If you’re struggling to get home-cooked meals on the table for you and your family following a long day of work, you’re not alone—about half of American families rarely have dinner together. Even the Harvard Business Review, better known for articles about, well, business, has addressed the difficulty working parents experience in getting everyone around the dinner table and serving up something other than takeout.
Continue reading “Slow cookers that defrost meat & cook dinner while you work”
Few things are as fundamental to good health as simple water, which makes up 60 percent of the human body. Even our bones are 31 percent water. No wonder the CDC reminds us that drinking enough water is vitally important. Water helps the body maintain a normal temperature and flush out wastes. It also cushions joints and protects the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues. With so many benefits, it’s a little surprising that most adults don’t consume enough water.
Continue reading “How to get the kids to drink more water—and like it”
While many of us have abandoned the habit of ironing, artist Maira Kalman, best known for her New Yorker covers and beloved children’s books, considers ironing a form of meditation. This artist’s eccentric passion for ironing may actually have some science behind it: repetitive tasks like ironing can empty the brain, prevent the body from overreacting, foster feelings of relaxation and boost creativity.
Continue reading “Get back into the groove of ironing with our guide to fabric care”
Cold brew coffee is all the rage, and for good reason—it’s smoother and naturally sweeter than “hot brew” coffee. It also stores easily in the fridge and tastes fresh far longer than traditional coffee. And for those of us who need an afternoon pick-me-up, no worries. Cold brew is just as caffeinated as the hot stuff.
Continue reading “Be your own barista: Make cold brew coffee at home”
As temperatures tumble and the days shorten in September, the pace of life speeds up for most families. With kids returning to school, sports, clubs and other activities, everyone just gets busier. Making sure there are plenty of tasty foods around to toss in lunchboxes or gobble up after school can become a challenge, especially if each member of the family is on a different schedule.
Continue reading “Five fabulous back-to-school snacks for your air fryer”
With summer slipping away and autumn rain starting up, you might think that grilling season is almost gone. But with an indoor electric grill, it’s easy to enjoy grilled meats, fish and vegetables all year long, rain or shine. And that’s a good thing because an indoor electric grill reduces the dangers associated with smoke, dripping fat and the flare-ups that cause meat to burn and become carcinogenic.
Continue reading “Rain or shine, enjoy these 7 healthy grilled recipes anytime”
The long, lazy days of summer seem to go by in a blink, taking with them the best-tasting fruits and vegetables of the year. In winter we long for the flavor of a summer tomato and make do with what we can find at the supermarket. But what if you could save your summer, or at least the tastes of summer? With a high-quality vacuum sealer, it’s easy to preserve the unique flavors of ripe tomatoes, cool cucumbers, sweet berries and other seasonal delights.
Continue reading “Not ready for fall? Seal the tastes of summer”
Soup or stew on a crisp autumn day—this is how most of us imagine using a slow cooker. But summer is also a great time to pull out this versatile appliance, sit back and let time do the work. Forget turning on the oven (and then turning up the air conditioning), a slow cooker or two can make summer parties a breeze. And whether you leave the slow cooker on the kitchen counter or plug it into an outlet on the patio, slow cooker recipes will free you up to attend to guests and really enjoy your own gathering.
Continue reading “Summertime and the cooking is easy (and slow)”
