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YOU

Britain’s most popular woman’s magazine

Beauty

Life

The jewels & the crown

From Princess Margaret’s pearls to the priciest of diamonds, gemmologist HELEN MOLESWORTH has seen them all. She shares the science and romance of the world’s most precious stones

Trend watch

Everyone’s talking about: male makeovers

An unholy flash point

Some couples want to capture every picture-perfect moment of their wedding ceremony, but it’s causing clashes between cameras and clergy, says Polly Dunbar

‘Mum’s letters have been a lifeline for me’

Genevieve Kingston’s mother died aged just 48, but she left her daughter notes to open on big occasions until she was 30. She tells Maddy Fletcher why there are two she may never read

Just don't

Being married and divorced once was enough for novelist Melanie Cantor. She explains why she’ll never tie the knot again

Kanika Banwait

How to wash...? An expert answers the most Googled laundry dilemmas

Charlotte Vossen

Is the Scandinavian sleep method the key to a good night’s sleep?

Charlotte Vossen

The occasional glass of red wine is ‘perfectly fine’ and even beneficial, says Tim Spector

The green guide: barrier cream

TikTok’s big fat secret

Social-media chefs are racking up millions of views for their delicious recipes. But how healthy are they? Sarah Rainey uncovers some very dirty dishes

Trend watch

Everyone’s talking about: throuples

‘Am I alive?’ I repeated to Ryan. ‘Yes, you’re here,’ he told me, but I believed I was dying and from his face I knew he did too

Jane and I were in love, but when she died, I was dismissed by her GP, ignored by the coroner and left distressed by a funeral company. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did

When his wife of 37 years died in January, Tim Quinn says the pain of losing her was compounded by red tape

The rock stars who came to tea

Serving salmon to David Bowie and sarnies to Motörhead, TIFFANY MURRAY struck lucky as the child of a chef cooking for the most famous recording artists of the 1970s and 80s

Food & Drink

Saving on our big-day wine? I’ll drink to that!

Buying your own bottles for the reception is a smart move, but bride-to-be Sophie Dearden is overwhelmed by the options on the supermarket aisle. To the rescue: YOU’s wine expert Charlotte Kristensen

Tim Anderson

Green beans with chilli, garlic, Thai basil and bacon

This is spicy, fresh, oily, sweet and salty - delicious with rice as a light lunch or as part of a larger meal.

Tim Anderson

Steamed aubergine salad with smoky lime and fish sauce dressing

One of my favourite Thai dishes is smoky aubergine salad. Traditionally, the aubergine gets its smokiness from charring over flames, which of course we cannot do in the microwave. (If your microwave is capable of flame grilling, please return it to the manufacturer.) However, we can achieve the same soft and squishy texture by microwave steaming, and add the smoky flavour in the form of paprika – not traditional, of course, but neither is cooking this in the microwave.

Tim Anderson

Pea and smoked-mackerel risotto with lemon

I don’t know how risotto got its reputation for being difficult to make. Is it because you’re supposed to stand there stirring it until you die of boredom? That’s not difficult, it’s just tedious - especially as you can just whack it in the microwave.

Tim Anderson

Steamed salmon and pak choi with sweet soy sauce and fresh ginger

Salmon and pak choi steam beautifully in the microwave, and it can be used to cook starch-thickened sauces, like this, too.

Tim Anderson

Chorizo, mushroom, olive and fennel-seed frittata

A delicious and incredibly quick and easy dish that can be breakfast, lunch or dinner - and decent picnic fodder, too.

Book offer: Microwave Meals

Tim Anderson

Chicken orzo

This is easy to love - it’s simply chicken cooked in herby, garlicky butter. The orzo soaks up all the juices from the thighs, forming a substantial, risotto-like foundation to the dish, and makes it an all-in-one dinner. Serve it with something green on the side, or just chuck in some frozen peas to get your veg in.

Tim Anderson

Spaghetti carbonara

The most delicious carbonara I’ve ever made. It’s the cooking of the pasta and the method of emulsifying the sauce that make it so good. With no hot pan, there’s little risk of the eggs scrambling, and the pasta cooks in the perfect amount of water to bind the sauce.

Tim Anderson

Miso walnut brownies

Miso goes with both walnuts and chocolate, adding a nice fruitiness and, of course, saltiness to the mix. If you don’t have any, replace with a teaspoon of salt.

‘You’ll never catch me doing a tequila shot’

The singer, 53, reveals to Scarlett Dargan what turned her off alcohol for years, how much she hates posh coffee and why she loves fruity mixers

Cherry tomatoes and lentils with garlic yogurt

A fabulous summer dish that marries hot tomatoes with cooling yogurt

Tom Parker Bowles

Eating out: The Beat Inn, Hodnet, Shropshire

Tom enjoys lunch in Shropshire, at a renovated inn that’s several notches above ‘gastropub’

Charlotte Kristensen

Drinks: Charlotte’s bridal bubbles

Georgina Hayden

Filo-wrapped feta with spiced honey

This is the easiest thing to prepare and will pretty much guarantee you a standing ovation as you present it to the table. Some recipes can take any old filo, but this one works best with the thin kind that you’ll find in Greek or Turkish supermarkets. Hunt some down - it will be worth it.