Posts

What often gets overlooked is that grilling veggies adds complexity and depth to fresh-grown produce, and is the perfect way to bring out fruit’s natural sweetness. In the spirit of adopting a more plant-based diet (and accommodating our vegetarian and vegan friends at the next summer soiree), we asked six chefs about their favorite non-meat BBQ dishes and how to cook them, so you can try them at home. “Lately, I’ve been really into Middle Eastern spices,” he continued....

1. Consider bathroom vanity lighting early. Think through your vanity lighting plan early in a bathroom remodeling project. “It may be necessary to remove existing fixtures, add new lighting fixtures, or move them from one location to another,” says ALA training consultant Joe Rey-Barreau, AIA, IES, architect, lighting designer, and associate professor at the University of Kentucky. “All these processes sometimes involve quite extensive electrical work.” It’s easier and less expensive to make decisions about bathroom vanity lighting when the walls are open....

Types of Refrigerators Determine the type of refrigerator you need. In addition to price, space limitations and features will influence your choice. Here are the most common types of refrigerators for the home. Built-In Refrigerators Designed to fit flush with cabinets and counters, this type of refrigerator often has optional front panels that can match other elements in the kitchen. Built-ins typically come with a bottom freezer and side-by-side configurations. You can also find separate refrigerator and freezer units....

And while some AC usage may well be inevitable, there are ways to feel comfy in your home through the hot summer months without spending so much on electricity bills. Here are some low-cost ways to keep your home cooler this summer. The best blackout curtains will keep your room cool, make it easier for you to fall asleep (and stay asleep), and best of all, you don’t have to pay top dollar to find ones that work well....

Simply stated, potassium is a mineral that’s classified as an electrolyte, because it’s highly reactive in water. When dissolved in water, potassium produces ions that are positively charged. This ability to conduct electricity is what makes it an integral part of our body’s ability to function properly. Its importance for our health cannot be emphasized enough. “Potassium helps with many processes in the body, including water regulation in and out of the cells, sending nerve signals, and controlling muscle contractions,” explains Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, and founder of Real Nutrition....

The bottom line: Even a few minutes of meditation each day can dramatically lower your stress levels. So the next time you feel your stress start to snowball, or the clouds of a funk start to descend, hit the gym, go for a bike ride, or take a brisk walk. Many natural smells that you encounter outdoors have been linked with lowering stress levels, too. Some of the scents include lavender, rose, and possibly pine....

“The cabinet door style is the single largest decision for the overall style of your kitchen,” says architect and designer Anastasia Harrison, owner and creative director of AHD&Co and a veteran of more than 50 kitchen remodels. Unfortunately, choosing a kitchen cabinet style can quickly become overwhelming when you don’t know your Shaker from your slab. To save you some of that stress, we’ve zeroed in on what you need to know about kitchen cabinet styles so you can find the perfect fit for your home....

Between the mugs, coffeemaker, stirrers, sugar, travel mugs, and coffee itself, a coffee bar can be quickly overrun, especially if multiple members of the household use it or several different coffee-making contraptions are needed for making variations such as cold brew or pour-over coffee. If coffee is a lifestyle, crafting an effective, organized coffee bar is key to making it a clutter-free one. Before setting up a coffee bar, see what can be done to cull any mugs, old coffeemakers, or other tools that aren’t used anymore....

To help find the best of the best hair thickening products available, we asked hair experts to weigh in with the products they swear by. From hair styling products that temporarily boost volume to topicals that promote hair growth, we’ve covered a range of options for you to choose from below. Best Hair Thickening Products “Minoxidil is an easy-to-use topical treatment that stimulates blood flow to stop thinning while promoting newer and thicker growth,” says Geeta Yadav, M....

Knowing that volumizing hair products are my best chance at breathing life into my locks, I set out to find the best of what the market has to offer. Unfortunately, many of these products are not as effective as they claim, and others leave hair feeling dirty, crunchy, or sticky. And so I tested over 25 different volumizing hair products, looking for lightweight formulas that not only added lift to my roots but also left my hair feeling soft and healthy....

Try swapping out pre-dinner champagne or cocktails for spicy mulled wine, hot buttered rum, or a hot toddy. Turkey Steak Leg of lamb Pork tenderloin For vegetarians, throw on some super-savory and satisfying miso mushroom kabobs. Swap the soup course for another warm appetizer, like crispy bacon-wrapped dates, loaded polenta bites, or gooey baked brie with cranberry compote and pecans, served with crusty bread. For example, make dressings and sauces, clean and chop veggies, and assemble casseroles, then store them tightly wrapped in the fridge (minus any crispy toppings)....

Simple, everyday activities we thought were helping the planet may actually be costing it, due to incorrect designations, presumed benefits, and shortcomings in scientific research and/or its public availability. So we asked industry experts to weed through some of the most common sustainability myths and mistakes and to share their top ways to improve our habits for a greener future. Truth is, a tote bag is a highly resource-costly product....

The house she shares with her husband, Corbin, and their two young children is set about a block from Lake Erie in Lakewood, Ohio. Baran has always loved being close to the water, and she felt that just seeing it made her feel calm and rejuvenated. So when her family started a new chapter under this roof, it was almost as if Baran wanted that serene feeling to underscore the shift....

Reasons for Staking Plants Perennials lean, topple, and flop for many reasons. Sometimes an otherwise sturdy stem tumbles when rain and wind, combined with weighty blooms, bend stems to the ground. In other cases, stems grow lush and weak because of overfertilizing; most established perennials thrive on little fertilizer. A mulch of compost in spring or an annual addition of an organic fertilizer scratched into soil power plentiful growth without creating weak stems....

“UVA is most responsible for causing signs of aging, and UVB is most responsible for sunburns and skin cancer,” explains Muneeb Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist who’s amassed a following of 6 million on TikTok for his skin expertise. Every sunscreen you use ought to be broad spectrum in order to be fully protected. Fortunately, almost all modern sunscreens are broad spectrum, so that should be easy enough. “Most reputable skin care brands do test for safety on at least 30 participants prior to releasing a product....

When former RealSimple.com managing editor Brenda Dargan-Levy sent over her mom’s recipe for Irish Soda bread (with caveats). It looked like this: Ingredients 3 cups of flour¼ cup sugar3 teaspoons of baking powder⅛ teaspoon baking soda½ stick of margarine1 egg1½ cups of raisins1 to 2 cups buttermilk (gauge moisture of mixture) Like so many heirloom recipes, Dargan-Levy offered a simple list of ingredients without a method, the particulars of execution assumed, yet only really known by family elders....

For me, that area is my forehead. Thanks to this skincare phenomenon, I’m eerily good at predicting the spot of my next zit. It’s actually pretty normal, albeit unfortunate, to experience recurring breakouts. Dermatologists will cite many reasons why this happens—along with possible steps you can take to end the vicious cycle. It could be chalked up to bad habits (i.e., touching your face in the same area) or hormonal problems....

Simply Genius Pop-Up Mesh Food Covers, $15 Prodyne Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher, $20 (was $25) Smirly Bamboo Cheese Board and Knife Set, $49 with coupon (was $70) Wphuaw Cocktail Shaker Bar Set, $15 with coupon (was $17) Annovero Salad Plate Set, $42 Oxo Good Grips Three-Piece Ice Bucket Set, $31 Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill, $46 Munfix Diamond-Shaped Plastic Stemless Wine Glasses, $35 (was $40) Decor Therapy Round Woven Pouf, $84 (was $90) Cytbp Patio Umbrella Mosquito Net, $43 with coupon (was $45) LuckyZone Unbreakable Wheat Straw Plates, $13 with coupon (was $16) Rabbit Bottle Stopper Set, $7 (was $8) Aidea Salad Bowl Set, $44 with coupon (was $48) Brightech Ambience Pro LED String Lights, $25 (was $32) Grand Patio Steel Bistro Table and Chair Set, $114 with coupon (was $120) Picnic Time Country Picnic Basket with Lid, $70...

“This is the best detangling brush I have ever used,” a reviewer shared. “I have long, thick curly hair and live in a humid climate, so I’ve always had problems with brushes and frizz… I don’t dread brushing my hair anymore and don’t have to work about a brush full of hair or little knobs falling off then scraping your scalp. I’ll never use another brush again.” To buy: $13; amazon....

Allyson Archambault Winter Garden, Florida A. The best way to keep your nonstick grill grime-free is to clean the sandwich maker after every use. You may be tempted to attack the mess on your panini maker―or electric skillet or waffle iron―with a scouring pad, a chemical scrubber, or maybe even a knife, but hold back. Those can all damage the nonstick coating. The first step to cleaning is to unplug the grill and let it cool down....