The Raven Lord demands tribute… in the form of tasty appetizers!

I have been playing a ton of Heroes of the Storm lately. I’ve been trying to climb the ladder to finally hit Rank 1. Recently, I have been fortunate enough snag Sylvanas in draft. AW YISS BANSHEE QUEEN.

I have no time for games!

I am totally loving Sylvanas’ play style. It’s an awesome feeling to be fighting someone and then throw out your “E” to teleport when the fight gets too rough.

One of the battlegrounds I enjoy playing is the Cursed Hollow. On this map, the goal is to collect three tributes for the malevolent Raven Lord. He’s totally a big jerk.

There’s usually a ton of fighting when these tributes pop up. And that’s what I absolutely love about this map — the team fights!

Hahaha, big head mode!

Since the Raven Lord demand tribute… We better start cooking!

UNIT COMPOSITION

1. salt
2. 2 tablespoons of butter
3. 4 – 5 cloves of garlic, grated
4. 1 egg, mixed
5. 1/3 cup of milk
6. 1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
7. 1 lb of purple sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

BUILD ORDER

Prep time for this dish takes about 30 minutes. Cook time takes 20 minutes for boiling the potatoes, and an additional 12 minutes for baking. This makes 4 servings (about 8 tributes).

OPENING

1. After peeling and cutting your sweet potatoes, place them in a pot of large water.
2. Bring that pot of water to boil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 20 minutes or until soft. Then drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pot.
3. Add in your salt, cheese, butter, garlic and milk. Use a potato masher to combine the ingredients.
   
4. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a bowl.
5. Add in your egg and stir to combine.

MID GAME

1. Place the sweet potato mixture in a piping bag.
2. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
3. Begin piping out the shape of the raven lord tributes. Start with an oval, and then a pointed tip for the beak.
   
4. Then, pipe out the wings.
   
5. Use a butter knife to smooth out the entire shape. Use the edge of the butter knife to create the eyes by gently pressing down at an angle.
6. Continue making the tributes until you run out of sweet potato mixture.

LATE GAME

1. Set your oven to 350° F.
2. Let your tributes bake for about 12 minutes. Remove and let cool.
3. Eat!

GG WP, Heroes!

Please note that eating three of these tributes will not cause the Raven Lord to curse your enemies. However, these are delicious and can satisfy a rumbling tummy. MY BELLY DEMANDS TRIBUTE.

By the way, I have set up a Patreon! I have been posting previews of upcoming blog post there, so if you’re interested, please check it out.

 

1. 1    Large Turnip
2. 1/2 Large Red Onion
3. 1    Cup Rice Wine Vinegar  ( there is white wine in the photo, I changed my mind at the last minute and used something more traditionally Japanese even though most of the recipes in this game seem to lean more towards Indian food)
4. 1 Cup Hot Water
5. 1 Tablespoon Sugar
6. 10-20 Whole Black Peppercorns
7. 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
8. 1 Quart Sized Jar (or other 4 cup, non-metal, container that can be sealed tightly)

1. . Peel and thinly slice the onion and turnip. (I used a mandolin for even slices. They can be expensive but I found mine at a thrift store for about 10 bucks.)
   
2.  Put the turnip and onion in alternating layers in the jar.
3.  Whisk the remaining ingredients together in a saucepan until sugar and salt are dissolved and the liquid has reached a nice simmer.
   
4. Pour saucepan contents over the sliced vegetables. Put lid on and invert the container a few times to ensure even saturation. Allow to cool for about an hour, then refrigerate. These should keep for about a week.

OH HEY GUYS WHATCHA DOIN??

The Arena team I run with is comprised of a Hunter (that’s me!), a Paladin and a Warlock. Before each match, our Warlock slaps down a Soulwell so we can create Healthstones. Of course, I always saw it as tasty tasty food.

I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING

So, I decided to recreate my own real life Healthstones so I can eat Healthstones while I eat Healthstones. Yo dawg.

I keep a lot of protein powder at home because my boyfriend and I are trying really hard to achieve sick gains. I have been religiously following the YouTube channel, Buff Dudes, for inspiration on healthy cooking and workout routines. Some of their recipes turn not-so-healthy things, such as brownies, into handheld protein-fueled snacks. My goal with Healthstones is to sneakily hide protein and nutrition into bite-sized portable snacks. A quick snack to enjoy before your next arena match!

UNIT COMPOSITION

1. 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
2. 2 teaspoons of raw agave nectar
3. 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut (optional)
4. 1 tablespoon of unsweetened matcha green tea powder
5. 1/4 cup of raw pistachios, roughly chopped
6. 1/2 cup of peanut butter or almond butter

BUILD ORDER

Prep time for this is about 15 minutes (add 10 minutes of blanching the pistachios) This makes 6 servings (~6 individual Healthstones). Idle time is about 30 minutes. 

OPTIONAL: If you want squeaky clean pistachios without the skins, I recommend blanching them. To blanch them, take your shelled pistachios and toss them into boiling water for about 30 seconds.

Then remove the pistachios from the hot water and place them in a bath of ice water. Once they are cool to the touch, gently rub off the skins from the pistachios. Let them dry on a towel for a few minutes.

1. Combine your protein powder, agave, and peanut butter in a large bowl.
2. Add in your matcha green tea powder.
3. Using a spoon, stir the ingredients together, adding coconut occasionally to thicken the mixture.
   
4. Stir in half of your chopped pistachios. Leave larger pieces for later in order to decorate the stones.
5. Begin shaping them into golf-ball sized mounds. Place large pieces of pistachio on the mounds for decoration.
6. Sprinkle a little protein powder onto a plate (this is to prevent the Healthstones from sticking to the plate while cooling). Place your newly shaped Healthstones on the plate and cover with saran warp. Let cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
7. Eat!

GG WP!

Next time you queue up for arena or LFR, make sure you have some tasty Healthstones in your bag to curb your hunger. Thankfully, these Healthstones don’t have a cool down.

Rejoice, Nephalem, because Patch 2.0.1 is here! Huzzah!

There were many, many, many things that were added and changed in Patch 2.0.1. One of the shinier changes was the addition of a new brand of object to the map — the Pool of Reflection.

The Pool of Reflection will give you an added bonus pool of EXP that will last until you DIE! So try not to die, or all that glorious additional EXP goes to waste. Noooo.

I have died several times while holding bonus EXP, and each time was much more painful than the last. I should probably stop standing in front of Demon Forges. Hmmm.

Every time I approach a Pool of Reflection, I always wonder what the pool would taste like when consumed. Would it be earthy? Would it be garlicy? When your hero drinks it, do they ever ponder what wine would pair best with it?

Well, I think I’ve figured out what the Pool of Reflection could taste like… Parsnips and turmeric!

This healthy vegetarian dish will keep you alert for your many, many Diablo adventures! You can make this dish vegan too!

UNIT COMPOSITION

1. salt
2. pepper
3. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
4. 1 tablespoon of thyme
5. 1 1/2 tablespoons of turmeric
6. 3-4 whole cloves of garlic
7. 1 1/2 cups of butternut squash, cubed
8. 1/2 lb of parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
9. 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

BUILD ORDER

Prep time will take about 20 minutes. Cook time is roughly 1 hour. This will make 6-8 servings.

OPENING

1. Set your oven to 400° (~204° C)
2. Place your parsnips, garlic, and butternut squash in a baking dish (you can make a tiny dish out of tin foil like I did).
3. Season your vegetables with salt, pepper, and thyme.
4. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables.
5. Roast for 45 – 50 minutes in the oven, or until the vegetables have become soft.

MID GAME

1. Transfer your vegetables to a pot.
2. Using a stand mixer, blend the vegetables until smooth. Slowly add in half of vegetable broth in order to make blending easier.

LATE GAME

1. Once your vegetables have become a smooth paste, place the pot over medium heat.
2. Add in your turmeric and stir to combine.
3. Add in your remaining vegetable broth and stir until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Eat!

GG WP, Nephalem!

It’s been very cold recently, so this soup is perfect for warming you up during the chilly winter months. Cozy up, drink some soup, and gain some EXP!

See you in Sanctuary!

First thing’s first: I’m not the most experience League of Legends player out there. I literally have no idea what I’m doing. But, I’m learning slowly…

Figure 1.0: Winning

I play mainly ADC because it’s the easiest role for me. I’ve tried top and mid, but I definitely prefer ADC because I suck at top and mid because it suits my play style better.

With that being said, I’ve never actually played Teemo. I’ve played against many Teemos and they’ve all been thoroughly annoying. REALLY? DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO PUT A MUSHROOM THERE? Geez.

But, the most important thing is that I have his hat (the boyfriend acquired it from GDC ’13).
And that’s the reason why this week’s recipe is dedicated to that terrifying little Yordle.

UNIT COMPOSITION

1. salt
2. 1/2 tablespoon of grated ginger
3. 5 tablespoons of miso paste
4. 1/4 cup of wakame (dried seaweed), soaked in water
5. 1/2 cup of oyster mushrooms. sliced
6. 1/2 cup of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
7. 1/2 cup of enoki mushrooms, separated
8. 1/2 cup of firm tofu (~4oz), chopped into cubes
9. 6 cups of water

The ingredients in this recipe are fairly inexpensive (though this is relative to where you live). I believe it cost about $15 total.

Not only is it fairly inexpensive, but it’s also pretty easy to make. It’ll take you longer to complete a standard game in LoL than it would to prep and cook this recipe.

But please note, this recipe is very low calorie! I would suggest that this soup be used as a starter to an entree or a quick breakfast in the morning before the commute to work. This meal is little, just like Teemo.

BUILD ORDER

Total prep time takes about 10 minutes. Cook time is about 15 minutes. This will make 4 servings.

Calories per serving: ~110 calories

OPENING

1. Set your water to boil in a large pot.
2. When the water begins to simmer, ladle a few spoonfuls of hot water onto your miso paste. Gently mix your miso paste with the water until he miso paste has been combined with the water (there should be very few lumps). Add the miso mixture into your pot.
3. Add your grated ginger into the water.

MID GAME

1. Add in your soaked wakame.
2. Add in your all of your mushrooms.
   

LATE GAME

1. Add in your chopped tofu.
2. Add in your salt to taste.
3. Allow soup to cook for about 15 minutes.
4. Eat!

And that’s it. GG WP. This is a simple and healthy recipe, so enjoy it while you’re waiting for the rest of your team to load in ARAM.

You can even enjoy this soup for breakfast!

I didn’t start playing PC games until very recently. Sure, I have a gaming resume full of obscure Asian MMORPGs, but that isn’t the core of western PC gaming. I didn’t have the thrill of experiencing Diablo or Diablo II when they first hit the shelves years and years ago. Because of this Diablo void in my life prior to May 2012, I never built up the nostalgia factor for Diablo II.

I never had a chance pour countless hours into a game only to be rewarded with a seemingly meaningless item. But, now it was my time to enjoy the grind for all of its worth. My time to figure out why so many people have figuratively chased the carrot on the stick. My time to become one of them.

But one cannot grind without proper nourishment. So, here’s a quick and simple Demon Hunter dish that can be made before your Nephalem Valor runs out.

UNIT COMPOSITION

1. salt
2. pepper
3. 1 teaspoon of olive oil
4. 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
5. basil
6. 2 heirloom tomatoes
7. 1 avocado
8. buffalo mozzarella

BUILD ORDER

Prep time will be about 15 minutes. Cook time to reduce the balsamic vinegar is about 5 minutes.

OPENING

1. Wash and slice your heirloom tomatoes into thin slices.
2. Cut your basil into thin strips.
3. Dice your avocado.
4. Roughly chop your buffalo mozzarella.

MID GAME

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan.
2. Place pan on medium heat.
3. Let balsamic vinegar reduce.
4. Remove and let cool.

LATE GAME

1. Now it’s time to assemble your caprese salad. Place your tomato slices on a plate.
2. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over your tomatoes.
3. Place mozzarella.
4. Place avocado on top. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle chopped basil over the salad.
6. Finish with a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

And that’s all it takes to create this simple dish.

Now, back to item grinding. Those legendaries aren’t going to find themselves, now are they?

For what it’s worth, I’ve enjoyed my time playing Diablo III. The 200 and some odd hours spent in the realm of Sanctuary have been fun for me. Arguably, Diablo II and Diablo III are very different games. And yes, people have very strong opinions about each game — but I don’t let that bother me. The game is meant to be played, not bickered over. But, to each their own, right?

I like Diablo III and will continue to support it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a carrot on a stick to chase.

Last Saturday, I journeyed just a few miles north to San Francisco to attend the IPL TAC3 event. In short, it was amazing.

But before I dive into the details about my experience at the IPL TAC3 event, let’s talk about food! Specifically, food that kind of maybe looks like overseers. Maybe…

UNIT COMPOSITION

• salt
• pepper
• balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup feta
• 6 black mission figs (cut in half)
• 1/2 cup of arugula

BUILD ORDER

Prep time should be about 10 minutes. Cook time should be about 25-30 minutes. This dish will serve 2 people. Since this recipe is very simple, you can adjust the ingredient amounts to accommodate more people.

OPENING

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (~176°C).
2. Cut your figs in half.

MID GAME

1. Place figs on a baking sheet (if you have parchment paper, place this on your baking sheet for easy clean up).
2. Salt and pepper your figs.
3. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over your figs. Make sure your figs are coated. You will want to have a little bit extra of balsamic vinegar to use for a salad dressing.
4. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Figs will be golden and the balsamic vinegar will have been reduced.

LATE GAME

1. Remove figs from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
2. Place arugula on a plate.
3. Spoon up any reduced balsamic vinegar from the baking dish and drizzle it over the arugula.
4. Place figs over the arugula.
5. Sprinkle feta cheese over the figs.
6. Crack pepper over the dish.

And that’s all you need to do to make balsamic overseers. GGWP.
Now that you’ve learned this simple recipe, let’s talk about something more exciting: IPL TAC3.

I was able to attend the IPL TAC3 in San Francisco. Of course, driving and parking through San Francisco is a nightmare, but the fun I had at this event was all

worth it. This was my first ever Starcraft 2 event and I was completely overwhelmed.

I even had time to make a quick cheerful! (please excuse the poor quality of the following photos; they were taken with my iphone)

It says “Probe Parade”

I’m pretty sure it made zero sense to those looking at it, but that’s OK!

All of the pros were incredibly friendly. I took photos with most of the players and some of the pros even humored me by also copying my stereotypical Asian peace-sign gesture.

I even had a chance to speak to DoA (a little sad to hear the news that he’s leaving the IPL though)! If you haven’t had a chance to speak with DoA, I suggest you do so soon before he leaves for Korea. He’s a great guy on camera and in person. Thanks for the high five, DoA!

The games were incredible. I’m so glad I had a chance to watch pro matches in person. I felt like I’ve learned so much just by watching them live. I’ve even started practicing LiquidTaeja’s mass CC style. It’s been working so far, so hooray!

Anyway, the entire experience of watching pro games was amazing and I highly recommend that any SC2 fan should attend one of these events.