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Whether you're finding relief from the heat by eating a dinner that consists of chilled soup, a cool salad, or ice pops (don't judge! they can be very nutritious), it's possible that at some point before temps dip into the mid-80s, you may want a home-cooked meal that really is cooked. And yet: the thought of turning on the stove, oven or even grill makes you sweat (well, sweat more).

You're in luck if you have a rice cooker--and not because a nice big bowl of aromatic basmati is the answer to all your steamed-up prayers. These handy little appliances (which also happen to be cheap--you can get a decent one for less than $20) aren't just for rice. You can use them to make pasta, eggs, stir-fries and much more. Like slow cookers, they don't generate a lot of heat, but they're powerful enough to sear slices of chicken sausage, soften risotto into creamy spoonfuls and yes, give you perfectly-cooked grains of rice. Making dinner in the rice cooker is fast and easy, usually involving tossing all the ingredients into the pot, covering it with the lid and turning it on. Your one-dish meal will be ready in about 20 minutes. One last reason to dig out your rice cooker: clean-up is minimal--which means you'll be back in front of the fan, with an ice pop for dessert, in a flash.

Men! What are they thinking? We can't always answer that, but we'll be posting our favorite glimpses into their world in this space every Thursday. This week is a bit of a love-fest, so if you're not in the mood for tales of true romance, skip to the bottom.

Illustration: Thinkstock

1. "How can I begin to tell you about Chaz? She fills my horizon, she is the great fact of my life, she has my love, she saved me from the fate of living out my life alone." On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his marriage, Roger Ebert writes a moving love letter to his wife, Chaz. (Roger Ebert's Journal)

2. Good luck not getting choked up as you read this self-written obituary in which Val Patterson, who passed away last week, describes how much he loves his wife—and how much he regrets smoking and the time it will deprive him of spending with her. (Salt Lake Tribune)

3. Seventeen years ago, a farmer planted 6,000 oak tree saplings as a tribute to his late wife. What can’t be seen from the road—that they were planted in the shape of a heart—was recently discovered by hot air balloon. (The Telegraph)

* Had enough of that lovey dovey stuff? Here, watch David Beckham score a superb goal from 35 yards away. (Grantland)

Photo: Greg Kessler

Q: Is it possible to make my eyes look bigger with makeup?

A: Yes, it is, and it's pretty easy. Elizabeth Arden makeup artist Rebecca Restrepo (who appears to have enormous eyes, but...does she really?) suggests you first line the inside lower lid with an off-white pencil (she likes Nars Rue Bonaparte, $23; narscosmetics.com). That will brighten the whites and make your eyes look more open. Next, apply a soft, medium-toned shadow (like Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eye Shadow Singles in Shimmering Taupe, $18.50; elizabetharden.com) from the upper lashline to just above the crease. Curl your lashes, then apply a couple of coats of black mascara. Presto: All eyes!

Keep in mind: Well-shaped brows also help open up the eyes, so if you haven't been professionally groomed, try that, too.

Keep Reading

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‘‘There is not much else for younger people to do, so many people want to skateboard.’’

Pop quiz: Was the above said by:
a) A teenager in Des Moines, Iowa?
b) A teenager in rural Wales?
c) Jack Mubiru, a father of the skateboarding scene in Uganda?

If you guessed all of the above, you would be right. The New York Times Magazine has some gorgeous photos of the relatively new skateboarding scene in Uganda. They are images of beautiful decay; they document people having the best time; they also remind us of how alike we all are, in the end. The Uganda Skateboarder's Saloon may not seem to have much in common with some sleek Californian skate park all voluptuous with curvy concrete hills, but the idea behind both places is the same: people need something to do, and in a void, they make their own fun. 

Read More:
Relearning How to Have Fun
Three Ways to Beat Boredom in Your Life

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Barely a week goes by without another study touting the health benefits of chocolate--especially the antioxidant-rich dark varieties. Research has shown that it can help reduce high blood pressure, protect cells from age-related damage, help us control our weight, and lower the risk of heart disease and strokes (it can also lift our spirits--but we didn't need science to tell us that). With dark chocolate rapidly approaching superfood status, we've been thinking about ways we could use it to sweeten up boring health foods. Fortunately, these companies are one step ahead of us:

Sunsweet PlumSweets
Prunes are loaded with potassium, high in fiber, and, of course, help keep you regular. But for those who still see prunes as a treat only a senior citizen could get excited about, Sunsweet takes chewy prune bites and covers them in dark chocolate. These good-for-your-gut Raisinets are perfect for munching at the movies.

South Beach Diet Sweet Delights
Tiny sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E, iron, selenium and other important yet underrated minerals. They also have B vitamins and magnesium that have been shown to boost your mood, so when they're enrobed in dark chocolate like they are in these snack packs, they become the ultimate feel-good poppers.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Edamame
Vegetarians with a sweet tooth will love this delightfully unexpected pairing of soybeans and candy. Each serving of about a handful has 7 grams of vegetable protein.

Rawfully Tempting Gourmet Chocolate-Covered Kale Chips
Kale is having its own moment of fame right now, but of all the ways we've heard of eating the nutritional powerhouse, this version is the most appealingly offbeat. Raw food aficionado Barbara Shevkun coats the crispy leaves in raw chocolate and adds a dash of Himalayan salt. The result is like a chocolate-covered potato chip.

Keep reading:
Dr. Oz's favorite healthy junk food
Good-for-you chips

Photo: Thinkstock

A few days ago my mother, who is not yet 60 years old, found out that the pain she's been feeling in her hands is arthritis. Her doctor told her that this type of basal thumb arthritis is very common in women over the age of 40, and indeed, it affects women 6 times more often than men. And while no one is exactly sure why it affects women so much more -- hormonal and other physical factors may contribute -- her doctor said that it his impression that women just wore out their hands. Antecdotally speaking, it seems like the work that women do with their hands, from housework to yard work to everyday motions like picking up keys or say a child's sock 100 times a day for years on end, may actually wear out the cartilage in our bodies. As my mother said, "So there you have it. Ask for help. How much more of a reminder do you need?"

It's true, women are famous for not asking for help when we need it. We think we can do it all. We can do it all! But sometimes it's okay to ask someone else to open that jar of pickles. To help pick the weeds. And when you think about it, this is just a reminder of all the ways in which we wear ourselves out by doing too much. A reminder that bodies wear out. That we only make so much cartilage, have so much energy. So consider this your friendly non-doctor-blogger's prescription to you: if you're hurting, or even if it's just that you're tired, ask for help. Your hands, your whole entire self, will thank you when you're older.

Read More:
The Best Way to Get The Help You Need
Why Asking For Help Is Not a Sign of Weakness

Some days, work isn't work at all, and last Friday was one of those days.

Ten of America's best Olympic Legends minus Bruce Jenner whom I'd just recently interviewed at his home, joined me at my home to talk sports and life: What it means to take the deepest dives, run your best race, triple twirl in midair and land on your feet, solid.

WOW! The day was filled with new ahas. I have such new found respect for the sacrifice and determination it takes to be world class... to be an Olympian. I thought I had some idea. I've interviewed every one of these athletes before throughout the years of the Oprah show, but never like this. I did 8 hours straight one on one and walked away wanting to do better and be better. I will for sure see the Olympics now with a different set of eyes and consciousness.

I often say my goal in life is to fulfill the highest truest expression of myself as a human being. What I realized is these Olympic athletes actually fulfill that mission daily.

What it takes to be a champion is what we're all looking for. Don't you think? Don't you want to be a champion mother? A champion spouse and friend? A champion in your passion and pursuits? Don't you want every day of your life to be a personal best?

That for sure is what I continue to strive for.

I thought I was driven. But just like standing with the Miami HEAT in my highest heels 2 weeks ago, I still came up short. These guys are in a class all by themselves. Their champion drive and spirit ignites the champion spirit within us all that makes us want to pull for them and REACH for ourselves.

That's why coming together every four years, the nations of the world, putting aside our differences in beliefs, and practices with our eye on the prize of excellence is such a monumental move in the direction of what is good and true. That's the real spirit of the Olympics.

This was one of the best conversations of my career with some of the best people of our species. They've made records and broken them. They have matured with the wisdom and perspective of what it takes to be defined as the GREATEST in their field. And know what it takes to walk away and create a new life and still fill whole, to start their own Next Chapter.

You can watch a preview here: http://youtu.be/aeGL9zDTtZM

They are all going to London to cheer on their favorites for 2012 and talk about who to watch and who they're rooting for. I'll be cheering from the sofa in my family room. Join me and celebrate these Legends as they share the secrets of creating HUMAN ART through athletics. I was literally soaring after a full day with these Champions. I feel fortified from being in their presence. I think you'll feel the same. NEXT CHAPTER Sunday July 22nd at 8pm ET.