The Guardian

In this quick and easy midweek recipe, the cookbook author goes big on flavour – with minimal washing up Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email One-pan pasta recipes can be a little hit and miss. While one pan implies you won’t need to boil the pasta separately – meaning one less item to clean up – some people find the pasta has a tendency to overcook or undercook. Others are put off by the …

This favourite Mexican brunch dish may be only egg, tortilla, salsa and maybe a few beans, but it’s much more than the sum of its parts Huevos rancheros , or ranch-style eggs, is, according to the world’s most popular free encyclopedia , a tribute to the generous mid-morning meals served on Mexican farms; or, more succinctly, in the words of food writer Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz , “Mexico’s favouri…

This one is all about the cocoa and demands your full attention Last week I promised the 70% and above club something and here it is. This is for the real purists among you. If you’re the sort of person who likes your chocolate with just cocoa and some sugar, then Darkroom is for you, two ingredient dark chocolate and sod you if you’re going to get anything else. Without anything to hide behind –…

Some customers of the online fashion site, which owed more than £210m when it collapsed in March, are also unable to get refunds Designer brands including Gucci and Anya Hindmarch have been left millions of pounds out of pocket and some customers will not get refunds after online fashion site Matchesfashion collapsed owing more than £210m last month. Customers who bought designer items prior to t…

These stunning, extremely relatable women, with nuanced facial expressions and sensible shoes, helped me outline success on my own terms I love watching television – ideally in bed with a bowl of salt and vinegar potato chips and a bottle of Coke, zoning out for hours. I’ve always been like this. In my teens and 20s I watched back-to-back-to-back Law & Order and Law & Order SVU episodes. I loved …

Could they agree on immigration and housing? And why did the conversation turn to pigeon racing? Sian, 56, Herefordshire Occupation CEO of a social enterprise Continue reading...

Beccy, 49, and Natalie, 60, became best friends after she visited Natalie’s rescue farm in Ontario, Canada. They now run events together on the farm and love travelling together Tell us your story of how you met someone special When Beccy’s cousin suggested they go to an open day at a local farm, she jumped at the chance. “We live in a small rural area called South Glengarry in Ontario. She told …

Questions on general knowledge and topical trivia, plus a few jokes, every Thursday. How will you fare? Near where the quiz master lives there is a car emblazoned with the slogan: “Get ready to meet Jesus”. It belongs to a local Bible shop. It always feels quite threatening as the vehicle approaches at speed while you are crossing the road. Anyway, here are 14 questions approaching you at speed, …

What broke me as a child was my mother’s death from breast cancer. But around that shattering, I became a person – and learned how to parent my son I try to remember her hands. They were younger than mine are now. I imagine her long fingers and yellow, uneven and unpolished fingernails. Or had her nails fallen out? I am eight, about to turn nine; she will be dead in two weeks. Today is Mother’s D…

I returned two coats and the parcel was lost and then it went into administration At the end of January I bought two coats from Matchesfashion for £902. I returned them, but the parcel has been lost and now Matches has gone into administration and I don’t have the coats or the money. I used the DHL labels provided to send them back on 27 February, and followed up a week later as I had not receive…

With its remarkable culinary heritage, every region of Italy has unique specialities to savour When it comes to great food and wines, few places match the sheer pleasure of travelling in Italy. The country’s delicious regional cuisine is based firmly on a Mediterranean diet, making the most of fresh, seasonal vegetables, plentiful seafood, local cheeses and charcuterie, exquisite dolci and amazin…

Buying refurbished tech might feel risky if you’ve never done it before – but we’re here to tell you, it’s the future. Here’s what you need to know ... Whether it’s eating less meat, swapping your car for a bike or saying no to single-use plastic, many of us are making lifestyle switches to live more ethically. However, fewer of us are aware of the huge environmental impact of something we use ev…

Thanks to its innovative payback scheme, the giffgaff community has raised more than £1m for good causes since 2010. Here, we spotlight three projects the mobile phone provider has supported so far Community projects around the UK are bringing vital relief and support to people and animals in need. There are thousands of community organisations, charities and groups across the country offering th…

When it comes to picking a mobile, there are many things that sway customers – from finding the best deal on the phone you want, to having full control of your bills every month. But now, consumers are increasingly looking to make a decision that considers their impact on the planet and society Unboxing a new mobile phone always feels like a thrill. But how often does getting a new phone or mobil…

Phone provider giffgaff has joined the UK’s fast-growing community of B Corps thanks to its responsible practices. Julianne Robertson takes a closer look at this badge of honour and asks: what difference does it make to me and my mobile? Did you know that giffgaff is an ancient Scottish word that means “mutual giving”? You thought it was a made-up, catchy brand name, didn’t you? Well, it turns ou…