Practical, delicious, earth-friendly solutions that unravel the secrets of good food.
Practical, delicious, earth-friendly solutions that unravel the secrets of good food.
Hello and welcome!
Photo by Tanvi Madkaiker
I’m Puneeta, writer, food advocate and steadfast guide for those who seek low-waste, earth-friendly and delicious solutions that actually work for real life. I teach people how to cook and eat using Eating with Benefits™, my very own accessible and science-based approach that prioritizes the planet and keeps the wellbeing of all people front and centre.
Welcome to my world!
My work is inspired by the scientific evidence around food and its connection with climate change and recent food & mood research. Through my writing, TV, other media and videos I teach people how to cook and eat food that not only tastes good and is good for us at a personal level, but is also good for the long-term health and prosperity of the planet.
Navigating this world and being weighed down by everyday decision-making in the kitchen can be hard. I make it easy to shift kitchen habits, with my strategies, recipes and tips that help people cook more, use what they have, feel good, and live well, all at the same time.
MapleandMarigold.com, my blog, started as a love letter to India and Canada. Maple represents Canada and my life here. Marigold, with its colour and significance in Indian culture, represents my roots in India. Today my goal is to help you make easy-to-implement, good-for-us, good-for-the-planet changes in cooking and eating that open up the possibilities and guide us all towards leading abundant, enjoyable lives.
Thank you for visiting my digital home and inviting me into your real one.
With gratitude and optimism,
Puneeta
People who cook with me say...
I absolutely love this hour of cooking. The professional approach and presentation of the teaching is superb. Engaging, fun & excellent for anyone. Every step, ingredient, spice, how to reduce waste, how to use items from your pantry etc. is all explained in great detail.
At the end of the session you leave with not only your master dish, but with more knowledge about making sustainable changes and better food choices. I highly recommend this club.
Geeta G.
Millennial Lifestyle
I am really enjoying the Sunday Cooking Club with Puneeta at Maple and Marigold. She makes it so easy to follow along and make these fantastic foods with minimal effort.
Bonus.. these foods are also mood enhancers. The whole class is a mood enhancer. I was afraid of cooking with sweet potatoes and voila.. the cook along helped me get over my irrational fears and I created something delicious.
Priyanka S.
The Sunday Cooking Club with Puneeta was such a joy to attend. It felt amazing to prep some healthy and delicious food for the week and to use flavours and ingredients that are out of my usual rotation.
Puneeta is a wealth of information and an absolute joy. I love her approach to making cooking easy but still yummy!
Sara S.
I just adored your Sunday cooking class. You have a real talent for keeping things interesting in the kitchen! The daal came out delicious and I am so pleased with my leftovers for dinner this evening.
I felt energized by the grounding exercise at the start of the class and extremely proud of myself for the meal I created with what I had in my kitchen!
Jennifer S.
A Community that inspires you to...
Recent TV Appearances
Rotisserie Chicken: Unexpected Weeknight Rockstar
Watch: CTV The Social — Rotisserie Chicken: The Unexpected Rock Star of Weeknight Dinners. Three meals that transform an accessible grocery staple into multiple weeknight dinners that taste great and benefit the health of people and the planet. Rotisserie chicken is a cheap and cheerful item that most people have on their shopping lists, after […]
How to Shop Your Pantry on CHCH Morning Live
Watch: CHCH Morning Live – How to Shop Your Pantry to Reduce Food Waste Do you ever buy groceries only to realize you already have some of those food items in your pantry at home? One of the recipes that Chhitwal-Varma shared was a turmeric mac and cheese topped with crunchy oats. What I do […]
Go Small – Low-Waste Ideas to Celebrate the Festival of Diwali
Watch: CHCH Morning Live – Low-Waste Inspo to Celebrate the Festival of Diwali There is a notion about Diwali that’s big lights, new clothes, big gatherings, delicious food and fireworks in the sky, and all of that is true. But this year, in this time, may I suggest we prioritize the planet and go small, and green, […]
How to Make Curry
Watch: CHCH Morning Live – How to Make Curry – October Comfort Cooking Making curry and busting myths. I take what is normally a complex combination of spices and flavours and simplify it using 7 ingredients so it can be replicated in your kitchen even on a busy weeknight. Watch the segment and take your cooking […]
Featured Recipes
Rotisserie Chicken: Unexpected Weeknight Rockstar
Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry
How to Shop Your Pantry
New and improved guide!
The second edition of How to Shop Your Pantry has a new design with more recipes! This digital collection includes
- 31 delicious, pantry-forward recipes
- tons of practical tips and ideas that are good-for-us and good-for-the-planet!
Buy your copy and feed those who need our help.
30% of sales go directly to support Second Harvest, Canada’s leading food rescue charity.