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. 

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...

A pleasant medley of fresh asparagus, leafy greens, rice and quinoa. This dish can be a great option for a quick one dish meal! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Basmati Rice
• 1 cup - Quinoa
• 3 cups - Vegetable Stock or Water
• 1 bunch - Asparagus - chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cups - Leafy greens (I used power greens - mix of spinach and kale) - roughly chopped
• 1 inch - Ginger - grated
• 2 tablespoons - Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon - cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Juice of 1 medium lemon

1. Wash the rice and quinoa together in a sieve. Drain out all the water.
2. Place the washed rice & quinoa in a 3 quart stock pot. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable stock.
3. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the stock pot and cook the rice & quinoa mixture for 20 minutes.
4. After the rice & quinoa is cooked, lightly fluff it with a fork to separate the grains.
5. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds, let them sizzle & turn medium brown in color.
6. Add the chopped asparagus & leafy greens. Saute for 5 minutes until the veggies are softened but not overcooked.
7. Add the grated ginger. Saute for 1 minute.
8. Add the cooked rice & quinoa mixture. Stir gently and mix well. Continue stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
9. Add the lemon juice. Mix well.
10. Serve hot. 

Serves - 8

A favorite hearty snack with burst of flavors! The vegan cheese melts beautifully to tie up this supreme dish :)

Ingredients:

• Tortilla chips 
• Black beans - cooked; seasoned with cumin powder, garam masala and/or any other seasoning of your choice
• Red kidney beans - cooked; seasoned with cumin powder, garam masala and/or any other seasoning of your choice
• Onion - finely chopped
• Cilantro - finely chopped
• Paprika/red chili powder - to taste (optional)
• Vegan Cheese (shredded) - I use these brands -  'Follow your Heart' (fiesta blend or cheddar) or 'Daiya' (cheddar or pepper jack style shreds)

1. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F. 
2. Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet.
3. Spread tortilla chips on the cookie sheet.
4. Spread the beans, onion and cilantro on the tortilla chips.
5. Sprinkle paprika.
6. Sprinkle shredded vegan cheese.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts.
8. Serve hot.

Note:  this is a very versatile recipe. The proportions of all the above ingredients can be adjusted according to your choice. You can substitute or add any ingredient. Other topping options are sliced olives, scallions (green onions), tomatoes, pickled jalapeno slices.

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.

This recipe is my veganized version of the popular Indian dish, 'Palak Paneer'.I worked on this recipe especially for my son Sahil, who loves the dish and used to say when he was a little boy :) ,"Palak Paneer is my most favorite foods in the whole wide world"!! I have replaced Paneer (cottage cheese) with organic tofu and the heavy whipping cream with raw cashews. Palak Tofu and Aloo Palak have become staple in my kitchen. Now this recipe has become Sahil's most favorite food and my family insists that I make it at least once a week! :)

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. box / 2 bunches - Fresh Organic Spinach OR Power Green Blends (baby spinach, baby kale and baby chard)
• 14 oz. pack - Organic Extra Firm Tofu (for Palak Tofu recipe) OR
• 2 medium - Potatoes (for Aloo Palak recipe)
• 2 handfuls - Raw Cashews Nuts - soaked in water for at least 1 hour
• 1 inch piece - Ginger
• 3-4 cloves - Garlic
• 1-2 - Green chilies (optional / to taste)
• 1 small - Onion
• 1/2 teaspoon - cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon - Cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon - Garam Masala powder
• 1 pinch - Baking Soda
• 1 tablespoon + some quantity for lightly shallow frying tofu / potatoes - Oil
• Salt to taste

1. For Palak Tofu: squeeze out all the water from the tofu and pat it gently with paper towel. Cut the tofu into medium size cubes. Shallow fry / lightly saute these pieces in little oil until they get a beautiful light brown color. Set aside.
2. For Aloo Palak: peel and cut the potatoes into medium size cubes. Shallow fry / lightly saute these pieces in little oil until they get a beautiful light brown color and are almost cooked. If you want to avoid the shallow frying step - boil the potatoes making sure they are firm to the bite and not overcooked. Peel and cut the potatoes into medium size cubes. Set aside.
3. Add water to a big 4-5 quarts stock pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water.
4. Add the green leafy vegetables to the boiling water and stir lightly. Leave them in the boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Drain out the hot boiling water and add the green leaves to a big bowl of ice cold water. This process of blanching, lightly cooks the leaves and helps retain their fresh green color and nutrients. Set aside the leaves in ice water for 10-15 minutes.
6. In a blender (I use my Vitamix) add the blanched green leaves, soaked raw cashews, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Add little water if needed, to blend these ingredients into a smooth puree, which is not too thick, nor too watery.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non stick or heavy bottom pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 1 minute.
8. Add the finely chopped onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until it becomes transparent and the raw smell goes away.
9. Add the smooth green puree and mix well. Cover and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
10. Add the cinnamon powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Add the tofu / potato pieces and mix gently. Cover and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
12. Serve hot with roti / paratha / rice.

This is one of my favorite 'go-to' recipes during busy weeknights. It's a great one dish meal which can be put together in 30 minutes. These nutritious noodles are packed with the goodness of vegetables and beans and can be made gluten free by using quinoa noodles. Kids love these noodles in their lunch boxes too!!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz / 1 box - Quinoa Spaghetti OR Eggless Noodles - cooked per package direction (al dente / firm to the bite)
• 15 oz can - Organic Black Beans - drained and rinsed (you could substitute with any beans of your choice)
• 2 small - Carrots - peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium - Zucchini - cut into small pieces
• 1 medium - Yellow (summer) Squash -  cut into small pieces
• 2 - Hatch Peppers (when in season) OR 1 medium - Green Bell Pepper -  cut into small pieces
• 2 cups - Green Cabbage - finely sliced
• 1 medium - Onion - sliced
• 1 1/2 inch - Ginger - minced
• 6-7 cloves - Garlic - minced
• 3 tablespoons - Organic Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons / to taste - Chili Garlic Sauce
• 2 + 1 tablespoons - Oil
• Salt - to taste (please check the taste before adding salt, because tamari does contain salt)

1. Cook the quinoa spaghetti / eggless noodles per the package directions (al dente / firm to the bite). Note: after straining the water out, add 1 tbspn. oil and toss the noodles so that they don't become sticky.
2. Heat 2 tbspn. oil in a nonstick wok.
3. Add the minced ginger & garlic. Saute till the raw smell goes away.
4. Add the sliced onion. Saute till it becomes transparent (3-4 minutes).
5. Add all the chopped veggies and stir well. Saute on high heat for about 4-5 minutes, till the veggies are cooked but firm to the bite.
6. Add the tamari sauce and chili garlic sauce. Stir well. 
7. Adjust the amount of salt you need, keeping in mind that tamari already contains some salt.
8. Add the cooked noodles to the seasoned veggies and mix well. Sometimes I like to cut the noodles with my kitchen scissors so they are not too long and easier to eat :)
9. Add the beans and toss well.
10. Serve hot.

Note:  you can always use the vegetables and beans of your choice, or use the vegetables that are in season. Asparagus, mushrooms, green beans, broccoli, are my other choices.

Serves 4 - 6