About Me
Hello, My name is Pallavi and I am the creator of Veggie Zest. I am a globetrotter… born and raised in the Northern Part of India (New Delhi) I moved to the Middle East (Kuwait) when I turned 21. I lived and worked there for three years and then moved to Ohio to pursue my degree in Design and soon after graduation moved to Florida. My husband and I lived in Florida (Sarasota + Orlando) for a total of 4 years and for more adventure moved to India in 2010. Now in the process of relocating to Toronto, Canada.
It has been a tough transition and life has been a roller-coaster ride ever since we came to India. We now live in Pondicherry (located in the southern part of India) and it has been a unique experience living here so far! Pondy has a huge French influence (since the French colonized it for many years) as a result it adds on to my vast/global culinary experience.
So, basically I have been moving around the world since I was 21, it has made my background and knowledge about food that much more diverse. From falafel and hummus to grits and toast, from the stir fry at a local Vietnamese restaurant to authentic dosa from a street vendor…I have loved every bit and every bite of it!
I am a vegetarian! I was raised a vegetarian but started eating meat when I moved to Ohio for various reasons. But in 2009 I gave up meat completely for ethical reasons. I have been meat free ever since. Although you will not find me talking about how everybody needs to leave meat all the time….but I try to contribute in spreading the awareness by making flavorful vegetarian and vegan recipes from different parts of the world and posting them here on my blog. So if you are a vegan, a vegetarian, an aspiring vegan or vegetarian or somebody who just happenes to like my blog…please share it. There are buttons to various sharing avenues under every post.
And like any other blogger, I love interacting with my reader/visitors…so drop in a comment or a question. Cheers!
you can write to me at: pallavi [at] veggiezest [dot] com or reach me at +91 9787134878
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I think it sounds wonderful- and simple. Can’t wait to try it out.
Nina, Thanks for your comment- I just saw your blog and realized that you frequently travel to India. Have you ever been to Pondicherry?
Sorry that it’s taken me soo long to reply…spaced out a bit. YES! I”ve been many times to Pondy. It is a very civilized place to live…in some ways it reminds me of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with its large expat community and coastal/southern influence.
I would definitely enjoy eating this recipe. Sometimes the lazy side takes over, especially when I have to go out and buy all the ingredients…and having to use two different kinds of honey is a bit of a deterant. I love coconut anything so I am tempted. Would appreciate any recommendations you have about commercial coconut products too. Thanks. As a near-vegetarian, I am always on the look out for interesting recipes, especially with an Indian twist as India is my home away from home.
Hi Pallavi! I am loving your blog! The strawberry coconut custard looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it! Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes!
Hi Linda, you know I have seen a lot of people getting turned off of eating meat after watching one of those slaughter documentaries by PETA etc. I have personally never seen one (don’t have the heart to watch that stuff), but you could give it a try- if you haven’t already
Thanks for stopping by my blog, I hope you are able to find interesting enough recipes here that can inspire your husband :)
At 52 I have been trying to be a vegetarian most of my life! I hate the taste of meat and morally I object to eating it. My husband feels the opposite of me though and I hate to cook so your blog should be just the thing for me! Nice to meet you. Linda
I gave up eating meat around 9 months ago and am loving it! Great to find a good vegetarian blog, so many food blogs are meat centered. Will be looking out for your posts!
It is so encouraging and makes me so happy to see more and more people realize the importance of vegetarian food in life. It is not only good for your body or the environment but it is so delicious!
Hi Pallavi,
I’m so glad to have found your beautiful blog via the Freshly Pressed page. Great recipes and fabulous photography. I also blog about (mainly) vegetarian recipes so stop by when you have a mo.
Camilla
I am really lookinig forward to exploring your blog and getting recipe ideas. I have been a vegetarian for almost 6 years (gave up meat for ethical reasons), so I am always looking for tasty recipes. So cool that you once lived in OH, that’s where I grew up! :)
Oh cool, I went to school in Columbus! Thanks for visiting veggiezest.
I love your tiramisu recipe! It tastes absolutely amazing! And this never recipe never goes wrong! :)
Thank you so much Shreya…I surely miss making it!!
i love the hummus recipe! it helps me get protein on a vegetarian diet :)
Ooh yay! The moment you mentioned Auroville I knew you were in Pondy! I’m so glad you chose to return to India; I did as well, some years ago. :) I think I’ll always be a bit unsettled, in the sense that I’m part-gypsy, but I can never stay away from India for very long. I love your recipe; I’ll give it a go. :)
Oh, I’m not too far away from you. I’m in Chennai. It’s lovely to run into another blogger from this part of the world!
-A
Hi there, I have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog award at http://dinnerfornone.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/finally-the-nominees. Searched your blog but couldn’t find out whether you’ve already received it, so I hope you haven’t. Kiki
Thanks so much Kiki, no I haven’t as yet! Thanks for the nominations.
Hey Pallavi! Wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! Head over to my page to check out the details :)
http://jennaandcalder.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/one-lovely-blog-nomination/
I’m excited I found your blog! I recently became vegan and this Summer traveled to Scotland with my husband. It has made me want to learn more about cooking and world flavors. Look forward to reading your blog!
Thanks Brittany! Although my blog is mainly vegetarian, I always try to mark a recipe vegan if it qualifies. I hope you find the blog helpful and inspiring.
Congratulations on being featured on Freshly Pressed! I love your photography — the Pomegranate/Strawberry Sorbet is beautiful!
Thank you so much…being freshly pressed IS pretty awesome :)
Stumbled upon your blog and we both (co-others of our blog) LOVE the gorgeous recipes and beautiful photos - pure art! Will start reading - and trying your recipes! Thanks!
Thanks for your awesome words…I hope you like the recipes.
Hi Pallavi — What a great find to stumble upon your food blog, as well as a fellow food blogger. I have to say your recipes sound delicious and your photos even more so! They are gorgeous! Well done! Look forward to many future posts — much success!
Thank you so much Christina for your sweet words. I hope you give some of the recipes a try. Happy Cooking!!
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I nominated your blog for an award: http://thepainterspalate.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/very-inspiring-bloggers-award/
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thank you so much!
What an inspriational story :) Your blog is nothing short of amazing. As a fellow veggie, thank you for making vegetarian food as beautiful as you do. I have added you to my blogs I love list. Have a beautiful day :)
Thank you so much Cass for your sweet words and for adding me to your list :)
hey Pallavi, thanks for having taken up the noble cause of promoting vegetarianism, much appreciated. Loved your blog & it’s banner, well, i loved everything about it actually! Great going! :)
Thanks Teju, I am happy you liked my blog. I wish to inspire people to make and eat vegetarian and healthy food.
love the blog and just heard about it from my lovely Indian pal Vidhya … look fwd to trying some out on my family
Thank you Marianne, I am glad you found my blog and liked it. I hope you give some of the recipes a try and like them!
Love this blog, and will have to try these recipes! The pics of the food are beautiful! You should check out our new blog… hotmoodymess.com. Mostly vegan recipes, and fitness and fashion ideas from a single Dallas girl and a married mom of 3. Not quite as professional and beautiful as your blog, but working on it :) Have a great night!
Thanks for visiting and liking my blog Tawny!
Love everything on this blog! Would you mind telling me what setting you use when you take pictures? I’m teaching myself to be a slighlty-more-than-average photographer, but at the same time wonder what other people do to achieve such AWESOME pictures…
Congratulations, I’ve nominated your blog for the Reality Blog Award! You can pick it up here http://thebravecook.com/2012/12/13/my-second-award-the-reality-blog-award-2/ I really enjoy your blog!
Lukasz
Dear Pallavi, Thank you for your interesting blog. I blog Vegan recipes. Years ago I wrote Gourmet Vegan, now out of publication so I blog my recipes and collect new recipes as I travel the world. I have been to Pondicherry .My husband was ill with pleurisy and treated very well at the hospital there. Yours Heather
Hey Heather - too bad Gourmet Vegan went out of publication..the world needs as much inspiration as possible to try different, healthier and more cruelty free food. Pondicherry IS a pretty unique place…I am happy you had a positive experience here.
Hi! I’m not a vegetarian or vegan but I do believe in eating healthy 😊.
Love your blog already 💋
Wonderful blog - just came across your tahini buns on freshly pressed! My yoga teacher’s son moved to Pondicherry (from France) about three years to go to the Lycee for a year, but decided to stay. I hope I’ll get there one day!
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed! The tahini buns are mouth-watering looking - we’ve wondered what to do with tahini other than hummus. Well now we know! My husband is from Chennai and we’re finishing a place there. I must visit Pondicherry on a future trip. We don’t cook South Indian food much, so would like ways to include the flavors in vegetarian global fusion foods. I love how you think about food!
very cool page! :) I’m vegetarian since around 1994 and I can never imagine going back to eating dead animals. right on, sister! :*
I am SO happy I found your blog! I was a vegetarian 5 or 6 years ago then became a backslider (boo). But this year, my resolution is to jump back on the wagon, if my fellow ‘tarians would have me back. Your blog is my first step! Definitely following! xxGlor
What a wonderful and inspiring blog! I love it!
Hi Pallavi, love your blog! All the recipes look divine and your images and styling are beautiful and on point! Can you tell us what equipment you use to take those beautiful photos?
Thanks
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Hi Pallavi, Because you have a great blog that I love, I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! If you choose to accept the nomination, please follow the link to the nominee rules… Congratulations!!
http://mittsandmeasures.com/2013/04/27/versatile-blogger-award/
Thank you for combining culture and cooking! I love veggies and I love Indian food, but the closest Indian restaurant is an hour away from where I live, so, to get my fix I have to make my own. I will definitely be trying your recipes. Beautiful site, beautiful photos…I love it all! Thanks again for sharing.
Your blog is beautiful!
Hi Pallavi - your blog is just beautiful and you live in Pondicherry which must now be one of the world’s most famous places! Ang Lee made it look superbly romantic, so if it is half as nice as the film version it would definitely be worth returning home to.
Hi! Just found your blog (and following you on pinterest). Can’t wait to check out all your fabulous food and try some of it. I have a healthy eating blog with simple recipes too….would love for you to stop by and check it out!
What a lovey blog! Just found you through wordpress and I’m looking forward to following along!
Fascinating about page, it sounds like you have had lots of experiences all over the world with culture and cuisine! I enjoy vegetarian recipes, so I’ll be sure to check out some of your ideas.
I’m so glad WordPress recommended your blog to me. I’m not a vegetarian but am always on the lookout for more flavorful meatless dishes to make. And I’m in love with your magazine-style post header photos!
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Hello Pallavi. I have just discovered your blog through wordpress and I am so glad I did! My parents are from India, but I grew up in France, and after traveling, studying and working on different continents I eventually ended up back in BC, Canada for work. So I share your passion for food with various flavors, twists, herbs and spices. As I’ve started a blog about the environment and sustainability, I am also more and more interested in vegetarianism and vegetarian cooking so I am really looking forward to exploring your blog and trying out many of your very tempting recipes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion so beautifully!
Hi Pallavi….I have stumbled upon your blog recently and have been i touch with it for a while ago. But at my first glance only I was enthralled by your blog; your photography is amazing and recipe posts are also commendable. Hence I have nominated you for “Shine On” Award. I don’t know for you this would be a significant batch or not but by this nomination I want you to know that you have wonderful blog and it is a symbol of respect for your great blogging journey. You can collect “Shine On” award here: http://femmehavenn.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/shine-on-award/
Thanks Shobhnaa for you sweet comment and I really appreciate you nominating me for the blog award. Its not really that it doesn’t mean anything but I don’t feel comfortable participating for all this.
It’s totally fine! It’s just a nomination and award acceptance is always optional. It’s okay if you don’t feel to participate in. Have happy blogging :)
Gorgeous, gorgeous blog! I’m an an aspiring vegetarian, as you say, and am always looking for inspiration to keep my plate interesting and delicious. So thrilled to have found your wonderful blog! :)
Hi Rachelle, Thank you so much for your sweet comment - it makes me so happy to know that I can inspire you to make more vegetarian food.
Lovely photographs Pallavi, love the rustic feel to them. Now that you mention it, some of your crockery is soo Pondicherry :)
You do a lovely job with the recipes! Please check out my fitness/ nutrition blog if you like! Thanks (:
What a wonderful story! I can’t wait to check out all the recipes.
Hello Pallavi - Just discovered your blog . I m a vegetarian , foodie and I love cooking . Looking forward to some interesting content here.
Hi Vikraman and welcome to Veggie Zest! I hope you give some of the recipes a try and like them.
Hi! You have a nomination for Versatile Blogger Award! I like your blog. Simona http://donnediluce.altervista.org/grazie-grazie-grazie-un-grande-regalo/
Hi Pallavi! Just found you blog, its wonderful! So many nice photos and recipes:)
Cheers,
Mila
Hey Mila - that’s a really pretty name! Thanks for all your sweet words and welcome to VZ.
Hi, Pallavi! I wanted to let you know that I just nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award because I love your blog and it inspires me ☺. For more information check out http://theovendiaries.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/versatile-blogger-award/
Hello Pallavi,
I just discovered your blog from The Oven Diaries. I’m so glad I did, your photos are so beautiful and inspiring, as are your dishes!
Sophia :)
Thanks Sophia! Very happy to have you here - welcome to Veggie Zest!
Hello Pallavi! Just discovered your blog from WordPress and I am so glad that I did. I am loving every post of yours and I am sure I would love to keep hopping in. Coincidentally, I too had been working as a Graphic Designer (but then I knew why… I love designing) but have left my job in advertising and am a full-time Culinary Travel blogger now and write on Travel and Food. A Bong by chance!
Thanks Ishita for such wonderful and sweet words. Coincidentally I will be visiting Kolkata soon (for the first time) and am very excited to capture some of the street food on my camera. Perhaps some suggestions would be wonderful!
I am excited to know that my blog can have an influence on your (hard core non-vegetarian) eating habits. I don’t like to impose my thoughts on people, but it makes me happy that my recipes are inspiring you :) Welcome to Veggie Zest!
Thanks Pallavi! If you want to capture Kolkata street food… then do start off with Dilipda’s Phuchka and Momos in Tiretti Bazaar (this gets transformed into a parking lot by 9am sharp). Have shared the links. Sharing them again… Phuchka - http://ishitaunblogged.com/2012/07/13/phuchkas-in-vivekananda-park-world-famous-in-kolkata/; Momos - http://ishitaunblogged.com/2012/07/17/momos-in-tiretti-bazar-the-last-chinese-remnants/
You can also hop onto Kanishka’s blog to get an idea of new Kolkata restaurants or some old restaurants in North Kolkata…And also go for various walking tours (including some Bazaars) with Calcutta Walks… http://www.calcuttawalks.com/
Connecting you with the both of them over Twitter. You will definitely enjoy Kolkata.
Gorgeous blog you have here, recipes and photos are all so beautiful!
Glad I found you : )
Hi! I’ve nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award, if you choose to participate :)
You can find more info here: http://wholeandhappyfood.com/2013/12/05/the-versatile-blogger-award-2/
Johanna
I am so glad I stumbled on to your blog! You have amazing recipes and beautiful photos. I want to make and eat everything on your blog! <3
Dear Pallavi,
I have nominated you for the I’m A Part of The WordPress Family Award. No pressure on you to acknowledge, accept or pass on this award. This is just my way of letting you know that I appreciate your blog and the hard work you put in to make it so wonderful! Please take a look at the award mention here: http://wp.me/p2WqlF-VV.
Much love,
Divya
Wow, so many fantastic recipes - and so beautifully presented. Quite inspiring!
Nick.
Dear Pallavi,
This is the website I have been looking for. And it’s always great to see a fellow Indian make it big in the blogosphere. New Follower :)
Espectacular tu blog. Es un reflejo de viajar tanto y conocer muchos mundos. ¡Te felicito1
I just discovered your blog on Indiblogger and found it so visually appealing!! Haven’t tried out the recipes yet, so can’t comment on that,but your photos,headboard and the overall feel of the blog is just warm and fuzzy. Can’t wait to try out your recipes.
Cheers to your blog!
Thank you so much and welcome to Veggie Zest!
Hello pallavi,
I am a vegetarian too and I found many interesting recipes and it looks so great..
Thanks Suchi and welcome to Veggie Zest!
hello Pallavi,
I can see the influence of your Design education in your blog, photo’s AND food. I love the mix of influences you have imbibed from your various resting places in the world. I shall be following your vegan recipes with interest.
Thank you so much for your sweet words and compliments! Welcome to Veggie Zest :)
Have been looking up your blog for over a year - its beautifully done! - from the photos to the way you write. I know you are vegetarian, but if you have a recipe for fish cakes please share! My Goan friend makes the best but sadly I’ve never been able to replicate. Thankyou!
The pictures on your blog are simply awesome :)
Hello ! Really loving what I see on your blog, everything looks so well made ! I predominantly eat vegetarian cuisine and I love finding new recipes to make. I’m so glad I found you ! Can’t wait to try out your recipes ! :)
Love reading your blog, the photos are delightful. Need to get myself a better camera!!! Can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
Dear Mrs Pallavi
Thank you for your wonderfull words about Villa Shanti.
We Would also like to thank you for your support since 3 years
I Would be glad to meet you along with your husband When I’ll be back to India in june and have a drink at our new property ( http://www.lavillapondicherry.com )
The restaurant Will open in August and I Would Also be interested to have your advice about végétarien food.
Best regards
Paquiry Segiyane Sylvain
Managing director
Villa Shanti and LA VILLA
Wow, I am so glad I stumbled across your blog. Love the photos, the things you share, and the way you design each post. Ohh soo lovely! Can’t wait to sit down and just stumble through all your posts! Cheers.
Beautiful blog and lovely pictures. My boyfriend and I also are trying to give up on meat- we eat it only during the weekends and we always buy it at the butcher’s. We care about animals and frankly since we started eating more vegetables we feel much better and healthier. Good luck with your new adventure in Canada. I keep my fingers crossed:)
I am pretty glad I stumbled upon your blog. I am slowly transitioning into vegetarian and getting ideas is pretty difficult so I can wait to try some of your yummies!