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Leavening agents, such as baking powder, helps your cake rise. A quick cake recipe typically uses a leavening agent, commonly baking powder, and a flavoring like vanilla. If you don't have either of these ingredients in your pantry, there are some easy substitutes you can use to still make a tasty cake without baking powder or vanilla. Advertisement How Does Baking Powder Work? Light, fluffy cakes rely on a process involving a chemical reaction between acidic and alkaline compounds that produce carbon dioxide, which inflates the batter....

To keep corn's freshness and flavor when you freeze it, you'll want to blanch it first. Image Credit: Qwart/iStock/GettyImages In This Article Blanching Corn Freezing Corn Frozen Corn Recipes If you've collected too many ears of corn to eat in a reasonable amount of time (and before it loses its sweetness), try freezing it. Freezing corn will help you cut down on food waste and allow you to enjoy the sweet summer veggie year-round....

Biking is a great way to build leg muscles. Image Credit: Morsa Images/E+/GettyImages You might be surprised to learn that biking does not increase the size of your leg muscles in proportion to the amount of hours you spend cycling and the effort you exert. That’s because of the lack of resistance generated by cycling. Advertisement However, resistance from your body weight, gravity and increased gear settings can help you somewhat build your upper and lower leg muscles during your rides....

A teen works out with a mountain bike. Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images For teens trying to build muscle and burn fat, misconceptions can cause confusion. For example, contrary to popular opinion, lifting weights is not dangerous for teens. Teens who lift weights and exercise cut their injury risks in half. And with obesity becoming a pandemic, professionals recommend that children and teens live an active lifestyle and exercise more. Advertisement Building Muscle Step 1 Warm up thoroughly before exercising with a circuit of hamstring stretches, chest stretches, walking lunges and arm circles....

Think you know how to nail the mountain climber exercise? Image Credit: kovaciclea/E+/GettyImages Let’s talk mountain climbers — the staple exercise of bootcamp, HIIT and CrossFit workouts everywhere and one of those exercises people love to hate. Regardless of how you feel about them, though, there’s no denying they give you a great full-body workout and burn a lot of calories. Advertisement Mountain climbers, also known as running planks, are one part strength training and one part cardio, says Hervé Damas, MD, a physician and former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills....

A spaghetti dish with meatballs on top. Image Credit: Edster1980/iStock/Getty Images When they’re properly made, meatballs are moist, tender and juicy. Unfortunately, even the best of cooks occasionally produce a batch that fall well short of that ideal. If you’re in the unfortunate position of making up a batch of meatballs only to find them hard and dry, take heart. There are ways to salvage both cooked and uncooked meatballs....

Work toward slim, toned thighs with a well-planned diet and exercise schedule. Image Credit: g-stockstudio/iStock/Getty Images Perhaps you’re changing your diet or fitness habits to build strength or lose weight. But quickly dropping pounds just to get smaller thighs can be dangerous and unattainable. Instead, make lifestyle changes that help you feel your best, like adding thigh-strengthening exercises to your routine. Advertisement Tip It's not possible to only lose weight in a particular body part, like your thighs....

A small bowl with chicken and broccoli on a wooden table. Image Credit: BWFolsom/iStock/Getty Images Creating a custom meal plan depends on a variety of factors. The reference calorie intake established by the Institute of Medicine is 2,000 calories a day but should differ based on starting weight and goal. To lose weight, many individuals reduce daily intake by 500 or more calories. If you are trying to reduce your weight, 1,400 calories a day can be a realistic dietary intake....

A diet low in fiber could harm your good gut bacteria. Image Credit: aywan88/E+/GettyImages The gut microbiome has become a buzzy topic, and for good reason: The trillions of microbes in your gastrointestinal tract play a pivotal role in many body functions, including your immune system and mental health. Advertisement The thing is, what you do — from your diet to other everyday habits — can inadvertently affect the makeup of these microorganisms and shift the balance from benevolent to bad bugs in your gut....

Tuesday or not, healthy tacos are a great way to start the day. Image Credit: knape/E+/GettyImages Whether it’s taco Tuesday or any other day, starting off with a breakfast taco doesn’t need to feel like a splurge. With a few health-conscious tweaks, tacos can become a nutritious a.m. dish. Advertisement Bonus: They're easy to make and wrap up for on-the-go eating, so you'll be out the door in no time. Video of the Day These five breakfast taco recipes will help you start your morning with a (healthy) flavor fiesta....

Put in the miles without losing your mind. Image Credit: shironosov/iStock/GettyImages Be honest: How many times have you gone for a run because you thought you should (and not necessarily because you wanted to)? You’re not alone! Many people find it hard to motivate themselves to go running, let alone getting enough gumption to lope along on the treadmill. Advertisement The monotony of a treadmill workout just makes running more torturous, and even those who love to run abhor being stuck inside on the "dreadmill....

The agave plant is used as a popular sweetener and is also processed to make tequila. There are more than 130 different types of agave that grow throughout the Southwestern United States and Central America. The blue agave plant, or Blue Tequilana Weber, is tapped for the sap, which is called agave nectar. This nectar is used as a sugar substitute in products such as candy, drinks and sauces. Though it is not one of the more common allergies, agaves produce mild-to-severe allergy symptoms in some people....

Some alcoholic beverages contain dairy. Image Credit: Rothphoto_Online/iStock/Getty Images Drinking alcohol will not cause lactose intolerance symptoms unless the alcoholic beverage contains dairy. Some alcoholic beverages, such as pina coladas, white Russians and cream liquors contain dairy, which means they also contain lactose. If you drink alcoholic beverages without any dairy and develop digestive upset, you may have alcohol intolerance. Advertisement Lactose Intolerance Lactose intolerance is commonly confused with a milk allergy but is a very different condition....

Many different types of sweeteners are used to make sugar-free products. Image Credit: naramit/iStock/GettyImages Many different types of sweeteners are used to make sugar-free products. Some of these are natural sweeteners like stevia while others are artificial sweeteners like sucralose. Artificial sweetener allergy issues are rare and you’re more likely to be allergic to natural sugar substitutes. Advertisement Read more: 10 Foods You Don't Realize Are Packed With Sugar Video of the Day Natural vs....

Fresh tuna on a cutting board with sea salt, peppercorns and herbs. Image Credit: tycoon751/iStock/Getty Images Frozen tuna, providing it was frozen at sea, is often better than fresh tuna steaks, which can be 7 to 10 days old when you buy it at the store. Tuna is a large oily fish with a strong flavor and meaty flesh, well-suited to being served as a thick steak. Cover and bake frozen or defrosted tuna steaks rapidly at a high temperature to prevent drying out during the cooking process....

Cross-training workouts like yoga for runners can improve your athletic performance and prevent injury. Image Credit: Cavan Images/Cavan/GettyImages On the color wheel, hues on opposite sides are called complementary colors — although different, they go together beautifully. You can apply the same philosophy to your workouts for even greater results. Advertisement Whether you're blissing out with yoga or setting new CrossFit personal bests, you may be missing methods to balance your body and improve your overall athletic performance by skimping on cross-training....

A man lifts weights in a gym Image Credit: John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images You perform a burnout set at the end of a body part workout to completely fatigue the muscles. A burnout set involves lighter weights and very high repetitions – from 15 to up to 100, to encourage maximal glycogen depletion. This training protocol can be beneficial for muscle growth. But if you use burnout sets all the time, you could run the risk of overtraining, developing injuries and slowing your gains....

A mature man is jogging outside. Image Credit: Wavebreakmedia/iStock/Getty Images You’re never too old to become physically fit. The aging process can make fitness more challenging, though, because your metabolism slows down and you may lose calorie-burning muscle mass. You can’t spot-reduce a pot belly or man boobs, but you can embark on a full-body fitness program that will help you slim your entire frame. Advertisement Controlling Your Diet Diet plays a key role in weight-loss because the more calories you eliminate through diet, the faster you’ll be able to lose weight with exercise....

A woman is rolling out dough on a wooden board. Image Credit: Hue/amanaimagesRF/amana images/Getty Images Refrigerating bread dough is one of the most convenient ways to store it for an extended period of time. Depending on the composition of your dough and how you’re planning to bake it, you may be able to put it in the oven straight from the fridge, but it’s helpful to set aside some time for rising....

Citrus fruits are a good source of dietary potassium. Potassium is a mineral your body uses for purposes that include maintenance of your normal heart function and the contraction of both your voluntary and involuntary muscles. If you don't get enough of this mineral, you can develop a low-potassium disorder called hypokalemia. While hypokalemia can trigger the onset of a variety of serious symptoms, it does not cause seizures. Advertisement Potassium Basics Potassium comes from dietary sources that include bananas, avocados, potatoes, lima beans, tomatoes, oranges and other citrus fruits, as well as certain types of fish and all types of meat....