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blueknightdg · 3 years

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Consideration and Generosity

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Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noire, DCU

Characters: Marinette, Damian

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She sat on a park bench that day; the weather was hot yet, cloudy.

Despite the uncomfortable sweat clinging to her being and the buzzing noise of her surroundings, she smiled happily. She would do anything for inspiration, even endure the blistering feeling of the sun.

Soon enough it has been hours since she began to sketch and draw designs for clothing she wishes to make true.

She feels her head is off, so she takes a break to answer a text from her mother.

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(Mom) Marinette, are you still at the park? It's been five hours.

(Me) Yep! Just taking a break.

(Mom) Just now? It's really hot outside, have you eaten? What about water?

(Me) Don't worry! I'm fine! I stayed in the shade the whole time.

(Mom) Okay, but I want a picture of you eating.

(Me) Okay, I will. I love you!

(Mom) I love you too.

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Marinette, packs her sketch books and other materials a way in her bag. She stands up, only to tip over onto someone walking past her.

"Hey, you-"

The person stops to keep her from falling all the way down.

"Uh... I'm sorry, I guess I should have taken a break earlier."

She tries to break a way from the strangers grip. They let her go easily. They began to walk a little further a way with a eye in her direction. She sits down again to collect herself. She takes a few breaths and thinks about how to get up without falling and embarrassing herself.

"I wish I packed a water bottle or something, I knew it was hot but I thought I would be fine....", she thought to herself.

She checked her bag in case she just forgot. Lo and behold there was a water bottle in one of the outside pockets.

"Huh....? That's strange, I was sure I......oh well.", she shrugged it off as her forgetting.

Feeling a little better, she carefully stood up. Having not fallen, she smiled and picked up her full bag. She walks in the direction of a small restaurant to eat, since she wouldn't make it home before hunger got to her.

She walked like she wasn't being followed. Casual and slow, she took in the buildings a round her. The same as her memories told her, but still just as beautiful.

Once she got to an empty table, she sat her bag down in front of her. The waitress walks up to her with a smile.

"Hello! Here is the menu, please take your time. Though I do suggest today's special! Mushroom soup with broccoli, carrots, and rice."

"Thank you."

"No problem!"

The waitress leaves her be and she focuses on the menu. It seems that this restaurant is all about healthy living.

She hums to herself as she thinks of her order. However, everything sounded wonderful and she couldn't decide. Then she heard a waitress bring someone's order of a tofu and veggie stuffed bell peppers with a side salad. So she looked over to see the meal and found that it looked delicious. She also saw they ordered tomato juice.

Looking at the menu one more time, she located the meal, drink and picked out a dessert on her own.

As soon as she put her menu down, the waitress came up to her with her pen and notepad out.

"Ready to order?"

"Yes, I would like the Tofu and Veggie stuffed Bell peppers with a side salad, tomato juice, and the vanilla, soy bean ice cream."

"Would you like a topping?"

"Yes, let's see....oh! The coconut sprinkles and strawberry drizzle."

"To repeat: Tofu, veggie stuff bell peppers, side salad, tomato juice, vanilla soy bean ice cream with coconut sprinkles and strawberry drizzle?"

"Yes."

"Okay, we will right on it!"

Marinette took out her phone as she waited. She texted her mom, that she was at a restaurant nearby. Her mom reminded her to send a picture of her eating.

A few minutes later and her food was brought to her.

"Thank you so much!"

"It's no problem, dear, tell me if you need anything!"

The waitress leaves to let her eat. She sends a picture of her food to her mom, who responded with the words 'smile and heart'.

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Change perspective

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His day was normal. He woke up and dealt with the hooligans that plagued his life. He was currently in Paris as a part of a stake out group. His family dispersed during day to do individual actives. His father wanted him near by, but he argued that he didn't need to be monitored.

His father conceded by saying he must practice being considerate of other people and to update him on how it is going and if he needs help. He was more than reluctant to agree. Regardless, he did.

He didn't like the loose nature of his apparel for the day, but had no chouce due to the heat.

Though by no means is his clothing loose in comparison to others definition. He prefers to be dignified at all times.

Most of the day, he had nothing report to his father that was particularly considerate until he notice the ragged look of a girl a round his age. She looked dehydrated and ill. He scoffs at her lack of self preservation until he notice she was immersed in some kind of sketching. He also remembered his has to be 'considerate' today so he will say she was lost to passion. After all, this is Paris, the city known for passion.

He watches her as she unconsciously squints and makes a grim expression at times. She sways ever so slightly.

In his observations, she stopped her work to look at her phone. Her condition is not well. He walks a little closer with a water bottle he bought. The moment he walked next to her and she stood, he stabilized her and slipped the water bottle in her bag as she spoke, trying to clear her head. She was drenched in sweat.

"Father better be grateful, I am being more than generous with being 'considerate', disgusting.", he thought with distain.

He hurried a way from her only to stop a short distance a way to watch her more and to sanitize his hands; to rid himself of the horrid feeling of her sweat.

The girl swayed less than before, but after updating his father of what happened, he was ordered to tail her. What if she collapsed? His efforts would have been in vain if that was so.

He was slightly frustrated and her slow pace did nothing to help. He only felt a bit better at her choice of eatery. He saw that she was heading for a Healthy Living Restaurant and went a head of her to sit down. He typed to his father that the girl was trying to decide what to eat. He was instructed to do what he thought best if he were to interfere at all. So he picked the most sensible option for her condition, in return, she followed and added something to her order.

He ate quietly and finished before her. He then left a large tip; the service was quick, the food palatable, atmosphere was pleasant and he doubted the girl had much on her. Enough to pay perhaps, but she would then be left with nothing else.

She seemed to be middle class, and the middle class does not make much little wealth, to him at least. Sure, her clothing was quite good with quality, but her manners weren't all that remarkable and nothing else about her was either.

Polite, is what she was. Quiet, unnoticeable, and polite.

To him, she was a foolish girl that dreamed too much and did little for her own well-being. Truly the epitome of moronic whelps.

After he left the restaurant, he watched from a distance. Through the window, he saw her tempt to pay, only to be denied. He smirked, perhaps he should visit this particular restaurant again and maybe even invest a bit?

He felt his phone buzz, his father typed, wanting to be updating on the status of the girl. It became apparent that some of the hooligans are now aware of his sudden punish- mission. Yes, this is a mission.

Protecting such weak plebeians is the duty of his father and him, also the unsightly hooligans- not well in his opinion- but he shall add them this once.

"Father is surely proud of how 'considerate' and 'generous' I am.", he believes, "Excessively so."

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The day ends with Marinette safely returning home and the still mysterious young man facing his mismatched family.

The young man remained considerate as he ignored the jeers of the hooligans until he realized, he didn't have to any more and retorted as though his words came from the high heavens.

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The next time he checked in on the young lady, he had some knowledge of her background he shouldn't and decided to continue to see to it that she is well taken care.

"It's called being an arrogant, egotistical xsshxle with a God complex. She doesn't need your 'consideration', she is not a charity case!"

One loud problem claimed as he tuned him out.

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The young man did visit the restaurant once more and she was there. She would visit often and order the same thing as he had the first time. There were times she ordered something else and he would try things she experimented with, minus the meat.

She ordered meat less and less the more she came to the restaurant, he noticed. He had no clue why, since she obviously had no problem eating it.

He didn't order sweets as often as she did, but he would on occasion, get something with a little bit of sweetness to it; like the dried fruit sandwich with any type of sauce it can come with. The sandwich had fresh, and air dried fruit. There would be other ingredients and such to change the flavor of the sandwich, making it a popular item on the menu.

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Change Perspective

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She felt like she has seen the same guy a lot over the past two months and is slightly worried. After some thought to it and the more she believed she was over thinking it and that it was pure coincidence. She did know, however, he had good taste in food and art. Plus that animals are so cute!! He couldn't be all bad if animals liked him.

She would walk a little closer and sometimes walk a little farther from him and since he never moved, she felt better. It really was a coincidence to her knowledge.

Eventually, she would would stop seeing him. He was a tourist, so of course he would leave at some point. Still, she was a little sad.

Oh well, school is starting soon, maybe she'll make friends to fill the loneliness her pretend friend left her.

She liked to pretend this stranger was her friends and that they hung out, since she saw him in most places that she was. She saw him at the restaurant and sometimes the park and rarely he would be at the museum. Technically he wasn't everywhere and not as frequent as she made it seem like he was, but if was often enough to remember him.

"You should have talked to him, get his number."

"But then he might have thought I was hitting on him! I just wanted a friend..."

"Sweetie, look on bright side! Either you can cherish memories that made you happy or you can forget him and move on. You don't know what life has in-store for you, it could be fun!"

"Thank you, mom. You too dad, I will see what happens."

"On that note, want help me frost some cakes?"

"Yes!!!"

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The end.

#marinette #au #maribat #damian #daminette

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jaybug-jabbers · 3 years

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Meal Ideas for College Students

Ok, so. As a college student, I’m compiling my own list of easy meal ideas. I have a bad habit of skipping meals, like many students do. A list of ideas helps a lot when you’re busy, stressed, tired, and/or not feeling up for much.

This post will prioritize quick/easy meals, ideas for relieving meal monotony, food that gives energy that sticks with you throughout the day, and meals that are generally healthy and balanced.

Note: This list of ideas was made with myself in mind. Everyone has their own dietary needs and/or preferences to keep in mind! Still, you might find something useful here. :) Also, check out my other post of recipes for more specific ideas.

Lunch/Dinner Ideas

1.) Soup/Salad/Sandwich.

-Not many canned soups are worth eating in my opinion, but a few taste acceptable (split pea’s pretty good), and sometimes grocery stores have containers of fresh soup. Those are almost always better tasting then canned!

-Salads ideally are more then just plain romaine lettuce and croutons/salad dressing. They can have all kinds of crap thrown on: nuts, seeds, tortilla strips, dried fruit, fresh sliced fruit, cheese, chicken, even some pasta noodles.

-It’s better to buy heads of greens and wash them yourself, as the already-washed bags of greens go bad quickly and have been prone to e. coli outbreaks. A little salad washing bowl speeds up cleaning greens. In either case, try to get a mix of darker, vitamin-rich greens.

-Sandwiches can use the healthier lunch meats but also leftover cooked chicken, or just a grilled cheese sandwich. (Use different kinds of sliced cheese.) Fancy mustard, pesto and horseradish can really punch up a sandwich; so can bread that actually tastes good.

2.) Pasta.

There are a lot of options of what to put on top of pasta; just adding some marinara sauce to spaghetti noodles is only the beginning.

-If you do use red sauce, I suggest adding mushrooms, sliced sausage or ground meat, or lots of cheese on top to bump up the protein.

-If you do something else, stir-frying some veggies (fresh– zuccini, mushroom, celery, carrot, snappeas, etc. frozen– frozen stir-fry veggie mix) and adding a light sauce is good; even dumping vinegarette salad dressing on it can be tasty.

-Other options include frozen shrimp, meatballs, leftover chicken, tofu or a cheese casserole.

-Try other kinds of pasta noodles, because even that can relieve some food monotomy. You can even use cheap ramen noodles, because why not? Just skip the spice pack they come with and add other things instead.

-Raviolis or tortillinis are also great for a light dinner or lunch.

-Sides for pasta include bread/garlic bread, salad, and fruit.

3.) Tacos/Burritos/Tostadas.

Canned beans, cheese, a bit of shredded lettuce, some jarred salsa, a tortilla, presto. Also great for using leftover ground meat or baked chicken. If you are lucky enough to own an avacado, please use it for this.

4.) Nachos.

This is basically when you have canned beans but you ran out of tortillas. Dump everything on top of corn chips instead.

5.) Enchilada Casserole.

Ground meat (or shredded chicken), canned black beans/red kidney beans, shredded cheese, canned enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, and a casserole dish. Dense and lasts you for a long time. Freezes well, too.

6.) Baked chicken.

There’s about a million different ways to prepare chicken. What’s more, the leftovers are so useful for so many things.

7.) Homemade pizza.

-They sell those kits at the store with the shell and the pizza sauce all ready. Just add your desired toppings and cook. A million times better then frozen pizza and worth the five extra minutes of work. You’ll need to invest in a large cutting-board and a pizza cutter or a large knife, but that’s it.

-If you want emergency personal pizzas, you can even use English Muffins for the task.

8.) Hamburger.

If you don’t care for ground beef, ground turkey or chicken works just as well; you can cook them insanely fast and easily on a Foreman grill, but still cooks pretty fast in a regular pan too. Adding some fixings goes a long way: pickles, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pineapple rings, etc. Good sides: salad, fries/potato, peas or beans.

9.) Baked frozen fish/salmon.

Again, you’re unlikey to have the time to buy and prepare fresh fish, which needs to be cooked and eaten quickly, but you can buy a filet of frozen fish. Good sides: rice, easy risotto, boxed couscous, broccoli, bread, etc.

10.) Fajuitas.

Steak strips/chicken strips that are pan-fried, plus stir-fried mushrooms, asparagus, zuccini, etc. Lime juice and avacado add a lot of flavor.

11.) Chicken, mustard, mushroom, garlic, spinach and swiss hot sandwiches.

Bake ‘em after assembling them for melty goodness.

12.) Smoothies/shakes.

This is a great addition to breakfast or lunch if you’re not very hungry or running low on food supplies; only if you have a blender, of course. Ice cubes, plain yogurt, fruit (fresh or frozen), shredded coconut, honey, fruit juice or ice cream, and blend. Experiment to find what works best.

Breakfast Ideas

Bulk up on breakfast if your schedule demands it!

1.) Oatmeal loaded with nuts, dried fruit, powdered proteins, flaxseed, and a dash of maple syrup/honey

2.) A plain yogurt parfait loaded up in a similar manner, plus granola

3.) Bagels or toast with cream cheese, nut butters, jam/honey, or avacado

4.) Stir-fried potatoes, potato pancakes, hashbrowns

5.) Low-sugar muffins

6.) Breakfast burritos

7.) Omlettes

8.) See above for smoothies!

General Tips

1.) Always make large portions when you cook so there are leftovers. When you bake chicken for dinner, you can use the leftovers the next day or make a sandwich or a taco or whatever. If you’re going to invest your precious time and energy into cooking, get the most out of it. If you have TONS of leftovers, freeze them in portions that are easily taken out, bit by bit, to use later on.

2.) See if you can locate a microwave on campus. This expands your options for what to pack for food, in case sandwiches a million times a month gets tiring. Pack things into microwavable tupperware or bring little paper plates and plastic utensils. Plastic bento boxes are also handy ways to pack things other than sandwiches. You can even bring soup, pasta, or ramen with you in a thermos.

3.) Frozen vegetables help a lot. You may not have the time to buy, clean and cook fresh veg, but grabbing a bag of something frozen is easy to make sure you have balanced meals. Steam them in the microwave easily in a bowl with a plate on top; avoid the ‘steamer’ plastic bags if you can, which tend to taste gross imo and may not be super healthy. (zapping plastic may create toxins.)

4.) See what’s in season for fruit. That way you can buy cheaper organic fresh fruit such as grapes, melons, berries or even exotics like kiwi. If you get them in bulk and need to use fresh fruit up before it spoils, try smoothies or put them on cereal/oatmeal or even make a fruit salad.

5.) Consider investing in a crock pot or insta-pot cooker. This opens up options for a lot of low-effort recipes, where you can just toss crap in and come back later and it’s done.

6.) Invest in spices. It’s worth the money and effort to get a variety. Get in the habit of tossing them into things. It can punch up just about anything and is way better then just salt. Even scrambled eggs can be punched up with some Sriracha sauce or some spices, or a little bit of shredded cheese.

This is a repost on a new blog. The original post was on Nov 4, 2019.

#mycontent #college survival

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eldritchsurveys · 3 years

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1102.

1. What is your favorite thing about winter? What about your least favorite thing? >> My favourite thing is just learning about what it does ecologically, and the whole mythic concept of plant life dying only to be resurrected in Spring. My least favourite thing is the lack of Sun. 2. What did you used to do as a kid the night before in order to prepare for a possible snow day off from school? >> I don’t recall ever caring about snow days. I really didn’t care about much external stuff at that age, honestly. 3. If you ever gave birth to a baby girl in December, would you be more likely to name them Holly, Carol, or Noelle? >> --- 4. How tall was the biggest snowman that you’ve ever built before? >> I never learned how to build a snowman. 5. Do you actually find the snowfall to be pretty before it turns all dirty, gray, and slushy? >> Yeah, for that very short window of time.

6. What’s the largest sized hail that you’ve personally seen fall before? >> Not very large. Maybe marble-sized. 7. What would you bring with you if you had to spend the night in an igloo? >> I don’t know anything about igloo habitation so I’d have to find out what’s best to bring. 8. Have you ever met an Inuit person before? In what ways does their life differ from yours? >> I doubt it. I’d imagine an Inuit person’s daily life would differ pretty predictably from mine, just from living in a different area of the world, in a different climate, with a different ecology and all. 9. Did you know that no two snowflakes are alike? What is it that makes you special/unique and unlike anyone else you know? >> From what I understand, that’s an oversimplification. Patterns like that end up repeating eventually, of course; but this one dude who was really into taking close-up photos of snowflakes kind of popularised the idea that none of them are alike because he just... didn’t take multiple photos of the same designs. He wanted to emphasise the variance but we kinda ran with it, lol. Anyway, I don’t know, man. Thinking about what makes me different from people doesn’t really give me, a person plagued with chronic alienation feelings, much pleasure. 10. Are you team polar bear or team penguins? >> There are teams? 11. What café or coffee shop do you typically buy your warm seasonal beverages from? >> I just make them at home. 12. Are you the type of person who enjoys seasonal candy novelties or are you not into those kinds of gimmicks? >> I don’t like most candy to begin with, so. 13. Favorite cold food out of: slushies, smoothies, ice cream, or popsicles? >> Smoothies, I guess. I don’t really eat any of these, though. Can I add gelato? I do like gelato. 14. What kinds of soups do you enjoy eating? Are there any other foods that you are more likely to eat when it is cold out? >> Broccoli cheddar is pretty good. So is roasted red pepper tomato. I wouldn’t pass up chicken and wild rice. Soups don’t really do anything for me, like Sparrow loves soup and I’m just apathetic about it. I’m more likely to drink tea and eat heavier meals when it’s cold out. 15. Have you ever gotten your tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole or an ice cube before? >> Nope. 16. Have you or anyone else you know suffered from frostbite before? >> I haven’t and I don’t think anyone I know has. 17. Do you have a heating system, a space heater, or a fireplace that you use in your house in order to keep warm during the winter months? >> The building has central heating. 18. During what time of the year (what months) does your part of the world experience the season of winter? >> Around November to mid-April, I’d guess. 19. Would you rather live somewhere that is warm year-round, cold year-round, or where you get an even balance of all four seasons, and why? >> I want a milder temperate climate -- hot summers, cool (but not frigid) winters. I don’t dislike winter, I just can’t deal with frigid temps and low sunlight for like 5-6 months out of the year. 20. Do you and your family watch the winter Olympics? How about the summer Olympics? >> I don’t watch either. Although I’d be more likely to watch the winter one just because of figure skating. (made by: tickle-my-pickle)

#surveys #survey #themed survey #not for reblogging *glare*

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howellrichard · 5 years

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How to Stock Your Freezer for Easy Vegan Meals

Hiya Gorgeous!

Ahhh, the fabulous freezer. It’s one of the most misused and underappreciated tools in our kitchens. If your freezer could talk, it would tell you that it is has bigger aspirations than being the land of ice cream, TV dinners and forgotten mystery food.

Your freezer can be a haven for the healthy, long-lasting goodies you need to create easy vegan meals—meals that nourish your body and delight your taste buds. Learning what kinds of foods to freeze, as well as how to properly prep and store them, completely transformed how I use my freezer. And today I’m gonna help you do the same!

But first, grab your Ultimate Vegan Pantry Staples Checklist!

We’re about to talk all things frozen food, but a well-stocked pantry is another key ingredient for easy vegan meals. Grab this free checklist to start building your dream pantry today!

Now, without further ado, let’s take a peek inside my freezer!

7 Freezer Staples for Easy Vegan Meals

1. Fruit

Berries, mango, bananas, pineapple… oh my! Frozen fruit is a staple for me because it’s easy to keep on hand and has lots of different uses. Plus, it’s a great way to eat more in-season fruit. For example, I like to freeze a bunch of fresh blueberries in the summer to have at-the-ready when the colder months roll around.

Here are a few frozen fruit pointers:

Save money at the grocery store by buying the larger bags of frozen fruit, which are often cheaper per ounce. Since fruit lasts so long in the freezer, stocking up is a no-brainer!

If you have fresh fruit that’s about to go bad, wash and prep it before putting it in a reusable baggie in the freezer. Chop all bigger fruit (mango, bananas, etc.) for easier blending or defrosting. Make sure to peel your bananas before freezing.

Green smoothies are one of my go-to easy vegan meals. Toss frozen fruit right in the blender with seeds, nut butters, greens and plant-based milk, then blend to creamy perfection! This Peachy Green smoothie is one of my personal faves from Crazy Sexy Juice.

Plan ahead for breakfast by moving a portion of frozen berries from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Use it as a sweet topping for your morning oatmeal or nondairy yogurt.

You can use frozen fruit in baking, too! Try this Mixed Berry Crisp from my Test Kitchen Tuesday series—just give the blueberries and raspberries some time to defrost before you start cooking.

Most fruit can be frozen for 2-6 months, depending on the variety. If you see freezer burn, that’s usually sign it’s time to discard!

2. Leafy greens

You know I’ve got dark leafies squirreled away wherever I can keep ‘em! Pick up pre-chopped and frozen spinach, kale and collards at the store for tossing in sauces, soups, stews, casseroles and grain/pasta bowls. Or make this delish plant-based Spinach Artichoke Dip for your next movie night… YUM!

And those fresh greens languishing in your veggie drawer in the fridge? Give them new life by washing and chopping them, throwing them in a reusable bag, then tossing them in the freezer to be used later for green smoothies. I’d steer clear of freezing lettuce for salads, though, because the thawed greens won’t be crisp anymore. You can keep most greens in the freezer for 10-12 months.

3. Sprouted whole grain bread

I know that just seeing the word “bread” might make you break into a cold sweat because of all the mixed messages out there about carbs. But I’m here to tell you that it can be part of a healthy, gut-friendly diet (read more about why I love grains here). I usually stick with sprouted, whole grain bread because it contains more vitamins and minerals than your standard processed white bread. Plus, it’s easier to digest and a lot more satisfying!

My favorite sprouted whole grain bread is Ezekiel, which you can find already frozen in many stores. You can make easy vegan meals in a snap by grabbing a couple slices from the freezer and popping them in the toaster. Top ‘em with avocado, crushed red pepper and hemp seeds for breakfast. Or make a hearty sandwich for lunch with Save the Tuna Salad, tomatoes, lettuce and mustard.

Most store-bought bread stays good in the freezer for 3-5 months, and I use the same guidelines for homemade bread. Just make sure to label it so you can check the date when in doubt!

4. Veggie burgers

I always keep veggie burgers in my freezer because they’re so versatile. Top a salad or grain bowl, roll into a burrito, press on a panini or pile high on a bun with all the fixins—so many scrumptious (and simple!) possibilities.

If you’re buying burgers at the store, look for options with minimal ingredients. Also keep an eye on the salt, saturated fat and additives, which can be high in prepared foods. I love the frozen veggie burgers from Hilary’s and Sunshine Burgers!

Or make your own, like these Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Burgers from Crazy Sexy Kitchen. Freeze them in a single layer or stack with parchment paper between each patty to prevent them from sticking together. Homemade burgers are usually good in the freezer for up to 2 months!

5. Cooked whole grains and beans

Whole grains and beans are staples in a healthy, plant-based diet. And while you can usually find that stuff pre-made (canned beans for example), the homemade varieties are extra delicious. But you might not always have the time to cook up a batch of chickpeas or brown rice for dinner at the end of a long day. Luckily, they can be cooked in bulk and stored in the freezer for next week’s (or month’s!) easy vegan meals.

Try these pro tips for freezing grains and beans:

Spoon single portions (or however many you’ll use for a meal if you’re cooking for others) of grains and beans into silicone or other eco-friendly baggies.

Stack bags on top of each other in the freezer to save space. If you’re putting them on a wire shelf, lay down a piece of parchment paper first to keep your grains and beans from settling in the cracks.

Grains and beans keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months.

6. Mixed veggies

Some days, you just don’t wanna chop. Ya feel me? And those are often the same days when you really need a hearty, comforting meal that would normally require a lot of prep. That’s when frozen veggie mixes really shine!

You can usually find good combos in the freezer section of the grocery store. I always keep some mixes with mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, onions and broccoli on hand for stir fries. Just sauté them with some organic, non-GMO tofu and sauce, and you’re good to go! You can even use a pre-made sauce in a pinch. Just avoid anything with artificial ingredients, added sugars or animal products, and keep an eye on the amount of sodium per serving (anything greater than 400 mg per serving is considered a high-sodium food).

Sure, frozen veggies probably aren’t as cost-effective as buying and chopping fresh produce, but shortcuts like these can be life-savers on nutty days. And it’s ok to take shortcuts sometimes, toots. Knowing when and how to do that is part of taking care of your sweet self!

7. Complete meals

Is it just me, or is the best kind of meal one that’s already done?! When I have extra time or am feeling inspired in the kitchen, I seize the opportunity and make big batches of soups, stews, casseroles, etc. to freeze and eat later.

For example, one of my favorite easy vegan meals is this 1-Pot Lentil, Potato and Spinach Soup from my Test Kitchen Tuesday series. It’s filling, loaded with plant-powered nutrition and super simple to make. I usually make a double batch and freeze the second half in individual portions for up to 2 months. Easy peasy!

Here are some more ideas for cooking and storing complete vegan freezer meals:

Before making a lasagna or casserole that you intend to freeze, line the baking pan with parchment paper. Once it’s frozen, you can simply lift the food out of the pan and transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag.

Pour individual portions of soups and stews into muffin tins and put them in the freezer for several hours. Once frozen, pop ‘em out of the tins and store in freezer-safe containers or bags. They’ll defrost much faster that way!

A few days before you’re ready to eat your homemade frozen meals, move them to the refrigerator to defrost. If you don’t remember to do that in advance, you can also defrost on low heat in the oven or on the stovetop.

Mmmm… I’m over here drooling just thinking about all the delicious, easy vegan meals you’re gonna create with your fully stocked freezer. And if you want to take your kitchen game to a new level, don’t forget to grab your free pantry checklist here!

Your turn: What’s your favorite freezer staple? Let me know in the comments below!

Peace & freezer foodies,

The post How to Stock Your Freezer for Easy Vegan Meals appeared first on KrisCarr.com.

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moonstew16-blog · 5 years

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chocolate caramel tart

Shortly after my husband and I began dating — the dark ages; no seriously, his phone at the time looked like this and I was like whoa, look how fancy you are, dude — we went on a road trip somewhere, stopped at a gas station, and I told him to grab something candy-ish, surprise me. This boy came back to the car with a pack of Rolos, and honestly, it’s amazing we didn’t break up right then and there because Rolos are terrible candy and it’s about time someone said it. [Oh I can hear the reverberations of a thousand unfollows but I will absolutely die on this hill, and remain undeterred.] They’re gooey so they give off the appearance, the suggestion, of being good candy but the goo tastes like nothing. I feel this way about all caramel that appears inside candy bars, which tastes me more like thickened corn syrup than anything toasty and nuanced. Plus, they’re inside a milk chocolate shell, so it’s sweet against sweet, no contrast whatsoever, and so help you if you don’t eat them in a single bite, I hope you enjoy having sticky hands for the rest of the drive. I know, I know what you’re thinking: it’s an absolute mystery how I ended up with such a picky child.

In my unsolicited opinion, three things could improve Rolos: a real toasty, buttery caramel, the contrast of dark chocolate, and a bit of salt. As good caramel is gooey, we’re not going to fight it, but that’s what plates and forks are for.

Claudia Fleming knows this. Owner and pastry chef at the North Fork Table & Inn on Long Island, she’s even more famous famous for her years as pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, where she led the way in redefining high-end desserts with American flavors. Her 2001 book, The Last Course, has been out of print so long, don’t even exhaust yourself trying to track it down, but in the new Genius Desserts* book from Food52, which includes some treats from Kristen Miglore long-running Genius Recipes column plus new worthy inclusions, it gets a revisit. In the notes, Miglore explains that when Fleming introduced the tart, which is finished with flaky sea salt, notable amounts of salt in desserts was still considered something new and unusual; she had to talk people into it. How times have delightfully changed (for phones too).

I do not imagine that Fleming was inspired by glove compartment Rolos, but this tart gets the idea of them so right, including a bittersweet chocolate ganache on tart, which reins in the sweetness of what is basically a fork-and-knife vehicle for very good caramel. The tart base is wonderful; it tastes like a good chocolate cookie. And the mess? At her restaurants, Fleming serves this as small single-serving tarts that hold everything in neatly. But I find that even made in a larger pan, you have about a minute after you slice the tart before the caramel escapes, more than enough time to get it to your plate where it is yours and yours alone to enjoy, as it should be.

* Not to toot my own horn too much, but there’s a Smitten Kitchen recipe in there too (Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats) and another one in the bonus packet of recipes they couldn’t fit in the book but wanted to (Gooey Cinnamon Squares, from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, a mashup of snickerdoodles and gooey butter cake).

Previously

One year ago: Dutch Apple Pie Two years ago: Chocolate Caramel Crunch Almonds + New Kitchen Favorites Three years ago: Date Breakfast Squares, Parsley Pecorino Biscuits and Potato Kugel Four years ago: Cranberry Pie with Thick Pecan Crumble and Twice-Baked Potatoes with Kale Five years ago: Cigarettes Russes Cookies Six years ago: Cauliflower-Feta Fritters with Pomegranate and Cashew Butter Balls Seven years ago: Nutmeg Maple Butter Cookies Eight years ago: Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms Nine years ago: Cappucino Fudge Cheesecake and Balsamic-Braised Brussels with Pancetta Ten years ago: Cauliflower Gratin, Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust and Veselka’s Cabbage Soup and Brown Butter Brown Sugar Shorties Eleven years ago: Nutmeg Maple Cream Pie, Chile-Garlic Egg Noodles Twelve years ago: Jacked-Up Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Watermelon and Cucumber Salad 1.5 Years Ago: Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad and The Red and The Black 2.5 Years Ago: Almond-Rhubarb Picnic Bars, Cucumber Yogurt Raita Salad and Chicken Gyro Salad 3.5 Years Ago: Swirled Berry Yogurt Popsicles, Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes, and Pink Lemonade 4.5 Years Ago: Nancy’s Chopped Salad

Chocolate Caramel Tart

Servings: 8 to 12

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Source: Genius Desserts

Three things:

I know caramel can be scary to make but I beg you to try it anyway because it’s just cooked sugar. That’s it. Repeat this to yourself as needed. You don’t need a thermometer. Fleming doesn’t give a temperature goal; she’s trying to keep it simple. Look for an amber/light copper color and that’s it, you’re there. Don’t look for what I did above; I overcooked it. I used it anyway; it’s faintly bitter but nobody minds.

Someone gave me a gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma for Hanukah a few years ago, which led to me buying a bunch of things that nobody really needs but bring me great joy, such as a rectangular tart pan, so I used it here. It holds 75% of the volume of the recipe below, written for a standard (9.5/10-inch round) tart pan. If you have one and want to use it, just use 75% of every ingredient below and you’ll be set. Oh, and go ahead and use the whole egg yolk in the crust. It won’t cause problems.

Finally, this is not the recipe as Fleming wrote it; you can find her version in the book and throughout the web. I have a lazier way to make tart crusts that I prefer, and I’d be crazy not to tell you about it.

Crust

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (20 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel filling

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1/2 cup (120 grams) heavy cream

2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream

Pinch or two flaky sea salt

Ganache topping

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Fleming requests your “best quality”)

Pinch or two flaky sea salt

Make chocolate crust in a food processor: Pulse sugar, flour, and cocoa powder until mixed. Add butter and run the machine until it’s finely chopped and basically disappears into the dry mixture. Add yolk and vanilla and run the machine — not just pulse it — until the mixture begins to clump. It make take 30 seconds, but it will begin to form clumps.

Make chocolate crust in a stand mixer: In bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, flour, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. It’s going to be bumpy at first but keep letting the machine bang it up until it is softened, and keep beating until smooth. Scrape down sides. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix until blended. With this method, if the mixture feels too soft to press into a crust, wrap it in waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate it until mostly firm.

Press crust into bottom and up sides of a 9.5- to 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom (for easier release). Keep a quarter-sized ball of crust aside to patch cracks later, if needed. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze until solid, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Bake crust: Prick frozen crust with a fork, coat a piece of foil with nonstick spray, and press it oiled-side-down tightly against the frozen crust, so it is fully molded to the shape. Bake tart with foil (no pie weights needed) for 15 minutes, then carefully, gently, a little at a time, peel back foil and discard. If cracks have form, this is when you patch them with reserved dough. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes more, until pastry looks dry and set. Let cool on a rack while you make the caramel.

Make caramel: In a large saucepan with a light-colored interior (this will make it easier to see the caramel’s color), combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup, then turn heat to medium-high. Cook undisturbed (no stirring needed, just tilt and swirl the pan if it looks uneven but really this shouldn’t be very necessary) until the sugar takes on an amber or pale copper color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the butter — it’s going to boil up and steam, be careful — until melted, then the cream and creme fraiche or sour cream and a couple pinches of salt, until smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Let caramel set in the fridge until cool and firm, about an hour.

Make ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and bring cream to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour it over cooled caramel layer, spreading evenly with a spatula or butter knife. Let set in the fridge, another hour, or until firm to the touch.

To serve: Sprinkle the top of the tart with flaky sea salt. A knife dipped in hot water cuts fairly cleanly, but slices will become messy within a minute of being cut, so try to get them to their plates quickly.

To store leftovers: Fleming recommends doing so at room temperature, but I think it makes things too messy. Spray two small strips of foil with nonstick spray and press them against the cut/open sides of the tart and wrap them tight; this will keep it from spilling out in the fridge. Tart should keep in the fridge for a week, not that I believe it will.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/12/chocolate-caramel-tart/

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jeninthegarden · 5 years

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2019 Seed List

Yes, I already bought everything. No dithering this year. But the seed catalogues keep coming. Must resist buying anything more.

I feel like this is a very modest seed list compared to some years. It feels plausible, and sufficient. Okay, I got a little crazy with the broccoli. But otherwise I feel I was very restrained. I did not buy any herb or flower seeds because I usually just pick those up as plants in the local nursery.

Legumes:

Peas – “Lincoln”, from Park Seed is a standard, heat tolerant, high yielding pea variety I have grown before and saved seeds for five years successively. Park Seed’s “Sugar Sprint” is an extra early, extended harvest variety that can be planted spring and fall.

Runner beans- So, I have successfully grown scarlet and emperor runner beans which are red flowering. And I have grown painted lady which is candycane stripe flowering, but this time I am trying a hybrid white flowering from Park Seeds called “Stardust” – “a cross of a succulent, tender French dwarf bean with a robust, vigorous runner! The result of many years of breeding, Stardust delivers generous yields of huge, delectable foot-long pods on handsome climbing plants.”

Bush beans- Park Seed’s “Velour” is a compact, bush-habit plant, very heavy-bearing bright purple, stringless pods over a long season.

Fruits:

Tomatoes – Going with Park Seeds because they offer smaller seed packs so you can grow a greater variety: Black Krim, Big Rainbow, Mortgage Lifter, Purple Cherokee, San Marzano paste, Giant paste

Corn – Why? It never works out. But I cannot resist the 3 sisters method of planting corn beans and squash together. So this year I am trying Burpee’s Maple Candy sweet corn. I don’t have high expectations about producing muck corn, but, the beans need something to climb so why not.

Eggplant – Hold my horses! I get fixated on all the different types of eggplant I could grow BUT: the Thai green and berry, Louisiana long green and Indian brown need more heat than we get; the Turkish orange variety are too bitter; the Israeli baladi purse eggplant don’t germinate well; the ghost white are bland, as are the rose pink. I need to grow standard black for roasting, and Japanese long for stir fry and grilling. So I am going with a Terratorial Seed’s traditional Italian black eggplant that fruits prolifically over 3 months, and the “millionaire” variety that is a long, black Japanese variety.

Pepper – I’m just really over bell peppers. Last year they were copious but got sunburned and rotted because I just didn’t pick them. I find myself buying bags of small, sweet red and yellow peppers, so maybe I will try growing small sweet mixes. I am going to try some hybrid sweet/hot varieties. Mix/match 3 pack of plants: sweet/spicy jalapeno, sweet/smoky cayenne, and sweet/fruity habanero from Burpee.

Zucchini – one zucchini plant will feed a family of four for a year. Everyone fixates on baby zucchinis and despises the baseball bat sized. I really love eating the blossoms, but since I bought the vegetable spiral cutter, I find that a nice, midsized (10 inches long and 3 inches diameter) zucchini has starchier flesh and makes superior vegetable noodles either spiral cut like spaghetti or thin sliced ribbons for lasagna or raviolis. They also make much creamier zucchini fries. Burpee fordhook heirloom is an excellent staple, but the Burpee’s Sure Thing variety really does well with less sun, and is very resistant to powdery mildew so I’m going with that one.

Cucumber-these are like peas, there are never enough of them. They make wonderful pickles, salads, soups, cocktails. They taste great with lemon, watermelon, cabbage, vodka, lemonade, tomatoes, salt, sugar, sour cream, onions, feta cheese, smoked salmon, crab, and caviar. This year I am trying Territorial Seed’s “Bushy” pickling gerkin because it is early fruiting and compact bush vining to save space.

Melon- need something that will grow fast. I can’t trust the summer to be hot enough long enough, so I focus on varieties that grow in the northern plains or Canada. However, Burpee has developed a cantaloupe they say is mango-flavored, so I’m going to give it a try.

Pumpkin- I am beyond jack-o-lanterns. I really want to grow pumpkins I can eat. They are so healthy for you and you get more meat per fruit than you do from sweet potatoes. Roast pumpkin like squash (it IS squash), dice it into wild rice pilaf, mash it like sweet potato, mix it into bread, pasta, pancakes, waffles. I am going with Burpee’s Cherokee bush pumpkin – shorter vines and more pumpkins, dry, yellow meat good for baking. (But I still have some Dill's Altantic Giant seeds left from last year and it would be a shame not to plant them...)

Squash: I know the bush pumpkins and bushy cucumbers, and the mango melons are good enough for the three sisters planting, but I really like delecata squash so I am going to try Territorial Seed’s “Honeybush” which is a little larger and more tan color than a standard delecata.

Okra – Burpee’s “Okra Go Big”, I have recently learned that I really like okra blistered and dipped in chili salt and humus. And, a member of the local garden club grew two big bushes of it last season. This is a seven foot tall bush okra, so I’m jumping into the first attempt at growing okra in a big way.

Roots:

Radish- why, why try again? I am obsessed with the giant varieties I have tasted at the farmer’s market. Black Spanish radishes stuffed with clams oreganata, watermelon daikon thin sliced and wrapped like mini tacos around roast duck. I have selected Territorial Seed’s Watermelon daikon (very crisp, large and sweet) and Spanish black radish (very large, firm and spicy like horseradish).

Beets- they are such a staple, so versatile, but taste so good with goat cheese. I also like them pickled. One of my biggest mistakes with beets is that I don’t thin them ruthlessly enough, even though I really like the greens. (Um, so how about planting tape, Jen? Nah, too complicated. Um, they sell it with the seeds already stuck to it at the right intervals, Jen…Nope, not doing it.) So this year I have chosen Territorial Seed’s cylindrical beets because they are more carrot shaped and don’t need to be thinned as much.

Turnip- they are soooo delicious pickled I like them better than pickles. They can also be mashed like mashed potatoes, with horseradish and scallions. But I get a little crazed about the tops, because those are really tasty too. So this year I am being very extravagant and growing both Park Seed’s standard purple top white globe which is a national standard turnip grown in spring or fall and Park Seed’s Alamo hybrid that produce big greens with rapid regrowth for multiple harvests, and is bolt resistant.

Carrot- we eat lots of carrots. I have to say the yellow varieties are really the sweetest. But Dan likes the heavy orange stew carrots for cooking. So I’m going with Park Seed’s rainbow mix, six inch regular season carrots and Park Seed’s sow all season big Nantes type orange carrot

Not going to try celeriac again. And I am not growing rutabaga either. The burdock went to seed last fall so that is already sown – I am not growing it, but I will certainly harvest it. I might transplant some to the new bed by the west wall since it is a weed and I don’t care if the deer eat it. Similarly, I have salsify and scorzonera seeds left over, and they are actually perennials that bloom, so I might plant them in clumps by the west wall.

Potatoes- a root? Not really (not according to crop rotation charts), but it grows below ground, or it should. I’ve been dithering about with grow buckets the last 4 years with limited success while they’ve been thriving in random spots where they’ve been composted, so this year they go back in the ground. I like the purple potatoes best, but I’m going to do the red white and blue mix: Yukon gold, Colorado Red and Purple Viking.

Greens:

Orach: deep magenta, slightly velvety, spade shaped leaves on an 18 inch stalk. It tastes like spinach but takes up less space and looks stunning in salad.

Claytonia: It is a succulent green that looks like a bouquet of little lily pads. “This annual green is high in vitamin C, and native to many moist areas of the country. The leaves are rather heart-shaped, and provide a substantial addition to salads and sandwiches. Probably the most cold tolerant of the greens, Miner's Lettuce will grow year-round in the cloche, greenhouse, or even unprotected in the maritime Northwest. Quickly regrows after harvest.”

Lettuce: romaine lettuce, of course. But I saw a lovely pale pink variety in the store and I can’t find seeds anywhere, so I am going with a good sturdy standard from Territorial Seed, “Winter Density” early growing, compact but round head – not the “Eiffle Tower” tall and pointy stull you buy in the store.

Escarole: My new favorite green for braising and for making green crisp chips. I’ve stopped throwing it into soup and started cooking it as a side dish. It is also nice in stuffed pork chops, or wrapped around chicken breast. Park Seeds has a tight, lettuce head looking escarole that is thick steamed but compact and space saving.

Chard: Burpee’s “Bright Lights” rainbow colored chard. Again, the fordhook is very good and reliable, but I like the colored variety better.

Arugula: standard roquette, large, round heading plant, fully flavor, cold hardy. Nothing fancy about this one. It goes to seed, prolifically in the fall, but also winters over for a second year. And I’ll be able to save seeds and replant for several years.

Spinach: Burpee’s Space hybrid is a 3 season spinach that is long growing and slow bolting.

Brassica:

Cabbage: I love cabbages. I get poetic about them. The chickens love cabbages too. This year I am focused on something that will “hold in the field” through the fall. So this year I am planting Territorial Seed’s “January King” green, slightly flattened with burgundy markings on the wrapper leaves of 3-5 pound heads.

Portuguese kale: Tronchuda Beira from Burpee is enormous with 24 inch leaves, and sweeter than most kale. Very heat tolerant.

Cauliflower: looking for the earliest harvesting type of white cauliflower. The orange cauliflower tastes like squash and the purple variety like beets. I want just plain white, small, numerous heads. Going with Territorial Seed’s “Snow Crown”. “Always mild and sweet. Its hybrid vigor and rapid growth make it one of the easiest to grow of all early cauliflower varieties. It forms fully domed curds in heads 7-8 inches across, weighing 1-2 pounds. This variety maintains its prime eating quality for up to 10 days in the garden. May manifest a delicate pink blush when maturing in the hotter parts of summer.”

Collards: Portuguese kale looks a lot like collards, but collards taste like collards and are much cold hardier. So I am focusing on collards that are really late maturing, so they won’t overlap with the Portuguese kale. Territorial Seeds “Flash” is fast growing and re-growing, and a little more compact and upright to withstand snow. We’ll see if we can grow it early and late.

Broccoli: Again, somebody hold my horses! I’m going overboard on the broccoli. Trying Territorial Seed’s three hybrid sprouting broccolis for 4 seasons of this vegetable-

Spring/Summer: Aspabroc: “This gourmet quality baby broccoli or broccolini produces tender, delicious, elongated stems topped with small, domed, 2 1/2 inch florets. After the initial central stem is cut, the plants continue developing side shoots for repeated cuttings. Aspabroc has a nice, upright habit that lends itself to tight plantings.”

Summer/Fall: Rudolph: “Enjoy fresh broccoli for the December holidays with this winter sprouting variety. Rudolph is an English favorite because it is ready for harvest long before the other sprouting broccoli. Can be planted in mid-July, to produce an abundance of full flavored spears by mid-December.”

Fall/Winter: Rioja: “Bred to overwinter and slide into a late February to March harvest window when fresh food from the garden is scarce. A productive, bright purple sprouting broccoli. Vigorous plants reach about 24-28 inches tall with easy-to-pick heads.”

And, because they seem to go with the brassicas in planting rotations, the alums.

Leek: Have to have leeks for the Leeky Dance. Going with the standard “Lancelot” from Territorial Seed.

Onion: The gourmet mix of red and white Cipollini onions, from Territorial Seed.

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jenguerrero · 6 years

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Is there anything more wonderful when it’s cold outside than a nice hot bowl of soup?! I found the most amazing soup book, Soup: The Ultimate Book of Soups and Stews! It really is the be-all and end-all encyclopedia of soup. If you love soup, you need this. It has everything. It’s got easy peasy soups for kitchen newbies and fabulous gourmet soups for when you want to stretch your culinary muscle. The recipes are perfection.

The book itself is tremendously giftable. The cover and paper quality are fabulous. There’s three placeholder ribbons and metallic stitches in the binding that add to the decadent feel. It’s nice and heavy. There aren’t pictures for all the dishes, but the ones included have a lovely artistic flair.

I wish I would have had this book as a young mother. Soup used to be my cheat card with the kids. They smiled at soup bowls and didn’t scrutinize individual ingredients like on a regular plate. They’re teenage foodies now and loved everything in here. I’ll give you a little preview of what’s in it with my thoughts and pictures of the recipes we tried, but first, let me share with you the best french onion soup I’ve ever had. A big thanks to Cider Mill Press for letting me share it with you!

French Onion Soup

Yield: 4 servings Active time: 30 minutes/Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Should you only make one recipe from this book, let it be this one. I’ve yet to meet someone who dislikes this soup.

Ingredients: 5 onions, 1 halved, the remaining 4 sliced very thin 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil ½ cup sherry 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons thyme, chopped 8 cups chicken stock Salt and pepper, to taste 4 slices of sourdough bread 1 ½ cups gruyere cheese, grated

1. Place the halved onion over an open flame and char. Set aside. <It’s not mentioned again. I sliced it and added it with the other onions in the next step. ~Jen

2. Place the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining onions and cook on the lowest setting for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Stir the onions every few minutes and add small amounts of water when the onions begin to stick.

3. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until liquid has been reduced by half.

4. Add the thyme and stock and cook until reduced by half.

5. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to its broiler setting.

6. Season the soup with salt and pepper and pour into ceramic bowls.

7. Cover with a slice of sourdough bread and the cheese. Place bowls on the oven’s top rack and cook until the cheese is melted.

Continuing my review…..

Soup: The Ultimate Book of Soups and Stews By Derek Bissonnette Edition: Hardcover

1) Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Soup with Fall Spiced Cream – p 220. This is the perfect fall soup. The title could go either way, but this is definitely a savory soup. We loved the crispy fried squash garnish. 2-3) Pork and Crab Wonton Soup – p 149. The flavor on this is to die for. I made a lot more wontons to use up the wrappers, so there’s extra in the soup and I froze the rest for the kids to toss in boiling broth for 5 minutes before tossing into their lunchboxes.

4) Swedish Meatball Soup – p 427. Wow. Great soup. There’s only a small amount of heavy cream in the soup, so it really is a combination of Swedish meatballs and gravy with soup. If you love Swedish meatballs, you will adore this one. The kids finished all of the extra soup in the pot right away. 5) Chilled Strawberry and Tomato Gazpacho with Roasted Strawberries – p 664. Divine. This is very much a savory tone. The strawberries add a sweetness in the background and amplify the tomato-y-ness of the tomatoes. The garlic flavor is very much there. If you don’t care for pops of raw garlic, you may want to use a few roasted garlic cloves instead. 6) French Onion Soup – p 238. The author says, “Should you only make one recipe from this book, let it be this one. I’ve yet to meet someone who dislikes this soup.” So I had to try it. Amazing soup! Hauntingly good. The table was quiet. This was the only one I found a typo in. You char one onion over an open flame and set aside. It doesn’t come up again in the instructions, so I let it cool, and sliced it thinly like the rest of the onions and added it along with them. 7) Rocky Mountain Chili – p 345 and Cornbread – p 367. Delicious, very mild chili on the healthy end of the chili spectrum. There’s ground turkey, 3 kinds of beans, and 3 layers of tomato (fresh, sauce, and paste) in the chili. The cornbread is very sweet with a fluffy moist texture. I gave it a quick blip under the broiler for a second to color the top at the end. 8) Old Fashioned Chicken Broth and Dumpling Soup – p 145. It’s exactly as the title promises. It is total comfort food. 9) Hot Chocolate Coconut Soup with Bruleed Bananas – p 695. Great dessert. It’s got a very rich, full chocolate flavor and it’s barely sweet. It’s hard to get the bananas to stand up. Lol!

I’m not even beginning to make a dent in the range here, but here are some others I have flagged to try: Homemade Meatballs and Conchiglie Pasta Soup – p 126 * Pork Teriyaki and Red Miso Ramen – p 151 * Portobello Mushroom Ravioli in Beet Soup – p 156 * Pot Sticker Broth – p 158 * Thai Coconut Broth with Lobster Wontons – p 170 * Avgolemono with Orzo Salad – p 174 * Chili Tortilla Soup – p 181 * Broccoli and Cheddar Soup with Parmesan Crisps – p 195 * Broccoli and Stilton Soup – p 196 * Caldo Verde Soup with Paprika Oil – p 199 * Caramelized Onion Soup with Baked Herb Croutons – p 205 * Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Curried Cauliflower Florets – p 225 * Eggplant and Zucchini Soup with Tzatziki, Mint-Pickled Cucumbers, and Pita Bread – p 230 * Mexican Sweet Roasted Garlic Soup – p 246 * Miso Broth with Fried Tofu – p 249 * Roasted Pumpkin Mole Soup – p 256 * Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup with Rosemary Crackers – p 257 * Sweet Potato Soup – p 268 * Watercress and Buttermilk Soup with Poppy Seed Yogurt – p 280 * Rutabaga and Fig Soup with Honey-Roasted Figs and Barbequed Chickpeas – p 293 * Cashew Soup – p 303 * Russian Pea and Barley Soup with Simple Country-Style Bread – p 328 * African Peanut Soup – p 337 * Chicken Chili – p 354 * Walnut Soup with Chive and Shallot Oil – p 356 * Butternut Squash, Quinoa, and Chicken Soup – p 359 * Chili Con Carne – p 363 * Mexican Beef Chili with Nachos – p 375 * Hungarian Goulash with Cucumber Salad – p 387 * Beef, Barley, and Portobello Mushroom Soup – p 393 * Chili Verde – p 415 * Indian Mulligatawny Lamb Soup – p 439 * Irish Country Soup with Soda Bread – p 472 * Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo – p 480 * Southwestern Chicken Soup – p 525 * Velvety Chicken and Chestnut Soup – p 529 * Coconut and Chicken Curry Soup with Naan – p 531 * Seafood and Sausage Gumbo – p 549 * Bouillabaisse – p 574 * New England Clam Chowder – p 582 * Crab Bisque with Caviar Crème Fraiche – p 590 * Crab and Oyster Gumbo – p 635 * Chilled Canteloupe and Ginger Soup with Champagne Espuma – p 646 * Chilled Cherry Soup with Brioche French Toast – p 677 * Chilled Rhubarb Champagne Soup with Lemon Poppy Seed Marscapone – p 679 * Strawberry Consomme with Cardamom Buttermilk Panna Cotta and Scottish Shortbread – p 683 * Acorn Squash Soup with Fennel Salad – p 719 * Chilled Honeydew Melon Soup with Crispy Prosciutto di Parma – p 720 * Cream of Tomato with Sourdough Garlic Bread – p 723

*I received a copy to explore and share my thoughts.

Need that book? I’m an Amazon affiliate. Any time you use one of my links to make a purchase, Amazon gives me a tiny percentage. Thank you!

Soup

Derek Bissonnette’s French Onion Soup recipe and Cookbook review: Soup: The Ultimate Book of Soups and Stews Is there anything more wonderful when it's cold outside than a nice hot bowl of soup?! I found the most amazing soup book, …

#book #cheese #cook #cookbook #Derek Bissonnette #French #Jennifer Guerrero #JenniferGuerrero #onion #recipe #review #soup

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radiant-silver-gal · 7 years

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how i cook

So, I certainly consider cooking a creative endeavor. And my roommate keeps mentioning me when people talk about going vegetarian, not to mention I occasionally see such inquiries myself. So I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, and I suppose I feel this is the most appropriate place to put it all down. I was raised vegetarian by my parents and have never really cooked meat in my life. I spent a few years sometimes eating meat when at friends’ places or at restaurants, but I eventually decided I wasn’t that into it and became more invested in ethical/environmental concerns. So now I’m pretty eager to help people be vegetarian/vegan if they want, though I really hate feeling like I’m pressuring people.

Anyway, as far as cooking goes, I don’t really follow recipes closely (unless I’m, like, baking, obviously); it’s more like, I have certain habits for how to do things and it’s really easy to adapt pretty much anything made out of vegetables and stuff to them. So, sorry if this comes off as pretty vague, I hope it still maybe helps? You can skip to Part 3 if you just want to see me talk about specific things I make.

Part 1: A few things I use all the time and pretty much can’t live without

Pressure cooker: basically you could look at this as “only” letting you cook dried beans in about an hour without soaking first (though, aside from black beans from what I know, it still doesn’t hurt), but if you’re like me and not very good at planning far ahead that’s pretty huge. My mom will just throw a bunch of stuff in and blast the whole thing until it turns into soup, though this will make your vegetables super soft and requires a much larger pot. I have a small one (4 quarts maybe?) and just cook all my other stuff in parallel so I can pour the beans in at the end. There’s also Instant Pots, which...I’ve never used, so I have no real input on this, sorry. I know a lot of people who love them.

Other pans/pots: we have a couple small saucepans I usually cook rice and leftovers in (we don’t have a microwave or a rice cooker...there’s no space), plus there’s a big stock pot I use for soups (and cooking noodles) and a large skillet for stirfries and stuff.

Rice: I know lots of people don’t like brown rice and it’s one of those things I prefer because I was raised on it, but I really like the flavor and think it complements things well. Regardless it’s easy to cook and a pretty inexpensive staple; I think I buy bags for like $2.50 that last like 5-6 meals for two of us? I usually do about 1 cup per dinner, and will roll over leftovers. Since we usually get two dinners out of stuff I end up doing 2-2.5 cups with most full preparations. Rice cookers are very nice to have but I kinda accidentally made it a year without one.

I’m glad I have it now though.

Garlic and Onions: I don’t care what a recipe says, I pretty much always put both of these in everything. A garlic press is very handy to have, but like many things that haven’t always existed, not absolutely necessary. You can take a kinda big flattish knife and crush the garlic pieces with the side before cutting them up to still get great results.

Canned tomatoes: Super useful base for all kinds of soups and sauces, etc. I make spaghetti sauce all the time starting with canned tomatoes (though obviously fresh ones are really nice when they’re plentiful in the fall).

Stuff I use a lot but would probably consider not strictly necessary: broth (I like “Better than Boullion” brand pastes, both the vegetable broth and the one that imitates chicken stock; it mixes with water you’re already using so a ~$5 jar will go much further than cans/boxed broth too. I probably use too much and a jar still lasts me a few months), and soy sauce (my family basically just straight up uses San-J brand instead of salt in almost everything, even scrambled eggs. It’s not super cheap and may be hard to find but it’s just something I’ve gotten too used to to live without. I would not buy any kind that has sugar in it for primary use, though more than anything that’s because it weirds me out I guess)

“Meat substitutes” - I kind of hate this term since most of the stuff I actually use is not actually like meat in any real way. I guess it works for some people but since I never liked it too much in the first place I don’t need it. The main exception is the Field Roast brand sausages: the Chipotle one in particular is a great combination that’s amazingly delicious with eggs and useful any time you want some smoky spice and that kind of protein texture together. But even then I tend to stick with seitan (I think the texture is great, and apparently you can make it yourself cheaply and without too much trouble, but I haven’t tried myself. But it’s important to note that it’s also made of gluten.) and tofu (a Vietnamese grocery I like in Denver sells it cheap, fresh-made and pressed. I wish so badly I still lived near it, if you can find something like that where you live it’s unbeatable). I also like tempeh a lot, but it’s on the expensive side by weight and considerably weirder in appearance, texture and taste. Definitely worth a try if you’re curious or other options don’t work well for you, though.

Part 2. General methods

Pretty much everything I do starts with an appropriate pan and sauteing onions and garlic. There’s a bunch of reasons to do this, but basically it’s also easiest because you can mostly leave the onions alone for a few minutes while you keep working on the other vegetables without worrying about anything bad happening. For the most part a good approximation of what should cook longest is what’s hardest to cut, so roots like potatoes/sweet potatoes/carrots should probably go into whatever you’re making before things like zucchini or peppers. The big exception is eggplant, which you pretty much always want to cook as long as you possibly can. (There are other things you can do to make up for this, but again, I’m too lazy for them.)

Now, in the end, if you’re making soup or something you don’t have to stress too much about this since most things can just simmer for quite a while without getting messed up; you mostly want to watch out for certain green things like chard/kale/spinach leaves or broccoli florets which can definitely start to become less appealing if overcooked. With greens you should cut out most of the stem (unless they’re like baby greens where that part is already going to be soft) and cook it with the other vegetables, then put in the leaves when you’re almost done because they’ll wilt the way you want so quickly.

Most things I make have rice, pasta, or beans, so like I said I’ll usually cook those on the side and combine when everything is done individually. I don’t think there’s too much to be said about that. Overall this is stuff I don’t even think about much so if these explanations are too vague I’m sorry, maybe just ask me for more clarification?

Basically in general I estimate how much of an ingredient to get/use based on like...sort of arbitrary assessments of how big my pans are, how much I think we’ll eat, etc. Stuff like canned tomatoes come in fixed amounts obviously, so there’s less worrying about that. For my purposes I almost always use large ones (~30oz in america) because I cook a fair amount of food at once.

Part 3: These Aren’t Recipes Because I Just Do Whatever I Feel Like

Ok, so here’s some stuff I either do or used to cook often. Going to kind of break it down by vegetables, seasonings, and other stuff (like rice or beans that I cook on the side), which will hopefully make it easy to read? Like I said this is all very loose when I do it, so if you don’t have exactly everything, want to try other stuff, it’s obviously not a big deal. Again, unless otherwise mentioned I usually put onions, salt/soysauce and garlic in everything.

Quick/low effort:

Spaghetti sauce:

Side cooking: whatever kind of pasta you want, obviously. You can do up garlic bread too if you like. One 1lb package goes with one can of tomatoes, much like my mom always did with jars.

Main ingredients: tomatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, roasted red pepper, zucchini

Seasonings: oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme. Sugar if it turns out too acidic or something.

Notes: obviously if you’ve bought spaghetti sauce before you know there are SO MANY different kinds, so I basically never even put in everything I listed here at once and you should definitely try stuff to see what you like. I tend to stick with safe/traditional picks but I’ll often throw in some capers and hot pepper to mix it up some. Also if you aren’t restricted on dairy, adding some cream will really make everything a lot richer, my family loves it when I do that.

Shakshuka: ok, there actually is a recipe here which was my original inspiration: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/shakshuka/

Of course, I don’t follow it particularly closely at this point since I hate measuring stuff. Also, get some latex gloves or similar if you’re going to be seeding the peppers (I only do it for this, because in general I like everything really spicy), since it can take a couple days for the risk of accidentally burning yourself to wear off when you’re scraping out all the really hot parts. (If you just cut the peppers up, it’s still not a bad idea, but you’re in a lot less danger either way.)

Tabbouli: (to go with Mediterranean food like hummus, baba ganoush, pita, etc. Which you can mostly prepare yourself but obviously turns the whole meal into a lot more work.)

Side cooking: 2 cups of bulgur wheat. (This arguably makes quite a lot. But we eat a lot. My mom uses quinoa but I don’t like it for many reasons and it’s much more expensive.)

Main ingredients: onion, celery, fresh tomatoes, parsley, mint.

Seasonings: Olive oil, lemon juice.

Notes: the bulgur is the only thing you really cook, though it’s nice to put in the onions while it’s still hot so they soften up a bit. (You can dump the rest in too if you’re in a rush, but if you have a chance to wait a bit it’ll be a little fresher overall.)

Risi bisi: so I guess this is really supposed to be more of a risotto thing, but that’s what my mom calls this anyway. I learned to cook from her and she shortcuts even more than I do. This isn’t anything fancy, just one of her big fallbacks when she has like <45 minutes to make dinner because you really barely have to do anything if you have the ingredients ready to go. I do it occasionally, especially if I’m eating alone since I hate putting *any* effort in if no one else is gonna eat

Ingredients: you basically just pressure cook split peas and rice (similar amounts, with 3 cups of water per cup of split peas and 2 per cup of rice) for about 12 minutes with an onion. and maybe celery if you have some/want to. Right before serving you put frozen peas in, you don’t want them to get really cooked though.

Seasonings: Garlic. Optionally: broth, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley (add those last two at the end as well if you’re doing them)

Medium cooking time/prep effort:

Chili:

Side cooking: 2 cups beans. You can use whatever you want but I tend to focus on black beans, with maybe some kidney beans sometimes.

Main ingredients: Onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn (my roommate is allergic, so I usually use sweet potatoes instead. I think they’re also nice), seitan (I often don’t have this available since I can’t just get it on a whim though), zucchini (this is a great neutral vegetable for this)

Seasonings: Oregano, garlic, broth, cumin, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are things I basically always use.

Notes: This is way more “do whatever” than even the spaghetti sauce above. I pretty much try doing different things every time. Cinnamon and cloves are nice subtle flavors associated with Mexican food (but it’s easy to use too much and have them not be subtle anymore). Replacing some of the water with a nice beer gives a lot of interesting flavors. Tons of other seasonings are great in small amounts. You just really don’t want anything to be dominant, I think, the beans and tomatoes are already great on their own.

Stirfry:

Side cooking: Rice. or noodles.

Main ingredients: Onion, eggplant, tofu, broccoli, carrots, peppers, mushrooms (rehydrated shitake or button), asparagus, green beans, cabbage, spinach...whatever you like, honestly

Seasonings: so there’s a few different main ways I go with this. I pretty much always use garlic, ginger, and some chili sauce (maybe not much if you don’t like spicy foods). If I want to keep things basic I might throw on a bit of stuff like rice wine vinegar, miso, five spice, or vegetarian oyster sauce (we have a big bottle because it’s an ingredient in my roommate’s ramen recipe). My mom does a coconut curry thing that I also like sometimes, usually with yellow curry (but I keep meaning to try to make my own), thai basil, and coconut milk. It’s really great with noodles. You can also do a kind of peanut sauce thing with a lot of the same ingredients as above...it’s really open to messing with, which is obviously my style in the first place.

Potato leek soup:

Side cooking: none

Main ingredients: Onions/celery (sort of optional), potatoes, leeks, milk (or not, if you don’t do dairy. I think you could also use whatever substitute you like, but I haven’t ever myself. You can make it look and feel a little creamier by just blending a bit of it to mash up some of the potatoes as well.)

Seasonings: broth, black pepper, lemon juice.

Notes: ultimately pretty simple, potatoes just take a while to clean/cut/cook. Not really an entire meal on its own, nice to pair up with some other vegetables on the side (my family also likes doing meat substitutes with it, like the Apple Sage Field Roast sausages).

Hoppin’ John: this is another one my mom has a really lazy version of. I don’t do that though, I basically just go off of this recipe: http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2014/12/vegan-hoppin-john/

I like to put in some okra and kale when it’s available as well, and I’ll throw in a little basil because that’s what my mom does, but I follow that fairly closely (aside from not measuring stuff, haha).

Red beans and rice: pretty similar situation here, but I don’t have a main recipe in the same way. This (and the hoppin’ john) can be good targets for a slow cooker as well.

Side cooking: rice, and red beans (2 cups)

Main ingredients: onion, bell pepper, chipotle sausages (as above), celery

Seasoning: broth, garlic, oregano, vinegar, something smoky if the chipotle isn’t enough

Notes: this really doesn’t take very long aside from cooking the beans, so if you have some way around that part...

Ratatouille:

Side cooking: rice. or pasta, in which case this is basically spaghetti sauce with eggplant. eggplant still takes forever to cook.

Main ingredients: Onion, tomatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini

Seasonings: Garlic, oregano, garlic, basil, seriously tons of garlic, rosemary

Notes: I don’t know, this is also really straightforward. Also nice to let go in a slow cooker all day, you can leave the vegetable pieces bigger so they keep a bit more of their own flavor.

Feijoada: another one that my mom does a lot, I guess it’s based on Brazilian food. I love this a lot, basically the zenith of simple beans-and-rice-and-vegetable food that I’m pretty into. Anyway, this one’s a bit odd, because it’s three parts, but they’re each really easy individually and you only have to pay attention to one of them. I’m going to have to describe it differently than usual though. I usually want a big onion and can of tomatoes for this.

Beans: I cook a couple cups of black beans with a little less than half a (large) can of tomatoes, a little bit of onion, and some oregano/cumin. (Then salt them after they’re done, obviously). I put a bunch of smoked paprika in them last time, which i thought came out really delicious, but I’d still say that’s less important than the other two.

Rice: You can sautee some of the onion for this, but you don’t have to. Either way you’re basically putting in the rest of the tomatoes with some water to cook the rice in (add more or less the amount of water you need for the amount of rice you’re cooking). I don’t season this with much more than a bit more oregano (and salt, of course).

Chard (you can use other greens, but I think chard is the best by far since it’s just a little sweeter naturally): Basically, prepare the chard like I said above, sauteeing the stems with some onions, then cooking the leaves for just a few minutes to get them nice and soft. Once everything’s done you just pile it together on a bowl. We always eat this with oranges, which really complement the simple savory flavors.

More involved soups/stuff: basically things I don’t do too often since they involve a lot of cutting/prep followed by cooking time, but I really like. Much faster if you have more than one person working, and since most of the effort goes into preparing individual vegetables you can kind of just delegate with these, rather than coordinating some really complicated thing with a bunch of dishes.

Kima: basically a curry stew. We’ve always eaten this with pitas, I don’t really know what else you’d do.

Main ingredients: Onion, tomatoes, root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes; I’ll often go for other stuff like turnips, rutabaga, beets as well but not always. they’re all great here), celery, tofu or tempeh, peas

Seasoning: yellow curry powder, black pepper, maybe a bit of garam masala if you have it

Notes: pretty simple, you just cut everything up and let it simmer for a LONG time. Some stuff can take a really long time to get soft, but it does let the curry flavor really sink in. Again, peas go in at the end.

Minestrone soup:

Side cooking: ~1cup (or less) beans. I usually mix garbanzo and kidney beans, though there’s a bunch of good options

Main ingredients: Onion, small pasta, tomatoes, broccoli/cauliflower, carrots, celery, chard (or kale/spinach/other greens), bell peppers, zucchini, other squash, peas, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets with leaves, pretty much any mild-flavored vegetable you like, honestly...

Seasonings: broth, lots of garlic, basil/oregano/rosemary/thyme/parsley/black pepper

Notes: obviously I’ve never done all of those vegetables at once, and the seasoning is fairly open as well. Just get a good variety and go for it, it’s always good. You can cook pasta on the side but I honestly feel it makes the most sense to just stick it in about 10 minutes (or however long it will take to cook) before you’re ready to call it a wrap. (I guess if you’re a real stickler for presentation it’s best to cook it on the side and just put some in each bowl, but I’m way too lazy for that.) Peas and leaves go in after that, of course, they’ll help cool down a bit before serving.

Borscht: hearty Russian beet soup. My roommate wasn’t too fond of this but I do this with my parents pretty often. I always avoid wearing bright colors when cooking for obvious reasons, but it’s especially important here, because beets will bleed over everything (especially your hands! this is another good thing to have gloves for) if you let them.

Side cooking: not really anything

Main ingredients: Beets (cut off the leaves and then do them up like chard later), onions, carrots, celery, potatoes. That’s a short list compared to some of these, I know, but the beets take longer than everything else combined.

Seasonings: garlic, broth, dill.

Notes: again, pretty simple stuff where the prep is a lot of work and you really want to let it stew for a while. Plain yogurt is a popular accompaniment. Having some nice bread to go with it is just perfect, I think.

Part 4: Wrapping it up

So, I don’t know if this is going to be any use or not. Maybe it’s easier to just say “look up some recipes for stuff you want to make and think about how to use the ingredients in a way that suits your style” or something, since that’s a much simpler description of what I do. There are a lot more vegetarians and vegans out there than when I was young, and of course it’s easier to find information like that on the internet now. Odds are just about anything you can think of has dozens and dozens of adapted recipes at hand immediately, at least if you’re willing to play along with certain kinds of replacements or things that won’t ever quite be the same. In my case a lot of stuff takes way more work than I’m generally up for; I don’t really make desserts because it’s a ton of effort compared to the amount of food you’ll eat, for example, and I’ve only barely scratched the surface of stuff like bread baking. I’m not a professional chef or even a particularly dedicated hobbyist, just some girl who works all day and then has gotta fuckin’ eat after she gets home, you know? But I think there’s a lot of people out there like that, and so I’d really like everyone to be able to believe that cooking decent stuff for yourself really doesn’t have to be as difficult or as involved as, like, a cooking show or whatever.

#food #cooking

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anxietyfuckingsucks-blog1 · 7 years

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DIET&EXERCISE LOG

Start 2/2x/2017 211 lbs

***you NEED to do small exercises for a while before you start running and doing what you were once capable of. you have several injuries that were not taken care of properly because your parent(s) undermined the amount of pain you were in. that is NOT your fault, caitlin. take it easy on yourself and do NOT push yourself too far beyond your limits. you will build endurance. you will lose the weight. you WILL BE HEALTHY. you WILL run like you do in your dreams one day! don’t do something that will push that day farther away than it is currently:) take care of yourself. slow and steady wins the race.***

Go to your cousin if you need help! This is his career and he loves talking to you about your health as a whole. HE DOES NOT MIND. STOP BEING NERVOUS. He’s so personable and has never judged you, your weight, appearance, anything. Same with Meg! They love you, Caitlin. You are loved by everyone. There’s not a person who knows you that doesn’t love you.

GO TO THE DOCTOR IF YOU HURT YOURSELF. Get wraps, icy hot, ice packs. BE PREPARED.

Always stretch before exercise, and allow yourself that 10-15 minutes of walking before and after an exercise such as running, elliptical, etc.

TAKE VITAMINS OMG STOOOOP AVOIDING IT, SILLY! BUT GET THE ONES YOU LIKE AND THRIVE OFF OF!

chromium picolinate, ginseng, 150mg of coenzyme q10 in morning

rhodiola rosea essential oil**** drop a few drops of this in your tea morning and night, along with passionflower oil for bedtime tea

150 mg of coenzyme q10 before bed

Get a membership at the YMCA if you can! You’d LOVE it caitlin! LOVE IT! Swimming, yoga, basketball, a huge gym with everything in it??? UM FUCK YES! Sign me up please.

ELIMINATE SUGARY DRINKS, CANDY, TAKEOUT/FAST FOOD, JUNK FOOD IN GENERAL, FROZEN MEALS, AVOID CANNED FOOD IF YOU CAN, MAYO

***lose 15-20 lbs before you have “fuck it friday” allow yourself to eat out with jake or friends 2-3 times a month at absolute most.

SNACKS/MEALS THAT YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOURSELF:

trail mix. you love trail mix. trail mix trail mix trail mix all the way. so much trail mix. SO FUCKING MUCH MAKE A SHITTON OMG. pretzels, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, pecans, cranberries, coconut chips, white chocolate morsels, SO MANY THINGS...YOU COULD MAKE A FEW IN BULK!:’D

bags of organic/vegan candies like the ginger ones from marshalls.

oatmeal raisin cookies w/flax, gingersnaps, pumpkin/zuchinni chocolate chip cookies, diy coconut cookies like the girlscouts sell for asshole prices, apple pie oatmeal cookies, carrot cake cookies

make your own protein/granola bars! great for grabbing on the go:) peanut butter and chocolate drizzles over top? hm, yes.

banana bread, pumpkin bread, cranberry sweet/potato bread w/almonds on top, fig/date/walnut bread, orange+lemon zest bread with poppy seeds

make soups! you love butternut squash and asparagus soup.

make your own hummus holy hell. yes yes yes. roasted peppers and garlic. great for putting in a tin and throwing in some veggies.

you should really stay away from certain fruits and veggies. avoid starchy ones like potatoes. but make sweet potato fries or put some potatoes in a skillet and fry them up in some rosemary olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. you LOVE collard greens. make those more. you also love black olives. grab that shit. carrots, celery, broccoli, peas, tomatoes, spinach are all great. fruit is great..but it’s too high in sugar:( stick to bananas, apples, all berries, grapefruit, oranges, and treat yourself to something exotic from time to time! no shame in that, girl!

fish/chicken/lean meat. you really like those sardines/tuna, but try to go for fresh proteins like these. salmon is hella awesome. reward yourself with sushi sometimes and take it home!

make cornbean salad that mom makes. and zuchinni pancakes..pls. sooo good.

make your own pizza! so great for lunches. make a pie a week if you feel up to it! OR MINI ONES HOW FUCKING CUTE.

okay, so you actually really like salad. but try to limit that. the more salad you eat, the more you’re gonna crave actual food. try not to use just lettuce. you could eat spinach leaves like its no one business, same with a ton of other things. get some green leaves, and make your own salad! i think youd love a lemon and dill dressing:) or some sort of ginger soy. allow yourself that delicious dressing. add things to the salad if you want. dont make it so bland that you never want to eat it again. salads would be great 30+ mins before dinner. fills you up quicker.:)

monday should be a lighter day for you, caitlin. make a salad like you used to get in red robin minus the chicken. eggs, cheese, bacon crumbles, all in good portioning. **dessert night**

have taco/nacho tuesdays! make guac, salsa, pico de gala (or whatever tf it is ha) and go all out! that could be so healthy and so much fun!!

wednesday should be another lighter day for you. make a soup:) **dessert night**

turkey thursday. turkey meatballs, turkey hot dogs, turkey burgers, or a turkey din din...make it about turkey! OR CHICKEN.

fishy friday. try to get some sushi, make your own if you can! make a nice fish dish. any kind of seafood. treat yourself, caitlin.

saturday salad. make a salad for dinner! like a really cool one. like an iceberg wedge with a bunch of shit all over it. yessss. **dessert night**

sunday funday. idk just make some random shit for dinner. make it about the family. geared towards everyone. maybe this could be a burger night? we could have our own fuddruckers goin on haha. twist up the burgers/flavors...make some sweet, others savory, make sliders out of them. that would be cool!!!!

**DESSERT NIGHTS** ...oh my lawdddd. what can you have? froyo with candy on top, jello with whipped cream, or something you pick out at the store on this day:) LET YOURSELF EAT GIRL YOU DESERVE IT...just dont overdo it.

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