Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, September 23, 2024 i Woman's Own

Cooking is not one of my strong suits and when I’m on dinner duty, I tend to always stick to the same easy meals – though even they seem to often go wrong! If, like me, you’re in need of some inspiration, turn to p34. These weeknight winners aren’t only quick when it comes to prep time – they have just three steps each and five ingredients or less – they’re tasty, too. I’m giving the Thai chicken tray bake a go tonight! On the subject of food – our debate this week is cinema snacks. Police in New Zealand were called when someone brought in her own food! I personally love buying a pick ’n’ mix to watch a film, but – yikes – they are pricey! Two readers…

EARLY-BIRD DINNER A young mum has gone viral on TikTok after confessing she gives her kids their ‘evening’ meal when they get home from school at 3.30. She then eats dinner with her husband at 4pm. She says it works perfectly – the kids are hungry after school, it stops them snacking and leaves the evening free for games or sport. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? After all, what does a ‘traditional’ evening mealtime even mean these days? She also has the backing of dieticians, who say feeding kids when they’re hungry rather than later also means they’ll digest their food more efficiently and get better-quality sleep. If kids are healthy and happy, what’s the problem? BRAVERY AMIDST SUCH HORROR How can a husband and father do such a heinous…

Buy of the week Hot flushes causing discomfort down below? Wuka’s Everyday Briefs (£15 for one pair, sizes xxs-5xl, wuka.co.uk) support your body’s temperature regulation, minimising sweating. THE TO-DO LIST SOCIALISE to beat tum troubles, says research**. When comparing stools of sociable monkeys to isolated ones, the more sociable had higher levels of ‘good’ gut bacteria. LISTEN ON LOW Dieting? Listening to quiet music can make you 30% more likely to choose healthier foods, says research from the University of South Florida. EMBRACE TARDINESS Being late can boost heart health***. That’s because those who are often behind schedule are usually calmer and more optimistic. If you do one thing Ban screens at bedtime Spend hours on your smartphone before bed? You’re not alone – 87%* of Brits scroll at night…

They favour my sister Q My younger sister has always been a difficult character and now she’s a single mum to two kids. I feel my parents have always favoured her and go out of their way to help her both financially and emotionally. I feel there’s no room for me or my kids, what do I do? A Dealing with parental favouritism can be challenging, however, it’s likely your parents are not aware of how their actions make you feel. Talk to them, explain how left out you feel and ask them to carve some time out for you and your family. It doesn’t have to be you versus your sister. There should be room for everyone. I WANT OUT Q I’m in my mid-50s, unmarried and have no…

Snow-capped mountains and sunlit Alpine meadows strewn with wild flowers, thrilling adventures and world-class cuisine; the Dolomites has it all. With a mountain range so spectacularly beautiful it has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, the region is renowned for its first-class skiing and hiking. But, there’s more to this area. There are some seriously stylish high-end spas – the perfect place to pause, breathe in fresh mountain air and reboot. ICONIC ARCHITECTURE Prepare to be awestruck by My Arbor, a towering treetop hotel perched on the edge of a forest above Brixen. It sits among the fir trees at the foot of the iconic Plose Mountain, one of the most beautiful and sunny mountains in South Tyrol. Set atop huge wooden stilts, My Arbor seemingly floats above the treetops…

My earliest memory of my older sister Priya wasn’t one where she was present, but rather, the realisation of her absence. I was four or five, standing in my bedroom in our little terraced house in Maidstone, Kent, feeling that a fundamental part of me should be there but was missing. My sister had been sent to India to live with our grandparents, ahead of my parents and I making the final move over there and leaving England behind forever. While the idea seemed to make sense to the grown-ups at the time, we didn’t join her for another four years. ‘WE REALISED WE HAD SO MUCH IN COMMON’ DIFFERENT PATHS It was a choice that created aftershocks in our family, even decades later. When I was seven, and knew…

Denise confesses ‘I’M A MORNING SEX PERSON’ Never one to mince her words, Denise Welch is much-loved by fans for her refreshing honesty. But it was perhaps a case of Too Much Information when she opened up about her sex life with husband Lincoln Townley. Speaking to her Loose Women co-star Olivia Attwood on her podcast, when asked if she thought morning sex before brushing your teeth is ‘wrong or right’, Denise, 66, confessed, ‘I’m a morning sex person. You don’t have to look at each other.’ And this isn’t the first time Denise, who has been married to Lincoln, 51, since 2013, has made an X-rated confession about the intimate side of their relationship. Joking about how her hubby is ‘into older women’, she said earlier this year, ‘[Lincoln]…

RETURN OF THE MAC A timeless wardrobe staple. Trench coat, £38, sizes xs-xxl, George at Asda DESIGNER INSPIRED Team with jeans to nail the double denim look. Top, £39.99, sizes xs-l, lindex.com NEARLY NUDE Available in six sheer tones. Sheer Strength Hardening Nail Paint, £4.49, Barry M SET YOUR GOALS Take note of things that make you feel good. Wellness journal, £26, papier.com GO GREEN A gorgeous way to display your blooms. Vase, £14, bhs.com VINTAGE-INSPIRED VIBES Crafted from GOTS-certified organic cotton. Dress, £79.95, sizes 8-24, hat, £37.75, both Seasalt CHEERS TO THAT Elevate your everyday glassware. Wine glasses, £12 for four, George at Asda BOLD AND BRIGHT Add a textured look to your living space. Cushion, £14, Matalan PLUMP AND NOURISH Packed full of lip-loving oils. Juicy Peptide Lip Balm, £5.99,…

The jumpsuit An all-in-one outfit simplifies getting dressed in the morning by eliminating the need to match tops and bottoms. This one features a convenient zip closure, making it easy to slip on. Effortlessly stylish and perfect for various occasions, jumpsuits can be easily dressed up or down. Team with metallic flats for a look that will seamlessly transition from day to night. Total outfit cost £47 TOP TIP This runs small, so size up for the perfect fit. The skirt Denim skirts have made a triumphant return this year, with mid-length styles stealing the spotlight. However, we’re loving this maxi-length version for the new season. Crafted from classic blue denim with a wash effect, it’s the perfect addition to your wardrobe and can be worn all year…

Thai chicken tray bake PREP TIME: 5 MINS COOK TIME: 1HR CALS: 510 FAT: 24G SAT FAT: 16G CARBS: 47G SERVES 4 Toss everything in a tin and let the oven do the rest with this tasty one-pot. YOU WILL NEED 200g basmati rice1 courgette, diced4tbsp Thai curry paste400g tin coconut milk6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. In a large ovenproof dish, combine the rice, courgette and half of the curry paste, along with the coconut milk and 120ml of cold water. Give it a good mix. 2 Put the chicken thighs on top of the rice and brush them with the remaining curry paste. 3 Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 mins. Then remove the foil and…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch Arrested in 2013, Ross Ulbricht founded Silk Road, a major dark web marketplace, in 2011 using which pirate’s name as a pseudonym? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BARBOSSABARTBONNYFLINTHOOKJONESKIDDMORGAN PATCHYPUGWASHREADROBERTSSILVERSPARROWTEACH CROSSWORD ACROSS 7 See 3 Down (5)8 Imperils (9)10 See 3 Down (3,3)11 Meticulously (2,6)12 __ Ford, star of films The Fugitive and Witness (8)13 Street (4)15 Vintage (7)17 In the normal way (2,5)20 Rotisserie (4)22 Swiss cheese (8)25 Fire starter (8)26 See 3 Down (4,2)27 Capital of Victoria (9)28 __ Allen, co-star of films Raiders of the Lost Ark and…

Film THE SUBSTANCE In cinemas 20 September Demi Moore stars as a fading celebrity who, desperate to cling on to her youth, injects a miraculous substance that will transform her into a younger, more beautiful version of herself. Margaret Qualley (Maid, Poor Things) and Dennis Quaid (Far From Heaven, The Parent Trap) also star. Music KATY PERRY 143 (Capitol), out 20 September Get ready to dance as pop icon Katy Perry releases her sixth studio album, 143. The star said, ‘It’s very bright and joyful – like pure joy and fun – playful and celebratory, and a party.’ Event LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR 19 September 2024 until 5 January 2025, multiple locations including Belfast, Sheffield and Aberdeen, tickets from £27.50 To celebrate its 40th anniversary a sensational production of…

HOLLY WILLOUGHBY Looking at this decadent cheesecake, it seems Holly, 43, really is good at everything. We want to know how she got those layers so thick! BLAKE LIVELY When Blake, 37, isn’t on the big screen, she relaxes by baking with her pals. Her husband Ryan Reynolds has praised her baking skills, saying ‘Blake loves [to bake]. As a little girl, she and her mom, they grew up in a very modest household and their aspiration was Martha Stewart’s magazines. She loves that world and she’s really good at it.’ NADIA SAWALHA Our mouths are watering looking at this masterpiece by Loose Women’s Nadia. Look at the size of those strawberries! The 59-year-old certainly knows how to nail the presentation. PENNY LANCASTER Former Loose Women star Penny, 53, rustled this…

Pushing a buggy to the shops with my six kids, sweat dripped down my back. ‘It’s not even sunny and I’m boiling,’ I thought. Then a group of teenagers walked by, their eyes widening as they saw me. ‘Come on kids, nearly there,’ I said, heart racing, and hoping more than anything that they didn’t make a comment. It was spring 2021, and at 27st 7lb and size 28, I should have been used to people’s stares, rude gestures and laughter by now. But I wasn’t – I was absolutely mortified to be so heavy. As a kid I was always taller than my friends, but as the years passed, I became bigger too. I tried my first diet at 13 but never managed to keep the weight off. At…

Real life from the heart Like most mums, when my kids are upset I’ll do almost anything to turn their frowns upside down, whether it’s making Max, 11, his favourite chocolate cake or putting on silly voices for Georgia, eight, when she’s had a bad day at school. ‘I PUT ON A BRAVE FACE, HIDING MY FEAR’ That’s why, in my darkest hour, after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, I put on a brave face, hiding my fear and despair at the news that threatened to shatter our world. Every morning, throughout gruelling chemotherapy, when my legs felt like jelly and I was overwhelmed with nausea, I’d pull on a silly wig to do the school run – anything to make my kids laugh and help them to…

Health ask us High cholesterol worry Q Two months ago, I started taking a statin as I had high cholesterol. Soon afterwards, I began getting bad headaches. I decided to stop them last week because we were going on holiday and the headaches disappeared straight away. When we came home I started again, and the headaches are back. Is there something else I can take? A There are several different statins, and some people find they tolerate one formulation better than another. Speak to your GP, who will probably try you on a different statin. I also find that starting with a low dose and gradually increasing sometimes reduces the incidence of side effects. If you still get headaches after trying other statins, your GP may suggest something called ezetimibe…

Take cleansing seriously It’s the most important step in any skincare routine. There’s no point loading hard-working serums and creams onto an unclean face – the products won’t work, which will waste your time and money. Cleanse for at least 60 seconds to ensure you remove every scrap of make-up, grime and pollution. In the evenings cleanse twice – once with a balm like Super Facialist Rosehip Skin Therapy Meltaway Cleansing Balm, £20, Boots, to melt away make-up and suncare. The second should be a gel or cream like Botanics All Bright Revitalising Cleanser, £6.49, Boots, to really clean your complexion. Streamline your routine Is your morning routine chaotic? Streamlining your products will make getting ready easier and quicker. Go through your make-up bag and narrow down what you use…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr The Autumn Equinox on 22 September helps you to find balance between doing and being. This can be difficult for you as a Fire sign, so put boundaries in place. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May The Moon in your sign on 21 September marks a new beginning emotionally. Perhaps it’s time to start connecting with new people, which could lead to romance. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Since Jupiter moved into your sign in June, you’ve had an increase in luck and energy. Keep up the positive momentum by focusing on what’s working in your life. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul While you are not always keen to take the lead, you will be offered an opportunity to guide more people…

ONE BAD APPLE by Jo Jakeman (£20, HB, Little, Brown Book Group) Aberfal Boys High School is seen by all as a dazzling example of prestige and exclusivity. That is, until headmaster Newhall is murdered in cold blood in his study. The news spreads like wildfire through the Year Seven School Mums’ Whatsapp group, with parents voicing their shock and horror. But how many of them had reason to want Newhall dead? As a police investigation gets underway, some rather unsavoury secrets are discovered lurking in the corridors of this elite institution. Packed with explosive twists, this captivating murder mystery from Jo Jakeman will keep you reading late into the night. On sale 19 September. THE WINDS FROM FURTHER WEST by Alexander McCall Smith (£16.99, HB, Birlinn General) The smallest…

John Torode & Lisa Faulkner ‘WE’RE SO THRILLED PEOPLE STILL LOVE IT’ The culinary couple return with a new series of John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen… When John Torode and Lisa Faulkner’s cooking show began in 2019, they had no idea that they would be presenting a ninth series. But this week they are back to welcome viewers into their kitchen with more quick, simple and delicious recipes. ‘We’re shocked to be chatting about series nine!’ says John. ‘We’re thrilled people still love the show.’ ‘I think it’s because the recipes are so easy to follow,’ adds Lisa. ‘Anything where you can save time in the kitchen is often a winner.’ So what do they have in store for us this time around? ‘We’ve got Top Tray Bakes, Fakeaway Feasts…