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Cooking Without Eggs? Bookmark These Webpages!

July 7, 2014 by

Eggs are a staple in just about every recipe, but many people can’t consume eggs due to food allergies or a vegan diet. If you want to cook the delicious foods that you love without eggs, these websites offer simple tips and clever substitutions that can help.

Chef In You
The Chef In You Egg Substitutions page features just about everything you need to maintain an egg-free kitchen. A detailed chart describes things that you can substitute for eggs in a variety of dishes, including products like tofu, bananas, and commercial egg substitutes. There are even recipes that show you how to make desserts, breakfasts, and entrees without using eggs.

Kids With Food Allergies
Whether you have a child with a food allergy or not, this informative website will show you how to cook without eggs. The detailed articles describe alternatives for using eggs as a binder, a leavening agent, or a glaze, and there’s even a list that tells you some uncommon foods to avoid if you have an egg allergy. If you want to make an egg-free dish at home, Kids With Food Allergies also provides a few free recipes for baked goods without eggs.

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Avoid the Itch: How to Identify Poison Ivy

June 27, 2014 by

"Leaves of three, let them be." It's sage advice when it comes to poison ivy prevention, but it doesn't really help to take the guesswork out of differentiating the plant from other, harmless varieties. If you're unsure exactly which three-leafed plants are off-limits, memorize these identifying traits:

1) Poison ivy has compound leaves.
Each compound leaf consists of three leaflets that share a stem, with the center leaflet always having the longest stem. The leaflets are usually jagged around the edges, but you might come across smooth-edged poison ivy leaflets from time to time. All poison ivy leaflets taper to a narrow point.

2) Poison ivy is usually glossy.
The leaves typically sport a waxy appearance. In the spring and summer, the leaves are bright green, while in the fall, they turn red—but they are always poisonous. The plant forms flowers in the spring and berries in the fall. The itchy blisters caused by poison ivy are an example of contact dermatitis; the reaction is due to urushiol oil present within all parts of the plant.

3) Poison ivy takes many shapes.
Shrub, bush, or vine, poison ivy takes on many forms, and it's not picky about where it grows. You might find it crawling up or tree or a fence or snaking across the dirt as a ground cover. Also note that poison ivy is found commonly all over the U.S.!

Do you have tips for identifying poison ivy or for treating the rash? Share them below!

How to Identify Poison Ivy [About]
The Mighty Poison Ivy Plant [Mayo Clinic]
How to Identify Poison Ivy [WikiHow]

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Track Your Mileage With These Apps for Runners

June 24, 2014 by

Keep track of your run every time you set out on the trail or treadmill with these great smartphone apps designed especially for runners. With built-in GPS, pedometer, and map features, each of these apps will significantly improve the way you record your workouts.

MapMyRun
MapMyRun is a simple GPS app that’s made to help runners record their times and distances. Whether you’re training for a marathon or simply trying to beat your own personal record, this app will provide a complete map of the area you run, deliver stats like time and speed, and even enable you to compare your current run to your times from the past.

RunKeeper
Map your runs and connect with fellow runners all on the RunKeeper app. This app operates just like many other GPS running logs, but it lets you see where your friends have been running, as well. Follow pre-planned routes to maximize the roads in your area, and even receive pace, speed, and mileage audio alerts as you run.

Runner’s World
The popular magazine’s app version offers the same invaluable running information and interesting articles just for avid runners. Read up on things like the right foods to eat before a big run, and check out the latest outdoor running shoes and other product reviews.

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How to Treat the Itch and Burn Caused by Poison Ivy

June 20, 2014 by

You've likely heard the saying "leaves of three, leave them be," but accidental brushes with poison ivy, oak, and sumac happen to even the most careful of outdoors enthusiasts. An example of contact dermatitis, the rash is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol, an oily resin present in all parts of the offending plants. If you find yourself afflicted with the telltale itch and blisters of poison ivy, keep these treatment tips in mind:

1) Wash it off.
As soon as possible after exposure, soap up in the shower using lukewarm water. This will help remove any remaining oil that might be present on your skin. Before you hop in the shower, though, toss your clothing into the washing machine. If you don't, the oil poses the threat of infecting you—or someone else—upon contact later on.

2) Ease the itch.
Popping an antihistamine can help alleviate your symptoms. Cold compresses and oatmeal baths are also known to reduce the itch, especially when followed by an application of calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream. As tempting as it might be, resist the urge to itch, as aggressive scratching can cause infection!

3) Call your doctor.
If your rash becomes infected, you have a fever, or if your rash affects a large area of your body, seek the advice of a medical professional.

Poison ivy: Tips for treating and preventing [American Academy of Dermatology]
Poison ivy rash [Mayo Clinic]
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac [MedicineNet]

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Want to Become a Better Cook? Start by Learning These Culinary Terms!

June 17, 2014 by

When you encounter a recipe that’s full of complicated cooking terminology, it’s easy to feel intimidated. What if your chopping instead of dicing leads to a flop of a soufflé? These kitchen terms will teach you a few things about proper cooking techniques, and they’ll make you feel more confident about your next culinary endeavor.

  1. Beat. To beat a mix or batter is not the same thing as mixing it. Beating involves briskly whipping with a spoon, wire whisk rotary beater, or electric mixer, and it incorporates air into the ingredients in order to obtain a light, fluffy consistency.
  2. Blacken. Blackening a piece of meat or vegetables is a popular Cajun cooking technique that chars seasonings onto the food in order to give it a crunchy, spicy coating. This involves cooking over high heat in a heavy skillet.
  3. Fold. If a recipe calls for you to fold one ingredient into another, it means to combine them without decreasing their volume. Use a rubber spatula in vertical swipes across the mixture, pulling some of the mixture from the bottom to the top each time.
  4. Garnish. Once your dish is completed, you may garnish it by adding a decorative bit of fresh herbs, fruit or greens.

Glossary of Basic Cooking Terms [Les Petites Gourmettes]
Cooking Terms [Recipe Goldmine]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [UMN]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [Better Homes & Gardens]
Culinary Terms [About.com]

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How to Get More Folic Acid in Your Diet

June 13, 2014 by

Folic acid stimulates cell growth and regeneration, enhances red blood cell creation, and even prevents against depression, which is important for people of all ages. Pregnant women benefit even further from folic acid because it prevents against fetal deformities. If you want to take advantage of the many benefits of folic acid, here are a few of the best food sources.

  1. Dark, leafy greens. Dark green colored vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens are some of the very best sources of folic acid, and even just one large salad filled with these leafy foods can provide you with enough folic acid for the entire day. Spinach is especially beneficial, as it contains 65% of your daily value in only one cup.
  2. Citrus fruits. Oranges, grapefruits, and other citruses have more folic acid than all other types of fruits. One papaya alone offers 115 mcg of folic acid, which is about 29% of the average person’s recommended daily intake.
  3. Beans, peas and lentils. While not all of these foods are high in folic acid, there are a few beans, peas, and lentils that contain impressively large quantities of the B-complex vitamin. Lentils are especially high in folic acid, containing over 90% of your daily intake in just one cup. Pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans are also very good sources.

Surprising Sources of Folic Acid [Yahoo! Shine]
Foods High in Folic Acid [Prenatal Vitamin HQ]
15 Foods High in Folic Acid [Global Healing Center]
18 Foods High in Folic Acid to Prevent Cancer & Birth Defects [Bembu]

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3 Websites for Avid Rowers

June 6, 2014 by

If you’re an avid rower, you know just how challenging and how rewarding the sport can be. Few sports build teamwork as much as rowing does, and communities of rowers are some of the most tightly-knit of all athletes. Now you can even find rowing communities online! Here's where to start:

USRowing.org
The website for the U.S. Rowing organization offers a number of truly impressive benefits for rowers of all ages and skill levels. The organization is open for both individual and team memberships, and members receive things like entry into high profile races, medical coverage, and more. If you’re not a member, you can still access the website’s event calendar, race recaps, and safety tips for free on the site.

World Rowing
If you’re interested in keeping up with competitive rowing worldwide, World Rowing is the place to look. This attractive website features athlete bios and the latest news from rowing competitions, from university level to continental teams. Training tips can help you improve your own personal times.

Rowing Magazine
Whether you already read the magazine or not, the Rowing magazine website is a great resource to keep up with the latest news from the sport’s main publication. Check out a free digital issue to read this month’s fascinating stories, or even subscribe to the print version right on the site.

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Choose Fresh Fruits and Vegetables With a Few Simple Tips

May 27, 2014 by

Don’t you hate it when you buy produce at the grocery store, only to come home and realize that it’s tough and flavorless? Or when you bring home fruits and they become mushy and overripe before you can eat them? If you want to learn how to choose fruits and vegetables right at their peak of ripeness, these simple tips can help.

Check the color.
It’s important to know what color each fruit or vegetable should be before you purchase it. Most fruits should be the most vibrant shade of their expected color, such as bright red apples or sunny yellow bananas. Green vegetables should be a deep, dark green, and other vegetables, like carrots, should not have white aging signs on them.

Feel the texture.
Bruising is one of the main issues when buying fruits and vegetables, so gently hold your produce to feel if it’s bruised or soft. Citrus fruits should feel particularly heavy for their size, as that means they’re full of juice. Vegetables like cucumbers and peppers should feel firm to the touch, while lettuce or spinach should be leafy and full.

Store them properly.
Once you get your produce home, storing it properly helps to conserve its freshness. Most perishable fruits and veggies should be stored in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees or lower.

Choosing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables [Family Circle]
Raw Produce [FDA]

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Feel the Burn With These 3 Workout Tracker Apps

May 23, 2014 by

From counting calories to tracking the miles you run, monitoring your workout plan can start to seem like it’s taking over your life. These innovative smartphone apps can simplify the way that you track your workouts, and they may even make your routine more effective, as well!

FitnessBuilder
Just like a personal trainer right in your pocket, FitnessBuilder guides you through complex workout programs and offers detailed instructions on any moves that you’re unfamiliar with. It also provides statistics like fat loss, weight loss, and strength progress that you can convert into PDF form and email or print as often as you like.

Daily Burn
This is the ideal app for just about anyone on any device, from your computer to your iPhone and even your Playstation console. It offers a number of workout videos for a wide variety of exercises, and you can even track how your results compare to other users online.

MyFitnessPal
With MyFitnessPal, you’ll never have to rack your brain counting calories again. The app determines how many calories you should consume daily based on your current weight, age, and weight loss goals, and then it compares the food you eat throughout the day to that number. The incredibly large database contains nutrition information for just about any food or drink imaginable, so you’ll always know how many calories you have left to take in.

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Speed Through Laundry Day With These 4 Organization Tips

May 16, 2014 by

You love the fresh, clean feeling of having all of your laundry done, but getting there is a whole different story. Laundry day may be time-consuming, but there are ways to make it easier. Here are a few tips to help you organize your laundry and get it done in half the time.

  1. Sort laundry without even trying. It takes a lot of time to sort through your mountain of dirty clothes and separate the lights from the darks. Invest in a three-compartment hamper to do the sorting for you.
  2. Bleach more effectively. Bleaching seems like a fool-proof way to remove stains from white clothing, but it doesn’t always work as effectively as you’d like. The proper way to bleach clothes is by first letting the clothing soak in a pool of water. Add one cup of bleach and one cup of dishwashing detergent and let it soak for about half an hour. Finally, dump the whole thing into the washing machine and wash as you normally would.
  3. Prevent damage. To reduce fading, turn dark colored items inside out before washing. Use the cold water setting to prevent clothes from shrinking, and then hang them to dry instead of using the dryer. Also, only wash delicates, like bras and underwear, in a lingerie bag on the delicate cycle.
  4. Invest in a drying rack. Rather than tossing delicate items over the shower curtain rod or rigging some other kind of makeshift drying rack, invest in the real deal. They're usually inexpensive, and they fold into a flat shape to tuck away when not in use.

10 Tips and Tricks for Easier Laundry Days [Yahoo!]
Easy Laundry Tips [The Nest]
How to Do Laundry More Effectively [Babble]
13 Ways to Make Laundry Day Easier [BHG]

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