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A poster in Reddit’s cooking forum tells an all-too-familiar tale. She makes lentil soup in her Instant Pot, and despite following the directions to a T, ends up with a watery, thin finished product. Her solution? Add plain instant mashed potatoes (which are essentially just dehydrated potatoes) to the finished soup recipe as a thickening agent. Simple? Yes. Incredibly effective? You bet. This trick works because the instant mashed potatoes are naturally starchy and therefore are similar in form to other commonly used thickeners, such as cornstarch, only without the clumps....

What is hyaluronic acid? Sodium hyaluronate, or hyaluronic acid, naturally occurs in our bodies, and it works to both attract and seal water into the skin. “The greatest amounts of hyaluronic acid are found in skin soft tissue and the eyes,” says Dr. Payman Danielpour of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group. “Our bodies naturally produce the substance to draw in and retain water to keep the body well lubricated and moist....

So naturally, with the rapid proliferation of CBD shops across the U.S., my nature brought me to the point where I had to try this much-hyped and ballyhooed product—and write about it, so you’ll know if it’s right for you or not. Are you someone thinking about trying hemp tea or CBD oil for the first time? I encourage you to let my experience be your guide. But before we get into my story, let’s go over some basics....

This isn’t the dalgona whipped coffee from early 2020—which was like a very lightly sweetened “reverse latte.” Dalgona candy is similar to a toffee or honeycomb candy—sugar is cooked until it’s caramelized, then a little baking soda is added to react with the sugar and create a frothy effect. After it cools and hardens, you break it up and enjoy. (Though it’s safe to say in Squid Game, where contestants were required to try to break out a shape in the middle without breaking the candy—there wasn’t much to enjoy about it....

Thankfully, the breezy-yet-sophisticated dress of your dreams actually exists. Hill House Home’s Instagram-famous Nap Dress is touted as a hybrid garment that you can “wear all day and night,” and in the new work-from-home climate, it’s exactly the type of outfit you can pop on before an important Zoom call and then easily transition back to relaxing on the couch. “As a homebody, I want to feel as comfortable and stylish in my home as I do when I go out,” Hill House Home founder and CEO Nell Diamond tells Real Simple....

One of the most impressive things about baking soda bread is the speed. Soda bread gets its name from baking soda, which, added in the right amount, creates levity without the use and wait of yeast. (Some recipes do call for yeast and/or kneading, but know that this isn’t required.) You don’t have to wait hours or overnight for a rise, either. In fact, you don’t even need to wait at all: dough for Irish soda bread can go right into the oven after making....

You know you should keep a budget, track your spending, and only splurge on that vacation or night out after you’ve saved enough to pay for it. But in reality, most of us stick that purchase on a credit card and worry about paying for it later. The key is to determine whether a splurge is a conscious decision that’s worth it in the long run or is simply a sign of lifestyle creep—slow, damaging, long-term living beyond your means....

On This Episode Is it possible to take on major financial responsibilities such as buying a new home while you’re still paying down debt? Is now even a good time to buy a home? This week’s guest, a 39-year-old aspiring homeowner living in Iowa City, Iowa, is struggling with whether homeownership is right for her because of these questions and more. For advice, host Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez turns to author Mindy Jensen, who is also the host of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast and a licensed real estate agent....

First, what exactly is oil pulling? Oil pulling, which is also known as “kavata” or “gundusha,” first came into play more than 3,000 years ago. “The practice of oil pulling dates back to Indian and Ayurvedic traditional medicine,” says dentist Sharon Huang, DDS, of Les Belles NYC. In this ancient gargling process, people swish coconut, sunflower, or sesame oil between their teeth for a couple of minutes to help remove bacteria and debris while also keeping the mouth clean....

Key Health Benefits of Oatmeal 1. Oatmeal is full of fiber. Oatmeal is packed with fiber, a major benefit because it can help to ease gut problems if you’re dealing with constipation and other gastro-intestinal issues, and experiencing troubling trips to the bathroom, says Lauren Minchen, MPH, RDN, CDN, nutrition consultant for Freshbit, an AI-driven visual diet diary app. You can get about 4 grams of this essential fiber from a serving of oatmeal, she says....

Olio nuovo, also known as olio novello, is the year’s very first olive oil, newly pressed and fresh as can be. It stays on the shelves of better grocery stores and specialty shops through the first months of the new year. A bottle of it can transform your cooking. It also delivers a higher level of polyphenols, or the antioxidants found in plants that may reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, than any other type of extra virgin olive oil....

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Orange You Glad I Made Gift Tags? I’m a big fan of punny gifts. Personalized gifts too but punny gifts are my favorite. I’ve already made Wreck it Ralph gift tags, just because gift tags, chick flick inspired gift tags, thought it was time to make some more!...

For this quick-and-easy recipe, we toss cooked pasta (from dried or fresh) with oven-roasted broccoli and walnuts, add a buttery sauce, and then top with Parmesan. For a heartier meal, add a protein, toss a simple green salad, and serve with a loaf of homemade bread. RELATED: Pasta Do’s and Don’ts

Just as certain paint colors can make your home look dirtier and different paint brands offer varying color quality and durability, certain paint finishes can ruin the spotless (or close to it) look of your home, while others can actually help your home look cleaner. Picking the right paint finish could mean the difference between daily cleaning stress and a cleaner-looking home with less effort. Kate Lester of Kate Lester Interiors says the general rule of thumb when selecting a paint finish is that the higher the gloss (or shine), the greater the durability and the easier it is to clean....

Parachute now has three different styles of robes available, and each one has hundreds of positive reviews from shoppers who have tried them. But their high ratings aren’t their only measure of popularity. According to a representative for the brand, someone bought one of Parachute’s robes every 15 seconds during Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. So if you’re figuring out what to get for someone on your holiday shopping list, consider one of these comfortable robes....