Exclusive: Radhi Devlukia's Highly Anticipated Debut Plant-Based 'JOYFULL' Is Full of 'Variety': 'Everything My Taste Buds Have Experienced'

Growing up, Radhi Devlukia always saw her mom make a fresh breakfast, lunch and dinner for her family every single day despite having a full-time job — something that is forever ingrained in her memory.

"I got my nutrition degree and I was a dietician in a hospital, and then I became a yoga teacher and studied ayurveda in New York. I've learned so much along the way and I feel like I've been so lucky to have learned all these things. I started learning about how spices can heal your body, and I practiced it myself and noticed the effects. When you feel good about things that you're doing in your life, you want to share it with people, which is what made me want to write my debut cookbook, JOYFULL," she exclusively tells Morning Honey of the latest venture.

Devlukia, who is a plant-based cook, recipe developer and mission-driven entrepreneur, practices conscious cooking, gaining millions of followers over the years. Now, in JOYFULL, she shares over 125+ plant based recipes and provides readers with the ultimate guidebook that makes plant-based cooking a breeze.

Additionally, the cookbook guides readers by talking about the power of spices in addition to cooking with intention to eating mindfully.

"I've felt so much better after making these little changes in my life, whether it's the type of recipes I now create or wellness rituals or meditation practices — all of this has come together in a way, and that's why I wanted to write the book, " the YouTube star, who is married to Jay Shetty, says.

The social media personality has been plant-based for 10 years, and she's never looked back. "I have an Indian background, and it's filled with vibrant spices and flavors and different ways of cooking our spices. There are Indian dishes in there that are inspired by my heritage, but there's also black bean burgers and non-pizzas," she explains of what people can expect. "There's so much variety in there because it's also a representation of the places I've lived. I am born and raised in London, but I've also lived in New York and L.A. It's basically everything my taste buds have experienced poured into one book. You'll get my dad's mac and cheese — it was the one thing he'd cook for me when my mom was away — but there's also wholesome lentils and bean dishes with lots of spices."

While writing the book, the 33-year-old star admits it was tough to narrow it down to certain recipes. "I originally had 190 recipes, but my publishers said, 'Absolutely not!' That was the longest part — taking them out!" she quips.

"The way I ended up planning out the book was even within each category, let's say for breakfast, I wanted to make sure there was savory/sweet and something healthy and something a bit more comforting. I've created the recipes in each category to make sure there was at least one of each thing you might need. There's pancakes for breakfast but also frittata muffins or oatmeal."

The one dish the entrepreneur would recommend is something in the lentils and curry section. "That's my comfort food coming from an Indian background," she shares. "They are what I go to when I'm feeling a bit under the weather or when I need a really nourishing meal. I have this sweet potato green bean and cashew curry in there, and it's got everything you need in a dish! It's filled with so much goodness. Also, my Mexican lasagna is really good. You have your beans, carbs, proteins and veggies in there. It's delicious!"

Though some people might not be a pro in the kitchen, Devlukia's best advice is to "find joy" when cooking. "Keep practicing and keep trying different ways of creating it," she says.

While in college, Devlukia was that person who would cook for her friends. "It was my love language from a young age because I'd seen my mom do it. That really poured into me. I would make chocolate truffles and gift that, or if it was someone's birthday, I would contribute by making something for them," she recalls. "My grandma is the exact same. She's 90 years old, and when I come home, she wants to make me things and feed me. It's been ingrained in me from a young age. I really started creating recipes when I moved out of my home and got married because that was a time I had to start relying on myself and cooking for myself — and my husband."

Now that the project is out in the world, Devlukia is still awestruck. "I actually have a book in my hands that I completed!" she exclaims. "There's a sense of accomplishment because it's something I've struggled with for a long time of not getting to finish something. I was also able to be creative for five months and be in the kitchen that many days in a row. There's some science behind it, and I really enjoyed that. Food is such a beautiful way to connect to people, and it's special to share with the world, too. I'm able to share a lot of things about my own life on my platform and now to share the recipes with others is a really special feeling."

"My main hopes for the book are that you don't have to choose between food that is good for you and food that brings you joy," she continues. "Food can be both. I want people to experience that through the recipes. It's not just about what you eat; it's about how you eat it and all the practices that you do that surround the food. I use spices as my healing and toolbox — to help with digestion, to help with immunity, to help with my focus and attention. I see spices as my armor. My hope is that everyone's spice cupboard is filled and they know how to use them!"

To buy JOYFULL, click here.