Blog Posts by Oprah.com

Photo: ThinkstockBy Lynn Andriani

Green Beans: The Salty, Crunchy Side
Everything tastes better with bacon, and canned green beans are no exception. They'll taste even better if you start with French-cut (which are simply sliced diagonally); they have a more delicate texture and taste than beans that aren't cut. Sauté two or three slices of bacon, chopped; two cloves of garlic, minced; and a pinch of dried basil in olive oil. When the bacon is crispy, add the beans along with half of the liquid from the can, and cook until warmed through. Top with grated Parmesan.

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Corn: The Hot and Cheesy Spoon Bread
A kind of corn pudding, spoon bread is a perfect accompaniment to fried chicken or Creole shrimp. It's easy to make (here's a recipe that uses Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix) and takes on even more flavor when you doctor it up with chopped jalapeños or a few shakes of Sriracha.

Peas: A Sweet and Filling Salad
Little Le Sueur peas, named after the

Photo: ThinkstockBy Lynn Andriani

Turn Bananas Into Magic

We didn't believe it until we tried it, but blitzing frozen bananas in a food processor really does transform them into a convincing alternative to soft-serve ice cream. Put the frozen fruit in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to break it up. Then, run the machine for about five minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Transfer to a different bowl and eat immediately or let the puree set up in the freezer for 15 minutes or until it's scoopable. Cinnamon, shaved dark chocolate or crushed, low-calorie ginger snaps make great toppings, as does maple syrup (try Tonewood Dark Amber; just a small spoonful adds the perfect amount of sweetness).

Have the Pizza and the Popcorn

It sounds like the start of a bad joke: "What happened when the pizzeria and the movie theater got together?" But Cat Cora's mash-up of popcorn and pizza is seriously good. She tosses freshly popped kernels with a touch of olive oil and then

By Adam Glassman

We promise these less baggy bfs won't make you look like a schlumpadinka.

By Amy Shearn

Photo: ThinkstockOld Lesson: Pay Off Your Mortgage ASAP
Here's what I've been taught about money: It's not good to be in debt, and therefore it is good to pay off debts as quickly as possible, including a mortgage. Turns out, this conventional wisdom is a holdover from a different time. 

Carmen Wong Ulrich, the president and co-founder of ALTA Wealth Management, told me: "People think that it's a good idea to pre-pay a mortgage and/or pay a mortgage off ASAP." What's wrong with that? "This advice comes from a previous couple of generations who had horrible interest rates on their mortgages--in the 1980s, the average mortgage interest rate was in the teens. Imagine--my dad, who had great credit, was paying 17% on his mortgage. That's expensive. Today, mortgage rates are at incredible lows--you should be in no rush."

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Old Lesson: Bank with the Local Guy
Supporting local businesses is great, but you don't need to follow your parents' footsteps in

Photo: ThinkstockBy Jena Pincott

Mistake #1: Skipping Your Morning Joe

Too many cups of coffee make you feel as restless as a puppet and as highly strung. So the smart thing to do when you're stressed is to avoid the stuff completely, right? Not necessarily, finds a study at the U.K.'s University of Bristol. So long as you're female. When women collaborated with other women under nerve-racking conditions (like most stress studies, public speaking was involved), they performed better when they drank about three cups of caffeinated coffee (compared to decaf). They trusted their colleagues more, had more confidence in their performance and coped better overall. Meanwhile, coffee-drinking male groups performed worse under pressure. Stressed women often "tend and befriend," the researchers contend, while their male counterparts resort to "fight or flight." Caffeine appears to augment these behaviors--and, at least for women, that's a real perk.

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By Oprah.com

Photo: Oprah.comBy Nathalie Gorman

Your Bed Frame
If you've been thinking about replacing your bed but need a bit more cash, consider selling your current one--especially if it's the Ikea Edland. A frame from the Swedish vendor might not seem like a covetable item, but the Edland was dubbed the world's most popular bed by the cult home-design blog Apartment Therapy. It's certainly been featured in many a design magazine spread. Since it was discontinued recently, its desirability has increased, and you can expect to receive at least $150 when you sell yours.


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Photo: ThinkstockFramed Prints
Whether it's an old magazine cover or a rendering of sailboats gliding across a bay, almost any image in a frame will net you some cash on eBay. Assuming you're not waking up each day to a heretofore undiscovered print by Picasso, the going rate is about $30.

















Photo: ThinkstockTrunks
Your steamer trunk went with you to college. It was the coffee table in your first

Photo: Oprah.comPersonal trainer Ulrick Bien-Aimé had been working with harried corporate executives for years when he noticed something interesting: Many of his clients complained of feeling both physical and emotional stress in their lower back. "Stiffness in the body was the number one issue I heard during workouts," says Bien-Aimé. "When we're anxious or stressed, many of us don't breathe or contract our abdominal muscles properly, and tension builds up." To help clients release trapped energy, he made these four moves mandatory (hold each pose for 15 seconds).

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Start by lying on your back with your legs straight and your hands on your abdomen, about two inches below your navel. Inhale slowly through your nostrils and focus on pulling in your belly. Exhale gradually while pushing your abdomen toward your back.

Next, bring your knees to your chest while continuing to inhale and exhale. Remember not to hold your breath--whenever you extend or exert energy, you