When my husband was single‚ he used Sundays to make himself a giant vat of plain chicken and steamed vegetables to last the week. Like so many other other athletes‚ eating had a singular purpose: building muscle. In order to achieve that end‚ he endeavored to “meet his macros.” That meant 185 grams of protein every day. It was a chore. He was a machine! I really admired his discipline and adopted many of his habits.Since becoming a mother‚ and by extension‚ manager of my family’s nutrition‚ the nature of meals has changed. We are no longer atomized‚ single people‚ eating our food mostly alone with the purpose of maximizing the health of our bodies. This was a partially virtuous way to encounter food‚ I think‚ but it is unfitting for the purposes of family. Now‚ the dinner table has become ground zero for connection‚ culture‚ and‚ I don’t think I’m overstating this‚ civilization. It’s where we pray together. It’s where we share our intimate thoughts as well as belly laughs. It’s where my children practice etiquette. Sustenance is the bare minimum requirement for our meals — with toddlers‚ feeding them at all can become a challenge in itself! Health‚ of course‚ considering our children’s growing brains and bodies‚ remains central. But as of late‚ joy has become an even more vital requirement.So‚ the food I make must be enjoyable. Delicious food helps our family enjoy one another’s company as well as develop an appreciation for technique‚ history‚ and tradition. I want my children to feel as though they are part of a culture even greater than the nuclear family. This is what my grandparents ate. This is what I’ll feed my grandchildren. Feeding my family is for keeping them alive and it is for keeping culture alive. Especially in a political climate where traditions‚ at least European traditions‚ are regarded with suspicion‚ and in a cultural climate that prioritizes convenience‚ individualism‚ and machine thinking‚ cooking excellently might just be an expression of radical civil disobedience.Tonight‚ to honor my husband’s fitness goals and his Mediterranean heritage‚ I am making three very high-protein‚ delicious‚ and satisfying dishes: meatballs‚ cucumber salad‚ and quinoa tabbouleh. This feeds a family of five with leftovers.MeatballsAs ever‚ season to taste. Some people like a splash of cinnamon in their meatballs. I really enjoy the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s. Sometimes‚ instead of baking these‚ I flatten them and sauté them as patties.Ingredients2 lbs ground beef1 ½ cup sourdough starter (or ¾ breadcrumbs soaked in buttermilk)2 eggs1 cup minced onion1 cup minced garlicSalt and pepper to tasteThe seasonings you like! Parsley‚ basil‚ oregano‚ cinnamon — this is so personal and difficult to prescribe because‚ as I’ve said‚ I frequently just cook with vibes.InstructionsAdd all the ingredients into a bowl and use your hands to mix thoroughly. Doctors wouldn’t appreciate me saying you can taste as you go to determine whether or not they taste good (ahem‚ it’s fine).Form meatballs.Fry as you would a hamburger patty OR bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.Cucumber tzatziki saladIngredients2 English cucumbers‚ thinly sliced2 small red onions‚ thinly sliced into half moons1 ½ cups Greek yogurt4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tsp fresh lemon zestSplash of lemon juiceSplash of balsamic vinegar (white wine vinegar is fine)2 cloves of garlic‚ grated or minced½ cup finely chopped fresh dill4 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano½ tsp sea salt½ tsp freshly ground black pepperInstructionsCombine cucumber and onionWhisk all wet ingredients‚ including herbsCombineThis tastes best having sat for about an hour‚ and it keeps for awhileQuinoa TabboulehIngredients2 cups dry quinoa4 cups of broth of your choosingKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)1 tbsp tahini½ cup high-quality olive oil2 cups thinly sliced scallions‚ white and green parts (10 scallions)2 bunches fresh mint‚ chopped2 bunches fresh parsley‚ chopped2 bunches fresh basil‚ chopped2 English cucumbers‚ medium-diced2 cups cherry tomatoes‚ halved through the stem4 cups medium-diced feta (8 ounces)InstructionsPour 4 cups of broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa. Cook until the quinoa can be fluffed with a fork and the broth has been absorbed. Place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice‚ olive oil‚ tahini‚ and 3 teaspoons of salt.In a large bowl‚ combine the scallions‚ mint‚ parsley‚ cucumber‚ tomatoes‚ 2-4 teaspoons of salt‚ and 2 teaspoons of pepper. Add the quinoa and mix well. Carefully fold in the feta and taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Indiana police said that they had rescued a woman from a prostitution operation at a home in Indianapolis‚ and they believe it might have been run by members of a brutal gang from Venezuela. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said that they were called to a home on Eagledale Drive after a teenage girl told a neighbor on Tuesday that she and three other women were being trafficked for sex. They interviewed a woman who told them that she had been brought to Indianapolis from Boston‚ Massachusetts‚ in order to work to raise money to bring her family to the United States. Instead‚ she was forced to have sex with a man who was called "the boss." Then‚ she was forced into prostitution. A man who allegedly ran the home and collected the money from prostitution was identified as 29-year-old Alejandro Santiago. Police arrested Santiago and charged him with three counts of promoting prostitution. Police were unable to identify the man known as "the boss‚" but they said that they suspect the prostitution home was being run by a brutal Venezuelan gang called El Tren de Aragua. El Tren de Aragua was founded in 2012 in a Venezuelan prison. The gang has spread from Venezuela to other countries in Latin America‚ including Chile‚ Columbia‚ and Peru. The gang is reportedly behind a rash of smartphone robberies in New York City‚ some of which have been violent. Officials said that two immigrants who were caught on video brutally attacking NYPD officers in January were members of the transnational criminal gang. Mary Nolen‚ an associated director at Hope Center Indy that helps victims of trafficking‚ told WTHR-TV that people should take an online class to help them identify the signs of human trafficking. "Typically‚ so much of trafficking is relational in the United States. Probably at least 90 percent of the time they're being trafficked by someone they know that could be a boyfriend or their own family members‚" she said. "It can be hard for those of us‚ or people that aren't around the issue of sex trafficking‚ to know what to do‚” Nolen added. “But typically‚ we say if you see something‚ say something and there's hotlines you can call."Here's a news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota has indicated that he is hoping to become Senate GOP leader. Asked whether he wants to become Senate majority or minority leader‚ Thune indicated to KELOLAND News that he does hope to serve in the leadership post. — (@) Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)‚ who has been serving as either Senate minority leader or Senate majority leader since 2007‚ has announced that his current term as Senate GOP leader will be his last in the leadership post. Thune‚ who has been serving in the Senate for more than 19 years‚ is currently Senate Republican whip. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is also aiming to succeed McConnell. Like McConnell‚ Cornyn and Thune were among the group of Senate Republicans who last month voted in favor of a measure that would‚ in part‚ provide for the U.S. to supply additional aid to Ukraine.Sen. Rick Scott of Florida‚ who unsuccessfully challenged McConnell for the leadership role in 2022‚ said in a statement issued last week‚ "I have been very clear and have long believed that we need new leadership in the Senate that represents our voters and the issues we were sent here to fight for. As everyone knows‚ I challenged Leader McConnell in 2022. This is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A man says that a scorpion stung him on his testicles as he was sleeping at a resort hotel on the Las Vegas strip in Nevada‚ and he is considering filing a lawsuit. Michael Farchi of Agora Hills in California told KLAS-TV that he awoke to a searing pain at the Venetian Las Vegas resort hotel while he was on vacation with his family on Dec. 27. “I just felt like somebody stabbing me in my private area‚” he said. “It felt like a sharp glass or a knife." When he went to the bathroom‚ he found the scorpion and realized he had been stung. “I went to the restroom‚ and I saw a scorpion hanging on my underwear‚” Farchi said. He and his family checked out a day early because of the incident‚ and the hotel comped his room. Farchi produced a number of photographs of the scorpion on top of his underwear to KLAS and said that he didn't know how the animal got into his room. “I didn’t even ask how it got in the room; nobody told me about any option‚” he said. “It was just under my cover.” A medical incident report at the Venetian Las Vegas resort said that Farchi had informed them about the sting at about 8 a.m. and that he had gone to a hospital where they confirmed the diagnosis of a scorpion sting. He provided a copy of the medical incident report to KLAS. “Everybody was in shock‚ nobody believed‚” Farchi added. “Even I couldn’t believe it.”Brian Virag‚ the attorney representing Farchi‚ says that they are considering a lawsuit against the hotel over the trauma he experienced from the incident. He added that people should inspect their room for safety when they first check in. "When you check into a hotel‚ you expect to be safe‚" said Virag. He also questioned whether the protocols the hotel had in place were followed completely. The hotel provided a brief statement to KLAS about the incident. “The resort has protocols for all incidents and we can confirm they were followed in this incident‚" the statement said.The Venetian includes over 7‚000 rooms and three million square feet of retail and meeting space. Here's a news report about the incident: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

After a string of losses to former President Donald Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential nominating contest‚ Nikki Haley finally snapped her massive losing streak by winning the GOP presidential primary in the District of Columbia. According to results reported by the Associated Press‚ Haley received 1‚274 votes‚ while Trump received 676 votes.The individual who becomes the 2024 Republican presidential nominee likely stands little chance of winning Washington‚ D.C.‚ during the general election‚ as the city has gone blue in each presidential contest since 1964‚ which was the first presidential election that took place after the 23rd Amendment was in place.Haley‚ a former South Carolina governor who even lost the GOP presidential primary in her home state last month‚ has declined to drop out of the contest‚ even as Trump dominates."I purposely stayed away from the D.C. Vote because it is the 'Swamp‚' with very few delegates‚ and no upside‚" Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social. "Birdbrain is a loser‚ record low performance in virtually every State‚" he said in another post.Haley‚ who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during a portion of Trump's White House tenure‚ may be dealt a slew of losses on Super Tuesday."Don't complain about what happens in a general election if you don't participate in the primary election‚" a post on Haley's X account states. A graphic included with the post declares‚ "VOTE NIKKI HALEY ON SUPER TUESDAY AND SAVE THE COUNTRY." — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The three-judge panel for the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals said that the law violates the First Amendment.

Houghton University president Wayne D. Lewis Jr. called out adults of authority who have ignored the encroachment of men into the female divisions.

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Michael Moore Informs Jews Their Enemy Isn't Palestinians but White European Christians

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