Hi, my name is Meenakshi Thakur. Welcome to The Flavor Bells!
I don’t know how you ended up here, but I am so glad that you did.
I’m an ex-banker turned full-time mom and passionate bread baker. What started as a personal journey to master the art of sourdough has blossomed into a blog dedicated to all things bread—with a special love for sourdough, discard recipes, and eggless yeast breads.
A decade ago, I moved to the United States. One of the first things that left me disappointed was the bread aisle—shelf-stable loaves that lacked the depth, texture, and soul. I found myself missing the warmth and comfort of freshly baked bread. That craving sparked a new passion: baking my own. That longing sparked my journey into baking.
Over the years, I’ve explored the science and craft behind baking—from sourdough fermentation to perfecting soft dinner rolls. This blog is a reflection of that journey—my experiments, discoveries, and the joys of learning through flour-dusted hands and oven-baked triumphs.
The Flavor Bells is the birth child of my love for food, regardless of the cuisine. This makes me a super busy mom of 3 now:).
The recipes are born out of my love for bread making, sourdough, and various vegetarian recipes that are family favorites. This is an egg-free blog. All the bread and baking recipes are eggless recipes that I have developed and perfected over the years.
Over the past several years, I’ve immersed myself in the craft of bread making—from nurturing sourdough starters to perfecting fluffy milk breads and hearty whole grain loaves. My kitchen is my happy place, where science meets creativity, and where flour, water, and time work their quiet magic.
Here on The Flavor Bells, I share over 100 bread recipes—including sourdough breads, discard-friendly bakes, and egg-free yeast breads that are family-tested and loved. You’ll also find techniques, tips, and inspiration to help you bake confidently at home, whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting your journey.
Though I occasionally share other vegetarian delights, bread baking is the heart and soul of this blog. This space is a reflection of my deep love for slow-fermented doughs, global bread traditions, and the simple joy of pulling a perfectly baked loaf out of the oven.
I created this blog not only to document my experiments but to inspire you to bake more bread, try new recipes, and fall in love with the process. Because at the end of the day, there’s nothing more comforting than freshly baked bread made with your own hands.
Thank you for stopping by—I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s bake something beautiful together!
What will you find here?
- Sourdough recipes. I am a sourdough fanatic, I have been baking with sourdough for the past 10 years. I often share my trusted sourdough recipe on the blog. Start with my minimum discard sourdough starter and then move on to make basic sourdough batard, a rustic sourdough loaf, jalapeno cheddar sourdough, etc. Thereafter, head toward numerous sourdough and sourdough discard recipes.
- Bread recipes. You will find all sorts of bread recipes here. Consider trying our vegan hamburger buns, dairy-free bread, french batard, etc. All bread recipes are trusted and tested egg-free bread recipes.
- Air fryer recipes. I love the convenience that an air fryer brings to cooking. I love using my air fryer for making all sorts of frozen foods, frozen vegetables, and much more. Do give my air fryer cauliflower and broccoli a try.
- Indian vegetarian recipes. Yes, you will find a lot of Indian Vegetarian recipes here. You will love our authentic chana masala, dal makhani, corn masala, daal palak, and Palak paneer.
I am addicted to bubble tea. I like to create them at home and share them whenever I succeed. Do check out my boba recipes.
I believe that sharing is caring. So feel free to share your opinions, experiences, and any kind of constructive criticism in the comment section. I am always looking forward to hearing from you.