A 'koshimbir' is a Marathi salad composed of vegetable certain spices, and sometimes yogurt. This beet koshimbir is one of our favorite sides to whip up. It's a gorgeous deep color that is vibrant in its taste and appearance. Easy to make and a delight to eat! :) 

Ingredients
- 2 Beets (peeled) 
- Non-dairy yogurt of choice 
- Salt
- Cumin (jeera) powder)

Cook the beets until soft (in a pressure cooker or boiled). Allow them to cool down to room temperature. Then dice the beets into small cubes and place in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup of non-dairy yogurt. Add 1/4 tsp cumin powder, and add salt to taste. It will be a beautiful bright pink color that will add a 'wow' to everyone's face and taste buds. 

Vegan Quiche...... a mouthwatering dish you must try at home! It's the perfect comfort food, that is a treat to make and relish with your loved ones. :) 

Ingredients:
For the crust
- 2 cups Almond flour (meal)
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp dried Thyme

For the tofu filling
- 1 block extra firm tofu (with water squeezed out) 
- Handful Fresh basil 
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp Tamari (or soy sauce, or liquid aminos)
- 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast

For the sauteed vegetables
- 3 -4 cloves garlic (minced) 
- Vegetables like mushrooms, greens, broccoli, etc
- 1/3 cup Onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Start with preparing the crust: mix the almond flour, olive oil, salt, and thyme in a bowl, until combined. Press the resulting mixture into a lightly greased pie/cake pan, making sure it is evenly spread out and covering all of the bottom and about 1 inch of the sides. Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. 
While the crust is baking prepare the tofu filling and vegetables. For the filling, place the tofu, basil, salt & pepper, tamari sauce, and nutritional yeast in a food processor. Pulse until it is smooth and creamy, adjust the taste to your liking. Set asides in a bowl. 
Next, chop the vegetables and onions into small pieces. In a skillet, heat a bit of oil and then saute the garlic for 1 minute. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until they start becoming translucent. Then add the mushrooms, greens, or other vegetables, and saute until they are all just about cooked (~3-4 minutes). Turn off gas and let the veggies cool for a few minutes.
Then add the sauteed vegetables to the tofu mixture, and pour the entire filling into the baked crust. Top with an even sprinkle of vegan cheese if you would like.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until the quiche is lightly brown/set. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes, then cut in slices and serve. Enjoy your meal!

A salad is a brilliant way to add color, vitality and nutrients to any meal. You can make them with any ingredients you may have at home, and can present them in an artistic fashion in the serving bowl. Sounds like a win win for our bodies and our innovative mind! 

Ingredients:
(These are just what we used, you can change it up!)
- Green mix (spinach, arugula, kale, lettuce, etc)
- Cucumbers
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Walnuts (crushed)
- Apples (sliced)
- Avocado (mashed in small pieces and topped with lemon juice)
- Nutritional yeast 

Dressing idea:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Salt & pepper

In a large bowl, place the greens. Cut the fruit and vegetables to small pieces. Layer them on the greens in the bowl. Top with the avocado, and sprinkle nutritional yeast for decoration. Add dressing ingredients to a separate small bowl, and mix to combine. Then drizzle over the prepared salad, or leave it on the side for individuals to serve themselves. 

Roasted veggies are a go-to easy and hearty dinner item. They are especially good for root vegetables during the Fall season. 

Ingredients:
- Vegetables of your choice: Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes,            carrots, beets, all work very well
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Thyme (or other dried herb like Basil or Oregano)
- (Optional) Garlic powder 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and chop vegetables to medium sized pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or aluminum foil). Put the cut veggies on the tray. Drizzle some olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder over the veggies. Using your hand, toss and mix the oil/toppings so they evenly cover the vegetables. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until they are softly cooked and browned. Bon appetit! 

I had bought some mint leaves from my school's garden stand and was excited to use them in any way I could! So I followed my creative spirit and created this recipe for my mid-day snack. I carried it in a mason jar, and it was the perfect refreshing treat to eat between my 8-hour day of classes! A few weeks later I made it for an appetizer for a lunch party and it was a big hit in that setting as well! Hope you enjoy it too! ~Shreya

Ingredients:
1 peach or nectarine
A handful of mint 
(Optional: few leaves of lemon balm- adds even more vibrance!)

Chop the fruit into small pieces and mince the herbs into small strips. Mix everything together with your hands or a spoon. Store in a jar, let the fruit juices be infused by the leaves. And whenever you would like, enjoy your easy and joy-filled snack! 
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P.s. feel free to try this with any other fruits as well! I'm sure it would taste amazing with strawberries, raspberries, etc...

This avocado spread is great on sandwiches, with roasted vegetables, pasta, etc! A lovely bright green color, smooth and creamy texture, and loaded with healthy nutrients... whats not to love about it? :) 

Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Handful of spinach (or arugula)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or Himalayan pink salt  
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- Dash of lemon juice

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until combined. Adjust the taste to your liking. And most importantly have fun!! 

On my journey to eat natural whole foods, I am experimenting to make things at home that I may ordinarily buy from a grocery store. One of these things was a healthy raspberry jam/preserve. In my college apartment I experimented and created this wonderful recipe. Not only is the jam so fresh and tasty, the whole process of making it-- the tantalizing aromas and warmth- is a beautiful experience. ~Shreya 

Ingredients:
- Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- Chia seeds
- Vanilla extract
- (Optional) Sweetener of your choice: Maple Syrup, Honey, Agave, Organic Cane Sugar etc

Place raspberries in a pan, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the berries are warm and become a loose consistency. 
Add in the vanilla extract, sweetener, and chia seeds.  
Let simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, let it cool, and enjoy your freshly made jam in any way you would like! On toast, oatmeal , pancakes, mixed nuts, the possibilities are endless. :)