INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Peel three heads of garlic (about 30 cloves). You do not need to chop them, but do cut out and discard any green sprouts. Young, unsprouted garlic is best, as it has a less harsh flavor. You can scale down this recipe, but only if you have a small blender or food processor. A large food processor requires at least this much garlic in order to process it smoothly. To peel a large quantity of garlic, drop the cloves into a metal bowl. Turn a second bowl the same size upside down and place them together to form a dome. Shake vigorously for a minute or two to remove the peel. Combine the whole garlic cloves with salt to taste, or about 1 tsp (5 mL). Run the food processor or blender until the garlic is evenly chopped into small pieces. Stop whenever the garlic is thrown to the sides, then scrape it back down to the center using a rubber spatula. The rest of this recipe will create an emulsion, combining oil and water into a smooth paste. It's important to leave the blender or food processor on throughout the next few steps, or the oil and water may separate and leave you with a broken sauce. Depending on the endurance of your blender, you may need to move fast to avoid overtaxing the motor. Separate the white of one egg and blend into the garlic until smooth. While not required, the egg white contains emulsifiers that will make it much easier to keep the garlic paste together. It may have a slight effect on the aftertaste, but this is barely noticeable under the garlic. Uncooked egg white can harbor salmonella, a bacteria that causes illness. To avoid this, use the white of a pasteurized egg, replace with powdered egg white, or skip this step entirely. Salmonella is most dangerous to young children, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with compromised immune systems. Pour a light, neutral-flavored oil very slowly down the side of the blender or food processor. Adding the oil too quickly is a common source of broken sauces. Keep pouring until you've added about cup (120 mL) of oil. Canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and peanut oil all fit the bill. Traditional recipes use olive oil, which makes a denser sauce. (This may be why toum is often described as a paste despite its usually fluffy consistency.) However, olive oil also lends a somewhat bitter flavor, especially after storing. Now add tsp (2.5 mL) lemon juice, again pouring slowly. Wait a few seconds until the juice is well absorbed. This adds flavor and creates the right ratio of oil to water. Repeat the last two steps, slowly pouring in cup (120 mL) of oil, then tsp (2.5 mL) lemon juice. Continue for the next 810 minutes, until you run out of an ingredient or until the garlic paste looks fluffy and smooth. If liquid appears, your toum has separated. There are several ways to fix it, though none are guaranteed: Stop adding ingredients and let your machine process it back into a smooth paste. This may work if you were pouring ingredients too quickly. Scoop out half the sauce, add another egg white, blend until smooth, then blend in the other half. Add an ice cube. Heat can cause a sauce to break apart, but you may need to add more oil to compensate for the extra water. In Lebanon and surrounding regions, people often eat toum on pita bread or on chicken shawarma. It also tastes great on kebabs, garlic bread, or mixed into any soup or salad dressing that calls for garlic. Several outbreaks of botulism, a potentially fatal disease, have been linked to garlic stored in oil. The bacteria that causes botulism can reproduce even in the refrigerator and does not cause any obvious changes in the paste's taste or appearance. This paste is safe to eat within three days. After that, freeze or throw away the leftovers. Store the garlic paste in the coldest part of your fridge, near the back. This slows down the development of botulinum bacteria, and protects against other sources of spoilage. Use an airtight container. Freeze in airtight containers with 12 inches (2.55cm) of head space to allow for expansion.

SUMMARY: Peel the garlic. Process garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. Turn on the machine and leave it on. Add one egg white (optional). Add some of the oil in a thin stream. Add a little lemon juice. Alternate between oil and lemon juice. Repair a broken sauce. Serve as a dip or sauce. Use within three days.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Ask yourself if you ever put up walls to avoid getting hurt. Opening up to someone can feel risky, and it's okay if you've ever been afraid to let someone get too close. Falling in love involves making yourself vulnerable, and understanding your defenses is the first step to lowering them. If you've had relationships in the past, think about times when you avoided getting close to your partner. For instance, maybe you didn't tell them how much you liked them out of fear that they wouldn't feel the same. It's tough to think about defense mechanisms, especially since they're usually related to getting hurt in the past. Try to be honest with yourself, and remember that everyone has insecurities and fears. Remember that no one's perfect, and accept yourself for who you are. Embracing yourself can help make it easier to open up to a romantic partner and fall in love with them. That said, there's always room to grow. For instance, you can't make yourself taller or shorter, but you can work on eating healthy and exercising to be your healthiest self. Remind yourself that you're a great person, and you have a lot of wonderful qualities! Look in the mirror and tell yourself, "You're a good person, so don't be afraid to be yourself! Let your guard down, and allow yourself to fall in love." Everyone has an inner critic, and sometimes self-critical thoughts can become irrational and unrealistic. If you notice yourself thinking things like "You're no good" or "They'll never love you," stop the thought process and remind yourself to stay objective. Playing hard-to-get and withholding feelings are common practices in today's dating world. However, it's better to be honest about your feelings. While you don't have to share every little detail on the first date, try to be authentic instead of playing games. For instance, if you went on a date with someone and had a good time, tell them. If you want to text, "Thanks for a fun night! I had a great time," do it. Don't feel like you have to wait 3 days before calling or pretend you're not into them to make them chase you. Opening up is an important part of building a close relationship. You don't have to confess your deepest feelings right away, but you and your partner won't fall in love by playing games with each other. Loving someone who doesn't love you back hurts, but it's something everyone experiences. You can move on from pain, even if it seems impossible in the moment. However, you'll miss out on everything great about being in love if you never let yourself take the risk. If you do put yourself out there and get turned down, don't see it as the end of the world. Relationships fizzle for lots of reasons. Being incompatible with someone doesn't mean there's something wrong with you.

SUMMARY:
Identify your defense mechanisms. Accept things about yourself that you can't change. Redirect overly critical thoughts. Resist the urge to play games. Don't be afraid of rejection.