Happy GALENTINES day!

After years of bullying, it took me a really LONG time to trust girls and be friends with them.

I was lucky enough to have one constant best friend that I’ve known since I was 11, but she was the exception as a teenager.

When I moved to London, I met this 4″11 blonde girl who was on my foundation acting course, took one look at her and thought….

‘I’m NEVVVVEERRRR going to be friends with her.’

3 months later, I was living with her and we did EVERYTHING together. We laughed through being so BROKE that we lived off pasta and free sandwiches from her work. We explored London together. She held my hand through some really TOUGH times. And I held hers. We argued like sisters but always came back to LOVE.

We both managed to get a final recall for a drama school and on the morning, after being bought some Easter treats from her Dad, she put blueberries and….. MINI EGGS in her porridge.

I thought she was an absolute ANIMAL.

But actually she was a GENIUS.

My friend, Lauren is obsessed with Nutella.

So when I bought some Hazelnut Cream the other day, I knew, I HAD to make ‘Nutella’ Oatmeal.

This oatmeal is dedicated to Lauren. For showing me that you can learn to TRUST again, although it will take time. For shaking me, when I get caught in a manic spiral. And for grounding me, when I panic.

If you have ever been through any trauma or past situation/experience which causes you to put up barriers, push people away and close off, it can be INCREDIBLY HARD to let people in.

And all you can do, is take it DAY by DAY.

My mum always says,

‘You wouldn’t eat a CHOCOLATE ELEPHANT all at once. You eat it BITE by BITE’.

So take small steps. Go gently. And congratulate yourself for the steps you do take to trust people.

It’s not going to happen over night. Change never does. So be patient.

So let’s go back to the Chocolate Elephant…. or Chocolate Oatmeal.

I have used cacao to flavour this porridge. But you could quite easily use cocoa powder. Go for one which doesn’t include sugar. 

Cacao is packed full of antioxidants, iron and magnesium. Which are fantastic for boosting your immunity and for maintaining a healthy HEART and BRAIN. It’s also a natural mood elevator and anti-depressant.

I’ve also gone for a piece of dark chocolate. 80% cocoa and lower in sugar. The darker it is; the richer the flavour and higher the benefits.

Seriously, CHOCOLATE is so GOOD for you.

Hazelnuts are rich in unsaturated fats (GOOD FATS), magnesium, calcium and vitamins B and E (fantastic skin and hair vitamins). They are also a brilliant nut for GUT HEALTH. Hello!

I have purposefully made this low in sugar as sugar clouds my brain and messes with my stomach in the morning.

HOWEVER ….. if you love sugar and can tolerate it; IT IS SO EASY AND CHEAP to just make your normal porridge and add a BIG OLD SPOONFUL of NUTELLA.

My version is the low sugar, JUST AS INDULGENT, plant based and BRAIN BOOSTING oatmeal.

Cacao, hazelnut milk and hazelnut cream oats. Topped with strawberries, blueberries and dark chocolate. A deeply rich, indulgent tasting porridge oozing with dark cocoa and sweet hazelnut flavours.

‘Nutella’ Oatmeal.

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serving: serves 1 (double quantities as you go if serving for more)

What you’ll need:

• 45g of oats
• Hazelnut Milk (enough to cover oats and a little more)
• 2 tbsp of cacao/cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp of hazelnut cream/butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 piece of dark chocolate (I went for 80%)
• A handful strawberries and blueberries (if you want to go seriously low in sugar, scrap the strawberries)

How to make it:

• Chop strawberries and put to one side.
• Place oats, cacao/cocoa powder, a pinch of salt into a microwavable bowl or a small saucepan. Stir dry ingredients together.
• Pour enough hazelnut milk to cover the oats and a little bit more. Stir so it is all incorporated.
• If heating on the hob, heat at a low temperature stirring gently to avoid porridge sticking to bottom of pan. Keep stirring until the porridge thickens, adding the hazelnut cream/butter. Keep stirring until it reaches the consistency that you desire. You can add more milk if needed. Transfer to bowl.
• If heating in microwave, heat for 2 mins. Then stir. Add hazelnut cream/butter. Heat for another 2 mins. Stir. Heat for an extra one minute if you want it slightly thicker. You can add more milk if needed.
• Whilst the porridge is piping hot, place dark chocolate on top so it can start to melt.
• Top with sliced strawberries and blueberries.
• Sit down, take a moment to remember all the brilliant GALS you have or have had in your life. Picture their faces and and thank them in your mind. Take a deep breath and enJOY.

Mucho mucho LOVE to all you GALS (and boy PALS) taking on each day, no matter how hard it can be.

Fight the good fight and remember the LOVE in your life.

Much love,

Joy xxxxx