A super exciting event series launching at Tanya’s Raw Food Restaurant, are our first ever Nutrition Talks, where a panel of world class experts will reveal their top secrets, tips and techniques for ultimate health.

The first in series will focus on detox and how to do it safely, effectively and with the least amount of symptoms possible.

Hear from Inner Me’s Nikki Cooper on detox and supplementation, Bodyism’s James Duigan on detox via movement and nutritionist Eve Kalinik on mindful detox.

Tanya’s welcome green juice and organic canapés will be awaiting your arrival too!

Nutrition Talks in more detail…

After a diagnosis of MS at the age of 28, Nikki Cooper threw herself into the wonderful world of health, wellbeing and supplements and Inner Me was born. Its first commercial products – Pro Beauty, Pro Hair and Energise Me- were stocked in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Whole Foods and Boots, within just four months of their launch.

Nikki knows first hand that even with great diet, many of us are short of essential vitamins and minerals, so she will be revealing her findings on what supplements best support a healthy detox and cleanse.

James Duigan is the founder of Bodyism, one of the most exclusive wellness companies in the world, which offers bespoke personal training, supplements, clothing and five best-selling Clean & Lean books. He’s helped sculpt some of the best bodies in the business, including models Lara Stone, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Elle Macpherson.

Proper mindful movement will supply a cleanse for your system, rather than cause injury and toxicity. There’s no one better than James to speak to you about intelligent movement and not punishing your body, as well as what it takes to create flow, rather than inflammation and pain.

Eve Kalinik is a qualified nutritionist, whose clients will travel any distance just to get her advice. Her individual client programs are based around eating habits that produce positive and long lasting changes for them holistically and she even has a popular column in the multi-award winning Psychologies magazine.

Eve believes that detoxing isn’t just about the body but is equally important for the mind too. Hear her top tips on using mindfulness techniques to get you better connected to your food and your body.

Can you believe how close Christmas Day is?

The idea of Christmas feels especially surreal to me this year, because not long after, Elliot and I will meet our daughter.

I literally can’t believe I just said that.

Each time the mini muffin moves inside my belly (ie. all day, every day, each minute, non stop, always), I’m in total amazement at the superpowers of my own body. There’s a real baby in there! Well maybe it’s an alien- it certainly feels like that at times- but then again the other day I felt a teeny tiny foot with five perfect little toes and fell even more in love with this living creation within me.

So while I hear all sorts of stories about her coming for the world earlier or staying cosy for longer, I’m not going to plan any new workshops till we know for sure…

That means that THIS Friday's Raw Breakfast Club is not only my final mini workshop for the year, it's the final indefinitely. OMG!

If you're in London, it's the one morning you'd be glad you slipped out of work for!

You will meet a bunch of super awesome like-minded people, receive a little Christmas gift from one of our partners, learn how to make living raw Christmas Mince Pies (and take the recipe home) and indulge on the most beautiful and nourishing flavours of this silly season!

Take a look at the menu...

Ask and you shall receive, my friends. And America, you asked the most!

Guess what everybody…

The Biggest Giveaway in Raw Food History is BACK! This time in the US and it may just be even bigger than our original!!!

My book, The Uncook Book – the essential guide to a raw food lifestyle, has just been released worldwide and on Amazon.com, so to celebrate this awesomeness, some of my favorite brands of all time are coming together for one heck of a giveaway.

[But if you are not a US resident, not to worry. Keep reading to see what YOU can win no matter where you are in the world]

When I say ‘favorite brands’, I mean favorite brands. These are the items of kitchen kit I use in my own home, in my cafe and of course in the book. These are the items I’ve arrived at after many trials and errors with less quality equipment or poorer quality ingredients. Some took years of research to get here but now that I’ve discovered them, my hope is to save you years of research by bringing them together in one giant hamper, that will belong to someone mega lucky by Thanksgiving!!! You?

Scroll below to marvel over $3,500 worth of the most insane gifts this industry has ever seen.

And all this for one lucky person.

And all for just buying a book you’d want anyway.

TO ENTER, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS COMPLETE THESE 2 VERY SIMPLE STEPS:

1. Purchase a hardcover copy of The Uncook Book via Amazon.com here>>
   Every purchase equals 1 entry, so stock up now for Christmas and gain more chances of winning!
2. Email your receipt to TheUncookBook@outlook.com
   Please include a). Your full name, b). Your USA address only, and c). Your contact phone number.

BONUS (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY)! WIN 1 OF 5 SIGNED COPIES OF THE UNCOOK BOOK:

1. Post this image>> on Instagram together with these below words (and hashtag so I can find your entry):
   Tanya Maher’s highly-anticipated #TheUncookBook just released in the US & she’s giving away this entire Raw Food Kitchen valued at $3,500! See @BetterRaw for details.

HERE IS ALL THAT CAN BE YOURS COME THANKSGIVING 2015…

TRIBEST’S GREENSTAR ELITE JUICER

Tribest health appliances have gained a strong reputation amongst professional chefs, wellness coaches, and nutritionists all around the world. Bringing you the ultimate in twin gear technology & maximising the benefits of your juice, there is no juicer like The Green Star Elite. Not only does it work to carefully crush produce without damaging nutrients, it cold presses the most juice from all greens and allows cell membranes to be easily opened to allow even more minerals to be extracted & preserved for longer. It’s the only juicer I use in The Uncook Book!

RRP US$629.95  | See here for more  |  tribestlife.com

VITAMIX 5200 GETTING STARTED

A Vitamix has been simply the best since 1921. This 3-Horse-Power machine is all time favourite kitchen equipment and without a doubt- one of my greatest loves. A Vitamix is so much more than a blender, it is superb for making soft serves, pastes, smoothies, hot soups, doughs and even rawtella. The powerful motor & sharp blades break through cellulose cells in greens, making nutrients more available for us to assimilate when drinking smoothies.

RRP US$449.00  |  How to get free shipping when you buy  |  vitamix.com

Magimix 5200XL Food Processor

A powerful food processor that will mix, grate, slice, chop, whisk, knead and – thanks to its BlenderMix attachment – liquidize your ingredients. What makes this model stand out from the previous one, is it’s extra large feed tube, designed to allow large amounts of disc work to be achieved quickly and efficiently. All bowls included are BPA free, giving you peace of mind over the health and safety of you and your family. The commercial grade induction motor is guaranteed for 30 years, with an overall parts guarantee of 3 years. I've personally gone through many food processors and Magimix is the only one I now choose.

RRP US$500.00 | See here for more options | magimix.com

Tribest's Sedona Express Dehydrator

Tribest health appliances have gained a strong reputation amongst professional chefs, wellness coaches, and nutritionists all around the world, each appliance has been designed to maximise health and wellbeing. Sedona is the only Dehydrator we use at Tanya’s restaurants in London. It can be divided into 2 drying chambers if you aren’t taking up full capacity, has an all-digital control panel, extra quiet fans for night time operation, a gorgeous glass window & now it comes in a compact size with even more features to blow you away.

RRP US$569.95  |  See here for more  |  tribestlife.com

Hemsley + Hemsley Spiralizer

Loved by the food, fitness and fashion industries alike, sisters Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley are authors of The Art of Eating Well, and the upcoming Good + Simple books, as well as creators of this Hemsley Spiralizer. It sold out in the first two weeks of its release in Selfridges and is bestselling on Amazon. A must-have kitchen utensil for turning your favourite vegetables into spirals instantly, swap heavy glutenous carbohydrates for zoodles (zucchini noodles). It is made from strong, food-grade ABS plastic which is BPA Free and fully recyclable.

RRP US$65.00 |  Buy via Goop  |  hemsleyandhemsley.com

Tanya's Cafe products

Tanya’s is my very own cafe chain, serving innovative plant-based living cuisine, which is all raw, organic, gluten-free, dairy-free and damn tasty. We have a flagship restaurant inside a gorgeous boutique hotel- myhotel Chelsea, where we are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and superfood cocktails- in a light filled conservatory or outdoor terrace. This hamper includes Tanya’s signature 'Sipping my way to awesomeness' mug and an alkaline superfood blend pH Booster to add to your water, juices and salads.

RRP US$56.00 | pH Booster available here | tanyascafe.com

Organic Burst Superfoods

Organic Burst is a leading global health food brand, which is a favourite of top wellness, beauty & fitness experts, bloggers, models and everyone else around the world who loves the life-enhancing benefits of pure, powerful and ethically sourced superfoods! This bundle includes the full range: Baobab, Spirulina, Chlorella, Maca, Acai and Wheatgrass.

RRP US$115.00 | organicburst.com

Neal's Yard Remedies 360° Holistic Package

It was over 33 years ago that Neal’s Yard Remedies opened their doors to their first shop in Neal’s Yard, a once forgotten corner of Covent Garden, London. They became the UK’s first organic health and beauty company and the WORLD’s first health and beauty brand to score 100/100 for ethics in an independent audit by Ethical Company Organisation. I really believe in everything NYR stand for, absolutely love their luxury organic beauty products and adore the team behind them.

RRP US$235.00 | us.nyrorganic.com

Optibac Probiotics Range

OptiBac Probiotics specialise entirely in probiotic supplements and their range of 11 different products offers you some of the most researched probiotic strains in the world. Their company ethos of only selecting high quality, research-based probiotics has seen them develop one of the UK’s favourite probiotic ranges, which is now available for delivery worldwide. This bundle includes For every day, For every day EXTRA Strength, Bifidobacteria & fibre, For travelling abroad, For daily immunity, One week flat (anti bloating) and For women.

RRP US$155.00 | optibacprobiotics.co.uk

Navitas Naturals Cacao Products

Navitas Naturals is a family-owned green business headquartered in Marin County, California. They specialize in organic superfoods from around the world, and strive to be the industry leader in this fast-growing category. Their mission is to provide premium functional foods that increase energy and promote health. This hamper includes everything you need for your healthy chocolate making needs at home.

RRP US$63.00  | navitasnaturals.com

2 Months Supply of pHresh Products

Maintain health… Not sickness. That’s what it’s all about. It’s the reason why pHresh Products are committed to inspire well-being (from the inside out).  This inspiring company are steadfast in their mission to change the world through proper education and nutrition. They create their products with true intention, focusing on preventative care and wellness. And they are all about giving back too! Included in this prize is a 2 months supply of pHresh greens, pH strips and a salt shaker.

RRP US$97.85  |  phreshproducts.com

The Earth Diet Health Coaching Session

The top results people experience when they first start living the Earth Diet are increased energy, excess weight sheds, clearer skin, thinking clarity and an uplifted mood. You can get a whooping $200 towards a session with either Liana Werner-Gray herself or one of her amazing health coaches, who have helped hundreds transform their health issues including weight loss, healing with disorderly eating, digestive issues, diabetes, cancer, depression, addiction and other diseases. What kind of health do you want to achieve?

VALUE US$200.00  |  theearthdiet.com

Raw Chocolate Man's Chocolates

"Hi I'm Noah. I have spent the last several years traveling the world, tasting raw honey and raw cacao. Now I bring you truly raw chocolate bars that anyone could replicate in nature by using sticks, stones, and a bowl. My chocolates sing for themselves, and I know you will fall in love." Included are 10 x Honey coconut bars and 4 x Earth Diet chocolate cups.

RRP US$94.00  |  rawchocolateman.com

TigerNuts Hamper

All Organic Gemini TigerNut products are OK Kosher certified, as well as USDA Certified 100% Organic, Non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and raw. TigerNuts are not actually nuts but rather root vegetables which are very high in fiber, such as resistant starch. Resistant starch is a prebiotic that resists digestion and helps our bodies to naturally develop probiotic bacteria ensuring a strong immune system, which is key to eliminating various causes of fatigue, regulating body temperature, and preventing the onset of most modern diseases. Resistant starch is popular for its weight-loss benefits too! TigerNuts are also high in iron, potassium, magnesium, and Vitamins C & E.

RRP US$66.00 | organicgemini.com

Universe + Chorus Conscious Jewelry

Magical things, made in Brooklyn with Love. There’s really no better way to describe this super adorable jewelry brand, which is all handmade by my sister in New York. The winner gets 2 of my favourite necklaces from her collection: True Love (spooning is true love) and Three Golden Wishes. U+C ship worldwide and make the most perfect gifts.

RRP US$75.00 | www.universechorus.com

The Uncook Book Signed Copy

Ah there she is! The perfect book for anyone who wants to celebrate life through food. Raw food really gives you that opportunity because of all the energy and clarity you receive in return. Inside you will find over 140 easy-to-follow, accessible recipes with a modern edge, everything you need to know to set up a successfully raw kitchen and a whole lot of super handy tips that are both nutritionally viable and creatively fun. I will personally write a note to the winner and sign this copy!

RRP US$24.99 | buy via Amazon.com

TO ENTER, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS COMPLETE THESE 2 VERY SIMPLE STEPS:

1. Purchase a hardcover copy of The Uncook Book via Amazon.com here>>
   Every purchase equals 1 entry, so stock up now for Christmas and gain more chances of winning!
2. Email your receipt to TheUncookBook@outlook.com
   Please include a). Your full name, b). Your USA address only, and c). Your contact phone number.

BONUS (NO PURCHASE NECESSARY)! WIN 1 OF 5 SIGNED COPIES OF THE UNCOOK BOOK:

1. Post this image>> on Instagram together with these below words (and hashtag so I can find your entry):
   Tanya Maher’s highly-anticipated #TheUncookBook just released in the US & she’s giving away this entire Raw Food Kitchen valued at $3,500! See @BetterRaw for details.

TERMS & CONDITIONS (THE COMPLETE HAMPER):

• BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU WARRANT THAT ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY YOU IS TRUE. HAY HOUSE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO VERIFY ANY INFORMATION GIVEN.

• YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT AND WE WILL NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM ANY RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE US AT THIS TIME (SO SORRY GUYS!).

• THERE IS NO AGE RESTRICTION TO ENTER.

• ONLY ENTRIES SENT VIA THEUNCOOKBOOK@OUTLOOK.COM WILL BE CONSIDERED.

• ONLY PURCHASES OF HARDCOVER COPIES AND ONLY OF THE UNCOOK BOOK BY TANYA MAHER VIA AMAZON.COM HERE>> WILL BE ELIGIBLE.

• YOU CAN ENTER AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE AND EACH HARDCOVER BOOK PURCHASE WILL BE COUNTED AS ONE ENTRY. (IE. IF YOU MAKE ONE TRANSACTION FOR 3 BOOKS AND IT STATES SO ON YOUR RECEIPT, YOU WILL GAIN 3 ENTRIES INTO THE DRAW. IF YOU MAKE 3 SEPARATE TRANSACTIONS FOR 3 BOOKS, PLEASE EMAIL US ALL 3 RECEIPTS TO GAIN 3 ENTRIES).

• THERE WILL BE ONE WINNER.

• THE COMPETITION WILL END AT 11:59PM EST TUESDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2015.

• ANY BOOK PURCHASE MADE BEFORE 24TH NOVEMBER IS ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY, SIMPLY SEND US THE RECEIPT.

• THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY THANKSGIVING DAY AND ANNOUNCED VIA BETTER RAW’S NEWSLETTER. SUBSCRIBE HERE>> 

• THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY ON HAY HOUSE US AND BETTER RAW SOCIAL NETWORK PAGES ONE DAY AFTER THE NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED.

• ANY PERSON THAT IS AN EMPLOYEE OF HAY HOUSE, BETTER RAW OR TANYA’S CAFE IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO ENTER (SORRY GUYS, LOVE YOU THOUGH!).

• WINNER SELECTION WILL BE CONDUCTED BY HAY HOUSE US, WHOSE DECISION IS FINAL.

• WINNER WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM.

• IF THE WINNER DOES NOT RESPOND TO OUR EMAIL NOTIFICATION WITHIN 14 DAYS, AN ALTERNATIVE WINNER WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE REMAINING ENTRIES.

• THE PRIZES ARE SPONSORED BY THE COMPANIES MENTIONED AND THE WINNER’S DETAILS WILL BE SHARED WITH THE RESPECTIVE CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PRIZE.

• THE PRIZE WINNER UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES (AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTING THIS PRIZE) TO: A). THE USE OF THEIR NAME, ONE OR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEMSELVES AND DISCLOSURE OF THEIR STATE OF RESIDENCE WITHIN THE US; AND B). CO-OPERATE WITH OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER REASONABLE POST-COMPETITION PUBLICITY.

• PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 2 WEEKS FOR PRIZE DELIVERY TO YOUR US ADDRESS ONLY.

TERMS & CONDITIONS (BONUS PRIZE):

• BY SHARING OUR IMAGE AND ABOVE CAPTION ON INSTAGRAM, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN ONE SIGNED COPY OF THE UNCOOK BOOK ONLY.

• YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A US RESIDENT TO WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK, WE WILL SHIP IT WORLDWIDE.

• THERE IS NO AGE RESTRICTION TO ENTER.

• ONLY ENTRIES SENT VIA INSTAGRAM WILL BE CONSIDERED.

• YOU CAN ENTER ONCE ONLY DURING THE DURATION OF THE COMPETITION. YOU ARE WELCOME TO USE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE.

• THERE WILL BE FIVE DIFFERENT WINNERS.

• THE COMPETITION WILL END AT 11:59PM EST TUESDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2015.

• THE WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN BY THANKSGIVING DAY AND ANNOUNCED VIA BETTER RAW’S NEWSLETTER. SUBSCRIBE HERE>> 

• THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY ON HAY HOUSE US AND BETTER RAW SOCIAL NETWORK PAGES ONE DAY AFTER THE NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED.

• WINNER SELECTION WILL BE CONDUCTED BY HAY HOUSE US, WHOSE DECISION IS FINAL.

• WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM.

• IF THE WINNERS DO NOT RESPOND TO OUR INSTAGRAM/NEWSLETTER NOTIFICATION WITHIN 14 DAYS, ALTERNATIVE WINNERS WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE REMAINING ENTRIES.

• THE PRIZE WINNERS UNCONDITIONALLY AGREE (AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTING THIS PRIZE) TO: A). THE USE OF THEIR NAME, ONE OR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEMSELVES AND DISCLOSURE OF THEIR STATE COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE, AND B). CO-OPERATE WITH OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER REASONABLE POST-COMPETITION PUBLICITY.

• PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 3 WEEKS FOR PRIZE DELIVERY.

There's a lot I love about the way my American friends celebrate special occasions. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Baby Showers. What ever the event, you can be sure they don't go about it halfheartedly.

So you can't even imagine my excitement when my best friend- our muffin’s future God mama / the sunny Californian Britney- offered to throw me and Elliot a Gender Reveal Party!

For those not in the know what this party entails, here’s the gist:

Mum-and-dad-to-be get their 20 week scan and if the sonographer can see the baby’s sex, they don’t tell you, but write down Boy or Girl on a piece of paper, seal it in an envelope and you then pass it on to a friend who is throwing you the surprise party, where you and your guests find out what you are having at the same time. This could be with a treasure hunt, quiz night, blue or pink coloured balloons, etc etc. Fun, right?

I’ve always loved the idea of finding out in this way (we’re both too impatient to wait nine months), however before Britney took over, I thought we would organise this on our own. We were supposed to get the secret envelope to one of my raw chefs at Tanya’s, who would then take a look inside and make us either a blueberry cheesecake (blue for boy) or strawberry cheesecake (pink for girl), then coat it in white icing with absolutely no sign of what colour is inside. Then Elliot and I would slice open the cake with all of our friends in the room.

But! Britney does everything better!

She made sure not to give away any clues and said to leave it with her. The only clue she was willing to give away was that the reveal wasn’t to be via a cake, so if I wanted to make one of my own, then it’s my call, otherwise she had the food and drink sorted too. Wowsers. That’s a whole lot of work, time and effort and even from your closest friend, it just feels like too much to accept.

Of course I could never turn up empty handed or leave a friend to do all the work, so I promised to bring a cake. Two cakes- one for each gender.

So I gathered my recipes and a plan to make it happen, but the day of the reveal also coincided with my actual birthday and Better Raw’s annual sale, so the evening was approaching faster than anticipated. By the time I calculated how long it would take me to shop for ingredients, soak the cashews, make, decorate and leave both cakes to set in the fridge, I knew I’d be hours late to my own party…

Slightly panicked, I dove into my 20 year old recipe notebook for ideas.

Crazy to think that I still own a book so old, torn and well-travelled, half of which is filled with carefully written recipes and instructions in Russian by my 10 year old self and the other half with a whole lot of scribbles in English after I began to learn the language in New Zealand. What’s crazier is that the recipes within it either use a bunch of animal products, processed ingredients or both. Still, this is a place I like to refer to for ideas and where best inspiration comes from when creating my healthy recipe versions.

As soon as I flicked to the page with my once-upon-a-time-favourite carrot cake, I knew I had to make it. It’s baked, which requires no setting time in the fridge, so it had to save me at least 3 hours and desperate times were upon us.

There’s one problem- I haven’t baked for over 6 years!

Actually there's more than one problem- the recipe contained eggs, processed sugar and other ingredients I haven't used in over 6 years either!

But then again, I checked out my notebook for inspiration, not the recipe per se, so I took out all the healthy versions of listed ingredients from my pantry and started up a science experiment to invent 'vegan eggs’. I used a little banana for the ’slimy’ part of the egg, ground flaxseeds for the ’sticky’ part which holds ingredients together and coconut yogurt to make it ‘mushy’. It didn't take long to invent, however having not baked in such a long time, I completely forgot the fact that there is baking AND cooling time involved before icing the cake, so we were still late to our own party afterall. The cake was AMAZING though!

Recipe below, but first, the remainder of the story…

We arrived at Tanya’s in Chelsea, where a portion of the cafe was reserved just for our group and decorated in the most adorable blue and pink colour palette. There was really nothing to give away the gender at that stage though- Britney made sure to have an equal ratio of blue to pink for everything.

We had such a good time catching up with all our friends, that I didn’t even notice how nervous I was until she called everyone to start making their way downstairs.

Downstairs? What is down there? This was the time I dialled in my parents in Ecuador and my sister in New York via Skype and Elliot FaceTime’d his mum in New Zealand, so our families could partake in the fun.

When our whole group entered myhotel’s darkened meeting room, we were impressed to see rows of chairs facing a large projector screen. Elliot and I knew it already, but this is when everyone else saw just how lucky we were to have a friend that would go through all this trouble. And this was before we even knew what she actually did!

When the movie showing begun, the first video was of the God mama herself introducing what was about to happen in the most hilarious way, followed by video clips of our friends around the world sending their well wishes and vocalising their bets (and even names) on what we were having. When I say ‘around the world’, I mean around the world! Friends from New Zealand, Australia, Ecuador, New York, California, Japan, London, Portugal and even Bangkok, sent in their video predictions for us to watch.

I wasn’t just blown away, I was an emotional wreck! Every familiar face appearing on the screen in front of us made me gasp for air. Then hearing them speak directly to us or to our baby was more than enough to make my eyes swell and my legs shake.

By the time Britney appeared on the screen again to do the final reveal, I was so overwhelmed with emotion, gratitude, anticipation, love, nerves and adrenaline, I was no longer sure that I was ready to know. When she said that this wasn’t the way we’d find out and that we now all had to go upstairs and look for a unicorn, I didn’t know who I was relieved for the most- me, because I got an opportunity to gather myself or my family, because they could now continue watching without the shaky experience they were getting when the laptop was on my trembling lap.

The parents and the God parents

The Unicorn Piñata

The rest was such a blissful blur, that I still don’t really remember where the unicorn piñata was or how it was split in half over my and Elliot’s heads or the details of what (or even what colour) fell out from inside, or who clapped first when the gender was revealed, but I’ll never forget searching my husband’s eyes for his reaction and thinking what an amazing dad he would be to a…. baby girl!

A girl! A girl! We are having a baby girl!

And I’ll never forget what Britney did for us. This little love bug inside my belly has already been so cherished and celebrated from the first day of discovering she was there, but she has no idea how lucky she really is with all the loving grandparents, aunties, uncles, God parents, and not to mention mum and dad, awaiting her arrival.

It's a girl!

Pure happiness

And now the recipe! I asked on Facebook and Instagram if you guys were interested in a baked vegan cake recipe and to my surprise, the majority said 'Absolutely'! So here you are. It really is so delicious and using the best ingredients, I think you'll love it too..

Baked Vegan Carrot Cake

3 cups grated carrots
1 cup light olive oil
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 cups wholemeal flour (I used spelt)
2 cups coconut palm sugar
EGGS (1/2 banana, 1 cup soy/coconut yogurt, 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp baking soda

[For the pink icing, I used a similar recipe to the Strawberry Layer here>> and for the blue icing, I used the recipe of my Blueberry Pie filling on p.117 of The Uncook Book]

-Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
– Blend oil and sugar.
– Add banana, yogurt, vanilla extract. Blend again.
– In a bowl- mix flour, ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, salt and soda.
– Add carrots and walnuts, then mix.
– Finally stir in the blended mix, scraping everything out of your blender. Stir well to combine ingredients evenly.
– Transfer to a 8 inch tin and bake for 1 hour.

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.