Gorgeous! Are you thinking about an escape? A luxury getaway?  This year there will only be ONE Lush Escapes weekend retreat and already over half of it is booked out.


We've even invigorated our most popular workshops with fresh content, some of which is the very best from everything we've taught over the past year and some of which will be revealed only to our attendees over the weekend! We've upgraded our raw food menu to a focus on alkalising foods, widened the variety of movement class curriculum, incorporated life-evolving meditation sessions, and changed the scene to the ocean.


So basically, this is going to be our best retreat yet! Are you coming?


P.S.  If you can’t quite wait till October 5th, Colby and I are running our popular 1 Day City Retreat on Sunday September 2nd in London. It is an absolute steal of a deal for a full day of Raw Food and Yoga for Beginners, take a look>>

So, I've been thinking. The rain kinda does that to you. And I've been thinking about me.

I remembered a time in school when a teacher said something to me, which did not make much sense. This actually happened quite often, as we've recently immigrated to New Zealand and my English was a little rugged (nicely put). This time however she said something to me with such a meaningful tone, that I was drawn to jot it down, knowing that one day I will make sense of it.

The words were "Don't be so hard on yourself".

Since then I have quite possibly heard the very same words at least a hundred times and I can no longer even be sure if the majority of times they came from others… or myself.

But the point is that, making great goals and having high standards is not the problem. The problem is not being satisfied with the outcome, not celebrating along the way and not giving yourself enough credit for everything else you’ve achieved and learned while going for gold.

I’m talking a little loooove. Self love.

Practicing #2

I've come a long way since then. I've also come to a realisation that self-love goes far beyond the ever-so-predictable bubble bath. But then again, none of the below tips are revolutionary either. And they are certainly not difficult. Here are:



1. Forgive your thoughts. It’s easy to kick yourself or get mad at random thoughts popping into your head during times of meditation, traffic jams or your boss’s annoying voice. Instead of getting irritated, just say “he he, I’m so hilarious, I forgive that thought”.

2. Take yourself on a date. Yes a ‘real’ date. If it means a lovely restaurant with a view, then go for it. You can’t expect others to love your company if you feel awkward in it yourself, so relax and cherish this time. Remember to catch the guy with the roses for sale "yes please I'd love to buy myself a flower, because I'm awesome like that"!

3. Carry cash, not cards. Money IS a big deal, whether you can say it out loud or not. Your bank account needs as much love and support from you, as your body and your relationships. However- constantly seeing nothing but credit cards every time you open your wallet screams… debt. So make a habit of taking out enough cash to last you however long, that way you can also keep track of your spending and fill yourself with prosperous thoughts when you touch the money money money- maaa-nay!

4. Change your greeting. Have you ever thought that the way you greet someone is setting tone to that person’s entire day AND your own? Next time instead of saying ‘Are you keeping busy?’ or ‘Keeping out of trouble?’ or ‘Hi, are you OK?’- ask a question that can only have a positive reply, like ‘how great is your day on a scale of 10 to 20?’ or ‘what’s the best thing about this morning?’

5. Don’t stinge out on organics. You’ve heard the news- inorganic produce contains little nutrients and loads of pesticides. It may seem, like you are getting all the extra chemicals as a freebie. Hooray- who ever said that nothing’s ever free? Perhaps it was the pesticide muncher with piles of medical bills later in life?

6. Drink green juice from your best wine glass. Don't wait for a special occasion to use it. Today is the special occasion.

7. Play a tourist in your own city. I’m not talking galleries and concert gigs. They are all good of course, but nothing compares to the thrills and appreciation of where you belong, like a double-decker bus around the city, guided walking tours, and cartwheels in a “I Heart [fill in your city here]” t-shirt. 

8. Fall asleep counting blessings not sheep. Falling asleep in a state of gratitude is possibly the most therapeutic, healing, generous gesture towards your fabulous life.


Self-love is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself. It is the only gift.

Do you practice self-love? What do you do?

Practicing #7

If you've been reading this blog for a while and had to bet on whether I do book reviews or not, you could confidently bet on 'not' and win. 


I'm pretty happy with my modest collection of raw food recipe and nutrition tomes, but I also know that if I was to start reviewing each one, it could quickly turn into a full time activity. (Don't know how my coaching clients would feel about that.) 


And theeeen....
I hear Amber Shea Crawley is releasing a book! Instantly I knew that once it's out, I'll happily smudge my own rules and do what ever I can for a girl, who over the past two years has become one of my closest virtual friends ever! And that's a big call.


Scroll to the bottom to read Amber Shea's professional bio, but I'm here to tell you what she never mentions in it...


Her blog Almost Vegan Chef is- hands clapping, tummy stitching, whole body bending, jaw aching, hiccup making- hilarious! I've been guilty of scaring Elliot with my random laughter outbursts while reading it, and not just once. And lucky me- my own eBooks Seduced and Festive have been featured in her giant, world-famous corner of vegan cyberspace.


So yes, I am a BIG fan of Amber's writing. This girl has such a poetic way with words, I found myself reading her brand new book Practically Raw- Flexible Raw Recipes Anyone Can Make, for hours. Yep just sitting there and reading RECIPES! I don't know about you, but I don't really think that's 'normal'. I mean I would usually flick, turn, return, skim, zip, and blink through pages of recipe books, but I actually found myself reading (and loving) Amber's, word for word. 


It is just jam packed with helpful tips, various options, mini stories, flexible suggestions and substitutions, that were revolutionary to me! The book is structured in the most easy to use way and each recipe begins with a lovely introduction about it by the author. A huge bunch of recipes come with instructions on making them both raw or cooked and there is an entire section devoted to KALE CHIPS! OMG!


I also had the time of my life finding out what new name Amber would assign to each of her snacks, meals, sweets and drinks. Here are some of my top favourites: Pizza Kale Chips, Cocoa Corruption Smoothie, Naansense Bread,  Famous Five-Minute Blondies, and Deconstructed Sushi Bowl. Pure awesomeness.


Oh and did I mention how cute she is?...



With well over a hundred incredible looking and sounding recipes to play with, I discovered I must have a group of chipmunks living inside my own head. Because why else would there be all kinds of little voices arguing over which recipe I ought to make first?

One got its way and if you remember my last post on a Three Course Raw Food Dinner, you might recall that winning choice! I just couldn't resist the sound of the ingredients in Sopes con Mole Poblano and Wooweeee Amber Shea Crawley The First- did you know what you were doing when you rocked up with this sensation!

My guests couldn't agree more!...

Practically Raw fans (from left): Riki, Elliot, Tanya, Britney

I served the Sopes with my Sauerkraut from the Raw Food 101 DVD. It is fermented and probiotic rich cabbage, which I also mixed with grated carrots and cucumbers for that summer touch. It complimented the recipe so well with a mix of flavours and textures, just irresistible to the taste buds.

Luckily for us all, Amber also happens to be the sweetest and most generous person, whom I didn't need to beg in order to share her special recipe with my readers. Let me know how much you also love it in the comments below and make sure to get the book here>>

Somewhere to the south west of London, about four hours by train or five by car, there is a magical land, where you can solve your way through a maze, splash around in the ocean, surf waves, chase cows in their fields, admire dramatic cliffs and coastline, pick coffee berries in the world's largest indoor rainforest, get lost winding around stunning country roads and step in to history through ruins and castles.

All that in a single day, if you wanted. This magical land is Cornwall.

Polperro coast

Elliot and I by our lodge

It is also the first place I visited outside of London in UK, when I just arrived here nearly three years ago. It's the home to my bestie and will always be dear to my heart, so you can imagine my pleasant surprise, when I heard that Cornwall was the trip of choice for Elliot's parents with us on their European tour!

The fam at Land's End

The weather gods performed a miracle and we didn't just get our fair share of Vitamin D (surely not for the rest of summer England!.... pleeease), but scored ourselves one of the most memorable trips no doubt.

Glendurgan maze

The Eden Project

Inspired by so much beauty, it was only natural that I'd want to create a new raw food dish to represent the very source of inspiration....

If you haven't yet been acquainted with a Cornish Pasty- it is one of Britain's traditional favourites, a filled pastry that originated when Cornish tin miners needed to eat an easy to hold hearty lunch, safe in the knowledge that their grubby hands won't contaminate the food wrapped inside a thick pastry. You can now get one in any part of Great Britain and Ireland, so surely it is about time for a raw version then! :)

When we returned to London, I hosted a little dinner party (more on that later) and here's what was on the menu:

First course: Cornish Pasty with mushroom filling and salsa

Second course: Sopes con Mole Poblano from Practically Raw recipe book. Watch this space for details to come next week!

Dessert: Keylime Pie, but with lemons instead of lime, plus added raspberries

For the Essentials
blender/ food processor
dehydrator

For the Pastry
3 zucchini, peeled
2 small mangoes, meat only
1 cup flaxseeds, ground
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

For the Filling
350gm portabello mushrooms, peeled
1/2 cup Tamari soy sauce
1/2 cup cashews, soaked
1/3 cup almond butter
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp cayenne

-Combine all the pastry ingredients in a high speed blender, until smooth. Use a tamper to assist the ingredients with touching the blades efficiently.
-Divide the batter amongst two teflex sheets of your dehydrator. Spread gently and evenly to the edges of each sheet.
-Dehydrate at 115degrees F for 6 hours, turn upside down on to a new teflex sheet and peel off the original. Dehydrate for a further 2 hours or until dry but still pliable.
-[Tip: in case the pastry turns out too dry, brush it with a little water.]
-Slice each sheet of pastry into quarters and fold the squares into triangles by joining the opposite ends.

-Slice the mushrooms into small equal sizes, cover with Tamari and set to marinate for 4-8 hours. At first, the mushrooms will soak up all of the Tamari, but will soon begin to release their own juices. Make sure you stir once or twice over the soaking period to make sure all of the shrooms are coated.
-Keeping mushrooms in the bowl, pour all of the marinade out into a blender, add the remaining Filling ingredients and blend to a cream.
-Combine the cream with marinated mushrooms and spread this filling inside each half of the pastry squares. Fold into a rectangular pasty.
-Have on it's own, fill with rocket leaves or serve with a juicy salad or salsa.

ENJOY!