How to of the Day

How to Make Belgian Waffles
How to Strengthen Your Achilles Tendon
How to Make a Water Wheel

Posted: 11 Jul 2019 05:00 PM PDT

Belgian waffles are a beloved breakfast food from Belgium, but you don't have to travel there to try them! You can easily make Belgian waffles at home using some simple ingredients and a waffle iron. They go wonderfully with toppings like strawberries and whipped cream, or pancake-style served in a stack with just maple syrup!

EditIngredients

of water
2 tsp (2 g) of sugar
1 package of dry active yeast
2 1/2 c (300 g) of flour
1/4 c (50 g) of sugar
of milk, lukewarm
of butter, melted
of vanilla
1/4 tsp (0.25 g) of ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp (0.25 g) of ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.1 g) of salt (a pinch)
2 egg whites
2 egg yolks

Makes 8 servings

EditSteps

EditMixing the Batter

Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a mixing bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Stir together of water, 2 tsp (2 g) of sugar, and 1 package of dry active yeast in a large mixing bowl with a whisk. Let it stand at room temperature.^[1]
- A large measuring bowl with a spout works well and makes it easy to pour the batter when you bake the waffles.
Pour flour, the rest of the sugar, and lukewarm milk into the mixing bowl. Add 2 1/2 c (300 g) of flour and 1/4 c (50 g) of sugar. Pour in of milk.^[2]
- Let the milk sit at room temperature for 15 minutes until it becomes lukewarm before you add it to the batter.
Add melted butter, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and egg yolks to the batter. Melt of butter and pour it in. Add in vanilla, 1/4 tsp (0.25 g) of ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp (0.25 g) of ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp (0.1 g) of salt (a pinch), and 2 egg yolks.^[3]
- Separate the whites and yolks of 2 eggs before you start making the batter. Put the whites and yolks into 2 separate bowls.
Mix all of the ingredients together with a whisk until the batter is smooth. Make sure there are no lumps or dry spots in the batter and that it is an even consistency. Use a fork and mix hard if you don't have a whisk.^[4]
- Use an electric mixer if you have one to thoroughly blend the ingredients together.
Cover the bowl and allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Use saran wrap to cover the bowl and set it aside. The batter will rise during this time.^[5]
- Set a timer on your phone or use a kitchen timer to let you know when 30 minutes have passed.
Beat 2 egg whites until they form a stiff peak. Beat the 2 egg whites that you separated in a bowl until they are foamy. Continue to whisk them at a steady pace for 5 minutes or longer until they become stiff and stick to the whisk.^[6]
- You should be able to tip the bowl without the egg whites sliding out when they are stiff enough.
Add the beaten egg whites to the risen batter. Uncover the batter after it has rested for 30 minutes. Scoop in the foamy egg whites with a spoon or spatula.^[7]
- A rubber spatula works best for scraping and folding the egg whites in.
Fold the egg whites gently into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to mix the egg whites into the batter by gently lifting batter on top of them from all sides. Continue to do this until the egg whites are mixed in evenly with the batter.^[8]
- You don't need to whisk the batter anymore at this point.

EditBaking the Waffles

Heat a waffle iron to medium heat and pour the batter in. Pour until the batter just about reaches the edge and be careful not to overfill the iron. Stop pouring and close the lid.^[9]
- Many waffle irons just have an on and off setting, so they will heat to the proper temperature when you turn it on. Just wait 5 minutes for it to preheat.
Bake the waffles for approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Check the color of the waffles after 4 minutes and remove them from the waffle iron when they are golden brown. Continue to cook the waffles in increments of 1 minute until they reach the proper color.^[10]
- The first batch may take a bit longer to cook if they waffle iron has not fully heated up.
Serve the waffles with anything you like. Add some cut up fruit of your choice like strawberries, whipped cream, maple syrup, even Nutella! What you add is completely up to you.^[11]
- If you are cooking for company, you can set out bowls with different fruits and ingredients so that everyone can build their own perfect waffles.
- Try making a strawberry syrup for a different topping.

EditVideo

EditThings You'll Need

Mixing bowl
2 small bowls
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Waffle iron

EditRelated wikiHows

EditQuick Summary

EditReferences

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How to Strengthen Your Achilles Tendon

Posted: 11 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT

Your Achilles tendons connect your calf muscles to your heel bones. It's important for these tendons to be strong because they deal with a lot of pressure when one walks, runs, and jumps. When recovering from an injury or trying to improve your running, taking the time to strengthen your Achilles is well worth the effort. With proper stretching and strength training you can either help your Achilles recover from damage or improve your running and jumping performance.

EditSteps

EditWorking With Your Doctor After an Injury

Discuss rehabilitation with your doctor. After an Achilles injury it's important to get clearance from your doctor before starting rehabilitation and strengthening. Your doctor can assess the health of your Achilles and suggest exercises that are appropriate for your specific condition.^[1]
- If your Achilles injury was severe, your doctor may instruct you to keep it immobile for a period of time so that the tendon can heal properly before being stressed.
Go to a physical therapist for rehabilitation. In many cases, your doctor will refer you to a physical therapist so that you can build your strength back up in a safe manner. You will do exercises with the physical therapist that are designed to increase flexibility and strength in the tendon while avoiding reinjuring it.^[2]
- If your doctor doesn't automatically refer you to a physical therapist but you think that you need help rehabilitating your Achilles, ask them for a referral.
- How often and how long you go to physical therapy will vary depending on the severity of your injury and how quickly it heals.
Follow the plan given to you for post-injury stretches and exercises. In addition to doing stretches and exercises during your physical therapy appointments, your therapist will tell you what exercises to do at home. Follow the plan and do all of the exercises and stretches as directed.
- Your physical therapist should show you how to do each stretch and exercise during an appointment so that you can do them with proper form at home.
- In order to improve your condition, you need to do exercises and stretches daily. If you don't keep up with them, you will greatly slow down your recovery.^[3]

EditStrengthening Your Achilles After an Injury

Give your Achilles time to heal after an injury. Use caution when strengthening your Achilles after an injury. If it has been torn or ruptured, it can take weeks, or even months, to get strong enough to bear weight.
- The length of time it takes to get your Achilles working after an injury depends on the type of injury. If you have a bit of inflammation, called tendonitis, staying off the tendon for a few weeks usually works. However, if you have a rupture and need surgery, you will need to stay off the tendon for quite a while.^[4]
Stretch your Achilles before strength training. To safely get the tendon warmed up, do gentle stretches for several minutes before exercising. You can do this either standing or sitting:^[5]
- Sitting stretch - Stick your leg out in front of you while keeping the knee bent. Put your heel on the ground and lift your toes up towards your shins. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and do the stretch 2 to 4 times before exercising.
- Standing stretch – Stand in front of a wall and put your hands up on it. Put one leg forward and bend that leg at the knee. Gently lean forward into the bent knee until you feel a stretch in your Achilles. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and then release the stretch. Do this 20 times to get the Achilles stretched out.
Do sitting heel raises. Begin in a sitting position with your feet flat on the floor. Raise your heels off the ground while keeping the pads of your feet on the ground. Once you have raised your heels as far as you can, lower them back down to the ground.^[6]
- Do this 20 to 25 times and then rest. Repeat this sequence 5 to 6 times a day.
Use a resistance band to strengthen the Achilles. Get a light resistance band, which are available from online retailers. Sit on the floor with your feet out in front of you and your knees slightly bent. Wrap the band around the ball of your foot and hold both ends in your hand. Pull the band towards you and try to resist the pressure by flexing your foot away from you. Hold this position for just a few seconds and then release it.^[7]
- Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps but be sure to rest the Achilles between each set.
Progress to standing heel raises. Stand next to a wall or railing that you can use for support. Begin with your feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise your heels off the floor until you can't go up any further. Then gradually move your heels back down to the floor. Do this 20 to 25 times.^[8]
- This exercise is most effective when it's done very slowly.
- Standing heel raises should be done once you feel comfortable putting weight on the Achilles.
Do heel drops once your Achilles feels strong. Start by standing backwards on a stair or platform that has a railing to hold on to. Position yourself so that your heels are hanging over the edge. Lower your heels a few inches and then raise them back up. Next, raise your heels up and then lower them down to level. Go up and then down 20 to 25 times.^[9]
- It's best to do this exercise on stairs with a railing so that you can hold onto it for stability.

EditStrengthening Your Achilles for Running and Jumping

Stretch the muscles around your Achilles tendons. Before doing any strength exercises it's important to stretch out the area. To stretch your Achilles, sit in a chair and stretch your leg out in front of you with your knee still bent. Place your heel on the ground with your foot flexed. Grab your big toe and gently pull it back towards you until you feel a flex.^[10]
- Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Do this stretch 2 to 4 times before each strengthening session.
Use a resistance band or belt to strengthen your Achilles. Sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you but with your knees slightly bent. Loop the band or belt around the ball of your foot and put the ends of the band or belt in one hand. Pull the ends towards you but resist the pressure by flexing your foot away from you. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds and then release the pressure.^[11]
- Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 exercises on each leg.
Do straight-knee calf raises. In order to have a strong Achilles, you need to strengthen the muscles around it. One great exercise that can be used to strengthen the gastrocnemius, which is the largest muscle in your calf, without the use of equipment is the straight-knee calf raise. To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Slowly lift your heels off the floor as far as you can and then lower them back down to the ground.^[12]
- To get more resistance on your Achilles, increase the amount of weight you are lifting by holding hand weights as you do the exercise.
- Try doing 3 sets of 10 reps during your workout.
- Try a variation on this exercise by bending your knees. This focuses the exercise on the smaller calf muscle, the soleus.
Do double leg heel drops. Stand backwards at the edge of a stair or platform that has a railing next to it so that you can steady yourself. Position yourself so that your heels are hanging over the edge of the stair. Slowly lower yourself down as far as you can go with the pads of your feet still on the stairs. Then raise yourself back up to your starting position.^[13]
- Do this 20 to 25 times.
Try jumping jacks and skipping to target the Achilles. These exercises are a great way to improve your tendon strength for running. They work out your Achilles tendons and calves in ways that running doesn't.^[14]
- Do 3 sets of 15 to 20 jumping jacks. Follow that by 3 sets of 15 to 20 skips.
- You can also do one set of jumping jacks, then one set of skips, and then continue to switch between the two.
Work on strengthening the rest of your leg muscles. Having strong muscles in your legs will take some of the pressure off your Achilles and will make them function better. Areas to focus on during your workouts include:
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Glutes

EditReferences

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How to Make a Water Wheel

Posted: 11 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT

Water wheels harness moving water to rotate and have been used by people for centuries to generate power to do things like saw wood and grind grain into flour. You can demonstrate the power and the mechanics of a water wheel by making your own! With just a few simple items and a little bit of crafting, you can form a working water wheel.

EditSteps

EditUsing Plastic Spoons

Use scissors to cut 10 plastic spoons in half at an angle. The spoons will serve as the paddles that actually turn the wheel when water passes over them. Cut 10 spoons in half of the handle length and try to get them to be as even as possible. Make your cut at a slight angle so the spoons can be inserted into the styrofoam easier.^[1]
- Plastic spoons can be hard to cut, so ask for help if you need it. Be careful cutting the plastic spoons as the pieces can fly off when you cut them.
Cut a circle with a diameter equal to the length of a spoon. Lay one of the spoons you cut down on the styrofoam and draw a circle around it so the diameter of the circle is about as wide as your spoons. Use a utility knife to cut the circle out of the styrofoam taking care not to let the knife slip and cut yourself.^[2]
- Check the diameter around the circle to make sure it's even.
- The sheet of styrofoam should be at least thick.
- Place the styrofoam on a surface that you don't mind cutting, like cardboard or a cutting block, in case the utility knife cuts through the styrofoam.
Insert the spoons into the outside edge of the styrofoam. Push the cut edge of the spoons you cut into the styrofoam until about of the handle and the bowl of the spoon are exposed. The bowl of the spoon should face the side of the styrofoam, not the front or back. Make sure the spoons are all facing the same direction and are evenly spaced out so they can catch the water that will turn the wheel.^[3]
Use a pencil to mark the center of 2 paper plates and your foam circle. It's important that your skewer goes through the center of your wheel to ensure that it turns properly. Take a ruler and draw a vertical line through the center of the plate, then draw a horizontal line through the center of your plates and the foam circle. Mark the center of the plate and foam disc with a dot.^[4]
- Use standard paper plates.
Make a hole in the center with a wooden skewer. Once you've found your center points, use a skewer to make a hole by pushing it through the center of the plates and the foam. Push the skewer through them one at a time so it penetrates them easier. This will make the perfect size hole.^[5]
- It may take some effort to push the skewer through the styrofoam and plates. But be careful not to place your hand over the center of the plates and styrofoam to avoid poking yourself with the skewer.
Glue the plates to the sides of the foam disk. The 2 paper plates will serve to stabilize the foam disk and the spoons. Apply glue to the sides of the foam disk, around the area of the hole in the center, and attach the plates to the disk one at a time, lining up the holes in the center so the skewer will be able to slide through the entire piece.^[6]
- Allow the glue to dry for at least 1 hour before you move on so the glue is completely set.
Push the skewer through the center of the wheel. After the glue has dried, you can insert the wooden skewer. The skewer will serve as your dowel rod and will allow the wheel to turn when water passes over the spoons. Make sure the skewer is secure in the wheel because if it's too loose, the wheel won't turn.
- You can place a dab of glue at the hole where the skewer goes through to anchor it into the plate and styrofoam.^[7]
Set your wheel on a bucket and fill a glass with water. With your wheel complete, place it on a bucket by resting the skewer on the mouth of the bucket. Place the wheel so it rests securely and won't fall off or into the bucket when you pour water over it by having about of the skewer hanging over the mouth of the bucket on each side. Fill a glass of water to use to test your wheel.^[8]
Slowly pour the water onto the spoons to turn the wheel. Take your glass and bring it to the side of the wheel where the bowl of the spoons are facing up and slowly start to pour the water so that the spoons catch it. This will cause the wheel to turn and it should continue to spin as long as you keep pour water over it.^[9]
- Play around with making the wheel spin faster or slower by pouring more or less water over the spoons to alter the speed.

EditMaking a Water Wheel with Cups

Use a ruler to make a straight line from the edge of the foam board. You'll need a straight and narrow strip of foam board to form the paddles of your water wheel. Use a ruler to measure and to make a straight line down the length of the board to form a wide strip.^[10]
- The foam board should be a minimum of long and thick.
Cut the strip off of the board using a utility knife. After you've traced the straight line down the board, take a utility knife and use your ruler as a guide to cut the foam board where you measured your line. It may take more than one pass to cut all the way through the board. Run the blade of the knife through the line you cut until it penetrates the other side of the board.^[11]
- You may want to place cardboard beneath the foam board or cut on a surface that you don't mind cutting in case the knife cuts through the board.
Divide the strip into 10 sections measuring to make your paddles. Take the strip you cut off and measure sections with your ruler, marking the sections clearly with a pencil. You may not use the entire strip, but you will need 10 even and uniform sections. Cut the sections out of the strip with a utility knife.^[12]
Use a compass to measure 2 circles that are in diameter. Place a protractor on your foam board and measure a circle that is in diameter, then measure another circle of the same size in the foam board. Keep the point of the protractor in place as you swivel it around to form an even circle.^[13]
Use your utility knife to cut out the circles. Take your time and make light cuts into the circle pattern. The light cuts will guide the blade of your knife to help you punch through the foam board. Follow the edge of the circular pieces carefully to keep the rounded shape of the circles and so that circles are of the same size and shape.^[14]
Glue the paddles to one of the wheels at an angle. Take the by paddles that you cut out and glue them to the wheel with the shorter side down. Apply fast-drying super glue to the edge of the side of the paddles and press the glue side down to the wheel. Arrange the paddles slightly at an angle toward the center of the wheel.^[15]
- Make sure all of the paddles are facing the same direction!
Attach the other wheel to the paddles and allow the glue to dry. Once you've glued all of the paddles to one of the wheels, apply glue to the edge of the paddles that is face up, making sure you cover the edge evenly with glue. Then take the other foam board wheel and gently press it to the glue to attach it. Allow the glue to dry for at least 1 hour.^[16]
- Check that the glue is dry by pressing against the sides to make sure they don't wobble.
Push a skewer through the center of the wheel. Once the wheel has completely dried, carefully press the sharp end of a skewer through the center of the wheel on one side and push it until it penetrates through the other side of the wheel. Be careful not to crush the wheel as you push the skewer.^[17]
- It can help to rotate the skewer as you press to push it through the board.
Secure drinking cups to the paddles with glue. Once the glue around the paddles has completely dried, take your small drinking cups and apply glue to the bottom of them. Then attach them to the acute angle of the paddles so they can catch the water when it's poured over the wheel. Allow the glue to dry for 1 hour before moving on.^[18]
Trace and cut out 2 "A" shaped frames tall. To create the stand for your wheel, cut a tall frame in the shape of an A out of your foam board. Trace the shape first using a ruler and pencil for even and straight lines, then use your utility knife to cut out the shape.^[19]
- Take the first "A" frame and use it to trace your second frame so they are the same size.
Carve out a "V" shaped knock out of the top of the "A" frames. At the top of the "A," trace a "V" shape, then use your utility knife to cut out the shape. This will serve as a nock for you to rest the skewer on and allow your wheel to turn when water is poured over the cups.^[20]
Cut out 4 rectangular by pieces. To support the frame so the wheel can stand upright, you need to cut out rectangular pieces to serve as a stand for the frame. Measure by rectangles using your ruler and pencil to make sure the lines are straight and even.^[21]
Attach the legs to the "A" frames with glue to form a stand. Apply glue to the bottom legs of the frames and press each of them into the center of one of the rectangles. Hold them there for a moment to let the super glue adhere the 2 pieces before you do the next one.^[22]
- Let the glue dry for another hour before you do anything else so the stand is sturdy and secure.
Place your water wheel in a sink and turn on the faucet. Once all of the glue has dried, place the wheel on the stand by resting the skewer into the nocks you cut out of the top of the frame. Then place your water wheel into a sink, beneath the faucet. Slowly turn on the faucet and let the water land in the cups to turn the wheel.^[23]
- Adjust the flow of the faucet to speed up or slow down the spinning wheel.