A cook-your-own adventure meal, with all manner of fillings and servings to exploreThe Mexican equivalent of a cheese toastie, but even quicker to make, these are the perfect summer holiday or weekend lunch, because everyone can choose their own fillings and help cook. Plus, this recipe is just a jumping-off point – once you’ve mastered the method, you can fill them with anything you like … grated chocolate and mashed banana are pretty good!Prep 5 min Cook 4 min each Makes 8 Continue reading...

16 Aug 2026 12:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

Change up your seasonal salads with an easy-to-prep dish that centres on slow-cooked rice and a lively Asian dressing Here’s a recipe straight out of the low-effort, high-reward school of cooking, in which you chop the vegetables and nuts, boil the rice and beans, throw over a dressing … and it’s done! It was written in the middle of a heatwave, when cooking felt impossible, but I couldn’t look at another watermelon and feta salad. The trade-off is that this dish relies heavily on a couple of key ingredients: sambal oelek (which gives the salad its sparkle) and black rice, which, unlike other types of rice in a salad, never tastes worthy. Continue reading...

15 Aug 2026 05:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

If you’re trying to meet your daily serving of 2.5 cups of vegetables, you might have some questionsIf you want to eat lettuce, that no longer just means iceberg. In our bountiful age, there are many options: romaine, red-leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, beet greens, bok choy, bitter radicchio, every developmental stage of arugula.Sometimes, it’s simply up to preference. But if you’re trying to meet your daily serving of 2.5 cups of vegetables – or you’re rethinking your salad choices amid the US cyclospora outbreak, you might have some questions about which greens to go with. Continue reading...

14 Aug 2026 16:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

How does a rabbi choose her shoes? Why does a psychoanalyst like slogan tees? And why does a doctor avoid wearing scrubs at work? Seven striking dressers share their surprising style storiesAndrew Geldart, 65, retired engineer, Cornwall Continue reading...

16 Aug 2026 11:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

Daniel’s boyfriend thinks his youthful complexion is down to fancy skincare, and Jessica’s nearest and dearest still don’t know she’s had a breast enhancement …Jessica was at a spa with her friends of more than 20 years when she noticed one stare at her bikini, lock eyes with her and laugh, before asking: “Wait, have you …?” The game was up – eight months after she’d had a secret breast enhancement, she’d been rumbled. Fearing judgment from even her closest circle, she had only spoken to two people who’d had the procedure, for advice, and told a neighbour in case she was unwell after the surgery. “My family still don’t know – most people don’t,” the 42-year-old from London says, including her two children who live between her and her ex-husband. “I’m not alone; I’ve since learned winter is the most popular time for people to get things done, then they can just hide under jumpers while everything settles in, so no one notices.”For years, celebrities have endured public speculation about their tweakments and surgeries – but as procedures become more commonplace, “civilian” patients are facing the same questions from family and friends. And many of them are choosing to go incognito; some surgeons estimate up to 70% of their clients aren’t telling others about their aesthetic procedures. But what are the practicalities of disguising everything from breast augmentation to filler to hair transplants from your closest circle? And why are so many people spending thousands of pounds to alter their appearance – only to hope that no one notices? Continue reading...

15 Aug 2026 10:59 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

A good scalp cleanse can be useful, but it partly depends where you liveWe’re experiencing the “skinification” of the scalp, says Desmond Tobin, professor of dermatological science at University College Dublin. After decades of consumer obsession with improving the quality of facial skin, attention is now being turned to our heads.A wave of products have launched – from scalp scrubs and acid exfoliants to deep-cleaning shampoos – claiming to “detox” the scalp and promising everything from shinier hair to boosted growth. Continue reading...

10 Aug 2026 07:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN

Bold colours are out and short, (seemingly) bare nails in, but some see trend as part of criticised ‘clean girl aesthetic’Trends at Copenhagen fashion week are usually easy to spot. The so-called “fifth fashion week”, a laidback sibling to the other four main fashion cities, has previously popularised everything from romantic floaty dresses with practical trainers to giant hair scrunchies. But during its latest iteration that wrapped up on Friday, a much more subtle trend had emerged – naked nails.From the models on the catwalks to show-goers and passersby, fingers and toes featured short and unvarnished nails. The trend is a sharp shift away from the long, bright and glossy mani/pedis that have more recently dominated beauty standards. Continue reading...

09 Aug 2026 10:00 ✍️ RSS THE GUARDIAN