Flax to the rescue

Flax to the rescue Vegans already know this, but for those seeking substitutes for eggs, butter and oil in their baking, the folks at Flax USA share these suggestions that make the most of flax's Omega-3 fatty acids. For every 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine in a recipe, substitute 3 tablespoons of ground flax. Also, the oil in flax binds like an egg, so you can use it as a substitute for that, as well. One tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons of water equals one egg. We haven't tried these tricks ourselves, but a check of various cooking blogs indicate that they work for many baked goods such as pancakes and whole-grain items such as bran muffins, corn muffins and oatmeal cookies. Some found flax's nutty flavor and texture a bit too pronounced in more tender goods such as chocolate cake, though.

More recipes, they said When Prevention magazine asked its readers what they wanted, their No. 1 demand was for more recipes -- another indication of the trend toward home cooking and dining-in. So the Rodale publication has launched Cook!, a 20-plus- page section of food and recipes debuting in its February issue. The emphasis is on "easy, healthy, delicious," given Prevention's nutrition-savvy readership. The goal is to bridge the gap between what readers know about nutrition and what they feel skilled enough to prepare for their families. It's on newsstands now.

Paint by number, sort of We're giving you some advance notice here in case you'll want to practice this before Valentine's Day. The do-it-yourself trend takes an erotic turn with celebrity chef Curtis Stone's recipe for chocolate body paint. The Australian hunk may be best known as the "Take Home Chef" on TLC, in which he'd surprise a supermarket shopper and take them home to create a meal for their loved one. To wit: To make your own flavored chocolate body paint, divide 13.5 ounces of cream among three pans. Add half a bunch of finely chopped mint to one, a finely chopped chile pepper to another and a double-shot of espresso to the third. Slowly warm each pan to a near simmer, then remove from heat and allow the flavors to infuse the cream for 15 minutes. In a small bowl set over barely simmering water, melt 17.5 ounces of chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, stirring until melted. Divide chocolate among the pans of cream, return pans to the heat and, as soon as they're hot, strain each into a clean dish. With three small brushes and an unspecified expanse of skin, this serves two.

KIM ODE