Prior to moving to the UK from NZ  (9.5 years ago now... Whaaaat!), Christmas Day always meant a full day of sun, sand, family fun and picnic feasting at Piha beach.

We always had the very best of times and although there wasn't a thing to complain about while being brought up in the Southern Hemisphere, I must admit that I also adore the polar opposite Christmas festivities which London has to offer.

And now that I have a family of my own, every single moment of Christmas time is all the more special.

Also, I literally could not be more grateful that I have this time of year to get fully absorbed in and take my mind off the discomforts of final month of my pregnancy with No2.

And how fun is it to visit Santa's Grottos!!? So fun!

Here we are just last night:

 

Super into anything and everything FESTIVE this year, I got a major urge to create and have been spending all of my days (and nights) recently making our Raw Organic Christmas Gift Hampers. 

Did you see? tanyasliving.com/collections/raw-organic-christmas-hampers

 

I realise that not all of you live in the UK to order yours and some of you have just purchased a dehydrator and are super keen to put it to good use this Christmas...

Soooo, I put together a whole recipe collection that covers every single yummy item in my own hampers.

 

 

Pick and choose what you'd like to make and if you post it on social, remember to tag #TanyasChristmas so I can find your pics and like them a million times!

 

 

Tanya's Festive Grawnola

 

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight

1 cup sprouted buckwheat*

3/4 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

1/2 cup pecans/walnuts, soaked overnight

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup cranberries (I use cranberries that have been preserved in apple juice)

1.5 cups dates, soaked overnight

1/2 cup water from soaking dates

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

2 tbsp Tanya’s Chai Mix (Cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, clove, cardamom, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, coriander)

 

-Process almonds, sunflower seeds and walnuts/pecans only for a few seconds in the Food Processor, until roughly chopped. What you are looking for are shards and fragments of nuts, as though you were roughly chopping them with a knife. Careful not to over-do or you'll create a paste.

-Stir all the chopped/processed nuts together with buckwheat, oats and cranberries in a large bowl.

-Process all the dates, coconut sugar and spices to a smooth paste in a Food Processor. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

-Pour this paste over all the nuts and mix everything really well using your hands.

-Distribute the mixture over a few dehydrator teflex sheets in rough chunks, making sure you don't have really thick pieces or they will take forever to dehydrate. 

-After 6-10 hours, transfer onto mesh sheets and dehydrate for another 20-24 hours until dry and crunchy.

-Store in an airtight container.

 

 

*TO SPROUT BUCKWHEAT

 

3/4 cup raw buckwheat groats

water

-Cover with plenty of water and leave to soak for 4 hours.

-Pour the water out and rinse the buckwheat in cold water 4-5 times. The liquid will be really gooey, so you are looking to continue rinsing until only thin water leaves the buckwheat, no goo.

-Distribute the buckwheat over a tray and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, rinsing 2-3 times in cold water over this time. 

 

 

Tanya's Christmas Mince Pies

 

For the crust

150g almonds

100g cashews

1/2 cup (75g) buckwheat flour

1/2 cup (65g) oat flour

1 tbsp chia seeds, ground

3 tbsp water

1/4 cup (60g) maple syrup

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

 

-Process all the almonds, cashews and flours in a good processor with an S blade, till powder like.

-In a separate bowl, stir ground chia seeds with water till well combined without clumps.

-Add the chia paste, maple and salt to the food processor and blend till you get a dough-like consistency. You may need to scrape down the sides a couple of times.

-Line a shallow 12 muffin tray with cling film. Distribute the dough mixture evenly among all muffin moulds, pressing in gently to take the shape of the mould.

-Place the full tray into a dehydrator set to 48 degrees C, for 12 hours. Carefully remove the crusts one at a time and transfer onto mesh trays of the dehydrator. Return to dehydrate for a further 24 hours.

 

For the filling

1.5 cups sultanas

1/4 cup quality brandy*

3/4 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

zest of 2 oranges

1/3 cup orange or pineapple juice

1/4 goji berries

1 tbsp Tanya’s chai blend (cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, clove, cardamom, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, coriander)

20 drops sweet orange essential oil

10 drops cardamom essential oil

 

*To check whether your brandy (or any wine, beer or liquor) is vegan, check out http://www.barnivore.com

 

-Pour the brandy over sultanas and leave to absorb for 2-3 hours.

-Mix apricots, cranberries, orange zest and juice in a separate bowl. Leave to soak for 2-3 hours also.

-Place all the ingredients into a food processor with an S blade and pulse till well combined but still slightly chunky.

-Scoop the filling into ready bases, smoothing out the surface as you go.

 

 

For the icing

1 cup cashews, soaked 4-8 hours

1/4 cup xylitol or erythritol

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

-Rinse the soaked cashews, then blend everything in a high speed blender till creamy.

-Scoop a spoonful over each pie, spread to the surface or leave like a dollop of snow fall. Decorate if you wish!

 

 

You can also make a simplified version of my Christmas Mince Pies, which requires no dehydrator at all. Take a look here: tanyasliving.com/blogs/tanyas-blog/christmas-in-the-raw-no-dehydrator-needed

 

 

Tanya's Christmas Pudding

 

For the puds

165g walnuts, soaked overnight

100g hazelnuts, soaked overnight

120g sultanas 

25ml quality brandy*

65g dried figs

50g cranberries

35g dried apricots

6g orange peel

juice of 1/3 orange (20ml)

60g carob powder

1 tbsp (10g) Tanya’s Chai Mix (Cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, clove, cardamom, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, coriander)

10 drops sweet orange essential oil

 

*To check whether your brandy (or any wine, beer or liquor) is vegan, check out http://www.barnivore.com

 

-Pour the brandy over sultanas and leave to absorb for 2-3 hours.

-Mix figs, apricots, cranberries, orange zest and juice in a separate bowl. Leave to soak for 2-3 hours also.

-Place all the ingredients into a food processor with an S blade and pulse till well combined. You may need to scrape the sides once in a while and pulse your machine.

-I use a medium sized ice cream scoop to form standing puds, then smooth them out with my hands, but you can also roll a ball and press it onto non-stick sheets to create a bit of a base.

  

For the icing

1 cup cashews, soaked 4-8 hours

1/4 cup xylitol or erythritol

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp lemon juice

 

-Rinse the soaked cashews, then blend everything in a high speed blender till creamy.

-Scoop a spoonful over each pudding and leave like a dollop of snow fall. Decorate as you wish!

 

 

 

Tanya's Salted Caramel Fortune Dates

 

12 pitted dates

1/3 cup grated cacao butter, melted

1/4 cup grated cacao paste, melted

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp Algarroba powder

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1/3 squirt Medicinal Flower caramel extract

Optional: desiccated coconut for sprinkling

 

-Print 12 of your favourite quotes* or feel good wishes* and messages*, roll them up, wrap in a little cling film and insert each into a date. Transfer dates to a freezer to cool for a minimum of 1 hour.

-Melt your cacao butter and paste in a double boiler, remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir gently until the mixture cools down slightly and is no longer thin and runny.

-Drop in a date, one at a time, immediately removing it so it doesn’t cool down (and solidify) the remaining chocolate in the bowl. Sprinkle some coconut if using. Continue to coat the dates in this way. 

 

*If you need some inspiration for what lovely messages you can print, take a look at this collection: tanyasliving.com/blogs/tanyas-blog/inspirational-quotes-of-the-year

  

Tanya's BBQ Spiced Nuts

 

250g pumpkin seeds, soaked

150g walnuts, soaked

140g almonds, soaked

110g hazelnuts, soaked

110g Brazil nuts, soaked

40g maple syrup

20g extra virgin olive oil

15g Himalayan salt

10g garlic powder

10g nutritional yeast

9g sweet smoked paprika

7g coconut palm sugar

4g ground coriander

3g coconut flour

3g dried mixed herbs

 

-Rinse all the nuts, place them in a tupperware container, then drizzle in maple syrup and olive oil.

-In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients/spices and then sprinkle them over the nuts and cover with lid. Shake the container so coating covers all of the nuts and seeds evenly.

-Spread over mesh trays of your dehydrator and dehydrate for 35 hours at 48 degrees C.

 

Tanya's Coconut Jerky

 

360g young coconut meat (about 2 cups)

3 tablespoons date paste (this is just soaked dates blended in the water they were soaking in)

2 tablespoons garam masala

2 tablespoons tamari

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

  

-Scrape off any rough bits from the coconut flesh and slice it into long 1 centimetre strips.

-Transfer all the ingredients to a large bowl and stir them together using your hands.

-Distribute over 2 teflex sheets so the coconut strips aren’t bunched together. Dehydrate at 47 degrees C for 5 hours, transfer onto mesh trays and dehydrate for another 5-15 hours depending on whether you prefer these chewy or crunchy.

 

Tanya's Festive Truffles

 

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup cacao powder

zest of 2 oranges

2 tbsp Tanya’s Chai Mix (Cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, clove, cardamom, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, coriander)

 

200g 70% dark raw chocolate

 

-Blend all the truffle ingredients (except the raw chocolate) in a blender and pour the sauce into a lined container.

-Freeze to set for 2 hours, then cut into desired size squares and return to the freezer.

-Grate the block of chocolate and melt it in a double boiler. 

-One at a time, enrobe the frozen truffle squares by placing each on a fork and pouring the melted chocolate over every side for an even coat.

 

 

And now it's your turn!

 

P.S. If you're still after more recipes or maybe some savoury meals to go with your Christmas Feast, there's more in my downloadable book:

 

 

 

P.P.S. If you'd rather I make this hamper of dreams for you, then check out what's on offer. (Those dates below are dispatch dates FYI, actual delivery dates will be 1-3 days later)

 

 

 

THIS raw creamy decadent cheesecake truly came out special beyond words. The flavours had it all- zesty, punchy, salty, sweet, vanillary, gooey caramelly, chocolatey, refreshing, nutty and fruity- and together they just worked.

Read more

I love Acai. It’s a berry from the jungles of South America, which is usually picked where ever it grows wild, freeze-dried near by, blended and sent to us around the world in a powdered form. It doesn’t have much of a taste or sweetness but it packs a massive punch of antioxidants and Vitamin C and that’s good enough for me!

You can get Acai (as a frozen block of blended whole berry plus water) in freezers of select health stores nowadays, but the below recipes are for this Superfood in a powdered form.

I love working with superfood powders and this one is right at the top of my list. Let me know which recipe you like the best!

 

Hot Sesame Milk Acai Berry Latte

💗

1 tbsp tahini (raw or lightly toasted)

2 medjool dates, pitted

1 heaped tbsp Acai powder

1 cup hot water

💗

Pop all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. If your blender isn't very powerful, blend for longer to break down the dates fully. Transfer to a mug and enjoy.

No Dehydrator Choc Chip Acai Berry Cookies

💗

For the cookies:
1 cup dry cashews
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp acai powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

💗

For the chocolate chips:
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup cacao powder
1½ tbsp agave or maple syrup
⅓ tsp Himalayan salt

💗

Process all the cookie ingredients except coconut oil, in a food processor until broken down. Add the oil and process again. Divide up the mixture into 5 equal portions, form them into balls and press flat greaseproof paper. Use your fingers or a spatula to smooth out the edges of each cookie.
-Prepare the chocolate chips by melting the coconut oil in a dehydrator or a double boiler, add the remaining chocolate ingredients, and stir until all the clumps are eliminated. Pour this over a clean teflex sheet or tin foil and transfer to the freezer to set for 10 minutes. Chop up the chocolate into desired sized chips. Press them into cookies and transfer the cookies to either the fridge or freezer to set. They can be stored in either and will keep for months.

 

Acai Tahini Salad Dressing

💗

For the salad:
2 heads sweet cos lettuce
100g fine asparagus
200g cherry tomatoes
2 figs
optional: avocado, coconut flakes

💗

For the dressing:
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup hot water
2 tbsp acai powder
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
Pinch cayenne

💗

Blend all the salad dressing ingredients together. (I use a personal blender from @tribestuk which works great for smaller quantities.) Chop up the salad ingredients to your liking. Drizzle the dressing all over a white plate, assemble the salad veggies on top, drizzle a little more dressing and top with coconut flakes.

 

Raw Food Acai Bowl from The Uncook Book

💗

80g strawberries
50g blueberries
1 medjool date, pitted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Acai powder
1 ripe banana, chopped and frozen

💗

Transfer all ingredients except banana to a blender and blend to a paste. Add banana and, using a tamper, blend on a high speed setting. Transfer to a bowl and enjoy on its own or sprinkled with granola or anything else delicious and breakfasty.

 

Dairy Free Acai Cheesecake/ Ice cream Cake

💗

400g mixed berries, frozen
230g fresh strawberries, stalked
1 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup soaked cashews
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
1/4 cup Acai powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp vanilla powder (or 1 tbsp extract)
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

💗

Line the entire base of a 7 inch cake tin with frozen berries. (If your tin isn’t a spring form, line it with cling film first). Transfer all the remaining ingredients into a high speed blender and blend till smooth. Pour all of the creamy mixture over frozen berries and transfer to a fridge to set for a minimum of 3 hours. Turn the whole cake over onto a serving plate, then remove the tin.

Acai Berry Smoothie

💗

Handful pineapple chunks, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp Acai powder
1/2 tbsp coconut nectar/ maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

💗

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth. Pour into a glass and serve.

 

Acai Dairy Free Cheesecake Pops [makes 20]

💗

For the pops:
1/2 cup Acai powder
2.5 cups soaked cashews
1 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup xylitol
1/4 cup apple juice
1 cup (100g) fresh raspberries

💗

For the choc coating:
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1.5 cups cacao powder
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

💗

Blend all the cheesecake pop ingredients on high. Open blender and scrape down the sides of the jug, blend again until creamy. Transfer to the fridge and let it set for a minimum of 3 hours, ideally overnight. Using a small ice cream scoop, form half spheres and insert a lollipop stick or straw into the middle of each. Transfer to a freezer for a minimum of 3 hours. Mix all the chocolate ingredients with a hand whisk till there are no lumps. Take a Cheesecake pop and dip it into chocolate sauce, one at a time. Turn it upside down and twist it around till you see the chocolate set, then place on a clean cold plate.

Joshua Rosenthal is my amazing teacher from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a pioneer and visionary in holistic health and wellness. He holds a Master’s of Science in Education and has over 30 years of experience in health and wellness including creation of the concept of Health Coach.

Long before the benefits of proper nutrition and lifestyle were mainstream, Joshua's fascination with personal growth and development led him to experiment with simple changes to his own diet and lifestyle. Through this process, he realised that food changes everything. He knew that if he could spread this message, he would make the world a healthier and happier place. With this mission in mind, Joshua founded the Institute for Integrative Nutrition 25 years ago. IIN started with a small group of students in a rented kitchen in New York City and has grown into an online global phenomenon with over 60,000 students and graduates from over 120 countries. His vision and leadership have empowered people to reach their personal and professional goals, and continue to exponentially improve the landscape of the health and wellness industry around the world.

That's a pretty big deal and I couldn't be more excited to be getting to know him on a more personal level through our interview.

Meet our November's Master of the Month...

DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL DAY OF EATING AND DRINKING.

What I eat really depends on how I feel and what season of the year it is. Over time, I’ve learned to really listen and tune in with what my body is craving.  In the morning though, I always start my day with a big glass of water with lemon and a green juice or smoothie.  The next time I’m hungry, I’ll sit down to a big raw kale salad and dinner is usually another plant based dish.  I work pretty much all day long because I’m very involved with each department at IIN.  It’s important to me that they feel supported, so I’m lucky that my partner, Alex is an absolutely amazing cook.  I take breaks so we can eat every meal together.

WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO EAT WELL AND STAY HEALTHY?

Alex, my family, and Integrative Nutrition – its mission, our students, and graduates.  I want to stay healthy so I can be the best version of myself in every aspect of my life.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

I love chocolate, but I don’t consider it a weakness.  When you start considering foods as weaknesses it creates a dependency on utilizing them as a crutch or reward.  Just like we teach bio-individuality in our program, in my book no food is “good” or “bad”, it’s all about learning what works for you and how to treat yourself when your body is truly craving it.

MY TOP TIP FOR:

Improving your diet is… learn how to understand where your cravings are coming from, it’s usually because something else is missing in your life.

Staying healthy while travelling is… really important, but it’s also important to enjoy what other cultures have to offer. I always look to eat what is fresh and local.

Detoxing is… A food that feels detoxifying to me may feel toxic to someone else.

WHAT’S THE NICEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SAID TO YOU?

That IIN’s Health Coach Training Program changed their life and the lives of their families and communities.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

As someone who had an impact on the world and helped others.

IF YOU GOT TO KEEP ONLY 3 OF YOUR BELONGINGS: 1 THING FROM YOUR KITCHEN, 1 THING FROM YOUR GARDEN AND 1 THING FROM YOUR BOOKSHELF- WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Kitchen: Juicer. Alex and I love our morning juices!

Garden: the kale, there are so many nutrients that have positive effects on my mind, body, and soul, I could never give it up.

Bookshelf: my book, Integrative Nutrition Feed your Hunger for Health & Happiness, it’s just something I’m really proud of.

IF YOU COULD HOST A DINNER PARTY FOR 3 GUESTS (DEAD OR ALIVE)- WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU SERVE?

To be honest, the best dinner party I can imagine would have all of the people I love most in my life.  When I’m around those people is when I feel most fulfilled, happy, and content.  There’s nothing quite like it.  Alex and I would serve a table of food cooked with love – everything from raw salads with veggies from the garden to grass fed meat bought at the local farm and whole ancient grains.  I would want to make sure there was something for everyone!

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS BETTER RAW (OR WITH MORE PLANTS IN YOUR DIET)?

I believe that moving towards a more plant based diet can make people more balanced and vibrant. I tend to eat a primarily plant based diet. However, it’s important for people to keep bio-individuality in mind.  What works for me and what works for you may not work for someone else.  I recommend experimenting with different types of protein and various foods to see how you feel and fulfill your dietary needs based on what you learn and understand that what your body needs day to day can change, and that’s okay!

——————————————————-

Our Master of The Month shares his favourite recipe…

ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH PESTO
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 2

3 large zucchini/ courgette

2 bunches basil

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp sea salt, or to taste

Black pepper, to taste

 

· Wash, pat dry, and trim zucchini ends. Create noodles using a spiralizer tool.

· Option: Sauté your “noodles” in olive oil over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

· Wash and dry basil and add to blender with pine nuts, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, and salt.

· Blend until smooth, adding more olive oil and/or water as needed.

· Toss zucchini noodles with pesto

-------------------------------------------------------

For more on Joshua, his book, the IIN health coach program and to sample a free class, go here>>

Hi my friends,

Whoa what a week it's been.

I don't remember the last time I felt this busy, excited, energised, exhausted, emotional, productive, behind, overwhelmed and calm all at the same time. Actually, I've never had a week this full on before.

To sum up just a portion of events that occurred in this short space of time, I had a birthday and my huge annual birthday sale which is always exciting and mega busy, my bestie threw us the most incredible and emotional gender reveal party (more on this next time), I took Tanya’s Cafe and book signing on the road for the first time ever, our dear friends and travel buddies got engaged, my first published book was officially released all over the UK, the massive competition with an insane amount of entries came to an end, prep for The Uncook Book launch was in full swing, followed by the exhilarating launch party itself and ending with travel outside of London for uncooking demonstrations and book signings.

Sounds super fun (and it really really was), but during all the celebrations, my inbox nearly exploded and I’m now weeks behind replying to everyone (if it’s you, now you know why, love you!), my sister’s flight was so delayed that she missed the gender reveal party which she was looking forward to since the moment she learned she was going to be an aunty, the wheels on my giant suitcase broke off on the way to the Birmingham demo which made the 30kg of equipment not only too heavy for helpful strangers to drag, but especially for me with a growing baby bump, which brought on a meltdown even I didn’t anticipate, and meanwhile ‘interesting’ events kept occurring at our cafes which needed my immediate attention.

The last thing I wanted to do is to write a post full of what sounds like complaints, but I hope you can see that I am just like everyone else 

I cry, I get tired, I experience stress, I forget to drink water, I worry, I think too much and I take off my cape when it needs a good clean.

Amazing how just one day, sometimes even one moment, can remind you that you do live the best life ever and that there’s nothing in the world which would have you trading it for another.

For me that moment was last Thursday…

The Uncook Book launch party with some of my favourite people in the world, at my very own happy place, with my dream publisher, blessing my pride and joy into the world, may have just topped all the best nights of all time!

Aaaand finding out that during the first week of its release, The Uncook Book has already gone into its SECOND printing. Just wow.

Thank you so so much, it's all because of YOU!

Here are some of the pictorial highlights from my best night ever...

The Uncook Book ready to party

Peanut Butter Cups from the Kid's Section (really, Adult's section, but it was going to sound strange if I had an 'Adult's Section' in the book)

Prep in full swing. Vodka Lavendade (less the vodka for a non-alcoholic version) and Pina Colada (scroll down for recipe), both from the Party Section

Here I am with my book baby and a 5 months baby bump

See? There really is a bump. I love it!

The adorable Hay House team, from left: Jo, Alexandra, Jessica, Julie (the incredible and talented editor), Karen and Ruth (the hard working cutie responsible for this awesome night). But where's Amy?

Here she is! My sweet editor Amy and her bright smile as always. Fab and Lauren in deep convo

No uncooking party without a cold-pressed organic green juice

And another super adorable Amy. I've come to a conclusion that the best and cutest humans are named Amy

Sister Party! From left: my soul sister (and the one responsible for introducing me to Hay House) Michelle, my sissy-in-law Saskia and my own sister-face Alissa

The stunning Nikki Salamony, PR for Tanya's Cafe

Serious chocolate talk with Kris from The Raw Chocolate Company and Richi Qi from The Wellbeing Now Conference

The always gorgeous Christy, American Girl in Chelsea

Food glorious raw food from various sections in the book

Alkalising Cucumber Rolls from the Party Section

My sis of Universe + Chorus , a Pina Colada (scroll down for recipe) and a summer roll

Luigi and my Goji Berry Trifles from the Party Section of the book

A few words turned into such a long gratitude list, you couldn't stop me talking

That little muffin inside was all blissed out and still with so much gratitude pouring though my body

The love squad. Thank you all so so much for your support

Happy times with the lovely Maxine there in the back ground and Bronwen from NZ Biz Women's Network here to support too

A tad proud of my cake, made using a combination of recipes from the book, especially having had my sister rolling the cute energy balls, my chef Eddie decorating the cake and Rebecca Campbell blessing it

The amazing Linda Barker of BBC's Changing Rooms

The Uncook Book launch

Blogger and co-creator of Plant-based Picnic, Natasha Lipman

The Uncook Book launch

My favourite human, personal recipe taster and loving husband, Elliot

And the prize for THE BEST goodie bag goes to... Can you believe how much goodness is in here? And all in support of the book launch! Thank you so much for such generous gifts: Superfoodies, Dr. Organic, Hay House UK, Neal's Yard Remedies, Udo's Choice, The Raw Chocolate Company, Planet Organic and Seasoul & Snow

 

 

And because I believe that every successful party post deserves a recipe, here is one you will LOVE...

It was a hit and a half at The Uncook Book launch (above), it's the first recipe of the Party Section in the book and it includes my favourite ingredient combination EVER. Introducing...

 

Pina Colada

(serves 1)

45ml (1.5fl oz) light rum

120g (4.25 oz) ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped, reserving leaves from the crown to garnish

90ml (3.25fl oz) fresh apple or pineapple juice (6 apples or 1 pineapple will usually produce enough juice for 4-6 servings)

2 tbsp coconut butter

2 tbsp manuka honey

handful of ice

 

-Blend all the ingredients, except the ice and garnish, in a blender until creamy, then add the ice and blend again.

-Pour into a chilled highball glass or a goblet, garnish with the pineapple leaves and serve with a pretty straw.