The UK has seen such a gorgeous and long summer, that I still get shocked each time I walk outside nowadays.

I forgot what it’s like to be cold and my lordy it is coooold!

Winter is well and truly here, or so it seems, and right around this time is when I dust off the printed versions of my eBooks ‘Nourished- Comforting raw foods for winter‘ and ‘Festive- The best raw food Christmas recipes‘.

I wanted to share with you a recipe from Nourished, which is the most perfect side to any meal, just like mashed potatoes, except there’s not a potato in sight. There’s also no starch. Or dairy. Or anything cooked or processed for that matter. Instead though you get a beautiful combination of nourishing seasonal ingredients to keep you balanced, comforted and immunised this winter.

Oh and I thought I’ll compile a few other recipes, that were a big hit during last frosty season and share with you below. You’ll be happy to know that no dehydrator is required for any of them.

There are also some epic recipes, that have been featured on the blog recently but not yet in my newsletters. Keep scrolling for the round-up from our four most recent Masters of the Month…

CREAMY RAW FOOD MASH

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 cup cashews, soaked
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup olive oil
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp manuka honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

-First blend the cashews and water to make a creamy paste.
-Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
-Serve as a side dish or with ‘Never Miss Meat’ Stroganov recipe (pg. 48 of Nourished) or Mushroom Jus (pg.16 of Festive).

APPLE & CINNAMON CHIA PUDDING

2 cups nut milk
1-2 apples, peeled and deseeded
3 pitted dates
2 tbsp chia seeds
½ -1 tsp cinnamon
Optional sprinkles: bee pollen, raw honey, goji berries, chopped fruit, fresh berries, cacao nibs, figs, etc.

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

GINGER HEATERS

10 inch ginger root

2 apples

small bunch of mint leaves

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

3 cups butternut squash/ pumpkin
1 cup pure water
1 golden sweet apple
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp tahini
1/2 inch ginger root
1/2 red chilli, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt pinch pepper
optional: fresh thyme, pumpkin cubes and seeds to garnish

For instructions, go to the original post here>>  

NATIVE SUPERFOODS' PROTEIN BALLS

1/2 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1 tbsp cacao nibs

10 pitted medjool dates

3 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp virgin coconut oil1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla powder

2 tsp spirulina powder

1 – 2 tsp water

1/2 cup shredded coconut to coat

For instructions, go to the original post here>>

FOOD MATTERS' SKIN BEAUTY SALAD

2 handfuls of young rocket
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 carrot 2 radishes
2 small cucumbers
1 small red onion
3 limes, juiced
1 avocado
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp raw honey
1 handful fresh herbs
¼ tsp sea salt

 For instructions, go to the original post here>>

TARA STILES' GREEN DREAM SMOOTHIE

1 handful of spinach

1 banana

1 cup of almond milk

For instructions, go to the original post here>>

DELICIOUSLY ELLA'S GLUTEN FREE ENERGY BALLS

1 cup medjool dates
3/4 cup almonds
3/4 cup walnuts or any other nut
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp hemp protein powder
1 Tbsp raw cacao powder
For instructions, go to the original post here>>

I’ve come to a conclusion that if you live in New York, you are automatically cool. Marie Forleo lives in NYC. Gabrielle Bernstein lives there. Sex and the City ladies. My own sister! And the NYC girl I was lucky enough to meet recently definitely confirms my assumption.

Tara Stiles is the founder and owner of Strala, the movement system that ignites freedom. Strala is the first branded yoga program to be available at major gym chains and thousands are teaching it. She partners with W Hotels and guests staying there get to learn yoga and and healthy recipes from this gorgeous, inspiration and cool expert.

Tara is the author of top-selling books, including Slim Calm Sexy Yoga, Yoga Cures and the most recent, Make Your Own Rules Diet. She is a Reebok ambassador and supports The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, President Clinton’s initiative to combat childhood obesity, bringing Strala classes to 20,000+ participating schools.

Meet our December’s Master of the Month…

DESCRIBE YOUR TYPICAL DAY OF EATING AND DRINKING.

It super depends on where in the world I am and what the day ahead is looking like. Today I’m in Maldives leading an event at W. Schedule was filled with yoga, scuba and swimming. I needed some good fuel so I had a pretty hearty breakfast of juice, fruit, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a scrambled egg. Had some snacks of nuts and fruit during the day, and lets be honest, and ice cream sandwich! Lunch was a light salad and dinner was a big plate of veggies and some spicy south east asian tapas with coconut sorbet. If I’m in NYC and regular schedule with Strala and office hours, I eat a bit lighter in the morning, a smoothie and have a big salad or veggie sandwich for lunch and a nourishing dinner like quinoa and veggies or a hearty soup and bread. Dessert always, something fresh and delicious like almond butter fudge or sorbet.

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

For me, energy is everything. I eat well so I can feel fantastic and do all the things I want to do every day. It’s all about feeling for me.

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

Pizza and ice cream. I enjoy both a ton but avoid getting into a habit of having it often. That way it becomes a treat and doesn’t make me feel sick the morning after.

MY TOP TIP FOR:

Improving your diet is… getting your body moving and paying attention to how you feel.

Staying healthy while travelling is… making healthy choices but still enjoying yourself.

Detoxing is… unplugging from self induced stress.

Immunising is… self care.

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

I love the way you make me feel.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

Generous and kind.

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?

Vitamix.
Lime tree.
Siddhartha.

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

Mom and both grandmas. All their recipes. Grandma’s veggie soup, potato salad, and a billion country sides.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS BETTER RAW?

Sensitization to how we feel and being in touch with our intuition happens when we are clear physically and mentally. Eating mostly plants aligns us with the natural state that we are. Eating away from nature is unnatural and is a cause of a lot of stress and tension in the body and mind.

——————————————————-

Our Master of The Month shares her favourite raw food recipe…

GREEN DREAM
Serves 1

1 handful of spinach
1 banana
1 cup of almond milk
blend
enjoy!

——————————————————-

For Tara's most recent book 'Make your own rules diet', buy it on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk . For more on Tara Stiles, her coolness, class schedule and recipes, go to http://tarastiles.com/

Apparently so!

OK, so it’s not called a Vitamix and it’s not even associated with Vitamix, but my new find of a powerhouse-blending-beast ticks all the comparison boxes.

As a wellness coach, I have worked with many of you at various stages of your journey to rawsomeness and on various budgets throughout the years…

I totally get what it’s like when you want to give the healthiest lifestyle a real shot, only to end up disheartened when every recipe that actually gets you exited, requires a high powered blender.

I also totally get what it’s like when you find out how much a Vitamix or a Blendtec costs, while trying to keep on top of your rent payments, saving for a holiday or your kids’ extra curriculum activities.

BEST NEWS EVER!!!

Although I’m not about to trade in my Vitamix (you know why if you own one), I am thrilled to tell you about the best, closest, most incredible alternative I’ve been able to find to date… which costs HALF the price!

Introducing…

JTC OMNIBLEND.

It’s powerful: 3 horse power motor!
It’s speedy: 38,000 RPM.
It’s energy efficient: 950 watts.
It’s environmentally friendly: BPA free and made of Eastman Tritan copolyester.
It’s long lasting: the blades are laser cut food grade stainless steel, which don’t rust and are blunt, so no sharpening required!
It’s quality: the blades are made in Japan, container in USA, motor and electronics in Taiwan.
It’s capable: all your raw food favourites, like whole fruit smoothies, pastes, hot raw soups, nut butters, ice creams and cheesecakes are OmniBlend’s specialties.

I really didn’t know I’d be this excited to find an affordable high-powered blender option for you, but JTC OmniBlend is good. Really good. Like really REALLY good.

It passed all my tests for a top kitchen must-have. It made my whole fruit ice cream -super creamy. It let me walk away for 5 minutes while making my soup, which turned out perfect and perfectly hot while still raw. It passed the ease test while making chocolate truffles, almond butter and blueberry cheesecake, because of the handy tamper rod and the super powerful motor.. And [rather important in my books] it also has the dome-like lid, which allows you to blend large volumes to produce more smoothies in one go than no other professional home blender ever could.

The best part of it all is that you don’t only pay half the price of leading blender brands, as my valued reader- you receive all this PLUS upto an additional £105 in savings:

Black machine: £250
Cook book: £15
Warranty upgrade 7 year unlimited: £60
Postage: £10
Total: £335
With betterraw promo code: £250
THAT’S A SAVING OF £85

Maroon/White machine: £270
Cook book: £15
Warranty upgrade 7 year unlimited: £60
Postage: £10
Total: £355
With betterraw promo code: £250
THAT’S A SAVING OF £105

Call it- your early Christmas gift. Or birthday. Or just an ‘I deserve it’ gift.

Whatever the occasion, it’s a little thanks from me for reading my blog.

I just know you’ll be happy with your new purchase and that’s the best gift to me too!

Head to jtcomniblend.co.uk and enter betterraw in the promo code box to claim your discount:

I’m about to make your dreams come true!

As of this Friday 21st November, Tanya’s Cafe in myhotel Chelsea will be offering a gorgeous Christmas feast!

And not only that, but we are also adding dinner service and this feast will be available both at lunch daily AND in the evenings Tuesday- Friday.

And not only that, but Tuesday-Saturday, you can book a table for a Festive Afternoon Tea!

And not only that, but our entire Superfood Cocktail menu is also changing and holy moly- these drinks are insane!

Phew.

That’s a whole lot of excitement to type in one go. For now I will leave you with a summary of opening hours and all the new menus to peruse and salivate over…

Breakfast | 9am – 11:30am | Monday – Sunday

Lunch | 12pm – 3pm | Monday – Sunday

NEW Festive Afternoon Tea | 3:30pm – 6pm | Tuesday-Saturday

NEW Festive Dinner | 6pm – 9:30pm | Tuesday – Friday

Superfood Cocktails | 4pm – 10:30pm | Tuesday – Friday

(Cocktails on Saturday finish at 6pm)

…Not that she will ever be forgotten, but today is Polly Noble’s birthday and I just returned from Ecuador where I spent a beautiful week with her entire family.

Two years ago she invited me to her birthday party, but I was with my parents, sister and her husband (who was also born on 11/11) in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Last year, when she was celebrating on 11/11, I was again in Ecuador at this time running my annual Raw Food & Soul Adventures retreat. This time, Polly exclaimed “That’s it! NEXT year, I’m coming with you!”

She’s a powerful little one…

Indeed this year she came with us. She may not have been there in her body, but she was absolutely there, she even brought with her every single person she loved more than anything in the world- her mum, dad, brother, sister, their other halves and her 7 months old nephew, who Polly got to meet and enjoy just before she passed.

One night at the retreat, I couldn’t get to sleep, so I stayed up preparing for the next day’s activities and making energy balls for everyone, when Polly showed up. I’ve never had this experience before, so it was as odd for me as it may sound to you right now.

We had the most real conversation and for a brief hour, I felt like I had my friend back. She told me about how proud she was of her dad eating raw food, drinking green juice and trying yoga. She told me how impressed she was with her beloved mummy, who hasn’t been further than Germany for her fear of flying, but is now in South America, doing all the things Polly loved to do. She told me to look through at specific photos I took of her sister and her boyfriend and point out to them the condor and the butterfly next to them, as that’s how she showed up to photobomb them. She couldn’t find the words to express how proud it made her to see her perfect brother, now being the perfect father. And if she had another opportunity to choose a brother, that couldn’t be her own, she’d want it to be her precious nephew Freddie. And if she had another opportunity to choose a mother, that couldn’t be her own, she’d want it to be her sister-in-law Michelle. She promised that if she came back, it had to be to her own family and asked me to tell them not to worry, because she would return as the healthiest version of herself.

AT THE TOP OF VILCABAMBA AND POLLY THE BUTTERFLY AS PER ABOVE.

Can you imagine me then having to tell this to her family the following day? I probably lost 3kgs of weigh bawling my eyes out with Polly that night, then 3kgs more telling my own parents in the morning. Yet she chose me as a messenger, so I got the strength from above. From Polly herself, no doubt.

On the last night of the retreat, when everyone showed up wearing white for our closing cacao ceremony (more like a cleansing ceremony, because white represents purity, release and starting over), Polly shows up again. This time she came to my mum and asked for her help in cleansing her soul so she can leave this plane and get ready for a new life. She was always impatient, but the thought of returning to her family sooner than later turned her into a joyful hopeful kid again and even though my mum has never met Polly in person, she saw her as an excited little girl, doing swirls and cartwheels, giggling while saying that she’s ready to ascend as soon as possible.

The time and place were an auspicious combo of synchronicities, as the most unique draw about my parents’ land is that it happens to have an ascension portal and this very day in Ecuador happens to be the day of all souls (or remembrance day).

It was of course entirely optional for others to attend this special good-bye ceremony for Polly, but as the team that everyone has become over the retreat, no one even blinked an eye at the decision and even got to connect and release their own family and friends who have recently passed.

The experience was equally as beautiful and uplifting as it was overwhelming, overpowering and… hot! My Lord we got hot. Now this was a time of day when Vilcabamba becomes chilly, having a rainforest type climate, so we are usually cosied up inside over a hot cup of tea, but not during what we got up to! The presence of our loved ones was indisputable.

We then went on to celebrate by eating high-vibration raw chocolate, drinking hot almond cacao lattes and playing African drums on our large outdoor balcony, from which all you can see is the moon in the sky and the fireflies in the distant trees.

Just moments after 8pm when we were winding down anyway, we got a confirmation of how much light work we really did produce…

The gate bell began  ringing persistently and looking at the time, we enjoyed a joke about this being the cops. It was mainly a joke because partying to techno music goes on nearly every night in Vilcabamba until the roosters start to crow, but here we were away on our own private land and getting asked to stop being naturally happy without being under influence (or even music for that matter) at a time when many families haven’t even started eating their dinner. We still don’t know whether any of the far away neighbours complained but the dark forces work in various ways to disrupt such intense and pure light.

And with that, I recall a wonderful quote our birthday girl once posted on her social media:

“DON’T LET SOMEONE DIM YOUR LIGHT, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT’S SHINING IN THEIR EYES.”

Shine on friends.

Love you,

Tanya

P.S. Here is the tribute I wrote to Polly in a recent Get Fresh! Magazine. Just click the image to enlarge it. x