Traditional Indian Cooking with Neelam Kanwar
Join Neelam Kanwar for a delicious and fun-filled Indian cooking workshop! Neelam's recipes feature fresh, high-quality ingredients and time-honored Indian culinary techniques. Neelam will begin by teaching attendees how to build layers of deep, rich and warming flavors in a traditional Indian meal. Each session, Neelam will choose a specific dish and show varied levels of preparation, demonstrating how Indian cooking can be as simple or as complex as you desire. Attendees will sample up to four dishes, so be sure to bring your appetite! Traditional Indian Cooking will take place in the Kalapuya Community and Camas Teaching Kitchen.
All recipes are vegetarian. Most classes are also gluten-free. However, when there is use of gluten and dairy, alternate recipes that are dairy- and gluten-free will be provided. Registration required.
Don't have a Y membership? No problem! To register, create a free Community Membership with the Eugene Family YMCA. A Community Membership with the Y allows you to sign up for our community programs, such as the EWEB educational talks, cooking and nutrition classes, child care, swim lessons and so much more. It's completely free, takes 5 minutes, and can be created online, in-person, or via phone with our outstanding Membership team. Click here to get started or call the Don Stathos Campus at (541) 686-9622.
Upcoming Events | Winter 2027
Scroll past the events schedule and click the accordion bubbles below to explore program details and what to expect.
| CLASS | DATE | TIME | TOPIC | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saturday, Nov. 14 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Intro to Indian Cooking | REGISTER |
| 2 | Thursday, Jan. 14 | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 3 Varieties of Indian Flatbread & Saag Paneer | REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 3 |
| 2 | Thursday, Feb. 25 | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 3 Varieties of Indian Flatbread & Saag Paneer | REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 3 |
| 3 | Thursday, March 18 | 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Southern Indian Cuisine: Chutney, Idli & Dosa | REGISTRATION OPENS NOV. 3 |
| 3 | Saturday, April 24 | 12 to 3 p.m. | Southern Indian Cuisine: Chutney, Idli & Dosa | REGISTRATION OPENS MARCH 2 |
Fall 2026 | Intro to Indian Cooking
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Winter 2027 | 3 Varieties of Indian Flat Bread & Saag Paneer | Southern Indian Cuisine: Chutney, Idli & Dosa
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Spring 2027 | Southern Indian Cuisine: Chutney, Idli & Dosa
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Meet Neelam Kanwar
Neelam Kanwar is a certified Ayurvedic Counselor and Advanced Professional Herbalist with a deep-rooted passion for holistic wellness. Neelam holds master's degrees in Social Work and Philosophy in Education from Mumbai University, India, and has studied under renowned Ayurvedic practitioner Dr. V. Sharma in Jaipur.
Kanwar's training spans across Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese & Western Herbalism, Marma Point Therapies, Yogic Breathing, Nutrition, Mindfulness Meditation, and traditional Indian cooking. She earned her Advanced Herbalist Certification from the Herbalist College in Eugene, under Yograj Khalsa in 2018.
"To be healthy is to have a sense of balance and wholeness, to feel connected and complete in body, mind and spirit," says Neelam.
"Mere medical fitness or absence of disease is not 'Health.' To experience the sense of wholeness or oneness, it is important that in body, mind and energy functions there is a certain level of intensity and a proper balance. To achieve this we need to practice a system to manage the energy in a manner that body, mind and spirit are naturally fine balance."
Neelam has supported individuals of all ages in both India and the U.S., offering personalized wellness consultations, herbal remedies and Ayurvedic culinary education. In addition to helping others, Neelam's own healing journey is a testament to the power of holistic practices. Nearly a decade ago, she alleviated her chronic knee pain and avoided surgery by following a regimen of Ayurvedic herbs, nutrition, yoga, breathwork and meditation. This experience continues to inform her work and inspire her clients.
Neelam Kanwar, Ayurvedic Counselor, Herbalist and Traditional Indian Cooking Instructor
