Let me start by saying something controversial: I despise the gluten-free fad. I think gluten is delicious (I go through at least two loaves of bread a week, with a healthy dose of pretzels and pasta in there as well), and I think many of the health myths surrounding gluten are either fabricated or hyperbolic.
When I get struck by a craving for something SCJ (savory, crunchy, juicy), nothing fits the bill better than a BLT. But why settle for the sandwich form when there are so many other possibilities? Some of my favorite alternative ways to serve up a BLT are 1) as a salad, 2) in tomato cups, 3) in mini bread bowls, 4) as lettuce wraps, 5) as a dip, and 6) in bacon cups.
Although I love a good kitchen gadget just as much as the next food writer, the truth is that my drawers are bursting with unused tools. I usually like to take the simpler approach to cooking and prepping, and for everyday cooking, I find that the best gadgets are usually the ones that do more than one thing.
Few things in life are as exciting and magical as fire. And setting things on fire while cooking? Well, now you're speaking my language. I'm not talking about grilling, though I do love some outdoor cooking. No, I'm talking about the most badass trick in any cook's arsenal: the flambé.
It has become a popular and must-have beauty essential—the bath bomb. Not only does it bring an aromatic and calming feel to bath time, but it also leaves your skin soft and will make you smell wonderful for a whole week!
Every year, when summer rolls around, I get excited because it's grilling season. And every year, when summer comes to a close, I get sad because grilling season is ending.
Rather than reaching for aspirin the next time a headache strikes, try grabbing a drink of lemonade instead. Not only can it help ease your head pain, but it can also help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. But not just any old lemonade will do the trick—reach for the lavender lemonade.
A salad can mean everything from fruit to meat and everything in-between, but it never means finger food. Forks are required. So that means that even though salads are versatile, delicious, and customizable, they are hell at cocktail parties. How do you hold your glass and take a bite of your salad at the same time? It's awkward.
The next time you finish that last pickle spear, don't pour the leftover green juice down the drain. You can use your leftover pickle juice in cooking, in cocktails, and as a post-workout performance shot.
We're always looking for great food hacks to help us become better cooks who can create delicious food with less waste, fuss, and hassle. You never know where the next good tip will come from, so we've all learned to keep our eyes and ears wide open.
Eating healthy poses a challenge nowadays with so many options that taste great but aren't really good for you. Nutritionists have made it their life's work to understand what actually does a body good. Here's how you can follow their example.
I don't deep fry food that often, mostly because it uses a ton of oil, which is expensive, and the cleanup is a son of a mother. (That oil really splatters everywhere.) Plus, no matter how careful you are, you will get hit by hot oil at some point and it will not be pleasant.
We've already taught you how to clench your fist to make healthier food choices, and how to make sure you eat healthily at a restaurant, but it turns out there are even more mind hacks we can use in our never-ending quest to control our appetites.
Cleaning a blender thoroughly is a pain in the ass, especially when you try and get all the goop out from underneath the sharp blades without nicking your knuckles. Alas, it is a necessary chore, otherwise you end up with disgusting dried gunk that ends up in your next batch of pureed foods. Fortunately, there's an easier way to get your blender sparkling clean besides using easier-to-clean mason jars as you main jar, and the best part is that the appliance literally does all the work for you.
Deep in the crevasses of the Songshan mountain range, an Indian dhyana master established the first Shaolin Monastery in 477 AD, seeking to spread the relatively new teachings of Buddha at the time. This monastery then bred the Shaolin monks, who are now popular for their incredible feats with Chinese martial arts, particularly with Shaolin Kung Fu.
If there's anything I've ascertained from all my candy-eating, it's that Pop Rocks are singularly the most awesome candy ever. The carbon dioxide gas that's mixed with the hard sugar forms a load of tiny, 600-psi bubbles, which vigorously release when they melt in your mouth.
If you've ever stumbled through Pinterest's boards, you'd know that Pinners have quite a penchant for aesthetically beautiful desserts. You can find a whole spectrum of "huh?" recipes, from pumpkin zebra cheesecake to sorbet terrine with plum compote.
Matting a picture helps it look professional, and is a necessary step if you want to frame it yourself. If you have a frame that is too large for the picture, but you love it anyway, matting will help fill it all out.
Toilets are some of the best prank aides, and this video will teach you a novel way to use them. All you do is connect the hose that fills the tank with water to another longer hose, then run it to under the sink and attach it in a position to spray outward. Then wait for your victim to flush.
If you're a college student, then you're super busy all the time. Between running around to classes, hanging around with friends, fraternity parties, volunteering, and work there's very little time to devote to preparing a healthy meal.
Here's one way to get your fill of ice cream without the calories. These miniature cupcake charms are adorable and can be used to adorn charm bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.
Souffles are culinary works of art. But if you've ever made one - or tried to do so - you know that achieving the perfect flaky consistency and puff is a task only the Martha Stewart cooks/bakers among us can accomplish.
If you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, then Valentine's Day is truly a beautiful, memorable occasion filled with lots of dining, wining, and hearts popping out of your heads like those cheesy cartoons.
Like ice cream and whipped cream, caramel is a filling and topping that tastes good in or on any dessert or drink. From caramel macchiatos to caramel drizzled on top of cookies'n'cream ice cream, this dulcet sauce is a crowd pleaser.
Want to create your own time lapse video, but you don't have the right equipment? You can use Adobe After Effects to fill in the gaps. This is a quick and easy tutorial showing you how to use this program to create your own time lapse video.
This is a great idea for anyone who's giving on a budget this year, or just looking for a unique and clever gift idea! You can take small bottles and fill them with tiny objects to create one of a kind jewelry!
Zeus is famously the god of thunder, lighting, and all that stormy stuff, so it only makes sense that a makeup look inspired by him would be filled with cloudy grays and gunmetal blacks.
Coffee cake was invented to be enjoyed alongside coffee (duh!), but we just as easily eat it alone...by the cakeful. We especially love coffee cakes with a tender, moist inside and a crumbly, crunchy top filled with the sweetness of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Movies, TV shows and other media content can fill up even the most generous hard drive quickly. You can use MediaUSB on aTV Flash to connect an external USB drive to your AppleTV for extra media storage capability, and this tutorial shows you how. Make the most of your Apple TV!
Spinach and pie aren't two words you'd usually see in the same sentence, but they sure are when you're referencing Greek cuisine. Spanakopita, or Greek spinach pie, is almost a dessert in the way it's constructed, with thin sheets of pastray wrapped around spinach and other ingredients.
By now we all know the slogan "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." And many of us do just that every Sunday, visiting the recyling center to dump our latest fill of glass and plastic bottles.
Warm summer nights call for equally warm and savory stews that harness the flavor of the fresh vegetables that are in season. So before we head into fall, try out this delicious recipe for a sausage, potato, and zucchino stew.
If eyes are the windows to your soul then eyebrows are the gatekeepers. Keep your peepers' bodyguards in tip top shape by spic and spanning them with a perfect shape and filling them in with brow powder.
As with most female comic book heroines, Ms. Marvel, created by artist Gene Colan in the 1960s, is a bodacious babe with killer curves and an even more killer abilities of superhuman strength, stamina, flight, and precognition.
In this tutorial, Anuja and Hetal of Show Me the Curry will show you how to build a fantastic lunch. This cous cous salad is good for you and low in calories but will still fill you up and give you enough energy for the day. The cous cous is packed with veggies, too!
Spraycans filled with paint have been the graffiti artist's chosen medium of artistic creation since the street/urban art form began. Graffiti artists utilize spray cans daily to create sociopolitical commentary and to animate their work, so why not give these important tools a chance to shine on their own for once?
In this tutorial, Nancy goes over the star tip. The star tip is the most popular tip used for cake and cookie decorating. This tip is fantastic for beginners and can look like stars, flowers and also be used to fill in colors for other designs. Follow along with Nancy for fabulous tips and design ideas.
When your kids start discovering technology, it can be a fantastic learning experience. Check out this tutorial, hosted by a third grader, to help your kiddies get used to handling a digital camera. This video is filled with a ton of tips and lots of advice, tailored just for children.
If you're looking for a quick and easy side dish to add to your meal, a potato can fill that void. Baking a potato takes less than ten minutes and can be easily prepared in the oven or microwave. So in this tutorial, you'll find out how to bake one using these easy to follow steps. Good luck and enjoy!
A banana cheesecake is ripe for summer, with a pefectly portioned dash of sweet fruit and rich, creamy cheesecake. Make this tasty variation on your run of the mill cheesecakes by watching this cake making video by Honeysuckcle Bakery.
