#dried fruit sugar content

[djcgold]

The Truth About Dried Fruits: Benefits and Risks

Snack sensibly by understanding the truth about dried fruit!

A bowl of dried fruit Are dried fruits a healthy snack choice or a sugar trap? In this revealing article, we uncover the truth about dried fruit and healthy snack alternatives. Many people believe that dried fruits are a nutritious alternative to fresh fruits, but is that really the case? Dried fruits offer convenience and can be a great on-the-go snack, but they aren’t without their downsides.…

[edfseo]

High-Sugar Fruits to Avoid for Diabetes Management

Diabetics can enjoy fruits in moderation by being mindful of their sugar content and glycemic index. High-sugar fruits like ripe bananas, mangoes, and grapes can spike blood sugar if not consumed carefully. Choosing whole, fiber-rich fruits and pairing them with protein or healthy fats helps manage glucose levels effectively.

Click Here: https://erodediabetesfoundation.org/high-sugar-fruits-to-avoid-for-diabetes-management/

[illwilledomen]

Minecraft food pt. 1

These foods are traditionally eaten in plains villages. Small game like chicken and rabbit, as well as fish, are eaten throughout the year, while beef, pork and lamb is usually reserved for special occasions. This is both for availability and theological reasons. More below 👇

Mushroom picking is a job usually given to teenagers and nitwits. Bread is considered an aphrodisiac to villagers, and it is often given as a wedding proposal (alongside cheese and meat). Sweet berries are often dried to add sweetness and tang to soups, stews and pottage, as well as making a fine snack on their own.

Plains stew, or rabbit stew, is a dish common in plains villages, with slight variations in each settlement. Generally, it contains rabbit or chicken, with mushrooms, potatoes and carrots. The broth is usually rich and thickened with breadcrumbs or oats, and tartness is added either via wine or sweet berries. Some villages add beetroot or diced apple, others add dough dumplings or cut up grassland slimes, which are cleaned and deveined, and serve as a natural thickener as well as a source of protein. Their rubbery texture and fishy flavor may be disagreeable to passing traders, and it is a point of contention as to what the “true” plains stew recipe is.

Carrots, potatoes, beetroot (not pictured) and apples are staples for plains villagers. In times of destitution potatoes are crucial for keeping people fed. When “clearing land” for imperial expansion, Illagers poison the potato crops of smaller villages so they will not waste resources on raiding them.

Cake, or sweetcake, is eaten during times of celebration, like at weddings or markets. It resembles a pound cake, with a sugar glaze and decorated with fruits, like sweetberries, glow berries and apple. A slice is traditionally eaten with a glass of hot milk as a “purifier” for the days indulgences.

[allfortheslay25]

All for the scents doodle dump

When mates scent each other and are content in harmony, their scents will fuse to make almost a new one.

Together, andreil smells like cherry coke and that cold misty smell after it rains (with a tiny hint of cigarettes)

DanMatt smells like maple and something akin to worn wallet leather

Kateaaron smells like sour dough, citrusy jam and juice

JereJean would smell like yogurt covered almonds and fresh flowers

AlliSeth used to smell like seasoned fruit and pollen

Other scents:

Erik(beta): sliced melon and sugared lime with a hint of gardenia

Thea(alpha): ground coffee, oak, and a sharp floral scent

Laila(alpha): fruit smoothie, and dried cranberries

Cat(alpha): walnut and ginger with a hint of grapefruit

Kayleigh(beta): marshmallow and fresh clovers

Nathan(alpha): rare steak, iron, spiced peppermint (the kind that burns inhaling)

Mary(beta): Cherry liqueur, some kind of tea flavor, and rosemary (together, she sort of smells like flu medicine)

Lola(alpha): melted lipstick and spicy hard candy

Ichirou(alpha): carbon black ink(the kind that smells like leather but without the animal undertones), green tea, and bergamot

[amomentsescape]

Hey, do you have any slasher X reader where the reader loves baking?

Slashers with Reader That Loves Baking

Slashers x Reader (Separate)

Includes: Freddy, Michael, Jason, Thomas, Bubba, Brahms, Norman, Billy, & Stu

A/N: Hmm... I don't think I do. Looks like I need to whip up another fic. Here you go!

Freddy Krueger

Although Freddy doesn't need to eat, he'll try anything you make him!

He's happy that you have a hobby that you enjoy during the day

He's even happier that he gets to taste the results

Whenever you visit him, he makes sure the dream world has a kitchen for you in case you want to make something while you're there

You're more inclined to bake there anyways because Freddy can get you just about any ingredient your heart desires

When you do make items, Freddy switches into his "Kiss the Cook" apron and matching hat

He may not help you with the baking, but he still expects kisses while you work

He'll stand beside you, just observing everything you do

He doesn't ask too many questions either, he just likes seeing you relaxed

Once the treats are ready, he literally stabs a few onto his knifed glove and eats them off of it

There hasn't been a single thing you've made that he hasn't enjoyed

Michael Myers

Michael is pretty neutral with your enjoyment of baking

He tends to his hobbies, you tend to yours

He doesn't feel like there needs to be any crossover of sorts

However, he won't deny you when you ask him to try things

And if you need help accessing the top shelf, he'll help you out

He secretly has a big sweet tooth, and your warm smile influences him to try everything (he'd be dead before he admitted it though)

He has a pretty basic taste in sweets too

He enjoys the majority of the cookies, cakes, and breads you've made

He isn't a big fan of pie or dried fruits though

If you make a batch of anything, he'll try a bite if you ask, but that'll be it

You're always certain he's just trying to be polite

But whenever you wake up in the morning, half the tray is gone

Michael will just shrug it off of course

But it's pretty obvious he enjoys your treats

Jason Voorhees

He absolutely loves that you bake!

To be fair, he'd love literally anything you do that makes you happy, but baking reminds him a lot of his missed childhood

You've made a couple things already that reminded him of stuff his mother used to make, and it almost brought him to tears

He doesn't really get sweet cravings like he did when he was younger, but he will never say no to trying something of yours

He also enjoys decorating some of the treats too

His large hands tend to fumble a bit, and nothing comes out as good as yours, but he's having fun, and that's what matters most to you both

His favorite thing is coming home after a long day to the smell of baked goods and to see you casually mixing ingredients together

You just seem so content, and it gives him a taste of what domestic life is like with you

He'll always come over to greet you with a hug, not caring if you're covered in flour

And once he's gotten cleaned up, he just sits at the table out of the way, watching you

He especially loves when you talk to him while baking

It just makes him all warm inside

Thomas Hewitt

He never really grew up with home baked goods like yours before, so it feels like literal heaven when he smells the sugar in the air

He likes walking up and peering over your shoulder, trying to see what you're doing

He also just likes hanging out with you in case you need help with anything

If your arms ever get tired from mixing or kneading, you know who to ask

If you let him, he'll take little tastes of the batters, predicting how much he's going to like them once they're done

(It's always a 10/10)

If it's sweet, he likes it

There's never been anything you've made that he didn't eat almost all of in one night

He loves if you make enough for the whole family too!

He's a bit hesitant to help decorate, and even more so to help add ingredients

But if you ask, there's no way he'd be willing to say no

Bubba Sawyer

He adores your baking!

He absolutely has no idea what you're doing half the time, but he's happy about it all the same

You've got to be careful with this one though

Because if you even turn around for a second, the batter is gone

Same goes for when the treats are cooling

If you leave the kitchen, they'll be gone within just a couple minutes

You have no idea how he manages to do it

At least he's showing you just how much he loves your bakery?

But besides that, he's a great hand to have in the kitchen

He can mix and mix for days

And he's always there to help hand you whatever you need

Just don't trust him with the powders unless you want a white, dusty kitchen

He's also not the best around the hot oven, having burnt himself a handful of times

It's kind of like having a helpful but clumsy child in the kitchen with you

But he's so sweet you can't bare to tell him to leave

Brahms Heelshire

Brahms never grew up with many sweets in the house

So having his own baker at home is like feeding a starving man

And with Brahms, you can imagine how that goes

Will come to you almost every day with a new treat he is craving

In fact, he even added to the rules list that you needed to make him a bedtime treat or else he refuses to go to sleep

You love baking of course, so it's not a problem, but some of his requests are absurd

A pie covered in chocolate ice cream smooshed with cookies and drizzled with brownie batter might be a bit much for a midnight snack

But you honestly did it to yourself

The moment he tasted your treats, there was no going back

And be careful when the sugar rush hits

He's ready to bounce off the walls with you in tow

Norman Bates

Norman has always been one for domestic hobbies

So the fact that you're a baker makes him feel so cozy and warm

Waking up to fresh muffins with his tea, coming home to a plate of brownies, and even being woken up in the middle of the night to some wild cookie recipe all makes Norman so happy

Jokingly complains that you're fattening him up

He's honestly a pretty good baker himself, although he argues that his skill is nowhere near as good as yours

But there have been a handful of times he prepare his own treat beside you in the kitchen, and it always came out amazing

And because of his experience, he's happy to give a lending hand when you need

If you're making something you know by heart instead, then he's still there beside you, keeping up with the dishes so you don't have to tend to a mess later

Norman enjoys whatever makes you happy, and is eager to learn even more about what you love too!

Billy Loomis

He's pretty chill about it at first

He thinks it's a cute hobby, but doesn't know much about it himself

However, the first time he was actually there with you watching you work and tasting what you made...

He really gained a better perspective on it

He can see the hard work and true enjoyment you put into the hobby, and this makes him appreciate it more

He's not huge on sweets, but seeing you put all of this together for him makes it impossible to deny them

Will be brutally honest if he likes something or not, but there's truly only been a couple times he actually didn't like what you made

Will occasionally sit on the counter beside you and just ask basic questions

"What does this thing do?" "How long does it need to sit there?" "Is there a difference between folding and mixing?"

You always smile at him since his genuine curiosity is cute

Plus, it shows he's trying to learn more about what you do

Will definitely stand behind you and rest his head on your shoulder while you work

Stu Macher

You love to bake? Well, Stu loves to eat

Match made in heaven in his eyes

He honestly is surprised by the amount of effort that it takes to whip up a simple cookie or cupcake

He's not usually on this end of the food process

But he honestly enjoys watching what you do

Will literally just stare and zone out, making you laugh

Loves loves loves when it's time to lick the spoon

He will dab batter onto your nose though

He's a huge fan of helping you decorate too!

Just be careful, because Stu is also a huge fan of squeezing the piping bag directly into his mouth

But surprisingly, Stu has become pretty decent at piping frosting and making your treats look pretty

He always insists on eating the ones you decorate though because they "taste better"

He honestly just loves being able to show praise for the stuff you make him and will always request a fun treat to accompany your weekly movie nights

[atlaculture]

What food from their 'cultures' do you think the gang would like? Real life food

Oh, this will be a fun question to answer! I'll make this an ongoing series for as many characters as I can think of.

Favorite Foods: Aang

Seeing as Aang has always loved traveling the world on Appa, he strikes me as someone who prefers food he can easily carry and eat while in the air. He's more a snack guy than a meal guy, is what I'm saying. He's also shown to be very fond of egg custard tarts and fruit pies, so I assume he also really likes rich desserts. With these considerations in mind, here's Aang's food board:

Momos - Tibetan stuffed dumplings. They're easy to carry around and eat on the go. Plus, they share a name with everyone's favorite flying lemur. I think Aang's favorite momo filling would be cheese with mushrooms or veggies.

Shom-Dae - Tibetan rice pudding. It's made by mixing fresh steamed rice with yogurt and sugar. Tibetan yogurt is made from yak milk, so it's very rich in fat content. Yogurt is so beloved in Tibet that it even has its own festival there, called Sho Dun.

Bhatsa Marku - A cheesy dessert pasta from Tibet. The primary ingredients are gnocchi-like noodles, dried yak cheese, butter, and sugar. I've also seen non-dessert versions comprised of the gnocchi noodles with mushrooms and butter. I think Aang would love both.

Chhurpi - A rock-hard cheese traditional to the Himalayas. It's typically a yak cheese that has been smoked and dried to remove all the moisture content. This allows it to be easy to carry and transport, as it can remain mold-free and edible for up to 20 years. One cube of chhurpi can be chewed on for hours, as it takes quite a while for the cheese to soften in the mouth.

Ngarchur - A dried Tibetan sweet cheese made from boiled yogurt. Like chuurpi, it's keeps well and is easy to transport, although it's not hard.

Khapse - Tibetan fried dough. Depending on how you shape the dough, it can be crunchy like chips or soft like youtiao.

Sanga Balep - A crispy Tibetan pastry covered in powdered sugar. Not much to say other than it looks really satisfying to eat.

I also have a series on possible Air Nomad cuisine here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[highlandhour]

Content warnings: dad!Charles, tooth rotting fluff, Charles Smith x fem!reader.

A warm breeze swept over your features, weaving through your hair to cool down your hot scalp. That morning had been a busy one, filled with jamming and pickling fruits and vegetables as well as canning any others you wanted to save without flavoured vinegars or sugar to preserve them.

You had just finished up doing the laundry, which had dried your hands out unbelievably so. The hot summer air wasn’t helping either as you peg sheets and various clothing items to the line. You lean to the side, groaning lightly as you do so, grabbing another damp piece of clothing from your basket and lifting it into view of the sun. The tiniest little off white dress lay pinched in your fingers. You flick the fabric lightly before grabbing wooden pegs from the front pocket of your striped apron, the one you made from one of Charles’ old shirts that got ripped beyond repair a few months ago.

You place one of the pegs into your mouth as you stretch the dress to drape it over the line, one peg, two pegs, you pluck the third from your mouth and slide it on the puffed shoulder of the dresses sleeve.

A teeny tiny cry catches your attention, making you lift your head towards where it was coming from. The little window by the line was open and the light pink floral wallpaper of your daughters room could be seen, as well as the lace of her curtains which are now flowing out the window thanks to the breeze.

“Charles!” You call out into the air. “Can you go get her! I’m just finishing up here!”

A heavy thump can be heard from the surrounding woodlands your little cabin resides in. Charles makes himself visible as he walks out of the covert, his shirt long discarded and tucked into his back pocket with his suspenders laying on either side of his hips.

“Was just finishing up myself.” He smiles as he walks by you, letting his hand trail across your stomach to waist before letting it run across your bum. You shoo him away innocuously, tapping your hand at his fingers to be rid of his flirtatious gesture.

“Go!” You laugh at him as he opens the bottom of your Dutch back door to walk inside with a proud smile on his face.

“Fool.” You shake your head smiling to yourself as you pick up another piece of laundry to put on the line.

You listen carefully for Charles as you hear him walk into your daughter’s bedroom. His soft coos just dampened to the point of incomprehension but your girls sweet little squeaks makes your heart swell. You squeeze one of Charles’ shirts in your hands looking down with so much joy. It’s the blue shirt. That old blue shirt he refuses to get rid of.

You quickly flick it out to undo all the wrinkles you gave it. Shoving your hand into your pocket again to grab a fistful of pegs and popping a few into your mouth this time.

“You wanna see your mama?” You turn slightly to look behind you, popping a peg from your mouth to slide it onto the collar of that blue dotted shirt.

Charles had her lay across his big arm, her head resting comfortably on his bicep. He takes her tiny little hand into his and makes her wave to you. As quick as you could, you put the rest of the pegs on the shirt before fully turning around. Outstretching your arms.

“C’mere sweetheart!” You ring as Charles waltzes his way towards you.

“Comin.” He replies with a half grin.

“Not you.” You scrunch your nose up at him playfully. Taking your daughter from his hold to let her lay her small head on your shoulder.

“Aw that ain’t fair.” Charles bends over, picking up a large sheet from the basket and spreading it out in his hands. “I was sweetheart first yknow.” He says to your daughter before kissing her on the top of her dark haired head.

“You’re also baby and honey and-”

Charles lets out a loud bellow of a laugh, reaching his hand into your pocket to take out a peg and slide on the corner of the sheet.

“Don’t I know it darlin.”

You step back to make room as he takes another peg from your apron and place it in the middle of the sheet.

“Darlin’s another one.” You say matter of fact, rubbing your hand up and down your babies back.

You both stay like that for the rest of the amount of time it takes to hang out the laundry. You stepping backwards a little with a pocket full of pegs whilst Charles hangs everything you washed. All the while your daughter made little noises in your arms and held the cotton of your dress in her teeny tiny vice like grip.

Such a difference from where you both came from. You could get used to this.

@hihomeghere @tortureddpoett @whoyacallinyellow @sapphic-outlaw

if you would like to be added or removed from the taglist just let me know.

[mattslilies]

Aftercare Routine - C.S.

"shh, don't worry, let me take care of it." or... the one where we get a peek into dom!chris and sub!chris' aftercare routines. warnings: dom!chris, dom!reader, sub!chris, sub!reader, mentions of sex, cleaning up, a good bit of fluff, praise, light teasing vibe, more to be added as i write word count: 870 a/n: i don't write enough aftercare in my fics so here we are!

dom!chris...

"shh, don't worry, let me take care of it."

you were laying on chris' bed, exhausted but sated, basking in the afterglow of a night with him. you'd started to sit up, moving to grab the water bottle on the nightstand, but chris had immediately moved to get it for you.

"i'll get everything for you. you don't need to do anything right now."

he slid out of bed, grabbing the water bottle that he'd set out for you, twisting the cap off and helping you sit up against the headboard, letting you take it and drink from it.

"i'll be right back, i'm gonna go grab a small snack for you, and then i'll clean you up, okay?"

you nodded, smiling at him as he left. you'd gotten really lucky with him. regardless of how planned or spur-of-the-moment your sex was, his aftercare was always as top tier as he could pull off in your current situation.

he returned quickly, a cup of fruit and some chocolate in his hands.

"here, baby, it'll get your blood sugar up."

you gratefully took the food, slowly eating it as chris got back into bed with you, holding the water bottle for you and offering it to you whenever you needed it.

he wrapped an arm around you, running his hand up and down your side, patiently waiting for you to finish eating. when you were done, he took the trash, trading you for the water and encouraging you to keep drinking it. he walked back to the bed, slowly pulling the blankets off of you and laughing softly when you attempted to pull them back.

"cmon, i'll run you a bath, okay?"

he gently helped you out of bed, turning on the warm water and letting you lean against him, the tiredness starting to seep through your body.

once you were in the bath, chris settled behind you, taking a washcloth and gently cleaning off your entire body, making sure to keep his touch soft so he wouldn't bother your skin.

he helped you out, dressing you in his clothes and carefully leading you back to bed. he pulled you against his chest, running his hands through your hair.

"you did so good for me, baby. i love you."

you mumbled into his chest before falling asleep, comfortable up against his warm body.

"love you too."

sub!chris...

"shh, don't worry, let me take care of it."

chris' chest was heaving, still working on steadying his breathing as you rustled around him, making sure that he had everything he needed.

you brushed his hair off of his forehead, his face flushed, his body covered in a light sheen of sweat. he looked half asleep, but you knew he was just comfortable, enjoying the calmness that comes with the time after.

your hand gently traced down his back, letting him rest for a bit. he adjusted as your nails slowly scratched his skin, a content sigh leaving his lips.

he turned his head to the side and smiled at you, blush returning as you leaned down to kiss him.

"you look so pretty like this."

he laughed, embarrassment flooding his expression as you reached to grab the gatorade from his headboard.

"drink some, baby. you need sugar."

he sat up, taking the bottle from you and drinking a swig of it. you ran a hand through his hair, nails softly moving against his scalp.

"do you want to take a shower?"

he shook his head, taking another drink of the gatorade. you nodded, standing up.

"alright baby. i'll go get a washcloth to get you cleaned up, okay? i'll grab you something to eat as well."

you hadn't had dinner, chris having been incredibly needy the second you'd come home from work. you walked into the bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and running it under some warm water from the sink, squeezing out the majority of it so it wouldn't drip onto the floor.

walking back into the bedroom, chris had laid back down, his eyes closed as if he'd fallen asleep, but he rolled over when he heard you approaching.

gently wiping off his body, being careful to not overstimulate him. you'd grabbed the softest washcloth you could find, and an extra that was dry to clean the dampness off of his skin.

throwing the two in the laundry hamper, you softly tossed the blanket back over chris, disappearing into the kitchen to get him some food. quickly warming up his favorite, a few mini pizzas, you brought them back, sitting up with him and sharing them.

a show played on the television, but you weren't paying attention. your focus was entirely on chris, how he'd gone completely soft around the edges, leaning his weight against you for comfort.

after he'd finished the food, you set the plate on his nightstand, wrapping your arm around him and keeping him close.

as the episode ended, you looked down, seeing chris' head laying on your shoulders, chest rising and falling steadily. he'd fallen asleep against you, a gentle look on his face.

you kissed the top of his head before slowly laying him down, careful not to wake him up.

"goodnight, baby."

taglist <3

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[sassyfrassboss]

The Post taste-tests Meghan Markle’s ‘acidic’ As Ever jam, ‘janky’ cookies and ‘bland’ tea

Ever since Meghan “Jam Is My Jam” Markle announced that a berry jam would be one of the first products released under what was then known as her America Riviera Orchard label, the world has eagerly wondered what the groundbreaking pantry goods actually taste like.

Today, The Post can exclusively report that the Duchess of Sussex’s “keepsake” packaged $14 raspberry spread — now branded As Ever, due to trademark issues — has a very familiar flavor.

“It tastes like the same kind of raspberry spread/jam/jelly/preserve that you can buy in any supermarket in the United States,” longtime Post food critic Steve Cuozzo said in an official taste test. “It tastes fine. Raspberry jam always tastes fine. There’s nothing unique about this.”

It’s one of nine As Ever products that the duchess launched last Wednesday.

The line, which also include teas, honey, baking mixes and flower sprinkles, sold out in less than an hour and created havoc for those desperate for a taste of Markle’s Montecito — by way of a gritty stretch of Hollywood that is home to the As Ever LCC offices, by way of parts unknown. (Meghan, your loyal subjects want to know: Will you be hit by tariffs?)

Wherever it comes from, the sweetness level of the “runny” fruit spread — as it must be called, according to FDA guidelines for sugar content — polarized taste testers.

It “has a really high acid profile, making it completely unenjoyable,” griped editor Zachary Kussin.

“I like [that] there’s not a lot of sugar, like with a Smucker’s brand,” said commerce reporter Emma Sutton-Williams.

The As Ever Shortbread Cookie Mix with Flower Sprinkles ($14) also garnered mixed reviews.

“I’ve tried a lot of shortbread cookie mixes out of a box and I’m always disappointed. I’m not disappointed with these,” said Sutton-Williams, declaring the treats an “A+.”

Still, she noted the cookies were time- and labor-intensive — requiring an hour in the fridge and two sticks of butter. (Has anyone checked Prince Harry’s cholesterol levels lately?)

“Did Meghan consult with Paula Deen? Because these are very butter forward,” said Post senior writer Jeanette Settembre, who baked them.

Kussin, for one, declared the cookie “brittle,” “insipid” and void of flavor: “It has the consistency of a hockey puck and the flavor of a hockey puck.”

But Cuozzo had some encouraging words, saying, “Meghan, Duchess, you’re in the ballpark.”

For columnist Kirsten Fleming, there was one big letdown: the now-infamous flower sprinkles that Markle cheerfully employs on her Netflix show “With Love, Meghan,” perhaps to distract from her abysmal knife skills.

As Ever’s $15 jar of edible dried flowers — which looks uncomfortably close to the potpourri you used to see next to bathroom sinks in the ’90s — was sold out within minutes. But hallelujah, a small packet of the flower sprinkles is included in the cookie mix!

Unfortunately, they were dull and too small to lend any legitimate pop of color.

“There was such a big deal made about them that I expected them to be like this pinata coming out of the cookie, and it just looks like a few colorful crumbs,” said a disappointed Fleming.

“Janky,” declared Settembre.

One thing all the taste-testers seemed to agree on was that the herbal peppermint tea ($12) was as bland and beige as the oatmeal-hued Jenni Kayne sweater Markle wears on her show — and promotes on her new ShopMy page (noting in small print that she may get a cut of the proceeds, natch).

It’s “understated, just like the royal family,” a diplomatic Sutton-Williams said of the hot beverage.

Kussin, a self-described “peppermint tea enthusiast,” called it bland and said it “could be a lot more minty.” He prefers the free Harney & Sons peppermint tea available in The Post offices.

“It’s not very strong, the flavor isn’t really there … it’s quite ordinary,” lamented Cuozzo of Markle’s tea. “If all it takes is making a product like this, then I want to be a duchess myself.”

So it tastes like shit…no wonder she sent the first batch to actors and actresses. They had to fake their approval.

[genji-centric]

New foods from Earth a Martian never tried!

Juno x Reader

Hi I love Juno. She's soo cute, and I want her to be out already. I just want to kiss her and take her out to get ice cream, which is why I wrote this!! Request anything Juno. I'm desperately needing more Juno lovers to unite with me and this adorable Martian.

You and Juno had started dating pretty recently. After getting settled into Earth, she started to learn more and more what the people from here had to do. She always had a rough idea, with life being not entirely different on Mars. But things still felt exciting and overwhelming all at once, but lucky for her she had someone who knew the planet she now lived on. You. She was always curious about the world had to offer, and she was over the moon to have someone to help her explore to her hearts content.

One of her favorite things to do was activity dates, going out on the town or city and exploring the places of Earth, no matter how small. She was astonished with how different things were. Her understandings of nature and wildlife were from books in her father's study, and yet here she can go up and touch an actual tree? It's all so new and exciting, but she could go without all the rivers and ponds. Such vast quantities of water was a risk to equipment back on Mars. Large puddles signaled an issue that needed maintenance, and you're telling her that's just nature?

Juno never really could grasp her head around the water, no matter how many times you would explain. But a peck on the cheek and a reassuring squeeze of her hand was all she needed. You were like the co-pilot to a new expedition, and for the current mission was going to an ice cream parlor nearby Overwatch's base. It was a shack you grew to like on lunch breaks, and you came to realize the ice cream on Mars was vastly different. Juno explained it to be powdered and hard, not cold. Something hard to imagine ypur entire life with ice-cream was just it freeze dried, and Juno lept at the chance to go see another part of life for Earthlings.

As you two waited in line you looked at the menu. Typical flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and so on. But to Juno, this was a extraordinary change. She was only used to the 3 flavors that made up neopilitan, and now she's met with a menu of 20 more flavors on top of that? Juno muttered to herself when met with so many options.

"Pistachio? Isn't that a nut, oh hmm.. Ube? What is that.. what is a rockey road? Do people eat rocks here? Oh, banana? Like the long fruit? Oh, and.. jasmine? Ooh I like that! We had jasmine tea on Mars!"

You couldn't help but smile at her, always so curious. You could see her eyes sift across the menu, her face scrunched lightly in concentration. But she nodded in approval, seemingly content with her choice in flavor. She turned to you with a warm smile.

"I have decided on the jasmine flavor, I am aware I will enjoy it!"

As you two placed your order, she was confused by the option of cones or bowls. She decided on just getting a bowl, 'to not take away from the flavor of the ice cream'. Your girlfriend was always so endearing, and she always had a cute way of speech. You just wanted to pepper her face in kisses.

As you two relieved your ice cream, Juno's face lit up when laying sight to her bowl. As you two sat down at a wondow seat, (something Juno loved bacuse she liked to look outside and see the bustling streets) she couldn't help but pike at the food with her spoon.

"So is this what Earth ice cream is like? It's so.. mushy. And cold."

You nodded.

"Yes, it's a frozen cream with sugars and other flavorings, it's cold and always really good on a hot day."

Juno accepted that answer. She always did. Juno took a small bit of cream on her spoon, putting it into her mouth. You could see her pupils dilate ever so slightly. As she swallowed, she giggled.

"Wow!! This is so much better then when it's all crunchy!"

She took another spoonful, savoring the floral taste of her ice cream. Never have you seen someone so excited over ice cream, but you could say the same over someone being excited over grass, birds, in fact, anything nature related, concrete sidewalks, roads, and so on. She was always so eager it was admirable.

She didn't speak much after that. You both lived in the moment and enjoyed your sweet treats. You both decided to try a little bit of each other's ice cream. The floral taste of hers was subtle yet soothing in the best ways. In fact, you were kind of jeleous, and now you know the next flavor you would get at least. Ans Juno thoroughly enjoyed ypurs, commenting on anything she liked about the flavor you picked.

"I do say, that was such a good dish!"

She exclaimed, always so happy with any new food or new sights you see.

"I'm glad you liked it! I always try and find some time to come here. They have the best flavors."

Juno nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I would certainly like to try more of the menu eventually."

And so you both did, now on a date and you both craved something sweet. The ice cream parlor was always a top spot to hit. Juno greatly enjoyed each new thing, and you enjoyed the smile she had when doing so.

[her-devils-advocate]

Sugar Rush

pairings: Female Lavellan x Solas

summary: The Inquisitor gifted Solas with one of his favourite cupcakes, leading him to wallow in his feelings for her.

word count: 1,444

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/62818654

Solas leaned back against the wooden headboard with a content sigh, one of Varric's books in hand. His legs were stretched out under the soft covers and crossed at the ankles as he let his body relax. It had been a long week of travelling back to Skyhold from the chilly landscape of Emprise du Lion, and the chill that had settled into their bones had finally begun to thaw. Instead of fighting for their lives against the Red Templars and shivering in their tents at night, their days had finally shifted back to the quiet hum of normalcy while The Inquisitor planned their next mission.

Almost if compelled by the very thought of her, Solas couldn't help himself when his free hand settled gently against Lavellan's head, which had moved to use his chest as a pillow while she slept. His fingers played with the long black strands of hair with practised ease, now free from its usual loose ponytail. He watched the way the silken strands slipped through his fingers like spilt ink, his heart aching with a myriad of emotions. 

How long until she slipped through his fingers with such ease, as if she was never there at all? How long until he looked back at these moments and felt the stabbing pain of loss and the bitter taste of regret?

He clenched his jaw to hold back the flood of guilt and admission that danced on his tongue, forcing himself to swallow such frightful confessions.

Instead, he let his eyes fall shut, breathing deeply as he locked up such regrets back into their prison in his heart and as carefully as he could, he shifted his body to reach for the small cupcake on the bedside table. He struggled to believe he was as deserving of her love as she seemed to think, her little signs of affection both pleasing and burning him. Yet he couldn’t help himself from being drawn to her like a moth to an open flame, embracing the danger of his emotions.

Her smile when she presented him with his favourite cake from Val Royeaux was now seared into his memory, just as his love for her was seared into every fibre of his being.

"Here, I got this for you. I needed to grab a few things with Josie and remembered how much you liked the cakes from there. It was the last one and I'm pretty sure there was some rich child in line behind me who was eyeing it up. I'm glad to say I got there just in time." She said while she presented the small treat for him, as proudly as if she had just admitted to killing yet another high dragon. “It’s the chocolate ones with small pieces of dried fruit scattered on top.”

“Ma serannas, vhenan.” He had replied, not even attempting to hide the way the tips of his ears almost seemed to glow pink. “Would you like to share it with me?”

“Nae, I bought it for you. Besides, that cake is tiny, enjoy it for yourself, my love.” She had smiled so brightly at him, that the lines of Mythal’s vallaslin sitting across her cheekbones shifted with the movement.

The cake had sat on his desk for the following hours, almost too precious to ruin. It had taunted and teased him, testing his control over his weak sweet tooth. Yet he still refrained, almost as if he were caught in a trance and biting into it would cause the moment to end and reality to set back in. 

Funny how something as simple as a cupcake could cause his walls to begin to crumble. He continued to work on his research of the rifts deep into the night, all while the cupcake’s small shadow danced across his desk in the flickering candlelight. Right up until the hour for them to retire to her room for the night, where he had brought it with him to enjoy finally. He would prefer no other place to indulge in something pleasant, everything always tasted sweeter with Relana Lavellan curled up beside him, safe in his arms.

He found himself to be proven right when he leaned back against the headboard and brought the small cake to his lips, savouring the sweet frosting as it melted on his tongue. His eyes fluttered shut momentarily, and when they opened once more, he felt his heart jolt. 

“Ma’tarasyl,” he quickly muttered, not wanting to break the tranquillity that had fallen over the pair.

Relana silently peered up at him, her eyes wide open and sparkling in the firelight as she watched him from her place against his chest. Her smile widened, and with a small amount of embarrassment, he realised that she must have heard his heart skip a beat at the small scare she had provided. Once his mask of composure fell back into place, he realised what had caused her to wake: he seemed to have gently placed his book over her head, almost like a hat, to hold his current page in place.

“Ir abelas, vhenan.” He chuckled and gingerly picked the book back up, watching as she rolled her head to peek at the cover. He tilted it so she could get a better look, her smile had softened considerably when she spotted the familiar artwork on the cover for Hard in Hightown. 

She did her best to wave off his apology despite her hands being trapped under the covers, “Enjoying yourself?” She asked, her voice light and airy as she watched him get ready to read; book and cupcake in hand.

“It’s impossible not to when you are settled at my side.” He replied instantly, and his lip twitched upwards when he felt her snuggle even closer against him.

She didn’t bother to fight her smile and instead let her eyes drift shut once more. “If you say so, ma sa’lath.”

He tried to continue with the paragraph he had previously started, and while the book wasn’t something he would usually choose to read, it had its charms. He tried to let his mind unwind, falling deeper into Varric’s storytelling while taking small bites out of the cake as he went along, only for his eyes to keep drifting down to fall upon her. 

Her breathing was light and her body was fully relaxed, yet he could tell she had not fallen asleep yet. His eyes trailed over her cheeks, pausing at the small purple bruising under her eyes. While it hadn’t grown overly noticeable, the sleepless nights were beginning to catch up on her. Too many nights had been spent with her tossing and turning at his side, unable to let her mind drift away into a comfortable sleep, while some nights resulted in her bolting up in bed, her chest heaving with fright. How he wished he could bring some comfort to her during those nights, to fight whatever plagued her ever-alert mind.

He slowly lowered his arm and brought the cupcake closer to her, gently pressing it against her lips. He held it there for a moment, watching as her closed eyes crinkled and her lips widened into a grin. She slowly opened her mouth to take a bite, only opening her eyes to look up at him after she had swallowed the soft sponge. 

“Thank you,” She breathed out, sitting up to place a small kiss on his lips. He quickly placed the book face down so that he could rest his hand against the small of her back, helping to stabilise her while also pulling her closer to him. Her hand came to rest against his chest as he deepened the kiss, his tongue gliding across her own. She tasted like rich chocolate, and he felt his mind spin, intoxicated by the feel of her soft lips against his. 

He could feel himself falling deeper into the bottomless well of love he held for her, not willing to even try and slow his descent. 

They finally parted, remembering their need to breathe after their lungs began to burn, too content to remain joined and explore one another’s taste.  He watched the gentle blush creep across her pale flesh and slowly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears, granting him a better view of the flustered state he had caused.

“Ar lath ma,” She whispered, moving to brush a dozen tiny kisses along the curve of his jaw. Her touch was featherlight, her lips dancing against his flesh with a loving familiarity.

He ducked his head to nuzzle his nose against hers, “La ar lath ma,” Solas declared with a whisper. 

[amazingdeadfish]

HC idea, Macaque is sort of out of shape upon integrating with human society. (But is still way stronger cus he's not a normal monke)

This hc only makes sense if u search up fur-less monkies. (They're buff)

DF RAMBLE AHEAD (I got carried away)

I did on fact, search up hairless monkies for this. For those of you who see this and are also curious, here is a picture:

Those are really buff monkies, and they lowkey unsettle me a little lmao (to think Macaque and Wukong could, or once, or are built like this terrifying but also really funny).

Now, I really like this HC idea (because there is no way Macaque is in the same state as he was hundreds upon thousands of years ago, regardless of his "death"), but the reason he is out of shape might be worth discussion.

I think it might be because of the food he'd be eating, not lack of exercise, nor merely time and humans changing him.

Think about it. For centuries, generations, human society has cultivated food, invented recipes, and used selective breeding and genetic modification over the course of millenias to achieve the state of fruit and vegetables that we have today.

Like, watermelons:

I want to really lean into how humans have cultivated fruits and vegetables for this ramble though because, that's probably what Macaque has always mostly eaten and will continue to eat most of the time (well, kind of, we'll add to that later).

Fruit has gotten sweeter over the years. Too sweet. And there have actually been articles written about how it's gotten so sweet to a point that animals in zoos literally cannot eat them because of their high sugar content.

What point am I making? I think Macaque has teeth problems lmao (someone please get this monkey to a dentist). Solely because of this.

But that's a little off topic 💀. Because back to the point I said earlier, Macaque probably eats more than fruit and vegetables now. But not any good stuff. He probably eats a lot of stuff that is high on sodium like, I don't know, cup noodles or, screw it, an entire jar of pickles. He uses the juice to brew his afternoon tea.

Side note: In contrast to Wukong's peach chips, I think it would be fun if Macaque really liked dried mangos or something. Or prunes. Raisins even. Dried banana crisps too. Guys do we think he would steal invest in a fruit dehydrator? I think he would.

Add all of this up together, and no matter how much training Macaque does, he won't get back to his prime with his modern diet, haha. For Wukong on the other hand (who shouldn't have been a part of this discussion in the first place but I do want to mention him again), he lives on Flower Fruit Mountain so, I'll give the place the benefit of the doubt that the fruits there aren't that cultivated to the point of over sweetness and, I'm sure there's only so much junk food Wukong could haul over to his mountain or, his shame temple.

But it's alright, we had to nerf Macaque somehow/j.

[stormblaze13]

In my previous Post I talked about why getting Kids a rabbit is a bad idea, at least if its an impulse purchase for occasions such as Easter or Christmas.

In this Post I'd like to elaborate more on some Rabbit specific facts that might help you understand just why I don’t want people to gift animals for Easter.

1. Lifespan.

Many people think that Bunnies only live up to 4 or 5 years, but thats a massive misconception. Bunnies can actually get 8 - 12 years old, thats older than some dogs! (While I was an apprentice in a Vet Practice I recall a 14 year old Bunny that was still doing just fine.) They can get really old with proper food and care. Like Bianca here - who turns 10 this year.

Which means that getting a pair of bunnies, ideally means a 10+ years commitment, so you should critically consider if you can provide a home for an animal for so long.

2. Food and water.

Bunnies should not be given dry food, and no seeds or kernels. Their digestive and dental system is build to chew leafy greens like lettuce, cabbage and hard roots like carrots, parsnips and other vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower. Water should always be offered out of a stone or porcelain bowl, freshly each day, and it should be fully refilled whenever its empty.

A bunny's diet should consist to 60% of Fresh veggies and a bit of fruit, 35% hay, and 5% can be treats such as dried herbs, flowers or *Bunnysafe* dryfood. (Make sure its grainfree, breadfree and free of milkproducts or milkadditives as bunnies are lactose intolerant.) Additionally, seeds and kernels can destroy the roots of their teeth, which are made to grind and mush, something that doesn’t happen with the seeds. This can cause inflammations of the roots, abscesses and tooth deformations as well as give them gastro intestinal troubles.

If you're uncertain about what veggies and fruits a bunny can eat, here's a short list of the most common we feed at the shelter:

Lettuce:

Endivia lettuce

Chicorée

Radicchio

Lollo Bianco

Lollo Rosso

Lollo Bionda

Cabbage:

Pointed Cabbage

White cabbage

Red cabbage

Savoy

Kale

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Vegetables:

Cucumber (not too much, too much can cause diarrhea)

Radish

Horse radish

Carrots

Parsnips

Jerusalem artichoke

Pumpkin (small amounts)

Watermelon (savory treat in summer, always remove seeds before feeding)

Fruits:

Apples (an apple a day is okay for a pair of full grown bunnies, babies can be introduced with slices and slowly be fed more :))

grapes (seedless, green, can be fed without worry)

Banana (Small amounts as a treat now and then, contains lots of sugar, the peel should not be fed as it can cause constipation)

Cherries (MAXIMUM. 2 cherries per bunny, stoneless, too much can cause diarhea)

Berries can safely be fed as long as they are washed, rule of thumb should be maximum a handful though.

And for herbs, everything except for Chives can safely be fed, Chives, in greater amounts, can lead to kidney damage or even kidney failure.

Additionally bunnies shouldn’t be fed Rhubarb (toxic), Onions (certain enzymes in the onion break up the red blood cells causing rapid coagulation and in worst case even death), Garlic (toxic), Avocado (toxic), CHOCOLATE (Theobromin is a killer.)

What can be fed in tiny amounts (1-2 a week) is:

Pineapple - good for breaking up hair in the digestive system due to the Bromelain, mix 10ml water with 2-3ml pineapple juice.

Kiwi - good for the fur and helps break up hair in the digestive system, best fed during molting season, but only in small amounts due to the high sugar content.

Linseed (best fed as powder atop food) for coat and vitamin E, contains Omega-3s.

Chia seeds - (best fed as powder atop food) for vitamins and minerals.

A single rabbit can eat its own bodyweight in veggies in a day, so 1-2kg per day of leafy greens, cabbages and fruits are a must be. Food should always be served where the bunny goes to make its business as they do the loo where they eat. Might sound ew, but if you want a bunny thats mostly house-trained it's only recommendable. Treats are optional but should be small amounts only.

IMPORTANT: You quite literally cannot overfeed baby rabbits on leafy greens and fresh veggies! Throw the food in till the ground is covered, once its empty, throw in more. You cannot overfeed a baby bunny. The same thing goes for old bunnies by the way, they are seniors from 8 years on upwards and should always have some veggies to munch on.

3. Illnesses.

Myxomatosis and RHD 1&2 are the most known disease, but there are so many others too.

Bunnies are highly succeptible for gastro intestinal issues, teeth problems, ear infections, tumors and abscesses, chronic congestion, urinary tract infections caused by sediment in the urine (often caused by too much calcium in the food.)

And the one sickness that about 80-90% of domesticated rabbits carry: EC.

Encephalitozoon Cuniculi, an illness caused by parasitic bacteria (cuni cuniculi) in the bunny's head that can affect its nervous system and cause severe issues such as:

Mobility: Heike here has a lazy left rearleg, caused by an EC flare when she was just half a year old. She turned 2 in January.

Coordination: Elinor (white bunny on the left) is Nils Mom and EC positive. She has the typical cocked head posture that is one of the main symptoms of EC.

Internal organs such as the bladder: Babett needs to get her butt bathed 2-3 times a week because she is chronically incontinent and wets herself constantly.

And chronic congestion: Xena (Gray bunny) is chronically congested and gets her nose flushed with an ACC/NaCl mix daily, as well as daily inhalation treatment.

EC is not curable, it is only symptomatically treatable with a 21 day long Panacur and Vitamin B treatment, antibiotics are given to support the animal as well. Unfortunately EC can shorten a bunny's lifespan by several years depending on how bad the EC flare is. Similar to the Herpes virus in humans many bunnies carry the Virus without it ever breaking out.

4. Bunny safe toys:

Sticks - Maple, Oak, Hazel, Appletree and Chestnut are all very liked and Bunnies love to eat the leaf and bark - the pigments in the bark can make the Urine blood red, that is especially common with maple tree branches and leafs.

Wooden toys, unglazed and without chemicals, (stay away from Plastic toys, those can cause blockages or poisoning when the bunny chew them up) bast balls, paper boxes, straw and newspaper as well as digging boxes can make a bunny very happy!

[deluxewhump]

Pride of Princes

4. Forget Your Perfect Offering

Prev Masterlist

CW: medieval fantasy, torture mention, threat of execution, kissing, lightly implied sexual content, bed sharing, arguably dubious consent

As his physical state improved, the prince took him out of castle Blackmuir. Not far, but outside the keep, which he’d never seen since he arrived at night. Aedric showed him some of his favorite horses, who Roan fed cubes of sugar from his hand. He took him to the glass garden, a timber frame structure with walls and a roof of clear glass Aedric had commissioned for his second peaceweaver, Miline, so she could have southerly fruits year-round. Inside was an orange grove, and when Roan admitted he’d never tried one fresh, only dried, Aedric insisted he pull one from a branch and try it right there.

Despite the court undoubtedly knowing all about Roan Barrowfen’s refusal to convert, no one outside the keep gave him a second glance. Some would look at the prince, in his black and silver doublet and his kidleather boots, but that was because he was the prince. The late summer air was soft, and still warm. He thought of the raspberry bushes that grew on the southern walls of his own keep, and how they would be fit for picking now, the fruits ripe and swollen with sunlight.

As they sat on a bench in the grove, Aedric asked him questions about the reaches, about his father’s house. He wanted to know who shared his father’s stalwart loyalty to the Tercet, and who might be more inclined to the old ways. Roan was less than forthcoming, at first. If it was such a crime now, why would he implicate his own countrymen? Prince Aedric sensed the mood had grown uneasy, a little too close to an interrogation. He eased his questions. “I promise I don’t ask for any odious purpose,” he said.

Roan nodded curtly at the clarification. “Thank you.”

Prince Aedric was nothing if not clear. And Roan was starting to think he might be honest, too.

Every night, Roan found himself warm and dry in the prince’s suite, waiting for him to return. He assumed there was a litany of things that kept the prince busy during the day, though he never spoke of what. Only later would he understand what kept him out so late, returning only when it was long past dark and the candles were lit.

To avoid the scrutiny of those inside the keep, Roan took his meals at the table beneath the window in the prince’s rooms. He was afraid of wandering the keep by himself, even though the king himself had granted Prince Aedric full custody of him until his trial. The thought of recognizing a soldier, guard, or even worse, the pale-eyed cleric Alfonsus sent ice through his veins.

Sometimes it was a servant from the kitchens who brought his meals to him, sometimes a girl called Juliana, who Aedric said was Miline’s handmaid. He’d not yet met Esther, Miline, or Aedric’s young daughter, Esti. He supposed he was a prisoner on borrowed time, and it would be easier for them to ignore his presence. Perhaps Juliana was sent by Miline, just to bring back any details or gossip she could about him.

He’d begun sharing Aedric’s bed, but not intimately. He slept on the far right, and Aedric on the left, several feet between them that may as well have been a chasm, and never with the curtains drawn. Aedric insisted he sleep on the bed after he’d spent the first night on a stiff wooden couch. I won’t touch you, the prince had promised, and Roan had balked at the mere mention of intimacy between them, even if it was the lack thereof being mentioned.

But as one week turned to two, and his trial neared again, he began to wonder if Aedric might be sincere in his wish to help him. Roan still could find no ulterior motive behind his actions, unless it was some intricate court plot that was out of his reach. Aedric spoke more poorly of the Tercet clerics as the days went on, and his reasons for distrusting them were sound, even before Roan had entered the equation. This widening gap in power he’d spoken of was troubling him more than ever, and Roan wondered if maybe the stars had aligned to make him a catalyst for the prince acting in his own political best interest. If so, he’d like to curse them.

From across the vast bed, he asked, “did you intend for us to sleep together?”

“When?” came the prince’s reply.

“Before I upset the King, and everyone else. Was that your intention?”

The prince rolled in bed to face him. It was strange still, seeing him in just a loose-fitting, plain tunic. “Yes. But I thought you wanted to come. That has its own implications.”

“And did I meet your expectations?”

The prince grinned. “And exceeded them. I had no idea you’d commit treason immediately upon your arrival and then refuse to apologize.”

Roan huffed softly. He’d learned to take the prince’s jests for what they were—blunt but unserious teasing.

“You wanted a male peaceweaver, though? That was not something pushed on you for someone else’ convenience?”

“I think that would be a difficult thing to convince someone of, if they were not at all inclined,” said the prince. “I was very interested in you, specifically. They sent a portrait with that letter.”

Roan raised his eyebrows. He’d wondered these things for weeks, and it had been such a simple thing to ask, after all.

“What about you?” Asked the prince. “Do you have highly specific inclinations?”

“No. I think I might even have agreed to it, if I’d been asked. If I was not forced to convert, that is. That’s the problem. It’s not you.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you still want me in that way?”

Prince Aedric searched his eyes, a slightly crease appearing between his brows. “Why are you asking me this?”

“Because I might offer.”

The crease disappeared, replaced by a surprised exhale of laughter. “It would be well received, if you truly meant it.”

“How else would I mean it?”

“Mmm.” The prince rolled onto his back and turned his head to look at him. “You might offer it because you think I expect it, or that I will work harder to help you if you offer yourself to me in the meantime.”

“Would you?”

“No. I’m already doing everything I can think of. And some things others have thought of.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t want to tell you. Not because I want you in the dark, but because what you don’t know can’t hurt us.”

Roan’s relative ease curdled into a familiar, weighted dread. “You think they’ll hurt me again? And I’ll tell them things?”

“Not necessarily. And certainly not if I have a say in it. But… do you agree it might be best if I didn’t tell you the details?”

“Yes,” Roan said grudgingly. He was right.

“Did I sour something between us, just now?” asked the prince.

“No.” In fact, he might want it more than before. To bring back that feeling of ease, or the possibility of feeling some comfort or pleasure in this borrowed time of his. He would be shocked if Prince Aedric was rough or inconsiderate in matters of intimacy, especially considering Roan’s wounds from torture. Still, he would proceed cautiously. “How would it be, between us? If I offered?”

“However you wanted.”

Roan tamped down the nerves that wanted so much to rise. His wounds and bruises still pained him, but they were not so immediate and debilitating as they had been a fortnight ago. He could imagine enjoying Aedric’s touch, after spending time observing him, learning his disposition, his humor.

As if reading his mind, Aedric asked, “are you healed enough? Your injuries.”

He meant physically, of course. Though the other part was Roan’s larger concern. He worried his resolve would slip and he would not be able to bear a touch. The word injuries sounded wrong, too. It sounded accidental, and his were anything but.

“Can we try something… noncommittal?”

“Can I come over to you?”

Roan agreed, and the prince pushed himself closer so he was nearly touching him. “I think you’re very beautiful,” he said, and raised his right hand to touch the side of Roan’s face.

The movement was slow. He was prepared for it, and he did not flinch away. Other than the healer, everyone here had only touched him to hurt him as deliberately and strategically as they could. The prince’s hand was warm. It cupped his cheek, thumb stroking slowly near his mouth. “What would you like?” He asked.

Roan swallowed. “Is a kiss appropriate to ask?”

The prince smiled broadly. “Of course. Are you asking for one?”

Roan nodded into the prince’s hand, and was rewarded with a soft, affectionate kiss to his lips. The prince pulled back, still stroking his thumb on his face. “More?”

“Yes,” he said, and was given another, and another.

[affordablepunk]

How to DIY energy drinks for cheap

First, required reading: link to article

Energy drinks have a few vital components:

>sweetener

>flavor

>water

>caffeine

>bubbles (i never do that and don't know how)

Here are some of my favorite things to use:

>granulated sugar (sweetener)

>stevia leaf or granulated artificial sweetener (sweetener)

>kool aid (flavor, sweetener)

>loose-leaf herbs (flavor) (try hibiscus petal, chicory, even lemongrass and mint can be nice)

>lemon juice (flavor, preservative)

>kool aid (easiest flavor/sweetener combo)

Supplies you might need:

>kettle or pot for heating water

>tea strainer ball to keep your leaves out of the final product

>a nice ragu jar or old Gatorade bottle for pre-made stuff

>funnel for pourin

>ladle for scooping liquid into the funnel

Kaffn-8 or any other such liquid caffeine product will do you for caffeine. That brand is super easy and convenient. Kaffn-8 is my favorite for the quality and ease in dosing, as well as the value (15 bucks has lasted me 2 months of daily use).

I like to make a sugar-flavor concentrate, then assemble each glass as I need it. Sugar tastes better when melted with heat than when dissolved without heat, even once chilled. This also allows me to tweak caffeine content. Here is how to make it:

Fill tea ball with herbs (use about a handful or 1/2 cup for every quart of water, you're making it strong)

Heat water and pop the tea ball in

Simmer or keep hot for 10 min

Remove tea ball and turn off heat

While hot, add as much sugar as you had herbs, and mix until melted.

Mix in as much lemon juice (or other assorted acid or preservative) as you can stand. The more preservative, the longer it'll keep

Allow to cool enough to handle

Jar it up, put it in the fridge for later use. You can and should re-use all manner of bottle, just be wary of melting anything plastic or burning your hands w hot water.

A note: the smaller your batches, the less you waste. But high concentrations of acid and sugar keep it good for up to a month in the fridge.

To use: mix water in a cup with your syrup, tweaking concentrations until it tastes good. Add caffeine, measuring your dose carefully.

Then, do bubble magic to add carbonation if you can do that. Maybe you found a soda stream somewhere. If you don't have bubbles, you'll just have to enjoy your energy drinks flat.

And, you're all done!

Now, where to get everything:

(Grow your own herbs if you are mega brave. Mints are nearly indestructible little plants.)

Lemon juice, dollar store. Quality is the same, you've just got to shake it up.

if its a foreign grocer, they likely have herbs cheap. If its a Mexican grocery, they 100% have the best herbs. (Aguasfrescas drink mixes are cheap and THE BOMB, and hibiscus flower always comes in mega bulk) .

Herbalist and spiritual shops have herbs too, and are likely to have tea balls. Branch out! Catnip has been my favorite oddball herb.

Farmers markets also have some (like three if you're lucky) herbs, and you may have to dry them yourself. Since it's punk to reach out to your community, ask around at the farmers market to see if you can get any herb or dried flavorant that's on your mind- small businesses love consumer feedback! You just might have to wait for the plant to grow, heh, but if you're friendly then you'll make friends. Some examples: ask the jam bottler for dried fruit peels, the farmer for mugwort

I get my artificial sweeteners on closeout, my stevia from herbal shops, and my sugar at Walmart (bite me, its cheap and I'm poor).

Kaffn-8 can only be found online, as far as I'm aware. I promise I'm not sponsored, just a grateful caffeine addict.

Do Google your herbs for drug interactions if you take meds. Healthline has good info on herbs. Dried grapefruit rind can mess with my psych meds, for example.

Again, be careful about caffeine. Always dose your caffeine. Having high levels of caffeine on tap is a bit of a big responsibility: I know I nearly bit the dirt from the all-you-can-eat espresso bar at my college. Immaturity could kill you, caffeine is a drug. Count doses, never go above 500 a day, try not to go more than 200 in the same hour.

Now take that money you've saved and give it to a charity to blow a very mean raspberry at nestle. Or, yknow, feed yourself. Its a tough world.

[fatehbaz]

Christmas pudding [...] [is] a boiled mass of suet - a raw, hard animal fat [...] often replaced with a vegetarian alternative - as well as flour and dried fruits that is often soaked in alcohol and set alight. [...] [I]t is a legacy of the British Empire with ingredients from around the globe it once dominated [...].

Christmas pudding is a relatively recent concoction of two older, at least medieval, dishes. [...] “Figgy pudding,” immortalized in the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” carol, appeared in the written record by the 14th century. [...] During the 18th century, the two ["plum pottage" and "figgy pudding"] crossed to become the more familiar plum pudding – a steamed pudding packed with the ingredients of the rapidly growing British Empire of rule and trade. The key was less a new form of cookery than the availability of once-luxury ingredients, including French brandy, raisins from the Mediterranean, and citrus from the Caribbean.

Few things had become more affordable than cane sugar which, owing to the labors of millions of enslaved Africans, could be found in the poorest and remotest of British households by mid-century. Cheap sugar, combined with wider availability of other sweet ingredients like citrus and dried fruits, made plum pudding an iconically British celebratory treat, albeit not yet exclusively associated with Christmas.

Such was its popularity that English satirist James Gillray made it the centerpiece of one of his famous cartoons, depicting Napoleon Bonaparte and the British prime minister carving the world in pudding form.

In line with other modern Christmas celebrations, the Victorians took the plum pudding and redefined it [...], making it the “Christmas pudding.” In his 1843 internationally celebrated “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens venerated the dish as the idealized center of any family’s Christmas feast [...].

Three years later, Queen Victoria’s chef published her favored recipe, making Christmas pudding, like the Christmas tree, the aspiration of families across Britain.

Christmas pudding owed much of its lasting appeal to its socioeconomic accessibility. Victoria’s recipe, which became a classic, included candied citrus peel, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemons, cloves, brandy and a small mountain of raisins and currants – all affordable treats for the middle class. Those with less means could either opt for lesser amounts or substitutions [...]. Eliza Acton, a leading cookbook author of the day who helped to rebrand plum pudding as Christmas pudding, offered a particularly frugal recipe that relied on potatoes and carrots. [...] The high alcohol content gave the puddings a shelf life of a year or more, allowing them to be sent even to the empire’s frontiers during Victoria’s reign [...].

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In the 1920s, the British Women’s Patriotic League heavily promoted it – calling it “Empire Pudding” in a global marketing campaign. They praised it as emblem of the empire that should be made from the ingredients of Britain’s colonies and possessions: dried fruits from Australia and South Africa, cinnamon from Ceylon, spices from India and Jamaican rum in place of French brandy.

Press coverage of London’s 1926 Empire Day celebrations featured the empire’s representatives pouring the ingredients into a ceremonial mixing bowl and collectively stirring it.

The following year, the Empire Marketing Board received King George V’s permission to promote the royal recipe, which had all the appropriate empire-sourced ingredients. Such promotional recipes and the mass production of puddings from iconic grocery stores like [Sains-bury's] in the 1920s combined to place Christmas puddings on the tables [...].

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All text above by: Troy Bickham. "How the Christmas pudding, with ingredients taken from the colonies, became an iconic British food." The Conversation. 8 December 2023. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Image and caption shown unaltered as they appear published by Bickham along with the article's text.]