This has become my go-to smoothie as I am trying to eat healthily, shed some weight and also need to do something about my hair (it's thinning and the hair fall is bad). It's also a great smoothie for those times when we are deprived of raw green food and need a lot of nutrition with minimum fuss. It has detoxifying benefits (excellent after travel fix) and perfect  when we need to balance an earlier indulgent meal. This smoothie is alkalizing, hydrating, helps in cleansing, aids in weight-loss, antioxidant-rich and easy to digest - all this with minimal prep time. I've moved to a new office and have very little time sometimes when I am running around for meetings. This green smoothie makes a convenient meal on days when I don't have much time to sit and chew and have to work long hours. It gives me all the nutrients I need and is packed with immunity boosting ingredients like ginger. Green veggies are packed with chlorophyll and are much needed to give you all

New York is hands-down one of the best cities for vegans (why not the most? I am still undecided between LA, Berlin, and NYC). I've spent a considerable time in New York this year when I was in the city for a vegan TV show styling project. New Yorkers are spoilt for choice when it comes to vegan foods - you can pretty much find whatever cuisine you are craving. Additionally, the city offers a host of vegan activities (other than food) for everything from shopping to beauty to vegan festivals, pop-up shops, and vegan cooking demos. And of course, there is Whole Foods and Westerly Natural Market with a large selection of vegan food, home cleaning, and personal care products. Here is a list of 6 must-have vegan places in New York that can't leave New York without. It includes the best vegan restaurants and vegan fashion stores (there are vegan shopping options for guys too).

A healthy body and skin is a combination of factors and one recipe to get both require a commitment to a balanced and healthy diet throughout the year. Salads are a great way to get all the nutrition needed for a great skin. I am a big fan of lettuce because it is so easily available round-the-year, combines well with most ingredients, is easy on the wallet and is packed with nutrition. Good for detoxifying the system, this alternative lettuce salad is full of fresh and vibrant flavors. It looks lovely and works wonderfully as both a side salad or a starter. Coconut combines really well with lettuce and the great thing is that not only does coconut add great taste to the salad it has many health benefits too. Raw coconut is high in dietary fiber that encourages weight loss, it improves immunity, and is high in minerals. Coconut is also great for skin and hair. Nuts, especially pine nuts and almonds, are a great way to oomph up any salad and I always add nuts to mine. Next time y

Rebranded as Seva Table, formerly Life N One, this villa-style plant-based cafe nestled in a garden is a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Dubai. A wellness center and yoga studio that doubles up as a vegan-friendly cafe and concept store is brainchild of Eda, the Turkish owner of the place.  The moment you enter the place, you are transported to a zen-like atmosphere where you unplug with all the stress and worries and connect with your soul. The decor and positive quotes on the trees and walls definitely help. The place calls itself an urban retreat that connects body and soul - and I couldn't have put it in better words.  Being a wellness center, the food at this cafe is naturally inclined towards the healthy side; think raw, vegan and gluten-free. However, it has a few options for those who like to indulge too {yes, that chocolate ice-cream sandwich in the picture is an absolute delight}! Everything on the menu is dairy-free and gluten-free. What confused

Loathe the mundane coffees from the international chains? Can't find quality vegan coffee? Skip past the same ole 'bucks and 'osta and check out some fantastic cafes that serve the best organic and vegan coffee in Dubai and flaunt a kick-ass ambiance and concept. With new coffee bars opening up every month, the coffee craze in Dubai has spread all across the city, so you are never short of options, however finding a good cup of vegan coffee can still be a challenge. So I've done some research for you and picked some of my favorite places in Dubai for a great vegan cup of coffee. Run mostly by expats from America, Europe and Australia, some of these places take their coffee-making skills very seriously, paying attention to detail to every process right from sourcing the finest and freshest beans to serving them with finesse.  It's time to put pause on your Starbucks addiction and explore some great coffee shops in Dubai that serve artisan coffee crafted from t

Smoothies are the best way to kickstart a great day! But mornings are usually when we are pressed with time and eating healthily takes a long time. So if you are looking for a delicious creamy smoothie for breakfast or post workout then this is exactly what you need - The Smoothie Bombs! These raw smoothie balls come in two flavors - raw cacao and super greenie and are made from organic ingredients with no added sugar and super healthy ingredients including chia seeds, psyllium husk, black strap molasses. I discovered these recently and have been love with them. I just throw in a smoothie bomb with banana or avocado almonds and blend it with either freshly pressed orange juice or fresh coconut water and boom it turns into a delicious creamy smoothie. A glassful is nutrition powerhouse and keeps you nourished and satiated until lunch. I am in love with this beautiful drink! I N G R E D I E N T S  1 Smoothie Ball Freshly pressed juice of 2 oranges or coconut water 1 banana o

A green smoothie doesn't have to taste .... like green. With the right ingredients you can actually get your daily dose of healthy veggies without compromising on the taste with a glass of delicious green smoothie. You'd know by now that smoothies are my go-to health drink, which I make sure to have every morning. Not only are they packed with nutrients, with the right ingredients they taste delicious, are super easy to make, keeps me energized all-day long and make for the perfect breakfast that keeps me satiated until lunch. With thousands of trials and errors, I've learnt the secret to making delicious smoothies - from green smoothies to tropical delights to berry and chocolate treats. On most days my post-workout meal includes a glass of green smoothie and here's one of my favorite - Kale & Pineapple Smoothie. I play around with different combinations in the Kale & Pineapple Smoothie itself depending on my mood and weather. I N G R E

This deceptively simple yet nutrition packed smoothie is super delicious and is the perfect way to start your morning. Loaded with calcium, fiber, vitamins and healthy fats, this creamy vegan smoothie has just the right amount of sweetness (thanks to banana and dates) and the addition of cinnamon gives it a nice flavor and a spicy kick. It takes only three minutes and literally four (even 3 if you want to skip vanilla) ingredients to have a delicious yet filling breakfast - banana, cinnamon, almond milk and vanilla. I always use home-made almond milk, it's really simple to make at home and healthier than most options available in the market. For almond milk, you just need to soak in almonds overnight, blend it with 2x water and strain it - there you have almond milk in no time! You can play around with the ratios and ingredients of this smoothie as well. Add water to make it less creamy, replace banana with apple or just throw in an apple for extra nutrition and flavor

A killer breakfast that tastes delicious, is packed with nutrients and looks like a culinary delight right out of a five-star kitchen is just what you need to pep up your breakfast or brunch affair. How? With offering your good'ole smoothies a complete makeover - blending it thick, served in a bowl and creating an artistic topping to it. In fact they have been officially declared as the new Instagram star of the healthy world! Smoothie bowls make for a filling breakfast that can keep you satiated until lunch time or a great choice even for a brunch when you want something healthy and super filling (have a larger portion in this case). The best thing about the smoothie bowls are they are your guilt-free treats and if made with the right ingredients it's a great healthy replacement of your nasty sundaes and sugary desserts. The ingredients possibilities of creating a smoothie bowl is limitless - you have to run your imagination and make sure to create right combina

If you follow my Instagram you'd know I am sucker for healthy meals. But what you may not be aware of is I loathe cooking - its never been my forte. The dilemma is I don't even prefer ready-to-eat meals or eating out that much. I feel horrible and guilty if I eat too much processed or unhealthy meals. So sometimes I have no option but to fix myself a meal when I don't have help. A salad is an easy fix and if you add the right ingredients it can be quite filling and delicious too. A red quinoa salad is a great option as it is wonderfully versatile. It's perfect for lunches, it can make a really good starter or can be a great healthy and filling dinner. Here's my quick quinoa fix for lunch made from organic quinoa, fresh tomatoes, cucumber and sesame - flax seed - ginger - olive oil dressing. The secret ingredient that instantly makes this vegan quinoa salad super yummy is a generous portion of toasted nuts. Since I wanted a more filling meal I also prepared

Pomegranate and Berry Smoothie has become my current favorite smoothie to kick-off the day. I made it for the first time 2 weeks ago and have been having it ever since for nearly every morning right after my workout. This recipe came together randomly while I was trying to add the nutrition powerhouse pomegranate seeds to my diet and it ended up blowing my mind. This super nutritious smoothie has a super creamy texture and tastes wonderful. I've been aware of how good pomegranate is for health but did you know that it contains 3 times more antioxidants than green tea? Pomegranate is loaded with nutrients including high content of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, protein and fiber. In fact several studies have shown that having pomegranate juice daily prevents prostate cancer cells from moving and weakening the chemical signals that promote this kind of cancer to spread in the first place. While I am not fond of pomegranate juice on its own, its too sweet, but it makes a gr

I can't think of a better way to start a Sunday than to have this creamy smoothie that's packed with nutrients yet tastes super delicious. As much as I liked having freshly made smoothies in Scandinavia, after coming back from a nearly month long vacation I really needed to get my blender rolling for some freshly made smoothies from my kitchen.Cooking is not really my forte, but smoothie is that one thing I don't mind getting inside the kitchen for. In just 10 minutes I can whip a delicious smoothie that can rival the most nutritious meal around and it is a good enough filling breakfast to make a great start of the day too! Scrumptious and filling - here is the power smoothie that I've been drinking for breakfast a lot lately and I am completely obsessed with. Just one glass and I feel incredible. Plus it is full of nutrients that is great for your skin, which I direly needed after all that my skin went through during a holiday. Don't be fooled by the green c

In the health department, berries have a fabulous reputation. They are full of antioxidants, high in fiber, loaded with Vitamin C and are also good for your heart and bone. Plus these summer fruits taste delicious adding a nice flavour and taste to your recipes.  While I love adding berries to almost all my smoothies, I particularly prefer a Berry Smoothie after a workout as it's very filling and super nutritious, complementing my workout regime.  This Berry and Avocado Smoothie is my favourite - it is very rich, creamy, sweet and refreshing. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and avocados are the key ingredients in this post-workout breakfast smoothie. Berries & Avocado Smoothie Ingredients: 8-10 blueberries, 6-8 blackberries, 5 strawberries 1/2 avocado 1 plum 1/2 apple 6-7 raisins Almond milk {update: adding nut milk is not a good idea. Only use fruits and greens only to your smoothies, no granola or plant-milk} Instructions: Add all ingred

It's not often you'll find me doing food posts, and especially the DIY recipes {I have little aversion towards cooking, months and sometimes years pass by when I actually cook something other than water}. But every now and then I try to share my vegan and vegetarian experiments that my very dear cook helps me put together. One of my recent experiments was Apple and Pear Green Vegan Smoothie, that turned out surprisingly delicious. Apple Pear Green Smoothie - sounds so chic and healthy!! The colour was so tastefully green, not one of those green smoothies that scare you off. While this smoothie is perfect for the summer, served chilled, it also makes a great energy booster in the winter; when you want to start your day with a coffee but you'd rather have something that starts off the day delectably and keeps you refreshed all day to fight off that winter chill (and now I am almost sounding like a TV commercial -- STOP THAT!). When I saw this smoothie it immediately r