I don’t know about you but for some reason I’m enjoying the festive season even more than ever this year.

Maybe it’s got something to do with this Xmas being the last one of this decade!

Maybe it’s got something to do with having little children (that help you to become aware and be in awe of every little thing).

Maybe it’s because I don’t have a giant 8.5 month preggie belly like I did last year and in 2015 (so I can do cool and ‘dangerous’ things like ice skating!)

Maybe it’s the giddy thought of our forthcoming flight to California and spending Christmas Day the American way with my best friend, aka Lake’s Godmama.

Maybe it’s the ecstatic feeling of making New Year’s Eve plans with my sister and the thought of seeing more of her in 2020. (A very Russian belief says that the people you’re welcoming in the new year with are the people you’ll be spending a lot of time with over that new year. It may be superstitious but I’ve always enjoyed choosing my NYE crew thoughtfully- you’re guaranteed a great party if nothing else).

Maybe it’s because I finally feel like I got my health back and I’ve lots of energy and extra hours in my day to enjoy being alive! (Thanks to LMS Wellness for all the advice and to my fellow Hay House author, Medical Medium for all the info on celery juice, which I’m now drinking for the forth week in a row).

Or maybe it’s all because of our Christmas tree in The Living Room. 

Or the fact that this is the only month of the year, that we're holding not one, not two, but three Festive In The Wild Afternoon Teas.

Or maybe it's the fact that I had a stall at my first ever (which also happens to be my favourite ever!) Christmas Market this year. Walton Street Market was seriously the best! Reindeer, camels, owls, jazz, traditional organ grinder, the Xmas carols quire, hot kombucha, my cheezecakes not melting, festive vibes for dayzzzz!

Or maybe it's because 1st of December landed on a Sunday this year and we kicked off the 2019 festivities at a Christmas lunch with special friends.

I made this nut-free Mango Chai & Lime Cheezecake on a Gingerbread Base and it was a hit and a half! Now you too can make it...

Mango Chai & Gingerbread Lime Cheezecake

(nut free, dairy free, gluten free, raw) 

GINGERBREAD BASE

1 cup (90g) jumbo oats

1 cup (100g) desiccated coconut

1 cup (150g) pitted dates

1 tbsp grated ginger root

1 tsp cinnamon powder

pinch salt

1 tbsp maple syrup

-Process all the ingredients except maple syrup until completely broken down.

-Add maple syrup to the food processor and process some more until a large ball develops.

-Transfer to a 7 inch springform tin and press using your hands or the back of a spoon.

GINGER LIME LAYER

1 cup (240ml) hot boiling water

3/4 cup (135g) xylitol

1 block (200g) creamed coconut

3/4 cup (155g) extra virgin coconut oil or vegan butter, melted

1 ripe avocado (150g of flesh)

1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice, approx. 2-3 limes

2 tbsp grated ginger root

1/2 tsp spirulina powder, optional

-Dissolve xylitol in boiling water, inside a blender jug. Chop up the block of creamed coconut and add it to the blender, then blend on high using a tamper rod. 

-Add all remaining ingredients and blend again until creamy.

-Pour over GINGER BREAD BASE and smooth out the surface with back of spatula.

MANGO CHAI LAYER

1/2 cup (120ml) cold water

1 tbsp agar-agar flakes

200g ripe mango flesh, approx 1 mango

8 soft pitted dates or 3 medjool dates, de-stoned and soaked if too dry

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp spice mix (mine had cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom)

-Pour water into pan, sprinkle with agar-agar flakes and heat without stirring until boiling. Reduce heat, simmer and stir occasionally for 5-10 mins until flakes are completely dissolved.

-Transfer the agar water and all remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend using a tamper rod until smooth.

-Pour over GINGER LIME LAYER and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon.

-To set, transfer to the fridge overnight or to the freezer for 4 hours. Store refrigerated at all times and serve cold.

This is quite possibly the best dessert I've ever made.

The almond cookie crust, the salted caramel, the vanilla coconut cream, ripe bananas.

It's the most perfect combo and definitely going into the Kids' Recipes eBook which I'm currently working on.

To be the first to know when the eBook launches, make sure you're on the list>>

So without further ado...

The best ever Banoffee Pie

...which just happens to be vegan, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free and raw

For the crust

1 cup (150g) pitted dates

1 cup (140g) almonds

1/2 cup (45g) GF jumbo oats 

5 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil, melted

3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar

optional: 1-2 tablespoons cacao powder

For the caramel layer

*1 cup (150g) pitted dates, soaked 4-6 hours*

1/2 cup (105g) extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup (65g) coconut palm sugar

1/4 cup (60ml) hot water

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt

For the cream layer

*1 can (400ml) coconut cream*

1 vanilla pod

optional: 2 tablespoons xylitol, powdered

For the topping

3 bananas

Optional: dark chocolate, roughly chopped

*Some prep time is required here. Read the method below at least 12 hours before starting on recipe.*

METHOD

You will need a 7 inch/ 18 cm tart dish for this recipe. Ensure it has a removable base so you can lift the whole pie out.

Begin with the crust. Process almonds, oats, coconut sugar and cocoa powder (if using) in a Food Processor, using an S blade.

Add the dates and continue to process until fully broken down. Finally, add the melted coconut oil and process until the crust is no longer crumbly and has a consistency of mouldable grainy play-dough.

Transfer the full mixture into your pie tin, distributing evenly. Using your hands, bring the mixture up the sides and press gently, squeeze the excess around the rim back inside or remove it and use to make the base thicker. Place in the fridge.

Start on the caramel layer by squeezing excess water out of soaking dates. (Retain the sweet water for another recipe like a smoothie). Put all the caramel ingredients into your Food Processor and process till you get a gooey cream without any chunks. (You may need to open up the machine and scrape sides down once in a while). Pour into the prepared pie shell and transfer into fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to set or speed up this process by transferring to a freezer.

To prepare the cream layer, you must first ensure that the can of coconut cream hasn’t been shaken for at least 8 hours. You might already have a can in your pantry, so carefully open it, scoop out all the set cream into a soup bowl and discard the liquid. (Note if the can has recently been brought home from the shops, it may have been shaken on the way and the creamy part would have become too runny. Stand it up in a cool place overnight before opening).

Scrape out the seeds from a whole vanilla pod. To do so, slice the pod in half lengthwise, then use a teaspoon to literally scrape all the seeds out until the inside of the pod is dry. Add the seeds as well as powdered xylitol, if using, to the bowl with cream in it. (The purpose of the xylitol is the same as of icing sugar- to make the frosting sweet and to help it set. This additional sweetness however is not needed here so if your cream isn’t super runny, then feel free to leave out xylitol). Stir with a fork till well combined. Make sure to press out all the clumps so the cream is as smooth as possible. 

When the caramel is set and you’re ready to serve, remove the pie from its tin and onto a flat dish which would allow for easy slicing. Top with coconut cream, spreading it to the edges. Slice the bananas and fan them in a spiral starting in the middle. Sprinkle with optional chocolate shavings. 

So now that you officially have the best recipe for raw Banoffee Pie there is, there's only three things left to do:

1. Make it!

2. Comment below squealing just how much you loved it!

3. Reserve your spot on one of our famous Afternoon Teas, where I show case a new raw dessert every month. Check for availability>>

Oh and just because I couldn't resist that light and 4 week old Banksy couldn't resist a milky smile after he too sampled that very slice...

A little bit excited over here, because while I continue to struggle with building a whole new website on my own, I'm pretty sure you'd agree that I have my priorities straight!...

The page with our available large and small whole cakes is now LIVE!

Not only that, but London delivery has just been confirmed and starts at only £4.50!

Check out this page for all the details: tanyasliving.com/collections

You already know that my cake isn't just ANY cake!

You do, don't you? :-P
 

It's Creamy, Delicious, Organic & made entirely from Plants. 

Cashews give it the creamy texture & because they've been activated (soaked), they are actually good for your gut. Plus since what holds it together is Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (or unrefined Cacao Butter), it makes Dessert good for your Digestion! 

There’s no gluten, dairy, preservatives or refined sugar inside & best of all- there’s no chemicals! Every seed and fruit used is Organic Certified, so it's even gentler on your body, making all the other nutrients & vitamins more readily available, energising & nourishing at the same time.

But you’ll never be able to tell any of that when indulging in the taste!

We have 2 sizes and 5 flavours available.

Pick up, take away, dine in or get it delivered within London, within one hour, any day of the week!


See this page with all the details: tanyasliving.com/collections/whole-large-raw-cheezecake

...and make someone's week already! 
...or their whole Birthday!
...or your own :)

Happy Monday!

xTanya

I. Have. Something. Pretty BIG to tell you!

Tanya’s opened its doors to the public after a mini soft opening on 28th July 2014. It was the sunniest of all sunny days, we had more people through the doors than anticipated and managed to run out of ALL the food.

Yep, it’s true! Someone travelled for 3 hours to us on a train, only to discover that our kitchen wasn’t serving any more dishes and asked if we could scrape out any remains.

We’ve had days when we’d run out of raw carrot cake and one table would strike a deal with another to leave them a forkful. We’ve had days with queues of people stretching outside. Some were willing to eat standing! We’ve had 18-hour-work days. We’ve had juice-exploding-all-over-the-ceiling days, chocolate-melting-all-over-the-counter days, bring-your-baby-to-work days (and work-with-that-baby-strapped-to-you days) and even chef-wearing-six-inch-heels days. We’ve had days when Tanya’s was on a billboard at Knightsbridge station.

There were so many days of Tanya’s. 818 to be exact.

I wouldn’t even change one of them! After all, it is my calling to spread the message of living foods and all I’ve ever done, which truly mattered, has been because YOU asked for it.

-You asked for 1-2-1 coaching so I personalised my workshops.
-When all of your friends wanted a detox plan of their own, PDF docs were created.
-This, in turn, birthed my first eBook ‘Purified’.
-You said you lived too far away for my classes, ‘Raw Food 101’ DVD was the answer.
-Retreats were developed for those keen to live and breathe this lifestyle for a week.
-More recipes and hot tips called for ‘The Uncook Book’ to be written.
-You wanted to enjoy those recipes with a day off from the kitchen, Tanya’s cafe in Chelsea was created.

Today, after 818 days of being in operation, after a pop-up at a fitness centre and a pop-up at Selfridges, after countless events, bespoke raw cake orders, Opentable bookings, deliveries and take aways, and after the ‘Made in Chelsea’ plus ‘The Apprentice’ appearance, we know exactly what You’re after next…

You want Tanya’s cakes, juices and adventure bowls, but you want them EVEN faster and in MORE locations.

And so it shall be!

We are transforming from Tanya’s restaurant as you know it into a Tanya’s Grab’n’Go Retail shop as you want it to be.

-This will also enable us to be open more hours in the day and operate 7 days per week.
-Our expanded production capacity will mean we can finally start saying YES to other cafes and shops wanting to stock our products.
-And we’ll be joining forces with MY Kitchen, which means that if your non-vegan friends wanted to join you for lunch… all aboard!
-TanyasCafe.com plus BetterRaw.com will merge into one delicious online wellness hub.
-Aaaand our ‘Deliveroo’ home delivery menu will have more of your favourites!
-Aaaand you can expect to see me running uncookery workshops again!

In order for all of this to work, the entire ground zone of MY Chelsea hotel will need to be remodelled. This means our last day of operation will be Sunday 6th November to reopen again in Spring 2017!

There is soooo much more I want to tell you, so I’ll be keeping you in the loop via social media, even during construction.

Now, with only TWO weeks till 6th November, we’ll be running daily in-store promotions (think take-home Superfoods, free raw treats, 2 for 1 cocktails, etc), so keep an eye on Instagram (@tanyaschelsea) for all the detail.

When Sunday 6th itself rolls around, you can pop in for brunch as per usual or you can pop in for our SALE!…

I’m doing a big clear out, so everything from ingredients to equipment to supper club dishes to office stationary, will be on sale.

See you there!
xTanya