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. 

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. 

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...

Pure, simple, clean eating - that's what this salad is all about. It is so yummy and full of nutrients, it's hard to believe that you can prepare and serve it in just a few minutes!! My family literally craves for this wonderful salad :)


Ingredients:

• 4 big handfuls - Baby Curly Kale leaves - cleaned, torn into bite size pieces; thick stem removed
• 10 - 12 - Cherry Tomatoes - sliced into half
• 1 medium - English Cucumber - sliced into bite size pieces
• 1/4 cup - Craisins (dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup - Sunflower Seeds
• 1 handful - Raw Cashews (pieces) or nuts of your choice
• 2 teaspoons - Organic Coconut Oil
• 1 teaspoon - Local Organic Raw Honey
• 1/2 - lime (juice)
• 1 pinch - Salt

1. Clean the baby kale leaves, remove the thick stems (can use them later in soup recipes), tear the leaves into bite size pieces. You can also buy the baby kale leaves in bags in the salad section of your grocery store.
2. Place the baby kale in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the coconut oil, lime juice, honey and a pinch of salt. 
3. With clean fingers massage the oil, lime juice, honey and salt on the baby kale leaves for about 2 -3 minutes. The leaves should get well coated with all the above ingredients.
4. Add rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl. 
5. Toss the salad well.
6. Serve cool.

Note:  If baby kale is unavailable, you can use other greens of your choice. Baby spinach is also a good option. 

Serves - 4

This Mock Chicken Salad / White Bean Salad is another family favorite in our home. I make this salad every weekend and use it in sandwiches or wraps for lunch. Every week, I use a different bean. My favorites are Garbanzo beans (chick peas), Navy beans and Cannellini beans (white kidney beans). This salad is very easy to make, very filling and stays well in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups / 15 oz. can - cooked white beans for your choice (I use organic Garbanzo beans (chick peas), Navy beans or Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
• 2 medium - Organic Carrots - peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks - Organic Celery - finely diced
• 1/2 small - Organic Red Onion - finely diced
• 1/2 cup - Vegan Mayonnaise (I use 'Vegenaise' / 'Just Mayo' brands. To learn more about vegan mayo, click here)
• 2 tablespoons - Nutritional Yeast Flakes (It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins, and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar, dairy, and gluten. Sometimes nutritional yeast is fortified with vitamin B12. It's nutty, cheesy, creamy flavor makes it a great substitute for cheese.)
• Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon / to taste
• Salt - to taste 

1. Place the cooked beans in a medium size mixing bowl. Mash the beans to a coarse texture with a potato masher or a fork.
2. Add all the other ingredients to the mashed beans.
3. Mix well.
4. Use the Mock Chicken Salad on sandwiches, wraps or just on a bed of lettuce!
5. Store the leftover salad (if you have any!) in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Refreshing mix of colorful vegetables and sprouted moong beans with a variety of flavors and textures.

Ingredients:

• English Cucumber - 1 large - chopped into bite size pieces
• Cherry Tomatoes - 10-12 - chopped into half
• Red bell pepper - 1 medium - chopped into bite size pieces
• Beet - 1 medium - peeled, cooked/steamed - chopped into bite size pieces
• Carrots - 2 medium - peeled, cooked/steamed - chopped into bite size pieces
• Sprouted Green Moong Beans - 1 cup - lightly steamed
• Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
• Black salt - to taste (can use sea salt instead)
• Black Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

1. Mix all the above ingredients.
2. Chill in the refrigerator.
3. Serve cool.