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the acidity in marinades and pickling solutions, making them much smoother on the palate. Furthermore, it also adds a nice zing without overwhelming your dish with too much saltiness - perfect for those looking for subtle flavor enhancement. So don't forget about this versatile ingredient when creating tasty salad dressings at home; it'll really take your recipes up a notch! Bbq Sauces Grilling techniques are a great way to bring out the natural flavors in your food, and adding an extra layer of flavor with BBQ sauces makes it even better! When making your own marinade or BBQ sauce at home, there are some tips to keep in mind. For starters, you'll want to use both sweet and savory ingredients like honey, garlic, onions, and tomato paste for maximum flavor. You can also add herbs and spices depending on your preferences - just make sure not to overdo it! Finally, if you'd like something richer, consider using butter or cream; these will really give the sauce depth. With all these marinade tips in mind, you're ready to create a delicious BBQ sauce that everyone's sure to love! Main Dishes I love to cook, and two of my favorite dishes are grilled salmon and roast chicken. Both of these recipes use cream of tartar as an ingredient for a zesty flavor. To make the perfect grilled salmon, I start by mixing together 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar with lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Then I rub the mixture all over the fillets before popping them on the grill. The result is succulent fish that's full of flavor! For the roast chicken, cream of tartar can be used in combination with other ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and oregano to create a delicious dry rub that adds loads of flavor to your bird. After rubbing this seasoning blend onto both sides of the chicken breasts, you can pop them into the oven or onto an outdoor grill for restaurant-quality results every time! All it takes is a little bit of preparation using cream of tartar – plus some patience while it cooks – to enjoy amazing meals at home with friends and family. Snacks And Appetizers Now that we’ve discussed some delicious main dishes, let’s explore some healthier snacks and appetizers. Cream of tartar is an ingredient found in many recipes for both savory and sweet treats. A popular use of cream of tartar is to stabilize egg whites when making meringues or angel food cake. It can also be used as a leavening agent in biscuits, muffins, and quick breads like banana bread. Cream of tartar can even add a bit of zest to your snack platters! Try adding it to homemade ranch dip for vegetables, spicy popcorn seasoning for movie night, or even a simple hummus recipe for extra flavor. Another great way to incorporate cream of tartar into healthy party platters is by using it in simple syrup when making candied nuts. The combination of sugar and spice makes these crunchy treats irresistible! If you're looking for something unique but still satisfyingly tasty, why not try macaroons? These light-as-air cookies are made with almond flour and whipped egg whites stabilized with cream of tartar - perfect for afternoon tea parties or served alongside coffee after dinner. With all the different uses of cream of tartar available, there's sure to be something on the menu everyone will love! Desserts I love baking with cream of tartar! It adds a unique flavor to many desserts, and it can be used in some really delicious recipes. I especially like using it when making frostings and meringues. Cream of tartar helps create the perfect texture for both of these types of treats, giving them a light and airy consistency that is just irresistible. Plus, because it's relatively inexpensive and easy to find, it's something I always keep stocked up on in my pantry. When creating frosting or meringue recipes with cream of tartar, you need to use the right ratio so that you get the desired result. A good rule of thumb is two parts sugar to one part cream of tartar; this usually creates the ideal balance between sweetness and tanginess. Additionally, make sure to whip your ingredients together until they are nice and fluffy before adding in any other flavoring elements such as cocoa powder or extracts. This will give the final product an even fluffier texture that everyone loves! No matter what kind of recipe you're making with cream of tartar, remember to adjust your measurements according to what type you have there are different grades available which can affect how much should be added into each dish. But if all else fails, simply taste-test throughout the process until you achieve the results you want! The end result will definitely be worth it – trust me! Frequently Asked Questions What Is Cream Of Tartar? Cream of tartar is a versatile baking ingredient with many uses in cooking. It's most often used as a leavening agent when making baked goods like cakes, cookies, and meringues. But it can be used for other techniques too! Cream of tartar helps create stable egg-whites for fluffier omelets or mayonnaise; stabilizes whipped cream so it holds its shape longer; and adds a tangy flavor to icings and frostings. All these applications make cream of tartar an essential part of any baker’s pantry! How Do I Store Cream Of Tartar? Storing cream of tartar is fairly simple. You should keep it in an airtight container away from any heat or moisture sources, and it will last for up to two years. If you need a baking substitute, you can use an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar as a replacement. Keep in mind that the substitution ratios may vary depending on what recipe you’re making, so be sure to double-check your measurements if using this alternative! How Much Cream Of Tartar Should I Use? When it comes to baking, cream of tartar is an essential ingredient. It's a leavening agent that acts as a stabilizer and helps give baked goods the right texture. The amount of cream of tartar used depends on what you're making – if you don't have any, there are some acceptable substitutes like baking powder or lemon juice. Generally speaking though, I would recommend using 1/4 teaspoon for each cup of flour in your recipe. This should be enough to help give your bakes that perfect lift! Is Cream Of Tartar Healthy? When it comes to dietary benefits, cream of tartar is generally considered a safe ingredient. It’s an acid salt that can be used in cooking as a leavening agent or stabilizer, but there are some alternatives you could use if you don't want to include this ingredient in your recipes. If you choose not to use cream of tartar due to health concerns, baking soda and vinegar are two common substitutes for the same purpose. Ultimately, whether or not you decide to use cream of tartar is up to you - just make sure you do what feels best for your body! How Can I Substitute Cream Of Tartar? Wondering how to substitute cream of tartar in baking? Good news, there are several alternatives! If you’re looking for a direct substitution, try replacing with an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar. Baking powder is also a great option; use twice the amount as what your recipe requires for cream of tartar. For those of us who don't have any of these ingredients on hand, you can still bake without it - just increase the number of eggs slightly and remember that creaming butter and sugar together will take longer since you won't be using cream of tartar to help stabilize them. Conclusion In conclusion, Cream of Tartar is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. It adds flavor and texture to many dishes, and its unique tanginess makes for delicious results. As long as you properly store it, use the right amount for your recipe, and substitute it correctly when necessary, then you’ll have no problem using this wonderful ingredient. I encourage everyone to experiment with Cream of Tartar in their cooking – the possibilities are endless! Read the full article

Happy Birthday to Me Part Two

The following is a documentation of all the other meals I made on my birthday weekend:

Unagi Gyoza with an Italian Twist

I found unagi gyoza on sale in a Japanese supermarket and was really excited, I’ve never seen gyoza with such a filling before and the ingredient list looked really good too - these included broiled eel, leek, cabbage, bonito stock, and sake. They were a tad expensive, but for the novelty value and the fact that I’d probably have to pay 3 times more for the same quantity in a restaurant I thought “Ah fuck it why not, it’s my birthday lol”. 

I initially didn’t think of doing too much with it, just the most basic steaming. But then I realised I didnt have any of the usual dipping vinegar to go with it, which was then I thought - why not try an alternative? Crema di Balsamico with its tangy-sweetness immediately came to my mind. And  then I went one step further by pan frying just the one side in butter, to get it crispy just like it’s sometimes sold outside. And to balance all this heartiness I had my very own homemade cucumber salad on the side, german-style(or at least, my interpretation of it). I really don’t think there is a need to go into lengthy detail on the how-to here. 

It turned out well, although I probably could have steamed the gyoza a tad longer. Moral of the story, look for alternatives when you don’t have something, the end result can be pleasantly surprising, as was the case here. The tangy-sweetness of the balsamico balanced the richness of the unagi nicely. 

Summer “Grilled” Prawn salad 

This, ladies and gentlemen and children (as Turkish airlines has the habit of announcing, which I find very cute lol) - is by far my pièce de résistance, at least for this Birthday Weekend Menu thingy. I’d two jumbo prawns leftover (of course this was planned), and I wanted to do something different from what I’d made with them the last meal (rich tomato-based pasta). I tried to think up antonyms to the adjectives I would use to describe that previous dish, and I came up with the words fruity and light and summerish. Not that tomatoes(as per the last dish) aren’t summerish, but in this one they’re left uncooked and refreshing. I’m rather proud to say that I came up with this one almost entirely by myself. 

Ingredients

-Jumbo Prawns; 2 

-Quinoa; 1 portion

-Cherry tomatoes; a handful 

-Mint; a few leaves

-Butter

-Orange-Pepper spice mix; 1-2 pinches 

-Pomegranate vinegar; a splash

-Mango vodka; 2-3 splashes

-Pepper-garlic spice mix 

-Crema di Balsamico

-Salt 

-Truffle olive oil / Any salad oil (e.g. pumpkin seed, walnut, olive)

Special Equipment

-Blowtorch 

-Container for shaping quinoa bed, shouldn’t measure more than a palm's width across. 

Instructions

1) Toast quinoa in pan with some butter till nearly golden brown, put in rice cooker with ratio 1:1.5 water to cook. Add 1-2 pinches of salt to water.

2) Halve cherry tomatoes. Set aside. 

3) Chop mint. Set aside. 

4) Clean and devein prawns. Remove sharp parts. Slice down middle. Season with pepper-garlic seasoning or any seasoning of choice. Rub with butter.

5) Put prawns in small, shallow dish with butter. Steam. WATCH CLOSELY. The moment the prawns turn pink, count to maybe 5 seconds and switch off the flame. They will still continue cooking a little. 

6) Pour a couple of splashes of mango vodka into the shallow dish, making sure it also touches the prawns. Use the blowtorch to blast the dish. The vodka should light up, as it did for me, and the bluish-orange flames will lick the prawns, charring them while infusing them with a smoky mango taste. The flames lasted nearly a minute in my case. When cooled, remove head. 

6) Quinoa should be done by this time. Put into shaping container. Add chopped mint, orange-pepper seasoning, truffle olive oil, pinch of salt, toss thoroughly. Use serving plate to cover container, and flip. The tossed quinoa should form a loosely-packed but relatively neat circle in the centre. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes around it, and drizzle balsamico. 

7) Rest prawns atop quinoa bed. Try to arrange artistically. 

8) Drizzle pomegranate vinegar atop prawns and quinoa bed. Serve. 

Verdict: It was beyond amazing and honestly turned out way better than I had expected.I was worried it would somehow be too greasy/salty, but no! Everything blended exceedingly well together, complementing each other. The frutiness from the mango vodka, the orange-pepper seasoning and the pomegranate vinegar kept the salad light, and the shreds of mint leaves added a nice herbal edge to every bite. And the prawns. God the prawns. They were even more tender than the ones I’d made yesterday (probably because stricter time control, I literally turned off the flame the moment they fully turned pink). Crunchy yet tender. And the intermingling of the different flavours, oh so delightful. The balsamico on the side also added a nice dipping option for the already naturally very sweet prawns. 

This was easily one of my top ten best dishes I’ve ever made. And relatively easy even! Excluding cooking time for quinoa, it all took a maximum of 45 minutes. 

I had this with a pleasantly sweet bubbly Moscato d’Asti on the side. Perfection.  

Paneer Kebabs 

So, I was at the Indian superstore recently, and I finally managed to get what I’ve been meaning to for some time - paneer. I love palak paneer, I almost always get it when I go to an Indian restaurant. But I wanted to try cooking something different with it. Greek-turkish-italian influences came to my mind. Paneer reminds me somehow of feta and mozzarella, and I was initially going to do some version of a caprese salad, but instead of balsamico I use a honey-based dressing. But then I wanted to push things a bit further. So, here’s what I did:

Ingredients

-Goat butter; 2 dabs

-Cherry tomatoes; a handful

-Onion; quarter of a medium sized one 

-Paneer cubes; a handful

-Pepper-garlic seasoning

-Mini paprika; 1-2 

Special Equipment

-Skewers (the ones I found are actually meant for rouladen but hey, whatever works, right?)

Instructions

1) Halve cherry tomatoes. Slice mini paprika. Slice onions. Set aside. 

2) Heat up goat butter in pan till nearly sizzling. Put in paneer cubes.Let them fry, till they have a crispy exterior. Don’t forget to flip them. Add in onion slices halfway, if you’re a wuss like me who doesn’t eat raw onions. But they will probably be done before the paneer, so remove first, so that they don’t become too soft.  

2) When all paneer cubes are fried, remove from pan. Quickly throw in sliced paprika and tomatoes and toss them around in the browned goat butter to heat them up quickly. 

3) Skewer them in any order which you’d prefer. Drizzle balsamico over them for flavour balance to the greasiness. 

4) Serve with a refreshing salad on the side, in my case my homemade cucumber salad. 

Fun note: Goat butter loses its slightly off-putting goaty smell when it’s browned. Delectable.

I was initially tempted to just toss it all together as a kind of salad, but extravagant birthday me ruled against it, with the excuse that “when else are you gonna have the damn time/energy/will to do this fancy shit”. Skewering the different ingredients took longer than I expected, but the presentation was fun, added to the special factor. It was fun trying paneer like that, not drowned in curry but rather as a standalone thing almost. Had a rather nutty flavour, and went well with the juiciness of the tomatoes, sauteed onions and paprika. I still want to try the honey drizzle thing though. I think it’d be a bomb brunch thing. With sparkling wine on the side. Mmm. 

German Cucumber Salad 

Since it features so often as a side dish I might as well make a quick documentation of it. I always liked Gurkensalat when I was living in Germany, both the yoghurt as well as the clear version.  I was sad for a while that my current living places didn’t have this. But then I realised, wait a minute, this is actually really easy to make, lol. So, here goes:

Ingredients

-”Natural” yoghurt i.e. sour yoghurt, not any of that smooth sweet shit lol; 2 cups

-Japanese cucumber; 2 medium

-Sugar; 2 tablespoons (I used brown, but white is probably preferable because colour) 

-Onion; quarter of a medium-sized one

-Dill; 1.5 heaped tablespoons if dried

-Salt; a pinch 

Serves: 4-5 portions

Instructions

1) Thinly slice cucumbers and onions. I like mine really thin, like thinner than paper thin. I personally prefer the texture more when it’s like that.

2) Mix yoghurt with dill, sugar, salt.

3) Throw in cucumbers and onions. Mix. Hey presto it’s done. 

Note: I don’t add any other liquid, because the cucumbers release quite some water overnight, so that the next day the liquid component of the salad reaches a consistency that I find just right - thinner than yoghurt, but not watery. The spiciness of the raw onion is usually mellowed out a lot by the yoghurt. 

Usually stores for about a week I’d say. Perfect complement to any kind of greasy food, or even just as a refreshing snack really. 

So, that marks the end of this round’s Birthday Weekend Menu! I had so much fun thinking up recipe ideas based on whatever ingredients I had (yes, cherry tomatoes and balsamico feature a hell lot lol), guided by the principles of extravagance and flavourfulness. I did feel extra special eating them. Plating/Presentation really adds a lot to the dining experience. 

Next series of posts coming up will probably have to do with office lunches that can be served cool/room-temperature, because I have developed an aversion to the taste of microwave-heated food. Already drawn up a whole list of recipe ideas, can’t wait to try them!

Fighting the Chill at the Homestead

So Dean runs hot, sleeps on top of the blankets most of the year, and seems genuine in his concern that the electric blanket is a fire hazard, but it's December and the central heating in the farmhouse is pretty crappy, and also our husband's feet feel like they're made of ice, so... 2 to 1, the ayes have it, out comes the best 75 bucks we ever spent at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.     

There are some downsides to having bed be the most comfortable spot in the house. I definitely run less often when I'm so warm in the mornings and remember how cold it'll be outside, and it practically takes a crowbar to get Cas out of bed when it's his turn to do the morning chores (again, he's a damn heat sink). Also, it means Dean banishes himself to the far side of the big bed (or to his own room) for the better part of three months a year, but given it keeps him from kicking me awake in his sleep every other night, I won't exactly be crying myself to sleep over that one. (JK - we miss him. He's a more vital contributor to cuddling than he'll admit.) 

So given the downsides, I thought this week I'd share some of our favourite ways to keep that cozy feeling alive and well even when there's three feet of snow on the ground and yes, you really, really gotta get up and feed the chickens, babe. Including a few nice, warm, and not totally out of season recipes.

Keep a fire going. It's actually not that hard to keep a fire running all day (and all night, if you have a set up to safely handle that) without wasting a ton of firewood, as long as you base your fire building technique on keeping big hardwood logs going rather than feeding in kindling. It heats up a house a lot faster than electricity, and depending on the size of your house, might be comparable to a furnace. Obviously, though, you have to feed it throughout the day, and for safety you shouldn't leave it unattended. We have a fireplace in the farm house, but if you're lucky enough to have a wood burning stove it's probably even more optimized to heat the house. Regardless, it's nice to have a warm spot to hang out without totally bundling up in blankets and falling asleep!

Tea! Dean and I have a pretty strong tolerance for caffeine, and can drink coffee throughout the day without an issue, but Cas starts feeling the jitters if he doesn't switch to tea, or even just hot water, about noon. Compared to coffee, it's also way less dehydrating and can in fact serve as a substitute to drinking cold water throughout the day which can be hard to think of as necessary when you're already chilly. We haven’t tried making our own herbal tea blends, yet, but it’s something Cas is likely to give a shot in the coming year.

Knit goodies. Since this is a homesteading blog, how about something else you can make yourself and reduce your dependence on the dubiously sustainable, often exploitative clothing market? Hats, scarves, and when you get good, gloves, are always a little warmer with the pride of knowing you made something with your own two hands, or when you can feel the love of a family member who made them for you. My favourite are socks and slippers, though. Warm feet? Awesome. Bonus: spinning your own yarn is also surprisingly easy. We keep sheep, of course, but Cas has a talent for sweet talking the lady a few miles down the road who keeps alpacas and I love him so much (for other reasons, sure, but mostly for scoring that sweet alpaca wool.) 

Baking. Long time readers know by now: bread is the best. The oven makes the whole kitchen warm, and bread is so, so easy to make yourself, and then you get to eat it? Amazing. We love beer bread (because Dean is predictable and realizing he could cook with beer was the best moment of his life bar none), which adds a bit to the cost compared to something like a peasant loaf, just for the cost of the 12 oz. can of beer it takes, but it's still cheaper by far than buying a decent loaf of bread at the store, especially considering we bake and eat three or four whole loaves a week between the three of us. Scroll to the bottom of the list for Dean's easy, foolproof recipe. (Seriously foolproof. Even Cas can do it.)

Cooking. Yeah, we're in recipe town, now. You know what goes good with bread? Stew. And chili. And soup. If you can make it hot in a pot (or a slow cooker!) it's a good wintertime meal. I've typed up our usual chili recipe below, but I think the best thing about chili specifically is that it's an easy formula to riff on. You don't like peppers? They're out. You love tomatoes? Put in as much extra as you want. Vegan? You can leave out the meat or replace it with whatever you want. Dial the spice up or down as much as you want. Our base version doesn't even include much in the way of ratios - it's all what you feel like. 

Drinks. I mentioned tea before? Tea is nice for all the time. Now I'm talking getting fancy. I'm talking hot chocolate with real, non-powdered milk. I'm talking cider. I'm talking boozy stuff. We've have a few favourites at our house, but at the risk of jumping the gun and getting Christmas-y too early, I'm going to include a nice eggnog recipe here - because if it can be made with eggs, Dean's mastered it just to keep us from being crushed by the hens' productivity.

Bonus Item: Illegal Barn Cat. Husband just kind of bummed out by the thought that the poor cat is sleeping in the uninsulated barn? Brother horribly allergic? Try Sneaking The Cat In When Dean's On A Run Into Town™! You can try to keep her in Cas' room, but she will escape! She will enter your joint bedroom in the middle of the night! And she will sleep directly on the chest of the one person in the bed whose breathing is affected by her dandruff! But what a hot water bottle substitute a cat can be before she's once again banished from the house because the hay loft is plenty warm enough to keep her safe and comfy.

Beer Bread [x]

3 cups of flour (sifted, but we find sifting only part of it lets you control how dense a bread you prefer - sift 1 cup for a dense loaf, all 3 cups for a fluffy loaf, etc.) 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 12 oz beer (or as needed for dough consistency) 1/4 to a 1/2 cup melted butter

1. Mix all the dry ingredients, then gradually add in the beer. Remember you want the dough to be semi solid, not like a batter. 2. Push the dough into the bottom of a greased or parchment-lined loaf pan. Pour the melted butter over the top. 3. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Chili

1lbs ground beef (can sub other ground meat or meat substitute) 2 cans crushed or diced tomatoes 3 cans beans (we use kidney or black beans) 3 bell peppers, diced 1 large white onion, diced Chili powder

1. Brown the ground beef in a pan, ideally with the onion. 2. Put everything in a big pot. Heat on medium. 3. Adjust chili powder to taste, let it stew as long as you can stand (remembering to stir), serve with rice or bread! Sour cream and shredded cheese are also great toppings.

Chai Eggnog [x]

2 cups of cream (can sub coconut milk) 2 cups of whole milk (can sub almond milk) 5 egg yolks 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 chai tea bags Bourbon

1. Mix dairy, egg yolks, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a pan. Whisk it until it’s frothy. 2. Heat on medium, stirring, until it bubbles just a bit. Turn down the heat and add the tea bags, cooking for another 3 minutes, and then remove them again. Add and mix in the vanilla. 3. Adjust for taste and booze it up.

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

My Rawgust Experience... and Raw Avo & Tomato 'Toast'

'Rawgust' is over and we are rolling swiftly into September!

I thought I'd take a moment on this sunny Sunday morning to reflect on a few thoughts of my 'raw food' experience. As I mentioned in my previous post I didn't maintain a 100% raw diet, it was more like 85% as my view was to see it as an exploration and open my mind to new recipes and ideas, rather than a restriction which I may have felt had I been super strict.

This decision to go 'high raw' rather than fully raw was partly based on the fact I had a few family commitments and events I knew I would be attending which would have made life difficult. I decided that a 'high raw diet' would allow me to appreciate most of the benefits and enable me to broaden my raw food repertoire without it feeling pressured or frustrated.

Overall I really enjoyed the month, initially I did miss big hot bowls of porridge (yes, I still eat porridge in the summertime!) and I really missed beans and lentils- such a staple in my everyday diet.

That being said, I really threw myself into creating some amazing salads and lots of raw dressings and dips to go with them. For me, a good dressing can turn any salad from average to amazing :-) 

This is definitely something I'll be continuing, as I'd like to aim for at least 50% raw ongoing- basically, i'll be incorporating a smoothie and a big salad every day- pretty easy, right!

I'll post a recipe round up of loads of sauces, dressing and dips from my vegan community in a separate post- hopefully, there'll be lots to inspire you too!

My boyfriend, who took the challenge along with me- who also reminded me that it was his idea in the first place (credit where it's due!!) has, for the time being, decided to maintain a 75-80% raw diet, so we'll still be eating a lot of raw meals together. 

My downfall (if anything) was eating too many Bliss Balls, ha ha. I often get carried away anyway when I make them, but during Rawgust I fell into the trap of having even more excuse to indulge.

Many people I know who eat raw, typically follow a high-fruit diet. This is something I have never felt really suits me. When I've experimented with an 801010 (80% carbs, 10% fat 10% protein) style diet in the past I ended up feeling incredibly bloated with the ratio of fruit. I feel I need to incorporate more fats. Maybe that was why one of my favourite meals last month was avocado and tomato on dehydrated flax crackers.

That said, my digestion was, for the most part, really great this last month, even though I have had some tough personal challenges to content with (stress usually impacts my bowels- sorry TMI!) My tummy felt flat and I have lost a little weight. Maybe that's down to the lack of legumes and/or grains... who knows? It will be interesting to see what happens as I add them back.

I'm also not convinced that a fully raw diet is particularly suited to our UK climate during the colder winter months. I know the idea of a nourishing warm meal really soothes me and the abundance root vegetables help ground me. I wouldn't want to forgo soups and stews indefinitely regardless of any nutritional science. 

I know there are ways to create 'warmth' in the body whilst consuming raw foods by using ginger and other warming spices to 'fire up' the body, but nothing compares to a big bowl of soup in my opinion! :-) 

I also query the environmental angle. I like the idea of aiming to eat more seasonally and locally, (although i'll make it clear I'm not perfect at this by any means), so feasting on tropical fruits shipped from far overseas during our cold winter months, doesn't quite sit right with me. I want to enjoy our abundance of winter vegetable roots and brassicas from the ground during this time.

One final point of interest... I was scanning through all my old health and wellness magazines, as part of my declutter ahead of moving house in a couple of weeks and I found various articles on Ayurveda. I am definitely a Vata Dosha and interestingly one of the things it advised 'Vata's' against was to consume raw foods... how interesting!

I have not looked deeply into the reasoning behind this (but now I am curious to know more), but it did remind me that there is never a 'one size fits all approach' when it comes to food, and that we all need to be intuitive eaters when it comes to what we feel our bodies need.  

As an example, I would never directly advise others to eat animal products BUT I do appreciate that we each need to find out own way and tune into what really works for us away from societies expectation and the pressure from the media and those around us.

Most of all, I believe we need to become more curious, more self-aware, more confident and relaxed around food.

Short terms 'Detoxes' and Challenges' (such as Rawgust) create the perfect opportunity for shaking things up, trying new things, re-setting our bodies systems, checking in with any symptoms that might be showing up and reflecting on what we really need deep down.

To break the pattern of the autopilot mode that so many of us function on day to day when it comes to food and lifestyle.

So on that note, I am going to leave you with the recipe for my favourite avocado and tomato salad on raw flax crackers.... ridiculously simple, and definitely one I'll keep on weekly repeat.

I'd love to continue this conversation...

Have you tried a raw diet? Maybe you loosely follow a raw-till-4 approach? Or something else... I'd love to hear your own thoughts, experiences and results. 

Recipe: Raw Avo & Tomato 'Toast'

Ingredients:

1 avocado

A large handful of cherry tomatoes

Dehydrated flax crackers (quantity to suit appetite!) 

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Sprinkle of nutritional yeast (optional)

Salad leaves (optional)

Flax Cracker Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds 

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight 

1 cup walnuts, soaked overnight 

1 stick of celery, roughly chopped  

1 red onion, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (including the oil)

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1-2 tsp mixed dried herbs (or other herbs/spices to suit)

a few tbs water to create the right consistency (add gradually)

Method for the flax crackers:

Blitz all ingredients together in a food processor, until thick and sticky, adding a little water add needed (I used approx 1/3 of a cup)

Spread the mix to a 0.5 cm thickness over teflex dehydrator sheets. 

Dehydrate at 45C for approx 10 hours, turn over and place onto mesh sheets and return to the dehydrator for another 4 hours. 

Cut into any desired slices. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. 

Method for the avo 'toast':

There is no real method.... just assemble everything on top of the crackers!

You can slice your flax bread/crackers into larger 'bread style' squares but because I make mine in a large batch I had pre-cut them into small squares for versatility. Either is fine.

NOTE: I originally made a version of this style of raw bread/cracker HERE. At that time I also tried a second batch and spread it out on a lined baking sheet at 'baked' it for approximately two hours on my lowest oven temperature (approx. 80ºC). I covered it loosely with foil after 1 hour to ensure the most even cook. It worked well so it's an option to try if you don't have access to a dehydrator.