Hello everyone and happy new year to you all,

All of a sudden it’s 2016 and whilst everything is the same it’s also new. A bit like this recipe which has been on the blog for a while already but that now has got a little make over in the shape of a video and some new images, you can still read my initial post below the video but here’s a little cheers to the new year.

I think this recipe deserved a new chance to shine and this is very much how I think of this new year; as a time for me to get a new chance to shine. I don’t let myself do that very often which in a way is very Swedish of me. Whilst Swedes are generally quite confident and straight forward we have this culturally inbuilt idea that we mustn’t be better than others. As noble this might sound it can be quite challenging to always have someone on your shoulder telling you that you mustn’t ‘shine your brightest light’ (as my friend and yoga inspiration Anita Goa always encourage her followers to do). I really like this idea of shining my brightest light; being my brightest self in whatever way this might be or shape this might take.

So instead of having a new year’s resolution I have set this as an intention for my 2016, to shine my brightest light. This encompasses efforts to let go of inhibitions and fears of what may come if I live up to my true potential. It also means that I will need to let go of fear of judgement so that I can really speak about things that matter to me in an open and inviting way – something I really want to do but have been a little shy to do so far. I’m sure there are more of you out there who similarly to me have these fears that can truly inhibit a strong feeling of self worth and therefore success in our undertakings. Therefore I wanted to share this as an invitation to you guys to join me in my quest to shining brightly this year.

Maybe the notion of ‘shining your brightest light’ sounds a little fussy to you but to me it simply means to really look inside myself and listen to what is at the core of my being and then communicating this as honestly as I can. And this is where letting go of inhibitions and fears come into play. Maybe there are things you dream of that are actually in your reach right this moment if you just remove the obstacle of fear. Think about it, it has really opened up some ideas for me this past year which has lead me to wanting to deeply manifest this intention in 2016.

A few things I’ve found that help me stay true to my intentions and dreams in 2015 that are coming with me into this new year are yoga, meditation and journalling. This might sound very simple and even maybe cliche but they have both had a great impact on my clarity of thought which helps me stay connected to my beliefs and ideas as well as with having healthy relationships and communicating with clarity and ease. It simply has made me calmer, more collected and more connected. This for me is inredibly valuable and on busy days these things do not have to take more than 20 minutes, about 10 minutes of deep breathing and tuning into silence/stillness as well as another 10 minutes for scribbling down my thoughts and feelings.

I hope me sharing my intention and the tools I use to keep on track with it is inspiring to you, I find others sharing their thoughts and views on these matters very inspiring myself. I’d love to hear what your intentions and dreams are for this new year, what are you focusing in on?

And! Don’t forget to cook this year – it brings me so much joy and maybe it will do the same for you. Ground your feet on your kitchen floor and really enjoy the gifts of the food that you have in front of you. I’m starting to sound like a preacher now so I’m going to stop and leave you with something to ease you into cooking up a storm this year, 2016.

I love chia pudding because it’s so easy to make but can be such a satisfying breakfast or even afternoon pick me up. I also enjoy the fact that I can flavour it in any way I fancy. In this particular recipe I add banana and some vanilla powder as well as use coconut milk for the liquid base which make it a creamy and comforting yet light breakfast. Although if someone told me a few years ago I’d be eating swollen seeds for breakfast I would have probably looked at them with a rather confused facial expression. Then I met the chia seed and got very in to it straight away. I don’t just like it because it makes a great breakfast and can even replace egg due to its fantastic gelling effect when mixed with liquid. It is also a super nutritious little seed. Below I will list my favourite health benefits of the chia seed:

– It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids

– It has a good amount of plant protein, about 17 g per 100 g

– It is a good source of calcium

(Find this info backed up online for example here)

These three points make me happy, they are a great motivation for eating chia seeds in any way you like them. For example hidden in a muffin or a smoothie if you’re not a big fan or in this chia pudding if you like them more as they are, but even if chia seeds are not you’re favourite I would urge you to try this recipe anyway because so far I have only had happy smiles in return when serving it. As you’ve probably gathered I really love the flavours and textures of this breakfast/dessert and I hope you will too. And on a last note it only takes a couple of minutes to make it so there’s really no excuse not to get on the chia pudding train.


CREAMY COCONUT MILK CHIA PUDDING W. BANANA


PORTIONS: 1  /  TIME: 3 min (active) + minimum 15 minute (absorption)

1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 – 1/2 cup coconut milk
1 small ripe banana
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
Optional toppings: seasonal fruit and berries, nuts and seeds etc.

Place the chia seeds straight in a glass for single portion, and dish saving, making or double up the recipe and make in a bowl.

Add vanilla powder, 1/3 cup coconut milk and maple syrup (if you want to sweeten) and mix. Set to the side for 10-15 min or until the seeds have soaked up the liquid.

If the mixture is too compact for your taste add the rest of the coconut milk.

Finally mash banana and mix in and top with nuts and fruits if you fancy.


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