#I got pesto and dried tomatoes so it was tasty!

[shining-gem34]

||I am back but also tired from walking. Overall experience: could've been better. I didn't get to try some of the foods I wanted to try. It is expensive but I expected it at least. Parents were kind of reluctant to eat anything else so just walked around some more and left.

[pizza-pie-in-the-sky]

La Cantina Meyhane - Lahmacun and Arabic Pizza

Here you can read my thoughts and feelings about the restaurant we held our second meeting at - La Cantina Meyhane and the gluten-free, turkish pizzas!

~ Alex.

The restaurant we went to on January 2nd 2024, is La Cantina Meyhane, one special restaurant. It specialises in italian cuisine the same as other italian restaurants, however this one offers every position on the menu as gluten-free! It is therefore including of people who can't have gluten, as well as offers vegeterian and vegan options in there menu! About the location, it just great; so-called New Town located in the centre of Warsaw and it's really close to both metro and the bus stop!

Other than the classic pizza, the meal of the week was Lahmacun. It's a Turkish kind of pizza, which originates from Middle East - specifically from Levant region - but due to being highly popularized in Turkey, it's usually named and recognized as Turkish pizza. What's specific for this kind of pizza, is that it's not prepared with cheese and its crust is thinner. It is usually made with minced beef or lamb, minced with vegetables, and then herbs are added to it. it is usually eaten rolled up! Other than this pizza, we also tried another kind of turkish pizza - Pide Caprese!

As you can easily guess from the paragraph above, we made a good decision to order Lahmacun and Arabic pizza, as well as some classic choices: pizza e pistachio, focaccia, and capriciosa. Benath this paragraph, you can see the photo of us making these tough choices, haha (tough, because really, there were so many other, tasty-sounding options to pick from!):

The wait for the pizzas didn't feel long at all to me, when they were served it felt like it was right on time :). I was really impressed with the amount of food we ordered and how good it all looked. You can see it beneath, as well as us starting to eat the pizzas <3:

So finally, here are my thoughts about these special pizzas <3:

First, let's talk about the Turkish pizzas! The important thing to repeat here: they are just as gluten-free as other positions in the menu at this restaurant <3:

Lahmacun - this pizza had ingredients of beef filling with traditional spices, tomatoes, onions, parsley, and lemons. I found this pizza part spicy, part sour, sometimes sweet, and I did not expect it to be as dry as it was! It's a positive aspect of it, I found the taste of this pizza very specific, very interesting, and very tasty!

Pide caprese - oval pizza with ingredients such as tomato sauce, fior di latte, tomatoes, and basil pesto. It was not as dry as the first one felt to me, and the fresh tomatoes were delicious!!! I even caught myself wondering why am I finding this one so good… Well, it's obvious, haha! The tomatoes were sweet, the shape of the pizza itself made me happy, so I can openly say I fully enjoyed eating it <3.

Now, let's move to the classic gluten-free pizzas, that were just as good <3:

Pizza e pistachio - this pizza had ingredients of bacon, corn salad, a cheese I don't know anything about, buy which I think was delicious, and, obviously, pistachios! To be honest, I found the combination of the unidentified cheese and pistachios to be weirdly tasty, which went, suprisingly, extremely well for this pizza in my eyes, and is the reason why I think this one is my favourite!

Focaccia - I think we all know this one, I'd say it's one of the most basic pizzas to ever exist, but it still got me. It was a nice meal, a change of taste between the other pizzas, while also giving something special from its own ingredients combined together <3.

Capriciosa - the pizza with the ingredients of tomato sauce, fior di latte, ham, chorizo, eggs, dried tomatoes, mushrooms (champignons), and olives. I love the mix of mushrooms and ham, sue me, of course I loved it! And yes, again, the tomatoes of many kinds made this one ideal for me too, haha.*

This is what our table was like after we were done with these tasty-sounding (actually being, of course) options :3:

All in all, I'm happy to say this meeting was one of the most interesting ones yet! Sure, it was only the second restaurant, but I found it to be a curious case for me regarding all the pizza-related surprises and new experiences <3. So, I am ending this blog post thinking this meeting was a greatly positive one, and looking into our pizza-filled future with just as big optimism!

~ Alex.

*All ingredients come from the website of the restaurant.

[dontasktheradiodemon]

Post-Extermination Cleanup (1/17/2021)

Hey look it’s a chat log that has nothing to do with that event I’ve been logging for the past few weeks

Alastor helps dig out @usedhearts​ Sir Pentious’s airship after it got crushed during the annual extermination, and totally overexerts himself in an effort to show off. Sir Pentious gives Alastor a tour and plans what ship repairs are needed. They talk about their deaths, play a violin duet, and somehow manage to act incredibly gay without either one noticing the other one has a crush. “How incredibly gay?” you ask, and I answer: at one point they just start smelling each other’s perfume/body wash and neither one thinks this is weird. Radio waves interfere with gaydar.

usedhearts

🎩 I WAS PLANNING TO REPAIR THE WAREHOUSE SO THE SHIP WOULD NOT NEED TO BE MOVED AS IT IS REPAIRED!

🎩 BUT HERE IS THE LOCATION TO CLEAR AWAY THE DEBRIS! [location info lmao]

dontasktheradiodemon

🎶 Wonderful! Is now a good time for me to come over?

usedhearts

🎩 IT IS! I AM AT THE HOTEL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE THERE TO SEE YOU DO IT, SO COULD YOU COME GET ME FIRST?

🎩 I HAVE NOW REALIZED THAT DOING IT THAT WAS MAKES ME GIVING YOU THE LOCATION OVER THIS OBSOLETE! L-O-L

dontasktheradiodemon

🎶 Ha! Glad to have it anyway. I was actually just about to ask whether you were going to be there or if you were just going to trust me to clean off the debris unsupervised!

🎶 I’ll be right over! And I’ll bring brunch!

usedhearts

🎩 OH, YES, THANK YOU! I HAVEN'T EATEN YET TODAY!

🎩 I WILL AWAIT YOU WITH BAITED BREATH!

dontasktheradiodemon

🎶 And a hearty appetite, I hope!

🎶 And for my next magic trick, I’ll be silently appearing half a foot behind my audience! In three, two, one...

Alastor

Guess who is now, as promised, six inches behind Sir Pentious. And menacingly whispering “Ta-daaa~”

In order to get six inches behind Sir Pentious he had to position his feet to straddle Telly’s tail. It’s honestly not a very intimidating stance.

Sir Pentious

And there goes his hood in surprise! Even when he was expecting it, he was still done a startle.

"OH!" He laughed after, turning to see Alastor. "GOOD MORNING, ALASTOR!"

Alastor

Alastor comes *this close* to receiving a broken nose. Luckily, he was expecting the hood fwoop. "Good morning!"

For a split second he was desperately tempted to just lean forward, wrap his arms around Sir Pentious, and plop his chin down on his shoulder... but no, no doing that. Instead he stepped back and held up a box. "And here I am with brunch, as promised!"

Sir Pentious

Well, if Alastor wasn't, Telly would then! He turned around enough to be face to face and then hugged him, letting out a little snakey purr.

"It's good to see you, I missed you!" Was that weird to say? Friends missed on another right?

He pulled back and cleared his throat. "YES, WHAT'S ON THE MENU TODAY?"

Alastor

Oh! Okay. Hold on, he's going to melt into the hug. If he hugged back tightly enough it would crush the butterflies in his stomach right?

Apparently not, that *I missed you* made them multiply. "I missed you, too."

Stepping back felt like trying to rip his own arms off. Impressive enough that he succeeded, absolutely astounding that he did it without demonstrating any pain. "I hope you're not sick of eggs—I made a frittata! Just a lazy, simple thing, I'm afraid." This lazy, simple thing was stuffed with pesto chicken and two different kinds of cheese and even a tomato he'd shanked a man in an alley for in order to get it fresh. Never trust Alastor when he calls food simple.

It also, as it happened, had been *his* frittata, until suddenly he'd discovered an opportunity to pass it on to a snake who needed it more than him. He'd carefully trimmed off the part he'd already eaten in a way that disguised the fact that it wasn't a whole piece, devoured the scraps, and hurried over. He wasn't about to waste time making more food when he could just hand over the food he already had.

Sir Pentious

Oh his eyes are big! They are Big and Wibbly, as he stares at that frittata!

"It looks delicious! Oh, thank you, Alastor!" He took it, almost reverently, and sat on his coils to just....start eating right there. He's eating fast but somehow still savoring it! He's making some very happy snake noises, and when he finishes, he's coming back to give him another hug!

"It was delicious, thank you!" He pulled back, but ran his hand down Alastor's arm to hold his hand. "Did you get fresh tomato? It didn't taste dried!"

Alastor

"Any time!" Just look at him eat. Was the poor man starving? Maybe he should have made a new one, it would have been a little bigger. He was considering whether he could teleport in some toast when he got hugged again and forgot what he was thinking about.

"Er—yes! Straight from the living world, I think! Either that or there's a *very* good greenhouse hidden somewhere nearby, but it certainly tastes like mortal realm quality, doesn't it?"

Sir Pentious

"It did! It was so tasty, I haven't had a fresh tomato in--" He pauses and thinks, his face scrunching. "Well, I can't even remember when!" He laughs a bit.

"Did you want some tea-- or, rather, coffee? I know you don't like tea. I figured we might have a cup before we head to the warehouse?"

Alastor

"I've got something of a knack for tracking down the good ingredients! Most of them, anyway—I haven't scared up any tropical fruit for you yet, but I'm keeping my ear to the ground."

He waved off the offer, "Don't you worry, I'm taken care of!" He opened a portal and a handy travel mug dropped through—the coffee he'd been having with brunch. "But if you want to make yourself some tea before we go, I'm more than happy to wait!" He bowed with a dramatic flourish. "Today, I'm at your disposal, my good Sir."

Sir Pentious

Telly's eyes widened again at the sight of the mug. Oh, how convient! He laughed. "I sssee! Putting that french press to good use then?"

He went over to his hot plate, turning it on as he filled the kettle. "And here I was hoping that perhaps I could con you into trying some more tea." He giggled again.

Alastor

"I most certainly have! Let me tell you, it's kicked up the quality of my breakfast a notch or two!"

Alastor found a counter to lean against. "As I said, I'm at your disposal. If you want me to try some more tea..." he placed a hand over his heart gravely while a solemn military march played faintly, "then I'll endure this trial with quiet dignity and grace." His audience laughed at him. "Anyway, this coffee's got to last me the rest of the day!"

Sir Pentious

"Perhaps just one cup? I made this mix just recently and find it quite delicious, even without honey!" He hummed as he too leaned against the counter, waiting for the kettle to whistle. When it did, he poured the hot water into a prepared pot, and settled on his coils to wait. This pot, however, was clear glass, letting the petals and tea inside be seen, as well as how the water changed color.

"It's a blackberry jasmine tea, with a dash of sweet vanilla!"

Alastor

"Better make it a small cup, I don't want to waste your fancy tea if it turns out it isn't to my tastes." And he didn't think it would be, but he wasn't going to be so rude as to not even try it.

He watched the pot, fascinated by the gradual color change.

Sir Pentious

Telly seemed to know the perfect time to pour it-- probably from how often he made tea-- and poured a full cup for himself and only half of one for Alastor. He slid the cup and saucer over towards him-- the cups matched the pot, clear glass with gilded gold edges.

"I think you may like this, as it's more bold and bitter than some other teas I've made." He took a sip without adding anything and sighed happily.

Alastor

"Thank you!" He sipped it, then considered it in thoughtful silence. The invisible audience murmured among itself like judges debating an Olympic gymnast's score.

"Well—I don't think I'd pick it off the menu myself, but it's not bad," he finally said. "It tastes the way a flower garden smells! It suits you."

Sir Pentious

He smiled, taking another sip. "I try my best. I'll find a tea that you actually like yet!" Telly moved closer, sitting on his coils again.

"Alastor, may I ask you something? I'm curious."

Alastor

"If you don't, rest assured that the fault lies in the nature of tea itself and not in your diligent efforts."

He gave Sir Pentious his full attention. "By all means!"

Sir Pentious

If Alastor was expecting something profound, he'd be sorely disappointed. "Why do you like coffee?"

Alastor

A shrug. "I like the flavor!" If Telly was expecting something profound... "Plus, it helps me focus. Like adjusting a telescope's knobs to get the blurry edges of the moon to sharpen. But isn't that why most folks like their morning coffee?"

Sir Pentious

His tongue sticks out a moment and his head tilts. "Perhaps! Every time I drink something with caffeine in it, all it does is make my brain scream, which is why I avoid it!" He shrugs and 'stands', offering his arm to Alastor.

"Shall we head to the warehouse now, my good sir?" He smirked.

Alastor

"Just means you have to be sharp under your own efforts, doesn't it?"

He accepted the arm. "We shall! Shall we be traveling *my* way?" He held up his free hand, ready to open up a portal.

Sir Pentious

"Yes! Absolutely! I'm looking forward to going through one of these portals and not getting pummeled by a giant tentacle monster!" He laughed, thought the sound was a _little_ forced. Also his Scent for the day was also jasmine and blackberry. He was doing a matching thing.

Alastor

"There's going to be no pummeling on *my* watch." For a moment, his tone was unusually serious. "Today, the giant tentacle monster is going to be making up for sins against airships past."

He contemplated their route, then moved his arm from being linked with Sir Pentious's to wrapping around his waist. "Remember when you took me for a dive? You're going to want to get a grip on me that tight. And probably to keep your eyes closed. The view can be... nauseating."

Sir Pentious

Telly glanced down at his tail, the eyes that remained ever open. "That might be...difficult."

But his arm wrapped around Alastor's waist, and he pressed close to his side, his claws even going so far as the latch onto his coat. "Alright! I think I'm ready as I'll ever be!"

Alastor

"Can't blink them?" Tsk. "Well! Try not to look to hard!"

He resisted the urge to take a scenic route, mentally called for a portal, and tumbled them into it with a little push off the ground like kicking off from the side of a pool. For a moment, they twirled through a dimension of stale air and distant roiling shapes, dead eyes tracking their movement, cacophonous inhuman music playing from every direction—

And then they were out the exit portal. The experience lasted under two seconds. Take 1 point of psychic damage.

Sir Pentious

Just the small amount of time they were inside that....whatever it was, had Telly's mind reeling when they exited. He held tight to Alastor even after they were out, blinking owlishly and trying to keep his tea and frittata down. He took slow, deep breaths, and stilled the shaking in his limbs.

"W-well, you weren't kidding about that, were you?" He laughed, the sound weak, and he closed his eyes (on his face) a moment.

Alastor

"They're wonderful folks once you get to know them!" Not that that was much comfort right now.

Alastor was used to it, but he remembered the first times he'd glimpsed that dimension. He pulled Sir Pentious into a hug—physical grounding was probably good—and played the oldest popular song he could think of off the top of his head, "If I Ever Cease to Love." Hopefully Sir Pentious would recognize it from when he was alive—maybe—perhaps the song was too American?—but even if he didn't, it was still a sound far more familiarly human than the noise in the dimension they'd left behind.

Sir Pentious

He didn't recognize it, no, but it was comforting all the same. He stayed clinging to Alastor until the trembling subsided and the nausea faded. Telly took another few deep breaths as he slowly pulled away, though his hand moved to grip Alastor's shoulder.

He shook his head and then looked at the warehouse-- his expression soured instantly at it, half rubble with half his airship still trapped inside. His mind reeled at how much work it would take to fix it. He'd _just_ gotten it back in order, too...

"It's a pity that the angels didn't just....leave it be. I made sure all the Eggs weren't anywhere near it, that the area around it was empty and abandoned, but noooo, they still had to just...._destroy_ it." That was probably more venom in his voice than Alastor had ever heard-- a real, seething hatred.

Alastor

Alastor squeezed Sir Pentious's shoulder in turn. "What do the jailers care about breaking their prisoners' toys, especially when they're only coming into the prison to execute us?" He shook his head scornfully. "Do you know what all this senseless damage and destruction says? They're scared of what you can make. As they should be."

Sir Pentious

His tongue stuck out, and his face scrunched up as he surveyed it-- the Eggs hadn't noticed them yet, and they were still scrambling over the rubble, clearing it little by little. There were only about two dozen of them here, which probably said more about how many he'd need to replace than anything.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps it was simply collateral damage. I _tried_ not to advertise that this was were I was hiding my ship this year."

Alastor

"Well, if they're not scared, then they're stupid and ought to know better!" He laughed. "So! What's first? Get all the warehouse pieces off of all the ship pieces?"

Sir Pentious

"Yes, that seems best! Let me get the eggs off of the debris before you start." He moved a bit away from Alastor-- just so as not to make such a loud noise right by his ears-- and then put two fingers in his mouth to whistle. It was loud, sharp, and shrill, and the Eggs immediately stopped and turned, en mass, toward him-- before swarming towards him. They all babbled over on another and Telly sighed, hands on his hips.

"YES, YES, HUSH NOW! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, ALASTOR IS GOING TO CLEAR THE REST!"

They Eggs all turned in unison to stare at Alastor, half confused and half looking just Not Happy. "Mister Bossman?" One stage whispered to Pentious. "Are you sure about letting HIM help?"

Telly sighed and rolled his eyes (all of them). "I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO EXPLAIN MULTIVERSE THEORY TO EGGS. HE'S NOT THE MEAN ALASTOR, HE'S HERE TO HELP, NOW _MOVE!_"

He shooed them off to a clear area a small distance away, and the Eggs obeyed, though many still stared at Alastor as they wandered off.

Alastor

"Just tell them the mean one is Alastor Number One and I'm Alastor Number Two! They should get that—that's how the eggs work, isn't it?" He laughed and turned toward the ship.

He was going to regret having such a small breakfast *and* opening several portals and quick succession—he was well below peak energy even before he got started. Still, he had enough in him for some magical manual labor—he'd be starving at the end, but he'd still be on his feet. "This is going to take a bit of concentration, so I'll be back with you when the show's over. Play a round of cards or something."

He cracked his knuckles and surreptitiously jammed one claw into the palm of his hand. His eyes went wide and blank and filled with static as he connected his mind directly to his usual inhuman partner, and he got to work.

The tentacles dangling out of the massive portal above the airship looked slightly uncanny and unreal as they worked, but they didn't look nearly so mind-meltingly horrifying when framed by normal reality rather than the monster's home dimension. Alastor stood stock still for long minutes as he conducted the creature; the only parts of him that twitched were his arms and hands, moving as though he was puppeting a marionette or playing a piano. First the big pieces were picked up and tossed outside (or, occasionally, dragged into the portal for who-knew-what purpose); then the small ones, delicately plucked up and settled on the warehouse floor by the large suckers or the thin tips of tentacles.

Alastor didn't speak and didn't break his concentration for a moment until he felt the airship was sufficiently clean. Then he cut the connection. As the tentacles withdrew into the closing portal, his shoulders sagged and he stumbled a step back. That took more out of him than he'd anticipated. He didn't know when he'd last been connected to the monster for that long.

He turned toward Sir Pentious, trying not to let his fatigue show. "How's that?"

Sir Pentious

Telly watched with rapt attention-- not too the monster that had once destroyed his ship and was now cleaning and clearing the debris from it. No, he was focused on Alastor, watching ever twitch and movement-- and thus, caught the sagging. Instantly, he was at his side, a hand on his back and the other holding his arm. Telly's tail slithered around behind Alastor, gently bumping the back of his knees to try and get him to sit.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, face creased in concern, the hand on Alastor's back starting to rub in slow circles. "That looked like a lot..."

Alastor

"What? I'm f—" The tail bumps the back of his knees and his legs immediately give out. He flailed with a sound effect like a bookcase falling over as he went down—oh, now he's sitting. Okay. This was fine.

So much for trying to act cool and unaffected, though.

"... As I was saying! Perfectly fine!" He folded his hands primly in his lap.

Sir Pentious

Telly smiled, a bit rueful, and nodded. "Yes, perfectly fine." His hand was still rubbing Alastor's back, though.

He turned to look out over the space, now open and much cleaner, the half of the warehouse that still stood and the half of the airship inside, now exposed.

"It looks good. Now the Eggs can get started on rebuilding the warehouse-- they're much faster at building things than cleaning, that's what they were designed for, after all." He turned his head, hand cupping the side of his mouth as he shouted.

"NOW GET BACK TO WORK YOU SLACKERS!!" The Eggs, of course, burst into motion.

Alastor

The back rub was somehow half soothing and half incredibly grating, highlighting as it did how vulnerable he must seem at the moment. He endured it for only a few seconds before the buildup of unpleasant stimulation had him squirm away from the touch. "Anything I can do to help with the rebuilding efforts?" He said like some kind of a person in any condition to be rebuilding anything.

Sir Pentious

Telly pulled back his hand, setting his hand on his hips instead. He looked out over the Egg Bois and their work and then shook his head.

"No, they'll have it in hand soon enough. But I could give you a tour of the surviving half of the airship, if you like?" He turned to smile at Alastor.

Alastor

"I would absolutely love a tour!" He hopped to his feet and steadied himself as he momentarily almost blacked out—that wasn't visible, right? "Does the surviving half happen to include the kitchen? I realize you had brunch not too long ago, but it's about lunch time for me!"

Sir Pentious

He didn't touch, not again, but his hands flashed out to hover around Alastor as he hopped up-- just in case. At the question, he ran through the mental blueprint of the ship, his tongue stuck out in concentration.

"The bridge is fine, as is my organ, and the kitchen and my bedchambers are right below those, so I should think so! Though, the furnace was in the back...." He frowned. "I do have an old wood stove in there, though, I'll have some of the Eggs gather some things to burn."

He whistled again and called over four of the Eggs, sending them off with instructions before offering Alastor his arm again. "That's settled, let's get you that tour!"

Alastor

"Oh, the organ survived!" He beamed, what a relief. "Well, the ship will pull through all right then, won't it? Just like admitting someone to a hospital after a terrible accident—it doesn't matter how badly mangled she looks from the outside, she'll survive as long as she didn't damage her internal organs!" Studio audience laughter. Alastor thinks he's hysterical.

He looped his arm with Sir Pentious's and summoned up his cane. "Lead away!"

Sir Pentious

He started to slither toward the exposed, open part of the warehouse and ship. He didn't move fast, setting a leisurely pace. Before long they would get to the bottom floor-- just a lot of machinery. And that was when Telly realized...

"Shit. The ramps are gone."

Alastor

Alastor elbowed him lightly. "Have you forgotten who you're with?" He was sure had enough energy left to summon up a temporary ramp.

Sir Pentious

"We'd only need one up to the second floor-- The one from my bedchamber to the bridge should still be there." He's Trying to not look worried about Alastor. And he failed, he looks very worried.

Alastor

"Not a problem! Just let me know when you need me to summon it up! It'll only last a few seconds, so don't let me forget myself and strand you up on the second floor when I go home, hah!"

What's that look for? Alastor's fine! No weakness!

Sir Pentious

"Now would be good, the kitchen is up there too. The Eggs can find their own way up, they always do."

Alastor

*Kitchen.* Oh, that was an appealing place to start their tour. "Well, in that case!" He tapped his cane sharply on the floor. The light disappeared, leaving their surroundings illuminated in a strange blueish glow—and with the lights out, a glowing neon ramp appeared out of thin air. Shadows were good for all sorts of tricks. Alastor gestured grandly up the ramp. "Shall we?"

Sir Pentious

Hold on he's going to need to take a moment too look at the FUCKING NEON that he now was. Well, that was SOMETHING. After that moment, he just started up the ramp, Alastor still on his arm.

"This is so odd looking, but it's....beautiful..."

Alastor

"Isn't it just?" He was looking at Sir Pentious as he said it. His eyes and yellow stripes practically gave off their own light in this darkness, didn't they. "Simply gorgeous." It had been so long since he'd seen *any* Sir Pentious in light like this...

Hey, pal, whaddaya staring at? Eyes forward. "And it's great for parties, too!"

Sir Pentious

The body eyes stare right back at him. They know your sins, Alastor.

"Yes, I'd think so! I doubt you'd like the music but this lighting reminds me of those 'raves' that the kids have noawadays!" How did he know about raves? Who knew. He slithered all the way up the ramp and then blinked at what the neon did to his bedroom. That was....interesting.

Alastor

Everyone's a critic.

"Oh, I've been to one or two! Can't stand them!" He gave Telly an impish grin. "Did you know some of those places are so crowded that you can run the turntables for *five minutes* before security can make it through the crowd to kick you and your Cab Calloway records out?"

No need for the ramp anymore? Alastor dismissed it with a wave, and the strange lighting with it. The fatigue hit him like a basketball to the stomach. Oh, that left him less energy than he'd expected. Good thing he'd had the foresight to pull out his cane.

Sir Pentious

Telly blinked as the light changed back, and then laughed loudly. "Well, one would think they'd enjoy some Cab, at least you can properly dance to that!"

He surveyed his room, humming a bit. "First thing's first, I'll need to get the wall and ramp rebuilt. I don't want to leave this ship again until it's fixed." Now that he was back, he realized just how much he'd missed it. "Then the plumbing, the tanks, get the power back up...."

Alastor

"You want the walls in *before* you have plumbing?" He shrugged. "All right, if chamber pots are your thing..."

Sir Pentious

"A wall can be put up in an hour, plumbing will take the entire rest of the day. And I won't be able to sleep with a big hole right into my bedroom." His face scrunched and he shrugged. "The kitchen is through here, though." He pointed at the door across the room.

"Let's get some food and then I can get out my blueprints, really assess what all needs to be done and in what order..."

Alastor

"An excellent plan!" He's practically dragging Telly toward that door, don't mind him, deer in starvation mode coming through.

Sir Pentious

"Oh no, everything in the ice box has probably gone bad." He moved with Alastor, opening the door for him as they moved from hardwood to tile. "But hopefully the pantry is still intact and filled? There should be cans of food in there, along with other non perishables..."

Alastor

"I'm sure there will be something we can make a decent lunch out of!" He plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs to wait for Sir Pentious to survey his supplies.

Sir Pentious

He's more than willing to let Alastor rest as he opens the pantry to dig through it. "Well, we have the usual staples, beans and rice, some cans of various soups. Dried fruits-- oh! And some jerky." He pulled out the bag of dried meat with a grin.

Alastor

"Toss it here!" He held out a hand.

Sir Pentious

Toss! The bag goes sailing towards Alastor as Telly grabs a couple of the cans, a small bag of rice, and a similar sized one of beans. "Nothing fresh though, unfortunately." He lays the spoils on the table.

Alastor

He opened the bag and stuffed three pieces of jerky in his mouth at once as he surveyed their haul. "What do your spice stocks look like? They'd have survived the power going out." He just kind of assumed Telly had spices.

Sir Pentious

Oh he looks a little embarassed but slithers back to the pantry. "Hmmmmm....Salt. Pepper. Some basil....garlic powder...a bit of rosemary, onion powder...."

Alastor

The fact that the first item worth noting was *salt* was somewhat alarming. Even at that, when Sir Pentious trailed off, Alastor waited for a moment for the rest. Oh. Oh that was it.

"... Well! It's better than nothing!" He considered the options, ran through his mental recipe list, guesstimated how long it would take him to make the few options available, and reluctantly settled his gaze on the pre-made soup cans. Desperate times.

"All right, this will do for lunch," he muttered. "But for dinner—" he set the rice, beans, garlic and onion powders, and bag of jerky in a pile by themselves, "—I'm going to make some red beans and rice that would get me disowned by both sides of the family and half the state of Louisiana. So don't tell anyone about it. Unless it turns out amazing."

Sir Pentious

"I swear, I won't," Telly said with a giggle. "Maybe you can provide me with a list of spices and I can stock my pantry accordingly, for the next time."

Alastor

Was Sir Pentious planning to have Alastor over that often? (Don't get your hopes up too high, buddy.) "I'd be honored to suggest a shopping list! But, for now..." He plucked up a soup can disdainfully. "Is the stove ready to burn?"

Sir Pentious

"Oh! Let me see if the Eggs came back with the wood." He slithered from the room for a few minutes. His voice echoed as he ordered the Eggs bring up what they found and then, in they marched, carrying armloads of wood.

"Starting a fire shouldn't be too difficult, I'll just find the matches...." The Eggs set most of the wood by the stove, and shoved some into it, as Telly looked around for his matches.

Alastor

All right. Time to be vertical again. Heave-ho. Alastor rummaged around for a pot and a spoon to stir with while Sir Pentious got the stove going.

Sir Pentious

He discovered the the matches, and then some alcohol and an old rag. He tore it into strips, dousing them in the alcohol before tossing them in among the wood. Telly lit the match and tossed it in and there was a loud FWOOM as it ignited. He coughed a bit as he closed the stove's door, locking it in place.

He waited a few moments to see if the chimney was working-- and it was. No smoke filled the room, thankfully.

"Shouldn't take long for it to heat up."

Alastor

The soup was probably pre-cooked, so he only needed to put it on the stove long enough to heat it up, right?

While he waited, he asked, "So. Wall and ramp, plumbing, tanks, electricity... What all is it gonna cost to get this bird back up in the air? I don't just mean money-wise—time, labor, materials...

Sir Pentious

A deep, long sigh and he frowns. "A _lot_." He slithered toward the door. "Let me grab the blueprints, I'll be able to get a clearer picture with those."

After he left, there was an odd amount of silence, and then a KA-THUNK that sounded like a safe opening. And then he's back in, carrying a leather tube under his arm. "Here we are, let me get these out."

Alastor

Alastor quickly moved the pantry supplies off the table to make room for the blueprints, then stood near to watch their unveiling.

Sir Pentious

He undid the top of the tube, tapping it lightly to get the blueprints out. Some looked far far older than others, and Telly quickly plucked out the newest looking set, putting them on the table before gently coaxing the rest back inside. He set the tub next to his tail and spread out the papers.

Which clearly showed that much more than half the ship was gone-- more like 3/4ths, and Telly's throat constricted a bit. He cleared it with a cough and taped the front end of the drawing. "All of this is intact-- this is the most important bit, so that's good. There's a lot of one of a kind equipment on the bridge that is all fine..."

Alastor

Alastor leaned over to look, passing off his spoon to his shadow to keep stirring the soup. "So you're not going to need as many finicky, fancy parts, I take it?"

Sir Pentious

"Not as _many_ but there were quite a few things that were of my own design that I now have to rebuild from scratch." His eyes flicked this way and that on the paper, and he removed Hatty, tossing him over to the counter to sit. Telly began to rub his hands over the top and back of his head as he stared.

"This is going to take _eons_," He whispered.

Alastor

Alastor looked at Sir Pentious's dejection, and then at the blueprints. He took a seat across from him. "What can I do to speed up the process?" he asked. "Steal supplies? Conquer a better warehouse? Teach all my ghosts to weld sheet metal? Clone eggs?"

Sir Pentious

He was quiet for a long moment as he thought. "First, we can't kill any more of my Eggs, I'll need them all working round the clock to make any sort of headway. Rebuilding said cloning machine is first thing after the necessities. Getting a source of steel, brass, copper, perhaps some silver and gold. Hardwood and softwood, both of high quality. I'd rather not piss off any suppliers, so no stealing from them. The warehouse will be fixed soon enough, probably within a day or two. Some extra hands would be good, though, if your ghosts can carry large loads...."

He trailed off and rubbed a hand over his face. "That's not to mention how many personal hours I'm going to have to sink into it, rebuilding things like the boiler, the engines, and then redesigning things..."

Alastor

The man who was going to conquer Hell was too down and out to risk so much as stealing a bit of metal? He was in more dire straits than Alastor had thought. "Sure, not a problem, they can carry the loads—my ghosts *and* my many-limbed friend!"

He watched helplessly as Sir Pentious rubbed his face. "But surely I can help with more hauling heavy loads around? Don't get me wrong, if that's what you need, you've got it—but isn't there more I can be doing to help out?"

Sir Pentious

He's quiet for another moment before his head lifts and a thoughtful look crosses his face. "Well....considering you're an accomplished Deal Maker, maybe you'd be able to wrangle better deals from the suppliers than I normally would-- I'm half convinced they upcharge me just for the fun of it." His face scrunched.

"Though I understand if you'd rather not use your reputation for that sort of thing...."

Alastor

"You've got it!" His expression brightened at something he could help with. "We'll have to be clever about it, of course—a little subterfuge here, some cross-universe acquisitions there—because once people know I'm making orders on your behalf, things get *much* harder for *you,* my friend." He flung an arm around Sir Pentious's shoulder and winked conspiratorially. How did he do that, a second ago he was on the other side of the table. "But we're a couple of clever villains, aren't we? I'm sure we can get the supplies you need without tipping our hand."

Sir Pentious

His own expression brightened right back at Alastor's, and he smiled. He leaned into Alastor when he put his arm around him. "Sounds good. We are clever, we can make this work!" He felt a lot more optimistic, all of a sudden! Well, that's nice! "It'll still take a lot of time and hard work, but that will help a lot."

Telly grabbed the blueprint container again, grabbing a few pencils from the side pocket to start scribbling over the blueprint, already making alterations and modifications on the design. "Don't forget your soup, Alastor. Can't help me fix all this on an empty stomach." He winked.

Alastor

"As if I could forget lunch!" He'd totally forgotten lunch. He looked at his shadow, which held out the soup pot and shrugged at him. Alastor took it by the handle, found a soup spoon, and plopped back at the table to eat it straight from the pot. "What all needs changing?" he asked, leaning forward to read the blueprints upside-down. "Angel-proofing it? Say, I think the airship seems vulnerable to attacks from above, don't you? Especially collapsing warehouse attacks.”

Sir Pentious

"Yes, it does need upper reinforcement. That's definitely one thing I'm adding. It was far too fragile. Also more automated defenses that would trigger when registering angelic power...." He hummed and tapped his lip with the pencil.

"Maybe I can prototype that one weapon I was thinking about when we were on Okkylk..." He nodded a little. "Fairly sure angels can be hurt by their own weaponry...."

Alastor

"Careful—once someone manages to hurt an angel, all of Heaven's going to be targeting them to make sure they don't tell everyone else how to do it. Might be better to lay low and accept a few more smashed airships until you're sure you've got something that can take *all* of Heaven out."

All suggestions of caution aside, he was beaming with glee. "Do you really think you've got something that can take out angels, though? We've had black market angelic weapons down here for eons, if all it took was chucking their own spears back at them someone would have managed it by now! There's few beasts humans won't find some way to hunt, after all!" He pantomimed firing a rifle—a gunshot and a startled elephant trumpet rang out. "You must have something with a little more oomph to it?"

Sir Pentious

His hand perched under his chin, Telly's face looked downright dastardly with evil glee as he grinned. "I do, Alastor, I do indeed. You see, Valera told me that she has Angelic and other magical weaponry in her home, and that got me thinking: perhaps these weapons could simply have their energy siphoned and used to make.....perhaps a ray gun?" He started to cackle, first softly and then gaining in volume.

"It's so simple, one would think I would've come up with it before, no?" He settled but his grin still stayed. "Though, that does lead me to another request for you: I would like to learn more about magic, so as to better make this device, what would you say to teaching me?"

Alastor

Under other circumstances, Alastor would wonder how an angelic ray gun would have better odds of injuring an angel than an angelic bullet gun.

But under *these* circumstances, Sir Pentious was wearing an expression fitting on any silent movie dastardly villain and letting out a megalomaniacal laugh that should have won awards, and if he'd told Alastor that this ray gun could cut the moon in half and cause God to spontaneously shit His britches, Alastor would have agreed.

"*Well,* now!" He considered the request, rubbing his chin. "Some things that I know, I can't teach you—it simply isn't *for* you, it's something you only get the right to learn through your ancestors. Other things won't be much use to you, if step one is 'make a deal with so-and-so' and you're gunning to usurp so-and-so's whole chain of command. But the rest?" Another thoughtful pause. "Sure, I think I know a thing or two that might be useful to you."

Sir Pentious

"I would love to learn whatever you have to teach me, Alastor. I've been curious about magic for a while, but it seems so opposite my technology that I hadn't bothered-- plus, considering how terrible this universe's Alastor is to me, that put me off it too. Now, though, considering I have you, well, it seems the perfect opportunity to start." He chuckled, looking back down at the blueprints. He started sketching again, humming softly.

"Just think of all the new things I could make combining my technological skills with magic...."

Alastor

"Oh, I *do* think of it." He used to fantasize about the sort of doomsday weapons Sir Pentious could make if he had a little magic in his machines. "It's really gonna be something, isn't it?"

Sir Pentious

"Oh I hope so." There's a sort of dreamy cast to his voice, and his smile is wistful. "Things I could only dream of....maybe bring back a few scraped projects..."

Alastor

"*Oh?* What kind of scrapped projects?" He'd barely eaten yet. He scarfed down more soup as he listened. (Tastes like preservatives and salt.)

Sir Pentious

"Hm?" He looked up, having gotten distracted by the blueprints again. "Oh, just things that weren't aerodynamically sound for the airship-- maybe trying a crack at another dual sea/airship..." He shrugged.

Alastor

"Careful with the pipes." Studio laughter.

Sir Pentious

His face fell a little at the crack, and his eyes slid back down. His tail curled around the leg of his chair and he looked back at the blueprints, merely nodding at Alastor's joke. "Yes, certainly." His hand shook a little as he continued to make modifications, his grip a little too tight on his pencil.

Alastor

Alastor's smile wilted slightly. He tisked. "What a terrible comedian I make, don't I? Misjudge a little lighthearted ribbing and it comes across like a knife between one's ribs! My apologies, Telly!" He reached across the table to put a hand on his wrist. "I didn't intend for that to sting. No more death jokes."

Sir Pentious

At the hand on his wrist, he looked up, maybe a little too suddenly, and his breath made a sharp, but soft, intake. An apology from Alastor, any Alastor, was still a strange thing to hear. But his smile returned, smaller, but genuine and he nodded. "Thank you...I would appreciate that-- my death was, as one could assume, quite traumatic."

His eyes unfocused and his face went a bit slack. "My ship crashed, I told you that much but-- I survived the crash itself. Not for long, but long enough to....suffer.... I was pinned under pieces of my ship, my legs were crushed, everything inside...._hurt_, and I was....blinded. My eyes got--" He swallowed. "It was terrible. Dying slowly from bodily trauma, all alone, blind, under tons and tons of metal and glass...."

His breath hitched, and his hand covered his face. "I....I'm sorry, I just need a moment...I didn't mean to--" He took another deep, shuddering breath. No tears, but obviously that was only because he was trying very hard to keep them back.

Alastor

Alastor was completely silent as he listened (a rarity), focused entirely on Telly’s face. When he’d finished, Alastor gave his wrist a comforting squeeze. “Buried alive. I can’t think of many worse ways to go.”

He was silent for a moment; but then he said, “Mine was a lot faster than that. The gap between the wound that killed me and my arrival in Hell was non-existent. Lucky for me, eh? No lingering in pain?” He chuckled weakly. “I was... on a hunting trip. It was deer season. Dead of winter, too—shouldn’t have been out, really, but I was desperate to get a kill. I saw another man out there hunting—we’d actually crossed paths a couple hours earlier—but when he saw me, he must’ve only gotten a glimpse of me through the trees and thought I was a deer, because he fired immediately. I didn’t get a killing wound, but it was, you know, it was still a bullet wound. It was enough to knock me to the ground.

“When he came up to me, I was sure he’d realized his mistake and was coming to give me first aid. Instead, he looked down at me in naked terror, and then pointed his rifle right at my forehead. I guess he’d decided he’d rather get rid of the witness and go home than let a hunting accident ruin his Tuesday.” He played that gunshot sound effect again. This time, the sound seemed to hang in the air dolefully, slowly fading out into dead silence. “I died on my back with my arm trying to shield my face.”

Alastor squeezed Sir Pentious again. “I know yours, now you know mine. That’s fair, right?”

Sir Pentious

As Alastor spoke, Telly uncovered his face, listening intently, and his face started to scrunch. "How....how terrible." The words repeated in his mind, something about them sticking and then it struck him.

"'Get a kill', do you mean a deer? Or something else?" His head tilted, curiousity coloring his expression. "Though, if you don't wish to speak of it, I understand," He added hastily.

He let out a little hum. "Well, it really is no wonder that neither of us had a particularly gentle death, considering how we are now."

Alastor

Alastor gave Telly a wry smirk. “Well, you’ve painted me into a corner, haven’t you? If I *don’t* answer it, that’s just as good as admitting I was out there hunting for something worse than deer, isn’t it?” He scoffed. “I tell you, what’s the point of trying to get clever with ambiguous wording if someone’s just going to ask you to clarify? Some days it just doesn’t pay to tell half truths, you’ve either gotta commit to the truth or to a lie and not split the difference.”

He sighed heavily. “Well, since you asked, I suppose I might as well say this much, but no more than this: the only reason that man survived the day is because he shot me first, and he’ll probably never even know it. And that—that *is* funny. I can laugh about that! But I can’t laugh about much else from that day. I don’t blame you for not laughing about yours.”

Sir Pentious

Telly smiled in return, and nodded. "It is a little funny, yes." He took Alastor's hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for being honest with me, I truly do appreciate it, and I appreciate you."

He looked at Alastor's soup. "It's getting cold, you should eat." He returned to his modifications, humming a little more. "Why is it whenever we're together we end up spilling our guts to one another?" He laughed softly. "Not that I mind it, it's....refreshing, talking so openly about things like this. Trusting someone. It's nice."

Alastor

Telly just had to tack on that *I appreciate you,* didn’t he? Maybe if Alastor shoveled soup into his mouth he could drown the butterflies in his stomach.

“You know, I’ve got this theory—don’t quote me on this—but just a theory that, despite all our grousing and griping about each other, humans actually like humans. And we all go a little stir-crazy down here, not having any humans we can trust. Almost all the trustworthy ones went upstairs and the few that landed down here learned to hide it real quick. So the moment we find someone who doesn’t immediately make us regret a half second of vulnerability, we scramble to put all our eggs in that basket before the bottom of it has a chance to fall out. How does that theory sound?”

Sir Pentious

Telly listened and his face went on a kambucha girl style journey, before he ended it with nodding.

"Yes, that does make sense. Especially for ones who have been in Hell as long as us. Decades and decades, you jump at the chance when you find someone to trust." He smiled, rolling a pencil between his hands. A flip seemed to switch in his mind and he let out a small 'oh'.

"I should survey the pipe damage to get the water running. I can hook it up to the city line, as long as the filters are in place and fine. It would be nice to have water. Would need to cap off any broken pipes before then...."

Alastor

That, and no other version of Sir Pentious had ever given Alastor a reason to regret honesty—and Sir Pentious was the one person Alastor *wanted to know him.* But say that and it invites questions about Alastor’s *local* Sir Pentious. You don’t have to worry about half-truths if you just say nothing at all.

And they’d looped right back around to another opportunity to make a pipe joke. Alastor valiantly restrained himself. “There’s a high priority repair. Without water, it’s going to get pretty unpleasant around here pretty quick. I suppose when you’re in the air you’ve usually got big tank for your water? Do you recycle your water supply onboard or do you land to refill before you run dry?”

Sir Pentious

"Yes, a tank for when it's airborn. Don't need to land it to refill though, it has an extendable pipe that I can deploy to connect and refill anywhere. Most of the water has a double use of cooling the machinery after it goes down a drain from a bath or tap. Anything from the.....toliet, gets put into a seperate tank that can be drained in a similar way to the the water intake. That's certainly the first tank getting repaired." He made a face.

Alastor

Extendable pipe. “*Like a giant straw.*” This concept delights him. “The eggs don’t need to use the toilet, do they? At least not much is going in that tank!”

Sir Pentious

"No, thank G--" He stops from saying that and his face scrunches again. "Thank ME, they don't. They don't need to eat, drink, or breath, either. I'm the only one around here who--"

He stops short and makes an even more scrunched face. "WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY BOWEL MOVEMENTS."

Alastor

“Talk about *spilling our guts* to each other!” A toilet flush and more studio laughter. “I know we’ve been doing a story-for-a-story thing, but I doubt you want to hear about mine, so you’ll forgive me if I don’t reciprocate this one.”

Sir Pentious

Telly can't help but laugh at that, his arms on the table and his face buried in them. "YES, PLEASE, I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAT!" He lifted his head and giggled a few more times. He sighed softly.

"Alright, I need a moment to go siphon some of the Eggs to get started on capping the broken pipes." He stood and slithered out, leaving the door open after him. He loudly called for the Eggs and set them to work before returning.

"I wish I had the PA system working, having to go out and yell for them every time is exhausting."

Alastor

There, that was the sort of laugh Alastor wanted to get from him. One of *many* sorts of laughter he wanted to get from him.

Alastor pointedly cleared his throat. It carried a sound like the amplified rumblings of someone fiddling with a megaphone. “You say you need to get a PA system working?”

Sir Pentious

"Oh!" He laughed again. "Yes, that would be something of your area of expertise, wouldn't it?" He shrugged. "I would love your help, but first the power needs to be fixed, so that it could be properly tested. Though perhaps you could help me with speaker placements on the blueprints?"

Alastor

“*Telly.*” He arched his eyebrows. “You think I need the *power?* To get the *PA system* to work? My *friend.*”

Sir Pentious

Telly laughed, shaking his head. "No, I know you don't! But _I_ would need it for it to work once you leave!"

Alastor

A shrug. “Fair enough! But as long as I *am* on board, let me know if you need to yell anything else at your eggs.”

Sir Pentious

"Oh, that reminds me, you wanted to see the bridge, didn't you?" He stood and started to gather the blueprints on the table, and then his case of them. "I have a work table up there too, and that's where the PA system's main hub is, if you wanted to take a look."

Alastor

“Absolutely!” He devoured the rest of his horrible soup—he’d need that energy if he was going to play with the PA system—and then hopped up to follow Sir Pentious.

Sir Pentious

Telly made sure to grab Hattie before he left the room-- couldn't forget him! And then slithered back into the bedroom. Moving around the bed, he opened another door to a ramp up. "Right this way!"

Alastor

Alastor paused for a moment in the bedroom—goodness, how many doors did this room have? It was Grand Central Station in here—then followed him up the next ramp. He wished he had a chance to get a better look at Telly’s bedroom, but... well, that would *definitely* be weird to ask.

Sir Pentious

And Telly's already halfway up the ramp, slithering and shivering at the cold metal. "I must get the heating back up soon too, it's far too cold in here for ssssomeone coldblooded."

Alastor

Alastor stopped abruptly on the ramp—he *intensely* disliked the combination of cold and airships and snakes—but he forced himself to shake off the awful feeling that had wormed into his gut and continued to follow Sir Pentious up the ramp.

Finally, at the top, he got himself to speak again: "We're in a tin can in Hell with no roof over us. The rooms closer to the hull are probably going to feel like ovens, aren't they?" Like being in a locked car with the engine off.

Sir Pentious

"Yes, unfortunately for you. It'll feel nice to me though." He laughed. He reached the intricate double doors that led to the bridge and paused the appropriate amount of them for a dramatic reveal before flinging them open.

"AND HERE WE ARE! THE BRIDGE OF THE GREAT SIR PENTIOUS'S AIRSHIP!"

....Which was currently filled with broken glass. Looks like the windshield would need replacing wholesale.

Alastor

There was nothing sadder than a dead bridge on a crashed airship, was there? It didn’t do much to lift his sudden morose mood.

All the same, he played an enthusiastic round of applause for the big reveal. He summoned up a couple of his ghosts to sweep aside the nearest glass so Sir Pentious wouldn’t have to slither over it.

“You know, you’re the only one I know who would make the inside of a giant war machine look like the kind of place you’d want to set up a cafe table and have a coffee!” He admired the scale motifs on the wall as he walked further onto the bridge—until he caught sight of the organ. “Well—*hello there,* beautiful. I don’t think I’ve seen *you* around the neighborhood before. New in town?” He propped himself up on it with an elbow. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing in a dangerous place like this?”

Sir Pentious

"Well, I often say that if one cannot make something functional AND beautiful, what's the point?" He laughed, giving a nod to the ghosts. He didn't know if they would respond, but he still had manners.

"It helps that this warship doubles as my home. If its decor was bland it wouldn't be a very good place to live, in my opinion." He waited for the ghosts to clear the path to the organ, and slithered over to it.

"I see you've met my pride and joy." He lovingly stroked the dark wood and metal of the instrument.

Alastor

"I can't stand a conqueror without style. What's the point, indeed!"

One of the enthralled souls gave a dazed nod back. The other looked away. Rude.

"Why, you *should* be proud of her. Amongst all the instruments of destruction, here's an instrument that's wholly different—but no less capable of bringing down the house!" He pressed one of the keys. Nothing happened. "Oh, right." No power.

Sir Pentious

"Yes, she is glorious-- makes it wonderfully fun to score my own battles!" He laughed, stroking his fingers over the keys. He frowned when no sound came from Alastor's press.

"Ah yes, the bellows can't function without Eggs running it." He nodded solemnly. Then he grinned as he slithered to the side of the organ, pressing his hand to a wooden panel. "Fortunately, that's not the only instrument here."

The press of his hand unlocked the panel and he swung it open, revealing a set of three violins. "Do you play, Alastor?"

Alastor

“Score your own battles?!” Alastor slapped a hand over his dead heart. “Oh, you would have been a hit at the picture shows before they added sound! You mean to say you play *while* you’re in battle?” He could swoon. That’s the single most wildly attractive thing he’s ever heard.

He laughed, “The bellows are still powered manually? How marvelously medieval! I would have thought you’d put this thing on electric power!”

His smile stretched even wider when he saw the violins. This instrument had trap doors. Trap doors that hid even more instruments. Move over, Erik Le Fantôme. “*Do* I *play!* You may never hear me at the opera house, but there wasn’t a *fais do-do* in Louisiana where I wouldn’t have been a welcome addition! *You* play?”

Sir Pentious

He laughed, a long cackling one, pulling out a violin. "Do I PLAY? Why would I have these if I didn't!" Telly tucked the violin under his chin, plucking it a few times to make sure it was in tune before grabbing a bow. He took a breath and pressed the bow to the strings and began to play. The number was quiet recognizable, the first notes giving it away as the Phantom of the Opera.

(( the version he's playing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwqBCskfsM

Alastor

"I don't know—decoration? To coax guests into playing for you?" He picked up a violin himself, hoping to show off—but before he got a chance, Sir Pentious took off; and Alastor sank down onto the organ's seat, eyes wide, spellbound as he watched and listened.

Only when he'd stopped did Alastor speak up. "You know, I've always wanted to hear you play Phantom. I just thought it was going to be on this!" He nodded at the organ.

Sir Pentious

"I often do! It's a good piece to just play on anything." He grinned, settling down into his coils. He set the violin on his lap and stroked it.

"When I was alive, I had a Stradivarius! One of my most prized possessions! Music was one of the few things that my family encouraged!" He chuckled. "Can't get that quality down here, but I hunted these down. They're very precious, which is why I keep them with the organ. Generally, if something survives a crash it's the bridge, and that's why I keep all these here."

Alastor

"If you can play it this well on violin, I can't wait to hear what else you play it on!" He studied the violin he'd picked up, as if he could judge its sound quality just by looking. "Is the entire organ near the bridge, pipes and all? Or were some of them spread out to the parts of the ship that got destroyed?"

Sir Pentious

"Some of it is here in the front of the ship, but some of them were damaged or destroyed, yes. Usually I have the pipes running throughout the ship, so that the sound of it can be heard anywhere-- it helps keep the Egg Bois' moral up, hearing me play!" Was he preening and puffing a bit, proud of himself? Why yes, yes he was.

Alastor

As he should be! "And heard from miles around, I'm sure! I suppose those are going to need repairs, too?"

Sir Pentious

"Oh, yes, they will. Unfortunately, that will have to be left until more vital things are replaced." He looked very sad about that, and gently pressed a silent key on the organ. And then he blinked, looking at Alastor as a slow, sly grin came across his face.

"Unless, I had someone I trusted to help handle the delicate sort of repairs an organ would require. Perhaps someone with a vested interest in musical instrumentation...."

Alastor

Alastor blinked at that. “Well, now! Do I have a vested interest? Sure! But do I have adequate skill? My instrument maintenance capabilities cap out at re-stringing the violin and emptying the spit out of a trumpet. *But*...” He rubbed his chin. “I’m not qualified to rebuild the pipes myself—but if someone else made the pipes and all I had to do was install them... I could also check with the souls I’ve got enthralled, see whether any of them ever worked on pipe organs?” He let out a long, thoughtful sigh. “What all do you think you’d have me be doing?”

Sir Pentious

"Oh the Egg Bois would be able to handle the actual building and repairs, I wouldn't have you doing physical labor, that would be preposterous!" He chuckled. "No, what I had in mind if giving you the blueprint for the organ's pipes and making sure the Egg Bois don't fuck it up, as they are wont to do. So, you'd be supervising! And then, you probably have if not perfect pitch, then damn near it, correct? Tuning it all is a hell of a job, and one I would gladly take your expertise for."

Alastor

“*Do* pipe organs need to be tuned?” He looked bewildered by the suggestion. “I... sort of assumed you just set up the big tubes and let them do their thing! But—sure, that makes sense, doesn’t it, even trumpets need tuning and they’re just big metal tubes too. I suppose a pipe organ has to have some tuning slides somewhere, doesn’t it?”

Sir Pentious

"Yes! Though it's mostly with the reeds and the sizes of the pipes. Usually I'd go through a few weeks of testing and hearing it out before I would feel it's ready to actually play, but someone else who knows music as well as I do would certainly speed up the whole process." He gave a little shrug. "Most pipe organs also never get moved or regularly have parts of them destroyed, so I am in a bit of a unique situation."

Alastor

“Fair! I suppose you’ve also got air pressure and such to worry about. Temperature?” A shrug. “Well, you’re right, I do have impeccable pitch—but you’ll have to show me the ropes before you set me loose in the pipes!”

Sir Pentious

"Once you tune the first pipe, I'm sure you'll catch on fast with the others, but I will be sure to show you how to it beforehand." He smiled brightly, and lifted the violin in his lap to tuck beneath his chin. "Would you like to duet, Alastor? I've never had the chance to play with another violinist."

Alastor

“*Never?*” He was aghast. “Ever? Then by all means!” He quickly started to tune the one he’d claimed. “What song?”

Sir Pentious

"Well, not since death, no." He shrugged, letting his bow drag down the strings, letting out a ringing note. "Perhaps more Phantom? I know almost every song from that."

Alastor

“Sure!” He enthusiastically raises the bow and violin. “Now, you’ve already covered the main theme wonderfully. Usually I’m partial to ‘Music of the Night,’ but... no, not that. For two violins, a *duet* would be more appropriate, wouldn’t it? What do you say to ‘All I Ask of You’—we take turns on playing the main melody and playing a harmony line?”

Sir Pentious

"Oh, yes, that sounds lovely!" He smiled wider and started playing. His eyes (on his face) almost shut to enjoy the tune, but he kept them open instead, to watch Alastor play.

Alastor

Since they’d launched straight into it, Alastor let Telly take the main melody first for Raoul’s parts, improvising a harmony line to compliment it. It was lucky he was as familiar with the song as he was, because less than half of his attention was on his own playing; most of it was on Sir Pentious, the look on his face, the grace with which he played. He barely remembered that they’d agreed to take turns in time for him to switch to the main melody for Christine’s part.

Sir Pentious

He swaps almost effortlessly to the backing melody, weaving harmonies around Alastor's playing. It's clear that he kept up with practicing through all the years since he'd died, so much so that he was able to be absorbed into watching Alastor play with an intense sort of focus, soaking in every detail. When Raoul's part came back around, he slid back into the main melody, and he smiled.

Alastor

He was *good.* Even after hearing him play Phantom, Alastor hadn’t expected him to pick up an improvised duet so easily. Part of that was no doubt thanks to the fact that Alastor himself had been attending improv jam sessions with total strangers for the better part of a century, he knew how to compliment and enhance another player—but this was not jazz, and if Sir Pentious had been terrible even Alastor wouldn’t have been able to cover that up.

But he most certainly was *not* terrible. And Alastor wished he’d picked a longer song.

Sir Pentious

Telly fell into the back and forth of the duet with such an ease that he even started adding flourishes-- unnecessary, yes, but he also wanted to show off for Alastor. And it was for Alastor, every extra movement of his fingers, ever added note and vibrato, they were all for him. Maybe he was putting a little too much passion behind it for being only friends, but caught up as he was, he didn't find it in himself to care about how appropriate or not it was.

Alastor

Alastor was showing off no less. This symphonic style wasn't his forté, he was more of a fiddler than a violinist, but by God did he plan on playing like he did this every night if his afterlife. He'd started the song still seated on the organ bench, but by the end was on his feet, swaying with the music... and if he'd gotten any closer to Sir Pentious, they'd be risking smacking their bows together as they played.

Sir Pentious

The end of the song came, and with a final flourish, he stopped playing. He set the violin on the organ's bench and took a few deep breaths, his face giddy and his body feeling light. Telly laughed a little and took Alastor by his upper arms, grips tight but happy. "That was fun!"

Alastor

The fact that Alastor hadn't put his violin down before his arms were grabbed was probably the only thing saving him from pulling Telly into an embrace and proceeding to ruin everything. He laughed as well, breathlessly, smiling so wide it hurt. "Goodness gracious, you're—you're *good* at that! I can't believe you haven't played a duet since the 1800s! What other talents are you hiding?"

Sir Pentious

In that moment, breathless and smiling and so close, Telly desperately felt the urge to kiss Alastor. The only thing that saved him was Alastor's voice, and he blinked and pulled back a bit, though his hands lingered on his arms.

"Well, you know about the perfume making, I think. And the tea mixing. And now the violin playing...." He ticked them off on his fingers, though he couldn't even play at seriousness. "I'm not sure if there's much else I could surprise you with!"

Alastor

"Hold—hold on, you make your own *perfume*? *Did* I know that? I noticed how often it changes, but I just thought you had a collection!" This was an entirely new discipline as far as he was concerned.

Sir Pentious

"Oh! I guess I can. I could've sworn I told you about that..." He thinks for long moment, head tilted. "Hm, actually I think I told Valera! Apologies, then."

He laughed and turned his wrist towards Alastor's nose, letting him get a whiff of what he was wearing today. "Gardenia and lilac! And yes, I make them myself. Always found that others made floral mixes too strong, decided I'd like something subtler. Florals are my forte, but I can mix most any kind of perfume."

Alastor

Don't mind him as he shuts his eyes and takes a much deeper whiff than necessary, like some kind of creep. "... *Lovely.*" Okay, that was enough lingering. He smiled crookedly. "So, if I wanted to talk to someone about getting some of that gasoline perfume we discussed..." Studio laughter, he's kidding.

Sir Pentious

He laughed as well, giving a shrug. His arm moved from where he'd rested it on Alastor's shoulder to slide around his waist instead. This was fine, right? He'd touched Alastor like this before, it wasn't weird right??

"I could, actually, but gasoline has such a strong smell you'd be better off just dabbing it on by itself!" Another laugh.

Alastor

That was very fine and Alastor was going to immediately tuck the violin and bow under one arm so that he could slide the other around Telly’s shoulders. “Oh, *well* then.” He shrugged. “What’s the point if it doesn’t come in an overpriced fancy little bottle? I’ll stick to the fragrance I’ve got.” (Which was, for the record, a combination of shampoo and body wash that probably had some kind of name like “ocean breeze.” It was a recent change. Probably very faint, since it had been... a bit since he’d showered. Oh god he should have done that before coming over.)

Sir Pentious

Too late, Alastor, you mentioned fragrance and now he's leaning in to Smell. Blelelelele.

"Oh! That's nice. But if you do want another, proper, fancy bottle level fragrance, do let me know. I would love to make some fragrances for you." He grinned, and gave another blelelele that tickled Alastor's cheek. And then he realized he'd just essentially _licked_ Alastor and he sat up straighter. Thank God he couldn't blush.

Alastor

Pay no mind to the way he leaned into the lick. He told himself not to read into it, it was just a snake thing. "I've never been much of a fragrance person, but... I'll keep it in mind. I've got to see you at work on this newest hidden talent of yours sometime, don't I?"

Sir Pentious

"Yes, I think you do! And my tea mixing, but I'm afraid neither are terribly exciting." He gave a shrug.

"Oh yes, the PA system is over there." He pointed across the field of glass still as of yet uncleared.

Alastor

“Right!” That was what they’d been here for. Not music. The music was just a bonus. A beautiful bonus Alastor was going to be thinking about for weeks. “Then shall we?”

He handed off the violin to his shadow so it could stow them both away where they belonged, and let his enthralled souls clear a path to the PA system. He kept one arm around Sir Pentious as they went.

[natur-body]

A 30-day gut cleanse diet plan with body detox and weight loss benefits

A 30-day gut cleanse diet plan with body detox and weight loss benefits 30-day gut cleanses diet plan may be a universal program for gut detox, body detox, and weight loss. This diet is predicated on low-calorie foods that remove mucus from the gut and every one of your body, replenish healthy gut microbiome,

 supply your body with enough vitamins and alkaline minerals for it to detoxify without stressing your elimination organs: liver and kidneys. The diet plan assures rapid weight loss – from 18 to twenty lbs – with no sense of hunger. It also cleans your blood, improves skin quality, cures acne, may relieve symptoms of asthma and other chronic conditions. If you retain the main part of this diet plan for the remainder of your life you'll reduce your aging rate (1) and avoid most illnesses connected to elderly life.

Why GUT DETOX may be a MILESTONE of each detox program?

Full detox is unimaginable without gut cleanse. only a few people know that the part of the food we eat never leaves our body and stays in our gut for the remainder of our lives. the rationale for its mucus that's formed by the walls of our intestines as the gut attempts to guard itself against the unnatural products: dairy, starchy carbs, highly refined and deep-fried foods. This mucus hinders the full elimination of poop and provides a good foundation for pathogenic bacteria to thrive. For more on this subject please visit my blog: “6 amazing health benefits of cleaning your gut”

The ULTIMATE GUT CLEANSE DIET

There are many 3 days gut cleanse programs available on the internet. you'll indeed eat certain food today to stimulate good movement tomorrow but this may be distant from having a clean, mucus-free, and toxin-free gut, healthy gut flora, slim belly, and therefore the sensation of lightness which will not be compared to anything.

The secret of gut cleanse is in raw fruits and vegetables. Every fruit and vegetable in raw form has gut cleansing properties and each cooked food is mucus forming. If you turn to completely raw food your gut will start detoxing already in few days from your diet change. After one month of gut cleanse each of your movements will offer you a sensation of emptiness and lightness such as you haven't experienced before. which will be the proper sign that your gut has cleaned. That’s what went on to me on a raw vegan diet, however, due to amazing cravings for cooked food, a fully raw diet is extremely difficult to follow. For folks that can't imagine surviving on salads, this 30-day diet plan includes some cooked food that is the smallest amount of mucus-forming by their nature.

A gut cleanses consists of three stages: 1. Hydrating colon 2. Stimulating movement for the elimination of poisons. 3. Providing enough fiber for healthy gut flora to multiply. Luckily most of the foods you'll be eating have most of those three mentioned qualities.

How to START A GUT CLEANSE DAY?

The best thanks to starting a gut cleansing day are by drinking a few cups of a probiotic drink. The drink has a light sower, pleasant taste, and is full of positive bacteria that helps your gut replenish the pathogenic gut flora with a healthy one. you'll be ready to easily prepare this drink in large quantities reception only with cabbage and filtered water with the assistance of the blender. For the precise recipe please visit my blog. If you'd wish to make this drink more flavorsome there's a recipe for this too.

Drinking fermented drinks in the morning will assist you better suits the new diet and avoid bloating. However, if you're lazy to organize this drink, you'll choose the better option: start the day with a few cups of straightforward lemon water but don't miss drinking a cup of ultimate gut cleanse remedy before getting to bed. The gut cleanses remedy should be taken for 10 days at the initial stage of your gut cleanse diet plan.

How to organize GUT CLEANSE BREAKFASTS?

For breakfast, it's excellent to eat fruits that have the properties of the hydrating colon and diluting the mucus. All watery fruits have hydrating qualities, but watermelon may be a queen of colon cleanse. If you are doing the cleanse in summer I like to recommend eating watermelon a day – once you eat watermelon in large quantities it can cause movement almost directly.

You can enjoy the following fruits that are listed consistent with their gut cleansing properties:

For the summer season: 1. Watermelon 2. Melon 3. Papaya 4. Pineapple 5. Strawberries 6. Pears 7. cucumbers 8. Tomatoes.

For winter season: 1. Grapefruits (juice grapefruits) 2. Oranges 3. Tangerines 4. Kiwi. 5. Apples

Please note that so as for these fruits to wash your gut you've got to consume them in large quantities – some people are scared of eating fruits believing that they're too high in sugars. that's not so. For scientific proof please visit my blog: “Why you ought to not be scared of fruits while losing weight – Glycemic index VS glycemic load”

Eat as many fruits to satisfy you for breakfast and if you are feeling hungry eat some more fruits from the list. Avoid eating oatmeal, whole grain bread, and therefore the foods that are generally considered as a healthy option. These foods could be healthier than pancakes, but they're still mucus-forming, therefore they are doing not fit into the gut cleansing concept.

The best GUT CLEANSE LUNCH

The best thing you'll eat for lunch is a green smoothie that has tremendous cleansing properties. With green smoothies, you'll even clean the oven in your kitchen. Pour a touch little bit of green smoothie on an unclean tray and leave overnight. the subsequent day you'll be ready to clean it only with a wet towel. an equivalent cleansing effect green smoothie will wear your gut, blood vessels, liver, and kidneys. The fiber in green smoothies feeds healthy bacteria in your gut and facilitates positive macrobiotic that on the opposite hand strengthens your system (2). For smoothie cleanse to be effective you ought to drink 1.5 Lt (50 ounces) of smoothie per day. For more benefits you'll get on smoothies please visit my blog: “Stop aging now! – regain back the natural color of your hair, Improve your eyesight, gain muscles without exercise”.

For smoothie recipes please visit my blog: “One formula for 1000 different green smoothie recipes”.

GUT CLEANSE DINNER

The best dinner for gut cleans is raw low starch vegetable salads: Finely chop cabbage, carrot, radish, beetroot, cauliflower, cut cucumber, and tomatoes. Convert them into multiple salads using different combinations and various salad dressings with lemon, olive oil, avocados, raw nuts, green pesto, and homemade tomato salsa. just in case you've got problems digesting vegetables in a raw form you'll cook them. the simplest cooked low starch vegetables are steamed broccoli and cauliflower, baked or boiled beetroot, stir-fried cabbage, and carrots. Make some research on the way to convert these vegetables into tasty dishes.

GUT CLEANSE SNACKS AND SWEETS

On a gut cleanse diet anything from raw fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, and nuts are often eaten as snacks and sweets. find out how to make raw nut pestos and luxuriate in them with bell pepper or celery sticks. Or, simply snack on cucumbers or carrots. For sweets, you'll enjoy dates and nuts, raw avocado pudding, or bananas. confine mind that fruits should be eaten before vegetables, not after. Eating fruits after the vegetables causes fermentation in the gut (3) – this doesn't slot into the gut cleanse diet plan.

Which FOODS TO AVOID on Gut cleanse diet

On a gut cleanse diet you ought to avoid any meat, eggs, and dairy that feed pathogenic gut flora and are very mucus forming by their nature. the sole exception is unpasteurized yogurt and kefir that contains positive gut bacteria, however, they also contribute to mucus formation to a particular extent, therefore should be taken in moderate quantities and not every single day. If you add one teaspoon of grained flax seeds in unpasteurized kefir. this may bring gut cleansing properties to the drink.

You should also avoid all kinds of refined sugars, refined carbs and whole-grain foods, even oatmeal – as they're all highly mucus forming and may hinder the cleaning process.

What could be THE SIDE EFFECTS OF GUT CLEANS?

The side effects of gut cleanse are connected to eating a high amount of raw fiber that causes fast replenishment of the gut microbiome. The change of gut flora takes a few weeks, meantime you would possibly experience bloating and gas, some people complain that their movement stops for several days at the start of the program. don't be afraid. attempt to drink more probiotic drink which will help relieve symptoms.

How to SUCCEED ON GUT CLEANSE DIET?

I understand that this diet plan isn't getting to be easy for an individual adjusted to eating pizzas and burgers and no fiber in the least. Organizing a gut cleanse diet does require a while and energy to master new recipes. to achieve this diet I like to recommend doing it with a partner or with a lover. you'll be ready to monitor one another, observe your weight loss results, share recipes and cook together.

[c-is-for-circinate]

C’s infinitely modifiable recipe for vaguely niceish dinner-including-vegetables 20 minutes after walking in the front door

Like many of us, my executive function is dead by the end of the day, especially if I’m tired, especially if I’m hungry, and figuring out How To Food when I need it most is hard as fuck, especially if my kitchen’s kind of messy and I stall out on needing supplies or space.

Also like many of us, I have a really hard time figuring out How To Vegetable, because I’m very afraid of buying fresh things that might go bad before I have the spoons to use them.  And IDK about you, but I get really tired of eating the same thing all the time, so the only way to actually make myself get excited about cooking and eating is to have the option for variety.

Luckily for me, I’ve nailed ‘many, many pasta dishes I would not be ashamed to serve my mother’ down to a familiar, easy formula that I can follow with whatever I have on hand in the freezer and cabinets.  Even better, knowing this formula helps me go grocery shopping, because I can buy specific canned, frozen, jarred, and refrigerate-able things knowing several different ways I can use them.

Maybe it will help you too!  Maybe not!  But it has made my life SO MUCH BETTER, so, as a gift from me to you, A Recipe (of sorts).

To start: Drop your shit by the door.  Get out one frying pan, one pasta pot, and a wooden spoon or plastic spatula or whatever you have to cook with.  It does not matter that the counter is a mess; all you need are two clear stove burners.  There are almost no prep steps to fuck with your executive function and block you from starting this process as soon as you get home.

Step 1:  Veggies Get some olive oil heating up in your pan on medium/low.  While it’s warming up, go to your freezer and grab any frozen veggie you own: broccoli, peas, sliced bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, mixed medley, whatever.  When the oil’s hot enough that a couple of drops of water sprinkled into it sizzle a bit but don’t spit, pour the veggies straight into the pan.  (About 1/4 to 1/2 of a bag is usually plenty for me to make dinner + tomorrow’s lunch).  If the oil is Way Too Hot, turn the burner down, wait briefly, and toss the veggies in anyway.  They’re frozen, they’ll survive.

Step 2:  Carbs If you’re doing regular pasta (or those great frozen raviolis they sell at the grocery store, for extra flavor/protein), stick a pot of heavily salted water on the hottest burner cranked up to high, slap a lid on it, and wait for it to boil. If you’re doing couscous or some other fun grain that cooks in 10 minutes or less, get that going however you usually make it. If you’ve got a bunch of leftover rice in the fridge from the other day’s takeout, wait until the veggies are mostly thawed and then toss it right into the frying pan.  Break it up with the wooden spoon and add a little extra oil to make sure none of it’s too dry. (Sadly, this recipe is not scaled for potatoes.)

(Optional: Seasoning #1 If you happen to have minced garlic in your fridge, throw that shit in the frying pan when the veggies are mostly thawed.  If all you’ve got is dried, that’s cool, wait for later.  Make sure you add the liquid soon after, b/c garlic burns fast.  This is also a good time to add ginger, if you have it on hand and the ingredients you’re planning to use work with it.)

Step 3: Liquid Grab a can of [black beans/tomatoes/coconut milk/crushed pineapple/literally whatever, use the condensed soup if you want, this recipe is ANYTHING GOES] from the cabinet, drain about half the liquid out of the can and throw the rest straight into the pan.  OR snag a jar of [pre-made pesto/harissa/salsa/whatevs] from the fridge, and spoon in a big glop.  (Use judgment here.  Save half a can of things like coconut milk instead of draining it down the sink.  If it all looks super dry you can add some a splash of broth, or juice, or milk, or wine, or whatever, but you shouldn’t need much--you’ll have pasta water for that in a minute, and your frozen veg probably produced a ton of liquid to begin with.)

Step 4:  Cooking Get that pasta in the water as soon as it’s boiling.  If you’re doing grains, check on them and do whatever you’re supposed to do to make the grains cook right. Turn up the heat on the stuff in the pan so it bubbles a little around the edges.  The wetter all the stuff in your pan is, the hotter you want the burner.  You’ve got a fair bit of leeway here; so long as you’ve still got liquid in there, and you vaguely keep an eye to make sure it doesn’t burn, this can keep going without damaging anything until your carbs are done.  (Sugary liquids like orange juice or the syrup from canned fruit are more likely to burn, so keep a closer eye on those and cook them a little cooler.) This is a good point to wash out a bowl to eat out of if you don’t have a clean one.  Shove just enough dirty dishes aside to make sure you’ve got enough space in the sink to drain the pasta.

(Optional: Meat/meat substitute We’re cooking fast tonight, so we’re going for precooked meat options.  I’ve used canned tuna, frozen Ikea meatballs, leftover grocery store rotisserie chicken, frozen shrimp, fancypants gourmet chicken sausages (which freeze very well), jarred pulled pork I made in my crock pot three weekends earlier...  Like everything else in this recipe, you can go as low-budget or as pretentiously gourmet as you like.  Microwave frozen things on 50% for a minute or two in the bowl you’re planning to eat your dinner in, then throw them right into the frying pan.)

Step 5: Season (for real this time) Taste the stuff in your frying pan and decide what it needs.  You can throw in dried spices or fresh or dried herbs, or splash in soy sauce or vinegar or sriracha, or anything else you use to season food.  Season heavily, because your carbs are going to stretch all the flavors out, except for salt--you can add that once everything’s in the same pan.

Step 6: Combine When your starch is mostly-almost-done, drain most but not all of the liquid, and dump the pasta or quinoa or rice or whatever-you’ve-got right into the skillet.  (Leaving in a little bit of pasta liquid will help thicken everything and stick it together.)  Mix it all up with your trusty wooden spoon or plastic spatula or whatever you’re using and let it all hang out for a minute while you get your bowl.  Here’s where you taste and add more salt if it really needs.

(Optional: Cheese If it’s been that kind of day and the stuff in your pan + the contents of your fridge offer up a tasty combination, turn the heat off and just dump a shitton of shredded cheese right into the pan.  Mix everything fast so it all melts together from the heat of the pasta and it all gets melty and a little stringy and delicious.)

And that’s it!  One Frozen Veggie + One Carby Base + One Wet Canned/Jarred Thing + a few minutes of cooking + some spices + optional meats and/or cheeses = dinner, fifteen to twenty minutes after walking in the front door, plus probably lunch for tomorrow along with it.

This is also very often my base recipe even when I’m working with fresh veggies or raw meat.  Chopping fresh veggies adds an extra 5-10 minutes at the front end, depending on how many different kinds of vegetables I’m using.  (Make sure any raw veggies go into the pan before any frozens, because they’ll take longer to cook.)  If I’m working with raw meat or fish, or I’ve marinated tofu and I want it to get brown and tasty, I’ll generally season my protein and sautee it in the pan before I do anything else, then set it to the side in the bowl I plan to eat dinner in and cook everything else just the same as normal.

Obviously this takes a little bit of flavor-matching when it gets to the seasoning stage, but the whole ‘match a frozen thing to a canned/wet thing’ part is surprisingly forgiving, particularly if you stick to individual veggies instead of trying to play with one of those mixed vegetable medleys.  

I generally season a few different ways based on my ‘wet’ ingredient:

Canned tomatoes --> tons of garlic, any vaguely Italian herbs like basil/oregano/fennel, mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Black or red beans --> lots of chili powder, some garlic, sometimes other spices with a bite like paprika or ginger to round out the flavor for fun, usually cheddar or “southwestern cheese blend”

Canned fruit, orange juice or canned baby corn --> heavy ginger, some garlic, soy sauce, sometimes Chinese Five Spice if I have it around, no cheese

Coconut milk --> just ginger and garlic, OR something vaguely garam masala-like (cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cloves, chili, plus also non-c spices like nutmeg and whatever else seems like it might be an okay idea), no cheese

Just broth --> any of the above, OR mustard and paprika, usually with cheddar (particularly if I can add frozen or fresh diced apples to a frozen veg like broccoli)

Pesto, harissa, salsa, and other jarred ingredients usually have tons of seasoning in them already, so I season lightly to enhance whatever they’ve already got going on

(Worth noting that I grew up on Italian cooking, so I think garlic belongs in everything and I’m very much not an expert on many flavor profiles--these are things that taste good to me, and a place that might work for you to start from if you don’t have a lot of ideas what you might like.)

Good luck!  Happy cooking!  

[missguomeiyun]

sweet basil pesto

I recently purchased the below product online from Well.ca. I have used this website for some stuff before (skincare, coffee, seasonings); I like how it’s free shipping >$35, which is very easy to fulfill. They have some items that I have not seen in stores I go to; majority are like organic or vegan goods. Not that I’m changing my diet, but I like trying out new things!

Got 2 packs of these. They were on sale, & I personally have not tried pesto powder before, so I was like, “why not?”

I opened & used up 1 pack for 2 dishes~

The 1st was hummus. I REALLY have had no excellent experience with chickpeas. Any time it’s served whole, I’m like .. =/ however, hummus is completely ok The texture is gone, the rare ones I buy in grocery stores are well seasoned/flavoured, etc.. . I have made hummus a loooong time ago but like I just said, that was a loooong time ago. So I attempted to make it with the pesto powder.

Ingredients in unknown amounts: ~3/4 cup cooked chickpeas, olive oil, pinch of salt, a light sprinkle of chili flakes + dried oregano, 1 tsp of the pesto powder, & some hot water to emulsify & melt the powder. Oh! & 1 clove of garlic.

It doesn’t look too appealing... BUT it was actually really good! I topped with with some black pepper, and.. .

drizzled some of this on it. I purchased this honey from the Butterdome Craft Sale from back in December. It’s REALLY sweet on its own.

Each dip was interesting bcos it was kinda garlicy, a subtle light burst of pepper-ness, & a sweet finish bcos of the honey. Turned out well!

& I made the classic - pesto pasta! Contains cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, & chicken breast .. . with large shell pasta.

You can’t tell it was from pesto powder at all. I just cooked it with some milk, water, & a bit of butter. So tasty!

Very happy with my purchase & the 2 dishes I made with it. Will likely purchase this again in the future! Pesto sauce is quite pricey & the few times I purchased pesto sauce, it sits in the fridge for a while bcos only I eat it so I think having a powdered alternative is not a bad idea! Each pack serves 1-2 depending on how much pasta you’re making, or it differs widely based on what you’re using it for. But I like that it’s versatile, & the flavour/aroma is strong!

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

57 Easy Gluten Free Recipes for Summer Picnics and Potlucks

New blog post! Now that the weather is finally (sloooowly) warming up and holidays like Memorial Day and Fourth of July are right around the corner, I know that summer picnics and potlucks are just as close. But when you have celiac disease or dietary restrictions, summer entertaining can feel a little more complicated.

That's why this year, I thought I'd scope out some of the best gluten free recipes for summer picnics and potlucks. Whether you're looking for healthy appetizers, gluten free lunches fit for a picnic or easy paleo desserts, this round up should give you some delicious ideas. Not to mention, it should make bringing a yummy and gluten free dish to every summer get-together a whole lot easier!

Gluten Free Sides

1. Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread (Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free) - Raia's Recipes  

Trust me. If you show up with gluten free bread at a summer potluck, you're gonna be the life (or at least the taste buds) of the party.

2. Easy Potato Salad with Egg - Bubba Pie

Give your potato salad an extra boost of protein with hardboiled eggs.

3. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Vegan, Soy Free) - Spabettie

Pineapple, vegan mayo, sweet pickles and pickled carrots give this macaroni salad a unique, Hawaiian twist.

4. Broccoli Apple Slaw - Noshtastic

Change up the traditional cabbage slaw recipe by using broccoli and apple instead!

5. Creamy Pea Salad - Recipes From a Pantry

If you're looking for a seriously easy low carb side dish that is still sure to peas (ahem...please) a crowd...this is it! All you need to make it are fresh (or frozen!) peas, bacon, cheese and a few other ingredients for the sour cream dressing.

6. Black Bean and Corn Salad with Balsamic Vinegar (Dairy Free) - The Welcoming Table

Add grilled chicken or pork to make this gluten free salad a meal, or serve it as a side dish or dip!

7. German Cucumber Salad - Casserole Crissy

For any gardeners out there, this is the perfect recipe to use up any leftover cucumbers.

8. Asian-Inspired Sesame Cilantro Carrot Salad (Paleo and Vegetarian) - Natasha, The Artisan Life

Even carrot haters will be won over by the Asian flavors in this gluten free salad dressing.

9. Bone Broth Pesto (Nut Free) - Casey the College Celiac

Enjoy the creamy, tanginess of pesto with the added protein and nutritional benefits of bone broth. Serve with veggies, gluten free crackers or roasted sweet potato rounds (which are also included in the linked recipe above)! 

10. Watermelon Mint Salad with/out Feta (Dairy Free Option) - Finding Zest

Who knew that watermelon and balsamic vinegar made such a tasty pair?

11. White Bean Salad (Vegan, Soy-Free, Nut-Free) - Happy Healthy Mama

Fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, avocado and lemon juice turn plain white beans into a side salad everyone will be digging into.

12. Zucchini Roll-Ups (Vegan, Paleo) - Claudia Canu 

These roll-ups are super simple to make but that doesn't make this combo of veggies and gluten free hummus any less delicious!

13. Goat Cheese Cucumber Bites (Keto, Low Carb) - The Keto Option

Gluten free Everything But the Bagel Seasoning dresses up these mini goat cheese and cucumber sandwiches.

14. Creamy Sweet Potato Salad (Paleo) - Cathy's Gluten Free

Is there any occasions sweet potatoes aren't perfect for?!? I don't think so...

15. Focaccia with Olives, Sundried Tomato & Rosemary (Grain Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free) - Emma Eats and Explores

Like I said before...you seriously can't go wrong with bringing homemade gluten free bread.

16. 5-Minute Guacamole (Vegan, Keto, Paleo, Oil-free, Whole 30) - Veg Annie

Homemade salsa gives this homemade guac an extra kick of freshness and flavor.

17. Mexican Street Corn - Confessions of a Fit Foodie

Like corn on the cob, only a lot tastier and less messy to eat!

18. Spicy Mango Dip (Vegan) - Fun Food Frolic

Serve this gluten free and vegan dip with some gf bread or pita, and it'll disappear in no time. You can whip it up in 15, minutes, too!

19. Easy Tuna Spread - Goodnesst 

This gluten free spread only requires three ingredients, five minutes to make and is delicious when served with crackers, veggies or tossed in a salad.

20. Red Potato Salad with Avocado and Egg - Attainable Sustainable

Typical potato salad gets an upgrade with some healthy fats from avocado in this gluten free side dish.

21. Curried Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

If you want to add some hidden veggies to a family classic, you'll love my curried cauliflower mac and cheese, which only takes five ingredients to make.

Gluten Free Mains

22. Avocado, Asparagus and Chicken Salad (Paleo, Mayo Free) - Tasting Page

If mayo ain't your thang, you'll love this paleo chicken salad, which gets its creaminess from avocado and a homemade dressing.

23. Corn and Zucchini Pie - A Simple Pantry

If a quiche and a frittata had a baby, this would be it. Plus, this cheesy pie only takes an hour - including 45 minutes of it doing its thang in the oven - to make.

24. Melon Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad with Arugula - Taste and See

Combine classic Italian ingredients with a traditional Caprese salad, and you end up with an ideal summer entertaining dish.

25. Grilled Balsamic Lamb Kabobs - Foodal

I'll admit, I've never tried lamb before, but these kabobs would definitely have me digging in.

26. Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad - Spice Cravings

Traditionally, tabbouleh salad is a Middle Eastern vegetarian salad featuring ingredients like parsley, mint, Bulgar wheat, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and a lemon dressing. This gluten free version replaces the bulgar wheat with quinoa, which not only makes it allergy friendly but also packed with extra protein!

27. Zesty Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich (Vegan) - Moon and Spoon and Yum

The best kind of sandwiches have a mix of different textures and flavors...and this smashed chickpea salad has ALL the flavor punches you're looking for.

28. Southwest Quinoa Salad (Dairy-Free Option) - Mama Knows Gluten Free

You can't go wrong with a bowl of quinoa dressed up with avocados, black bean, corn, grape tomatoes, mozzarella and a cilantro honey lime dressing.

29. Shrimp Pasta Salad - Hot Pan Kitchen

Olives and sun-dried tomatoes give this cold gluten free salad an extra boost of flavor.

30. Spanish Waldorf Salad - Zestful Kitchen

This Spanish twist on a classic Waldorf salad complements a variety of different meals, and you can prepare all of the different ingredients ahead of the time.

31. Easy Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole (Low Carb) - Wholesome Yum

This gluten free casserole has all the flavors of a baked potato, minus the carbs. And you can't go wrong with bacon!

32. Tuscan Pasta Salad (Nut Free, Egg Free) - Meaningful Eats

Just 'cause you're gluten free doesn't mean you can't enjoy a very delicious pasta salad on a pretty summer day.

33. Cauliflower Salad (Vegan, Low Carb, Keto) - Cooking Journey

Cauliflower just got a very tasty upgrade with this easy, raw salad recipe.

34. Easy Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad (Vegetarian) - Mom Foodie

You can't go wrong with a classic...

35. Kale Quinoa Salad + Cider Vinegarette - Pass Me Some Tasty

Make sure you use gluten free cranberries and walnuts, and the sweet and savory mix of flavors will be a major winner in this salad.

36. Chickpea Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing - V Nutrition and Wellness

Add a creamy peanut sauce to a salad with quinoa, chickpeas, carrots, cabbage and cilantro and you have a Thai feast tastier than any take-out.

37. Prawn & Avocado Salad (Whole 30, Paleo) - Recipe This

If you know Whole 30 or paleo diners will be at your summer picnic, this salad is sure to be a hit.

38. Broccoli Salad with Bacon (Keto, Low Carb) - Whole Lotta Yum

Broccoli has never looked so good...

39. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger (Vegan) - Evolving Table

This black bean quinoa burger only takes an hour to make and is easy to personalize for whatever beans, sweet potatoes or spices you have on hand. 

40. The Best Homemade Chicken Salad (Paleo, Keto, Whole 30) - The Organic Chicken

Serve this salad on greens, gluten free bread or even half an avocado.

41. Loaded Potato Wedge Nachos (Paleo, Vegan Options) - Casey the College Celiac

'Cause who wouldn't want to dive into a plate of nachos on a beautiful summer day...especially when the base is fluffy roasted potato wedges?!?

Gluten Free Desserts

42. Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (Low Carb) - The Banana Diaries

I don't know about you, but I will always say yes to a slice of gluten free pie!

43. No Bake Peach Cheesecake Bites (Vegan) - Delightful Adventures

Make sure you use gluten free oats and almonds, and you'll have one heck of a tasty gluten free dessert.

44. Chewy Pumpkin Popcorn Balls (Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

There's something crazy addictive about that sweet and salty combo. 

45. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes - Fearless Dining

Because is there anything more summer-y than pink lemonade anything?!?

46. Red, White & Blueberry Shortcake Parfaits (Paleo) - Living Loving Paleo

No one will believe that you whipped up these paleo shortcakes from almond flour and a handful of other ingredients you threw in your food processor!

47. Avocado Brownies (Vegan) - Vibrant Guide

Even avocado haters won't be able to get over how thick and fudgy these brownies are...

48. Cream Cheese Pound Cake (Low Carb, Keto) - Fit to Serve Group

Who says you can't eat a keto or low carb diet and eat cake too?!? 

49. Scotcharoos - My Gluten-Free Kitchen

Gluten free puffed rice cereal, peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch combine into one heck of a tasty no-bake bar.

50. Oatmeal Creme Pies - Hunny I'm Home

Chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies + delicious buttercream icing = dessert heaven.

51. Orange Cake with Almond Meal (Dairy Free) - The Foodie Journey

This cake is only made with a few ingredients and can be prepped to bake in just 10 minutes!

52. Blueberry Muffins (Vegan) - Rhian's Recipes

You can't go wrong with a fluffy blueberry muffin, especially when it's gluten free, vegan and only takes 35 minutes to bake! Plus, there are tons of ingredient options and swaps, so you can probably whip up these muffins with whatever is already in your pantry.

53. S'mores Ice Cream Cake (Vegan) - Pink Fortitude

Ummm...a gluten free and vegan ice cream cake?!? I don't think I need to say anymore...

54. Chocolate, Beetroot & Raspberry Cupcakes - Attachment Mummy 

In case you want to sneak a few veggies into your gluten free dessert.

55. No Bake Cheesecake (Keto, Low Carb) - Low Carb Yum

You can't beat a no-bake cheesecake base topped with fresh summer berries.  

56. Chocolate Chip Coffee Cookies - Think About Such Things

Chocolate chip cookies just got a caffeinated twist! 

57. Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake (Dairy Free) - Allergy Free Alaska 

I was sold at blueberries...

What I Hope You Remember During This Summer's Potlucks, Picnics and Parties

I know that when you have celiac disease or food allergies, the words "picnic" or "potluck" can cause more fear than excitement. But rest assured - as long as you use one of these gluten free recipes for guidance, you know you'll have at least one delicious meal you can happily enjoy. What are your favorite summer meals or recipes? Tell me in the comments! via Blogger http://bit.ly/2E6xmYR

[sussex-nature-lover]

Sunday 28th March 2021

It’s All Been Kicking Off in the Garden

♦ UK - did you remember to put your clock forward an hour last night before bed, or first thing this morning?

It’s a very dull day and the stiff breeze is cold and has a sharp and cutting edge to it. Big contrast to where the cricket’s coming from in Pune, India - it’s reportedly been 38°C. The weather forecast is predicting a mini heatwave for us  later in the week though, so it could be a swift change here.

Since I wrote last there’s been an Interloper in the garden. I mean we do have various male Pheasants from time to time, but they’ve moved on taking some of the girls with them and the dominant male, who’s laid claim to this territory, reigns supreme over the ones who are left. I say that slightly tongue in cheek. He seems to think of himself as their protector, but generally they pretty much ignore him and go about their business as they will.

This week not only was a new guy in town, but he was a feisty one who rather fancied his chances. He’s very distinctive with that large white neck ring like the collar of a formal business shirt. We had one very similar a few years back and nicknamed him The Banker, because of it.

However, Pedro was aware - certainly on his mettle and the chase began.

I rushed up to the bedroom window for optimum viewing of ‘The Corridor’ and I wasn’t alone

This Wood Pigeon was stationed right above and had the best view of all as they raced around the lawns and over the decking through the flower beds. I’m glad we haven’t got around to tidying up down there as yet.

The girls ducked in and out of the side hedge trying to pretend it wasn’t happening, keeping well out of the way as the lads sparred. 

Eventually Pedro saw off the Interloper, who hasn’t been spotted here since, so his dominance of his patch is retained and honour restored.

Birds in the Garden Today so far:

Great Spotted Woodpecker; Nuthatch; Robin; Blue, Great, Coal, Marsh and Long Tailed Tits; Dunnock; Blackbird; Song Thrush; Rook; Wood Pigeon; Stock Dove; Magpie; Pheasant and absolutely loads of House Sparrows.

The Sparrows have been very busy feeding at the hanging coconuts (suet) the hanging suet ball feeders, the Bullrush feeder, the seed from the ground trays, coconut shells and the spilled seed, suet on the log tables and also at all the water sources.

No sign yet of interest in the Niger seed, but Blue and Great Tits have been on the big hanging seed feeder.

Sight of the day so far was the landing of one enormous Rook in the Hazel tree causing the Catkins to fall in a very heavy rain of mustard. Sound of the day - Woodpecker drumming in the woods.

Vintage pic - The Banker

Kitchen Culinary Highlights:

This week we’ve eaten a tremendous amount of fish in various ways. Perhaps the favourite was a lovely cod loin topped with pesto, sun dried tomatoes and some wholemeal bread crumbs. We also enjoyed date and walnut bread with some Comté (Com-tay)cheese and this morning I made the Welsh Rarebit I posted about a little while back, it was very tasty: I used Red Leicester (Less-ter) cheese.

Random Discovery:

The Isle of Sheppey has been in the news because of its problem with a novel strain of Covid-19, but in happier times there’s a rich history there.

[asfeedin]

Turn Vegetable Greens and Herb Scraps Into Flavorful Pestos

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

In my old, pre-coronavirus life, I aspired not to waste food, but I’ll admit, I wasted a fair amount anyway. I may have intended to use up the rest of that ginger, or those herbs leftover from that recipe I made a few nights ago, or the bag of limes I was sure I needed for daiquiris that I ended up being too tired to actually make. I may have had noble intentions, but life often got in the way and eventually I’d have to toss my shriveled scraps in the compost.

Today is different. Almost overnight, quarantine living has forced me to become a more efficient home cook. It’s also made it easier to be efficient—I’m home and I’m cooking every meal so I have every opportunity to make the most of what I’ve bought.

As I’ve detailed before, one of the main strategies I’m leaning on at home is what I’m calling “component cooking.” I’m not really following too many fully fleshed-out recipes, but instead am building components: blanched or roasted or pickled vegetables; poached or roasted meats; cooked beans; and condiments aplenty. Then I’m mixing and matching them in as many ways as I can dream up, which keeps meals varied and interesting.

One very easy component we can all make with ingredients we probably have in our fridges are herb sauces in the style of pesto or chimichurri. They’re endlessly variable and versatile.

Fennel-frond pesto. [Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]

Here’s an example: This fennel frond “pesto” I made using the tops of four bulbs of fennel I’d bought. The bulbs themselves ended up in a rich bean stew. The fronds went back in the fridge. In my old life I would have found them there a week later, wilted and yellowing. But in this new existence I actually managed to do something with them before they went bad.

I picked the fronds and got about a quart’s worth. Then I added some garlic cloves, some lemon juice and zest, a dollop of Dijon mustard, and a number of anchovies that almost bordered on being obscene. I topped everything off with a big glug of olive oil and blended it until I had more than two cups of sauce. Was it “pesto”? No, not really, but it had that kind of vibe.

It was bright and herbaceous and salty, and it was great spooned over the fennel and bean stew I made. It also made a really good pasta sauce, and was delicious swirled into fresh ricotta cheese as a snack. It was even better as a dressing for a salad of roasted carrots, fresh parsley, and sliced red onions. I didn’t start out with a plan for how to use it, but it’s been easy to find ways. It would’ve been killer tossed with a plain bowl of beans, but I’m all out now, so I’ll have to try that with whatever herbal concoction and pot of beans I whip up next time.

For one dinner, I tossed sliced roasted carrots, parsley, and red onions with my fennel-frond pesto, then mounded them on top of a potato cake with thinly sliced roasted lamb. This wasn’t a recipe, it was just a creative way to combine components I’d whipped up. [Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]

Here are a few tips for making your own herb sauces with whatever you have on hand, whether during quarantine or any other time.

How to Invent Your Own “Pesto” Sauce

Not every green herb sauce is pesto, but you get the point. [Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

“Pesto” is in quotes here because not every herb purée is a pesto, just like not every soup is chicken noodle. But as a shorthand, it’s probably the most widely understood way to talk about puréed, oil-based herb sauces.

Be Open to “Herbal” Possibilities

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

When it comes to choosing herbs to turn into pesto, of course there are the obvious options like basil, parsley, and cilantro, but don’t stop there. Chives, scallions, tarragon, and mint would all be great additions, as are fennel fronds and even carrot tops.

You can lean on softer herbs more fully without worry, like parsley or basil or fennel fronds. Others may be a little too assertive to be the only vegetal component. Woodsy herbs like oregano and sage could be tasty in moderation, but they might come across too aggressively on their own. Ditto for oniony scallions and chives. It of course depends how you use it, but it’s often smart to cut very bold herbs and vegetables with more mild ones. Parsley, spinach, and even kale are all good picks for diluting a more pungent herb’s flavor.

Alternatively, you could go all in on the bolder greens, but then be sure add less of the sauce to your food, or cut it another way (see eggs and nuts below).

One more trick that might come in handy is softening and taming the raw flavor of the greens or herbs by quickly blanching them in boiling water before shocking them in ice water and then puréeing (it even works for basil). You can blanch and blend most any herb or vegetable, but it’s especially useful for tougher, fibrous ones like kale that can seem gritty when processed raw.

Go Nuts (Or Don’t)

Mortar and pestle not required. [Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

True Genovese pesto wouldn’t be pesto without pine nuts, and while you certainly don’t need nuts for a flavorful herb sauce, they’re an ingredient worth considering for their fatty richness and thickening abilities.

If you do add nuts, there’s no need to limit yourself to pine nuts. Pistachios, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, and more can work well. One thing to remember is that roasted nuts tend to be drier and may not blend up quite as smoothly as plump raw ones do.

Cheese Ain’t a Bad Idea

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Once again, classic Genovese pesto serves as a template and its inclusion of finely grated hard cheeses like Pecorino and Parmigiano-Reggiano is another option worth considering. Cheeses add yet more richness and fattiness, but they also add complexity and their own form of tang, thanks to their lactic acid content.

Must you add cheese? No. But you probably won’t regret it either. If you do, it’s better to stick to harder grating cheese like Parm, though you may be able to purée in a soft and spreadable cheese like chèvre with good results. Just skip the semi-soft ones like cheddar and the soft-rind ones like brie.

Don’t Sleep on Eggs

Pesto, pesto, pesto. I know, enough with the pesto. So let’s look at another Italian classic: salsa verde from the Northwestern region of Piedmont. It’s a parsley-based sauce that’s served with many things, including bollito misto, a feast of boiled meats.

There’s a lot that’s great about salsa verde, from its salty and herbal capers to briny, funky anchovies. But perhaps coolest of all is the hard-boiled egg that often gets blended in. Sure, it gives the sauce a subtle eggy quality, but it’s not obvious and I’d wager most blind tasters wouldn’t pick it out. What it really does is help thicken and emulsify the sauce for creamier results.

Punch Up the Flavor

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

There’s no way to list all the ingredients one might decide to add to a sauce like this, so I’ll just rattle off a bunch off the top of my head. I’m sure you can think of more.

Citrus juice and zest (in particular, lemons and limes)

Capers and caper berries

Olives

Anchovies and tuna, or even a splash of fish sauce

Spices (black pepper, coriander seed, cumin, fennel, etc.)

Garlic and other alliums like shallots

Mustard

Chili peppers (fresh, dried, pastes, or pickled)

Some fresh or roasted tomatoes or bell peppers or rehydrated dried peppers (see romesco and pesto alla Trapanese for ideas)

Ginger

Watch Out for Acid

Acid in the form of lemon juice or vinegar can brighten up a bright green oil-based sauce. I added lemon juice in the fennel frond pesto I made. Do watch out, though, because heavier doses of acidic ingredients can turn bright green vegetables a duller army-green color, and you may lose some of that vibrant, fresh green flavor too.

Speaking of Oil

Olive oil is the real star in these sauces, its grassy green flavor pairing perfectly with whatever herbs and vegetables you’re using in your sauce. But if you don’t have olive oil, a fresh neutral oil (read: don’t use that old sticky bottle you’ve been slowly drawing down for months) like canola, grape seed, or vegetable oil can all work. They won’t add much flavor of their own to the sauce, but if you add enough other flavorful ingredients, that’s just fine.

Get Creative

Sicilian Trapanese pesto has tomatoes mashed in. It’s still a type of pesto! [Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Have an eggplant you don’t know what to do with? Maybe roast it, scoop out the flesh, and mash that into your pureed herb sauce as well. It will be a totally different creation, but… why not?

Wondering if some green tomatillos might find a home in your sauce? Well it works in Mexico, so there’s a decent chance you’ll come up with something good.

Point is, take the time to look through your fridge and pantry, think about what you have and what it might taste like as part of your sauce. Really try to imagine the flavors and textures and how they might go together. You have better instincts than you may suspect, so take the risk. You may stumble on a genius idea.

It’s Okay to Use a Blender

I have a history of blathering on and on about the wonders of the mortar and pestle, and I believe it as much today as I always have. But I’m also a very pragmatic cook, and it’s important to remember that we’re not always trying to create the absolute best-possible thing. Often all we really need is something tasty that we can use to make our meals more pleasurable while using up ingredients that might otherwise go to waste. If using a blender is the difference between you actually doing it and just thinking about it, please plug that sucker in and blend away.

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Tags: Flavorful, Greens, Herb, Pestos, Scraps, Turn, vegetable

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Friday, 26th October 2018/Saturday, 15th June 2019 – The Garage, Buckingham

Friday, 26th October 2018 – The Garage, Buckingham

The Garage has been open for a while now, based in – you guessed it – an old garage in the middle of Buckingham. We’d attempted to eat there before, only to be frustrated by technical issues that had led to the place being closed over an entire weekend, and thus we only finally made it in there last October, as the preamble to a gig at the old Town Hall (Bernie Marsden doing a Q&A and a number of numbers from his blues guitar playing history which was good fun). Consequently we didn’t have too much time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. We were seated upstairs, where you have a view of the open kitchen rather than downstairs where the bar is located. This meant we had no time for more than one cocktail, which served as an aperitif while we studied the menu. Mine was a Bramble, made with blackberries as you might expect, creme de mure (which is not seen enough in these parts, if you ask me), lemon juice and gin. One of the major pluses of this sort of drink is that you can’t taste the gin!

Lynne went for an Old Fashioned, claiming it’s because that’s what she is… and also happy to avoid gin altogether. The Old Fashioned is, of curse, a whisky-based drink and all the better for it. I have to say the combination of bourbon, bitters, vanilla and sugar didn’t look too much different to what I was drinking, though it definitely tasted different.

The food arrived pretty sharpish as we finished our cocktails, a couple of starters that we’d agreed to share. One dish was a duck and bacon hash, served with peppered rocket and a poached hen’s egg. It was good, the egg nicely judged, once you could battle your way past the rocket! There seemed to be a lot of greenery, but the meat was excellent. They clearly have a good butcher.

The mixed game terrine with sourdough bread and a carrot, clove and orange marmalade also backed up that theory, as did the fact that someone was at least conventionally clever with flavours if the marmalade was anything to go by. The butter sealing the top was lovely on the sourdough toast too, and you got two types of sourdough which was generous.

The meat theme continued into our mains, a large chunk of venison steak that had been seared to just the right degree of rareness, and served with bacon and braised red cabbage, along with a fondant potato which I felt could have been a lot better, and a pink peppercorn and redcurrant jus that again I felt could have been better, in this instance if it had been made as a proper, thicker sauce, but that was tasty and definitely delivered on the peppercorn heat.

The other main was again great on the meat, not so great on the vegetables, with roasted duck breast and a trio of confit duck made into bon-bons, served with buttered savoy cabbage, which needed more butter, an apricot puree which I felt lacked the acidity a fruit accompaniment to duck needs, and some somewhat under-powered Parmentier potatoes. The vegetables on both mains seemed rushed, and maybe they had been. Hopefully that can be addressed in future because there was quite a lot to like otherwise about the venue, the ingredients, the staff and the general attitude.

There was quite a lot to like about their wine list too, particularly the bin ends section which produced a half-priced Portuguese wine, a 2014 Adega de Pegões Colheita Selecionada that we very much enjoyed. It had a distinct aroma of red and black fruits, and was a lovely jammy concoction. If we’d had time I could imagine having had a second bottle and taken what was left home. It’s an interesting blend of Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, fermented in stainless steel tanks initially, then aged for 12 months in French oak. I’d rather like to try some more of it, as it seems the wine-maker, Jaime Quendera, is making something of a name for himself. If this example is anything to go by, then he’s doing a very good job.

Saturday, 15th June 2019 – Zinc Bar, Buckingham; The Garage, Buckingham

We were back again in June, after a very expensive book-buying day at the 2019 Buckingham Literary Festival. With the demise of Vibin’s (at least as a restaurant by that name – it seems to have become a Mexican fast food place now though under the same ownership) there’s a serious shortage of anywhere really worth eating at in Buckingham, so we had to hope they wouldn’t let us down. First though we decided to try the bar opposite where Vibin’s used to be, Zinc. After having to spend time in our own local cocktail bar trying to teach the bar staff how to make a caipirinha properly (and then being mind-boggled by the fact that said bar ran a series of cocktail masterclasses at the local food festival) this was a positive pleasure, and more to the point a caipirinha done just right! I couldn’t find any fault with it; it contained cahaca, lime, sugar (not syrup, not sugar cubes that won’t dissolve, just granulated sugar) and ice which is all you want in a caiprinha.

Apparently the whisky sour was pretty good too!

Given we still had time to spare, we figured we’d better explore the more exotic end of the list, but then the regular cocktails side-tracked us from that plan in the shape of a raspberry mojito for me:

And an old fashioned once again for Lynne.

We left the bar very happy in every sense, and were soon ensconced in a downstairs nook at the Garage and mulling over the menu while we made inroads into the bread basket, complete with its two types of butter (pesto, sun-dried tomato), olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We did eventually decide what we wanted to eat. As usual it was the starters and mains that got our interest. I can enjoy a dessert with the best of ’em, but if I’m only going to have room for two courses then I’d prefer to stick with the savoury choices. For starters we would share the aparagus, duck egg and home-cured ham, which delivered on the egg front in just the way you would want, the yolk oozing out and coating the asparagus nicely.

There was also a beef tataki, the dressing packing quite an umami punch, the beef tender and rare and just as I like it. Once again it seemed clear that whoever they get their meat from, it’s a good source.

The mains were again slightly less well-executed, though the tuna steak was still pink, which is better than you usually get in UK restaurants (think grey, tough, dull and dry). It was still the right side of overcooked, which meant it was edible. I’d have liked a slightly pinker take on it, with a nicely browned (at high speed and high temperature please) outside and an almost uncooked inside.

The guinea fowl was very good, and had been beautifully cooked, the leg confitted, and the breast roasted. I think this worked better because it doesn’t require the precise timing that the tuna does. The vegetables were better this time too, though not particularly exciting.

In conclusion, it’s not going to set the world on fire, but it does provide a good option for some solid enough cooking. If we’re in Buckingham and want a dinner that’s a cut above the chains, then the Garage will fit the bill. If we really want to go out for a push the boat out celebration, say, then there are better options around.

Food 2018/2019 – Zinc Bar, Buckingham; The Garage, Buckingham Friday, 26th October 2018/Saturday, 15th June 2019 - The Garage, Buckingham Friday, 26th October 2018 - The Garage, Buckingham…

[silkloss7-blog]

Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil

posted by Kalyn Denny on April 1, 2019

Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil was inspired by a series of grocery store finds and this lasagna was so tasty! Use Casserole Recipes to find more low-carb casseroles like this one!

Click to PIN Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil!

It’s no secret that I love Low-Carb Casseroles because of the way they create leftovers for the freezer, and other people must like that too because casseroles are some of the most popular recipes on this site! But usually I wouldn’t share a new casserole recipe like this Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil at this time of year, just when the weather is starting to heat up.

It was three fun grocery store finds in a row that inspired me to create this recipe, and after we worked on it a few times to get it right the final version was so tasty I just couldn’t convince myself to wait until fall to share the recipe! In fact, yesterday I pulled a container of this low-carb lasagna out of the freezer and heated it up for an amazing dinner. So please make this NOW before it gets too hot to turn on the oven and I promise you’ll be glad you tried it!

The Folios Parmesan Cheese Wraps I found at Costco were the first thing that inspired this lasagna. Normally I’m not inclined to create a recipe using  a product that some people might not be able to find, but when I shared about Folios on Instagram I was so intrigued by the comments and how many people liked them. Folios are firm wraps made of cheese, about the thickness of a tortilla and they’re gluten-free and have only one carb each.

When the idea of making no-noodle lasagna and using these parmesan wraps as the “noodles” popped into my mind, I might not have done it right away except the very next time I went to the grocery store I found Rao’s Tomato Basil Sauce (affiliate link) that had half the carbs as the low-sugar sauce I’d been using. And then on that same shopping trip I discovered the store had fresh basil plants! I love fresh basil and it added so much flavor to the sauce for this low-carb lasagna!

But if you can’t find Folios Parmesan Cheese Wraps or Rao’s Sauce or don’t have fresh basil, please don’t let that stop you from making this tasty lasagna! Use a firm sliced cheese like Provolone to replace the Folios; it will probably melt a bit more but it’s still going to be delicious. Pick the lowest-carb sauce you can find if your store doesn’t carry Raos. And you can use dried basil or chopped basil in a tube for the sauce if you don’t have or don’t want to buy fresh basil. (I don’t accept money to promote products, and none of the companies mentioned in this post have any idea that I’m featuring them.)

(This is just a summary of the steps shown in the photos. Scroll down to the complete recipe for full instructions.) Preheat oven and spray casserole dish with non-stick spray. Heat oil in a large deep frying pan and saute chopped onion; then push onion over to the side and cook the ground beef and Italian sausage in the same pan.

Add the Rao’s sauce to the meat mixture and simmer until the sauce is thick. While the sauce simmers, chop basil (or use Herb Scissors like I did if you have them!)

Stir the chopped basil into the sauce. Mix the cottage cheese or ricotta, beaten eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic powder, and dried herbs. (We tested the recipe with both cottage cheese and ricotta and we preferred the cottage cheese, but take your choice on that!)

I used a wonderful Le Creuset baking dish that I bought at Williams Sonoma with a generous gift certificate I got from my brother Dave and his wife Amy, thanks guys! Cut the Folios in half and cover the bottom of the dish. (I only needed two Folios per layer for my size dish, if your dish is a bit wider or longer you might need three.) Spread half the meat sauce over the Folios.

Then make a layer with half the cottage cheese mixture, followed by half the Mozzarella.

Make another layer each of Folios, meat sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and Mozzarella. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the top. Bake Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil for 40-45 minutes. (We cooked the lasagna in the photo 45 minutes but I’d start to check after 35 or 40 minutes.)

Serve hot and enjoy! This freezes well and reheats beautifully in the microwave or in the oven.

Make it a Meal:

I’d serve Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil with a salad like Low-Carb Caesar Salad or Kalyn’s Favorite Baby Arugula Salad for a low-carb meal!

More Low-Carb Lasagna to Love:

Grilled Zucchini Low-Carb Lasagna with Italian Sauce, Tomato, and Basil Sauce ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen Keto Chicken Lasagna Cups ~ A Spicy Perspective Low-Carb Sausage and Kale Mock Lasagna Casserole ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen Low-Carb Lasagna Stuffed Peppers ~ Recipe Girl Low-Carb Mock Lasagna Spaghetti Squash Casserole ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen Low-Carb Pesto Zucchini Lasagna Rolls ~ All Day I Dream About Food Low-Carb Sausage and Roasted Peppers Mock Lasagna Casserole ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep  to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil was inspired by three fun things I found at the grocery store, and this lasagna was so tasty!

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 pkg. (19.5 oz.) Hot Turkey Italian Sausage, use pork Italian Sausage if you prefer (see notes)

1 jar (24 oz.) low-sugar pasta sauce (see notes)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or use a few teaspoons of dried basil or a few tablespoons of basil from a tube if you don’t have fresh basil.)

2 cups cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese

4 eggs, beaten well

1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (probably optional, but good)

1 tsp. Italian herb blend

1 tsp. garlic powder

4 Folios Parmesan Cheese Wraps (Use firm sliced white cheese like Provolone if you don’t have Folios. You may need a total of 6 Folios to cover the dish if you use a larger, less deep dish than we had.)

2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese

additional 1/3 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the top (probably optional, but good)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F/190C and spray a deep rectangular casserole dish with non-stick spray. (See notes about the dish I used.)

Heat olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat and saute chopped onion just until it’s starting to brown, then push onion over to the side of the pan and crumble in the ground beef and Italian sausage, squeezing the sausage out of the casings. Cook the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking apart with the turner until it’s nicely browned and all the released liquid has evaporated.

Add the Rao’s sauce to the meat mixture (rinse out the jar with a little water if you’d like) and simmer on low until the sauce is thick, about 10 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, chop basil (or use Herb Scissors like I did if you have them!)

Stir the chopped basil into the sauce and turn off the heat.

Mix the cottage cheese or ricotta, beaten eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan if using, garlic powder, and dried herbs.

Cut the Folios in half and cover the bottom of the dish, putting the straight edge along the edge of the dish. (I only needed two Folios per layer for my size dish but bigger casserole dishes might need three.)

Spread half the meat sauce over the Folios.

Then make a layer with half the cottage cheese mixture, followed by half the Mozzarella.

Make another layer each of Folios, meat sauce, cottage cheese mixture, and Mozzarella. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the top if using.

Bake Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil for 40-45 minutes. (We cooked the lasagna in the photo 45 minutes but I’d start to check after 35 or 40 minutes.)

Serve hot. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated later.

Notes:

I used an amazing Le Creuset baking dish that was 7.5″ x 11.5″ x 3 inches deep; try to use a deep dish if you can but anything close to that size will work.

I used my favorite hot turkey Italian sausage for this recipe, but pork sausage would also be good!

I was excited to find Rao’s Tomato Basil Sauce (affiliate link) at my grocery store; this sauce has only about 20 carbs in a whole jar.

This recipe inspired by Folios Parmesan Cheese Wraps that I found at Costco and I experimented with Jake and Kara until we thought it was a keeper!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions: Low-Carb No-Noodle Lasagna with Sausage and Basil is a great dish for low-carb and low-glycemic diet plans, and for any phase of the South Beach Diet. South Beach would recommend lean ground beef, low-fat turkey sausage, low-fat cottage cheese, and reduced fat cheese for this recipe.

Find More Recipes Like This One: Use the Recipes by Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Nutritional Information? If you want nutritional information for a recipe, I recommend entering the recipe into this nutrition analyzer, which will calculate it for you. Or if you’re a member of Yummly, you can use the Yum button on my site to save the recipe and see the nutritional information there.

posted by Kalyn Denny on April 1, 2019

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Source: https://kalynskitchen.com/low-carb-no-noodle-lasagna-with-sausage-and-basil/

[foodie2shoe]

20 Healthy Snacks

Good afternoon food lovers,

I got this blog in my mailbox today about 20 healthy snacks and how to prep them. So, I took the time to translate the blog for you all so you can make these 20 snacks too! Good luck!

Why Responsible Snacks?

Why would you go to the trouble of collecting responsible snacks now? Very simple: because healthy snacking is often better than not snacking! Many people still think that by definition it is bad to eat something between meals, but that is certainly not true.

It only gets bad if you start eating all kinds of unhealthy junk, or if you get too many calories for your personal physical goals through those snacks. However, if you are hungry, you better eat something. In this way you prevent binge eating, and if you tackle it properly you also get useful nutrients.

20 responsible snacks

For all suggestions on the list below, they do something useful for your body in one way or another. For example, they contain proteins in the form of meat, egg or nuts, or they provide vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function optimally. Of course it is best if you alternate well between all the different snacks.

That way you get the most out of all the different nutrients that they have to offer, and you never get too much inside out! Of course you can always vary to your heart's content with these twenty sensible snacks - but at least you have a lot of inspiration to get you started.

1. Warm apple with cinnamon

Cut an apple into pieces, put it in the microwave for a minute and a half, and sprinkle with a lot of cinnamon. Delicious as a warm, sweet snack on the couch in the evening!

2. Egg with ham

If you always have a few boiled eggs in the fridge, it will only take you a minute to make this protein-rich snack: cut the egg into four parts, wrap it in slices of ham, and you're done.

3. Avocado with cottage cheese

Half an avocado provides healthy fats and a lot of vitamins, and if you fill the hole in the pit with a large spoonful of cottage cheese, proteins are added. Tasty with a lot of black pepper.

4. Raw vegetables with humus

A bowl of humus is the ideal dip for, for example, carrots, celery or cucumber. Of course you can also make the humus yourself, which is very simple and even tastier.

5. Forest fruit smoothie

100 grams of forest fruits from the freezer and 200 ml of vegetable milk - you don't need more for a delicious fast smoothie. If you want a little more protein, you can replace part of the milk with cottage cheese.

6. Rice cake with peanut butter or roast beef

Rice waffles (the natural variant) do not provide many nutrients, but when you use them as a basis for healthy spreads, it is a responsible snack. Peanut butter is an easy way to add healthy fats. Do you like sweet? Then add some banana slices to this snack. Do you prefer more protein? Then roast beef slices are a good choice!

7. Dark chocolate with nuts

Do you fancy something sweet? Then chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is a good option. Very pure chocolate is a good source of antioxidants and the nuts provide proteins and healthy fats. A perfect - and tasteful - combination!

8. Oatmeal banana cookies

Mash 2 ripe bananas, mix them with 100 grams of oatmeal, and make that "batter" into four or five cookies. Bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees, and you're done! If you want you can add some honey and cinnamon.

9. Zucchini chips

Cut a zucchini into wafer-thin slices and spread it with coconut oil. You can optionally add salt, pepper and paprika powder for more taste. Bake in a preheated oven until nicely browned and crispy.

10. Melon with ham

A classic combination, but no less worth mentioning: pieces of melon wrapped in ham are the perfect summer snack.

11. Salmon wraps

Whole grain wraps provide healthy carbohydrates, and with slices of smoked salmon you also immediately get a lot of protein and healthy fats. Add cream cheese and herbs for even more flavor!

12. Cheese cubes with cucumber

A very easy combination that is no less tasty or healthy. Choose (low-fat) cheese with little salt; all that sodium is certainly not good for your body.

13. Quesadilla

With two wholemeal wraps and some cheese slices you can quickly make a quesadilla - and with that basic recipe you can vary endlessly. Add peppers or mushrooms, or cover the wraps with pesto… whatever you like!

14. Dried fruit with nuts

The great thing about this snack is that you can vary endlessly: do you go for dates, apricots, cranberries, or everything at once? Do you prefer walnuts or almonds? You can easily adjust it to your own taste.

15. Cucumber with cottage cheese

A nice fresh and responsible snack: cover some cucumber slices with cottage cheese. Super quick and healthy! Cucumber provides you with a lot of vitamins and minerals and the cottage cheese contains the necessary proteins.

16. Goat cheese and walnuts

Whether you go for cubes of goat cheese or for a softer variety: walnuts are delicious anyway. Those with a sweet tooth can add a few drops of honey.

17. Seaweed salad

A fast seaweed salad of wakame with sesame seeds is not only insanely tasty: it also gives you a mountain of essential minerals, including iodine, which is especially for people who don't eat bread.

18. Cottage cheese with fruit

Of course, curd cheese cannot be missing from this list. With some fruit - forest fruits are a favorite of many people - you can taste it quickly and healthily.

19. Celery with nut butter

Thanks to its hollow shape, celery can easily be filled - for example with a nut butter of your choice. Healthy fats, proteins and vitamins and minerals - what more do you want?

20. Caprese sticks

With some long skewers, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls you can quickly make responsible snacks that also look fantastic. Delicious with basil or other Italian herbs.

[vsplusonline]

Serefe Cafe and Malt, Hyderabad: expert-made drinks and global cuisine in a glamorous setting

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/serefe-cafe-and-malt-hyderabad-expert-made-drinks-and-global-cuisine-in-a-glamorous-setting/

Serefe Cafe and Malt, Hyderabad: expert-made drinks and global cuisine in a glamorous setting

Step into Serefe and you get a whiff of the attractively-perfumed air that emanates from Absorb, a boutique bar which is owned by the same team: Neha and Nitin Ganeriwal. While Absorb is known for its spacious luxury island vibe, Serefe is reminiscent of an intimate midnight bar.

Serefe Cafe And Malt

Where: Road Number 59, Jubilee Hills

Hits: Desserts, drinks

Misses: Hummus plate

Cost for two: Approx ₹2500

Call 9000047700

I arrive at Serefe at lunchtime, when the floor-to-ceiling curtains are drawn, allowing natural light to pour into the resto-bar. Neha says the space takes on an entirely different character at night; the space, encased by geometric mirrors, gives the lighting from the high-up chandeliers more of a playground to add some mood. ��We definitely offer glamour to our patrons — in look, feel and service,” explains Neha.

Deeply passionate and committed to making Serefe a success, Neha says perfection should not be a far reach for thriving restaurants in the city. “When you say you want to start a restaurant in Hyderabad, it becomes a day-to-night commitment. Having been a housewife for 20 years, my whole routine has changed when bringing Serefe from the ground-up.”

Serefe has quickly made a name for itself in a certain sector of fine dining in the city. Its appointment-based system controls the in-flow of patrons during mealtimes. This booking system can be found via the Facebook page. Serefe also draws plenty of eyes from different kitty groups in the city who quickly book up their upstairs private dining rooms, one of which has normal seating while the other has chilled-out sofa set-ups.

Umpteen options

The menu at Serefe is a seemingly never-ending one. Not sure what to order, Neha brings a spinach salad laced with creamy cheese, walnuts and cherry tomatoes. She sends some tandoori chicken tikka our way, the chicken fillets tender and the accompanying cheese sauce — rather than the traditional mint chutney — adding just the right amount of tang. However, do gobble these up quickly before the chicken dries up.

If you are looking for something basic, get the hummus plate, it is not too overwhelming in variety and gives you company while you wait for your next dishes or drinks. What does come next is a tasty grilled fish slathered with lemon-garlic butter sauce. As someone who eats garlic-anything, this was a treat and a light one too to keep us paced before the arrival of the pesto-stuffed chicken roulade glazed with olive tapenade, drizzled with cheese.

The signature chicken roulade at Serefe Cafe and Malt, Hyderabad,   | Photo Credit: Divya Kala Bhavani

Do not miss out on Serefe’s desserts. I have a major sweet tooth but when a chocolate tart and a tiramisu is set in front of me, it is as though the previous binge session never happened. The chocolate tart is puddled in dark chocolate sauce, the dish a flourish of both sweet and bitter. The tiramisu, was a delight, though there were no discernible layers of biscotti and sponge. However, the mascarpone cheese was whipped to a cloudy lightness while the filling has a satisfying amount of coffee liquer without inciting guilt.

The chocolate tart at Serefe Cafe and Malt, Hyderabad,   | Photo Credit: Divya Kala Bhavani

When ordering a drink, be sure to consult general managers Tony Snehashis and Dominic who have been in the mixology game for a hot minute. I first order a whisky-based drink which has fruit overtones and a pretty sunset ombre going on, but Tony is quick to say, “You have got to finish that in five minutes or the drink is dead.” He then orders me a Cosmopolitan which has cointreau instead of triple sec and sugar syrup, my first Cosmo in a while which does not taste like bubblegum.

Dominic sends me a vodka-based berry drink (with biodegradable straws, yay!); as someone who detests vodka, this was pretty decent as it was balanced out with green tea. Then — do not worry, I am gulping food down while this happens — he dares me to go for an unnamed sambucca-based drink which is piled high with crushed ice, but has flavourings of fresh basil. This drink felt like more of a night-out drink for me, given the slightly indulgent nature to it.

It is easy to understand why Serefe is doing well as a destination for both day and night outs, so the establishment will not be slowing down anytime soon.

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[micebrandy29-blog]

30 favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products

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This updated list of my favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products highlights some of the store’s must haves. Items include pantry staples, refrigerated sauces and spreads, enticing frozen items, as well as tasty snacks and treats.

(Want to take this list with you to the store for easy shopping? Scroll to the bottom for a printable list!)

Going to Trader Joe’s is like a treasure hunt. You never know what you may fall in love with at your next visit. New and exciting products appear on store shelves in regular rotation.

But being a TJ’s fan is also a lesson in detachment. As soon as you’ve found a product you love, it may be discontinued.

Products are taken off the shelves because they’re seasonal, not selling well, or for quality control reasons. So when you like something, you’ve got to buy it and enjoy it while you can. Some products stick around for years, others for just weeks.

Today I’m sharing an updated list of 30 favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products. I had to remove some items because they’re no longer sold at Trader Joe’s. And I had to add some of my new favorites since the last posting.

Green jackfruit

Obviously, you can buy young green jackfruit other places. It’s available at Asian grocery stores, in addition to natural food stores. But it’s very handy to buy at Trader Joe’s when I’m doing my regular shopping run.

And for people who are confused about which jackfruit to buy for savory dishes, it’s an easy place to point them.

This green jackfruit packed in brine works well for things like vegan BBQ pulled pork. And there are lots of vegan barbecue sauce options at Trader Joe’s that you can use for it.

Here are my favorite ways to use Trader Joe’s jackfruit:

Alvarado Bakery flax seed bread

For years Alvarado Bakery flax seed bread was our regular sandwich bread. We always had it on hand. So I was delighted when it popped up at my local Trader Joe’s recently.

This grainy bread is made with sprouted organic whole wheat berries, filtered water, wheat gluten, sprouted organic whole flax seeds, oat fiber, cultured wheat starch, organic dates, yeast, organic raisins, sea salt, and sunflower lecithin.

Two slices are 100 calories.

Plus, when there’s an orange cat on the label, you know it’s going to be quality.

Use flax seed bread for:

Amba mango sauce

The surprising thing about this mango sauce is that it isn’t sweet. It’s a silky, savory sauce made with fermented green & ripe mangoes, garlic, salt, turmeric, paprika, and spices.

I’ve been using it as a dipping sauce with vegetable pakora, or on top of toasted pita with falafel.

When I’m making a quick stir-fry or curry, I also like to add a squeeze for some underlying warmth.

Dukkah

Dukkah disappeared from Trader Joe’s shelves for a while, but now it’s back.

To use dukkah, fill one small dish with good olive oil. In the next, pour some of the dukkah.

Then dunk warm, crusty bread first into the oil, and then into the dukkah. The dukkah clings to the oil.

When you bite into it, you get the nutty flavors of almonds & sesame seeds. There are undertones of sausage & licorice because of the fennel, anise, and coriander. Finally, there’s kosher salt, which makes it all the more snackable.

Use it as a topping for hummus or toss it with roasted potatoes.

I used to always make my own dukkah. And if you have Vegan Eats World, I highly recommend her dukkah recipe. It’s incredible and definitely better than the TJ’s version.

But for only $2.99 to have it made and ready to go, it will probably be a while until I make my own again.

Everything but the Bagel seasoning

If you’ve ever had an everything bagel, you know what to expect with this seasoning mix. It’s a combination of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sea salt flakes, dried garlic, and dried onion.

I use it several mornings a week on my vegan avocado toast, along with a generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes (also on this list.)

You can also add it to non-dairy cream cheese or as a topping on hummus. A lot of people like to add it to their popcorn or an air fryer baked potato.

Garlic chipotle salsa

I usually prefer fresh salsa, but this jarred garlic chipotle salsa has become my newest obsession. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to the salsa doled out at Chevy’s Mexican Restaurants, which is one of my favorites.

This smoky salsa is rich with the flavors of roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and chipotle peppers. I would classify this as a fairly mild salsa.

One downside is that it’s a little on the watery side.

Nutritional yeast flakes

Buying a big canister of nutritional yeast flakes can get pricey. However, a bag of nutritional yeast at Trader Joe’s is only $2.99.

And unless you’re making massive amounts of vegan mac & cheese, it will probably last you a while. (And if you are making massive amounts of vegan mac & cheese, invite me over, okay?)

What is nutritional yeast? <— Find out here

Use Trader Joe’s nutritional yeast flakes in:

Organic shredded red & green cabbage with orange carrots

Sure, you could easily shred a head of cabbage yourself. But this shredded cabbage mix is a terrific shortcut.

And since cabbage and carrots are relatively dry vegetables, this mix keeps well in the refrigerator for a while without going bad.

Ways to use shredded cabbage mix:

Steamed lentils

Lentils aren’t hard to make from scratch. And they only take about 30 minutes to cook.

But you know what’s even easier & faster? Opening a package of fully cooked brown lentils that are ready to go.

A lot of lentils are packed into a pouch. It contains five ½ cup servings.

These steamed lentils are a refrigerator staple for me.

Use steamed lentils in:

Zhoug sauce

The first ingredient in Zhoug sauce is cilantro. So if you’re one of those people who think cilantro tastes like soap, stay far away from this one.

Zhoug is a Middle Eastern sauce that reminds me of what would happen if chimichurri and cilantro chutney got together.

Some call it a “Middle Eastern pesto.” However, it’s a lot spicier than your typical basil pesto fare.

In addition to cilantro, this spicy sauce includes canola oil, jalapeño peppers, chile flakes, garlic, cardamom, sea salt, and cumin seeds.

It is great with vegetable samosas as a dipping sauce. I also like to add dollops of it to stir-fries at the end, instead of chopping a bunch of cilantro. It also has a spicy kick that brings some heat.

And when I’m making my favorite easy hummus recipe, adding a dollop or two of Zhoug sauce adds a spicy zing. It is also tasty alongside falafel.

Thai vegetable gyoza

These veggie-packed envelopes of deliciousness have won over everyone I’ve served them to – from grandparents to grandkids.

There’s rarely a time when I don’t have a bag in the freezer ready to go for a quick snack, or to use as a side dish to a stir fry. Of course, they also have a starring role in vegan potsticker soup.

Filled with cabbage, carrots, chives, white radishes, onions, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce, they have a great taste that isn’t too overpowering.

These days I usually fry them in the air fryer (400 degrees for 10 minutes with a spritz of oil, stopping once to shake.) However, they’re also great fried or steamed in a skillet.

I like to serve them with tamari or Chinese hot mustard for dipping.

Vegetable spring rolls

Unlike uninspiring, cabbage-heavy spring rolls, these are stuffed with kale, edamame, tofu, and mushrooms. The wrapper gets delightfully light & flaky in the air fryer.

A simple noodle stir fry or easy fried rice is instantly more exciting once there’s a vegetable spring roll on the side.

I serve them with Chinese hot mustard for dipping.

(By the way, I also buy the bagged baby spinach & tri-color peppers shown above almost every visit!)

Grilled artichoke halves

I may be a little bit obsessed with these grilled artichoke halves.

I’ve been an artichoke lover for decades, but these grilled ones add a certain something that makes them totally craveable. The artichokes take on a smokiness from the grill and have those beautiful, dark grill marks that I adore.

Put them on a vegan cheeseboard, throw them into pesto, use them as a topping on pizza hummus or artichoke crostini, or slice them into an Israeli couscous salad.

Prefer water-packed artichoke hearts? (I usually have both kinds on hand.) Trader Joe’s has those as well, and they are delicious as an appetizer of fried artichoke hearts.

Organic kosher sandwich pickles

It may seem strange to put sliced pickles on the list, but when Trader Joe’s wasn’t in my area, I’d stock up with 5 or 6 jars when I happened to be near one.

They have a good dill flavor, crunch, and work perfectly for those of us who want our sandwich to include a taste of pickle with every bite.

Plus, they’re organic and only $2.99. That’s a really good deal when organic pickles can sometimes cost $5 or more. (It’s just cucumbers, people!)

Put them in a vegan banh mi sandwich, add them to vegan potato salad along with a splash of pickle juice, and use them as a topping on chili dog pizza.

Trader Joe’s hashbrowns

While I often make hashbrowns from scratch on the weekends, sometimes I want the delicious crispy crunch of hashbrowns without having to clean the food processor afterwards.

These hashbrown patties remind me of a certain non-vegan fast food establishment I used to visit as a kid. They are great with a tofu scramble. Don’t forget the seitan bacon & avocado!

Balela

Balela is a really fresh & simple chickpea salad made with chickpeas, black beans, tomatoes, and parsley.

It’s one of those things that would be easy to make at home. (I’d make mine with cilantro instead of parsley!) But on the other hand, sometimes it’s nice when you’re in a rush not to have to make something from scratch.

It’s tasty on its own as a snack or in a bowl with brown rice, avocado, and romaine.

It also goes well on a vegan cheeseboard along with dolmas, pickles, non-dairy cheese, Castelvetrano olives, and grilled artichoke halves.

Marcona almonds

Trader Joe’s is my go-to stop for nuts. I always have a wide variety in my lazy susan – peanuts, raw & roasted cashews, shelled pistachios, salt & pepper pistachios, gochujang almonds…

Two of my favorites are these Marcona almonds in truffle & rosemary. Marcona almonds are the best, because they aren’t as dry as your typical almond. I love their thin crunch.

These are seasoned and go beautifully on a vegan cheeseboard, with salad, or as a snack.

Plus, since they have a very specific flavor, it’s easy to be satisfied with a few. (That sounds like a back-handed compliment, but it’s true!)

Dolmas

Canned dolmas are another thing I would buy in groups of five whenever I went to a Trader Joe’s location out of town. Obviously they keep well in the cupboard. So there’s no worry about them going bad before I can use them.

I know that canned food often doesn’t inspire confidence, but these stuffed grape leaves are really good! They are tightly packed and firm, not mushy like some underwhelming dolmas you buy in cans.

I serve them on a vegan cheeseboard, with kalamata olive hummus, warmed Castelvetrano olives, or as a snack on their own.

Extra firm tofu & baked tofu

Trader Joe’s is my go-to stop for alllllll of the tofu.

First, my main, all-purpose tofu is extra firm in vacuum packaging. I like that it doesn’t require pressing before using.

It is a little drier than the water-packed kind. However, now I’ve been using vacuum-packed tofu for so long, I really don’t even notice.

Use super firm tofu for:

Trader Joe’s teriyaki flavor baked tofu is a good snack on its own straight out of the fridge. I also like to put it on avocado toast.

It is an easy to transport lunch with a salad or bowl. It also works well in a cooler if you’re heading on a road trip or taking food on a plane.

When I need a quick stir-fry in a flash, I like to cut the baked tofu into cubes and pop it into the air fryer until crisp around the edges.

For another baked tofu option, they also have a sriracha flavor, which I like a lot too.

Organic brown rice

Frozen brown rice is so darned convenient. No more waiting for rice to cook.

And you can use it straight from frozen when making a stir-fry. Just get your vegetables softened. Then add the rice straight from the bag into the skillet.

Ways to use organic brown rice:

Pico de gallo

I could go through a tub of this salsa in a day or two without a problem. It is nice and chunky with fresh tomatoes, onions, and garlic. 

I don’t have to tell you what to do with salsa, but I will…

Ways to use pico de gallo:

Organic tomato basil marinara

Funnily enough, I always have spaghetti sauce on hand, but I rarely make pasta with marinara. More often I use it as a spread on bagel pizzas or a dipping sauce with fried ravioli.

It can be hard to find spaghetti sauce that doesn’t include sugar in the ingredients. I’m not a hardcore sugar avoider by any stretch, but it just seems unnecessary in pasta sauce.

So I like that the Trader Joe’s version doesn’t have any of that. The ingredient list is really wholesome.

Plus, it has a V for “vegan” right on the label. That’s super handy when you’re scanning the list of options at the store.

Monteli Organic Pizza Crusts

These frozen, organic pizza crusts have become a staple. They come two to a package, have a neutral flavor, and great texture.

They are all ready to go straight into the oven. No rolling required – just ladle on your favorite pizza sauce and toppings.

Lately, we’ve been making a lot of supreme-style pizzas with Beyond Meat sausage, Herbivorous Butcher pepperoni, bell pepper, and onions. It’s also an awesome base for a vegan taco pizza.

The cooking time on the package suggests 6 to 7 minutes at 420 degrees. I like to cook it for 12 minutes to get a crispier crust.

The ingredients are wheat flour, water, sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, malted wheat flour, dextrose, semolina, dried wheat sourdough, and yeast.

Under the allergens it says that it “may contain” milk and soy. Because I’m not allergic to dairy, I don’t worry about possible cross contamination.

Ridge cut potato chips

These potato chips are my obsession. (They’re #1 on my list of best vegan junk food.)

I hardly ever buy them, because once the bag is open, I can’t stop thinking about them. I love the balance of salt and pepper, and the crunch from the ridges.

Put them into a vegan packed lunch or alongside your favorite veggie burger for vegan grilling season.

For another crispy snack, their organic corn chip dippers have a wonderfully fresh snap that’s perfect right out of the bag or in vegan walking tacos. If you like Fritos, you’ll love these.

Mini Vegetable Samosas

When I’m making curry lentil soup or Indian fried rice, it’s fun to have a crispy, filled appetizer to serve alongside it. Enter mini vegetable samosas.

These flaky samosas are made with a phyllo-type dough and loaded with peas, carrots, potatoes, lentils, onions, and spices.

I cook them in the air fryer. They get beautifully crisp on the outside. Cook them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes. Stop once to flip half way through.

I like to serve them with homemade apple chutney, Trader Joe’s mango chutney, or Zhoug sauce.

Frozen fully cooked falafel

Sometimes you just need a hummus bowl with falafel, dolmas, kale salad with lemon tahini dressing, sauerkraut, and brown rice.

I like to make my own homemade hummus. Then I throw some frozen brown rice in the microwave, whip up a kale salad, and make frozen falafel in the air fryer.

The Trader Joe’s falafel is on the dense side, but it gets the job done. They are very filling, and usually two are plenty with a bowl. That means that I can really stretch one bag out for a while.

To see more vegan items available at Trader Joe’s, visit the Trader Joe’s website. They have a rundown of some of their vegan offerings.

Want to take this with you to the store? Click here for a printable list.

Originally posted March 2018. Content, photographs, and printable list updated March 2019.

Source: https://cadryskitchen.com/vegan-trader-joes-products/

[themanuelruello]

30+ Ways to Use a Whole Chicken

(Photo Credit: Lindsay Linton Buk/Linton Productions)

What is up with America’s fascination with chicken breasts?

If you thumb through most cookbooks or Pinterest, you’d quickly come to the conclusion that that chickens don’t even have other edible parts. The vast majority of recipes are suspiciously absent of wings, thighs, or drumsticks in the ingredient lists.

Which is all fine and dandy until you start raising your own birds and start realizing that you are badly in need of recipes that use the WHOLE bird, so you aren’t left with a pile of wings and drumsticks…

My Whole Chicken Routine

We try to raise 1-2 batches of meat birds each year, and I usually roast a whole chicken 3-4 times per month. Here’s my whole chicken routine:

Cook/roast a whole chicken for supper one evening and eat it with potatoes, veggies, whatever.

Pull all leftover meat from the bones, trim away fat/gristle, and dice it

Pop the carcass in the Instant Pot or slow cooker to make a gallon or so of chicken broth

Use the leftover meat in soup, pot pie, or a chicken skillet meal the following night and use the broth throughout the next 1-2 weeks.

Since most recipes call for chicken breast only, I generally ignore that part and just use the meat I have. No one complains and it ensures we use all the chicken meat as best as we can.

In my cookbook, I tried really hard to include recipes that can use leftover meat from the entire bird, not just breast meat. You’ll find my tried-and-true recipes for things like Sticky Honey Chicken, Chicken Poblano Chowder, and Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup that are delicious not matter if you use leftover white OR dark meat.

Admittedly, roast chicken is one of my favorite meals, and it’s so stinkin’ easy. However, even the most avid roast chicken fan can get a little tired of the same old recipe after eating it once a week, so I’ve gathered over 30 ways to creatively season and cook your whole chickens to mix things up a bit!

30 Ways to Use a Whole Chicken

Cooking whole chickens is not only budget-friendly, the leftovers can be used in creative ways to make quick and easy dinners later in the week. However, cooking whole chickens does not have to be boring! There are a huge variety of cooking methods as well as flavors for whole chicken recipes. Let’s take a closer look:

Oven-Roasted Whole Chicken Recipes

One of the most common ways to cook whole chickens is by using the oven. I searched the Internet for as many creative ways as possible that uses the oven to cook whole chicken.

1. Simple Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken from I Heart Umami

2. Crispy Roasted Garlic Chicken from Gimme Some Oven

3. Citrus and Herb Roasted Chicken from The Organic Kitchen

4. Easy Sheet Pan Garlic Butterfly Chicken and Veggies from Whole Kitchen Sink

5. Crispy Roasted Chicken with Vegetables from The Seasoned Mom

6. Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken from Cafe Delites

7. Slow-Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken from Deliciously Organic

8. Honey Orange Roasted Chicken and Gravy from A Spicy Perspective

9. Lemon Roasted Chicken from Spend with Pennies

10. Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto from Our Happy Mess

11. One-Pan Orange Honey Garlic Roasted Chicken from Cotter Crunch

12. One-Pan Garlic Thyme Roast Chicken with Cauliflower from Abra’s Kitchen

13. Orange Cranberry Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Balsamic Butter from The Endless Meal

14. Whole Roasted Masala Chicken from Manilla Spoon

15. Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce from Once Upon a Chef

16. Dutch Oven Red Curry Whole Chicken from I Heart Umami

17. Buttermilk Marinated Roast Chicken from Samin Nosrat (this one is RIDICULOUSLY GOOD)

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipes

The slow cooker is an ultra-handy way to handle the roasting of a whole chicken when I’ve got a busy day or week ahead. Just pop the chicken in the Crockpot with the other ingredients and forget about it until supper time.

17. Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken from The Nourishing Home

18. Slow Cooker Garlic Balsamic Whole Chicken from Real Food Whole Life

19. Slow Cooker Lemon Thyme Whole Chicken from Everyday Good Thinking

20. Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken & Vegetables from The Kitchen Magpie

21. Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Whole Chicken with Gravy from 40 Aprons

22. Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Whole Chicken from The Rising Spoon

Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipes

I’ve been in love with my instant pot for a while now, so I had to include some whole chicken recipes that use the instant pot. Don’t forget to also check out my other favorite instant pot recipes.

23. Instant Pot Classic Whole Chicken from The Real Food Dieticians

24. Pressure Cooker Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary from Our Best Bites

25. Instant Pot Beer Can Chicken from Family Fresh Meals

26. Instant Pot Pickle Chicken from The Foodie Eats

More Creative Whole Chicken Recipes

There are a few other ways you can cook up a whole chicken, including using the grill and using an air fryer.

27. Air Fryer Whole Roasted Chicken from Amy in the Kitchen

28. How to Butterfly and Grill a Whole Chicken from Tasty Yummies

29. Grilled Beer Can Chicken from Simply Recipes

30. Grilled Root Beer Can Chicken from Iowa Girl Eats

31. How to Cook an Old Chicken (my favorite way to use an old hen or rooster!)

Other Ways to Use Leftover Chicken

After enjoying one of the delicious whole chicken recipes mentioned above, you’ll probably have leftovers. Leftover chicken can be used in a variety of ways:

Use the bones from the whole chicken (and other veggie scraps) to make your own broth. Here are my instructions for making broth.

Use the leftovers with some homemade barbecue sauce and hamburger buns for chicken shredded sandwiches.

Make a homemade pizza with shredded chicken (here’s my favorite pizza dough recipe!)

Use the shredded chicken for tacos, enchiladas, or burritos (topped with some homemade roasted poblano salsa).

Use the leftover chicken in your favorite soups (chicken noodle is a classic!)

You can also make chicken pot pie, salads, chicken chili, and so much more with the leftover chicken. Remember– usually you can get away with substituting dark meat for recipes calling for cubed chicken breast with good success.

Other Chicken Posts & Recipes for You:

The Prairie Homestead Cookbook (all of our favorite weekly recipes!)

What We Learned from Our First Year of Raising Meat Birds

How to Butcher a Chicken

How to Butcher a Turkey

How to Cook a Pastured Turkey (this technique can be used with chicken as well)

What’s your favorite way to use up a whole chicken? Share your fav recipes & techniques with me below!

The post 30+ Ways to Use a Whole Chicken appeared first on The Prairie Homestead.

from Gardening https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2019/05/ways-to-use-a-whole-chicken.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[healthbolt-blog]

New Post has been published on Health bolt

New Post has been published on https://www.healthbolt.net/cooking/healthy-cooking-lessons-los-angeles/

Healthy Cooking Lessons Los Angeles

Contents

Worlds – baked

Heart-healthy recipe cooking demonstration

Cook healthy pinto beans

Sharp knife cut

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If your Youtube is selected in this list, you have the honour of displaying this How To Cook Healthy Pinto Beans And yes, she’s made a business out of holistic healthy living … favorite vegan recipes include: Hummus with vegetables from … Easy, forgiving, healthy and economical, beans are a home cook’s secret weapon. Yes, canned beans are convenient, but knowing how to cook dried beans gives you … Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork … Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heat… Sep 12, 2017  · The best easy pinto beans from scratch, with stovetop and slow cooker directions. They are an easy, flavorful and healthy side dish to go with all of your Tex-Mex, Mexican, and BBQ meals, or a simple, hearty vegetarian dinner. We love a good pot of ham and beans, but these are just a little different than what we are used to. And it was a tasty change, I must say. Now, don’t worry if you are having warm weather, and are abl… Healthy Southern Cooking Recipes Preheat oven 350 degrees. place pork loin roast on work surface. Using a sharp knife cut the roast lengthwise in the middle but don’t cut all the way through, leave a little over an inch in tact. Healthy Moussaka Cooking Light Healthy Cooking Activities For Kids Download fun, healthy activities for kids. These book activities focus on healthy holidays for kids in Pre-K through 8th grade. Saving the World, One Healthy Food at a Time! … Sign up for realistic, easy & tasty ways to eat healthy, plus get free fun kids activities! Get our free guide Say "No" to Food Rewards when you join. I am a… Healthy Vegan Cooking Following a vegan diet is a healthy approach to eating when you fill your plate with a balance of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Healthy Ways To Cook Chicken On The Stove These healthy ways to cook chicken will make you rethink your dinner. 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