  I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the start of a new month. January felt like a bit of a rollercoaster on our end, with a huge number of deadlines, plans to set in motion at work and the never-ending juggle of motherhood and life. I was constantly trying to catch up with myself and felt as though I never quite managed to get to the bottom of the to-do list.
It's a good reminder of the fact that life isn't linear and that means some days, weeks, or months it'll feel easy to implement the tools we need to set the foundations of our wellbeing – sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindfulness. Other times it may feel really difficult, if not impossible, and that's ok. Wellness isn't about chasing an elusive concept of perfection; it's simply doing what we can, when we can. One of our podcast guests last month, Oliver Burkeman, introduced me to the term 'daily-ish', which I love – we aim for every day, but it's ok if we don't get there, we haven't failed, we can just come back to the habit the following day or week.  As we ease into February, I'm enjoying making a little more time for the wellness habits that I missed last month. Picking up my daily-ish tools again, the ones I know make a huge difference to the way I feel, both physically and mentally. Making a conscious effort to walk some, if not all, the way to work; go to bed a little earlier (inspired by this month's deep dive into sleep on the podcast); finding five to ten minutes for my morning meditation practice and putting more time with friends into the diary. Simple habits, but they make the world of difference. A combination of those nourishing practices and the extra hour or so of sunlight each day, as we inch closer to spring, is making all the difference to my mood.
I've also been back in the kitchen, testing recipes for our new book, and trying out our new mini-meal plan. I can't tell you how nice it felt to have a simple plan to follow with three days of nourishing, colourful food. It felt like a bit of a reset, a way of getting back to goodness, loading up on the vitamins and minerals that give me the energy I've been missing. The pulled jackfruit with chickpeas and peanuts, and the miso and white bean dip are new staples in the Mills house. A thick layer of the white bean dip on crusty sourdough with fresh rocket, a crack of black pepper and a drizzling of olive oil is the best two-minute lunch.
If anyone else needs more simple, everyday wellness inspiration, I really hope there's some useful take-homes for you in this newsletter. And please do share any feedback on it, we'd love to hear from you. Have a lovely week everyone,
Love, Ella x
  Holly Husler Wellness Teacher @iamhollyhusler What does it mean to find balance, to come back to our centre? We hear the phrase tossed around in various yoga classes or guided meditations, but how do we do it, and what happens to our bodies and minds when we do?
The stresses of everyday life can create a sense of unease in the mind and body; leaving us feeling anxious, worried, tired, and just 'off'. Our natural state of being is, however, balance and harmony, so we need to find ways to regularly reset ourselves. My favourite way to recentre? Sound healing. Sound healing is an ancient and powerful form of meditation that I love to describe as science mixed with magic; the best combo!
The science in a nutshell? Sound healing is the use of energy, vibration and healing frequencies from crystal singing bowls to essentially shift us and our vibrating cells into balance again. You could think of yourself as a musical instrument being tuned from 'off-key' back to harmony. There's a huge amount of research on the power of meditation to support our health, and this is a really accessible, beautiful way of doing the practice.
And the magic? That's for you to find out! All you have to do is lie down, close your eyes, and relax while the crystalline sounds weave their way over and through you. It's a brilliant practice for anyone needing more calm, peace and quiet in their lives.
When we find our centre again, it feels like we've come home. It's a remembrance that all those worries, doubts, and fears in our mind, are actually not as huge as we're making out. It's a connection to a deeper state of awareness, beyond our thoughts. It's a gentle dropping down into a calm ocean beneath the choppy waves. It's a journey home to peace; the truth of who we are at our centre.   
   This month our Bite-Sized podcast episodes are all about sleep. We'll be talking to the physiologist and leading sleep expert Guy Meadows, to simplify the science behind why sleep is so important to your health, and to provide simple and practical tips on how you can improve your sleep, naturally.
The first episodes with Guy explored why sleep is so important to our health and how what we eat affects sleeps, and next week we'll be discussing how stress impacts sleep. We can't wait to hear what you think!
  These chewy and slightly nutty cookies come together in no time. We love to decorate ours with a drizzle of melted chocolate that sets beautifully as the seconds pass, and a generous sprinkle of edible dried rose petals for a special Valentine's Day treat. You could use dried goji berries or chopped nuts if you can't find any edible flower petals.  INGREDIENTS makes 20 cookies METHOD For the cookies: 100g (½ cup) coconut sugar 100g (⅔ cup) buckwheat flour 100g (¾ cup) ground almonds 2 tablespoons cocoa powder ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt 75g (2.6 oz) coconut oil, melted and cooled 2 tablespoons smooth almond butter 2 tablespoons oat milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 50g (1.7 oz) 70-90% dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
To decorate, optional :
50g (1.7 oz) 70-90% dark chocolate Edible dried rose flower petals Step 1 Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Step 2 Mix together all the ingredients for the cookies in a large bowl until well combined and a smooth dough forms. Scoop the dough using a tablespoon measure, roll into balls, and place onto the parchment-lined baking tray. Gently flatten with your hand as the cookies won't spread out during baking, so we do this for a nice cookie shape. Step 3 Bake, until darkened and slightly cracked around the edges, 12-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the baking tray on a wire rack to cool. Step 4 To decorate your cookies, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Alternatively, place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle with the rose petals while the chocolate is still wet. Allow the chocolate to set before eating.
  We've pulled together a selection of books, self-care products and practices that we love, to help keep you grounded and nourished this month.   
 We're so happy to see so many of you following the nutritionist-approved meal plans we've added to our app, feel better. For this month, we've put together a mini meal plan to help make eating a balanced, plant-centred diet that bit simpler. This 3 day meal plan is perfect for when you're short on time, but need a pick-me-up to help you get back to feeling nourished and energised.
If you don't yet have our feel better app, download it now for just £3.99/month.
  
 
We're excited to share two new menu items at plants, our home for elevated plant-based dining in central London. We've got a full English breakfast available Friday-Sunday and a daily special bake available from 15:30-17:30. Can't wait to see you there!
Our everything chocolate box is the perfect gift to treat someone special. Inside you'll find two creamy vegan chocolate bars, two big bags of chocolate dipped almonds and both our bestselling caramel cups, all wrapped up in a gorgeous gift box.
Get 20% off all deliciously ella food products this week! Use the code LOVEDE 
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