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Best Level 5 TEFL Courses Online (Fully Accredited)

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Choosing a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course can be tricky. With so many options available, you might be wondering which program is best for you.

For those who want to go above and beyond basic credentials, a rigorous Level 5 TEFL certification course might be your best bet!

Generally speaking, TEFL Level 5 courses are some of the most widely recognized and accepted TEFL certifications in the business.

They are more work and are usually more expensive than a standard certification, but you could end up with more job opportunities and a higher salary as a result.

online english teacheronline english teacher

I took my TEFL certification online and it has allowed me to teach English while working and travelling all around the world. Getting certified really is one of the best things I ever did.

This guide will break down the best Level 5 TEFL courses on the market today. 

What is a Level 5 TEFL Course?

To be categorized as a TEFL Level 5, the course materials must be regulated by the UK government and must meet higher requirements than standard TEFL certifications.

The governing body that regulates and monitors Level 5 TEFL courses is called The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, or Ofqual

A Level 5 TEFL certificate must meet the same standards as a CELTA or TrinityCertTESOL certification. Collectively, these certifications are considered top-tier for aspiring English teachers.

Usually, level 5 TEFL courses are less expensive than CELTA or TrinityCertTESOL courses, making this an affordable alternative if you want additional training. 

The courses must meet rigorous accreditation and regulatory standards.

As I discuss each program below, I’ll share more information about their regulation and accreditation status. 

Who Should Take a Level 5 Course?

tefl teacher in chinatefl teacher in china

Level 5 TEFL courses are more advanced than standard TEFL training programs. They require more work and will take longer to complete, but you’ll leave with a deeper knowledge of teaching practices and a higher-level certification. 

While a basic TEFL certification will be sufficient for most teaching jobs abroad, having an advanced certification can be helpful if you plan to apply to more competitive positions.

This could help your application stand out and give you more opportunities in the long run.

A Level 5 TEFL course is for you if: 

  • You want to teach abroad in a country with a competitive teaching market
  • You want to apply for higher-level teaching positions abroad
  • CELTA and TrinityCertTESOL courses are out of your price range
  • You don’t mind spending more time getting a higher-tier TEFL certification
  • You want to have a deeper knowledge of TEFL practices and methods

1. The TEFL Institute  

The TEFL Institute 180-Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma stands shoulder-to-shoulder with CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL. This government-regulated, internationally respected credential is actively sought by employers from Tokyo to Dubai.

  • DEAC-Approved: Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • Ofqual-Regulated: Endorsed by the UK government
  • Highfield Qualifications: Awarded through an Ofqual-regulated body

For serious educators, this means your qualifications are automatically verified and respected by international schools, government programs, and premium online teaching platforms worldwide, with no additional validation required.

Online (180 hour) TEFL Diploma Bundle

  • 180-Hour Level 5 Diploma (11 intensive modules, 290 total qualification hours)
  • Four Free Specialist Courses – Business English, Teaching Young Learners, IELTS Prep, Advanced Grammar, Using AI in EFL, and Online Teaching ($895 value, FREE)
  • 29 Hours of Live Tutor Workshops with CELTA/DELTA qualified instructors
  • 6 Hours of Personal Career Coaching and a dedicated recruitment advisor
  • Lifetime Job Support – CV optimization, interview prep, and placement service
  • 6 Months Unlimited Access with mobile app support
  • Free access: TEFL Explorer, their AI-powered TEFL career ecosystem
  • Express Certification and employer verification system

Advanced (310 hour) TEFL Diploma Option 

The 310 Hour Hybrid Level 5 Advanced TEFL Diploma is the TEFL Institute’s most comprehensive, top-tier qualification, combining the full 180 Hour Level 5 Diploma with two specialist 60-Hour Level 5 courses and 10 hours of live practicum to give teachers advanced, real-world classroom skills.

It is designed for aspiring and new teachers who want a globally recognised, foundation, degree-equivalent credential that prepares them to teach in high-demand niches such as Business English and online one-to-one instruction, both abroad and online.

Why Teachers Choose The TEFL Institute

  • 4.9 Star Rating from 2,127+ Google Reviews – Voted Best TEFL Provider 2025
  • Employer Verification System: Schools worldwide can instantly verify your qualification through their secure online portal.
  • Focused Support: Individual guidance for US/UK citizens navigating visa requirements, international banking, and tax implications.
  • No Teaching Experience Required: A passion for English and a minimum C1 proficiency are all you need.
  • Flexible Learning: Study on any device, anywhere. Complete in 4-6 weeks or take up to 6 months.

2. The TEFL Academy

taking a level 5 tefl course online allows you to teach english abroad in south koreataking a level 5 tefl course online allows you to teach english abroad in south korea
Taking a level 5 TEFL will ensure you receive a higher salary, and more job opportunities

The TEFL Academy offers two Level 5 TEFL course options. Both courses are approved and accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (a USA government body) and Ofqual (a UK government body). 

These courses are affordable and offer lots of free training, materials, and support. Learn more about the TEFL Academy here, or read on.

Online Level 5 TEFL Course (168-hour)

The online course is a 168-hour TEFL certification that can be completed remotely.

It also includes a free 30-hour top-up course. Students can choose between extra training for business English, teaching young learners, or teaching online. 

The course includes modules about: 

  • Lesson planning
  • Teaching vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar
  • How to teach listening and reading
  • How to teach speaking and writing
  • Using materials and resources in the classroom 

Because the online Level 5 TEFL course from The TEFL Academy is the same level as a CELTA certification, it will be widely accepted no matter where you hope to teach. 

Cost of the 168-Hour Course with The TEFL Academy

The cost is $650 but it’s often discounted on their website (It’s currently 60% off). 

If the price is an important consideration for you, make sure to check the course description page for the latest price before making a decision. 

Your course fee includes the 168-hour TEFL training, a free 30-hour bonus course, 6 months of course access, weekly one-hour webinars, access to the international job board, virtual tutor support, and much more. 

tefl teacher level 5 in chinatefl teacher level 5 in china

Combined Level 5 TEFL Course (168-hour)

The second Level 5 TEFL course you can take with The TEFL Academy is a combination program.

In the combination course, you’ll complete a 148-hour online TEFL training and then participate in a 2-day in-person training session for 20 hours. Your total certification will be for 168 hours of coursework. 

Like with the fully online option, participants will also get a free 30-hour specialty course in a subject area of their choosing. 

With the combined course, you’ll receive access to your online training materials immediately after you sign up. The TEFL Academy will also give you information about how to sign up for your in-person training days. 

During the training days, you’ll get a chance to practice hands-on teaching skills, classroom management, and receive peer feedback. 

Cost of the 168-Hour Combined Course with The TEFL Academy

The cost of this course is $1100 but it is often discounted. Right now, it’s discounted to $441. This includes the online TEFL course materials and 20 hours of in-person training spanning two days.

If there aren’t any in-person training centers near you, you might need to account for accommodation and transportation fees as well. Click here to learn more about the available options with the TEFL Academy

3. International TEFL Academy

teaching from the road in a van with a tefl certificateteaching from the road in a van with a tefl certificate
At one point, I was teaching English online while on a road trip!

International TEFL Academy curriculum and courses are regulated by Ofqual and are very high-quality. This is the company I chose for my TEFL certification.

I was able to complete the online Level 5 TEFL course while I was working a full-time job. I was working to save money for travel, and getting a certification for teaching at the same time. I then went on to teach English online for many years, while traveling the world.

There are many things that set ITA apart from other Level 5 TEFL courses, but the main standouts are the guaranteed job search guidance or job placement, and the fact that there’s a sizeable community of alumni students – many of these people have become my best travel friends!

ITA also provides its prospective teachers with an admissions advisor who will help you make decisions and achieve your TEFL goals.

Online Level 5 Courses (4 weeks or 11 weeks)

International TEFL Academy offers two online course options, both of which offer around 170 hours of training. Depending on how much time you have, you can choose the intensive 4-week option or the part-time, 11-week option.

Both of the courses include live office hours with your instructor and peer participation with the other students in the course. You’ll also receive lifetime job search guidance, live practice teaching to get some hands-on experience, and of course, OFQUAL Level 5 Accreditation from TQUK. Learn more about the online courses here.

In-Person Level 5 Courses

If you’re traveling, or are interested in living somewhere, why not take a TEFL course in that destination?! With the International TEFL Academy, you can join a TEFL course in more than 20 destinations around the globe.

Choose from places like Chiang Mai in Thailand, Chicago and New York in the USA, or somewhere in Europe like Barcelona, Florence, or Prague. All offer job search guidance live practicum training and university-level instructors (and much more).

Cost of the Courses with ITA

ITA’s online courses cost between $1,499 and $1,999. Currently, they are discounted by $300. Click here for details about the online level 5 courses. The cost of these 4-week courses varies depending on the location. Click here for details about the in-person Level 5 TEFL courses.

4. i-to-i TEFL

Young English teacher giving online lessons.Young English teacher giving online lessons.

The i-to-i Level 5 TEFL courses are regulated by Ofqual and accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. You can choose from three different certification packages which are explained in detail below. 

Online Level 5 TEFL Course (180-hour, 300-hour, or 420-hour)

The 180-hour training from i-to-i TEFL will help you build a strong foundation in teaching while earning a reputable Level 5 TEFL certification. 

Designed for people who want to go beyond 180-hours of TEFL training, the 300-hour Level 5 TEFL diploma course is fully online as well. The 300-hour course includes everything in the 180-hour course as well as a 60-hour add-on about teaching business English. 

To take it one step further, you can join the 420-hour course (which is their most popular). 

Even though all three of these options are online, students will get feedback and support from virtual tutors if needed. 

Cost of the 180, 300, and 420 Hour Courses with i-to-i TEFL

Keep in mind that i-to-i TEFL often runs significant discounts on their courses so it’s worth going to their website to see what the current deals are. (For example, at the time I’m writing this, all courses are discounted 70%

5. Premier TEFL 

teaching with props online Nicola interviewteaching with props online Nicola interview
A map and phonics cards that I frequently use when teaching

The Level 5 TEFL course by Premier TEFL is regulated by Ofqual and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Distance Learning. Training Qualifications UK has also approved Premier TEFL as a training center. 

Premier TEFL’s Level 5 Courses

Premier TEFL offers 180-hour, 240-hour, and 300-hour Level 5 TEFL courses that can be earned completely online.

You will learn about general teaching philosophy as well as how to instruct pupils in grammar, speaking, reading, writing, and pronunciation.

The courses also cover lesson planning tips and how to use teaching resources in your classroom. You’ll walk away from your course feeling more prepared and confident in your teaching abilities. 

Plus, you have access to live Zoom classes (if you want), a 30-hour business English course, 10 pre-written lesson plans, and much more. 

Cost of the 180-Hour Course with Premier TEFL

The cost is around $670. Check their website for discounts and promotions. They are currently discounted to $200.

6. The TEFL Org

teaching english classroomteaching english classroom

The Level 5 courses offered by The TEFL Org are regulated by Ofqual and accredited by the British Accreditation Council. At this time, they offer a self-paced online course as well as a combination online course with virtual practice sessions.

Level 5 Online Course (168-hour)

The TEFL Org offers a fully online 168-hour TEFL course for a reasonable price.

In addition to providing information about how to teach core concepts to English learners, this course includes entire modules devoted to teaching over the telephone and teaching large classes. 

The TEFL Org also includes a module with video observations so you can see how classes look in real life. Several student reviews pointed out how helpful it was to see what they were learning put into practice in real classrooms. 

They created this course for students who were seeking deeper TEFL knowledge. While their 120-hour traditional TEFL course is still very popular, this course is a great option for aspiring teachers who want a more rigorous credential. 

Cost of the 168-Hour Course with The TEFL Org

The course costs around $650 but is frequently available for a discounted rate on their website. The Level 5 courses are currently 60% off.

girl teaching students in chinagirl teaching students in china
Teaching English in China

Level 5 Combination Course (188-hour)

The TEFL Org also offers a combination online and hands-on course with Level 5 distinction. The unique part about this option is that the hands-on training component can be completed virtually.

While getting to practice teaching skills face to face is ideal, TEFL Org understands that not everyone can take time off for a full-day training.

If you have a busy schedule or don’t live in an area with TEFL training centers nearby, this could be a great way to get some personalized feedback without missing work or spending a ton of money on travel. 

When you enroll in the combination course, you’ll receive instant access to the 168-hour online TEFL course mentioned above. You’ll also be able to sign up for an additional 20-hour virtual classroom course.

Virtual classroom courses are offered weekly on a rolling start basis, so you can choose the time and dates that work best for your schedule. You’ll meet over the course of four days for live sessions, so it’s important to make sure you can attend every meeting. 

Cost of the 188-Hour Combination Course with The TEFL Org

The combination course costs $749. This includes the full 168-hour online course and the 20-hour virtual classroom component. You’ll also get a reference letter from your virtual classroom teacher. Check the website, as the courses are frequently discounted. The courses are currently 60% off.

7. TEFL Institute of Ireland

students laughing take a tefl coursestudents laughing take a tefl course

This company offers a 180-hour TEFL level 5. They are approved and regulated by Ofqual and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Distance Learning.

Regulated Online Level 5 Courses (180-hour, 240-hour, 300-hour)

The TEFL Institute of Ireland has three Level 5 TEFL training courses available. The 180-hour course will take you through the fundamentals of becoming a teacher and best practices for your classroom.

On its own, this course will leave you prepared and qualified for many teaching jobs abroad, but if you want to learn about more specializations, there are two other courses to consider. 

The 240-hour course includes the entire 180-hour TEFL training as well as additional training for teaching English exam preparation.

This course includes a 30-hour module to help students prepare for the IELTS exam and a 30-hour module to help students prepare for the TOEIC exam.

Having this training could make you more desirable as an instructor or private tutor around the world since many English learners wish to prepare for these important tests — especially if you hope to teach English as a freelancer, having a background in exam prep could help you attract more clients.

You can also choose to go a step further with the 300-hour Level 5 TEFL course.

This online course includes everything in the 240-hour course with an additional 30-hour module for teaching business English and an additional 30-hour module for teaching young learners. 

Cost of the 180, 240, and 300 Hour Course with The TEFL Institute of Ireland: 

The TEFL Institute of Ireland’s courses are frequently discounted. Currently, they are 60% off, with the 180-hour Level 5 course priced at $229. Click here to learn more.

FAQs: Taking a Level 5 TEFL Course

teaching and travelling with a TEFLteaching and travelling with a TEFL
I got certified with International TEFL Academy, and teach and travel online around the globe
Is TEFL Level 5 Equivalent to CELTA? 

No, a TEFL level 5 is not equivalent to CELTA. There are some similarities, however. A Level 5 TEFL certificate must meet the same standards as a CELTA or TrinityCertTESOL certification. Both are level 5 qualifications meaning they are the same level of difficulty. But, the method of delivery and content of the two certifications are actually very different.
A TEFL Level 5 is more affordable than a CELTA certificate, and it takes less time to complete — making a Level 5 certification more attractive for teachers. 

Do I Need a Level 5 TEFL?

If you’re looking to teach English at home (for example, in the UK, USA, or Canada), then having a TEFL level 5 will give you a leg up on your resume. If you’re looking to teach abroad, typically a 120-hour TEFL will be sufficient. A Level 5 goes into more depth than a regular 120-hour TEFL and is a great option if you’re new to teaching and would like a bit more information in order to be a confident teacher. 

How Much Does a TEFL Level 5 Cost?

The TEFL Academy frequently offers 60% off their courses, plus free online learning materials, and access to webinars. Prices generally start at $250+ for a Level 5 TEFL certification. If you’re looking for a high-quality Level 5 TEFL, with guaranteed job assistance or placement, International TEFL Academy is a good option.

Is a Level 5 TEFL Certification Right For Me?

Even though a basic 120-hour TEFL will qualify you for most teaching abroad jobs, having a Level 5 course under your belt could make your application stand out to employers and allow you to apply for more competitive opportunities.  Consider your budget, timeline, and what kinds of jobs you hope to pursue in the future. No matter which course you decide on, getting TEFL certified will provide you with countless opportunities to work and travel around the world. A Level 5 certification course is a great option for those who want an advanced credential without a high price tag.

How long does a Level 5 TEFL course take?

170 to 420 hours depending on the course you take! Some TEFL level 5 courses online can be completed on a part-time basis, while others are more intensive. Choose a course with hours that fit with your schedule.

Is Level 5 TEFL hard?

No, getting a level 5 TEFL certification isn’t hard. If you’re motivated to learn how to be the best teacher you can be, and if you have the time, you’ll be able to pass your course.

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Dana James: The Alchemy of Contradiction

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Dream in Suburbia, Dream of Elsewhere

Dana James’s paintings do not simply occupy the gallery wall—they beckon, shimmer, and shift, pulling viewers into an invented nostalgia. A native of Manhattan now based in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, James constructs work that references Americana through imagined objects and places she never truly experienced. Swimming pools, flickering televisions, and hammocks surface like distant artifacts from a life lived adjacent to her own. These elements drift in and out of abstraction, emerging as fragmented memories reassembled into compositions that feel simultaneously personal and unfamiliar. Her ability to conjure emotional topographies through color, light, and form has made her one of the most compelling voices in contemporary abstract painting.

Since graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 2008, James’s career has unfolded across major art hubs, with exhibitions in New York, Berlin, and beyond. Her works are housed in notable public and private collections, including the UBS Art Collection and Gibson & Dunn. Represented by Hollis Taggart Contemporary in New York and Bode Projects in Berlin, she continues to garner international recognition. Solo exhibitions such as Pearls & Potions (2023) and Something Meant to Say (2021) in New York, alongside Hushed Neon (2024) and Otherwise All Was Silent (2020) in Berlin, speak to her evolving visual language—one that explores memory, contradiction, and material transformation with unwavering intensity.

Her compositions often evoke the sensation of being on the edge of recall—like trying to remember a dream just after waking. This interplay of clarity and haze stems not only from the imagery but also from her technical approach. By manipulating media such as oil, acrylic, ink, encaustic, fabric, and resin, James constructs layers that hold air, light, and shadow within them. The result is a dreamy, semi-transparent surface that seems to glow from within. Her paintings are not passive objects; they shimmer with latent stories, often navigating the edge between beauty and its undoing.

Dana James: The Pulse of Process and Instinct

At the heart of Dana James’s studio practice is a deep commitment to exploration and a refusal to over-determine the outcome of her work. In Ridgewood, Queens, where she shares her light-filled studio with her two retired racing greyhounds, James begins her day with routine but leaves room for improvisation. Each painting emerges through instinct rather than rigid planning. She works across multiple canvases simultaneously, allowing the drying time of one layer to inform the rhythm of the next. Her palette is a mixture of delicately diluted pigments, and she speaks of her process as being grounded in both chemistry and spontaneity—a practice where precision and intuition meet.

James often describes her most successful pieces as those that seem to possess their own autonomy. Instead of forcing the composition, she follows it, letting the work dictate its own development. This philosophy reflects a broader ethos that permeates her artistic approach: a trust in the unknown and a reverence for the unexpected. In revisiting old pieces or past ideas, she engages with earlier versions of herself, reshaping what was once finished into something new. It’s a process she refers to as an act of loyalty to prior selves, where memory becomes a medium in itself.

Her technical toolkit includes unconventional materials such as flecks of tin foil and iridescent encaustic that catch the light in unpredictable ways. These choices underscore her fascination with contrast and duality. A work may feature radiant pastel hues that verge on the ethereal, only to be disrupted by raw texture or geometric weight. Her ability to navigate between softness and structural rigor, between luminous elegance and earthy imperfection, gives her compositions an emotional and visual complexity that resists easy classification. This tension is what keeps the work alive, compelling, and continually surprising.

Chromatic Characters and Abstract Personas

A recurring motif in James’s work is her use of titles that evoke human identity, though her pieces are never portraits in the traditional sense. Instead, works like Lady Danger, The Feral Empress, and The Soft Spoken One offer windows into emotional states, atmospheric conditions, or fleeting memories. These titles personify abstract elements, allowing color, shape, and gesture to become stand-ins for moods, identities, or even imagined narratives. Her paintings become more than visual experiences; they are conversations between seen and felt, suggesting that abstraction can be as psychologically charged as figurative representation.

James continually explores the balance between brightness and restraint. She is particularly interested in how a work can embody femininity and vibrancy without being dismissed as decorative. In one painting, she may push the limits of what is considered “beautiful,” only to undercut that sensibility in the next with deliberate disruption. This refusal to stay within a single emotional register mirrors her broader fascination with contradiction. By creating a dynamic interplay of softness and structure, James challenges the viewer to hold multiple truths at once—joy and melancholy, clarity and ambiguity, attraction and discomfort.

Her compositions echo a visual rhythm found not just in painting but also in her lifelong fascination with spectacle and transformation. A devoted wrestling fan since childhood, James sees parallels between the theatrics of wrestling and the performative aspects of abstraction. The over-the-top entrances, costumes, and emotional arcs of wrestling characters resonate with the layered personas in her artwork. Just as wrestlers embody archetypes that evolve over time, her abstract personae inhabit ever-shifting spaces, refusing to be pinned down by a singular interpretation. Each painting becomes its own stage—vivid, unpredictable, and charged with emotional resonance.

Dana James: Capturing Light, Memory, and the Edge of Time

James’s paintings often read as quiet meditations on the passage of time, with surfaces that seem to hold the memory of their own making. Her treatment of light—whether through shimmering encaustic glazes or reflective materials embedded in opaque fields—transforms the static canvas into a dynamic object that shifts with every angle. These surfaces conjure a sensation akin to the glint of ocean water or the flash of light glimpsed just before sleep, offering viewers a momentary escape from linear perception. Her work doesn’t seek to represent time but rather to hold it, as if preserving a fleeting emotion within layers of color and form.

She often references the idea of her paintings as visual diaries, encapsulating contradictions and moments of latency activated by sudden, impulsive gestures. These pieces oscillate between calculated structure and emotive freedom, embodying the unpredictable rhythm of thought itself. Drawing from 20th-century color field painting, James reinvents the genre through a lens that is both contemporary and deeply personal. She uses geometry and fluidity not as opposing forces, but as partners in shaping her visual lexicon—each element in conversation with the other, contributing to a larger story about impermanence and presence.

One of her most resonant concepts is the belief that materials can transcend their origins. Through her intricate layering of media, discarded and recycled supports, and shimmering additives, James elevates what might otherwise be overlooked. A piece like Fiona, composed of oil, acrylic, pigment, and collage, exemplifies this ethos. Similarly, works on paper such as Firefly and The Diver III showcase her sensitivity to scale and form, where even the most intimate compositions hold monumental weight. In every work, James invites the viewer not just to look, but to feel time, memory, and transformation caught mid-breath.

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Major League Baseball Unveil Black History Month Initiatives

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Kansas City, Seattle, Negro Leagues, Black History Month baseball

Seattle Mariners are honoring Negro Leagues’ 1946 Steelheads by wearing replica uniforms on Sundays.


Major League Baseball organizations in Kansas City and Seattle are spotlighting the legacy of the Negro Leagues through expanded access, historic tributes and new community investments tied to Black History Month.

In Kansas City, the Royals Foundation will again cover admission costs to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) for the entire month of February. The program marks the fifth straight year the foundation has sponsored free entry, an effort originally launched to honor Black History Month and increase public engagement with the museum.

The NLBM, founded in 1990, is the nation’s only museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and celebrating the history of African-American baseball and its broader influence on American society. Located in Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the museum sits just blocks from the Paseo YMCA, where Andrew “Rube” Foster formed the Negro National League in 1920.

“We can’t thank the Kansas City Royals and The Royals Foundation enough for once again opening the doors of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum free of charge for the entire month of February and we look forward to seeing the turnstiles spinning,” said NLBM president Bob Kendrick. He noted that the initiative makes the museum more accessible, especially for students from underserved communities, while encouraging visitors to learn from athletes who overcame “tremendous social adversity to play the game they loved.”

Since the program began in 2022, more than 50,000 people have visited the museum during Free February, according to the Royals. The foundation’s total contribution tied to the initiative now exceeds $435,000.

Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman called the effort a natural fit for the organization. “That institution – we think it’s an important story that needs to be told, far and wide,” Sherman said. “It’s a pretty simple thing for us to do.” He added that the Royals’ broader investments in the surrounding neighborhood and support for the museum’s expansion made driving attendance “the right thing to do.”

The museum will extend its hours throughout February, opening daily with earlier and weekend access to accommodate increased attendance.

On the West Coast, the Seattle Mariners announced a separate but complementary tribute. Beginning in the 2026 season, the club will wear replica uniforms honoring the 1946 Seattle Steelheads for Sunday home games. The change replaces the cream-colored Sunday uniforms the team has worn since 2015 and makes Seattle the first MLB franchise to incorporate a Negro Leagues uniform into its regular rotation.

The Mariners are also launching the Steelheads Community Fund, committing $500,000 to support Black-led baseball and softball programs and related community initiatives.

“We are proud to honor our game’s history and invest in the future of our community with Steelheads Sundays at T-Mobile Park,” said Kevin Martinez, the Mariners’ president of business operations. “Through the Steelheads Community Fund, we will celebrate the legacy of the Steelheads, while continuing our long-standing effort to advance access to baseball and softball and well-being for underserved communities in our region.”

RELATED CONTENT: MLB Initiates ‘101 Days of Negro Leagues Facts’ In Honor Of Negro Leagues Baseball Museum



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ICE Shooting Investigations a ‘Complete Aberration’

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This is The Marshall Project’s Closing Argument newsletter, a weekly deep dive into a key criminal justice issue. Want this delivered to your inbox? Sign up for future newsletters.

For weeks after an ICE officer’s killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, and again in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, the Trump administration moved aggressively to control the narrative and the investigative process. High-level officials portrayed the victims as violent threats and even terrorists, while insisting that Minnesota had “no jurisdiction” and blocking state investigators’ access to key evidence. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension superintendent Drew Evans told local reporters that in his more than 20 years of experience, he had never been denied access to a crime scene. But after the administration received a barrage of criticism, including significant backlash from fellow Republicans, the dam began to break.

In the days since, Trump officials have put the federal agents who shot and killed Pretti on administrative leave, floated the idea of reducing the deployment in the city, and President Donald Trump personally told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz that he would direct the Department of Homeland Security to allow Minnesota to conduct its own investigation.

That access matters, but it can’t rewind the first minutes and hours after a shooting when ballistic evidence must be collected and witnesses and participants need to be interviewed. Kevin Flynn, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., served under seven presidents and investigated scores of shootings. He told The Marshall Project that if these processes are done poorly or not at all, the investigation is “fatally flawed.”

“What we have right now are multiple videotapes, which are extremely compelling. And I personally think that they make…all by themselves a case for a murder prosecution,” Flynn said. But he warned that how the public sees such videos is much different than being a juror or a judge evaluating a case that is also missing essential evidence.

He described the way the federal government tried to shut out state investigators as a “complete aberration.”

Typically, when a shooting takes place, investigators first establish a perimeter around the scene, canvas for bullet fragments and shell casings, and then photograph this evidence. Firearms — whether they’re fired by an officer or alleged to have been possessed by a suspect — are central evidence in almost any shooting because they anchor later ballistics work and help investigators reconstruct what happened.

Writing for Just Security, Julia Gegenheimer, a former DOJ prosecutor, speculated about potential missteps by federal investigators who handled Pretti’s shooting. She referred to a photo of the gun the 37-year-old was alleged to be carrying, taken on the seat of a car, later shared on social media by DHS. “Even if its precise location and condition on the scene had been documented earlier, by the time of the photograph, the gun had not been placed in an evidence bag, labeled, or stored securely,” Gegenheimer wrote. “Without additional documentation, the photo raises serious questions about the reliability of any later ballistics or forensic testing on that item.”

According to Eliot Prescott, the Inspector General for the state of Connecticut, the entity that secures a scene matters as much as the fact that it is secured. The Connecticut legislature created his office to conduct independent investigations of police uses of deadly force in the state following the George Floyd protests in 2020.

Speaking about investigations in Connecticut, Prescott said that outside of rendering aid or other urgent matters, the protocol for officers involved is to not touch anything, and wait for investigators to arrive. He said his office also puts a premium on avoiding conflicts of interest, and assigning investigators from other regions to probe a shooting. “We can’t have officers investigating the very officers they work with day in and day out,” he said.

In Minneapolis, by contrast, some critics of the administration’s approach are concerned that members of Homeland Security Investigations, who work hand-in-glove with ICE and Border Patrol agents, were initially tasked with the investigation. The FBI would typically take the lead, according to The Wall Street Journal. On Friday, DHS announced that the FBI would be taking over the lead in the probe, in another apparent concession by the administration.

Likewise, two former officials at the Border Patrol’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which typically investigates shootings alongside the FBI, voiced worries this week in a LinkedIn post, writing that Homeland Security Investigations “does not have the mandate or expertise to conduct civil rights use-of-force investigations.”

Investigators with Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension do have that expertise, but were kept away from the scenes of both Good and Pretti’s shootings. To ensure that evidence would be preserved in the Pretti shooting, the BCA filed a lawsuit, resulting in a federal judge forbidding DHS from destroying evidence. On Friday, the Department of Justice announced that its civil rights division has opened an investigation into Pretti’s killing. Earlier this month, the department declined to open a similar investigation of Good’s killing.

Prescott said his office has investigated shootings involving federal agents before, and while some things are different in those cases, historically, the expectation of collaboration made that manageable. In one case prior to his tenure, Prescott recalled that the federal officer’s handgun was sent to an FBI lab for testing, rather than a state lab. But even though the state did not have direct access to the gun, Prescott said the FBI provided the forensic reports back to the Office of the Inspector General.

“Before this federal administration started, there was a sense that these investigations would be done cooperatively,” Prescott said regarding Trump’s second term. “Do I have confidence that cooperation would extend into these days? No.”

Prescott said his office is gaming out the legal possibilities of a battle over jurisdiction in his own state based on what he’s seeing in Minnesota — and he isn’t the only state-level official thinking about sovereignty in the face of federal threats. In a press release from Tuesday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta concluded that despite a long history of working with the feds in these kinds of cases, “cooperation in the conduct of such investigations can no longer be expected from the federal government.” He declared that “California stands ready to take all necessary steps to investigate potentially unlawful conduct by federal agents that occurs on our soil,” citing recent events in Minneapolis.

To be sure, neither the presence of local investigators, nor any federal agency can guarantee that officers will face criminal accountability in fatal shootings. Prosecutions of officers are rare at the federal, state and local levels, and convictions are even rarer.

Douglas Kelley, a former assistant U.S. attorney for Minnesota, firmly believes in the process of investigating uses of force in his state. “There are times when the [Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension] and the FBI come up with unpopular conclusions, but I believe they’ve been the right conclusions.” He said the two agencies working together “produce results that you can trust.”

Kelley’s fear now is that this cooperation has been irreparably damaged. “If the local FBI was able to do its job without influence from above, I would have all the confidence in the world that they would be objective and come up with the correct answer, but the authority that’s being exercised against them from Washington is terribly concerning.”

For Kelley, it’s not solely these investigations that are at stake. He worries that the Trump administration’s response to the killings of Good and Pretti sent a dangerous message to agents, essentially saying: “‘We don’t want you to be charged. But if you did get charged, you’d probably get a pardon if it was in the federal system.’ And to me, that says, ‘Go at it. You’re out in Minnesota, you’re authorized to do rough things.’”

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Dreka Gates Shares Breathtaking Photos & Talks “New Era” (Pi…

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Dreka Gates has turned heads after droppin’ some breathtaking photos along with a message about her “new era.”

RELATED: UPDATE: Dreka Gates Reportedly Seeking $70K In Monthly Support After Filing For Divorce From Kevin Gates

Dreka Gates Turns Heads With Breathtaking Photos & Message About Her “New Era”

On Sunday, February 1, Dreka Gates took to Instagram to share a carousel of photos with her more than 3.2 million followers. Furthermore, the photos showed her dressed in a green stone bedazzled cream gown with a matching headdress. Some shots even shared a close-up view of her face card.

“Ushering in the new era of me…Empress Drek… 👑 is always on🪄,” she captioned the flicks.

Peep the breathtaking photos below.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users reacted to the breathtaking photos of Dreka Gates in TSR’s comment section.

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote, Could NEVER make me hate her 😍”

While Instagram user @dajahs added,He gon be so sick when she get wifed again 🥰”

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote,stashi876 wrote, Pretty and glowing as always”

While Instagram user @mss_saintlouis added,Dreka you are 1 of 1 boo 🏆🧘🏽‍♀️✨”

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote,lousal2022 wrote, She’s just breath taking, omg!! 😍😍😍”

While Instagram user @iamchanny2pretty added, Shes glowing🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote,supremecourtmovess wrote, If I was @iamkevingates I would be crashing out after losing this too 😩 she so fine !”

While Instagram user @nursemoonshine added,Aw, s**t….🔥🔥🔥🔥 Dreka has entered the chat….with style, class, and grace. #QueenDrek I know that’s right. ✨”

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote,bosslady_jilana wrote, Kevin gates loss 😍 dreka will forever be sooooo fine”

While Instagram user @chaydiva1 added, 🔥😍TOP TIER. NEVER duplicated. Keep winning Queen”

Instagram user @thekingkianna wrote,danijosie18 wrote, I just know he’s punching air 🔥👏”

Dreka Gates’ Breathtaking Photos & Message About Her “New Era” Arrives Amid Her Divorce From Kevin Gates

Dreka Gates’ breathtaking photos and her message about her “new era” arrive amid her ongoing divorce from Kevin Gates. As The Shade Room previously reported, in July 2025, Dreka filed for divorce from Kevin, citing irreconcilable differences. Then, in October, it was reported that Dreka was requesting over $70,000 from him in monthly support while accusing him of failing to pay property taxes and for their kids’ tuitions.

Earlier this month, Kevin Gates accused Dreka of only filing for divorce after he refused to continue giving her money. Additionally, he alleged that she and her family were stealing money from him.

RELATED: Yikes! Kevin Gates Accuses Dreka Gates Of Allegedly Filing For Divorce After He Stopped Giving Her Money (WATCH)

What Do You Think Roomies?



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Frugal Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Special for Kids

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Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to remind your kids just how much you love them. To help you create special memories — without stressing yourself out or stretching your budget — we’ve rounded up simple, meaningful ways to celebrate. From hands-on crafts to thoughtful gestures that spark kindness, these Valentine’s Day ideas are designed to help your family make Valentine’s Day doable and special.

Valentine's Day-themed kids' lunch with a heart-shaped sandwich, heart-cut cheddar cheese slices, and cucumber rounds on a white plate. The image includes text that reads "Frugal Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Special for Kids" by moneysavingmom.com.

Easy Valentine’s Day Ideas Your Kids Will Love

Overhead view of small child coloring a Valentine's Day Maze Challenge.

1. Print Our Free Valentine’s Activity Pack

Download our FREE printable Valentine’s Day Fun Pack for kids ages 5-10! It is filled with fun activities like word searches, coloring pages, mazes, and so much more! My kids LOVE this!

Watercolor rainbow art with " I'm Over the rainbow for You" text and "Art by St. Jude Survivor Tayde."

2. Share the Love with St. Jude’s Patients

Team up with your kids to send a free virtual card to the kids at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. This simple act of kindness will brighten a cancer patient’s day and make a special shared memory for you and your kids.

Heart shaped sandwich, cheese slices, and cucumbers on a white plate.

3. Delight Your Kids with a Fast and Frugal Valentine’s Day Lunch

I often see cute Valentine’s Day meal ideas and think “that’s way too much effort,” but this one is an easy win. With cucumbers, cheese, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a heart-shaped cookie cutter, you’ll create an easy lunch that will delight your kids. Read this post for more details.

Two children and a teen sit at a wooden table making homemade slime for Valentine's Day

4. Make Valentine’s Day Slime

Kaitlynn has loved making slime for years and after trying many recipes this one is our favorite. Over Christmas break, she taught her younger siblings how to make it and they loved it too. With red food coloring added, this homemade Valentine’s Day slime is fun to make, a great sensory activity, and an affordable yet special option for classroom valentines.

Valentine's Day S'mores Bites covered in chocolate with pink filling and sprinkles.

5. Enjoy Valentine’s Day S’mores Bites Together

Looking for a last-minute sweet treat to make for Valentine’s Day? These Valentine’s s’more bites from Somewhat Simple look scrumptious and simple to pull off.

Slice of Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert

6. Savor This Delicious Pie

If you have a bit more time on your hands, you’ll LOVE this Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie that my family has made for decades. The combination of rich cream cheese, smooth indulgent chocolate, and tangy red raspberries make it absolutely perfect for Valentine’s Day — and it’s much easier than a typical cheesecake!

Heart shaped Rice Krispie treat with chocolate and sprinkled wrapped in cellophane with a red ribbon.

7. Make Special Valentine’s Rice Krispie Treats

Myra from My Blessed Life shared this easy but impressive way to take Rice Krispie Treats up a notch for an extra special Valentine’s Day treat. Head over to her blog for all the details!

Box of Mondo Llama traditional doily Valentines.

8. Create Traditional Valentines

Do you remember making Valentines with doilies and construction paper as a kid? It’s now easier than ever with this adorable Mondo Llama craft kit! Each kit makes five valentines – perfect for sharing with grandparents, cousins, or neighbors.

Heart shaped strong art with pink, green, and yellow string.

9. Craft Valentine String Art

If you have older kids or are up for a slightly more ambitious crafting activity, this Valentine’s Day string art was SO fun to make and I love having the seasonal decor. Plus, it’s super frugal — you might even have the string, nails, and scrap wood at home already! Head here for my heart string art tutorial.

Craft supplies for making Valentine's Day cards and decorations, including red and white thread spools, glue tubes, heart-shaped cutouts, buttons, and a faux red rose scattered across a table. The image features text reading "Adorable Classroom Valentine’s Ideas (cute for homeschoolers too!)" by moneysavingmom.com.

Adorable Classroom Valentine Ideas (cute for homeschoolers too!)

Pile of homemade playdough packages in heart cellophane with a printable tag - the perfect classroom Valentine gift.

10. Cook Simple Play Dough (& Play with It!)

Cooking homemade play dough is another simple, hands-on activity that delivers sensory fun, a budget-friendly classroom gift, and sweet memories all in one. This easy, frugal recipe is a joy to make — and even more fun to play with!

Apple sauce pouch with printable Valentine tag that reads "You're Awesome Sauce!"
Snack size gold fish packages with tag attached that say, "Valentine, I'm so happy we swim in the same school."

11. Pair a Snack or Treat with a Cute Printable

We love these adorable FREE apple sauce printables and FREE goldfish printables! They are such a fun way to share non-candy treats with classmates and would also make a fun addition to your own child’s lunch box on Valentine’s Day.

Lollipop Butterflies made with lollipops and printable butterfly template.

12. Make Lollipop Butterflies

Check out these Lollipop Butterflies by Press Print Party! They are a fun way to do a Valentine craft while also making special treats for friends! Download the FREE butterfly template for an easy and adorable classroom Valentine idea!

What’s your favorite frugal way to make Valentine’s Day special for kids?

Valentine's Day Fun Pack

 Sign up below for your free Valentine’s Day activity pack filled with fun activities for kids ages 5-10! Includes puzzles, coloring pages, DIY cards, memory games, and more!

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Homemade Chocolate Mousse (6 Ingredients)

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Homemade chocolate mousse is proof that simple ingredients can turn into something truly special. With the pure flavor of real chocolate and its smooth, velvety texture, this mousse strikes the perfect balance between rich and light. You need just 6 ingredients and there’s no baking required. This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert recipe!

chocolate mousse in glass cups with whipped cream and raspberries.

Like crème brûlée, tiramisu, or chocolate soufflé, chocolate mousse sounds like something only a restaurant pastry chef could make, but it’s surprisingly approachable in your home kitchen.

Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, it delivers big chocolate flavor and a cloud-like texture that melts on your tongue. It’s decadent but not heavy, and deeply chocolatey without being overly rich or sweet.

And while it’s elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, it’s also easy enough for a beginner to manage.

Serve it plain, topped with whipped cream, or finished with fresh berries and chocolate shavings. However you dress it up, this is one of those desserts that makes people pause mid-bite and say, wow—you made this?

chocolate mousse with whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • Ultra-smooth and velvety texture
  • Pure chocolate flavor from real chocolate
  • Only 6 ingredients
  • No baking required
  • Naturally gluten-free recipe (but always check ingredient labels)
  • Perfect make-ahead dessert for entertaining

You Only Need 6 Ingredients

  1. High-Quality Chocolate: Use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate bars. Look for them in the baking aisle of the grocery store, near the chocolate chips. Baking chocolate is typically sold in 4-ounce bars (you’ll need 2). I like Ghirardelli and Baker’s brands.
  2. Heavy Cream: This is combined with the chocolate to make chocolate ganache first. Have some heavy cream left over? Make some whipped cream for topping the mousse when you’re ready to serve dessert!
  3. Egg Whites: A main component of the meringue. You’ll cook these on the stove so you don’t have to worry about consuming raw eggs.
  4. Sugar: Granulated sugar is cooked with the egg whites to sweeten the meringue. You don’t need much; this mousse isn’t overly sweet.
  5. Cream of Tartar: Key for getting the meringue to whip into those glossy peaks.
  6. Salt: Just a pinch, to make the chocolate flavor pop.
ingredients in bowls.

In Photos: How to Make Chocolate Mousse

There are many ways to make chocolate mousse, from traditional French pastry-kitchen methods to streamlined approaches designed for home cooks. Today’s version uses approachable steps, and a process that works beautifully in home kitchens. It still delivers that signature airy texture and rich chocolate flavor—just with a simpler method.

If you’ve ever made this sky-high chocolate mousse pie, which I also included in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101, this process will seem familiar, but today’s homemade chocolate mousse is even simpler. 🙂

First, melt the chocolate with the cream. You are essentially making chocolate ganache, though the ratio of chocolate to cream is a bit different for the mousse.

cream and chocolate mixture in bowls.

Prepare the meringue base. Whisk (constantly!) the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the top pot of a double boiler, or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of boiling water. Cooking the egg whites to a temperature of 160°F (71°C) kills any bacteria so you don’t have to worry about raw eggs.

egg white mixture in double boiler.

Whip the meringue. You want to reach the point of stiff, glossy peaks—just like when we make marshmallow creme, Swiss meringue buttercream, or pavlova. If you turn the mixer’s whisk attachment upside down, the peaks shouldn’t droop at all.

egg whites in stiff peaks.

Fold the chocolate ganache and meringue together. This will take quite a few turns of your spatula. Take your time here and fold gently—it will come together, I promise!

egg white and chocolate mixture.

Pipe or spoon into dessert cups. For the pictured mousse, I used Ateco 808 large round piping tip. This recipe makes enough mousse for 4–6 servings, depending on the size of your dessert glasses (or ramekins or jars).

Then, you’ll simply refrigerate until the mousse has set and is luxuriously spoonable, at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Garnish and serve. Whipped cream, chocolate curls or shavings, raspberries, fresh mint… all simple garnishes that make for an elegant presentation!

chocolate mousse in glass cup with whipped cream and raspberries.

Success Tips for Perfect Chocolate Mousse

  • Use quality chocolate. This is the primary flavor so it really shines through.
  • Fold gently and patiently. This keeps the texture airy and smooth.
  • Chill for at least 4 hours for best consistency.

If you’re looking for a dessert that’s elegant, timeless, and guaranteed to impress, this homemade chocolate mousse is it!


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Description

Homemade chocolate mousse is proof that simple ingredients can turn into something truly special. With the pure flavor of real chocolate and its smooth, velvety texture, this mousse strikes the perfect balance between rich and light.



  1. Place chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
  2. With a metal spoon or small silicone spatula, slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Set aside to slightly cool.
  3. Place egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water. (You can use a double boiler if you have one.) Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and tacky at first, then thin out and appear frothy on top. To test that it’s ready, you can use your finger or an instant-read thermometer. Lightly and quickly dip your finger (it’s very hot, be careful) and rub the mixture between your thumb and finger. You shouldn’t feel any sugar granules. If using a thermometer, the temperature should read 160°F (71°C).
  4. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof mixing bowl. (No need to let it cool down before continuing.) Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes.
  5. Pour the chocolate ganache into the meringue and gently fold together with a silicone spatula until completely combined. 
  6. Spoon or pipe the mousse into dessert dishes, ramekins, or jars. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours. After about an hour in the fridge, cover the mousse.
  7. Top with whipped cream, chocolate curls, raspberries, and/or fresh mint to serve.


Notes

  1. Make-Ahead Instructions: Because this mousse needs to chill for several hours or overnight, it’s perfect for making a day or two ahead of time. Freezing leftovers is a great idea—simply allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying. Or enjoy frozen!
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing BowlsSaucepanDouble Boiler | Whisk | Instant-Read Thermometer | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
  3. Chocolate: I recommend using pure chocolate baking bars, in either semi-sweet or bittersweet. You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. They are sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands.
  4. Egg Whites: The egg whites are gently cooked in step 3 to 160°F (71°C), which is considered safe to eat. You can use a candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer to determine their temperature. You can use pasteurized egg whites, though keep in mind they may never reach the volume of unpasteurized egg whites. For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Tip: Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold.
  5. Cream of Tartar: This is key for stabilizing those egg whites.
  6. Chocolate Curls: Here’s how to make chocolate curls; for a shortcut method, run a vegetable peeler down the long side of a chocolate bar.

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Alan Christianson – Unraveling the Mysteries of Thyroid Heal…

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