Peanut Butter & Chocolate Energy Bars

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Elaborate snacks are great once in a while, but it can be hard to invest a lot of ingredients and cooking into something that should be quick and easy. This isn’t dinner, after all. If you’re feeling lazy but want something more than just an apple or raw vegetables, consider making one of these super easy snacks that have just four ingredients (or in some cases, even fewer!).

From peanut butter and chocolate energy bars, to strawberry-yogurt popsicles, these simple snack recipes will always be there when you need something in between meals.

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What I love about summer is the fruit. There are peaches and plums for pies, nectarines for dribbling down your chin, apricots for tarts, cherries for snacks, and all sorts of berries for breakfast — plus other melons, like cantaloupe and honeydew, to wrap ham around. But what other fruit offers a crunchy snack, a juice for drinking (with or without a boozy booster), seeds for spitting contests, and a big round shape for greasing and throwing around the pool, lake, or ocean (have you played greased pig yet this summer)?

It’s the watermelon. When it’s good, it’s really good, and needs little else to completely satisfy a craving for a cool, sweet treat.

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Every day is someone’s birthday, so celebrate accordingly with this festive sweet treat. It’s easily concocted on a whim from ingredients found in most convenience stores, but also feel free to mix it up by using other kinds of chocolate candy bars or even flavored pre-packaged popcorn. The possibilities are endless! Just make sure you have some sprinkles on hand in order to up the fun factor.

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The beginning of my sophomore year in college, I had a moment that was both mundane and packed with meaning. It was around 6 or 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday; I’d gone to the grocery store to get food for the next few days. Making my way to the produce section, I was hit hard by the sweet, buttery smells floating from the bakery’s gleaming glass cases. I was routinely assaulted by their tempting scents, and almost as routinely, I’d yield. I’d grab a couple cookies or a bear claw for an afternoon snack or to have after dinner.

But that day was different. I wanted a piece of cake, and I wanted it right then. For my evening meal. Not following it. As it.

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This Funfetti-inspired mug cake is all about you celebrating you. This version is somewhat healthier than a regular cake because it’s made with Greek yogurt and almond milk and calls for less sugar. It’s also smaller than a full-sized cake, so if you mindlessly eat the whole thing in front of the TV, the damage is minimal. (Although, a hefty dollop of whipped cream on top never hurt anyone.)

The best part? It takes less than five minutes to whip up.

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Are you itching to try eating Paleo, but unsure of where to begin? If you’re Paleo-curious, I’ll show you how to plan a week’s worth of simple, economical, and delicious Paleo dinners — all without slaying a single mastodon!

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What do you know about Jackson Pollock, the famous American artist? That his canvases look like splatters of chaotic color? That he was considered rather wild, and struggled with alcoholism? All of this is true, but it’s not the full picture of the artist and his life. He was also an avid cook, and a lover of good food, which shades in some fresh nuances to his life and work, explains Robyn Lea, the author of a new book about Pollock and his cooking, Dinner with Jackson Pollock.

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Going Paleo doesn’t mean giving up sushi — especially if you make it yourself. Temaki (seaweed-wrapped hand rolls) make a regular appearance in our household because I usually have all the ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. I simply chop up a few vegetables and make a simple crab salad before hollering at my family to assemble their own no-cook meal.

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When it comes to doing the dishes, I will give my husband this: he’s better than he used to be. When we first met 15 years ago, he purposely wouldn’t wash the backs of plates, claiming “they don’t get dirty,” a lazy plea that was so easily disproven he couldn’t keep it up for long. So although he thankfully now washes the entire plate, it doesn’t mean the road to thoroughly washed dishware has been easy, or that he’s somehow become a person who doesn’t hate doing dishes.

No, he’s a reluctant dishwasher for life. Perhaps you, the enthusiastic cook, live with one too? Whether it’s a partner, a relative, or a roommate — or maybe it’s you! — these five conditions will be very familiar to you.

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Crêpes with Strawberries and Pastry Cream

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Are you making a traditional lasagna filled with layers of creamy béchamel? Maybe you are cooking a quick beef and Chinese broccoli stir-fry for dinner with a sauce that’s loaded with ginger and garlic? Or perhaps you’re considering making a sweet, thick vanilla pastry cream to fill a fruit tart this weekend?

In most cases, the secret to a thick sauce (or filling) that coats food evenly is starch, whether plain flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, or even arrowroot starch. Here’s why these starches do the job so well.

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