My yoga classes are usually at night, after work. And by the time I get home, it's usually already 9.30 pm, and although I stay away from food at least 2-3 hours before bed time, sometimes hunger just screams, especially after a gruelling work out drill. At this point it becomes really easy to start on the junk. So enter this magical wonder - the chocolate chia seed pudding.
What the hell are chia seeds anyway? The first time I tried it I gagged because it tasted like frog eggs/spawn (ok I've never eaten frog spawn, but chia seed certainly looks like them). Chia seeds are actually edible seeds that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like the one in salmon!), fiber, iron and calcium. Now, don't they sound better than that caramel pudding you're about to pound on?
After a few tries/errors, I now present to you a chia seed dessert that is so delicious and will NOT remind you of amphibian eggs.
And if you're feeling vegan, substitute the milk with coconut milk.

This recipe makes one portion of pudding.

What You Need:
3-4 tbsp chia seeds
fresh milk, 4x the amount of chia seeds you're using
1 tsp of date syrup
1 tbsp 100% cocoa powder
Fruits of your choice (I recommend blueberries, strawberries or bananas)

What You Do:
1. Combine everything except for the fruits in a bowl. Use a whisk to make sure everything is incorporated.
2. Relocate into a glass, cover with clingfilm.
3. It needs to sit for at least 4 hours. You know it's ready when it's firm but not dry (if it does seem dry, add a splash of milk/water)
4. Top with fruits, and some dark chocolate shavings.
5. Best enjoyed when it's cold, and you've just finished a yoga class.

Here’s the most common misconceptions about Italian food; that they’re expensive to make and only people who have won the Masterchef can make them.
 
In fact, it is actually quite the opposite. Most Italian food are made using simple ingredients, and the recipes are pretty basic and easy to follow (my biggest pet peeve is going to restaurants in Malaysia and getting charged the equivalent of 3 gold nuggets for a plate of basic pasta). Now, enter the gnocchi, which is basically just humble potato dumplings. They are soft pillows of dumplings in a simple sauce (sometimes butter/oil based, sometimes tomato-based), and they make for a great simple weekend lunch while you chill with a tall glass of cold drink and enjoy the balmy weather.
 
This one is is coated in a simple, herby lemony butter sauce, and made more perfect with a combination of some crispy fried sage leaves.
 
This recipe makes 2 pasta servings.
 
What You Need:
1 large Russet potato, peeled
1 1/2 cups of fine flour
1 egg
1/2 lemon
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
Butter
Extra virgin olive oil
 
What You Do:
1. Cut the potato into small pieces and boil until soft. Drain. Mash the potato.
2. Prep a working surface. Make sure it’s dry, and dust it with a good amount of flour.
3. Pile the mashed potato on it. Make a well in the middle.
4. Crack an egg. Whisk it slightly, pour it in that well. Add 1/5 tsp salt.
5. Now remember the flour? The trick is to add the flour bit by bit into the mixture, until you get the consistency you want.
6. Slowly work the dough into the egg well, and as you mix them, add more flour. We’re not trying to make bread here, so there’s no fancy technique, just use your hands and make a dough that doesn’t fall apart (add more flour if it does). Relax.
7. Roll them into long sections about 1.5 inch diameter, and then cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. They don’t have to look symmetrical. Again, relax.
8. Now the sauce - in a pan, put 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon zest, and salt. Turn a very low heat on, let everything melt and infuse.
9. When the oil starts bubbling, put in the sage leaves (make sure they are dry! Otherwise the oil will spatter). You want them to crisp up.
10. Meanwhile, boil some salted water and add the gnocchi to cook. This will take 2-3 minutes only. The dumplings are ready when they float.
11. Add the gnocchi straight into the butter sauce pan. Some people prefer to let the dumplings brown a little on the outside.
12. Remove to a plate, place the sage leaves on top, drizzle some lemon juice, add some freshly cracked black pepper, grate some parmesan if you’d like (optional).
13. There you go. You’re not Italian, but close enough.

Note: the gnocchi is great frozen to. Just make sure each piece doesn't touch each other, and keep them in a lined container. Keeps in the freezer for up to a month.