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mxvladdy · 4 years

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Lucifer- True Form

Went ham. Had fun. Here is some angst (minor) and fluff and stuff.

Next up: Plot twist! Diavolo

He wears the heaviest glamour out of all of the brothers. The rage and pain from being cast from heaven has warped his angelic body. Turning him into a husk of his former divine glory. He is massive. His body is tall and gaunt. His large form towers over the oak trees of the Devildom forest, each step of his gnarled feet leaving chard prints in their wake. Lucifer is deceptively strong for as emaciated as he looks.

After the war his body is in a constant state of trying to heal itself. His skin hardens into a thick scab before flaking off, only to reform moments later. His body trying to reform to its old self, even after he had fallen. It gives him an almost dripping look. When larger pieces flack off you can see stark white bones underneath for the briefest of moments before the darkness swallows it whole again. It is a continuous breaking and mending, a maddening itch and perpetual soul deep ache.

The halo that once sat righteously atop his crown is now embedded in it. It is buried deep into his skull and shattered after his fall to the Devildom. In a vain attempt to make it look better he filed and broke pieces away styling them the best his broken pride could. They resemble large branching antlers now, sharp and lethal. Ancient hymns lost to time that were engraved by his father when he was young are now worn and dingy, the text indistinguishable in part. It was a tarnished holy relic that only the foolish would try to take (And many souls from all three realms have tried). A few centuries ago he got the jagged edges capped and adorned with gold. Bright red garnet and jewels are interwoven in thin, but strong, gold chains drape over the distorted halo. It was a gift from Diavolo, as the prince somehow finds this form beautiful.

Like Mammon, he is littered with scars from battle not even his healing magic can mend. They have made him slower, the constant mending of his tattered flesh has made it grow stiff and subsequently stunts his range and movement. Scars layer upon scars across his body. Twisting in on themselves like bark. His own personal chains. The holes where he discarded his wings in an act of defiance are now blackened craters in his back. He is unable to heal those that are self inflicted.

You can hypothesize his inability to heal this form as a battle of will. His own mind and body in inner-turmoil, parts of him wanting to continue a torture he doesn’t deserve.

It is fine, it is his burden to bear.

On the rare rainy days you can hear his joints creak and groan as his skin tears and reform. His bones grind together chillingly. He believes it is symbolic. His body groaning under the strain over-encumbered by the weight of his sins. All the brothers know to give him space on those days.

Even in his human glamour he wears stiff fabrics and corsets to help brace his body and give him an air of dignity even when he just wants to crumple at his desk.

He knew his actions in the celestial realm would have severe repercussions; but he never could have imagined it to be this abhorrent. This was truly the cruelest punishment his father could have ever bestowed on him. A form he can find no pride in.

Mini fic

Ugh. Everything hurt.

If the knot in your neck got any bigger you doubt you’d be about to move out of your chair. You close your textbook with a quick snap, done for the day. Any more drawn out paragraphs from magicians long since dead and you were going to scream. The hours in the school study hall had been beneficial but draining. The tutor on duty that day, a low-level demon named Drath, had taken a shine to your eagerness to learn and was more than willing to sit with you to talk out some of the more advanced runes you were struggling with. They had moved on to help a few more students after a while, pleased with your new understanding of Devildom magic. You stretch out in your seat, grunting softly as your spine pops. Tired of your studies you rise to perch at the window of the large room. The large windowsill overlooked the courtyard of the campus. A few students and professors run out in the courtyard trying to find shelter from the rain.

The sudden downpour had hit during lunch. The torrential downpour hammers at the windows and roof of the school. Trees and bushes tossed about in the high winds, flattened by the rain. Bright flashes of lighting blinding your eyes every so often making you blink the spots from your eyes to see the white board. Truthfully, the storm looked like it had settled on the school, happy to howl and pelt any unlocky souls with oversized raindrops. Shoot, you had hoped it would have waned by the end of classes. You hadn’t grabbed your raincoat or umbrella that morning. Cloudy days were common enough here, but rain? Has it ever rained while you were here? You peak at your phone, debating if you should text one of the brothers to come bring you an umbrella. Hmmm- you still had thirty minutes left before your study time was officially over. Maybe you’d get lucky and it would lighten up before you were forced to head back to the dorms.

You had made plans to go to the new outdoor cafe with Asmo and Beel after dinner. A little something to take you collective minds off the daunting midterms looming over you all. Lucifer’s warnings had been very clear. All residents of the house had to get good grades, no exceptions. His sharp eyes had lingered on Mammon and Asmodeus a little longer than the rest. You could feel the heat of his dark eyes even from your chair across the table. You weren’t a horrible study, but somethings just weren’t clicking like they should. It was a little stressful (a lot stressful). After a few nights of stress sobbing with Beel you had finally gone with Solomon to his study group. A few weeks of lessons and you felt much better. Good enough to celebrate. If the damn weather would take the hint.

As if the weather was attuned to your thoughts a huge flash of bright orange lightning cracked across the sky. It rattled the stained glass window, the light blinding you. Great. Blinking the white dots from your vision you turn back to your desk. Looks like you were just going to have to make a run for it.

“Forgot something?”

“Lucifer!” You smile accepting the large umbrella from his gloved hand. “Thanks! I didn’t know you were still on campus.”

“Yes. I had a few errands and meetings with Diavolo cramped in.” He looks down at you with a tight-lipped smile. In the bright light of the room you noticed beads of sweat forming on his smooth brow trailing down his temples. His eyelid pulsed, fluttering with his heart beat. If you hadn’t been staring you probably wouldn’t have noticed. You look at him, noticing how despondent his normal ridged prideful aura was. He stares blankly down at one of your large tomes struggling with the large clasps.

“Are you well?” Lucifer blinks, dropping the metal bindings as if burned. He licks his pale lips for a moment in contemplation. Something just on the verge of slipping out. But, it is quickly lost shuttered away behind his normal lofty expression.

“What makes you say that?” He asks. Lucifer turns away from you to collect your things. “Come, We’ll be taking the back way to the house. It has better coverage and the storm has yet to reach it.” You follow behind quietly, waving a quick goodbye to Solomon and Drath.

The silence around Lucifer was different today. Normally he hid his agitation from you, only bringing it out if it was directed towards you. You’d only seen him like this when Mammon had done something foolish. “Lucifer, what’s wrong.” You try again catching his sleeve to pull him back. It all happened so fast. A sharp inhalation of breath, his arm jerked from yours. His whole being repelled by your touch. He rounds on you, eyes flashing dangerously. He never minded when you touched him before. “Luci?”

“Please,” He cuts you off with a trembling hand. “I am fine. Let’s get home before the storm worsens.” He drops you off at the front stairs and excuses himself, muttering about other business to attend to. You stare after him deeply perturbed. He was never the most touchy-feely of the seven, but he was always straight with you after what happened with Belphie. To be so physically distant worried you.

He wasn’t at dinner. The head of the table was devoid of his strong presence. The other brothers seemed to be making an unusually strong effort not to look at the vacant spot. Even Satan, who you thought would be smirking at the fact the eldest had broken his own rules, sat eyes glued to a book perched in his lap. His golden spoon paused midway to his mouth. It was almost like nothing was amiss. “Is Lucifer o.k?” You turn to Levi, his head buried in his handheld, food halfway eaten. His fingers pause for a moment over his screen.

“Ye, he’s fine. Just doesn’t like the rain is all.” Oh. It doesn’t settle your worries but if no one else was stressing…

The storm lasted well into the night. The rolling thunder keeps you up well past when you should be sleeping. That and the annoying creaking that echoed out from your unlit fireplace. Or was it your window? The groaning and grinding sounds permeated the air of your room, picking up intensity at odd intervals. It reminded you of a swaying tree caught in a hurricane. Limbs twisting and snapping in the wind as it is battered from all angles, its thick trunk losing the fight to stay upright. The low grinding of it all resonating in your chest, deep and palpable. It was so loud, and the forest was so far away. Irritated, you push yourself out of bed, determined to find a place where the noise couldn’t reach you.

Pacing the long desolate hallways you try to retrace your steps to a lesser used room. Maybe steal one of Belphie’s favorite sleeping nooks. As you make your way down the hallways you begin to notice the sounds of the trees getting louder. Like you had suddenly found yourself in a grove of winding and dancing trees. You take a sharp left determined to find the cause of the noise and put an end to it. In your frustration you almost missed the door left ajar. Mid stride you stop. Who would be up at this hour? Coming closer you recognize the door.

It was Lilith’s room. The warm glow of firelight pulsing on the velvet of the hallway rug. The groaning sound of trees comes from behind the ornate door. You bristle, if one of the brothers was setting up stupid prank this late at night you’d kill them.

The eldest of the brothers stood staring into the pits of the roaring hearth. His dark eyes were glassy. The reds of his iris reflect the dancing flames. He was completely obvious to your intrusion. Clothes lay scattered about the floor haphazardly, his shirt, vest and overcoat were thrown across the floor, pants hanging low on his narrow waist. Lucifer moves closer to the roaring flames with less then his usual grace. His left leg seems stiff, the knee unwilling to bend fully as he walks. In the magically created sunlight of the room you notice his alabaster skin shift and flicker, like a TV with a bad connection. One second it was smooth, the next chard rough patches litter his skin. The black welts and molting flesh flash before you then disappear. He croons deep in the back of his throat as the flames lick at his outstretched hand. Again the sounds of tree limbs snap assault your ears as he flexes his fingers.

You stand rooted to the spot unsure of what to do. This was a very vulnerable moment for him you were sure. When was the last time you saw him with his body fully uncovered? Never. You really should give him some privacy. This was clearly not something he wished for anyone to see. Yet your heart wept for him. Lucifer was clearly in pain. Bare fingers digging large groves into the stone of the fireplace. His jaw twitching as sharp pains rack his body. “I know you're there.” He pins you in place with his husky voice. “It’s rude to stare.”

You stumble in, legs trembling. You could feel the rant coming. Bracing yourself you squeeze your eyes shut and wait for the torrent. Whatever he was going to say was cut short, a hitched breath making you look up. He is gripping at his side, unable to look at you. “Lucifer?” He raises his free hand to you, ignoring you to limp to the overstuffed armchair. He hunches over shielding his face in his large palms.

“It’s best if you forget you saw this. Please leave.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Leave.” He repeats again more firmly. “I wish to be alone.” He waves you off. You hear the creaking again. It moves with him.

“Is that you?” You ask. Watching him adjust himself in his seat. The sound of twigs bending to their max before snapping answer your question.

“Astute observation as always.” He grunts rubbing at his knee. “One would think Mammon is rubbing off on you.” His biting jab is dry. His eyes dart to the rainfall outside. His insult completely lacks his usual sting. But then again his barbs were always softened with you.

“It’s the rain isn’t it?” You ignore his blatant want for solitude, feed up with his stupid broodiness and unwilling to let a friend hurt. “My granddad was that same way. His joints would just ache and pop during really bad weather.” He puffs up for a second, comparing him to an old man twisted sourly in his gut. “Let me help?”

“How?” He whispers beyond tired suddenly. He had talked to Barbatos earlier that day. The storm was here to stay for the time being. A day or two at most. To him it would be an eternity. You approach, hands raised as if to a cornered animal. In a way he felt like it. He sits still, allowing you to approach. Lucifer chokes back a small whimper of bliss as you touch him. Your palms were so warm, resting and rubbing on his aching shoulder. He could feel his old bones settle; a brief moment of bliss.

“What do you need?”

He leads you to his quarters, letting you stop by your room to grab a few things on the way. You reappear from your room, shaking your rucksack at him with a smile. “I think some of these things might help!” Lucifer appreciated the sentiment but doubted it highly.

You were used to nights spent in his office, and a few rare occasions that he invited you to his bed chambers. That is where he led you now. His hand is large and warm on your back as he shuffles you past his bed and towards his walk in closet. You look about, confused at his vast collection of historical clothes and why you were in his closet to begin with. He smiles weary at your question but stays silent coming to stop at his wardrobe. He takes you through to another hidden room. The magic of the vast space making your skin tingle. Goosebumps blossoming on your arms and neck.

It was an unused part of the catacombs. Eons ago Lucifer had stumbled upon it in his explorations of his new home. It had long since become a mini sanctuary from when the odd storm got to his bones, or a brother had gotten under his skin. Large orbs float lazily across the vaulted ceiling. Knocking into each other with a soft tinkle of chimes. Their warmth was reminiscent of spring time back in the celestial realm. Already his old bones felt better. His mind unclouding.

His stride falters for a moment, polished dress shoes squeaking on the opulent marble. What was he going to do? Show you himself? “Lucifer?” He feels you turn to him, sliding his arm away from your back to grip it in your small hands. “Let me help you? Please?” You make eye contact and smile reassuringly.

His resolve breaks. Damn, when had he gotten so soft? “Help me with my jacket.” His words were muddled but clear. It was getting hard to rotate his right shoulder again. The storm was raging right over the house now and his body protested. He had redressed hastily in Lilith’s room. You may have seen him at his most vulnerable, but he would never let the brothers. If Satan saw, he’d never hear the end of it. You nod and walk behind him. Standing on tiptoes you help him shrug off his coat and fold it neatly to side with your belongings. The corset beneath was a little trickier for you. It was an ingeniously designed brace that doubled as a designer corset. You never noticed, but up close the silk of his corset was brocade. The black of the fabric was decorated with a subtle shiny black thread. To the naked eye one couldn’t see it. But you could feel it as you brushed your fingers along his waist. In the bright light of the room the thread shimmered in all of its intricacies.

“They are runes.” He answers your silent question refusing to look at you as you worked, hyper aware of your fingers tracing the stitching. “It helps with-” the pain, the humiliation, my pride? “Everything.” You nod accepting his words and unlace it gently. He shivers at the soft caress, it was like his body gravitated towards your touch. His actual skin buzzing with want.

“Does this happen a lot?” You come to his front and begin on the buttons of his dress shirt.

“No, rainstorms like this are rare. Once every couple of centuries it gets- bad.” Lucifer leans some of his massive weight on you while you lift his arm out of the sleeve. “You are good at this.” He eyes you skeptically. How many people had the luxury of your undivided attention?

You chuckle turning to fold his shirt neatly. “Why thanks, I guess? Like I said my granddad had bad bones. I used to help him on the bad days.” You eye his pants and flush. “I won’t help with those though.”

“Pity. Give me a moment would you?” The demon chuckles turning to give himself an illusion of privacy. Already being out of the cold and drafty halls made him feel better already. This room had been meticulously built to help him. Artificial sun, warm, and not too humid. A light draft in the rafters getting the air circulating. Spending the night down here, and he’d be able to function for tomorrow's numerous meetings. Closing his eyes he releases his glamour.

Shifting felt like breaching water. A slight resistance then a cool wave of relief as he breaches the surface. Resting on his hunches his rumbles low, feeling his broken halo scrap the vaulted ceiling. His little human gasps looking up, and up, and up till they meet his hollow skull like face. He holds his breath, gut and hearts clenching in fear. What must you think of him? He watches with trepidation knowing this body was a lot to comprehend. “Wow. I thought you were tall before.” You grab at your satchel digging into the depths. “I’m afraid my little jar won’t go far now, but I’d still like to try.” He leans down looking at the jar posed at the tips of your fingers.

“Tiger balm?” His voice was abrasive and jagged. The multilayered lilt scrapped your eardrums like metal on bone. You flinch. A slight twinge of your shoulders barely noticeable, but it makes him recoil nonetheless. It's jarring, but not as scary as you originally thought.

“Sorry,sorry.” You placate the giant beast. “Took me by surprise.” You creak a reassuring grin. “This whole day has. But that’s ok.” You meet his gaze, his oblong head cocked to the side to stare at you. Up close you could see that his eye sockets weren’t hollow as they originally appeared. Deep within the bone and flaking flesh you could see a faint pure white glow, a little pinprick in the abyss flickering like a candle. Taking his stillness as permission you wonder back over to his large taloned feet. The constant healing and chaffing of his skin creates a foul vapor around him. The plumes of it blocking out the sunning orbs in waves. It smelled awful, like burning hair, skin and sulfur. But you push through taking small breaths through your mouth till your body adjusted. You glance at the tiny jar in your hand feeling stupid. “I’ll have to order some more but I hope this helps.” Lucifer looks at your outstretched hand at a complete loss of what you expected him to do. “Well,” You gestate at him to come closer. “Where does it hurt the most?” He laughs. A dry clicking in the back of his many vocal chords. His back hurt the most, it always did. A consistent little reminder of what his past actions cost him. Though, there were some things he wasn’t ready to divulge to you.Yet.

“That little jar will do nothing. But-” He continues trying to cover for his snappishness. He hated the frown drawing tight on your lips. “I will be signing a lot of paperwork tomorrow.” He brings a massive hand down and places it on the cool marble in front of you. The joints were bare to you, the flesh unable to encompass the swelling. His phalanges felt cold and hot all at once. Sudden spasms making the exposed nerves light up and twitch. “If you could?”

Clambering up his table sized finger with his approval you straddle it and rub some of your ointment on your palms to warm it. “Let me know if I hurt you.” With that you sink your hands through the mist and begin to work at his tender joints. The great beast rumbles in enjoyment. His keen nose picking up the spicy scent of the balm and your naturally pleasant musk. Within minutes the warming ointment began to soothe him. Leaving you to your ministrations Lucifer arches his neck up to the sky and begins to sun himself. The tension of the rain storm rolling off his body as the sun globs begin to orbit around his massive frame. Your little hums of happiness as you worked made this almost worth the humiliation of you seeing him at his lowest.

#obey me lucifer #obey me fandom #obey me #obey me headcanons

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lets-amal · 3 years

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How To Lose 10 Pounds In A Month

So you want to lose 10 pounds in a month. Fast weight loss isn’t always the best strategy, but we know that sometimes you have a deadline, such as a wedding or vacation, that inspires you to get after it.If you need guidance on the nutrition front, we’ve got you: This menu of quick, energy-packed dishes can help you lose weight-the healthy and happy way-in just one month. Simply choose from the meals and snacks below to customize your “lose 10 pounds in a month” diet plan for a total of 1,500 calories a day.

Click here to get my recommended weightloss method

Psst…coffee alone doesn’t count as a healthy breakfast. Instead, choose one of the satisfying and easy recipes below.Makes 4 small pancakes (2 servings).

1/4 cup steel-cut oats

1/3 cup skim milk

1/4 cup grated apple

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons wheat germ

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-grain pancake mix

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

In a medium bowl, combine oats and skim milk and let stand 5 minutes. Add apple and egg.

In small bowl, mix together wheat germ, cinnamon, and pancake mix. Slowly add dry ingredients to oat mixture.

In a medium skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add 1/4 of the batter and cook, flipping once, until pancake is lightly browned on both sides; Repeat. Serve with Greek yogurt mixed with brown sugar.

1 whole-wheat English muffin

1 slice lean uncured ham

1 egg, scrambled

1 tablespoon shredded American cheese

Salt and black pepper, to taste

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1/2 cup chopped melon

4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup minced onion

4 cups baby spinach

8 eggs

1 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons Parmesan

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mist the bottom of a small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; place bread on bottom.

Mist a large skillet with nonstick spray; add mushrooms, pepper, and onion; saute 5 minutes. Add 4 cups baby spinach and saute 1 minute.

Beat eggs with milk and pour over bread. Top with sauteed vegetables and 2 tablespoons Parmesan; season with salt and black pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes or until egg is fully cooked. (Can refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking, adding Parmesan just before baking.)

Click here to get Nutrition Guide, Meal Planner

1/4 cup oats

1/2 cup chopped pear

2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

dash ground ginger

2 teaspoons honey

Bring 1/2 to 3/4 cup water to a boil; add oats and pear.

Reduce heat and cook oats according to package directions. Top with ground flaxseeds, ground ginger, and honey.

1/4 cup sweet potato, grated

1/4 cup red bliss potato, grated

1/4 cup zucchini, grated

1 egg white

1 tablespoon flour

salt, to taste

cayenne, to taste

nutmeg, to taste

1 teaspoon canola oil

Cook apple-chicken sausage according to package directions.

Mix sweet potato, Red Bliss potato, and zucchini together and pat with paper towel to absorb moisture.

Add 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon flour; season to taste with salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Form into a patty and cook with 1 teaspoon canola oil over medium heat until browned on each side. Serve with 1/2 pink grapefruit.

Cook cellophane noodles or angel hair pasta. With 1 minute cooking time remaining, add red bell pepper, carrot, and sugar snap peas. Remove noodles and vegetables from pot; set pasta aside and rinse vegetables with cold water.

Add shrimp to pot; simmer 3 minutes, drain.

Whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Toss noodles, vegetables, and shrimp with sprouts, scallion, and cilantro. Drizzle with dressing.

Click here to get over 60 recipes for a happy body and mind

1 veggie burger .

1 tablespoon minced onion

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup brown rice

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup thawed frozen corn

1 tablespoon diced avocado

3 tablespoons salsa

Cook veggie burger according to package directions; cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Add onion, cumin, chili powder, and salt to low-sodium chicken stock and use it in place of water to cook brown rice according to package directions.

Mix cooked rice with black beans and frozen corn. Top with chopped veggie burger, diced avocado, and salsa.

Chunky Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette

Mix together chickpeas, kidney beans, carrot, jicama, apple, red bell pepper, celery, cucumber, and pumpkin seeds.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, sugar, and salt; drizzle over salad. Serve with pineapple.

1/2 Red Delicious apple, cut into bite-size pieces

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 tablespoon raisins

5 walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1 ounce chicken breast, cooked

1 tablespoon poppy seed dressing

1 8-inch whole-grain wrap

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped scallion

1 tablespoon chipotle chilies in adobo

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 tablespoon chipotle mayo

2 slices whole-grain bread

3 ounces smoked turkey

1 slice cheddar cheese

4 slices cucumber

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

Blend together mayonnaise with cilantro, scallion, chipotle chilies in adobo, and lime juice.

Spread chipotle mayo on bread. Top 1 slice with turkey, cheddar cheese, cucumber, and romaine lettuce. Top with remaining bread slice.

Starbucks Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich (350 calories)

Quiznos Chipotle Turkey Sammie (400 calories)

Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich and a large fruit cup (400 calories)

P.F. Chang’s Stir-Fried Buddha’s Feast (380 calories)

Choose one of these DIY dinners to end your day right.

Mix flour with salt and black pepper. Butterfly chicken breast and dredge both sides in flour mixture.

Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium heat; saute garlic clove and onion 1 minute.

Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Push mushrooms to side of pan and add chicken; sear 2 to 3 minutes a side and then add marsala wine.

Reduce heat and let wine reduce by half; half-and-half and reduce by half. Serve with roasted new potatoes and green beans mixed with butter and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

2 teaspoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 cup red wine

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 4-ounce skirt steak

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup minced onion

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1 tablespoon feta

1 tablespoon mint

1 tablespoon parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic, red wine, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Pour mixture over steak; marinate 20 minutes.

Sprinkle eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt, place in a paper towel-lined colander and let sit.

Cook steak in a hot oiled skillet 2 minutes per side. Bake for 10 minutes.

Press a paper towel over eggplant. Saute in 1 teaspoon olive oil until golden; add onion and cook 2 minutes. Add chopped tomato and cook 2 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat; add feta, mint, and parsley.

Pasta with Ricotta-Stuffed Mustard Greens

4 medium mustard green (or Swiss chard) leaves

1/2 cup nonfat ricotta

1/4 cup corn

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

black pepper, to taste

3/4 cup marinara sauce

1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook mustard green (or Swiss chard) leaves in boiling salted water 1 minute until wilted and tender; remove thick stem at bottom of each leaf.

Mix together ricotta with corn and red bell pepper; season to taste with black pepper.

Divide ricotta filling among the mustard green leaves and roll each one, tucking the sides in so that the filling won’t seep out. Place stuffed leaves in a small baking dish and top with marinara sauce.

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle one tilapia with lime juice and season with cayenne and salt. Bake for 20 minutes.

To make the sauce: Mix together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, juice of 1 lime, lime zest, Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce, and a dash of salt.

Toast tortillas in a toaster oven and top each with 3 ounces tilapia; 2 tablespoons thawed frozen corn; 2 tablespoons canned black beans, rinsed and drained; 1/2 cup shredded cabbage; 1/4 cup diced tomatoes; and 2 tablespoons chipotle-lime sauce.

Mix together olive oil, 1 mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper.

Toss 2 tablespoons dressing with cabbage-and-carrot slaw. Top with chicken, avocado, blue cheese, bacon, and tomatoes. Serve with whole-grain crackers.

Panera Bread Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken and a bowl of 10-Vegetable Soup (510 calories)

KFC Grilled Chicken Breast, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and a large corn on the cob (490 calories)

Chili’s Guiltless Mango-Chile Chicken (490 calories)

Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Dinner (510 calories)

Each snack of these craving-busting lose 10 pounds in a month diet plan snacks contain about 150 calories; eat two a day.

NuGo Foods Banana Walnut Flavor & Fiber bar and a sparkling water

1 cup applesauce with 2 graham cracker halves

Smoothie, made with 2/3 cup Greek yogurt blended with 3/4 cup frozen strawberries and 1/3 cup milk

1 small mango, sliced and sprinkled with cayenne and lime juice to taste, and 2 gingersnaps

2 tablespoons guacamole with 8 whole-wheat pita chips

3/4 ounce cheddar cheese and a small apple

1/2 cup cooked shelled edamame with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a sprinkle sea salt

1 ounce whole-grain pretzels with 2 tablespoons tzatziki

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mystic-kitten-writer · 5 years

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Limerence [M] ︳29

Pairing: Zuko x OC

AU: Adult-Verse

Genre: Romance, mainly fluff with smut, and if you squint hard enough - you’ll find some angst.

Rating: SFW

Words: 7300+

Notes: A huge thank you for all of the support and love I have gotten! It’s heartwarming, and I do appreciate it. Don’t be shy to leave a comment, like, or reblog; and we’ll meet again next week :)

Masterlist ︳ 28 2/2 ︳ 30 [M]

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

Limerence: (English/n.) the state of being infatuated with another person. The moment their eyes locked they knew - the flames within him twisted while the water within her turned. It was a connection, a connection that would lead to love, adventure, and drama.

Toska

(Russian/n.) A dull, aching of the soul; tremendous spiritual anguish.

~ Ying Yue Jiang ~

It took all the willpower in the world to not throw the damn ice spear at Zuko’s head and aim at Azula’s hand instead. I swore under my breath, hearing her shriek of agony - I missed.

The spear cut through the air, lodging itself into the burnt ground in front of her. The sharp piece of ice grazed her hand, halting her movement and the sparks of lightning that were emerging from her fingertips. I let out a sigh of relief; Sokka says I’m the one who needs to be babysat.

Azula gripped her hand to her chest, scarlet running down her wrist, contrasting against her porcelain skin. She’s going to have a nice scar from that - I was sure of it.

With a snap of my wrist, I rose my hand, letting the water that I gathered pool up my arm, forming another spear. I was already mentally preparing for Azula to revolt. She didn’t exactly seem like the forgiving type. My eyes narrowed, analyzing her posture, but Sokka’s voice cut the tension in my muscles.

“Princess!”

Sokka and Aang gazed up at me with looks that cried relief, Sokka cheering far too loudly for a man who just cheated death. But despite their sincere smiles and exuberance, my eyes lined up with Zuko’s. A mixture of appreciation and panic seeping into those soul retching orbs.

The pink lips that I grew to love parted as he did a double-take – and as much as I wanted to strangle that man, I let out a breath of relief. He’s okay; he’s safe. That means I get the honour of kicking his ass when we get home. Oh the anger that ran through my blood at the moment, I pitied Azula, since she was going to get the brunt of it.

“Just the person I was waiting for.” Azula hissed, raising her injured hand mockingly. I gave her a cunning smile, tilting my head to the side as I observed the wound. Her fingers took most of the damage, cutting the skin and a bit of frostbite emerging.

“Some aim you got there.” Azula complimented, although there wasn’t a hint of sincerity in her statement.

“Hmm, not good enough. I was aiming for your wrist.” I responded, earning a sadist grin from Azula.

“You’re not as weak as I thought you were Imperial Consort Ying Yue. You’re a feisty one, isn’t she Zuzu?” she purred, licking her lips while with playful eyes.

Seeing her with Zuko, I could see the resemblance.

Besides the obvious; they had this confident presence to them.

It was overwhelming being in a room alone with Zuko, let alone the new addition of Azula. They gave off this aurora of power and royalty. Even the way she stood; it reminded me of Zuko to a tee. Eyes were scanning, seeking, preparing for anything. It was like they never rested, always on their toes, and that was what made them as notorious as they were.

Expect, one of them is celebrated for the good they achieved, while the other chose the latter.

“Leave her alone, Azula.” Zuko scowled, stepping forward. I could tell from the way his shoulders squared, cracking his fingers with narrowed eyes, Zuko was starting to get aggravated. Aang stepped forward, hand resting on his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward, “Zuko – somethings not right-”

Zuko looked over his shoulder, nodding at Aang’s statement.

Aang was right; it was…odd.

Why would Azula attack Sokka and Aang by herself? She’s outnumbered, and she should’ve known that we would’ve noticed, gone to help. Azula rolled her eyes towards Aang, but Aang brushed off the gesture without a second thought.

My eyes studied Aang, and I frowned.

He looked beat, deep under circles and skin pale. It was as if he hadn’t slept for days, and at that moment, I gazed over at Sokka. He also looked fatigued, almost fragile. They really did travel here non-stop, not resting once. They can’t fight like that; they’re exhausted-

“Zuko; we need to get Aang and Sokka out of here.” I blurted, putting aside my distaste for Zuko at the moment. He twisted on his heel, turning to face me. But before he could mutter a word, Azula cut him off, eyes focused on me. “Not so fast. You think you can come here, injury me, and walk off?” She snarled.

Azula lifted her uninjured hand, letting her fingertips rest upon her battered fingers. “Next time, Ying Yue, make sure you hit your target. Then I wouldn’t’ve been able to do this.”

She isn’t. There’s no way she would-

Azula’s fingertips ghosted over the long gashes that decorated her hand, her fingers glowing over the wounds. I winced, the smell of burning flesh fluttering into the air. She was cauterizing her wounds, stopping the bleeding. But what impressed me the most was that Azula didn’t bat an eyelash at the pain.

Her skin darkened, browning and hardening, and I couldn’t help but think back to Zuko. Remembering the scars that ran along his arms, torso, and legs, they were raised as well. I knew the injuries were old battle wounds, but it didn’t occur to me once that it was because he cauterized them during battle. A quick fix to a bad injury, a bandage until you can get the proper medical attention.

Sokka’s face scrunched up at Azula, stepping back into the tree line that was a mere footstep away. That’s right, why was Sokka running that way anywho? And where are the guards that Zuko had with him? As sneaky as Sokka tried, Azula spotted him shuffling away. Her legs bent, ready to chase, but I moved faster.

My hand gripped the spear tightly, swinging my body forward with as much force I could muster. The spear glided out of my hand at a sharp angle, flying through the sky effortlessly. “DOWN,” I cried, and Zuko and Aang crouched in the nick of time.

The ice flew over their heads, skimming their hair and landing right in front of Azula’s feet. Dirt shot upwards, piercing the ground and halting her movements.

“Thanks, Princess, I promise I’ll give you a giant hug and cookies~!” Sokka shouted, and I scoffed. Even in battle, Sokka is still Sokka.

I stepped over the edge, falling onto the chard ground before sprinting to where Zuko and Aang were stooped in surprise. “Were you trying to kill us?” Aang huffed, although he still wore a silly smile. I shot him a coy grin, shrugging my shoulders, “I wasn’t trying to hit you, although I can’t say the same about Zuko...”

“Oh, come on- you can’t seriously be mad-”

“We can talk about it when we get home.” I snapped.

Zuko frowned, straightening his back as he stalked his way towards me, “I did what I had to do.” He spoke, the tone he used far too stern for my liking.

“Oh, did you, Fire Lord Zuko? Lying to me, leaving me behind?” I snuffled, challenging that authoritative tone of his. Zuko sucked in a breath, trying not to lose his shit at the moment. “Cut me some damn slack Yue!” Zuko shouted, and I puffed, “Cut you some slack? I swear Zuko you-”

In a flash, Aang ran in front of us.

He spun his wooden staff between his hands effortlessly; knees bent as blue flames dispersed around us. Sweat beaded down his forehead, looking over his shoulder with a frown, “I’m sorry for interrupting your lover’s quarrel, but a little help would be much appreciated.” Aang huffed, Azula not letting up her assault.

“Take care of Aang; I got this.” I blurted, sprinting forward. Zuko lunged to grasp my arm, his fingertips brushing my skin as I ran, “Babe, no! Your bending-”

“I don’t need my bending for this-” I hissed, and slid underneath Aang’s staff.

The dirt and ash from the ground rubbed against my legs, while the heat from Azula’s flames had my skin heating up. In a flash, I found myself underneath her outstretched arms, watching the way her muscles tensed with power.

Azula looked taken aback, realizing that I was a few inches away from her. I shot her a cheeky grin before lunging upwards, thrusting my knee into her gut. Her infamous blue flames halted, stumbling backwards, gasping for air. She held her stomach in pain, shooting daggers at me, “You really think you can win without bending?”

“At this rate – yes.” Her eyes widen at the insult as I dove once again. I punched without much effort, letting her arms rise to block the attack, and with a twist of my body, swung my leg high.

My foot kicked the side of her head, Azula faltering at the impact.

“You’re a Firebender prodigy – there’s no denying that, but nobody’s perfect.” I huffed, straightening out my arms in front of me. Everyone had a weakness; while I may be superior in combat, my healing skills were utter trash. It would only make sense that Azula’s combat skills weren’t as sharp as her Firebending – and I plan on exploiting that factor.

Azula wiped the blood that trickled down her forehead with the back of her hand; lips pressed thin. “You’re wrong,” She hissed under her breath before advancing, “I’m perfect.”

She moved gracefully, light on her feet, almost like air itself.

Her arm sprang frontward, and with a swift lean, I effortlessly dodged the burst of flames that fluttered from her fingers. There was something fascinating in the way she fought; a sharp contrast to Zuko.

While Zuko was undeniable smooth, powerful and strategic; Azula was beyond your average acrobatic. Her flexibility gave her an edge, continually shifting her weight between punches. I twisted my torso back, letting a flicker of fire soar past me before running forward. And it was watching Azula move, dancing side to side that I started to notice – she’s getting tired.

While her technique was without fault, fast to attack and shooting spontaneous bursts of flames, it cost in stamina. Her constant need to release small eruptions while moving on her toes had her chest rising and falling quicker than I had expected. Her sharp ponytail began loosening while we twirled, her tough demeanour wavering.

I winced slightly under my breath, pins and needles starting to tingle up my limbs. Between this morning training with Zuko, passing out, and now this – I was pushing my body, and I was starting to feel the effects. While my old self would’ve been breezing away, I was tired. I wasn’t used to this anymore, and as she nailed another kick on my thigh, I frowned. The bruises I was going to get after this, just my luck.

My positioning switched, no longer being on the offensive side, playing safe and letting her tire herself out. And she didn’t let that change go unnoticed, smirking as her attacks suddenly got stronger.

“I’ll give you credit Ying Yue, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not fond of you – I think my dear brother can do much better. Don’t you think Zuzu?” I jumped as she swung her leg, nearly burning my feet. And it was while I was jumping my gaze wavered, looking back at Zuko and Aang.

Aang was sitting down on the ground, Zuko in front of him, shirtless. My eyes narrowed, trying to figure out what in the world was happening, but it didn’t take long. Zuko was crouched over Aang; his shirt ripped into shreds as he wrapped it tightly over Aang’s forearms. Aang burnt himself trying to block Azula’s flames earlier; I didn’t notice-

“Focus on me, darling, or else I’ll go against the plan and kill you now.”

Against plan? Azula pushed forward, my feet stumbling at the sudden movement. So entranced with making sure Aang and Zuko were alright I lost focus, and Azula wasn’t going to let that opportunity go to waste.

My feet tangled themselves, gasping as I found myself wobbling side to side. Azula’s arms raised high into the air with a bounce, blue flames swirling as she came crashing down, and without thinking twice, I bent.

The ice from the spears dissipated, water hurdling towards me, and right before Azula could land her flames; a shield of ice formed. The sheer force of her flames pounding above me had me dropping down on one knee. And as Azula watched with a look of disbelief, her flames evaporating into a mist, I pounced.

My arms outstretched, water flinging forward and Azula mimicked my movements. Flickers of fire started to emerge from her hands, and in a risky move, I rushed to her – head-on. Azula’s brows furrowed together watching how I foolishly ran to her, and with an unanticipated twist, I let my fingers wrap around her wrists.

Her skin was hot to touch, sweltering as I kept my grip firm. I bit my lip in discomfort, and with a squeeze, water rushed down my arms and encased our hands together. The flickers of fire that were starting to build in her grasp vanished and the burning sensation from touching her skin eased.

Azula snarled under her breath, trying desperately to tug her arms out of the encasement, but I held my grip, the water preventing much movement on her end. And as I prepared to attack once again, black spots flooded my vision.

My nails dug into her skin without much care, as the ground underneath me started spinning, a wave of nausea overcoming me. I puffed in pain as I forced myself to keep the water that tied us together stable. I can’t do this much longer-

With a large intake of air, I kicked forward, letting the water tumble to the ground as she flew backwards. Her shoulders were slumped over as she fought to gain her balance after being shoved; while I struggled to stand. I could hear her fast breathing in the distance, but I rapidly lost focus. I feel so sick-

My eyes shut closed as my hands cupped my head in pain. Gosh, it feels like Toph is hurling rocks at my head, cold chills running up my back. My knees buckled, and I groaned. Not now, not now-

“I got you, babe.”

A pair of arms wrapped around my body, hands falling over my own. The cold chills that ran down my spine disappeared, as he pressed me against his chest.

“Zuko~.” I gasped, struggling to even out my breathing, wheezing. His fingers intertwined with mine, squeezing me against him.

“Just breathe, follow my lead.” Zuko cooed into my ear, and I felt his chest rising and falling from behind me. My fingers cuddled his, trying to match his pace. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale-

“That’s it, babe, slow and steady,” Zuko whispered.

My body stopped trembling, hearing his soothing coos of encouragement. The ground finally felt steady, no longer moving and the wave of nausea easing off. Our breathing was in sync, sighing in relief as the throbbing in my head stopped - relief.

My eyes fluttered open, gaining footing and no longer letting Zuko hold me for dear life. Azula stood in front of us, catching her breath as she scrutinized the way Zuko embraced me from behind.

“Thank you.” I hummed, letting my body lax for a split moment. “Hate me as much as you want; I’ll still love you,” Zuko muttered under his breath, and I smiled softly. Gosh - I don’t hate you, you hard-headed dimwit, I’m just mad-

“Good; so when I kill her, it’ll leave an ever-lasting impression.” Azula sneered towards us. In a flash, our bodies tensed, Zuko pushing me behind him in one fluid movement. But before she could utter another word, she was abruptly cut off.

“How the legendary Fire Nation Princess has fallen. You call yourself a prodigy, yet she managed to tire you with only half her strength. Pathetic.” A voice taunted from behind her.

The voice echoed in the barren space where we stood, a voice that was oddly familiar to my ears. It was deep, rough, almost strained as each word the man spoke felt heavy. Why do I recognize that voice?

Azula stiffened in her spot, face red with infuriation as she twisted on her heel. “What are you doing here?” she snarled to someone behind her, hands balled into fists. Her composure, it was flattering entirely.

“Doing your job; since you’re clearly incompetent of such a task.” The man snapped back.

Who is this person? Why do I know that voice-

I slipped past Zuko, running off to the side to sneak a peek around Azula – curiosity getting the better of me. Zuko swore under his breath, ready to pull me back as my arm slithered through his grip. “Yue, your damn curiosity is going to get us killed!” Zuko protested, but his voice trailed off as he saw the evident look of shock on my face.

A towering man stood along the tree line, his figure looming over us and casting a monstrous shadow. It was as if nature itself could feel the menacing presence of his; the area around us vacant of all sound; no birds chirping or bushes rustling in the wind.

And just like the first time we met, I gasped, awe-struck by those piercing blue eyes; void of all life. It can’t be- it can’t be him. As if the strange man could feel my gaze falling over him, his head tilted to the side, shooting me a spiteful grin, “Here to give back my handkerchief, little girl?”

“Why?” I gasped, stepping forward, shaking my head in disbelief.

Seeing him in the daylight, strolling headfirst as he cracked his fingers, one by one, made the hairs on my arms stand. He couldn’t be the same man from the beach; he couldn’t. The man on the beach was sweet; he comforted me.

“I told you. One Day. That’s it.” He spoke, voice smooth as if he was trying to ease my nerves. As if the words he said justified everything that was happening. It was his birthday that day, that’s why he said he was good — that sick bastard.

My hands dropped to my side, rage pumping. I trusted him; I let him in; he took advantage of me. “So you’re the one who planned this?” I cried. He almost hurt all those children, Kiyi; I’m going to kill him-

“Yue stop!” Zuko shouted, grabbing my arms tightly, pressing my body against his.

The man grinned chillingly towards Zuko, those thin lips of his pulling back. “Still with that boyfriend of yours, little girl?” With each word he stepped closer, brushing past Azula without a care in the world.

“Who are you?” I yelled back, Zuko struggling to keep me still.

My limbs thrashed under his unwavering grip, swearing under his breath at my unrelenting movement. Azula watched in astonishment at the conversation that transpired between us, an amused smile on her face, “You don’t know?”

“I’ll give you a hint; rumours say he’s a Bloodbender, doesn't need a full moon. Aren’t you curious to know if that’s true?” Azula purred, and I felt my stomach in my throat. Zuko’s fingers dug into my skin; his breathing paused as he pressed his lips against my ear, “Run.”

Zuko wasn’t pleading or asking – it was an order.

I could hear the fear in his voice.

The conversation between Zuko and the Earth King, the rebels, all led by one man; this is Yakone. The ruthless man who killed hundreds upon hundreds, the man who nobody could seem to capture, let alone see in person and live to speak of it.

I could hear Aang stumbling his way to us, wincing at the pain in his arms. “Everyone leave, I’m going into the Avatar state-”

“No Aang, you’re exhausted, you’ll hurt yourself.” I panicked, he’s going to push himself to the limit, but the look on Aang’s face was different from that friendly expression I adore. His face was stern, and despite the burns that lay on his forearms, he stood with Zuko.

The grip on my arms loosened, Zuko pushing me behind him, eyes begging for me to run. But my feet stayed glued to the ground, trembling at the realization of the situation.

Yakone chuckled as he watched the panic look Zuko and Aang wore, an expression I never thought I would see paint their faces. “What’s wrong? It’s only rumoured.” Yakone teased with a final step.

His soulless blue eyes stared past Aang and Zuko, lining up with mine.

I could feel my heart stop - as if time stood still. Yakone bore a sinister grin on his face before whispering, each word directed to me, and me alone.

“I’m going to kill them the same way I killed Kayto.”

His hands moved in front of his chest vertically, his stubby fingers beginning to curve. Every joint in his digits began twisting and contorting, movements that I was all too familiar with - Bloodbending.

I squeezed my way past Zuko and Aang, their cries falling upon deaf ears.

My hands swept the ground, drawing whatever moisture I could that was around us.

The ground crumbled underneath our feet, untouched foliage began to rot, and the air was heavy to breathe.

Black spots flooded my vision, body feeling numb as I bent with all my power - body screaming for me to stop, but I pushed. I could die here, right now, but not them. I rose my hands upwards with fists, the water that began to pool around us, shooting in the air into frozen pillars.

The ice began to frost, a wall of ice linking pillar to pillar. Yakone’s eyes widen at my movement and the speed at which the walls started to enclose around us. His fingers stopped curving, dropping to his sides as he watched the last window of opportunity freezing before him.

Darkness fell over us in seconds, the walls of ice looming above, only sparse flickers of sunlight penetrating the thick walls.

I dry heaved, coldness consuming my body. “Y-you can’t bloodbend if you can’t see your target.” I panted, face flushed as my arms fell to my sides. Yakone rose a brow, viewing our new surroundings with a touch of amusement in his eyes. “So you trapped yourself with me, in here? Foolish.”

“I had no other option.” I blurted, frowning as I struggled to keep my balance. My legs quivered underneath me, body battling to keep me up and Yakone noticed. He scoffed under his breath, shaking his head at my crumbling composure, “Look at you, an utter wreck. Dying from the inside out.”

“What do you want from me?” I gasped, eyes fluttering open and close. The last bit of energy I had was long gone, a cold chill starting to run its course. Azula was happy to see me, so that means that I somehow played a part in this messy plan of theirs; but how. My arms dropped to my side in exhaustion, taking deep breaths as I fought to think.

“You can fix yourself. A flick of your wrist and the pain can go away…” Yakone spoke, his voice bouncing off the walls, buzzing in my ears. I grimaced, trying to ground my feet, toes pressing themselves against the sole of my damn house slippers.

But it was pointless.

My feet stumbled, knees bucking underneath me, before giving out completely. I shut my eyes firmly, ready to fall face-first into the dirt before a pair of hands gripped my arms.

His palms were rough against my skin, grunting as he held me. And when I opened my eyes, surprised to have been caught mid-fall, I was greeted with a pair of striking blue eyes.

Mom.

They look just like moms.

Her eyes were magical, glowing like crystal.

Memories of her holding me in her arms before I fell asleep came rushing to my mind because it was always the last thing I saw before falling asleep at night. Her soft eyes, looking down at me, hands brushing the hair away from my face.

Those blue eyes-

“Who are you really?” I huffed, my hands falling over Yakone’s forearms. He didn’t shake off my grasp as I thought he would’ve done. Instead, his grip tightened, lowering me to the ground, until I was on my knees.

His lips were pressed tight the entire time, not sparing me a single glance. And once I was firmly planted on the ground, his grip on my arms loosen, but he stayed crouched.

A half-ass laugh escaped him, shaking his head before he finally grumbled under his breath, “I always hated that damn crane story.”

“What crane story?”

“You know which one; Lord of Cranes.”

My hands dropped from his forearm, staring at Yakone with a blank expression. I didn’t even realize my eyes were watering until he spoke, brushing a single tear with his thumb, “Sorry, little girl. You took my only handkerchief.”

~ Fire Lord Zuko ~

Solid ice.

It’s wasn’t some thin layer, easily broken with the push of a finger. It was well-made, sturdy enough to be the fucking foundation of a bloody house.

My palms pressed against the block, the coldness causing my skin to tingle, trying desperately to see or hear something, anything at this fucking point. The frost prevented much light from seeping through, and I swore under my breath. I can’t see a damn thing.

“The fuck was she thinking!” I shouted, punching the harden water out of frustration. My head hit the ice in defeat; shoulders slumped as no amount of heat seemed to work. My eyes shut, trying to push the worst-case scenarios out of mind.

All I wanted to know was that she’s okay.

I need her to be safe; in my fucking arms, with that innocent smile on her face, giggling at some silly joke. Yue always thought she was the needy one, but she was wrong, so fucking wrong. She didn’t know how I always thought of her, that I used every damn excuse in the book to hold her, touch her, to be in the same damn room as her.

“Aang, can you bring this down?” I blew, turning on my heel to face him. But to my amazement, Aang was already in position. His burnt staff tied to his back, arms outstretched as he nodded, “Stand back, Yue’s ice is no joke.”

Tell me about it.

I shuffled backwards, getting out of the way before an agonizingly infuriating voice stopped us. Azula’s voice was like nails dragging on a chalkboard, a disturbing sound that I could go through the rest of my life never hearing again.

“That’s my cue to go.”

Azula’s hands combed through her lengthy hair, fixing her ponytail and brushing back all of the loose strands. She stood poised - as if she wasn’t getting her ass handed to her moments ago by Yue. That smug attitude of hers, if only-

“What do we do Zuko,” Aang whispered, eyeing Azula and the wall of ice. The decision was easy, “Let her go; we need to get Yue out of there, now.”

Azula rolled her eyes, hands falling onto her hips as she glanced to her side, where Yakone and Yue were. “Don’t worry; he won’t hurt her.”

“And what makes you think that?” Aang responded, neither one of us trusting a word she said.

�� A coy smile flashed, her pearly whites showing, before turning on her heel. “As I said before; the mother’s side is far more interesting.” She hummed, before disappearing into the trees, all traces of her gone.

Aang stood there, baffled, confusion written on his face as he glanced towards me, “What in the world is she talking about…”

“Ignore her; she’s crazy.” I muttered, and Aang nodded, “Agreed.”

Aang dug his feet into the ground, shifting his attention to the real issue at hand. He let his hands sway side to side, and in one go; everything came crashing down.

The sound of ice cracking and falling against the ground resonated through the forest, water spraying everywhere as I covered my face with my arm, “Holy- Aang, what the hell was that!”

“I-I don’t know, that wasn’t me!”

Wasn’t him?

The air around us was illuminating as water floated in the air, reflecting the sun’s light. And if it had happened any other time, I would’ve admired the sight. “Do you see her?” Aang huffed, frantically searching the area where the encasement stood.

“No, where could she-”

My heart stopped.

Yue sat on her legs; head hung low as her body shook, Yakone nowhere in sight.

I could tell every breath she took was a struggle, her hands weakly dangling by her sides, hair covering her face. “Yue!” I shouted - sprinting. Please be okay; please be okay, please-

Her head lifted slightly, eyes heavy as she shot me that soft smile of hers. “Zuko?” She whined, and in an instant I clutched her.

My arms wrapped around her, drawing her into my chest as she trembled. She was shaking like a leaf as Aang watched over us worried, “Hey, babe, it’s okay- it’s okay. Don’t worry; I got you-” I hummed, a hand rubbing her back while the other tangled itself with her hair.

“H-he knew the story.”

“What story?”

Yue’s head pulled back, her bottom lip trembling as her eyes brimmed with tears. “T-the story my parents used to tell me. The cranes, t-the reason I got the tattoo.” She blurted before stuffing her face once again into my chest. I cooed into her ear, trying to calm her, but my stomach was in knots. Yakone knew the story. How did he know the story?

‘The mother's side is always interesting.’

‘She’s a Bloodbender, ZuZu.’

“Is everyone alright!?”

Yue’s head popped out of my chest, eyes widening as she followed the voice, “Sokka!” She gasped cheerfully, a smile emerging as Sokka jogged towards us. My shoulders relaxed, seeing her smile so radiantly; she really is okay.

“Holy, it seems like you guys had your hands full. What happened?” Sokka spoke, his eyes scanning our surroundings with an open mouth. And he had every right, the space where we sat screamed death. Not a single living thing remaining. The grass was burnt, trees around us rotten and mud started to settle from the melting ice.

“Everything happened. Where were you?” Aang answered, flinching as he fixed the makeshift bandages on his arms.

“Zuko was right all along, the moment I reached your soldiers, we bumped into a bunch of rogues. They were going to ambush; we managed to stop them and took most of them out.” Sokka spoke. I studied him, a few cuts and bruises along his arms, his clothing a bit tattered.

“Princess, you saved my ass; twice.” Sokka beamed, crouching down to her level. She saved everyone’s ass today. Yue smiled, letting her head rest on my chest.

“Where are my cookies?” she sulked, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her response. My lips brushed her head, appreciating being this close to her. Safe.

“Yeah, about that-” Sokka spoke, scratching his head with that cheeky smile of his. “You’re lucky I’m too tired to get up.”

“Let me lift you; start walking home,” I whispered in her ear, my hands shifting her weight, and sliding effortlessly under legs. I can’t believe Yue was wearing house slippers this whole time. She’s nuts.

“Do you have some whisky at this vacation house? After what just happened here, I need a drink.” Sokka groaned, rolling his shoulders back as I stood with Yue in my arms.

Yue nodded in agreeance, letting her arms wrap around my neck. “We got bourbon or rye, take your pick,” I answered.

“I’ll have both.”

“Same here,” I muttered. A cold drink and a hot bath was exactly what I needed at the moment.

“Save one for me too.”

Everyone stopped moving, turning around to face Aang. Did he just-

“Since when do you drink?” Yue blurted, unable to contain her outburst. But in all honesty, we were all flabbergasted.

Aang shrugged his shoulders, walking ahead of us before waving away our disbelief, “Ever since that happened.”

Sokka and I looked at each, before nodding in unison, “Fair enough.”

The empty glass fell on the countertop, sighing a breath of relief as I downed the whisky. I knew whisky was meant to be drunken slowly, but I didn’t have the patience.

“Holy shit. If I had known dating Zuko came with all these perks, I would’ve hopped on that way sooner.” Sokka blurted, looking around the place like a kid in a candy shop. I rolled my eyes at his expression, while Yue giggled on the couch. Aang already off to his guest bedroom, taking a hot bath.

“Who would’ve known my competition would be Sokka.” Yue laughed, smiling childishly at Sokka’s remarks.

I pinched my nose, “Second drink of whisky, here I come.” I grumbled, pouring the dark liquid to the brim and chugging.

“Oh come on, it would be an honour to date me. You know we make a great couple.” Sokka insisted, wrapping his arm around me, and shooting me a wide smile. “Third drink of whisky, coming right up,” I announced, lifting the bottle towards them, and pouring into my empty glass.

Sokka pulled away, acting as if I had hurt his ego with my remarks, hands over his chest. “You say that now, but we all know who the real power couple is, even if you deny it, Zuko.”

While the temptation to slap Sokka across the head was overwhelming, seeing Yue laughing hysterically on the couch, happiness in her eyes made me hold back. It’s been a while since she smiled like that, letting go, not giving in to the troubles that were waiting for us. And if Sokka teasing me, like the joker he was, made her happy, even for a moment, I could suck it up.

She took a short sip of her drink, before light patters caught our attention, “Enjoy your bath, Aang?” Yue hummed, brushing her hair behind her ears.

Aang nodded, wearing some clothes that I lend him for the night. He looked fresh, an extra bounce in his step. It’s amazing how a hot bath can change a person. His hands fell over his stomach, nodding towards Yue before shuffling towards the kitchen area.

“Exactly what I needed. I’m going to make myself a snack; anyone wants something?” Aang asked. The instant those words flew out of Aang’s mouth, Yue started shuffling herself off the couch, “Let me Aang, I can cook something up-”

“Get your ass back on the couch.” I huffed, pointing at her and the couch in a flash. Yue pouted, and it took all the willpower in me to ignore it. She was too cute for her own good, and she wasn’t afraid to take advantage of that skill. “B-but-”

“No buts.” I sternly spoke, eyeing her prudently. Aang rubbed the back of his head, laughing at the way Yue sulked. “Can you make me something? I’m going to take a bath, where’s my room, by the way?” Sokka asked, yawning and scratching his tired eyes.

“I can show you-”

“I swear I’ll tie you to the damn bed if you try to move again. Rest.” I growled as Yue made a dash to show Sokka his room. She was already standing up, legs getting ready to move until my voice made her stop in her tracks.

“So, Zuko's into that type of stuff…good to know,” Sokka muttered under his breath.

“Fourth drink it is!” I shouted, taking a swing straight from the bottle at this point. Sokka snickered, slapping my back before walking down the hallway, “Don’t worry, I’ll find it myself. I’ll look for an empty bedroom with a bed and bath.”

Yue stood still, biting her lip as her fingers twirled around each other, itching to say something. “What is it, love?” I hummed, stepping forward to where she stood. Her eyes shifted downwards, as I stepped closer, before muttering, “I’m still angry, but I’m too tired to fight. So I decided that I’ll drown you tomorrow.”

My hand fell over her head, laughing under my breath as Yue glared at me, trying her hardest to keep a straight face. “Tonight, let’s rest. You can yell at me all you want tomorrow, I promise.”

Yue nodded, before slipping from my touch, and towards our bedroom, “I’ll get our bath and clothes ready.”

“Our?” I inquired, a playful smile on my face as her face reddened.

I’ll never get over the way she nibbles on her lip, battling her eyelashes as she turned on her heel, “Oh shut up, and hurry up before I change my mind.” She grumbled, before sneaking into our bedroom.

My hands ran along my face and hair, letting out an exhausted sigh. What a fucking day-

“You know, I thought she was going to kill you out there,” Aang muttered. I turned around, watching Aang make simple sandwiches for us to munch. “Yeah, I feared for my life too.”

Aang snickered, shaking his head as he placed the sandwiches on a plate. “You messed up that bad, huh…”

“I’m a man of politics, not relationships.”

Aang stuffed a sandwich in his mouth, “And that, Fire Lord Zuko, I agree with entirely.”

“How're your burns?” I muttered, and Aang pulled up his sleeves. His skin was clear, completely healed, not a single trace that his skin was ever burnt. “You healed it?” I asked, and Aang nodded. “Katara taught me some basic healing skills, comes in handy when she isn’t around and thankfully, it wasn’t that bad.”

I nodded at his words, remembering the way Yue had healed my scar.

It wasn’t a one-time thing.

Almost every morning, before anything, Yue would ease the discomfort in my face. The creams and medicine didn’t come close to the amount of relief she gave me. My skin didn’t feel like leather, pulled tight around my face, and my vision on my eye got better.

Thinking about the way her fingers grazed my skin, had me thinking once again, a question that I wanted to ask Yue days ago, but I chickened out and asked her about Mai. “Has Yue ever healed you before?” I blurted.

Aang’s movements stopped, moving the sandwich away from his mouth and swallowing slowly, “Y-yeah. Maybe once or twice. She doesn’t like healing, and we always had Katara…”

I nodded, walking towards Aang deliberately, studying the way Aang stir in his spot. “How did it feel when she healed you?”

“Katara or Yue?”

“Yue.”

“Uhh, like how it always does, I guess,” Aang mumbled, swallowing hard. My eyes narrowed at his response, leaning on the kitchen counter. “Why are you asking Zuko…?” Aang whispered, his hands gripping the counter - fingertips digging into the marble.

Because whenever Yue healed me, it felt different.

Whenever Katara healed, it almost felt superficial. My muscles would ease; a soothing sensation. Recovering from the outside and working its way in.

But with Yue, it felt deeper.

The way her fingers glided against my scar, it felt like she was healing from the inside out. Controlling and re-directing the very way my body functioned. It almost felt like I gave up all control of my body, and while I trusted Yue with my life, it was a sensation I never felt before, or experienced, with Katara.

Aang stared at me with his lips pressed tight, his eyes never wavering from mine. “You know why Aang, it’s different from the way Katara heals-”

“Zuko, don’t.” Aang huffed. His hands gripping my shoulders abruptly, catching me off guard. “Let it be.”

“What are you hiding Aang?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed, brows pinching together as he spoke, “Yue loves you, and she would give up her life for you any day, and you know that.”

I huffed under my breath, teeth grinding as I stared at Aang.

I knew Aang was right, but that didn’t change the fact that he was hiding something from me. Something about Yue – something she was obviously keeping away from me. “Does Sokka know, Katara, Toph or Suki?”

Aang’s eyes slowly closed, shaking his head before tightening his grip on my shoulders, “She trusted me, and I don’t plan on breaking that. But if you so dare try to accuse Yue of anything, I swear Zuko,” Aang started, his voice rising.

“if you really love her, you’ll accept every part of her. The good and bad, just like how she loves you.”

“You know I care about her Aang-”

“Stop wasting your time here then, trying to get information from me, and spend time with her. She needs you, and you’re here accusing her of spirits knows what.”

Aang released his hold and stepped back. “I’ve never met someone as sensitive, loving, or empathic as Yue, despite everything she’s gone through. And if you think for a moment she could hurt someone-”

“I love her Aang, and I fell in love with her because of that. But if she’s hiding something, something that may put her in danger, I want to know so that I can protect her.”

“Zuko…” Aang muttered under his breath, “She’ll tell you when she’s ready, but for now, trust her.”

A clicking sound caught our attention, a door opening and causing Aang’s and I focus to shift. Yue leaned against the doorframe, her silky robe hugging her body as she smiled brilliantly, “Come on, Zuko, the bath is all set. I need that magical touch of yours to warm up the water.”

Aang nudged me, staring intently with an unwavering gaze, “Coming, love.” I hummed with a smile, walking towards her, and letting her arms drape around my waist.

I melted.

My hand brushed her silky strands behind her ears, a pink blush tainting her stunning features, giggling softly under my touches.

I was hopelessly in love.

No matter how hard I tried to reason, think logically – it was like something in my mind switches when I was around her.

I pulled Yue close, letting my lips brush against her forehead and closing my eyes. I felt safe with her. And if giving her time to open up, allowing myself to trust her with all my heart is what I needed to do - I’d do it.

I’d do it all.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Avatar characters portrayed in this story besides Ying Yue Jiang, Lia, Kima, and any future creations.

❤ Buy me a coffee? ❤

#Atla Zuko #Zuko x oc #Zuko x reader #Zuko #Avatar The Last Airbender #Zuko smut #Love story #Limerence #Series #Romance #Love #Firebender #Waterbender #Masterlist #atla #Zuko ATLA #Like and/or reblog!#i hope you like it

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bakingbad2020 · 4 years

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Failing at Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am bad at baking things.

Let’s iron something out. I am not a baker. I am a scientist. My hobbies include drawing, painting, and yelling at a sewing machine (more commonly known as sewing). Baking is not on the list. I don’t bake. That’s little sister’s job. She’s baked cakes, cookies, brownies, the works. She’s even made macarons. Yeah, the little French things. It’s all hella good. She wants to be a baker when she grows up, and coming from a family of scientists and engineers, how could we disagree?

So what am I doing here? Quarantine happened and mother gave me a jar of sourdough starter. One thing led to another and I gave into peer pressure. For clarity, this is not my first attempt at baking, but it was bad enough that I decided to make a blog about it, and everyone I asked told me to do it. So what was I supposed to do, really? I had to make a blog.

Three little words. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Those words alone make almost anyone’s mouth water. I’ve been craving them for like, three weeks, ever since a professor brought up cookies in Soil’s class (We were talking about clays. Yes it makes sense). So I found a recipe, off that little dinner spinner app by AllRecipes, by someone who goes by Dora. It has 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5, and that’s after 12848 reviews. Seriously, it can’t be bad right? The recipe runs as follows:

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter, sofened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (okay, I put like a tablespoon)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Add baking soda and salt. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto pans.

Bake for about 10 minutes in the oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

I did that. Sure I left out the nuts, and added a little (okay a lot) more vanilla. But I followed the recipe. And yeah, well...

The batter was dry. It’s probably my fault because I honestly don’t think about how to put flour into the measuring cups, so it was kinda packed in. It was dryyyyyyy. But I thought maybe it was okay so I baked them anyway.

Actually, they don’t look so bad in that picture. But trust me. They’re hard. Not hard to make, but physically hard, like chocolate chip cement. No, it does not help that I burned them somewhat. I messed up chocolate chip cookies. It’s kind of incredible. Fortunately, I had enough wits about me to think that maybe I shouldn’t plop all the batter down at once and to only make one pan of cookies. I had a bit left over, so I panic-texted little sister:

It certainly moistened the batter a bit, so I went for round 2. The result:

Not too bad, but a bit small. All of the confidence I had at the beginning was deflated, leaving nothing but tiny cookies. I have yet to taste them. I do have batter left rolled up into a log and chillin in the fridge. At least I have another shot.

Of course I had to update little sister on the situation:

You gotta love how supportive family is.

Update: I broke my fast this morning at 7:45 with, that’s right, you guessed it, the cookies. I woke up thinking about them and I figured, if nothing else, I should at least see how bad they were with the hopes of learning from my mistakes. That’s what a good scientist would do, after all. So I got up, showered, and managed to make my way down the stairs without tripping over either of the cats to THE COOKIES.

I tried round 2 first, and I have to say, they’re really not that bad. They are very cakey, but that also seemed to be the point of the initial recipe. I mean, it may have also had something to do with the fact that I put too much flour, but that’s also beside the point. The thing about these cookies that stood out to me was the batter to chocolate chip ratio. For me, the point of the batter is to cement the chocolate chips together, the way a sandstone might cement a conglomerate together. That’s what these did. The chocolate to cookie ratio was perfect. For a cookie that was maybe and inch and a half to two inches in diameter, there were probably 30 chocolate chips. Okay, I exaggerate. Probably like 15, though. It was a mouthful of chocolate chips glued together by sugar paste. Perfect.

After tasting round two, I of course had to give round 1 a shot. I made myself a cup of coffee and afterwards sat down to taste the little monstrosities. Alone, these cookies are hard as rocks. The chocolate chips towards the bottom are rather chard, and honestly more like chocolate flavored charcoal. But after dunking them in the coffee, they softened up immensely and actually tasted good. At least they won’t go to waste now.

So lesson learned. Next time I need to lovingly spoon the flour into the measuring cup before carefully leveling it off with a knife, a process which seems dreadfully monotonous to me. This is why I can never bake French things.

On side note, I made a real breakfast this morning and managed to burn both the bacon and the toast. That’s right. I’m amazing.

#Baking fail #baking #failure #chocolate chip cookies #burned cookies #crunchy #can i really be that bad?

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flamioannie · 2 years

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THESE 9 MIGHT BE CALLED WEEDS, BUT ARE HEALTHY FOR YOU

Some weeds that we are always worried about in our yards and gardens are actually good for you, and can be delicious if prepared properly. Be sure to identify the weeds correctly (The ones described here are easy to spot.) Avoid harvesting from anyplace you suspect pollution.

DANDELION

Dandelion is one of the healthiest and most versatile vegetables on the planet. The entire plant is edible. The leaves are like vitamin pills, containing generous amounts of vitamins A, C and K — far more than those garden tomatoes, in fact — along with calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium.

The leaves are most tender, and tastiest, when they are young. This happens in the spring but also all summer along as the plant tries to rebound after being cut or pulled. You can add them to soup in great abundance. Or you can prepare them Italian style by sautéing with a little olive oil, salt, garlic and some hot red pepper.

You can eat the bright, open flower heads in a lightly fried batter. You can also make a simple wine with the flowers by fermenting them with raisins and yeast. If you are slightly adventurous, you can roast the dandelion root, grind it, and brew it like coffee. It's an acquired taste. You might want to have some sugar on hand.

PURSLANE

If you've ever lived in the city, you have seen good ol' Portulaca olearacea, or common purslane. The stuff grows in cracks in the sidewalk. Aside from being surprisingly tasty for a crack dweller, purslane tops the list of plants with omega-3 fatty acids, the type of healthy fat found in salmon.

If you dislike the bitter taste of dandelion greens, you still might like the lemony taste of purslane. The stems, leaves and flowers are all edible; and they can be eaten raw on salads — as they are prepared worldwide — or lightly sautéed.

You should keep a few things in mind, though, before your harvest. Watch out for spurge, a similar-looking sidewalk-crack dweller. Spurge is much thinner than purslane, and it contains a milky sap, so you can easily differentiate it. Also, your mother might have warned you about eating things off the sidewalk; so instead, look for purslane growing in your garden, or consider transplanting it to your garden from a sidewalk.

Also, note the some folks incorrectly call purslane "pigweed," but that's a different weed — edible but not as tasty.

LAMB'S QUARTERS

Lamb's-quarters are like spinach, except they are healthier, tastier and easier to grow. Lamb's-quarters, also called goosefoot, usually need more than a sidewalk crack to grow in, unlike dandelion or purslane. Nevertheless, they can be found throughout the urban landscape, wherever there is a little dirt.

The best part of the lamb's-quarters are the leaves, which are slightly velvety with a fine white powder on their undersides. Discard any dead or diseased leaves, which are usually the older ones on the bottom of the plant. The leaves and younger stems can be quickly boiled or sautéed, and they taste like a cross between spinach and Swiss chard with a slight nutty after-taste.

Maybe that taste combination doesn't appeal to you, but lamb's-quarters are ridiculously healthy. A one-cup serving will give you 10 times the daily-recommended dose of vitamin K; three times the vitamin A; more than enough vitamin C; and half your daily dose of calcium and magnesium.

PLANTAIN

Plantain, like dandelion, is a healthy, hardy weed as ubiquitous in the city as broken glass. You know what it looks like, but you might not have known the name.

Part of the confusion is that plantain shares its name with something utterly different, the banana-like plantain, whose etymology is a mix of Spanish and native Caribbean. The so-called weed plantain, or Plantago major, was cultivated in pre-Columbus Europe; and indeed Native Americans called it "the white man's footprint," because it seemed to follow European settlers.

Plantain has a nutritional profile similar to dandelion — that is, loaded with iron and other important vitamins and minerals. The leaves are tastiest when small and tender, usually in the spring but whenever new shoots appear after being cut back by a lawnmower. Bigger leaves are edible but bitter and fibrous.

The shoots of the broadleaf plantain, when green and tender and no longer than about four inches, can be described as a poor-man's fiddlehead, with a nutty, asparagus-like taste. Pan-fry in olive oil for just a few seconds to bring out this taste. The longer, browner shoots are also tasty prepared the same way, but the inner stem is too fibrous. You'll need to place the shoot in your mouth, clench with your teeth, and quickly pull out the stem. What you're eating are the plantain seeds.

The leaves of the equally ubiquitous narrow-leaf plantain, or Plantago lanceolata, also are edible when young. The shoot is "edible" only with quotation marks. You can eat the seeds should you have the patience to collect hundreds of plants for the handful of seeds you'd harvest. With time being money, it's likely not worth it.

CHICKWEED

One of the not-so-ugly weeds worth pulling and keeping is chickweed. Identified by purple stems, fuzzy green leaves, and starry white flower petals, this weed is a fantastic source of vitamins A, D, B complex, and C. It also contains minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium. Chickweed (Stellaria media) has a cornsilk-like flavor when eaten raw, and tastes similar to spinach when it is cooked. [1]

Chickweed nourishes the lymph and glandular systems, and can heal cysts, fevers, and inflammation. It can help neutralize acid and help with yeast overgrowth and fatty deposits, too.

Additionally, chickweed can be finely chopped and applied externally to irritated skin. Steep the plant in ¼ cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, and chickweed provides benefits similar to dandelion root. Speaking of dandelion…

CLOVER

Other than the occasional four-leafed clover hunt, this common lawn weed goes mostly unnoticed, even though it is becoming popular as a lawn replacement altogether. Clover is an important food for honeybees and bumblebees, and clover leaves and flowers can be used to add variety to human meals as well. Small amounts of raw clover leaves can be chopped into salads, or can be sauteed and added to dishes for a green accent, and the flowers of both red and white clover can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried for tea.

MALLOW

Mallow, or malva, is also known as cheeseweed, due to the shape of its seed pods, and can be found in many lawns or garden beds across the US. The leaves and the seed pods (also called the 'fruit') are both edible, either raw or cooked, and like many greens, are often more tender and palatable when smaller and less mature. The older leaves can be used like any other cooked green after steaming, boiling, or sauteing them.

WILD AMARANTH

The leaves of the wild amaranth, also known as pigweed, are another great addition to any dish that calls for leafy greens, and while the younger leaves are softer and tastier, the older leaves can also be cooked like spinach. The seeds of the wild amaranth can be gathered and cooked just like store-bought amaranth, either as a cooked whole grain or as a ground meal, and while it does take a bit of time to gather enough to add to a meal, they can be a a good source of free protein.

STINGING NETTLES

It sounds like a cruel joke, but stinging nettles — should you be able to handle them without getting a painful rash from the tiny, acid-filled needles — are delicious cooked or prepared as a tea.

You may have brushed by these in the woods or even in your garden, not knowing what hit you, having been trained all your life to identify poison ivy and nothing else. The tiny needles fortunately fall off when steamed or boiled. The trick is merely using garden gloves to get the nettles into a bag.

Nettles tastes a little like spinach, only more flavorful and more healthful. They are loaded with essential minerals you won't find together outside a multivitamin bottle, and these include iodine, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, silica and sulfur. Nettles also have more protein than most plants.

You can eat the leaves and then drink the water as tea, with or without sugar, hot or cold. If you are adventurous — or, you can collect entire plants to dry in your basement. The needles will eventually fall off, and you can save the dried leaves for tea all winter long.

Info by Christopher Wanjek

https://www.facebook.com/theseedguy

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benjamingarden · 3 years

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This Month On The Farm: October 2020

Our first snow has arrived!! Ok, so it was only about an inch, but, nonetheless, it arrived on the second to the last day of October. And with it came some significantly colder weather including our first below 30 degree night.

While the majority of our summer garden ended in September, we were the happy recipients of additional garden goodness throughout October in the form of cabbage, broccoli, green beans, squash, beets, carrots, peppers, tomatoes (the first half of the month), and herbs. Needless to say, our freezers are chock full.

Garden Wins And Fails

Let's start with the fails and get those right out of the way. Eggplant, for some reason, did not do well for me this year. I've never ever had an issue with it but 2020 was no ordinary year. Cucumbers, too, did not produce well for some reason. I've always struggled with melons, and this year, of course, was no different. They did ok, not great. And, of course, because of the early-on visits by the whistle pig (with the enormous appetite) who adored all things green, we had a rough start with greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and carrots. Many eventually came back and others were replanted.

And the wins...... My peppers did outstanding this year as did my squash, tomatoes, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, and pretty much everything else in the garden. Partial credit, I'm sure, goes to the soil that we continue to amend. Partial credit also goes to the fact that I had time to weed, pick bugs, water, and do all of the things that make a garden happy.

On October 30th, the night temps dipped into the 20's, so I pulled of all remaining veg except for greens (kale, chard, arugula, mustard, and loose leaf lettuce). I've left them growing but we did not get our tunnel made for the raised bed they are in so, unfortunately, I don't think they'll last long with just a cloth row cover.

Oliver & Jackson

Well, back to the specialty veterinary clinic we go.....

Poor Ollie has been having some issues, come to find out he has multiple herniated discs. He is doing well and it's nice to know what we're dealing with instead of guessing. Initially we all thought (us and his neurologist) that he may have a brain tumor like Emerson as well, but it was ruled out with an MRI (thankfully!).

And then there's Jack. Wouldn't you know that Mr. Jackson has a heart murmur, discovered at his annual check-up, and is now scheduled to see a cardiologist? That guy must have been jealous that Oliver got to travel to see specialists...... Unfortunately they are booked until February, so as long as he doesn't show any signs of distress, he will go at that time (they will get him in as an emergency if need be).

We expected this would likely come at some point as one of his litter mates has had some heart issues for a few years and is now on medications to keep it under control. So, Jack will, at the very least, have annual appointments with a cardiologist to keep an eye on his heart. And in case you're wondering, no, his heart murmur does not stop him from harassing Oliver or biting our toes at night.

Some things will never change.

delicious apple cake

In The Kitchen

We haven't been out to eat or purchased food to-go since February so our kitchen stays quite busy. Breakfasts remain fairly simple although I did make Cinnamon Swirl Bread and Blueberry Scones this month, just because. For lunch we didn't make the switch to soups because of the moderate temps. Instead, we continued to use the outdoor grill, make quick sandwiches or salads, and of course enjoy leftovers.

Dinners were fairly standard since we've been busy with our soap business. I did try this recipe for Chicken Fajita Rice for Jay and he loved it.

For dessert I tried this Apple Cake recipe and it is soooooo good. As I've noted before, we very rarely use processed sugar, however, we do make exceptions from time-to-time and this cake is worth it. I did cut the brown sugar used in the actual cake batter in half because I knew it would be way too sweet for us. It was still definitely more then plenty sweet in our opinion. I also substituted out the egg, used oat milk & vinegar for the buttermilk, vegan butter, and reduced the oil to make it something I would eat as well, but I'm positive if you are interested in making the recipe exactly as is it will be amazing.

Jay has asked if it could be made for Thanksgiving so I will be whipping another one up today!

In The Coop

Absolutely nothing is happening in the coop. The girls enjoy their feed and snacks but are still on their egg laying break. Jay has been rationing his egg consumption and we did purchase a dozen eggs from our farmer's market a few weeks back so he could make omelets and scrambled eggs frivolously. At that time we were getting 3-5 eggs per week but now we are getting none. So we will be buying them again....

What I've Been Reading

I've continued to enjoy reading in the evenings. I have realized that there are a few new (to me) authors whose writing I love - K.A. Tucker, Elizabeth Berg, Louise Miller, and Heather Webber. All write very differently but I just really enjoy what I've read by each of them so far.

Here are some of my favorites read this month. Actually I LOVED each of these (affiliate links):

The Simple Wild: A Novel and the second in the series Wild At Heart: A Novel - by K.A. Tucker (the third and final in the series is available December 1st)

Say You Still Love Me: A Novel - by K.A. Tucker

The Last Time I Saw You: A Novel - by Elizabeth Berg

The Late Bloomer's Club: A Novel - by Louise Miller

Midnight At The Blackbird Cafe: A Novel - by Heather Webber

One that I was surprised to really like, because it's not a book I would have normally chosen, was Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I really enjoyed it and am so glad that I read it.

If you have some favorites that you would recommend, I would love for you to leave it in the comments!

soap curing on the shelves

The Soap & Skincare Business

We are incredibly blessed to be quite busy despite the craft shows being cancelled and having limited tourists in our town to shop at our weekly farmer's market. Our online store continues churn out the orders and our local regulars continue to come out. And, the holiday Artisan Market at a museum one town over is going to be able to open so we are thrilled to have our products there again this year.

Our farmer's market usually moves indoors in November, however, we are trying to stay outside as long as possible this year. It's been chilly, I'm not going to lie. A couple of Sundays ago we barely made it to 40 degrees and this past Sunday we were at, I believe, 41 degrees. We did invest in a portable heater that is fueled by propane so that will be nice. We can put our tent walls up and turn on the heater to get warm. It's nice because it gives shoppers much more space to shop and makes them feel a lot more comfortable as our areas COVID numbers continue to rise.

Although this post was about 2 weeks late, I wanted to give you an October update. Thank you to those of you who have reached out asking for this and other posts. I'm hoping to get back to posting more often soon! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we certainly have a tremendous amount to be thankful for. Although we usually host a small gathering for friends, we will be celebrating just the two of us (and critters of course) this year. It will be a great day off (except for cooking) that we've looked forward to.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

This Month On The Farm: October 2020 was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)

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kingsgrill-blog · 5 years

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Fish Beer Battered Natural smoked Haddock w/ homemade Tartar sauce, baby leaves & mango salad& fries Meat Grilled chicken Fillets w/ Guacamole, chard Tender stem broccoli, smoked Bacon couscous& mushroom & herbs gravy (at Kings) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3UMeyDILzk/?igshid=1ncphjbk3g5fw

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pearcar93-blog · 5 years

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Upside Down Walnut, Chocolate, & Pear Cake

Our little back house we are renting is about four miles from the ocean here in Costa Mesa/Newport Beach. We get the foggy marine layer on the mornings it chooses to hang over the coast, and we have a very tempered climate year round. In the past I’ve brushed southern California off as having no seasons, but this just isn’t true. I think with social media these days we see so much in the fall of the iconic leaves changing, and more clearly defined seasons of certain regions of the world, that is has become commonplace to standardize these quarterly shifts. Maybe it’s just me and my tendency to seek out change, but I’m coming around to seeing a more full, open picture. Every little dot of latitude and longitude on the map has it’s own unique characteristics when it comes to seasons, and I’m beginning to appreciate our a-typical southern California ones.

September and October are two of the warmest months here where I live, which is wonderful if you can get past the photos of falls leaves and warms mugs of cocoa elsewhere. Why is it wonderful? The crowds of people have all gone home, the kids are back in school, and the beaches and national parks are now near-empty to enjoy. Around here we call it “locals’ summer”. I don’t do well in the heat, so this time can be tough for me to get through, but November and December are the greatest gift after these few warm months. This is my season, this is the time of year I fall in love with California. The air is chilly and as crisp as you can get with the pacific ocean nearby. The light is the most beautiful light I’ve ever seen. The sunsets make you weak in the knees. And the smell that permeates the entire city is pure heaven. The farmers market is still overflowing, with fall produce finally coming in alongside unlikely jewels such as tomatoes, avocados, oranges, and so many greens (kale, chard, herbs, etc). Local pomegranates are half the size of my head and two dollars a piece.

Approaching Thanksgiving this year, and hosting for the first time with my parents coming into town, I tried pondering a new theme we could base our cooking around that felt more fitting for our area. As is typical this time of year, we have a three day heat bump that lands right over Thanksgiving. Normally I would say something negative about California and how I wish I lived somewhere cooler. But not this year, I’m celebrating where we live. So we are having a California-themed Thanksgiving with dishes made from all of the produce that was overflowing the most at the farmers market this past weekend. Our backyard will be in shade in the late afternoon, so we will set up the table under our twinkle lights and eat outside. Roasting a dozen heavy dishes on a warm day doesn’t sound right to me, so I’m planning a few lighter twists. I’ll be sure to share them on Instagram stories a bit if you’re curious to see what we are making. I’m really excited you guys, it feels good to be going with the grain and not against it for once.

Part of my inspiration to dig deeper into understanding and loving the unique spot in the world where I live came from reading Valentina‘s pages in her new cookbook, Everyday Vegetarian. She lives in a small medieval town on the eastern side of Italy and shares her region’s history and culinary traditions in a way that reads like a poetic novel. From cover to cover you are immersed in recipes and stories that overlap each other into one beautiful picture of her culture. Valentina takes traditional recipes that have been passed down for generations in her family, alongside some newer ones of her own, and shows how to make them vegetarian (and many of them vegan too) without compromising the tradition. It’s beautifully photographed, with such a lovely cover to have sitting out on your kitchen counter too (see photo below recipe). She shows how there is so much more to Italian cooking outside of pasta and tomato sauce (although she has recipes for both from scratch that are incredible) and how to cook throughout the seasons in her nook of the world as well. I want to make every recipe from cover to cover and book a trip to Italy ASAP to experience so much of what she describes.

The first recipe that jumped out to me was her grandma’s upside down prune cake, which she suggests in the fall making with pears, nuts, and chocolate instead. So I did just that, and it was so scrumptious I had to share it with you here too! I used a mixture of freshly milled flours from the incredible people over at Eat Grain, which I link to individually in the recipe below. You can taste the freshness, and even see it, in these flours. I’ve never experienced anything like it – and the nutrition is suppose to be even better as well! Check out their line on their site here if you’d like, they are shipping anywhere in North America for free for the rest of the year – which is perfect timing for some holiday baking.

I hope those of you celebrating Thanksgiving this week have the most wonderful, joy-filled time. Maybe this cake could even squeeze onto one of your holiday tables too ;). -xx

SHOP MY PANTRY >>

RECIPE NOTES: The recipe below is pretty darn near exact to Valentina’s, with a few small exceptions. Here are the few substitutions I made which you can convert back to the original if you desire to: I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, apple sauce instead of sunflower oil, and a mixture of whole spelt and rye instead of whole wheat. I also halved the recipe below and prepared it in a 6 inch springform pan in the photos above, since I knew we would have lots of sweets on hand this week. This worked out really well, but I know I’ll be making the full recipe next time – it was just too good.

UPSIDE DOWN WALNUT, CHOCOLATE, & PEAR CAKE Makes one 10 inch cake, serves 8 to 10.

1 3/4 cups almond or soy milk 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup of water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (or sunflower oil) juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 cup coconut sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for the pan 1 cup of sifted spelt flour (white) 3/4 cup whole spelt flour 1/4 cup whole rye flour 1/3 cup potato starch 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of salt 15 small pears 1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

optional: extra chopped walnuts and dark chocolate for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly oil the sides (I forgot to oil mine and it still removed itself nicely, but it is probably safer to do so). Sprinkle about a teaspoon of coconut sugar on the bottom.

Combine the sifted (white) spelt, whole spelt, and rye flour with the potato starch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, coconut sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk to remove any lumps (I sifted mine, and added the sugar and zest afterwards).

In a large glass measuring cup, combine the almond or soy milk, vinegar, and lemon juice and stir. After a few seconds, the milk will start to curdle. Immediately add the water, applesauce (or sunflower oil), and vanilla. Stir well. Slowly pour this into the dry mix, stirring with a whisk to break any lumps. The batter will be somewhat on the liquid side.

Core each pear and slice into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Arrange in a circle in the prepared springform pan, until the bottom is completely filled. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and dark chocolate on top, and slowly pour the cake batter into the tin. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (mine took 50), until cooked through when tested in the center with a toothpick. Once cooked and golden on top, turn off the oven and let it sit inside for 5 minutes more.

Remove the cake from the oven and release from the springform pan onto a wire rack. Flip upside down so that the pears are on top, and peal away the parchment paper. This is optional, but while the cake is warm I sprinkled some dark chocolate on top, and when it had melted I added a small handful of additional chopped walnuts. Once fully cooled, slice and serve the cake. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter, or in the fridge (it’s really good cold), and enjoy within three days.

This recipe was originally found in the cookbook Everyday Vegetarian, and is being republished here with Valentina’s permission. See more of her beautiful work on her blog, Hortus Cuisine, and on Instagram.

I love seeing what you create! Be sure to tag your photos on Instagram with #FWmakers.

This post contains affiliate links (they are underlined for clarity). Purchases you make through these links will help fund the work I do here on Faring Well at no extra cost to you. Thank you sincerely for your constant love and support.

Naturally Vegetarian by Valentina Solfrini O R D E R H E R E

Source: http://faring-well.com/upside-down-walnut-chocolate-pear-cake/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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recesspizza40-blog · 5 years

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QUICK & EASY AUTUMNAL BEAN, GREENS AND CARROT SOUP WITH VEGAN SAUSAGE

QUICKIE POST, once again: I don't know why I haven't posted this recipe before now-- it's one of our perennial favorite soup recipes. It's not only nutritious and quick and easy to make-- it's adaptable as far as some of the ingredients go, hearty, filling and tasty, and can feed you well for a few days, or feed a small crowd! We love it with vegan apple/sage sausages, but Italian-style are good, too. When I made this the other day, I had no vegan sausages (and I live on an island), so I sliced up a couple of my homemade vegan cutlets and added that instead. It worked out well, although I think I prefer the sausage.

About those "white beans"-- I really like Great Northern beans, but you can use small white beans, navy beans (also known as "pea beans"), cannellini beans, or white kidney beans.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we do!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA’S QUICK & EASY AUTUMNAL BEAN, GREENS AND CARROT SOUP WITH VEGAN SAUSAGE Serves 8 to 10 2 cups diced carrots 2 medium onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped 3 apple/sage OR Italian vegan sausages (such as Field Roast or Tofurky), sliced (NOTE: If you have no vegan sausage, you can substitute sliced seitan cutlets [as in the photos], or reconstituted Butler Foods’ Soy Curls, or other vegan product that you like.) 8 cups flavorful vegan “chiken-y” broth 3/4 tsp. EACH dried oregano, thyme and basil 3 cups cooked, drained white beans [see above] (OR two 15 oz. cans of white beans, rinsed and drained) 10-12 ounces roughly-chopped fresh greens of your choice, such as chard, kale, or baby spinach leaves (NOTE: If you have no fresh greens, use a 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach or other greens, thawed and squeezed as dry as possible.) Salt & pepper to taste In a large, heavy pot sauté the carrots, onion and garlic in a little oil of choice (dark sesame oil is nice and flavorful) over medium heat until they have softened, adding a squirt of water if needed to keep things moving. Add the garlic and vegan sausage slices and brown a bit. (NOTE: If you’re pressed for time, dump the carrots and onion into a microwave-safe casserole with a cover [Pyrex is good] and microwave this for about 6-8 minutes, until the onion and carrots are softened. Then dump it all into your hot, oiled pan with the garlic and sausage slices and stir over medium-high heat until you get the onions ans sausage a bit browned.) Add the broth, herbs and white beans to the pot, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL STEP: If you want a “creamier” soup, take out 3 or 4 cups of the soup (minus the sausage slices) and process it until smooth in a large Pyrex batter bowl with a hand/immersion blender, then add this mixture back to the soup pot and mix well. Nutrition Facts for one serving: Calories 314.68, Calories From Fat 51.95, Total Fat 5.95g, Saturated Fat 1.25g, Cholesterol 2.46mg, Sodium 1812.07mg, Potassium 1071.18mg, Carbohydrates 52.06g,Dietary Fiber 9.60g, Sugar 3.41g, Sugar Alcohols 0.00g, Net Carbohydrates 42.46g, Protein 15.53g

Enjoy!

Source: http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2018/10/quickie-post-once-again-i-dont-know-why.html

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applecut3-blog · 5 years

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Easy does it: seven simple new Yotam Ottolenghi recipes

One person’s idea of cooking simply is the next person’s culinary nightmare. For me, it’s about being able to stop at my greengrocer on the way home, pick up a couple of things that look good and make something within 20 or 30 minutes of getting in. My husband, Karl, on the other hand, has a completely different idea. If we’re having friends over at the weekend, he’ll want to spend a good amount of time prepping and cooking as much as he can beforehand, so that very little needs to be done when our guests are here.

There are other approaches, too. Esme, who tests my recipes, prefers to be in the garden at weekends. Her idea of simple cooking is to put something in the oven on a Saturday morning and leave it simmering away, ready to be eaten four or five hours later. My colleague Tara, on the other hand, can’t relax without knowing that a meal is ready a full day before it’s due to be eaten: sauces are in the fridge, stews in the freezer, vegetables are blanched or roasted and ready.

Cooking, for me, has always been about abundance, bounty, freshness and surprise

Whatever our take, it all looks effortless and easy when friends and family come to eat in our respective kitchens. But that’s only because we’ve worked out what makes cooking simple, relaxing and fun for us. This idea, then – that there’s more than one way to get a meal on the table – is what my new book Ottolenghi Simple is all about.

And, no, it’s not a contradiction in terms. I know: I’ve seen the raised eyebrows, I’ve heard the jokes. The one about the reader who thought there was part of a recipe missing because they had all the ingredients in their cupboard. Or the one about “just popping out to the local shop to buy the papers, milk, black garlic and sumac”.

I hold up my hands, absolutely. There have been lists to make and ingredients to find, but, truthfully, there’s not a recipe to my name that I feel sheepish about. Cooking, for me, has always been about abundance, bounty, freshness and surprise. Four big words to expect from a plate of food, so a single sprig of parsley was never going to cut the mustard. That’s the reason I’m so excited about these recipes: they’re still distinctly “Ottolenghi”, but simple in at least one way – and very often more than one.

Iranian herb fritters

Iranian herb fritters. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin. Prop styling: Wei Tang

These can be snacked on at room temperature, or served with a green tahini sauce and some extra herbs. To make the tahini sauce, just blitz together 50g tahini, 30g parsley, half a crushed garlic clove, two tablespoons of lemon juice and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt in a blender, adding 125ml water at the end. (Holding back on the water allows the parsley to get really broken up, and turns the sauce as green as can be.) This is lovely spooned over grilled meat, fish and roast vegetables, so double or triple the batch: it will be fine in the fridge for up to five days. You might need to thin it with a little water or lemon juice.

These fritters are a bit of a fridge raid, using whatever herbs you have to hand. As long as you keep the total net weight the same and use a mixture, they’ll work wonderfully. The batter will keep, uncooked, for a day in the fridge.

Alternatively, pile the fritters into pitta bread with yoghurt, chilli sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini. If you go down that route, you’ll just need one fritter per person. The recipe makes eight fritters to serve four to eight.

40g dill, finely chopped 40g basil leaves, finely chopped 40g coriander leaves, finely chopped 1½ tsp ground cumin 50g fresh breadcrumbs (ie, from about 2 slices, crusts left on if soft) 3 tbsp barberries (or currants) 25g walnut halves, lightly toasted and roughly chopped 8 large eggs, beaten Salt 60ml sunflower oil, for frying

Put everything bar the oil in a large bowl with half a teaspoon of salt, mix well and set aside.

Put two tablespoons of oil in a large, nonstick pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add a ladle of batter per fritter into the oil, cooking a few fritters at a time – you want each of them to be about 12cm wide. Fry for one to two minutes on each side, until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside while you repeat with the remaining batter and oil.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chickpeas and swiss chard with yoghurt

Chickpeas and swiss chard with yoghurt. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

Comfort food at its best, especially when served with steamed rice. Don’t worry if you don’t have coriander: it’s a nice little garnish, but the dish holds its own perfectly without. Make this up to six hours ahead, if you like, up to the point before you add the lemon juice and yoghurt. Assemble just before serving and serve at room temperature or just warmed through. Serves two.

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces 45ml olive oil, plus extra to serve Salt and black pepper 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 tsp caraway seeds 1½ tsp ground cumin 200g swiss chard leaves, cut into 1cm-thick strips 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (230g drained weight) 1 lemon – juice half of it, to get 1 tbsp, and cut the other half into 2 wedges, to serve 70g Greek-style yoghurt 5g coriander leaves (about 1¼ tbsp), roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7. Mix the carrots with a tablespoon of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a grind of pepper. Spread out on an oven tray lined with baking paper and roast for 20 minutes: they should still be a little crunchy.

Put the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then fry the onion, caraway and cumin for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Stir in the chard, carrots, chickpeas, 75ml water, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for five minutes, until the chard is soft and hardly any liquid is left in the pan.

Turn off the heat, stir through the lemon juice, and serve with a generous spoonful of yoghurt, a sprinkle of coriander, a drizzle of oil and a wedge of lemon.

Whole roast celeriac with coriander-seed oil

Whole roast celeriac with coriander-seed oil. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

I’ve managed to achieve the seemingly impossible here, of taking a recipe from my Nopi cookbook and making it more complicated – by adding one more twist in the form of coriander seeds. I like to eat this as a starter, cut into wedges and served with a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of creme fraiche, but you can serve it as a side to a pork chop or steak. Serves four.

1 large celeriac, hairy roots discarded (no need to trim or peel), scrubbed clean (1.2kg net weight) 50ml olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle 1½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed Flaked sea salt 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Pierce the celeriac all over with a small sharp knife, about 20 times in total, then put it in a baking dish and rub generously with the oil, coriander seeds and two teaspoons of flaked salt. Roast for two and a half to three hours, basting every 30 minutes, until the celeriac is soft all the way through and golden brown on the outside.

Cut into wedges and serve with a wedge of lemon, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of oil.

Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta

Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food assistant: Katy Gilhooly.

I return to this time and again, for easy, one-pot suppers. Orzo is the little pasta in the shape of rice – easy to eat a lot of and widely available. If you start with prawns in their shells, keep a few heads on, just for the look. The marinated feta is lovely dotted over salads, so I tend to make a batch – it keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Serves four.

200g feta, broken into 1-2cm pieces ½ tsp chilli flakes 4 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed 75ml olive oil 250g orzo Salt and black pepper 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 3 strips finely shaved orange peel 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 500ml vegetable stock 400g raw shelled prawns 30g basil leaves, roughly shredded

In a medium bowl, mix the feta with a quarter-teaspoon of the chilli flakes, two teaspoons of the fennel seeds and a tablespoon of oil. Set aside while you cook the orzo.

Put a large saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of oil, the orzo, an eighth of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the same heat and add the remaining two tablespoons of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of chilli flakes, two teaspoons of fennel seeds, the garlic and the orange peel. Fry for a minute, until the garlic starts to brown lightly, then add the tomatoes, stock, 200ml water, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Cook for two to three minutes, or until boiling, then stir in the fried orzo. Cover, then lower the heat to medium low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the orzo is cooked. Remove the lid and cook for one to two minutes more, until the consistency is like a risotto. Stir in the prawns for two to three minutes, until they turn pink and are cooked. Stir in the basil and serve at once with the marinated feta sprinkled on top.

Beef sirloin and basil salad

This works as an impressive starter, as a lunch or light supper. All the elements can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the fridge; just don’t put the dish together until you’re about to serve. Serves four.

50g basil leaves 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 135ml olive oil Salt and black pepper 2 x 200g beef sirloin steaks, each about 1.5cm thick 2 pitta breads, roughly torn into 3cm pieces 2 red chicory, leaves separated, then cut in half lengthways on the diagonal 40g rocket 3 tbsp lemon juice 60g parmesan, shaved

Photograph: Jay Brooks/The Guardian. Grooming: Dani Richardson at the Milton Agency using Chantecaille.

Put half the basil in the small bowl of a food processor with the garlic, 75ml oil and three teaspoons of salt, and blitz to make a thick dressing.

Season the beef well with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Pour a tablespoon of oil into a medium frying pan and put on a high heat. When the pan is very hot, sear the beef for three to four minutes (for medium-rare), turning once halfway through. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining three tablespoons of oil to the same pan and place on a high heat. When hot, add the pitta pieces and fry for two to three minutes in all, shaking the pan from time to time, until golden and crisp all over. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Put the chicory, rocket, lemon juice, parmesan, basil oil and remaining basil leaves in a large serving bowl.

To serve, cut the beef against the grain into ½cm-thick slices. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and add to the salad bowl. Add the pitta pieces, toss gently and serve at once.

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine-nut salsa

Bridget Jones’s pan-fried salmon with pine-nut salsa. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin. Prop styling: Wei Tang

This is the dish Patrick Dempsey’s character tells Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones that he would have brought her on their imaginary second date in Bridget Jones’s Baby. “From Ottolenghi,” Dempsey says, “delicious and healthy!” And easy, we might add. What sounded like a bit of product placement on our part was in fact no such thing: the recipe didn’t even exist on our menu, so this is a retrospective acknowledgement. Serves four.

100g currants 4 salmon fillets, skin on and pin-boned 100ml olive oil Salt and black pepper 4 celery sticks, cut into 1cm dice, leaves removed but reserved to garnish 30g pine nuts, roughly chopped 40g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their brine 40g large green olives (about 8 in total), pitted and cut into 1cm dice 1 good pinch saffron threads (¼ tsp), mixed with 1 tbsp hot water 20g parsley leaves, roughly chopped 1 lemon – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then juiced, to get 1 tsp

Cover the currants with boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes while you prep the salmon and make the salsa.

Mix the salmon with two teaspoons of oil, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.

Put 75ml olive oil in a large saute pan and place on a high heat. Add the celery and pine nuts, and fry for four to five minutes, stirring frequently, until the nuts begin to brown (don’t take your eyes off them, because they burn easily). Take the pan off the heat and stir in the capers and their brine, the olives, saffron and its water, and a pinch of salt. Drain the currants and add these with the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Put the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and place on a medium-high heat. Once hot, lay in the salmon fillets skin side down and fry for three minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn down the heat to medium, flip over the fillets and fry for two to four minutes more (timings will depend on how much you like the salmon cooked), then remove from the pan.

Arrange the cooked salmon on four plates and spoon over the salsa. If you have any, scatter the reserved celery leaves on top, and serve.

Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls

Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin. Prop styling: Wei Tang

Two assumptions here. One is that everyone has a jar of Nutella somewhere, and second that making your own dough and rolling it up into all sorts of deliciousness is easier than it looks. The result is somewhere between a cake and a biscuit, best enjoyed as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. The dough is delicate, so it’s important you soften the Nutella until it’s nearly runny before spreading it. These are inspired by a similar pastry served at Landwer Cafe in Tel Aviv. Makes 10 rolls.

150g strong white bread flour, plus a little extra for dusting¾ tsp fast-action dried yeast1½ tsp caster sugar 3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing¼ tsp salt65ml lukewarm water 40g blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped20g sesame seeds, lightly toasted150g Nutella, softened (in the microwave or gently on the stove, until easily spreadable)1 small orange – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp2 tsp icing sugar

Put the flour, yeast, sugar, two tablespoons of oil and the salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Gently pour in the water, then, using a spatula, bring the mixture together until combined into a dough. Transfer to a lightly oiled surface and, with lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for three minutes, until soft and elastic. (You may need to add a little more oil if it starts to stick to the surface or your hands.) Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 40 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.

Heat the oven to 240C/465F/gas 9. Combine the hazelnuts and sesame seeds in a small bowl and set aside one tablespoon of the mix.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 40cm x 30cm rectangle, so that the longest side is towards you and parallel to the work surface. Using a spatula, spread the dough with the Nutella, leaving a 2cm border clear on the top edge. Sprinkle the orange zest evenly over the Nutella, then scatter over the sesame and hazelnut mix. With the longest side still towards you, roll the dough into a long sausage. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil, then sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of sesame and hazelnuts (gently press these into the dough, so they stick). Trim the ends, cut the roll into 10 3cm-long segments and lay seam side down on an oven tray lined with baking paper.

Bake for about eight minutes, until golden brown, then dust with the icing sugar and leave to cool slightly before serving.

Fish sustainability varies by species, region and fishing or production method. For the best sources of salmon and prawns, check the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide

Recipes taken from Ottolenghi Simple, published by Ebury Press at £25. To order a copy for £18, go to guardianbookshop.com or call 0330 333 6846.

• Commenting on this piece? If you would like your comment to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazine’s letters page in print, please email [email protected], including your name and address (not for publication).

This article was edited on 4 September 2018, to correct the amount of salt used in the preparation of the salmon.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/01/easy-does-it-seven-simple-yotam-ottolenghi-recipes

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