SwampNut

LOL, that's what I say about the Breville. Note that large sweet potatoes still need to be cut, but a Russet goes right in. Oh, and we use only the 1/8" attachments for both, air fryers don't do thick fries well. I should have mentioned before, since there are options to buy different attachments.

I saw someone doing that with a flexible exhaust tube section. His "logic" for doing so was painful.

You'll want to read this. Nutritional yeast also has great uses in flavoring, because it imparts a cheese-like tang. I'll post about its uses at some point. I actually make a WFPB 'gas station cheez sauce" with it, for those days when you want to feel like you are eating total junk. Also Taco Bell "meat" recipe. https://nutritionfacts.org/2021/09/14/the-effects-of-nutritional-yeast-for-cancer/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=20d44878be-RSS_BLOG_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-20d44878be-28710906&mc_cid=20d44878be&mc_eid=6bf37ade4d

I linked to mine, and I'm not super picky on brands, but have found that oil based raises my D levels much better than tablets.

I have a high end, really big cutter, and a small, multi-purpose "everything" cuber. The big one is huge and you may hate that about it. Super effective at big batches and even can do sweet potatoes which we love (and are VERY nutritious). The small cubing thing is worth having and I use it a lot. Slightly cut onions and put them in the cuber...tiny onion bits. Onions are super nutritious also and so low in calories. Use the shit out of them. Moriah wants them to be super tiny and soft. That one also does fries decently, but you have to use smaller potatoes or cut them. We do a lot of the middle-size yellow potatoes. You can't fit a Russet in it. Love this and recommend it a lot: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0764HS4SL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is the monster: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VSH9FHI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have two air fryers; they have different purposes. The Breville 900 oven is our primary oven. I use the "real" oven once a year for something large. The Breville blows it away on every measure except size. It's also a great air fryer for high volume and/or wet foods. We also have a Philips "R2D2" air fryer which is not as good for anything wet/sticky, and is small. The pod type is great for things like corn chips. Like potatoes, pure corn tortillas are real whole food, up until we fry them and cover them in salt. I make them plain, and people go nuts because they've never tasted CORN in chips instead of just grease and salt. Just cut pure corn tortillas (check the label, most are pure, some are full of garbage) into six pieces. I find I can put 6-7 tortillas into the air fryer. They need to be separated out so air will flow. Put them up around the edges and minimize piling. I preheat the air fryer to 330 and let it sit a little longer heating up more. This makes a difference. I set the timer to about 10, the first batch or two could take longer, subsequent batches heat faster. Toss them at the 4-5 minute mark, and again at about 7, and see how they are doing. You will fuck up a few at first until you get a rhythm. I buy the huge pack of tortillas at Sam's and do the whole thing while watching TV. I store them in 2-gallon zip lock bags. Guacamole is real food, as is most salsa (just watch for stupid sodium levels in some). Pure corn tortillas are a treat that seems like junk food but isn't. Get some kind of a french fry cutter. Air fry them in one of the larger air fryers like the Breville. Again, almost junk food, but not. Dip them in hot sauce, or make up a WFPB burger/fry sauce (recipe later). If you want to, apply a light spray of olive oil on the cut fries and toss, then add spices. This is not perfectly WFPB, but very very far from SAD. A typical olive oil sprayer gives you about 8-10 calories per spray. By the time you account for loss, half a dozen sprays in a bowl of fries will give you a nice coating but so few junk calories.

Some people say you shouldn't buy single-purpose tools that clutter the kitchen. I say you should also try to avoid shitty multi-purpose tools that do nothing right. Here are a few things that I find highly useful. Handheld metal citrus squeezer. Lemons and limes are so useful in adding zing to so many meals. Use them, lots of them. Garlic slicer. Takes little room, and slightly toasted sauteed garlic is great for so many things. Topping on a salad, added to marinara, etc. High speed, high power blender. Instant pot. I have a 3 quart and an 8. Beans are an essential part of WFPB, and you can make an unlimited variety of bean dishes and stews, put them in to-go containers, and eat later. Potatoes, corn, lentils, beans, spices. Unlimited options. I use the small one for rice and other small grain dishes like buckwheat and steel cut oats. The big one for large stews. It can generate 4-6 meals of 500-700 calories each, which I can then use over the following week. Immersion blender. Some bean and stew type meals are good to either totally cream or just partially. Plastic, microwave-safe cups/bowls to put your premade stuff in and heat easily. Portable. I will be traveling to PA with one and some instant meals. As long as I can get/make hot water, I have a meal. You can also seal something in these and they won't spill (you can't abuse them, but they will travel well in a bag). https://smile.amazon.com/Sistema-Microwave-Collection-Noodle-1109ZS/dp/B009SD35IO/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sistema+940&qid=1631634472&s=home-garden&sr=1-1 Another favorite trick of mine for storing multiple pre-made meals is disposable restaurant to-go containers. About ten cents each, totally portable (you'd have to try very hard to break them), and then just toss it. I can put it in moto luggage or whatever. They freeze just fine, then go on a trip, and toss out. I buy a case and it lasts a couple years. The big ones are perfect for about 600 calories of a bean/potato/corn type stew or meal. The small ones for hummus, sides, etc. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/choicehd-32-oz-microwavable-translucent-plastic-deli-container-and-lid-combo-pack-case/128HD32COMBO.html https://www.webstaurantstore.com/choicehd-16-oz-microwavable-translucent-plastic-deli-container-and-lid-combo-pack-case/128HD16COMBO.html

I've seen some evidence saying that you really do want to top out at about 70-80, and over 100 is cause for concern. This is a moving target however. Note that reference scales normally aren't based on ideals, but simply based on correlation with problems or lack of. "People over 30 ng/mL failed to have glaring problems" is very different from using that number as good for optimal health. I have seen NO evidence that being up to 80 is bad, and Zero is the only other person I know who is over 60. The other guy's doctor just cut him back to 1k IU/day with a target of 50-70, and zero concern for where he was. I'm not sure how to interpret this, however I think the doc is saying this is a good thing, right?

You can easily substitute nuts for oil or mayo in dressings, and you can make super interesting things. Last year at a pool party, a large group went nuts over a salad I made, wanted to know if it was some kind of restaurant dressing or something. No, just fresh real foods. These are people who normally just eat normal junk so they didn't know or care what was in it. Base: Nuts and nut butters are just easy and obvious. Tofu can also be used with great effect. Acid: Any type of vinegar or lemon/lime juice, yuzu juice, bitter orange juice, etc. Flavor: Spices, fruit, garlic/roasted garlic, etc. Mustard works very well in dressings as a background kick. Raspberry dressing is an obvious fun one. I have roasted garlic ready in the fridge at all times, I can quickly match a flavor for most any type of meal. One of the favorites among my group is pistachios, roasted garlic, thyme, red wine or balsamic vinegar, mustard, potassium chloride. You can use pine nuts, garlic, Italian spices, and any related vinegar (white wine, red wine, balsamic) to get a creamy italian or Mediterranean flavor and feel. For a more Greek/Med flavor, try tahini instead of pine nuts (also way cheaper). Think of the flavors you're working with for a meal and get inspired. Asian vinegars, white pepper, low-sodium soy or coco aminos, cashews or tofu, Chinese five-spice, fish sauce...now your oriental meal has a salad. If you want a flavor you can't get otherwise and are ok with a little oil, add a very small amount of sesame oil. Add fruit and nuts to salads. So red grapes cut in half, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, or really most anything not overly sweet. Fine-chop green apples into a salad topping relish. TIP: Putting your acid in with cut up garlic takes the bite out of it. I put those in the blender first and give them 5-10 minutes before adding the rest. Acids cut bitter and other acids. Lemon juice on arugula 20 minutes before serving means that people who say "I don't like arugula" now like it. I live with one of those people. Or any acid that goes with the meal, like balsamic.

I forgot to mention, in case it's not obvious. When using nuts as an oil substitute, drain the water. And people say the results with low end blenders are not great. Our Blendtec makes it so you can't tell dressings are oil free.

What are the actual numbers? Over the years, new evidence has shown us that the old standards were a bit low. For a while, 30 was "alright" and that definitely does not correlate with the health improvements and resistance to illness.

Oh yeah, sweet or dill or other types of gherkins...go wild. Relish. Whatever. Different mustards. Make a spicy version with just a bit of cayenne or finely chopped jalapeños. Fresh grind a shitload of peppercorn mix and make a super peppery version.

Potatoes are a fantastic source of many nutrients including critical amino acids (which your body uses to build human protein). Thing is, nearly all SAD (Standard American Diet) cooking and serving methods turn them into junk food. Fried potatoes of various kinds, or slathered with grease. Mayo is likely one of the shittiest things we use to grease up potatoes. There's another way. This recipe is a work in progress and I'm tweaking as I go. All measures are approximate. Served it twice with great feedback. Also, consider your variables like black pepper, adding dill, adding chives, etc etc. BASE NOTE: Using nuts as an oil/grease substitute is a staple of WFPB cooking. The best way to do this is to soak the nuts in very hot water (not really boiling though) for about 20 minutes, then blend in a high power blender. plain boiled potatoes, probably around a pound and a half, remove skins after boiling 1 cup raw cashews, softened in hot water 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1-3 tbsp mustard, vary by taste and type (3 tbsp stone ground German is awesome) 1 tsp garlic powder Potassium chloride to taste, about 1/4 tsp vinegar pickled gherkins, diced (go wild here, to taste) white onion, diced add some of the pickles' liquid Cook the potatoes in advance, let cool, so they are firm. Let the salad sit for half a day for better taste. Blend nuts and other ingredients, except obviously not the potatoes, onions, and gherkins.

Nearly everyone over 40 and many people under that age are low. The evidence is overwhelming that people who keep their levels around 50 suffer fewer illnesses, both minor and major. I was first tested around 12 years ago and routinely since then; I was low. This was in September or so after spending all summer on the boat in the sun. We should all reduce or eliminate our consumption of dairy, and that's one of the few reliable sources of it. But brings along so many other health and non-health issues. I have been supplementing about 5k IU/day since then and keep my levels in the 48-54 range doing so. I have found that the gel caps keep the levels higher, and the tablets seem to be less bio-available. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B010RAGYG6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have limited time right now to post up details, but starting with this. Let's put together the common language so we're always saying the same things. Please add in other things or post questions, and I'll edit/copy them into this top post. WFPB - Whole food, plant based. This is always vegan when followed strictly, but vegan is not usually WFPB. Oreos are vegan. WFPB means zero or minimal processing and whole plants. Flour is vegan, it is not WFPB because it's been stripped of much of its nutrition. And also modified in ways that cause an insulin spike (glycemic index). Vegan - There's a philosophy, and there's food. The most accepted "true vegan" definition avoids all uses of all animal products that harm animals. There is debate on whether honey production/collection is harmful to bees. Milk production obviously is a shit life for those cows. There is also debate on whether you can be "mostly" vegan, some claim you're either all in or you're not. I disagree, and I am mostly vegan, but there's nothing like a high quality leather belt. Yet the "vegan leather" in my car is actually better than cow leather. And I mostly don't eat animal products. Some people on WFPB will occasionally add animal, particularly the most nutritious ones like salmon. Vegans say this makes then totally not vegan, at all. Oil - This is often challenging because people think it means all fats. WFPB avoids oil because again, it is stripped of all nutrition and of all other plant parts that factor into how good/bad things may be. It is not a whole food. There is good evidence that refined oils are inflammatory. Salts - The evidence is overwhelming that Americans eat ludicrous amounts of sodium, and it's bad in so many ways. WFPB people typically also try to reduce it, though it's not an intrinsic definition of it. Also replacing sodium salts with other metal salts is fine. Americans get too little potassium, and too much sodium. EASY to fix with no penalty! Potassium chloride works just like sodium chloride. Protein - you have been lied to. That deserves its own post. Nobody needs to consume animal protein, and 90%+ of Americans consume too much protein. This is tough on various parts of your body. B12 - There is no way to be 100% vegan because right now we have no reliable, cost effective way to get B12 from non-animal sources. Everyone eating vegan or mostly vegan must supplement this.

I can tell you that tumbling the .50 BMG brass in the dryer was NOT good. Or maybe washer. Anyway, dented the fuck out of all the necks.

There are rust treatments for gas tanks, if it's not a matter of being totally damaged.

That's purple. And hot.

My Bronco came with one, which was convenient when I was legit working at Marana WAATS, but didn't qualify for a sticker. Most of the time I got a glance and a salute.

I mean, it's a hideous monstrosity no matter what, I guess I just don't see how it makes it worse. But useful as fuck and a nice drive.

Well, you know what you get when you cross a Mexican and an Asian. From my chair on your patio, they look fine.

Nah, more likely he stopped the tractor for a little quiet time with a sheep, and it wouldn't restart.

WTF on the bars.

I can tell you that the spiral ones like Optima seem impossible to kill, but always have much less storage than the same battery size in a normal form. For a starting battery that's fine, for deep cycle duty that can be a challenge. But I've seen them survive some extreme abuse. I put a Sam's Club AGM into the last Jeep when I shook its OEM battery into a pulp. It was not spiral, just a square AGM. Much harder to break in a rough application. "Why does this old battery sound like a glass factory turned upside down?"

I've never had good experiences with Interstate, and getting replacements fucking sucks. They wouldn't deal with it on the weekend at all. These days, I would only buy a battery from Sam's or Costco. Good price, no bullshit, easy replacement. I bought an ancient RV years ago that came with six year old abused Costco batteries, and still got another couple years. Now Oscar has that RV, with abuse Sam's batteries...how are they doing?