#and the other iS EATING EXPIRED CURRY

[iiguess]

" ...why are they like this—- "

[obscure-imaginations]

LMK as drivers - thanks to @sun-uwu-kong and @cheerful-sixears for help!

Monkey King: No license- expired but he forged a new one instead of getting it renewed, but drives anyways. He says he's above the law. Annoyingly never uses his turn signals. Hardly uses a seatbelt. Always races through yellow lights.

Macaque: Car filled with fast food bags. "My bad, just put that in the back." Dozens of car scents (none of them work but he keeps just adding new ones). Has random pairs of sunglasses everywhere- he keeps losing them then buying new ones (they're all under his seat). Back left window doesn't roll down. Bumper rider.

MK: Is the only responsible driver of the monkeys. Always apologizes to other drivers. Drives the speed limit. Religiously uses his turn signals. Regularly goes to the mechanic. Has fuzzy dice hanging from his mirror.

Mei: Motorcycle license but drives a car anyways, because she feels like it. "Every license should count!" Fast, races asshole drivers, breakchecks constantly despite everyone's complaints, makes sharp turns. Do not let her drive.

Red Son: Goes slower when people ride his bumper. Road rage but manages it for the opportune moment. Car always smells like cinnamon or curry spices. Themed car. Has flames on the side of his red car. Don't touch anything, let him do it! Rolls down the windows instead of using A/C, even when it's 100F outside.

Sandy: Has his car, semi-truck, and boat licenses. Has several cat plushies on his dash. Stops at every stop sign, yellow/red light, and for railroad tracks. Makes sure everyone has their seatbelt on. Always has tissues, mints, gum, water, etc. Has a "baby on board" sticker. Only uses cat-friendly scents. Mo has a car seat.

Pigsy: Does the annoying thing where he swings his arm over the passenger seat when reversing. Road rage incarnate. Protective dad instincts like Sandy but more aggressive. Refuses to drive an automatic, he'll get a gear shift installed on any car he owns. Eats five-course meals while driving.

Tang: Passenger princess. Always gets car sick.

[oldnewhaven]

Types of Food each corporation would distribute– A post I started writing at 1:23AM yesterday while Hungry, Part 1 [?].

DAHL

- Dahl is all about Militaristic Seriousness to comical degrees, so it shouldn't surprise you that most of what they have to offer is Rations. Canned food, nutrition packets and weird astronaut looking pastes, all packaged up in neat browns and greens to match with the very boring aesthetic of the Rest of their products. Everything is neatly separated and easily accessible in Dahl settlements. One bonus of it is that it never expires, so if you're hungry and need a snack, just find an old military base and that should have you pretty much covered for a few weeks.

- "But Magnus, what's in the packs?" I hear you ask, and not to worry my situational friend, I've done Way Too Much research on this and can absolutely tell you ! Again, its all very shelf stable and nutritional, so it ranges from cereal bars, dried up meats and nuts, protein powders and pastes (usually peanut butter), some mildly flavoured crackers, a variety of canned foods (including but not limited to: "Spaghetti", """beans""", soups and veggies. These are meant to be complimentary, not really eaten on their own), and ready-made "pop it in a fire for a few seconds" sustenance providers like curries. It's good enough to eat ! Hopefully.

- ...It does Not. Taste like the best thing in the world usually. If you're desperate enough you won't notice it at first, but these things are meant for soldiers who haven't dreamed of a non-dehydrated vegetable in 10 years, so it's tough to swallow once you're not suffering from all the malnutrition ailments. It's very barely seasoned to account for the vast majority, and it's probably not a good investment to waste spices on any of it either. You could still reasonably throw a meal together with the pastes plus the canned stuff and (if you get lucky) have a chocolate cake for dessert though, even if it does taste like a biting an old boot.

TEDIORE

- Tediore is, by all lore definitions, a 'budgetarian' company. They appeal HARD to the aesthetic of the common person, and that their main demographic are consumers who are just looking for something quick and reliable, knowing people will more often than not only use it because they have no other choice, so it shouldn't surprise you that their business model for selling food is basically the same as Walmart's. In my mind they mostly sell quick snack food you'd usually see in a convenience store– Likely not the best choice as far as nutritional value goes, but it's tasty, affordable and it hits the spot when you're in a pinch or when you're starving after a long day of Torment Nexus'ing around the six galaxies. so you really can't afford to be picky most of the time. Sometimes Pretty Literally.

- The food itself is, again, just about everything you'd find in a convenience store in the middle of nowhere after a long roadtrip and are so hungry you can't see straight: Isles upon isles of chips, cereals and cookies, pre-made lunchable type meals in refrigerated containers, soda that is Technically brand name, but is still so obscure you have to look up if its even real later. It's the perfect combination of accessible, cheap and edible enough to grab the attention of people. The packaging in general tends to vary between shades of gray plus some extra shines to be recognized as food and not bagged motor oil, plus varied mascots to differ each product from one another as though they're from separate entities and not just Tediore All Over Again.

- How does it taste though ? Well, the answer is that it's good, even though it probably Will give you either a headache or a stomachache later. Like all hyperprocessed food, Tediore knows that the secret to making stuff taste good is to just either put a Lot of Salt or a Lot of Sugar in it, and that's really the whole secret. Let's say you get a nice Cheese Flavour snack bag from the local bodega: You eat 5 chips and think "Oh, that's really good!", completely oblivious to the fact you will regret this decision, and eventually eat the whole bag. Hard cut to you on the couch sluggish and weird, unsure to what caused it, but it was 100% the amount of sodium you consumed just being so high your body thinks you're sick. Or something like that. I'm not speaking from experience here.

MALIWAN

- Now, let's get this out of the way: Maliwan is as much a corporation as it is a cult. Its corporate identity as "hip" and cool and sleek and transhumanist and beautiful is all a facade for what they're really trying to sell you, which is an insecurity they can profit off of. They approach people who are already very lost, exhausted and burdened by the world and promise them a place to belong, to become something More, and if they need to manufacture your burdens, they will. All of this is to say, they're social media influencers creating problems you didn't know existed so they can sell you More Things, so obviously they're the "organic"/diet product food sellers of this world. They're like if an MLM had WAY too much credibility and power and people just had to live with it.

- You know the kinds of products I'm talking about. It's stuff that comes bragging about how it's "from the farm to your door!" even though it has gone through the same industrialization as everything else that is mass produced and meant to be sold. It's your diet versions of products, yogurts and teas and protein milks and "healthy" snacks, despite the fact they're the same composition-wide and just marked Way Up. They'd probably sell a lot of very niche products too though, all with the same promises for health benefits and what have you, but that at least have the decency to be interesting or *a little* flavorful. For one I think Maliwan branded gum would be really good, and they'd probably make some really good flavour blocks for putting in soup and stuff. That's their forté to me.

- Most of the food just tastes really bland and has kind of a chemical aftertaste, and the textures tend to vary between "Really airy and light, kind of like a foam or shaving cream" to "Unbearable combination of crunchy and soft that makes you confused on what you're even supposed to be tasting". It's a very high chance to be hit or miss depending on what you try, and since it's so expensive it's usually not worth it unless you're using these products for really specific dietary goals.

HYPERION

- Hyperion to me is complicated to say on what they'd offer as far as food goes. On the cafeteria area in TPS you only really see fast food, so I imagine that the conglomerate would own most of a food court in your average shopping mall. All the name brands are owned by Hyperion and your variety is manufactured to look like you're spoiled for all the choices when, really, you're just going to give them money either way. The food is all pretty consistently good, even though the sourcing for it is questionable and it's always plated the same everytime, which makes you think all the ingredients just go through moulds before they plop it into your plate, and it's probably the closest thing it'll get to something like homemade food from the corporations.

- Again, variety is their main selling point, so as far as food goes, you'll find a little bit of everything. Pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, food that's been genetically modified or has poison in it, tacos– really, the world is your oyster ! They probably have that on the menu too if you look ! Its all about the flashiness and the exclusivety and the way its presented and sold that really gets peoples gears turning. They're not bound just by ONE thing, they have ALL the things you could possibly ask for right here !

- ...But does it taste good ? Ehhh, that's more of a complicated issue. Again, because of all the variety and the way everything is synthesized and made based on the standards for the company, it'll always just taste Good (as in, You bite into it and say "Yeah, that's pretty good"), and after a while of eating Just Good food, you'll already have built a tolerance to it and it'll just taste mid after a while... and that is when they start advertising to you Bigger and Better foods, stuff that's been made in a lab to taste as good to human beings as possible, something so unbelievable your tastebuds might explode ! And then they do. Because it was an experiment and they were using you as a guinea pig. But hey, all in the name of progress, right ?

[terrasu]

What I made when I had/was asked to use/had leftover components bought for another meal that was to use up something...

I'm sad that Tom Thumb no longer does Monopoly, but I'm also not sad. However, "Buy Nothing" means a lot of too-expired-to-donate food ends up in my house...

Made July 24th, 2024

Spinach

Spinach, feta, corn muffins

Greek Mac and cheese (add lemon, dill, and other Greek flavors)

(&filo) Saag Paneer Spanakopita

Strawberry pecan salad

Apples

Apple and honey challah (saute apples to soften)

Honeycrisp Salad

Apple Cheese Soup (not great leftover)

Apple Crumble

(& peach) Apple-peach crisp

Apple Pie

Sourdough Starter to use

Slow-rise challah (caution: has taken me 11 and 20+ hours the two times I've made it.)

Sourdough Pretzel buns

Strawberries

Strawberry scones

Almond milk/almond flour

(& bananas) Almond Banana bread

Pumpkin puree

Pumpkin mac and cheese

Pumpkin curry

More basil pesto than we had ice cube trays

Pesto lasagna (heavy, greasy, and rich. Find way to 'thin' with additions)

Lentils

Mujadara

Rotisserie chicken

(& plenty of frozen basil pesto) Pesto chicken salad

Skillet Chicken Chilaquiles

Avgolemono Soup

Pepperoni

Pizza Pasta

Pizza Quinoa

Bell Peppers

Peperonata (add acid to balance the sweetness from the tomatoes and watch all tomato amounts, can be overwhelming)

Burrata Stuffed Peppers

Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage Fajitas (our house is a chicken-apple or kielbasa house, which work fine)

Okra

Bhindi Masala (idk what to do about the mango powder.)

Potatoes

Vegan Tikka Masala

Potato and chicken with Dijon cream sauce (cook onions + green beans before making sauce)

Skillet Potatoes

Garlic Chickpea soup

Hungarian Goulash (life-changing)

Cauliflower

(& potato) Aloo Gobi

Cajun Seasoning

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Green/Red Cabbage

Caramelized green cabbage pasta

Roasted green cabbage

Red cabbage soup

Bulgar Wheat

Bulgar Pilaf

Pineapple (fresh or canned)

Pineapple Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

Pistachio

Pistachio Pasta

Broccoli

Broccoli Pasta (strange.)

(& frozen edamame) Asian Broccoli Salad w/ peanut sauce

Parsley

Parsley, red onion, chickpea sumac salad (cut onion paper-thin/mandoline and massage spices in well)

Salad dressing

Beets

Beet Salad (involved, looks like murder. Dangerous to eat)

Sweet Potato

Black bean burger

Chili Lime Chicken and Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato and Chili Casserole

Sweet potato and quinoa bake

Brussels Sprouts

Warm Brussels sprouts and Bacon Salad (don't at me)

Crisp gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts

Small tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc)

Pesto Chicken with roasted tomato

Bok Choy

Sesame Ginger Bok Choy

Cilantro

(& lime) Cilantro Lime Black beans and rice

(& lime, Salmon) Baked Cilantro Lime Salmon

Asparagus

Simple Sesame Asparagus

Misc. fruit excesses

Dump cake (have made with apple pie filling, so as long as proportions stay solid, I think it's good)

Cherry Chocolate chip bread

Blueberry pie filling

Clementine orange upside-down cake

Cranberry curd tart

Mango Lassi

Grape Sorbet

Jalapeno candy (this post is nearly crashing my computer, tilde another day)

Yogurt

Yogurt Cake

[umihoshi]

some tips for people who just started living on their own

It's been 4 years now, and I'm not regretting a single day that I moved out. No more adapting to what my parents want, no more reporting where I'm going or who I'm bringing over, I can create my save haven the way I like it. For me, it was really the start of becoming myself.

But, there's a bunch of stuff here and there that would've been nice if I had known it from the get-go. And I thought: let's share them!

1 what appliances to invest in?

one thing that is going to come back every single day is cooking. and food is expensive AF if you're not careful. I found 2 great ways to save a bunch of money and they both rely on one thing: Invest in a good freezer! Many grocery stores have systems where they price down things that are close to the shelf life date. One of our local grocery stores can go up to 70% discount! But the problem with those is, you need to eat it right away.... OR DO YOU??? Freezing things close to expiring will let them last for a full freaking month extra. and vegetables go even longer. Plenty of time to use it when you need it (just don't forget to thaw) Be careful though: once you thawed it, you can't freeze it again.

Items are usually also WAY cheaper if you buy them in bulk. Chop them up and in the freezer they go! This one's also great if you don't always have the energy or drive to cook: cook up a large pot of whatever you like, put it in containers and freeze them. I always like doing so with pasta sauce and then cook the pasta fresh~ But it also works great with stews, curry and other types of sauces. stores like IKEA have containers that are just the right size for one meal.

For some of you, the next one may be a no-brainer, but.... My mom was really proud of how fast she was with doing the dishes. She was always like 'why get a dishwasher, I'm faster if I do it myself'. And I have lived up to that same idea up until half a year ago. My kitchen was always a mess, I didn't feel like cooking, inviting people over was embarrassing. I exhausted myself every time visitors would come and I had to fight that monster pile. Please, if you recognize these problems: invest in a dishwasher. Life became SO MUCH easier. My house is clean, my mind is more at ease, social contact increased cuz it's not as big a hassle to clean before guests show up. I really wish I wouldn't have wasted those 3 years fighting a monster that was this easy to tackle in the end...

2 easy cooking

Though it's also a bit of an investment: cooking becomes fucking easy with an airfryer. No oil is added, so it's a bunch healthier. you just put the temperature and timer and it's done. and a lot of things can just fry simultaneously. chuck in some meat and potato's at 400F (200C) for 20 minutes and all you'll have to worry about is adding some vegies with it. springrolls, pizza, potato's, meat. it all gets nice and crunchy too. (prepare vegies in a rice cooker for the same don't-have-to-keep-an-eye-on-it experience. you can cook them simultaneously with rice too!)

Something that became one of my fave dishes of the late is 'stir fried whatever'. it goes like this: Bake whatever meat you fancy, great with egg or tofu too. add whatever vegies (straight out of the freezer is fine). add stir fry sauce in whatever amount seems nice (little for coating, more if you want it to be saucy). make some carbs and you're fucking DONE! no measuring, no thinking what spices to use, it goes with anything and everything. and your local grocery has probably like 5 different flavors. (or at least, it does here. dunno if that's true for America...) like it creamy? add half a cup of soya milk. it takes like 10 minutes tops (not counting the cooking of rice/pasta/potato/bread)

3 think in money or think in space

With tricks like a good freezer, saving money with discount products becomes a whole lot easier. But there are also different discount products that can save you a lot of money. my mom always used to buy like.... packs of 4 toilet rolls. and if you calculate it, buying 3x4 rolls is so much more expensive than buying a 12 pack. But what you'll need for that is space. Try keeping account of a spot like that in your house. cupboard underneath the sink, the spot where they installed the boiler, top shelves you don't often use cuz it's high up, on top of the fridge, garage. I live in an apartment and have a small storage space for my bicycle. Perfect spot for non-consumables. (be careful to keep them out of reach for mice) think toilet paper, tissues, cat litter, soap, shampoo, toothpaste. they'll be good in 2 years too, and you'll still be needing them all the same. I once found this 6 pack of toothpaste for like 3,-! aint no one selling 1 tube for 0,50 when I buy it once I need it.

dunno if this is of any use to someone, but I hope this can help out anyone to safe some money, time or energy! Because it sure did for me.

[artemisarticles]

Getting Started

Clear the decks. Take everything out of your pantry, give it a hard look and decide what you can get rid of. Be ruthless. If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it.

Keep what looks and smells good. “Expiration,” “sell by,” and “best by” dates are not good guidelines. Some are determined by regulators, others by manufacturers, and almost all are arbitrary. Properly stored, some (unopened) ingredients, like canned fish, can last for years; others, like dried herbs, start declining in quality the moment they are sealed in a container.

Assess what remains. Then organize it according to the logic that makes sense to you: There’s no single best system. Your nut butters might be with the condiments, or the breakfast items, or the baking supplies.

Fill in the blanks with food that will make you a better cook. Each of the pantry lists below is a proposal, not a prescription. There’s no reason to stock black beans if you only like red. There’s no need to have everything here available at all times. You’ll know your pantry is well stocked for your purposes when most of the time, you need only add one or two fresh ingredients to cook one of our recipes from scratch. Or even better, none.

The Essential Pantry

The foundation layer for all three pantries, this is where everyone should start. There’s so much to be done with these basics. The rule here is stock your pantry mostly with what you’re confident using, and what you love to eat. You’ll turn to it again and again.

Oils and vinegars: Extra-virgin olive oil, neutral cooking oil (such as canola or grapeseed), red-wine vinegar, white vinegar or white-wine vinegar.

Cans and jars: Tuna in olive oil, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock or vegetable stock (box-packed tastes better than canned). A good-tasting, simple tomato sauce can become a soup or a stew, or make a quick dinner with pasta or polenta.

Spices and dried herbs: Kosher salt, red-pepper flakes, ground cayenne, curry powder, bay leaves, black peppercorns, sweet paprika, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, garlic powder or granulated garlic, dried thyme and dried oregano. This selection will take you through everything from a basic beef stew to Saturday morning pancakes to Thanksgiving dinner.

Grains and starches: Long-grain white rice, one or two other grains (such as quinoa or farro), dry pasta (one long, one short and chunky), plain bread crumbs, crackers, canned beans (white beans, black beans and-or chickpeas), dry lentils.

Nuts and nut butters: Walnuts, almonds, roasted peanuts, peanut butter (smooth and crunchy).

Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, granulated sugar.

Preserves and pickles: Fruit jams and preserves, anchovies.

Condiments and sauces: Basic vinaigrette, mustard (yellow or Dijon), mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, salsa, soy sauce.

Produce: Garlic, onions, all-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), lemons, shelf-stable tofu (Essential for vegetarians, Expanded for others).

Dairy: Eggs, unsalted butter, cheeses (Cheddar, Jack or Colby, Parmesan), milk or cream for cooking (not skim).

Freezer: Chicken parts, sausages, thick fish fillets, shrimp, thick-sliced bread (for toast), spinach (and other vegetables such as corn and peas), berries (and other fruit such as peaches and mango). Some fruits and vegetables take particularly well to freezing — and in most growing seasons, the quality is better than fresh. Frozen fruit is useful for baking and smoothies.

Baking: All-purpose flour, cornmeal, rolled oats, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, pure vanilla extract, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar, bittersweet baking chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, raisins or another dried fruit, cocoa powder. With these ingredients on hand, thousands of cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, quick breads and other sweets can be produced without a trip to the store.

The Expanded Pantry

For the cook who has a grasp of the basics, but wants to be able to stretch toward new options and flavors. Here, long-lasting, punchy ingredients like tahini, hoisin sauce, coconut milk, sherry vinegar and capers are stocked alongside classics: limes with lemons, jasmine rice as well as long-grain, almond butter in addition to peanut butter.

Oils and vinegars: Peanut oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, sherry or balsamic vinegar, apple-cider vinegar.

Cans and jars: Sardines, unsweetened coconut milk, whole Italian plum tomatoes, beef stock (box-packed tastes better than canned). Whole plum tomatoes are rarely called for in recipes, but they tend to be the ripest and best-quality fruit. They can be diced or crushed to use in a recipe — or drained and slow-roasted for an intense topping on omelets, salads, grain bowls or pizza.

Spices: Flaky salt, single-chile powders (such as ancho and pasilla), ground coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, cardamom, za’atar, allspice, fennel seeds, dry mustard, garam masala (a basic Indian mix of warm spices), five-spice powder (a basic Chinese mix of spices), whole nutmegs.

Grains and starches: Rice noodles, basmati or jasmine rice, brown rice, panko bread crumbs, dry beans.

Nuts and nut butters: Almond butter, tahini, pecans.

Preserves and pickles: Olives (oil-cured and-or in brine), capers in brine. These ingredients, served with good bread and butter, make an elegant appetizer with wine, or everyday snack.

Condiments and sauces: Worcestershire sauce, hoisin, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, anchovy paste, harissa.

Produce: Russet potatoes, carrots, celery, limes, ginger, avocados, parsley, cilantro, scallions, jalapeños. Keeping chiles, aromatics and herbs on hand gives you instant access to intensely fresh flavors, even for — maybe especially for — the simplest dishes you cook.

Dairy: Plain full-fat yogurt, more intense cheeses (pecorino, feta), salted butter.

Freezer: Pancetta, artichoke hearts, homemade stock, homemade bread crumbs, fresh pasta, vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, cut and peeled winter squash, chopped onions), cooked grains. Prepared ingredients like chopped onions and cooked grains speed your route to dinner.

Baking: Cake flour, whole-wheat flour, dark baking chocolate, vanilla beans, almond extract, powdered gelatin, molasses, light corn syrup, buttermilk powder, active dry yeast.

The Expert Pantry

For the cook who likes taking global flavors, new methods and viral recipes for a spin. Here, the chiles get hotter, the chocolates darker and the cheeses funkier. These ingredients are just a fraction of what’s out there, but by stocking them, you will be able to cook almost any recipe you come across and experiment with creating your own.

Spices: Hot smoked paprika (pimentón), sumac, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, flaky dried chiles (such as Aleppo, Urfa or Maras), dried whole chiles (like ancho and arból), marjoram, dukkah, baharat, shichimi. Whether you stock spice mixes like baharat (a mix of warm spices used in the Middle East) or shichimi (a Japanese blend of ground chiles and sesame seeds) will depend on the global flavors that most appeal to you.

Grains and starches: Short-grain rice, dried pastas (bucatini, mezzi rigatoni or farfalle), spelt, pearl barley.

Nuts and nut butters: Pine nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pistachios. Toasted nuts like these (not as everyday as almond and peanuts) are good in salads and granola, on roasted fish, or just with olives for a classic pre-dinner snack.

Preserves and pickles: Pickled hot peppers, cornichons, kimchi, preserved lemons, roasted chiles, horseradish, caperberries, dried sausages such as saucisson sec and chorizo. The intense flavors of pickled and salted ingredients can be a great pick-me-up for mild dishes. In cooking, you can often substitute a bit of preserved lemon for regular lemon, or use the brine from cornichons as part of the liquid in a recipe.

Condiments and sauces: Gochujang, mango chutney, miso, wasabi, dark soy sauce, Chinese oyster sauce, Asian chili bean pastes.

Produce: Shallots, fresh mint, fresh rosemary, lemongrass, fresh Serrano and Thai bird chiles, fresh bay leaves.

Dairy: Ghee, crème fraîche, aged cheeses (Gruyère, blue cheese). Ghee (Indian-style clarified butter) and crème fraîche can reach much higher temperatures than butter, yogurt and sour cream without burning or breaking, so they are useful in cooking.

Freezer: Edamame, curry leaves, makrut lime leaves, merguez (spicy lamb sausages from North Africa). Fragrant leaves like makrut lime and curry (not the spice mix, but an Indian tree with scented leaves) are much more powerful in frozen form than dried.

Baking: Bread flour, pectin, almond flour, tapioca pearls, rose and orange flower waters, gelatin sheets, black cocoa, currants, fresh yeast, sparkling sugar, pearl sugar, candied citrus rinds

Best Practices

Once you have your ingredients, remember that cooking will always create change and disorder. Cans of tomatoes may never match, spices may never live in matching containers, and your hot sauce collection may always try to take over the condiment shelf. But here are a few final thoughts on how to keep your pantry well stocked and well organized enough to be truly useful.

ORGANIZING TIPS

Cooks with different styles need different systems. Some people store the jam with the dried fruits and maple syrup; others associate it with peanut butter, mustard and mayonnaise. The best logic is your own, and it may take some time to figure that out.

If you can’t see it, you’re probably not going to use it. A storage space with more shelving is the most efficient configuration for ingredients. Drawers or slide-out shelves also help tremendously with visibility.

Store everything you can in clear containers. Airtight plastic ones are best, and available in many shapes, sizes, and systems. Rectangular shapes make the best use of space.

Keep a roll of painter’s tape and some permanent markers in a kitchen drawer. It’ll help you make quick labels.

MAXIMIZING INGREDIENTS

Be realistic about your habits. It’s great to clean and trim a week’s worth of vegetables at once — but if you’re not going to do that, buy smaller quantities.

Buy ground spices in the smallest quantities you can find (except for spices you use regularly). Specialty companies will ship as little as an ounce, about 3 tablespoons. You’ll save space and produce better, brighter flavors in your food.

Buy fresh herbs. Dried herbs used to be a pantry essential, but most start out with very little flavor and lose it quickly in storage. (A couple of exceptions are dried oregano and dried thyme.) Pick up fresh herbs when you need them for a particular recipe; it’s a better investment of money and storage space.

Buy heavy, shelf-stable ingredients like boxed broth and canned tomatoes in bulk; better yet, order them online to save time and irritation. Almost any delivery service or website will offer a better price on these items than a brick-and-mortar store.

Cooked ingredients are much easier to use up than raw ones. Whether you steam, boil, pan-fry or roast, cook anything in your refrigerator that looks tired. You can always use it in a salad, a grain bowl or a pasta.

[noitanorjassa]

17.12.2022

Ok so. The cheap recipes i have survived with (on student exchange on norway). Also general info for max cheapskateyness, like where to find sales etc.

1. Fried noodles with salted peanuts

Noodles 5 pack 1.7e (the cheapest ones)

Peanuts 200g 2.3e

Any spices you find! Most preferably: paprika, curry, chili, ginger (ground), garlic 2 -4 cloves or 1 teaspoon of ground garlic + soy sauce (forget kikkoman it's hella expensive? Go to an "ethnic" store to find a bigger bottle of soy sauce, i used "healthy boy brand" thin soy sauce, the 1l bottle will last all eternity)

Boil the noodles or let them sit in a cup with boiling water until soft (for the love of god and all holies do not touch the cheap noodles' own spice packet)

Pour out excessive water

Take a small pan and pour the noodles in (if u use fresh garlic crush them or cut em up and fry them a lil bit while the noodles "boil"

Add all the spices, a bit of any oil (or butter) and 1-4 teaspoon/s of soy sauce

Stir fry until the noodles look sticky and fried

Add salted/chili peanuts on top

2. 4 ingredient pasta

Tips! Cheapest pasta is usually spaghetti that you can buy in bulk, like in spar norway 1kg of cheapest spaghetti is 18 kr (1.7e). Use ripoff brands that the shops have, lile "x-tra" "first price" or "eldoraro" in here. Cheapest crushed tomatoes pack is 70 kr (0.65e) for 250g.

Start boiling the pasta of your choice and simultaneously start cutting the garlics. You can also use garlic crusher, it's faster. Add a little bit of salt to the pasta water.

Fry your garlics. Add in drained chickpeas (any beans work) 9 kr/0.9e per pack. Add in the crushed tomatoes.

Add in any spices you can find, preferably: onion, rosemary, herb mix, chili, pepper

Drain the pasta and add in approx ¼ or ⅓ of the sauce

Leftover sauce goes to a box and to the fridge. I do not recommend storing pasta for further eating, it can go bad too fast

3. Seljanka soup

You will need:

Cheap crushed tomatoes, potatoes, (canned) mushrooms, cabbage, bay leaf, russian pickles (or fermented pickles w garlic and dill, do not add in those with sugar!) Or just 1 table spoon of cooking vinegar, cheap frozen vegetable mix (with carrots and celery etc), salt, pepper, clove spice, herb mix w rosemary, any beans, onion, garlic

Start with peeling and dicing the potatoes, cut onions and garlics. Start boiling them with ¼ of full kettle volume of water + add the bay leaves (2 will do for 3l of soup)

Add in cut cabbage, vinegar, pickles (cut) and the spices. Add the crushed tomatoes and water if it's too stewy.

Let boil for 10 min

Add in the canned mushrooms (rinsed) and the frozen veggies and beans

Let boil for 10-20 min or until the potatoes are soft

You can either freeze or store the leftovers in a fridge

Price info: 1kg cabbage 5-20kr /0.4-2e, 2kg of potatoes 20-40kr/2-4e, jar of russian pickles 20-30kr, spices all mentioned probs like 10e (only gotta buy these once!), 2/3 big onions 20-25 kr, 2 garlics 23kr

4. Marinated beans + mashed potatoes

Take a container or a bowl. Add in 1 packet of rinsed chickpeas. Add in 2-4 tablespoons of soy sauce.

Add a bit of oil so the beans wont dry when storaged in the fridge

Add spices, preferably garlic, herbs, ginger, chili, pepper (no salt needed since the soy sauce is very salty)

Let sit for 1-2h in the fridge

Boil peeled potatoes. Pour out water. Mash them with a masher or a fork with a bit of added water/milk/melted butter if u can afford it. Add salt.

Other valuable info!

Cheapest stores (in norway) for vegetables/canned things: kiwi, extra, obs

Cheapest store for sales: obs, eurospar

Best "kuppdisk" (-50% shelf for soon to expire products) Any big markets such as eurospar and obs. Here u can find cheap meat/dairy/veggies. They have kuppdisk for veggie section, dry section and meat/dairy/frozen goods section

Download the app "e tilbundsavis" to get info what is on sale where. It's in norwegian but very easy to understand (use google translator to search items in the app, like "coffee" or "chips")

Cheapest instant coffee is friele but it tastes like crap. Nescafe brasileiro is tiny bit more expensive but so much better.

Learn to make your own popcorn in a kettle, there's youtube tutorials for that. So much cheaper than micro popcorn.

For alcohol you are damned. I would suggest buying the cheapest big (0.75 litre for 30kr) vodka bottle and mixing it with different sodas/juices. Note! Only Vinmonopolet store sells other than beer like normal stores. Check opening times, they are strict. U gotta be over 20 to buy vodka in norway, wine u can get at 18. Or ask someone u know to buy vodka for u. Or when traveling to norway get your vodka as a "gift" from the airport in your home country. It's still cheaper.

There's snack sales from time to time like 5 bars of 200 choco for 100kr. It seems like much but normally one 200g bar is 44kr. Also chips can get -50% sales, check the "tilbundsavis" app every other day so u wont miss them.

Do NOT shop in Joker mini stores or gas stations. Hella expensive. Uh oh. And for the love of All do not doordash, u will bancrupt yourself (unless u are rich but then u don't need these tips anyways).

Make as much from scratch as u can. There's plenty of "cheap/simple cooking for idiots" type vids on youtube.

For snus/tobacco i don't know the prices bc i don't use them. Probably quite expensive. Check how much u can take with u from home without taxes if u use them.

People with ovaries! Period products are expensive too. Cheap brands work just as fine. Or take a couple extra packs with u.

The winter is long and it's recommended to take vitamin supplements (especially vitamin D). There's sales for those too, team up with people u know for things like "3 for 2" in vitamins. Usually the sales start when it begins to get darker, in september.

If you have an injury/need the hospital, u can use your insurance or european health insurance card (for eu citizens it costs like 10e but then u can use the eu/schengen area hospitals with the same pricing as locals). There's student health services for free but those are for not for "major injuries", more like for check ups and teeth care.

[meenatranslates]

[R] Citron | Last Planet (2/2)

"It would be nice if we could solve this through discussion..."

Part 1 // Part 2

Translation under the cut

Big Haul of Coffee Jelly - Part 2

*Director's default name as Izumi

―Lounge―

Yuki: ...What’s up with this mountain of coffee jelly?

Citron: I got a big hit at lottery when I went to the supermarket last time!

Taichi: T-that’s a lot.

Citron: I won a 1-year worth of coffee jelly, so there are about 365 containers!

Banri: What’re we gonna do with all these, huh?

Azuma: I thought this kind of thing are normally delivered little by little, not all at once.

Izumi: It’d be a mess if these were at a normal house...

Omi: These jellies are going to be expired pretty soon.

Tasuku: Yeah. I don’t think we can finish these by eating leisurely.

Juza: It’d be a waste to throw all these when they expired.

Omi: If one person eats 3 containers a day, these should be gone in about 5 days.

Yuki: That’s impossible.

Tsuzuru: 3 containers a day is a bit hard for me...

Citron: Juza’s good at eating leftovers! Should be fine if he eats 100 of them!

Omi: Only if they were sweets though.

Banri: Haha! You must be happy you get to eat all these sweets, huh, Hyodo?

Juza: ...They ain’t sweet. Ain’t possible to eat 100 of ‘em.

Banri: Aah? Don’t complain whether you like ‘em or not.

Juza: Then YOU go eat ‘em.

Azuma: I don’t mind coffee jellies. I say that, but I must decline on having 3 containers a day.

Taichi: My stomach would get burst from eating all these...

Omi: Hmm, I can’t exactly use these for cooking either.

Izumi: How about we put them in curry? Some people add coffee as a secret ingredient...

Yuki: I don’t want to imagine what kind of curry it’ll end up as.

Citron: There’s no point in thinking hard about it~!

Banri: You’re the one who won all these though.

Citron: I know! I just thought of a great idea!

Tsuzuru: What is it... I only have a bad feeling here...

Citron: Let’s all do wanko coffee jelly!

Izumi: Wanko coffee jelly...?

Citron: Just like wanko soba, whenever your plate gets empty, we’ll continuously put in more coffee jellies! (1)

Everyone, get to your seats now! I’ll distribute these to you guys!

Tasuku: You’re not gonna be eating?

Yuki: That’s cheating.

Citron: I’m the organiser. An organiser must make sure their event goes well, so they work behind the scenes!

Tsuzuru: What the heck!

Banri: Hella not buyin' that.

Omi: I was planning to prepare dinner but...

If we’re going to eat all these at this time, then jellies will be our dinner, huh.

Citron: If you don’t finish these, you can’t get to eat Omi’s meal!

Azuma: Fufu, I’ll have to withdraw since I have coffee allergy.

Tsuzuru: Yukishiro-san, I’m pretty sure I heard you said that you don’t mind coffee jellies just now...

Taichi: I want a withdrawal too~!

Citron: I won’t forgive if you back out from this! It won’t be wanko coffee jelly competition if everyone’s not competing among each other!

Izumi: (This is getting out of hand somehow...)

Citron: Is everyone ready? I’ll give coffee jellies as the prize for the winner!

Everyone: WE DON’T NEED THEM!

Story Clear!

Wanko soba – soba noodles in broth served continuously so that the customer never has an empty bowl.

[danielwallis789]

Sustainable Eating: Practical Strategies to Reduce Food Waste in Your Kitchen

Reducing food waste is a crucial step towards a more sustainable lifestyle, and it offers the added benefit of saving money. Food waste significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, so minimizing it can have a profound environmental impact. By adopting sustainable eating habits and making mindful choices in the kitchen, you can help reduce food waste and promote a healthier planet. Here are professional strategies and actionable tips to guide you in reducing food waste in your kitchen.

Plan Meals Effectively Planning your meals in advance is essential for reducing food waste. Create a detailed weekly meal plan to purchase only the necessary ingredients, avoiding impulse buys that often go unused. For instance, if you plan to make dishes like Goan Crab Curry or Prawn 65, make sure to buy only the amount of crab, prawns, and other ingredients you need, checking your pantry and refrigerator for items you already have.

Shop Smartly Stick to a shopping list to prevent over-purchasing and reduce waste. Avoid bulk buying unless you're certain the items will be used before their expiration dates. Opt for loose produce instead of pre-packaged items, allowing you to buy only what you need. Be cautious with promotional offers like "buy one, get one free," which can lead to unnecessary stockpiling.

Store Food Properly Proper food storage extends the shelf life of your groceries. Keep your refrigerator organized for easy access and store perishable items in airtight containers. Use the “first in, first out” method by placing older items at the front of shelves. Understand which produce items should be refrigerated and which should be kept at room temperature to maintain their freshness.

Understand Expiration Dates Misinterpreting expiration dates can lead to unnecessary food waste. "Best before" dates indicate peak quality but may still be safe to consume afterward. In contrast, "use by" dates are related to safety, and items should not be consumed past this date. Use your senses—sight, smell, and taste—to determine if food is still good, rather than discarding it based solely on the date.

Repurpose Leftovers Creatively Get creative with leftovers to avoid waste. Leftover vegetables can enhance soups, stews, or stir-fries, while overripe fruits can be used in smoothies, baked goods, or frozen for later use. For instance, leftover ingredients from a Goan Crab Curry can be added to a new dish, and Prawn 65 leftovers can be transformed into a delicious salad or sandwich filling.

Compost Kitchen Scraps Composting is an excellent way to handle inevitable food waste. Kitchen scraps like fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, and coffee grounds can be composted to produce nutrient-rich soil for gardening. This practice helps divert waste from landfills and supports sustainable living.

Practice Portion Control Portion control is key to minimizing food waste. Serve smaller portions and allow for seconds if needed, rather than preparing large amounts that might not be finished. This practice reduces waste and encourages mindful eating habits.

Preserve and Extend Shelf Life Use preservation techniques such as freezing, pickling, and canning to extend food shelf life. Freeze herbs in olive oil, turn stale bread into croutons or breadcrumbs, and pickle excess vegetables. These methods help make the most of your food and reduce the need for frequent grocery trips.

Make Sustainable Food Choices Choose foods with a lower environmental impact, such as seasonal produce and sustainably sourced proteins. Incorporating plant-based meals into your diet and choosing dishes like Goan Crab Curry and Prawn 65 can further reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to waste reduction.

Educate and Involve Your Household Engage your family or household members in sustainability efforts by educating them about the importance of reducing food waste. Encourage their participation in meal planning, shopping, and cooking to foster a collective approach to mindful consumption and sustainable eating practices.

Track and Measure Your Progress Monitoring food waste can help identify areas for improvement. Use a food waste journal or app to track discarded items, set goals, and measure progress. Regularly reviewing this data can help you refine your shopping, cooking, and consumption habits for continuous improvement.

Conclusion

Reducing food waste is a powerful action for a more sustainable world. By implementing effective meal planning, smart shopping, proper storage, and creative use of leftovers, you can significantly cut waste in your kitchen. These changes not only benefit the environment but also promote a more mindful and responsible approach to eating. Start incorporating these strategies today and make a positive impact on your household and the planet.

[subikshafoods]

From Rushed to Relaxed: How Readymade Parathas Can Transform Your Dinners

Tired of rushing dinner preparations after a long day? Say goodbye to stress and hello to relaxation with ready-made parathas! Hello paratha lovers, I am happy to welcome you all to this blog and in this blog post, we will explore how adding Readymade Paratha Madurai to your diet can transform your dinner from rushed to relaxed.

The dilemma of dinner After a busy day, the thought of spending hours in the kitchen preparing dinner can be daunting. However, skipping meals or choosing unhealthy foods is not the best solution. That’s where ready-made parathas come to the rescue!

Its great convenience Ready-made parathas offer unparalleled convenience. In just a few minutes in the oven or microwave, you can have warm, fluffy parathas ready to serve. No need to worry about kneading the dough or rolling out perfect circles — it’s all done for you!

Versatility on your plate Another advantage of ready-made parathas is their versatility. Whether you like plain parathas, stuffed parathas or the spicy variety, there is something for everyone. Pair them with your favorite curries, chutneys or curds for a delicious and satisfying meal.

Quality and taste guaranteed Contrary to popular belief, ready-made parathas do not lack in quality or taste. Made with premium ingredients and authentic recipes, they taste just like homemade parathas. Plus, they come in a variety of flavors to suit every taste.

In conclusion, readymade parathas are a game changer for busy individuals and families. With their convenience, versatility, quality and taste, they offer a stress-free solution to weeknight meals. So, why not embrace the simplicity of Readymade Paratha Madurai and take your dinner out of the rush and leisurely?

Frequently Asked Questions 1. Are ready-made parathas healthy? Yes, readymade parathas can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. Look for options with whole wheat flour and minimal added ingredients for a nutritious choice.

2. How long does ready-made paratha last? Ready-made parathas usually have a shelf life of several weeks when stored in the freezer. Check the packaging for specific storage instructions and expiration dates.

3. Can readymade parathas be customized with additional filling? Absolutely! Build your paratha fillings by adding ingredients like paneer, potatoes, vegetables or cheese for extra flavor and texture.

4. Can readymade paratha be reheated? Yes, ready-made parathas can be easily reheated in a pan, toaster oven or microwave. Heat them until piping hot and enjoy!

5. Where can I buy ready-made parathas? Ready-made parathas are available in most grocery stores supermarkets and specialty Indian food stores. Look for them in the freezer section along with other Indian breads and ready-to-eat meals.

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[inherstars]

Growing up poor has given me a lifelong thrift boner.

My phone is like 90% reward point / couponing apps, and we have completely covered the cost of some decently expensive home improvements purely through gift cards earned via various reward programs.

While we don't benefit from most online or paper coupons (they never seem to be for things we buy), I was just turned on to this app called Flashfood. Participating grocery stores will post fruits, veggies and other perishable items that are at or very near their expiration date, that they want to get rid of at a discount. The two stores closest to us participate, so at lunch I popped out to pick up two orders -- a mixed bag of fruits and veggies (eggplant, 3 bell peppers, a salad kit, big bag of grapes and 2 oranges), a container of butternut squash, and a hunk of vegan Daiya jalapeno havarti cheese.

It was under $10 for everything, and the best part is it will help me use up some other pantry staples to make a ton of ready-to-eat freezer meals for us.

Our D&D game got cancelled for tonight so I think I'm going to make a curry with the eggplant and peppers, roast up the squash for a side for later this week, and shred the cheese into some tofu ricotta to make baked stuffed shells. We can have the fruit with breakfast and lunch (Marc even suggested doing another grape pie, but I'm not sure I have the time or energy, it's a pretty labor-intensive recipe).

The only thing I'm not sure what to do with is the "tropical thai" salad kit, since it's not something either of us would normally eat. Since it was thrown in with the other veggies I posted it on our little neighborhood group to see if anyone else on the street can use it.

Very excited to use this more often!

[myfitnessblog0086]

Trust me that diet was something that I was working on for a long time. In 2018 I received my first crock pot. I started to revolutionize my diet with that. Soups, soups, soups. As well as Crock-Pot pasta.

Eventually that Crock-Pot pasta started to turn from enriched noodles, to whole grain noodles in 2019. It also became increasingly difficult to find supplies for pasta. The shelves were quite beer and void of any pasta materials and some stores were restricting the sale of items.

Then for a little while there I started to steam everything. I would have myself some white rice and curry. I cut up fresh potatoes and carrots and onions. I would have sweetened steamed carrots.

I was still ordering as much pizza as I could in a month. I would sit there and I would eat an entire Pizza in one night. Sometimes I would eat too much for my stomach to hold. I would go to the bathroom to let it out, and then come back for a refill.

I had just started Fitness Boxing in 2019, and I was getting tired out very easily. Sometimes I couldn't even make it through the whole set. Still I kept at it and by November 2020, one year later I saw an improvement. I had already graduated from 4XL Tees to 2XL.

At this point I had still not cut out pizza from my diet. I was eating normal food, steaming what I could. My plastic steamers broke because I was putting frozen food in there. I steaming the frozen food and not realizing what it would do to the plastic steamers.

Because of the steamers I was eating more rice, and switching to more traditional Chinese cooking. I learned how to make my own fried rice, Deluxe Ramen, Pho, etc.

My diet was better but it was also higher in salt and fat. Not so much protein. I was having some frozen fruit smoothies but not quite a lot.

In late 2021 I joined Noom. Normally I didn't always have enough money for food, and a lot of the times my food budget came out of my own money. Or my food came from a food pantry. However pretty much since the pandemic started I had been paying for the entire food budget out of my own money.

If you don't know what a food pantry is, it is food that's donated to help people that can't afford food. Some pantries are different. Some hand you a bag of non-perishable goods and just send you on your way. (I already had gout and diabetes at this time, so this was my least favorite option as I could not control what was given in the bag to me. Most of the things I had to get rid of because I couldn't eat them.) Some have a whole stockpile of frozen food. And we have such a large pantry here. Many local businesses supply food that's about to expire to this pantry. There's lots of money drives that go towards supporting this pantry. Feeding America provides food for this pantry. Even the local sports team donates money. More people go to this pantry than the others because it is considered to be better.

Now I volunteered there many times as many people who receive its food do. They received food that's no longer able to be sold. That's got about 30 days left before the expiration date. Once they get that food they immediately freeze it. And they have a timetable when the food came in, and when they want to put it into the rotation. So sometimes you end up getting expired food.

Getting inspired food at a pantry is rather commonplace. They don't want to take the goods if they're expired. But they will give out the goods if they're expired. Again it depends on the pantry. The pantry that I was talking about above has a disclaimer every time that you get disclaimer on the other side that says "by taking the food you acknowledge that the food may or may not be expired and that you're willing to take it freely."

I don't eat there anymore because sometimes their food makes me end up feeling sick. They have very long lines and sometimes you end up taking food from the bottom of the barrel. Sandwiches that have wilted, deli meat that's slimy. Nothing a little cooking on the George Foreman grill wouldn't cure, but.. that only fixes the taste.. doesn't fix the fact that you'll feel sick after eating it.

So during the 2020 pandemic, yes I had to visit some of the pantries but no I didn't go to that one. In fact I was able to put enough money aside during the pandemic that would prevent me from even going to a pantry. In 2021, I actually got some really awesome insurance that included a food benefit as well.

In 2022 the food benefit really helped me out a lot. It was $150 a month, and it was supposed to be used for fresh groceries. All I had to do was set aside an additional $150 a month of my own money. However, in late 2021 that's when inflation started to hit our town.

At the local discount grocery store eggs used to be 50 cents a dozen. They were in early December. Then they started to go up in price. At the discount grocery today they're still below average. The average price is $4 a dozen. That's because there has been an egg shortage. Not only eggs, but a chicken shortage as well due to a new strain of bird flu.

So I had a particular diet in early 2022. And unfortunately it included McDonald's, mostly because I was working there. 😂

We were forbidden to leave the premises for lunch at McDonald's. Working for McDonald's reminded me a lot of high school. You know I was over 30 years of age and I was asking to use the bathroom.

I also found it a little bit insulting that the managers refused to acknowledge the fact that I had a hearing disability. One in particular never believed it and always gave me crap about it. It didn't matter how much documentation I gave the boss. She refused to believe it and thought that I was playing games with her. She was very discriminatory of disabled people. Other than her, My overall experience with them was positive. I just didn't need to have that one particular manager going out of her way to cause so much trouble. She caused trouble for everyone and nobody liked working with her. They tolerated her because she would treat you differently based on her personal opinion of you. The typical Queen Bee personality, she would treat people that she liked better than the other people that she didn't. So if you were being treated like crap you offended her in some way and now you're going to pay for it for the rest of your time there.

Remember that these are my opinions based on my experiences and if you ever find yourself working at McDonald's your experience may differ from mine.

Back to the diet, McDonald's offered free meals if you were there at 5:00 in the morning, closing or overnight. Since my shift usually starts at 5:00 a.m. I quite often would enjoy the last of the breakfast as my shift came to a close. Sometimes I would save it and take home some food. At the bottom line was that every time that I worked I had a burger or something from there.

I recently watched the Super Size Me movie, (a documentary about McDonald's and a man who decided to eat McDonald's three meals a day for 30 days. Every meal as big as it possibly could be. Definitely supersized.) and I can only imagine how unfit I would have been had I continued down that path.

I was in the middle of the rocky challenge at that time, and there wasn't a lot of time to exercise. I was standing on my feet for 8 hours a day, and so when I got home after an 8 hour shift, I found myself sitting for most of the time. I was able to get myself up and make myself something to eat of course. Sometimes I would take a shortcut and bring home something from work so that I could have some lunch. Eventually my body adjusted to the work and switching to hydrogen water really helped.

After McDonald's I completed my Noom education and graduated from the program. Noom had me weighing in everyday, had me tracking my food everyday, had me drinking 64 oz of water everyday, and attempted to have me walking everyday. As I said before, the pedometer on Noom SUCKED, and I think they only had options to link with a Fitbit. Of course I didn't have a Fitbit at the time. I had my Amazon Halo.

So my fitness tracker was giving me a different amount for the steps that I took on a daily basis, and I just had to take a mental note that I was hitting my goal every day but noon wasn't recording it and it wasn't letting me manually record my steps.

I believe that I switched to Fooducate for a little while for a calorie counter. I was able to track my exercise and my steps manually as well with Google fit. I also left with a few new recipes from Noom.

Those recipes have been a part of my fitness path until just recently. My father was commenting that it was nice to see me eating fruits and vegetables for a change and that he would learn new things about new foods when he would go to the grocery store with me.

My fitness journey has changed since I started. Just like eventually how your exercises will evolve. When I started Fitness Boxing 1, as I said there were times and I couldn't even make it through an entire set.

Now I find myself getting through an entire set in Fitness Boxing 2, sitting down for 15 minutes, jumping rope, going through another set and then going for a walk afterwards. Trying to get in 250 steps a day.

Keep the faith, keep sweating! 💦

[lisacatara-actress]

Almost Lisa: Pt 10, “Almost Festive”

*I retain all rights to my photography and story, story details, biographical information, fashion designs, art work, and anything and everything I have posted which is my own creation*)

Hiraeth (n.)  A homesickness for a home to which you cannot return,     which maybe never was (Welsh)

It’s Christmas Eve. An unusually frigid 20* here in Atlanta. I’m cafe-hopping from favorite spot to spot, trying to find the distraction of good energy to preoccupy myself in the laptop, writing and editing photos. Christmas music (old and new) is everywhere. All around me are friends and families, sharing beverages, pastries and plans for tomorrow together. Many flew in to celebrate with loved ones. Others are on their way out. Then there’s me: head down in my screen, writing this blog, secretly listening to everyone around me, wishing I could experience what they are. For real.

I haven't celebrated a holiday for many years. Too much struggling. Not many people in my Tribe to celebrate with. Painfully isolated by health issues. Disinterested in traveling to Cleveland and “celebrating” with the parents and siblings (it’s just not the same since my grandparents passed). Instead, I indulge in my own Christmas traditions (GOD, I wanna be traveling right now!!!). Cafe/coffee/writing, maybe a drive to grab food which I’ll eat in my car (I eat most meals in this manner), then jammies by 5pm, and a marathon of corny Hallmark Christmas movies and “streaming blah-blah” as I begin to prepare my taxes. What more could a gir..........er, woman, want?

Flashback: On my last Christmas abroad (in 2019), I was experiencing Madrid, Spain. Someone offered I take a walk to the Mercado for lunch. FANTASTIC recommendation!! It’s a tasty smorgasbord for picky, undecideds like me. Everywhere I travel, I indulge in local food, fall in love, then attempt to find the cuisine back in the States, in Los Angeles. In Spain it was the tapas (never found it), in France it was quiche (kinda found it) , Lisbon was red wine (found it!), and Cambodia it was Khao Soi, a delicious creamy yellow curry  dish with boiled and fried noodles. It would sound impossible that The Valley could have such a delicacy. Nevertheless, I searched. One day, after visiting my credit union, I looked up across the parking lot Id been  in nearly every other day for a year and there is was: A restaurant CALLED Khao Soi!!! Right in my back yard. And low and behold, the namesake was a featured menu item. SOLD!

Another tradition is to be kind to strangers. Okay, in all honesty, I practice this every day. But on Holidays, I try to do something kind for those who deserve it. Sometimes that's simply buying lunch for firemen & women, police officers, or nurses. Other times, it's noticing someone- like me- sitting alone at a restaurant/ cafe. I’ll often invite them to join me and share stories/ conversation. There’s so much to learn from each other. It’s a joy to listen and validate someone who may be feeling unheard and invisible. I know all too well what that feels like. So it’s a privilege to help lift their spirits. We never know the battles anyone else is facing. And we cannot know the expiration on our greatest gift: TIME.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote that “Youth... is wasted on the Young”. I never had a disrespect for my Time and Energy. As a child, I hardly hesitated to create, explore, pen, perform, sew, draw... to explore every aspect of my growing artistry. Though I understand fully what he meant.

When I was in elementary school (at Coventry Elementary, back in Cleveland), we had lots of group assemblies. One in particular left a strong impression on me. Our principal, a kind, 35-40-year-old tall, slightly overweight man with glasses, held up a clock for all of us to see. He asked us all to sit there and watch the clock in complete silence for one minute. It felt like a really long time back then! After a minute, he told us "that was just one minute of your Life. One minute can be a very long time. Never waste it!".

I never forgot that lesson.

I often struggle with the overwhelming accumulation of Time I’ve lost. Time I’ve wasted in unhealthy environments and with unhealthy people, as well as Time taken from me by such environments and people. This includes recovering from events beyond my control (9/11, writers strike, pandemic... all painful as hell to overcome, and accompanied by substantial financial loss). It’s easy to become angry now that my physical body is preventing me from living the life I’ve earned and desire. I dress for comfort, not fashion anymore. I seldom go out. I rarely make appearances. I'm quieter. I seldom seem to want to grab lunch or dinner with anyone. Not to mention physical changes, like my skin and face changing, my body always bloated and widening. I work constantly at curbing the disappointment, lest it should ever be projected elsewhere. I am not that person. Though I wonder all the time how on earth those who have been around me for years fail to notice any of these changes in my life. It may be as simple as they do not care. Hollywood, after all.

Something I learned in my 30′s:  Surround yourself with people whose faces light up when you walk in the room. Those who ultimately make you feel stronger, more possible, and more appreciated. Those who call to check in on you from time to time.

Those are your people. And in my Biz, they're precious.

   (to be continued...)

(PS If you like what you're reading, I welcome contributions to the efforts via Venmo @LTarantinoDesigns)

[stepffan]

Itsuki: As I mentioned at the beginning, the house itself is earthquake-resistant. We also have a large stockpile of emergency rations. My mother is the type of person who is very careful about such things (laughs). We have backpacks for the whole family with portable toilets and other necessities so that we can escape with them on our backs in case of an emergency. Some expiration dates expire earlier than expected, so my mother is very careful about this. Even if we have to go to an evacuation shelter, we have enough food in our backpacks for one to two weeks for each of us, as long as we don't eat too much. Even if we had to stay at home instead of in a shelter, my mother has enough food in her backpack for the whole family to live comfortably for a month.

Interviewer: That's a lot of food for a family of four to live on for a month! That's a lot of peace of mind. What kind of emergency rations do you have?

Itsuki: Dried foods, various kinds of alpha rice, and instant foods. Curry that can be eaten without heating it up. My brother and I both like sweets, so we also have emergency snacks in cans (laughs). My mother says, "You don't even have to boil pasta, just soak it in water and you can eat it, so it's a great emergency food. Instant foods and pasta are heavy to carry away, but I really have a lot of them for evacuation at home. There was an earthquake yesterday, but Nagoya is a place where disasters are rather rare. Even so, whenever I see or hear news of typhoons or earthquakes, I know that my mother reviews her stockpile to make sure it is sufficient and that nothing is close to expiring, so I feel secure in that respect.

Interviewer: So, in that sense, I feel safe. It makes all the difference in an emergency if you are not prepared.

Itsuki: Yes. When I go abroad with my brother, I often bring along alpha rice and emergency rations. We also have a pot that can boil water even without electricity. So we have everything we need, and we feel safe (laughs).

Interviewer: (laughs) -- It sounds like you talk a lot about disaster preparedness in your home.

Itsuki: Yes, we do. If we have to run away, you, the one who can run the fastest in the family, quickly run away with Toro and Emma in your arms. Please take just the dogs with you and run away. In that sense, I am going to check the evacuation route again.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[ladykissingfish]

How the Akatsuki Grocery-Shops

Kakuzu: Puts “extreme couponers” to shame. Will spend a literal hour at the register arguing a 20 cent price dispute. If there’s a slight dent on a can? He wants a discount. The color on an apple is the tiniest bit off? Discount. Expired last month? Yes he’s still going to buy it and yes, he Wants. A. Discount. Will intimidate those in line behind him with an icy stare until they move to another register. Will pay an annoying amount of the bill in change, which he will painstakingly count out, twice, from his pocket. Whoever is with him will have to be prepared to forcibly drag him out before the police are called. Zetsu: All organic, baby. You won’t find this guy at a regular grocery store; he’ll only be at places where everything is locally farmed or produced, fresh, and vibrant. Of course, the carnivorous plant isn’t entirely about the fruits and veggies, the guy likes his meat. But even then it’s all grass-fed and free-range. The others will go with him when they feel like being healthy, but for the most part they find his type of stores to be way too expensive. Deidara: Starts off trying to buy mostly healthy foods but his impatience with shopping (and cooking) will likely have him grabbing the easiest, fastest, most hassle-free things to prepare. Lots of instant noodles, minute rice, frozen dinners. Will justify poor choices by throwing some bananas or grapes into cart and calling it a ‘healthy balance’. Absolutely can’t leave without the latest trashy gossip magazine. Tobi: If no one is there to supervise him, will head straight to the candy aisle and spend nearly the entire trip there. Likes ALL candy but is given a limited budget so can only pick a handful of things; will spend an agonizing amount of time trying to choose between his “favorites”. The free sample people will dread him because he’ll come back two, three, nine times, and if they try to tell him he’s had enough ... let’s just say the ‘Tobi’ act is dropped for a while. 9/10 times shopping trip ends up with someone ((Deidara)) finding him, taking most of the junk from his cart, and replacing it with actual food. Have to blindfold him at the register to keep him from throwing more candy bars or gum or soda bottles into cart. Sasori: Doesn’t eat, so no need to grocery shop. However, will occasionally accompany Deidara or Itachi on their trips, both as a temporary means to escape boredom ... and to subtly scope out other shoppers are possible future editions to his puppet collection. Hidan: Spends most of his time in the meat department. Secretly (or maybe not so secretly) turned on by the rawness and blood of fresh meat. Will avoid the produce section like the plague. Not really a fan of candy but will grab a chocolate bar or two of he feels like he needs a quick burst of energy. Also, if he’s with someone, likes to “people-watch” aka whisper rude commentary about the other shoppers and what they have in their cart. The type to insist he doesn't need a cart and can just carry everything in his arms.

Pein: Not ‘real’ so no need to eat. However, will sometimes go with Konan on her trips, so Nagato can be exposed to some “normal” situations for a change. Kisame: Lives at the seafood counter. Buys more fresh shrimp than it seems possible for one person to eat. Can tell if fish is good or bad with a single glance, and will threaten bodily harm to any employee trying to pass off old product as being fresh. Doesn’t really have any other food preferences, but will occasionally buy ingredients to make a pilaf or a curry to go with his aquatic diet. Itachi: The most balanced eater of the Akatsuki, as well as the most talented cook. Will hit up every single department, and nearly every aisle. Has a list and strictly sticks to it; is second-best at staying within budget (after Kakuzu). Never really checks out sales ads beforehand but always seems to luck into finding the best deals. Will allow himself ONE sweet (usually a pastry)

that he’ll pay for before he begins shopping, and walk around the store eating it. Will mostly go by himself (he finds grocery shopping to be calming, almost meditative) but will sometimes be joined by Kisame, orSasori. The type to, if he sees something that’s in the wrong spot, to pick it up and return it to the right place. Also the type to be honest about being undercharged for something (which is why Kakuzu can never go with him).

Konan: Not the biggest fan of grocery shopping, but will go if necessary. Will purposely wear the baggiest clothes possible, to avoid being hit on by creepy dudes (which unfortunately doesn’t work most of the time; her beauty is obvious no matter what she wears). Surprisingly, will seek out Kisame to go with her the most, because 1) His intimidating look immediately puts off all possible lechers, and 2) They’re BOTH huge fans of sea food. Spends more time looking at things in the Health/Beauty department than at actual food. The type to put back more than half of her cart before checking out, after deciding she "doesn't really need it". Like Deidara, can’t leave without buying the latest gossip magazine.