There’s something quite magical about gathering around a table after a morning of slow, mindful movement. Your body feels open, your breath feels deeper, and somehow: everything tastes better.

At our latest retreat, the kitchen became just as much a sanctuary as the yoga mat. As a Leiths trained chef, I pour so much love into creating food that doesn’t just fill you up, but truly nourishes you from the inside out. Food that heals. Food that delights. Food that feels like a warm embrace after a heart-opening flow or a deeply restorative sound bath.

Because here’s the thing: wellness isn’t just about what happens on the mat. It’s about how you fuel your body, how you savour each bite, how you allow yourself to be nourished in every sense of the word.

So today, I’m sharing the recipes from our most recent retreat menu. These dishes were created with intention, prepared with care, and devoured with joy by our beautiful guests. And now, you can recreate them in your own kitchen: bringing a little piece of the retreat experience home with you.

Why Food Matters on Your Wellness Journey

When you step onto a retreat, you’re giving yourself permission to slow down. To rest. To reconnect. And the food you eat during this time plays such an important role in supporting that process.

Plant-based meals: rich in whole grains, vibrant vegetables, and nourishing legumes: help your body feel light and energised rather than heavy and sluggish. They support your yoga practice, enhance your meditation, and leave you feeling genuinely good from the inside out.

At Nova Milesko retreats, every meal is thoughtfully crafted to complement your wellness experience. We focus on seasonal ingredients, beautiful flavours, and dishes that make you feel cared for. Because you deserve to be nourished: body, mind, and soul.

If you’re curious about our New Forest retreat days, you’ll find this same philosophy woven through every aspect of the experience.

Now, let’s get cooking.

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Vegan Jackfruit Curry

This curry was an absolute favourite at the retreat. Jackfruit has the most wonderful texture: almost meaty, yet completely plant-based. It soaks up all those gorgeous spices and coconut milk, creating something deeply comforting and satisfying.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tins of young jackfruit in water (drained and shredded)
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• Juice of half a lime
• Fresh coriander, to serve
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring for another minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and garam masala. Let the spices toast for a moment: your kitchen will smell absolutely divine.
4. Add the shredded jackfruit and stir to coat everything in those beautiful spices.
5. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk. Give it a good stir, then bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Let the curry bubble away for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jackfruit is tender and the sauce has thickened.
7. Squeeze in the lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and scatter with fresh coriander before serving.

Serve over fluffy basmati rice or with warm naan bread. Close your eyes, take a bite, and let yourself be transported.

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Baked Quinoa

This dish is wonderfully versatile: nutty, satisfying, and packed with plant-based protein. It serves as the perfect base for the curry or works beautifully alongside the salad.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 300g quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• A generous pinch of salt
• Fresh herbs (parsley or chives work beautifully)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2. In a baking dish, combine the rinsed quinoa with the vegetable stock, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Give everything a good stir.
3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid and is fluffy and tender.
4. Remove from the oven, fluff with a fork, and fold through your fresh herbs.

The baking method gives the quinoa a slightly nuttier, more developed flavour than stovetop cooking. It’s a small thing, but it makes all the difference.

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Radish and Baby Cucumber Salad with Pickled Ginger Dressing

Fresh, crunchy, and with the most gorgeous zing from the pickled ginger dressing: this salad brought so much brightness to the retreat table. It cuts through the richness of the curry beautifully and adds that essential freshness to any meal.

Serves 4

For the Salad

• 200g radishes, thinly sliced
• 300g baby cucumbers, sliced into rounds
• A handful of fresh mint leaves
• A handful of fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, toasted
• A few spring onions, finely sliced

For the Pickled Ginger Dressing

• 3 tablespoons of pickled ginger (plus 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid)
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
• 1 small clove of garlic

Method

1. First, make your dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender or small food processor and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust: you might want a little more sweetness or a touch more vinegar.
2. Arrange the sliced radishes and baby cucumbers on a serving platter or in a large bowl.
3. Scatter over the fresh mint, dill, and spring onions.
4. Drizzle generously with the pickled ginger dressing and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

The colours alone will make your heart sing. This is the kind of salad that makes you genuinely excited about vegetables.

For more salad inspiration, you might love our cucumber pepper salad with fennel yogurt dressing or the legendary mother of all salads.

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Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

And finally: dessert. Because every retreat meal deserves a sweet, celebratory ending. This cheesecake is completely vegan, utterly creamy, and disappears within moments of hitting the table. Fair warning.

Serves 8-10

For the Base

• 200g Medjool dates, pitted
• 150g almonds (or a mix of almonds and cashews)
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
• A pinch of salt

For the Filling

• 400g raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours (or overnight)
• 200ml coconut cream
• 120ml maple syrup
• 80ml coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 200g fresh strawberries (plus extra for topping)

Method

1. Start with the base. Add the dates, almonds, coconut oil, and salt to a food processor. Blitz until the mixture comes together and sticks when pressed between your fingers.
2. Press the base firmly into the bottom of a lined 20cm springform tin. Pop it in the freezer while you make the filling.
3. Drain your soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender along with the coconut cream, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Blend until completely smooth: this might take a few minutes.
4. Add the strawberries and blend again until you have a beautiful pink, creamy filling.
5. Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top with a spatula.
6. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight, until firm.
7. Remove from the freezer about 20-30 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Top with fresh strawberries and perhaps a drizzle of melted dark chocolate if you’re feeling fancy.

This cheesecake is rich, so small slices go a long way. But honestly? No one has ever complained about seconds.

If you loved this, you’ll adore our vegan salted caramel slices and the ever-popular cheaton mess cheesecake.

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Bringing the Retreat Home

There’s something so special about recreating retreat recipes in your own kitchen. It’s a way of extending that feeling of care, of nourishment, of slowing down: even when you’re back in the rhythm of everyday life.

I hope these recipes bring you joy, warmth, and a little taste of what we create at Nova Milesko. And if you’d love to experience it in person: the yoga, the stillness, the food, the magic: we would be so happy to welcome you.

Get in touch to find out about our upcoming retreats. Your place at the table is waiting.