I hated women.

(What a stupid thing to say on international women’s day)

But I did.

I didn’t trust them.

I didn’t want to be friends with them.

Apart from a few friends who were girls most of my friends were MEN.

My bullies were mostly girls.

Who used me as their personal plaything.

Their creature to kick about.

I spent my nights after school crying and wishing I was different.

Wishing I was stronger.

Wishing I was prettier.

Wishing I was normal.

However when I was 11, I met my best friend, Hatti.

She was ….. WEIRD!

Oh my god… she was wonderfully WEIRD!

(This is not a put down of her, but celebrating how FANTASTIC she is!)

I was weird.

We were both WEIRD!

We were on the same weird and wonderful wave length.

Hatti was the FIRST WOMAN (other than my own mum) to show me how BRILLIANT women are! How wonderful! How compassionate!

Not liked by a lot of people, we connected over our love acting, silliness and music. 

We ARGUED like dogs. 

We were vicious as teenagers.

And after we left school, for whatever reason….. we stopped speaking.

HOWEVER when I was admitted into the eating disorder clinic for the second time, a mutual friend rang Hatti up asking her advice on what to do to help (as Hatti had seen me through the first time).

Hatti came and visited me and held my hand.

She made me feel like a young person again.

This girl has QUITE LITERALLY seen me through EVERY HIGH and EVERY LOW.

When we lived in different cities, we weren’t as close.

But as soon as she moved to London, we became FULL SISTERS again.

I am now lucky and happy to say I have a fair few CLOSE FEMALE friends. More than male friends.

I no longer distrust women.

I value them as sisters.

As soul mates.

Here’s to the women who raised us.

Here’s to the women who paved the way for us.

Giving us the right to vote, work and BE.

Giving us the freedom to think for ourselves.

Here’s to the women who taught us.

Who held our hands.

Who hugged us.

Who have been there through it all.

Our ride or dies ❤️

I also want to celebrate how different each of the women in my life are.

Different shapes.

Different heights.

Different hair.

Different careers.

Different people.

Balance is IMPORTANT.

Including the balance of people in our LIVES 

and balance of what women we see VISUALLY REPRESENTED.

I went to the International Women Day’s talk yesterday with Wholefoods UK and Mindful Bites.

It was an entirely inspirational and positive talk.

4 women who have forged careers for themselves making positive impacts on people’s lives.

They were all so different yet connected in their passion for positive effect on the world.

On the way to the tube, the only people I saw on advertisement posters were women of the same size. Size 6-8.

No wonder so many of us have complexes!

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with being a size 6-8.

Nothing wrong whatsoever. 

However…

if the only images of WOMEN we are EVER see is of women of the SAME SIZE, what message are we feeding women?

What message are we feeding young girls and boys?

Today on international women’s day let’s celebrate the women in our lives.

But also celebrate our DIFFERENCES.

You are ALL beautiful.

You are ALL brave.

You are ALL brilliant!

Now the one thing that connects all the women in my life together, however is their love of …… 

CHOCOLATE!

So today is a simple yet DELICIOUS recipe.

I’m teaching you how to make a Deeply Decadent Chocolate Oatmeal.

It’s going to be creamy.

Naturally sweet.

Well balanced.

Not sickly.

And heavenly.

Also #unrefinedsugarfree 💁🏼‍♀️

What can I say?

Also teaching you how SIMPLE it is to ‘pimp’ up your porridge.

Melting chocolate into porridge is without a doubt one of the sexiest things you can do for breakfast…

(let’s NOT start talking about the other things you can do #canigetahellyeah #cantwritearecipeforthat)

I’m using cacao powder. I’m using Mindful Bites Chocolate Nut Butter. I’m using coconut cream (to add natural sweetness and creaminess). I’m also melting in a piece of dark chocolate. 

Dark chocolate and cacao is RIDICULOUSLY GOOD for you.

Packed full of anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium (so fantastic for energy and women’s health #ifyoucatchmydrift)

Also containing mood boosting chemicals for that extra bit of ‘YOU GO GIRL’ in the morning. 

(Also for that extra bit of ‘YOU GO GUY’ in the morning 👍)

Decadently Delicious Chocolate Oats

What you’ll need:

• 45g oats (double quantities as you go if making for more than one person)
• Plant based milk (enough to cover oats)
• 1 tbsp of coconut cream
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp of cacao/cocoa powder
• (Optional) 1 tbsp of Chocolate Protein Powder (I used Tribe‘s Salted Chocolate)
• 1 tbsp of Chocolate Nut Butter (I used Mindful Bites Nut Butter Brazil Nuts and Cacao Nibs)
• 1 square of Dark Chocolate
• Fruit to top (Banana, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, you pick)

How to make it:

• Put oats into a pan or bowl with the cacao powder, optional protein powder and salt.
• Top with plant based milk and a spoonful of coconut cream. Put enough plant based milk to cover the oats and a little more.
• If heating on the stove, heat on a low heat, stirring gently. Keep stirring till at consistency that is PERFECT for you.
• If heating in microwave, heat for 2 mins. Stir. Heat for another 2 mins. Heat for 1 min more if you like your porridge THICK.
• Top with nut butter, the square of dark chocolate and fruit.
• Wait a few minutes for the chocolate to melt, then stir in the SEXY DECADENTLY DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE and enJOY the smell, sight and taste. Arouse your senses and taste buds and excite yourself for the day.

Happy International Women’s day,

Much love,

Joy