Have you made your resolutions for the new year yet? To be honest, I haven’t even attempted to this year… Why? I guess the simple answer is that life has taught me that whichever plan I make or may wish to stick to, I have no control over it and losing such control would then send me into a spiral of anxiety (which I have an on-going struggle with) that would cripple my day to day life greatly. So, instead of setting myself up for failure with unrealistic expectations on how I should be, what I should achieve, how much I should earn, how hard I should train, I let all of it go and think more simply. And more kindly. And some days I will indulge in cakes, and some others I won’t. Some days I will manage to fold the laundry and put it away, some others it will stay there and pile up. And that is perfectly ok too. Because in the end I am only trying to do my best and be a good person, and some days I will succeed and some others I won’t. And that’s ok! It’s ok not to be ok all the time! The one tool I always turn to when I need to regroup and relax is playing with food. Even when the recipes are as easy (hardly a recipe at all!) as this overnight oats I love to have for breakfast (and some lazy nights for dinner too!!), cooking never fails to put a smile on my face.

Happy New Year and be kind to yourselves, my friends, you are all doing great!

INGREDIENTS, serves 4-6

2 cups of rolled oats

1/4 cup of chia seeds

1 grated apple

Juice of 1 lemon

water to soak the oats

small pinch of salt

4-5 tablespoons of unsweetened thick Greek Yogurt (you can use coconut yogurt for a vegan option)

Berries and seeds to serve

Honey or maple syrup to drizzle on top, if liked

METHOD

1. Place oats, salt and chia seeds in a large bowl, cover with enough water to just submerge them. Add the apple, lemon juice and yogurt and mix well. Cover with plastic film and set in the fridge  overnight.

2. The next day, loosen the mix with a spoon and stir. If need be, add a little more yogurt.

3. Serve in bowls with lots of berries, pumpkin or sunflower seeds (or nuts) and drizzle a little honey or syrup, if liked.

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