Hi, Lovely!
Welcome to Rainbow Plant Life.
If you’re looking for wow-worthy vegan recipes that work every time, you’re in right place. Keep reading to learn more 🫶🏽
About Rainbow Plant Life
I’m Nisha, and I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m a recipe developer, bestselling cookbook author, video host, and NYT Cooking Contributor. It’s my mission to help you master vegan cooking at home, whether you’re a long-term vegan or just plant-curious.
What began as weekend kitchen experiments while I was still working as an attorney—testing everything from chickpeas to cashew cheese—quickly grew into a lifelong passion to figure out how to make plant-based food taste not just good, but amazing.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that methodical research and testing plus a little culinary curiosity can transform any plant-based ingredient into a standout dish.
And I can’t wait to show you how.
What I bring to your kitchen
Here’s a snapshot of why you’re in good hands:
- Our recipes are trusted by millions: Each month, millions of home cooks visit the Rainbow Plant Life website and watch my videos on Instagram and YouTube in search of cooking inspiration and recipes that work every single time.
- And respected by industry professionals: My second cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor, was an instant New York Times bestseller, James Beard Nominee, and named one of the best books of 2024 by NPR and Amazon.
- Contributor to NYT Cooking: In July 2025, I became a contributor to the NYT Cooking section, a long-time dream of mine.
- Vegan Cooking Expertise: I am the resident vegan cooking expert at Chowhound, Tasting Table, The Daily Meal, and The Takeout.
- Video instructions and expertise. On my YouTube channel, which has 1.5 million subscribers, I share long-form videos for many of my recipes so you can get more in-depth instructions and cooking tips.
- Clear, detailed recipes. My background as a Harvard Law-trained lawyer shines through in how I rigorously test recipes and write clear, detailed instructions that are easy to follow.
“What Vora does so beautifully […] is break down plant-based cooking into its crucial elements.”
Joe Yonan
Food Editor, The Washington Post
How I develop recipes
My overarching mission has always been to show home cooks how truly delicious plant-based food can be.
I take that mission seriously, and it’s what separates our recipes from the millions of recipes you’ll find across Pinterest, social media, and soulless AI chatbots.
Here’s a look inside my process of developing and testing recipes.
- Idea Generation and Development: I gather crave-worthy concepts from global cuisines, seasonal produce, restaurant experiences, and your recipe requests. Then I spend hours (and days for more complex recipes) researching and writing the recipe.
- Home-Kitchen Trials: I cook each idea in my own kitchen, where I test and re-test flavors, textures, and timing to nail the basics.
- Remote Tester Round: I tweak the recipe after multiple testing rounds, then assign it to my network of expert home testers for real-world feedback on flavor, texture, ease, and ingredient substitutes.
- Refinement & Tweak: Using insights from testers, I adjust ingredients, cooking methods, and seasoning until the recipe is foolproof.
- Photo & Video Shoot: Finally, we capture step-by-step photos so you see exactly how every stage of the recipe should look. For many recipes, I also film a YouTube video so you can get even more tips on exactly how to nail the recipe.
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Discover the secrets to vibrant, flavor-packed plant-based meals and master vegan cooking forever.
Deep Dives & Guides
I love digging into the “why” behind plant-based cooking—testing every variable so you don’t have to.
On YouTube, I’ve explored things like:
- How to make the crispiest tofu regardless of the cooking method
- Secrets to the the best roasted potatoes—no soggy middles here
- Whether it’s worth the effort to cook beans from scratch vs. using canned beans
And here, you’ll find comprehensive articles like:
- The Best Vegan Grocery List: Your roadmap to a well-stocked pantry
- The Complete Guide to Kitchen Equipment: Must-haves and splurge-worthies
- The Best Vegan Protein Sources: From tofu to tempeh—and beyond
Public Speaking and Brand Work
I speak at conferences, events, and company gatherings on topics such as creativity, leadership, productivity, career reinvention, and building an engaged audience. Past speaking clients include Mastercard, YouTube, Google, and Kit.
I also partner with brands whose products and services I genuinely use and love. Current and past brand clients include Made In Cookware, Burlap & Barrel, Hedley & Bennett, OSEA, and Wildgrain.
If you’re interested in working together, please reach out through my contact page.
Ready to cook with me?
- Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly cooking inspiration, exclusive guides and freebies
- Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
- Try one of these fan-favorite recipes:
Nisha’s work has been featured across publications including NYT Cooking, The Washington Post, Epicurious, NPR, People Magazine, and the Today Show.
