Thanks, I tried it but need non-dairy and the taste was pretty bad. I also feel weirdly guilty about taking something a child might need.
Iām going through so many options to try and regain my health but keep running into roadblocks and reformulations.
Also potentially in the reformulation hall of shame - Ensure powder. Iād been drinking it in recent years to help maintain nutrition, but then it got taken off shelves and brought back with new labelsā¦
TW medical, vomiting
In developments that may or may not be connected, I started needing to dilute the Ensure much more to stomach it and eventually completely stopped having it because it was making me really sick, much more than my normal baseline.
My stomach still shuts down (gastroparesis but possibly something else too - tests are still pending) and Iām still in a lot of pain but since I quit drinking the Ensure Iām no longer routinely vomiting.
It was always a little gross to drink and I canāt find anything about a reformulation? Nothing is jumping out at me as different on the label.
But more recently itās unambiguously been worsening things for me and Iām trying to remember if that started around the time of the new packaging.
I really feel like companies should be required to announce changes and disclose what they were.
No problem, glad to have warned you.
Iām not exactly sure when the formulation changed (to be able to check by bottle date) but I burned my face with Cetaphil at least a year ago. Complaining again because Iām revisiting my options.
I went to Neutrogena extra gentle cleanser but thatās now been changed into some foaming and creamy cleansers that I havenāt yet tried out.
Not entirely sure about the Clearasil. I still have combination skin but as Iām getting older itās getting weirdly dehydrated so Iām trying to steer away from anything foaming to see if that helps.
Agree, Iām not able to use salicylic acid every day. If I use it itās only once in a blue moon (because physical exfoliation is too rough) and as a drop or two of serum mixed into lotion to dilute it. (Iāll keep one bottle of a cheap brand like Beauty Glam or Kmart on hand - also good for rubbing under arms before antiperspirant.)
Ā
Other things I tried if itās useful to anybody:
Cerave cleanser and lotion are good on my skin but you canāt buy them with your regular supermarket shop and while the lotion is lovely and hydrating itās quite light and doesnāt have a lot of staying power so you can still get dry. Still the best known options.
The tube of Cerave cream isnāt very moisturising, feels more like a really thick barrier cream that sits as a residue on your skin.
Reviews say the same about the Cerave tubs which also contain niacinimide (can cause redness and soreness or breakouts) so I give the tubs a miss.
Ego Sunsense Daily Face SPF 50 varieties have also changed to include niacinimide so I stopped buying it. That had been a little oily/shiny but was the only high protection facial sunscreen I found that didnāt stingā¦
I used the Nivea SPF 15 moisturiser for many years as a teen and young adult but that recently began stinging after reformulation and then got discontinued. In hindsight I wish I had used something with higher protection.
I tend to dislike QV products in general with one exception. The foaming unscented QV wash is ok for body but stripping on face. I might use it in the shower if trying to remove sunscreen but for regular use, no.
EDIT: Also sorbolene stings and reddens my skin. This may be due to the glycerine, or the surfactant/detergent in it (as sorbolene was made to be a soap free skin cleanser). Some people may get away with using it to cleanse or remove makeup and then washing it right off but it always causes a red sore reaction for me regardless.
Current routine: After finishing the cleanser bottle I kind of cracked the shits about the price of Cerave face wash and having to go out of my way to buy it so have just been rinsing my face with water or a quick rub with very diluted Balnea sorbolene āsoapā in the showerā¦ not helping the dryness but oh well. I am temporarily being broke and lazy.
I tried the Dove sensitive beauty bar on my face at the sink but itās unexpectedly drying and can sting if Iām not careful.
Iām still using the Cerave lotion but having to top it off with an unscented body lotion to seal the hydration in (Vaseline brand) because itās so very light.
For sunscreen I was using Olay SPF 30 Sensitive which was tolerable and not greasy but could be a bit stinging and thick to wash off.
Now I use Neutrogena SPF 15 moisturiser which is fine but nowhere near the level of sun protection I want. I keep the little pump bottle of Olay in my bag as a backup.
Iād love it if manufacturers would stop reformulating everything.
A lot of the ānew and improvedā stuff is actually worse, sometimes even causing bad reactions for me. Often not only me. Whenever it happens I stop buying.
I agree. And if youāre not in the strata of being able to get a mortgage itās pretty grim
Today has been a rough one. Melbcat guarded me while I sat in the shower and then curled up in my dressing gown with me to share a nap.
I donāt understand how people think cats are cold or aloof
Jimmy two-tone
Look at that face. Heās telling you to stop messing around and think of your future
Yeah reddit be judgy. Sounds like you want to get in with like minded people.
There used to be poetry slams many years ago at the Drunken Poet, dunno if thatās still going. It seemed friendly enough.
Just a heads up though that I did stop going because of some old drunk dude making inappropriate comments. So likeā¦ check it out if you want and if it sucks hit the bricks
Ah I kinda have to though. Using pots in a limited space and trying to keep the fruit off the ground.
Iāll try to be very careful with wide fabric ties and picking them small
Iāve chosen not to and I think everyone will be happier for it
Iām still struggling both physically and mentally. Forcing myself to do stuff is backfiring and causing a lot of stress. But the alternative is to just do nothing? Indefinitely?
Iāve inexpertly taken the soil samples and only just remembered - even if they come back safe I might not use the soil because thereās the cat poo to consider.
When I adopted Melbcat she was an outdoor girlie. While that was years ago and sheās now adjusted to being a litterbox enjoyer, I canāt promise the same for the visiting cats or possums.
Thanks, that sounds nice and cheap.
I want to do tiny sugar pumpkins too but that might be too many plants
Oh and I forgot who had the chillos that were at risk of getting too cold - but you can buy or make covers to go over the top of them.
Even put them in a plastic tub with a lid as a temporary greenhouse til you can get something else sorted
If I was to grow zucchini in pots would a tripod of Brunnings bamboo stakes be enough support? (The thin kind?) Or should I go for a thicker individual wooden stake for each, or a cheap wooden lattice?
I probably wouldnāt be letting the fruit get full size. More young tender zukes
All of the cassowary has been eaten so I would like the cooked stone please
With limits on eggs now I thought it might be good to post some substitutes and notes on what has worked vs what was not that great.
For scrambled eggs and quiche I used to use silken tofu. It wasn't that pretty and didn't taste quite the same, but I seasoned it with soy sauce and didn't die. If you're willing to buy a niche product black salt contains sulfur and will give an eggy taste.
Mashed banana and applesauce are often recommended - I forget if I've tried them.
Yogurt was used as a substitute in muffins but I didn't like the result much. It made them a little dense and heavy. Perhaps it was that I used plain Greek yogurt rather than a thinner variety, plus muffins are supposed to be especially light.
Blancmange is egg free, made using cornstarch, and can be eaten instead of custard. (Though blancmange is usually served cold and set like jelly rather than as a hot dish/sauce)
There are egg free cake and biscuit recipes out there too.
Egg replacer powders are a thing but are more for baking rather than egg-based dishes.
This is a very filling warming casserole from my granny, which uses a few simple ingredients and sauces them with pantry staples you probably already have.
I probably should have posted this earlier when the weather was seriously cold.
Ingredients:
1kg meat (gravy beef, chuck steak, steak)
Carrots
Onions
1 spoonful of olive oil (can be substituted with canola, sunflower or vegetable oil)
Knob of butter (optional)
Sauce:
5-6 forkfuls of plain flour or cornflour
1/2 tsp black pepper (or less as preferred - which I did! That's a lot of pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp powdered mustard (or less as preferred - which I did! That's a lot of mustard powder and it can be hot)
3 large spoonfuls of vinegar
2 large spoonfuls of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
Method:
Dice meat (discard fat). Put into frying pan with olive oil and butter. Brown meat then put into casserole dish.
Peel carrots and onions then slice both into rounds. Add to the casserole dish.
Make sauce:
Into a mug put flour, pepper, salt, sugar and mustard powder (dry ingredients). Then add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Mix well then add to casserole dish.
Stir and just cover everything with water. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes.
Serve with mashed potatoes.
Notes
This is a slow moist cooking method intended for tough inexpensive cuts of meat but you can use anything you have. Stir fry beef is acceptable if that's all you can get hold of, or you can even slice in leftover cooked sausages to use them up. As a kid we sometimes had rabbit.
The measurements are a bit arbitrary as this recipe came from my actual grandma. If making a large quantity of meat, veg and potatoes (big family sized) you could use tablespoons for the 'large spoonfuls' of the condiments so there's enough flavour. But when reducing the amount of meat and veg down I might have just used generous dessert spoons. The forkfuls were just normal forks heaped with flour, 'spooned' out of the bag or box.
That's a lot of black pepper and mustard powder written there, intended to season a large family sized amount of bland meat and veg plus the potatoes. If you're scaling the amount of meat and veg down, are serving young kids, or you don't do spice at all definitely reduce the amount of those. I have a memory of making a smaller (possibly halved or less) quantity and using 1/8 tsp each of the pepper and mustard powder for myself.
I found when using plain flour it tended to settle to the bottom during cooking, so I would take it out of the oven in the middle of cooking and give it a quick stir. It thickened fine.
I forget the timing but if the times don't line up it's definitely much better for the casserole to be well underway or ready first - as the casserole can wait for the potatoes to finish, while with the reverse the spuds might get cold or the casserole undercooked.
Don't omit the vinegar as the acidity helps tenderise tough cuts like gravy beef or chuck, and tastes good with the sweetness of the carrots.
You can probably do this in a slow cooker or an instant pot. I haven't tried but it seems well suited.
The big bags of brushed potatoes used to work out cheaper - if you have any children make them do the scrubbing and peeling š
If you don't feel like having potatoes you can add savoury dumplings in to cook. There are proper ways to make dumplings but I just used to make basic scone dough with salt and pepper, and add lumps of it maybe towards the end or when the casserole was taken out to stir? They cook in the sauce and puff up all fluffy inside.
Our approach to combating pandemics must shift to one that prioritizes prevention of human infections with zoonotic viruses, rather than focusing on rapid response once human infection is widespread.
I really don't want to do this again
From people spending less to increasing inequality and money worries even among the affluent, data shows widespread pain
If the same cunts start talking about smashed avo and financial responsibility now I'm stealing their bones for soup
Financially vulnerable Australians stand to miss out on the full value of the budget's $300 energy bill relief, because the policy will slash the indexation of their welfare payments.
This is from May but I just saw it.
The government is pursuing age verification for online porn. It's going to be complicated. Everyone agrees kids shouldn't be able to access porn online. Stopping them is much harder than you might think.
I saw that they weren't going to go ahead last year, but now apparently there will be a pilot.
Instant chocolate hard shell for topping ice cream is deliciously crunchy and easy to make using 2 simple ingredients: chocolate and coconut oil.
Colesworth jacking up the cost of Ice Magic? You can make some with chocolate and coconut oil to work out much cheaper.
There are heaps of recipes for "chocolate shell" so try them out
This is a bit more expensive due to fresh fruit but doesn't require a freezer except for ice cubes. So could be possible for people with only a bar fridge. You can use what you have (you don't need dragonfruit) but watermelon is usually always an ingredient. Traditionally the liquid was a floral/berry tea but in modern day it's a mix of strawberry milk and Sprite.
"This is called āHwachaeā, a popular Korean fruit punch
Ingredients used:
Watermelon
Banana
Kiwifruit
Peaches
Pears
Grapes
Ice cubes
Strawberry Jelly
Strawberry milk
Lemon soda
Strawberry ice cream"
cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/7762680
> I don't have a recommended recipe (I'm not big on smoothies and haven't tested this out) but there are heaps of recipes out there depending on what you have. > > Apparently using full fat coconut milk or Greek yogurt helps the icypoles stay a bit softer, as will adding cornstarch, and blending in pre frozen fruit. > > You could even chuck some protein powder in and have a frozen smoothie on a stick for dinner when it's too hot to cook. > > The freezing container is a bit awkward without dedicated equipment but depending on freezer space you could freeze it onto teaspoons in small cups or muffin tins. > > Or freeze it as small icecubes and blend it again into something thick and semi-frozen like soft serve or a thickshake. Make sure your blender is up to handling ice though. I'm not liable for puffs of smoke. > > > Ps. Yogurt by itself is also ok to freeze this way. Warning: It's kind of hard so you might have to chip at it slowly, and the texture will change into something gross on defrosting though. At least Greek yogurt did when I ate it. It doesn't freeze smooth and soft like froyo from the shop. >
(Sorry, I should have shared this here as well.)
cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/7752516
> This is probably something you already know but a reminder doesn't hurt on such a hot day. > > You don't need syrup or real coffee to make an iced coffee or Big M style drink. > > Stirring instant coffee and sugar into a very little hot water first dissolves the crystals, avoiding the grittiness and unsweetened taste of throwing them straight into cold milk. Ice cubes or icecream optional. > > If you have any icecream toppings or another kind of syrup those can also be a milk flavouring.
Supermarket says there have been no complaints and the New South Wales recall is being done as a āprecautionā
This is a day old. But if you see this, are in NSW and have those specific pies check the date on them
Wiradjuri man Nathan Lyons began cooking comforting dishes at a young age he learned from his nan and aunties.
I saw the actual book for this heavily discounted at Big W but don't think it's there anymore. If you don't have the money there's always the Youtube Channel
(if Youtube keep trying to strongarm you into paying for subscription you can get ublock and constantly update it with pasting in little snippets of code in an arms race. There are guides. I need to learn the specifics but just stubbornly wait out the ads)
I was posting stuff about foraging from public fruit trees a few years ago on Reddit and in this cost of living crisis/food insecurity it seems timely to give it another bump here.
Though we shouldn't have to. :(
The Local Food Connect map posted for the main article seems really limited to inner Melbourne which is annoying.
The map from Public Fruit Melbourne requires you to request access.
However the article links a much more comprehensive map at the Falling Fruit website. This also offers locations for the outer suburbs of Melbourne as well as quite a few other Australian states.
So... it seems I may know a few budget meals that might be appreciated.
Cacciatore is a fairly cheap old school family recipe or it freezes for meal prep. It can be a one pot with a Dutch oven or large skillet.
Apologies for the non-Aussie measurements. I was looking for a fairly simple one without flour dredging, limited and cheaper ingredients and having both a stovetop/oven option.
Obviously this can be done in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or instapot to save gas or electricity.
This was picked for posting because chicken drumsticks are currently very cheap at Coles ($6.40 for 1.6kg Coles RSPCA drumsticks). I vaguely heard there might be some chicken shortage coming? so this might change.
Definitely use bone in drumsticks or thighs because they're cheaper, more flavourful and more suited to the long slow cooking.
I made sure to choose a recipe that uses canned tomatoes for the lower unit price.
I suggest using carrots, zucchini, celery etc if you don't like capsicums. Check the price on the mushrooms and the capers. Asian grocers can be cheaper for veg if you have one near you, or if you have a market. Obviously access varies.
For the wine use $5 Aldi plonk or use chicken broth (cube should be fine).
Also if you don't have rosemary consider just using dried Italian herbs from the Hoyts bags. Smoked paprika also goes very nicely.
Serving this with rice, potatoes, pasta, polenta, couscous or bread will soak up the sauce and pad it out.
Some bakeries used to sell their day old bread on a table. Not sure if they still do that. Or if you learn the supermarket restock day and go right before closing time you can get some deals. Honestly any kind of bread would be fine.
This is an 'easy' one for chicken breasts https://tasty.co/recipe/easy-chicken-cacciatore
My most viral recipe: Greek roasted potatoes and whipped feta, the perfect small plate or side dish! Mouth-wateringly good.
I'm intolerant to almost everything in this but it looks delicious - have at it for me
Smash Hits. I saw it on preorder while browsing the Big W site and figured that this is the place for that info. Iād suggest it as a Christmas gift but no idea when it actually comes out
The physical recipe books are called Survival For The Fittest and Survival From The Fittest but if you don't want to buy them everything is free on the AIS site.