DEVA NATURALS HOME COOKING!

SOM TUM (Thai, papaya salad)FIBER to Keep our pipes clean!!

2012-01-24T06:03:00.000-08:00

Most of us have heard the saying, "AN APPLE A DAY, KEEPS THE DOC'S AWAY".

Hmm, I wonder why? It's the Fiber, with the vits n minerals and ofcourse the glucose for energy.

Fiber Facts: 2 kinds: Soluble (helps lower cholesterol & blood glucose) & Insoluble (keeps the food moving through our intestines). We need them both!

Listen up folks, Fiber regulates many functions in our body, some of which include :
Regulating bowel health. Keep those pipes Clean!!

Blood sugar balance.
Weight management.
Cardiovascular health.

SOM TUM: SOUR N SPICY,THAI PAPAYA SALAD
DEVA NATURALS STYLE---------->

FLAX SHAKER!

2012-01-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Flax is good for us, we all know that. It has high fiber and rich in Omega 3's. Would be good if we got about a tablespoon a day. An easy way I found to encorporate it in my diet is to put ground flax in a salt shaker. It does spoil with hot temps, but in winter, hey, that's what I'm keeping on my dining table. Add it to yogurts, ice cream, cereal, jams, salads.......Eating healthy is EASY!

Roasted Duck

2012-01-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

OVEN ROASTED DUCK

For all you Non Vegetarians, here's a simple way to make Roasted AABSOLLUUUTELY DELCIOUS DUCKin your very own ovens!

Indredients:
1 fresh duck
2Table spoons Deva Naturals Tandoori Spice blend.
1/3 Cup Vinegar.
Salt to taste.
Method:
Thaw your bird in the refrigerator over a couple of days or so.
Throw out all the excess thawed out liquid.
Mix Spices with salt and vinegar and marinate over night.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 450 leg side up and another 350 degrees breast side up for 30 minutes.
Let it stand for 10 minutes or so before cutting.
Serves 4-5
I served it with Raajma (Read Bean curry) & Roasted Butternut Squash.
You could serve it with a nice warm Naan or French bread with Butter Nut squash soup or enjoy simply with a glass of wine or beer !!

DEVA NATURALS BEAUTIFUL "N" HEALTHY WINTER SALAD

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

Long time no see folks!

In winter some of us forget fresh salads in our diets, so thought I'd toast to the new year with a delicious Salad Recipe.

I have included local ingredients where possible and afcourse our DEVA NATURALS spices work beautifully in this salad as well.

So here you go:

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons vinegar of your choice.
2 teaspoons VT Maple Syrup.
1 teaspoon Mustard of your choice.
1/2 teaspoon Deva Naturals Indian Classic Masala.
1/4 cup EVOO.
1 small Shallot, finely diced.
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste.
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cups leafy salad greens, such as chopped endive, Arugula, spring mix or your own mix.
1/2 cup raw butternut squash, chopped.
1 Pear sliced
1/2 cup raw Walnuts
1/4 cup freeze dried, Cranberries.

Directions:
Whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, spices and mustard in a large serving bowl. Whisk in the oil. Stir in shallots and add salt and pepper.

Add the greens, squash and pear and toss with the maple dressing.
Top with walnuts and Crispy Cranberries and serve.

SAVORY SQUASH OPEN FACE :-) Oh sooooooooooo good!

2011-10-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Squash belongs ONLY in soups & pies?

Naaaahhhh !!

Local Butter Nut Squash cooked on the stove, in Olive Oil with Deva Naturals Tandoori Spice blend + Fresh Ginger & Tomatoes!! Yummy!

Top it on whole grain Arnold's sandwich thins, spoon on it Deva Naturals Berry Medley Chutney & Garlic n Cilantro Cream Cheese .

I was in HEAVEN ON EARTH !

NUTRITIOUS N DELICOUS, HAPPY FALL EVERY ONE!

Vermont Tandoori Fries with Deva Naturals Tandoori spice blend!

2011-10-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

So remind me why are we using all these chemical based Masalas/Spices? DEVA NATURALS decided to make their own Natural Blend, with absolutely NO Chemicals or Preservatives!

Thought I'd try it on the family first, my dahlin guinea pigs. Potatoes are liked by almost all so added my Tandoori Masala to Local VT potatoes with some olive oil & salt, stick them in the toaster oven at 350 for 20 mts & bake till soft, then toast at 250 to crisp!

Sprinkle some Aamchur/ mango powder.

VOILA !

HEALTHY MARRIES DELICIOUS !

Hear the sizzle? See the steam?

2011-10-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

CSA PRODUCE COOKED THE DEVA NATURALS WAY!

Go Local !

A pound of our CSA potatoes with Canola oil and Deva Naturals Classic Indian spice.
Local Savoy Cabbage with Red Peppers and Peas + Olive oil + Deva Naturals Classic Indian Spice & Voila !

Healthy & Delicious go hand in hand !!

CHAI PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

2011-10-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

They are in the oven dahlins! Will post a pics, lataah :-)

HEALTHY N DELICIOUS

PUMPKIN FALL CUP CAKE!

1 Package Gingerbread mix

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup skim milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup Pureed Pumpkin (I nuked a LOCAL pie pumpkin in the microwave at a baked potato setting)

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

Low fat cream cheese + 3 table spoons skim milk.

2 tbsp. Deva Naturals Chai Spice blend.

Blend ingredients 1-5 and pour into greased cupcake pan, make a well in each with a spoon.

Blend in Chai Spice with Cream Cheese and Milk , add a tablespoon cream cheese to each cup cake. Top with another heaping tablespoon the cup cake batter.

Sprinkle each cup cake with pumpkin seeds.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F. and bake till done.

Enjoy with coffee, Tea or Cocoa !

EAT LOCAL, PEOPLE !

2011-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

EATING & COOKING LOCAL IS EASY!

Check out true Asian Fusion Treats

Khat Meeth Squash (Sweet n Sour Squash)

Recipe:

2 Large Delicata Squash pealed & sliced

1/4 cup oilve oil

1 tsp. green chili

Salt to taste

1 tsp. Aamchur/ mango powder or lime juice.

Deva Naturals Classic Indian Masala

Put all ingredients except aamchur/lime juice in a pan, cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes.

When cooked to a semi soft consitency mix in the aamchur or lime juice &let cook for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy by itself or with a whole wheat roti/ tortilla!

BUTTERNUT AND ACORN SQUASH SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS AND COLLARD GREENS

Add 2 cups water & 2 cups skim milk, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1tsp. fresh garlic, 1 cup Mushrooms & 1/2 cup finely chopped Collard Greens to 1 Roasted Butternut Squash & 1 mediumAcorn Squash. Blend and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes and serve hot garnished with fresh Cillantro!

***TIP: Make the soup oriental tasting by adding soy sauce instead of salt, chopped holy basil, vinegar and sugar to taste!

Brocoli Chutney !

2011-05-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Creativity happens in spurts for me. Today I made BROCOLI CHUTNEY !

Some would say eeeeeeeeiw! Taste it, taste it and you will see how YUMMALICIOUS it is. I added it to my pasta for lunch and gobbled it up!

My younger one is very adamant about not eating vegetables, so I find new ways to incorporate them in his life.
When he says, "Mama, I love this chilli", what do you think mama says? "Darling, you've got good taste, I added pureed vegetables to it :-)" & then mama names all the vegetables she put in there! Yup, that's what I do! You name it: Turnips, Kale, Brocoli & the list goes on.

So, Brocoli is one of the super foods that is SO VERY IMPORTANT, we just dont get enough of it, specially not my "finiky eater".
CHUTNEY, YEAH, why didn't I think of it before! That's what I'll make & I did, just an hour ago. Will try it on the family tonight and lets see what the verdit will be. I sure enjoyed it!

Scrumptious Chocolate Mangosteen Cake #devanaturals #btv #nyc... on Twitpic

2011-04-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Scrumptious Chocolate Mangosteen Cake #devanaturals #btv #nyc... on Twitpic

Told you "HEALTHY MARRIES DELICIOUS" & they live happily ever after :-)

MINDFUL EATING

2011-02-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Mindful eating is simply enjoying every morsel of food that we put in our mouth.

Food is the Universe's way of nourishing our mind and body!

Little Tid bits:

1. Plan ahead for todays on the run society.
2. Prepare my own food enjoying the amazing bounty of Nature.
3. Buy local and fresh as much as possible.
4. Sit down with a fork and spoon to eat.
5. Chew every bite, relishing the taste, smell and site of the food.

Easy to say but practice does make it easier to do !

INDIAN COOKING CLASSES

2011-02-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

TANDOORI CHICKEN

DAHI, CHANNAE & GOBI !

MISSIE ROTI (whole wheat lentil parathas)

Tomorrow Feb 4th 2011 is the day Deva Naturals start "COOKING INDIAN, IN VERMONT" We will focus on Punjabi Cuisine, 'coz that's where my roots are.

Punjab is geographically situated in North West India. The native language of Punjab is Punjabi also known as Gurmukhi.

Agriculture is the largest industry in Punjab, it is the single largest producer of Wheat in India. It therefore contains wheat as a part of the main dish like for the Chinese it is rice for us in the United States it is Bread and Potatoes.

Punjabi food can be Vegetarian, Vegan or completely Non Veg. Some typical dishes include Sarson daa Saag, Mah ki daal, Kaalae Cholae, Parathas, Tandoori Rotis, Rajmah Chawal, Rongi etc.

My cooking classes are unique because Authenticity marries Deliciously Healthy home made cusine.

And it is completely hands on.

Punjabi farmers,usually enjoy calorie rich meals that include meats, Legumes and Wheat Paratha's that are oozing and topped with home made butter and milk product deserts!

Well, don't forget, we did a lot of physical labor in the fields without the modern technology.

However, today there is all sort of machinery and tecnology to help farmers, we now have a different lifestyle, our health & caloric needs are different.

For example if we're making Alloo Parathas, (which is the 1st dish to learn on our menu), my students will learn to knead whole wheat flour and stuff with potatoes, herbs & spices, hand roll the dough into round shapes & roast the Paratha on an iron griddle with olive oil.

When I do use milk products I plan on using medium fat content in my recipes unless otherwise requested.

Some of my dishes will include:

Maah ki daal (Black whole legumes)

Channa Masala (Chickpeas)

Kaalae Cholae (Black curried Chickpeas)

Sarson da saag (mustard greens)

Saag Paneer (mixed greens with home made cheese)

Kadhi with vegetables or Pakoras.

Gobi Alloo (Curried Cauliflower, due to popular demand)

Mattar Paneer (Home made cheese with Peas)

Gajjar Mattar Alloo (Curried Carrots with Peas and Potatoes)

Tandoori Chicken

Butter Chicken

Keema Mattar (ground lamb/chicken/pork or turkey with peas)

Vegtable Samosas (easy way to make samosaa's)

Mango lassi

Chai

Kheer

Kadaah Parshad ...just to name a few.......

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

2011-01-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2011 TO ALL FOODIES!!

CHEERS TO THE NEW YEAR !

My new year's RESOLUTION?!

1. Start my own cooking classes !!

2. Be more organized !

Yeah, just 2 !! If I can do this with all the good wishes & positive thoughts I know Deva Naturals will blossom !!

Authentic Indian Dinner Invite

2010-10-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

WELCOME ALL ! TO AN AUTHENTIC INDIAN HOME MADE DINNER IN A COZY ATMOSPHERE !

http://devanaturalsdinner.eventbrite.com/

Blessed Mangosteens !

2010-09-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

My fav. fruit ! Blessed Mangosteens ! U know, they are rare as Orchids, seasonal and finiky, but so damn delicious, they're hard to resist !!

Interview with Suthep Srikureja, Author of The Traveler - DivineCaroline

2010-09-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

A great book about creation: THE TRAVELER BY SUTHEP SRIKUREJA.

Interview with Suthep Srikureja, Author of The Traveler - DivineCaroline

Asian Cusine in Vermont !

2010-08-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

Asian Cusine In Vermont ! Why not, I do Indian & Thai Cusine with local ingredients, the best of the best !!

FANCY FOOD SHOW 2010

2010-07-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

FANCY FOOD SHOW was a lot of fun !

Under the Vermont Specialty Food Umberella we had 8 Vermont tables. Cookie Love, Jeds, Against the grain, Fat Toad Farm, Castleton Crackers & more.

Some of the Vermonters had their own booths. Cabot Cheese, Olivia Croutons, Vermont Cured Meats and more...

Lots of interest in our products !

INDEPENDENCE DAY !! EAST MEETS WEST !!

2010-07-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

PHILLY STUFFED HADDOCK

2010-05-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Healthy& Delicious are peas in the same pod !

DEVA NATURALS CREAM CHEESE FUSION SAMOSA

2010-05-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

MANGOSTEEN PINEAPPLE BEEF STEW

2010-04-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

TOLD U, HEALTHY & DELICIOUS GO HAND IN HAND !!

Mangosteen Pineapple Beef Stew !!

Now tell me how can u just not love SUMMER ? So many ways to entertain & enjoy family and friends !

VEG SOM TUM / THAI SPICY SALAD

2010-03-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

YOU CAN MAKE SOM TUM WITH ANY RAW VEGETABLE!

Som Tum, is usually made with raw papaya in Thailand, paired with sticky rice and chicken roasted on coals!

Here in Vermont, on a cold day when you feel like a salad that warms you up, you make som tum at home, with a mortar and pestle and voila!!

Spaghetti phat khee maao

2010-03-16T06:27:00.001-07:00

Just for a change, I decided to make spaghetti Thai style!

Why is a dish called "Khee Mao/ drunkard"??
The story is that, when husbands used to come home late night after drinking and the wives would refuse to cook for them. So the husbands had to make their own food. Being drunk , they simply put all kinds of stuff into the stir fry and of course, too much chilli and peppers. Hence the name 'khee mao" of 'drunkard' .

Recipe:
8 oz. Angel hair spaghetti
1 lb, skinless ground turkey
1 large tomato
1 large red onion
1 cup fresh holy basil leaves
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. rice bran oil
1 tsp. Deva Naturals thai spice blend
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
3 green chilli
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
Lime juice and cillantro for garnish.
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Boil Angel hair spaghetti to "el dante" with salt, drain and set aside.
Grind garlic, shallots, chilli in a small food processor and set aside.
Brown turkey in 1 tsp. oil with the above ground paste and salt to taste.
When cooked add 1/2 cup coconut milk and brown some more.
Stirfty tomatoes, bell peppers and onions with Deva Naturals spices and add to the turkey .
Add the Angel hair spaghetti, with the remaining oil and coconut milk and toss in the basil.
Stir fry the spaghetti for a couple more minutes on low heat.
Serve hot! Garnished with cillantro and lime juice!

Okra Pizza / Bhindi Pizza with Tandoori Chicken, Paneer & Fresh Mozzerella!

2010-02-28T11:43:00.001-08:00

I've had Indian style Pizzas, in India, Thailand and The United States but I promise you, nothing tastes better than my Bhindi/Okra Pizza with Tandoori Chicken and Fresh Mozzerella Cheese !

So so so good!

My Pizza Sauce has Deva Natural spices and Curried Okra with Paneer and fresh Mozzerella Cheese balls!

Cooked on a thin crust at 400 degrees F. to perfection!!

MANGOSTEEN MARGARITAS

2010-02-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

So, for my dahlin boys birthday, I made my very own Mangosteen Margarita's.
WOW!! Never done this before!
EIW! My hubby said...Geez, how could he be so rude!
My heart broke, but that didn't stop me, I tried and tried and tried & tried and I got them right !!
Wish you could try some...
I just love creating, don't u??

google analytics

2010-02-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

Supposedly google analytics is a tool that tracks the hits on your blog.
This is interesting, hope everyone does this "google analytics" tool on their website, lets see if it works....

DEVA NATURALS IN THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS!

2010-02-19T06:26:00.000-08:00

"Nitti Sachdeva: Deva Naturals is a small business that Sachdeva runs out of her South Burlington kitchen. She mixes Indian and Thai spices and makes three kinds of Indian chutney: mangosteen, berry medley and peach. Mangosteen is a tropical fruit that she imports freeze-dried from Thailand.
SALLY POLLAK, Free Press

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100219/LIVING06/2190323/1004/LIVING/Deva-brings-out-flavor-in-Thai-Indian-background

Finally, someone paid me some attention, LOL !!! I am thrilled to be in the Burlington free press today!!!

Baby Eggplant, Potatoes & Cherry Tomatoes with a hint of Ginger and Deva Naturals Indian Spices.

2010-02-17T05:56:00.000-08:00

This is just typical of Deva Naturals, Tag line:

"Healthy and Delicous go hand in hand".

With our Indian Spices, I create for you a delicious stry fry of baby eggplants, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, with a hint of ginger, in Deva Naturals, Indian Spices blend and Rice Bran Oil !! Yummy!!

GAJAR MATAR/ CARROTS WITH PEAS AND GINGER

2010-02-09T14:40:00.001-08:00

Beta Carotine as most of us know, is a vegetable form of Vitamin A. Carrots are a very good source, along with any dark green/red/orange colored vegestables.

The Beta Carotene becomes more biologically available for absorption by the body when the carrots are cooked.

Remember how Tomatoes have licopene but it is higher/more absorbable when cooked!!

Similar is the case with carrots.

Try them curried with tomatoes and peas, with a hint of ginger, salt and Deva Naturals Indian masala !! Yumcious !

Carrot stew, carrot stew, it's our favorite thing to do................a carrot or two and cook up a carrot stew!

CHAKODHRA (PUMELLO/POMELO)

2010-02-09T14:04:00.001-08:00

CHAKODHARA, PUMELLO, POMELO, a grape fruit family.

Oh so juicy & delicious ! It's not excessively sour, great juicy segments can be used in salads.

One of my favorites is to toss it with fresh arugula greens and Peanuts with some of my special Deva Naturals dressing !! I died and went to heaven ! What a sexy fruit !

Peeling it is a little tricky but once you learn the tricks, then nothing is too tricky :-) !!!!

DON'T WASTE, DON'T LITTER, RECYCLE!!!

2010-01-27T06:59:00.000-08:00

RECYCLE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REUSE..........
Whether it is in business or at home, I truelly believe in recylcling and reusing what I can..
Empty boxes, cardboard boxes that my packaging supplies come in, plastic containers that our spices and condiments come in, glass jars, oil jars, the list goes on.....................
There is so much we can do to help rid of "STUFF" without littering our planet!
Come, lets make the world cleaner, nicer, friendlier, environmentallllly and peoplelllllllyyyy !!!

I'm in the Burlington Free Press !!!

2010-01-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091211/LIVING06/91210016/-1/living06/Vermont-gift-ideas-for-foodies-on-your-list

TALK ABOUT DELICOUS & GOOD FOR U'S !

2009-12-10T16:16:00.001-08:00

Who says Collard greens have to be cooked by themselves ?! I added Turnips and cooked them to perfection in Rice bran oil along with some Deva Natural Authentic Indian Spices and Voila!

Garnish the vegetables with some fresh Pomegranate and it makes a scrumptious side dish or great for wraps as well !

Colorful, Delicious, Nourishing dish !

WRITE UP FROM GOURMET FOOD MALL

2009-12-03T06:06:00.000-08:00

Gourmet Mall write up:

"Deva Naturals is a purveyor of fine products ranging from fruits to spices to chutneys. We recently sampled a few more of their unique products: Mangosteen Chutney, Berry Medley Chutney, Peach Chutney, and Indian Masala Spice Blend.

The Indian Masala Spice Blend is packaged in a square tin. When we opened it, our noses were met with strong cumin aromas invoking true Indian cuisine. The spice blend exhibits a spicy, rich flavor with a nice hot kick. We mixed it into ground beef and rubbed a bit on the outside of the patties. It imparted a rich and complex flavor—something new and different from the grill.

The Mangosteen Chutney (as well as the other two) is packaged in a jar bearing the Deva Naturals emblem and a rendering of a bowl of chutney and the fruit therein.

This chutney is light brown in color. Aromas of apples, citrus, and spices are prevalent, and large chunks of mangosteen are found throughout.

The chutney is fruity and tangy, with savory spices rounding out the complex, sweet flavor.

The Berry Medley Chutney is dark red in color. It has a smoother consistency than the thicker mangosteen chutney. This one is very sweet, and also boasts savory Indian spices. The heat is turned up a bit more in the Berry Medley Chutney, and the flavors of strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry make it a unique condiment.

Last was the Peach Chutney. It is a golden color and also has a smooth consistency much like the Berry Medley Chutney. Its rich, sweet peach flavor and delicate Indian spices made this one our review panel's hands-down favorite!

We tried the chutneys alone, and also used them to coat chicken breasts for the grill. The chutneys reduced to a sticky, caramelized coating of pure, rich flavor. The chicken was extra juicy, and the flavors of the fruit in the chutney paired with the spices therein to provide a powerfully flavorful grilling experience.

Deva Naturals' products continue to impress. Anyone who loves Indian food or who enjoys being a bit adventurous in their culinary style must try these products!

Click Here to order the Chutney Trio from Deva Naturals today!

Click Here to order Indian Masala Spice Blend from Deva Naturals today!

THAI HERBS !

2009-11-30T16:30:00.001-08:00

Galangal: Though it is related to and resembles ginger, there is little similarity in taste.
In its raw form, galangal has a citrusy, earthy aroma, with hints of pine and soap in the flavor. It is available as a whole root, cut or powdered. The whole fresh root is very hard, and slicing it requires a sharp knife. A mixture of galangal and lime juice is used as a tonic in parts of Southeast Asia. It is said to have the effect of an aphrodisiac, and acts as a stimulant. (http://www.wikipedia.org/)

Lemongrass: In 2006 a research team from the Ben Gurion University in Israel found that lemon grass (cymbopogon citratus) caused apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymbopogon#Anti-cancer_properties

Kafir Lime leaves: Kafir Lime leaves contain volatile oils which have therapeutic benefits.
The extract of the plant helps increase the circulation of the blood and like all members of the citrus family acts as an anti- bacterial and an anti-inflammatory.
The fruit and leaves are excellent for skin regeneration.
Traditional malay medicine in Pahang used Kaffir Lime juice to treat dandruff and hair loss and encourage healthy hair growth.
Kaffir Lime also acts as an excellent rejuvenator , alleviates colds, and helps regain energy and dispell tiredness.
Kaffir lime juice may be mixed with water and drunk three times a day as a tonic, to dispell fatigueand tiredness and increase the circulation of the blood.
The traditional Malay sauna bath or mandi wap uses the leaves of the Kaffir Lime.
The extract of the fruit is used in aromatherapy . http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Kaffir_lime#Kaffir_Lime_and_health

Red Chili : Capsaicin is a safe and effective analgesic agent in the management of arthritis pain, herpes zoster-related pain, diabetic neuropathy, postmastectomy pain, and headaches.[22]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper

PANEER MATTAR (HOME MADE CHEESE WITH PEAS)

2009-11-30T15:12:00.000-08:00

U know what Paneer is, afcourse you do !

Boil Milk, add some lime/lemon juice and allow the milk protein to cooagulate!

There ! U've got UR Home Made Cheese AKA Paneer !

I use 1% Milk! You can make it with 2, 4 or even half& half ! If you like! I wouldn't ......just coz, we don't need too much animal fat in our diet !

Moderation is the key to a healthy happy life!

Toast it, Roast it, Fry it, Stir fry it ! Pressure cook it, to make delicious Rasgullas (Bengali Sweet dish) !

I love it simple, Strfried with Rice Bran oil, onions and Peas, with a hint of Deva Naturals, Indian Spice Blend !

Enjoy with Naan or Whole wheat Tortillas ! Here's a picture !

Cranberry Chutney

2009-11-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

Introduce another Chutney?

Should I, should I not?? OK fine..... CRANBERRY CHUTNEY ! Why Cranberry? Beeee cause...Cranberries are good for you , good for the kidneys.

We have a Cranberry Orchard/Farm right here in Vermont, not far from home..where is home? South Burlington, VT afcausss!

Such an excellent berry, so simple and look at the color! Notice the high gloss and some of the dark berries still showing in there.

All I did was add some Vermont Organic Maple Syrup to Fresh Cranberries with some of my spices.... VOILA!

No need for Pectin or any other additives! What an excellent condiment!

So I served it to our friends and family over Thanksgiving, they loved it, OMG !!

Now, I eat it every morning with cream cheese for Breakfast!

HOW CAN SOMETHING HEALTHY BE SO DELICIOUS!! JUST TRY DEVA NATURALS, PRODUCTS AND YOU'LL FIND OUT !!

Soon, I will package it, label it and start sharing it with the world !

3 DELICIOUS CHUTNEYS !

2009-09-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

3 CHUTNEYS IN THEIR INFANCY !

Posted 9/24/2009 8:27 AM EDT on

burlingtonfreepress.com

http://www.devanaturals.com/

So here are the lip smacking, oooh oooh good ALL NATURAL CHUTNEYS made by yours truely !!

They are gently hand roasted and cooked to perfection over an open pot.

I use All NATURAL INGREDIENTS, ORGANIC MAPLE SYRUP & DEVA NATURALS VERY OWN SPICE BLEND.

There are NO PRESERVATIVES in our products, so they should be refrigerated after opening.

4 oz jars of wholesome goodness!

THEY ARE CURRENTLY RETAILING AT HEALTHY LIVING ON DORSET AND NATURAL PROVISIONS IN WILLISTON.

SPICY THAI TRAIL MIX

2009-09-24T06:08:00.001-07:00

SPICY THAI TRAIL MIX

Posted 9/24/2009 8:40 AM EDT on burlingtonfreepress.com

http://www.devanaturals.com/

So here's my latest delicious concoction !Healthy, Crunchy, Sweet & Sour our all natural, Protein and Fiber rich, THAI TRAIL MIX !This baby, I made with Edamame, Chickpeas, P-nuts, Fiber One Cereal Sticks and DEVA NATURAL'S VERY OWN THAI SPICE BLEND !MADE IN VERMONT FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS !!Not in the market yet, but I am planning on having samples out for those interested at the "FOOD AND WINE EVENT AT SMUGGS" on Saturday, 10/10/09 from 6p - 10p. Come try some !

EINSTEIN LOVES MANGOSTEEN

2009-08-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

OH YEAH! TOLD YA TIZ A SUPER FRUIT !
A friend came over to try out my mangosteen chutney, she loved it! Had this T- shirt on and we couldn't resist taking the picture!!

Grilled Wild Salmon with Mangosteen BBQ Sauce

2009-06-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Feeling like seafood tonight?

Grill some Wild Salmon for a delicious heart healthy meal for 4.

This recipe can be used with Deva Naturals Mangosteen Chutney as well:

2 pounds Wild Salmon fillet.
1 cup Mangosteen Chutney (www.devanaturals.com)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tb. sp. Rice bran oil

Preparation
Step 1
Marinate the Salmon fillet with salt, pepper, 3/4 cup mangosteen chutney for 1/2 hour in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Remove from the fridge and let it stand for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Grill on a pre oiled clean bbq basting with the remaining chutney.
Step 4
Cook fish till you see the golden lines of the grill.
Step 5
Serve with a side of Home made Cheese and fresh green salad.

Check out the recipe in Foodista.com

MANGOSTEEN CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

2009-06-11T08:48:00.001-07:00

Oh come on people, wish you could try some, MANGOSTEEN CHOC. BROWNIE!
Seriously delicious, the mangosteen segments could be seen and tasted.
The glaze was yummy, with a touch of spice !

UMMMMMMM!!! TO DIE FOR!

SHARED SOME WTIH FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS !

Spiced Mangosteen Chocolate Cake

2009-06-03T07:51:00.000-07:00

Talk about getting creative, Love it !!

Spiced Chocolate Mangosteen cake!

Deva Naturals, Freeze dried Mangosteen and Deva Naturals Mangosteen chutney/Compote as glaze on top ----->>>

Nutritious, Scrumptious, Perfect snack with coffee, tea or even a desert following a meal with your loved ones..

Made on special order only....

Recipe is copyrighted !!!!!!!

Wish you could try some :-) !!

Dahi/Home Made Plain Yogurt, by Deva Naturals

2009-06-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

It's not difficult to make dahi/ yogurt with all it's active cultures.
Beats spending an arm and a leg at the grocery store for it !

For how to.... check out my recipe in foodista.com

In India, people use dahi not only to maintain their healthy digestive tract but also for facial masks in beauty parlors. Dahi is used to nourish the hair as well!

Mix a bit of garam masala, to make tandoori marinades great for summer grilling or winter baking.
You can mix a bit of Italian seasoning to make a salad dressing or even marinade your meats and grill !

Add some mango pulp and blend with some sugar and ice for a delicious Mango Lassi ! Don't have mango? Try Pistacio lassi, garnish with a sprig of fresh mint ??!!

Mix in some onion, mint or cilantro to taste with some tomato and cucumber for a delicious side salad or a cooling dish for summer.

Great for weight management as well, low in calories, high in calcium, not to mention how good it is for our intestines...........

Just enjoy a plain cup of yogurt with your cereal in the morning and tell me what u think !!!!

Curried Okra / Bhindi ki sabji

2009-05-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

We sometimes don't like Okra because of it's sticky like "stuff"!
Yesterday, we had Indian Bhindi i.e. Okra with roti and dahi!
Roti is nothing but a whole wheat tortilla that we North Indians brag about.
We stuff these with different vegetables and enjoy it with a cup of plain simple dahi, i.e. home made yogurt !
Just a lazy Sunday meal !

Deva Naturals,"BBQ'd Mangosteen Chicken Drumsticks" !

2009-05-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, so you all know I love to create my own delicious recipes. So last night I grilled some Chicken Drumsticks with my very own Mangosteen BBQ Sauce.
The whole family loved it, my husband even took some to work for his collegues!
My finicky 13 yr. old had a couple as well.
19 yr. old enjoyed it too !
YEAH ME !!

Deva Naturals "Kaalae Cholae"

2009-05-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Kaalae Cholae or Black Chickpeas are in the garbanzo family.
They are a very typical North Indian cusine.
In the old days, on special occasions this was served as a wholesome meal at spiritual gatherings also known as "Langar".
These days however, it is made in almost every Punjabi (North Indian) kitchen at least once a week.
It was also used to feed horses in the golden days....
Try it in your kitchen for a healthy wholesome meal to share with family or friends.!

Deva Naturals "Spinach Tilapia"

2009-05-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Eat healthy and feed healthy !
Includes almost all your food groups in the "Food Pyramid" !
Try out this recipe and let me know what you think!

Deva Naturals "Beef Curry"

2009-05-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Not like ya'll haven't noticed, I am so into recipe writing these days... and why not??
It is an art, so share it ! I say!
Share the luhve!

Perfect soul food for any dinner.... Beef / Meat Curry with steamed brown or white rice.
Notice how low it is in fat and useless calories, guilt free, healthy delicious, nutritious meal for all !

Get Creative with Leftovers from Dinner !

2009-05-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Last night I baked some delicious Wild Salmon for dinner with the family.
Put away leftovers as usual for the next day.
Didn't want to eat the same thing again so got a little creative today @lunch.
I tossed last night's dinn dinn with some spaghetti noodles and mushrooms with some Deva Naturals sauces and voila !
Lunch for a queen ! Check out the recipe on Foodista.com
Come on ovah !

Mixed Vegetable Pakoras

2009-05-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

Garam Chai with Pakoras anyone?
Vegetables in chickpea batter, deep fried oooh lalaa ! with a hot cup of cardamom and fennel tea--- to die for ! Soooo good !

Pakoras are like fritters, they can be made with any veg or even paneer, (home made cheese).
The batter generally stays the same, consisting of chick pea flour water and spices.
Try some with Deva Naturals Spicy Tamarind or Mangosteen Chutney !

Turkey Chops with Deva Naturals Spicy Cillantro Chutney

2009-05-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

Quick and Delicious Summer dinner for 4 !

Try grilling Turkey Chops with Mangosteen Soy Sauce by Deva Naturals !

Enjoy with Tandoori Naan or Steamed Rice and my Spicy Cilanto Sauce !

Cheers to Summer 09 !

Just click on http://www.foodista.com/ for more Deva Naturals Recipes

For now, use your imagination ! Drooooooolllll!!

Kept my promise, look at the Deva Naturals, Spicy Cilantro Sauce, ABOVE !

Grilled Pork with Mangosteen BBQ Sauce

2009-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

My Passion is cooking, Eating is a Pleasure, Sharing the bounty is an ultimate blessing !!

Spring has sprung! Paatay time !!

Fired the grill , cooked BBQ pork chops and asparagus with yellow and orange bell peppers, shared it with friends and family !
Missed you.... yah right !! CHEERS !! HAHAHA!!

Birthing of the 1st Deva Natural Chutney !

2009-03-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Inventing and getting a new product out is similar to the birthing process, actually the whole pregnancy process..........think about it for a second.

Research and Development ??

Think of a new product idea, fantasize, work on it and work on it........

Try, try, try and try some more, different styles, angles, recipe, ahem, ahem & all that !
You got it ! Then starts the cooking process ??.... how long?? (No puns intended, LOL).

Take it for a test run, taste test it, with neighbors, friends, family, every one who's willing to have fun trying something new..............

THE PRODUCT SILLY, IN THIS CASE THE RECIPE ??!! GOOD GRIEF, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER?!

MY VERY OWN Mangosteen Chutney is here! YUM !!!

Sweet & slightly sour, spicy and ooie gooie, scrumptious, wholesome all natural, goodness !

Made with Mangosteen, Vermont Maple syrup, a concoction of spices with a hint of lime!
ooooooooooh soo good! Want some, stop begging , just call or email deva@devanaturals.com

Created & copyright'ed!

Soon will be off to friends and family for taste...ing.

Starting the marketing..........1st step...blogging !

Packaging & Labeling.

Large quantity production !

Selling, Demos, Trade shows, and the most important----- WORD OF MOUTH !!

HMMMMM!!! A long road, but a delicious one, I'm having fun, hope you are too!

BTW, SO FAR, EVERYONE HAS LOVED IT ! THEY KEEP ASKING FOR MORE !! 6/14/09....

Elegantly Expressed

2009-02-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

My friend and I, U know, we like to yak a lot………about work, friends, health, her business and mine………..
The “Good, bad and the ugly”, Yaaaaaaah that !!
A while ago we talked about doing some health conscious, treat’ish ideas…….

Why not Mangosteen eh?

It’s a sweet treat !
It is healthy!
It is delicious!
It is crispy and crunchy!

So there she goes….it is on her website:
http://www.elegantlyexpressedgiftbaskets.com/

Freeze dried Mangosteen snack pack !

Can also buy it from http://www.devanaturals.com/

Past 2 months??

2009-02-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

Where have I been?
Vacationing!
but afcohss !!
Went to India after 19 years !
What a country...
WOW !
A humbling
&
grounding experience all in one trip.

THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, PUNJAB ABOVE !

History .... .....Galore!
Scrumptious food.........Galore!
Traffic...............Galore!
Warmth...............Galore!
Traditions..............Galore!
Elegance..................Galore!
Dust..............................Galore!

I mean everything, everywhere, Eye Candy as well as Sore Eyes!!

TAJ MAHAL, AGRA

WHAT A TRIP IT WAS !!

CHOCOSTEEN traveling to Bangkok!!

2009-01-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

I sent some Chocolate Dipped Mangosteen , CHOCOSTEEN !

to Bangkok from Vermont, USA via USPS. It took about a week to get there.

"WELCOME TO THAILAND AIRPORT"

MOI - CHOCOSTEEN!

CHOCOLAT, MANGOSTEEN reached there in it's full

"SCRUMPTIOUS--NESS".
It even lasted a whole month without getting soggy.......the humidity there can do that you know!
What does that say about our Chocolate dipped Mangosteen?
1. Travels well.........good for gifts near and far!
2. Good shelf life......long lasting !
3. Retains its shape and form.....Pretty in a box or baggy with a beautiful ribbon...!
Can take it to the moon!!!!!!!!! or a different galaxy !! Hey we need nutrious, natural, yummy treats every where!

HEY NASA, WANT SOME ?? http://www.devanaturals.com/

Vermont !

2008-12-16T07:15:00.000-08:00

We have honest to good people in Vermont and what a beautiful state, have you seen it in it's winter, spring, summer or fall glory??
Check it out! http://www.travel-vermont.com/

It's winter here alright!

Remember when I said I left a sample at Lake Champlain Chocolates?
Well, they called me back and they were very interested in incorporating Deva Naturals, LLC.'s Freeze dried Mangosteen in their delicious chocolate!
I was thrilled. The owner himself, "Jim Lampman emailed me saying he loved them, what a gentleman!

"Hi Nitti,
Yes, I did try the mangosteen chocolate you left and enjoyed it very much. I thought it delivered a nice mango taste and citrus next. I enjoyed the texture. Thanks for bringing to our attention. We are always interested in new ingredients. Thanks and I believe Dave Bolton has been in touch with you for more samples. Jim"

I met with Dave and honestly, he looks so much like my cousin brother inlaw, it's not funny......it's awsome !
Anyway, so he gave me a tour of the factory , I wore the lab coat and a hair net, it took me back to when I was attending University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, lab all over again working hard at my M.S. degree in Nutritional Science in 1994 , geez! all those taste tests, lab works, humungussss papers..............where did the time go??
It was a lot of hard work man!!

WISH ME LUCK!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Can't stop eating !

2008-12-09T05:14:00.000-08:00

So what if you can't stop eating Mangosteen! "It's not bad for us, actually it maybe good for us................., the mind goes on & on & on .........!"

When has eating a healthy treat hurt anyone?? When someone overeats..anything .......duh!
Moderation is the key! My teacher taught me in school, I try......!!!??!!

By overeating, I mean being unreasonable, which is relative to each individual. Share, "sharing all the things we have, oh what joy, what peace and contentment....."...anyone remember that song?

Lets take care of ourselves !

The fact that we are eating my Freeze dried Mangosteen, says that we generally eat healthy, so why jeopardize that??
Live healthy and be happy!!
If you want any of the mouth watering dark choclate covered Mangosteen shown ->
Place an order and let me know ....

deva@devanaturals.com

www.devanaturals.com/

Chocolate-Dipped Mangosteen

2008-12-06T13:25:00.001-08:00

We were driving to New Hampshire talking about my star product, Freeze dried Mangosteen.

Chocolate covered Mangosteen ! My husband said, sweetheart why don't you try that?

I'll bet dipping them in chocolate will enhance the taste ! Besides dark chocolate is high in antioxidants as well!

Good Idea, I copyright protected it! Who knows what lies ahead.....

This is how the very first chocolated dipped Mangosteen in the world came into existance. My very own idea! I have to see how to protect it internationally as well!

I went to Laughing Moon Chocolates in Stowe, VT and spoke with the owner, who was kind enough to try this idea with her very own chocolate !

It sure tasted good, her chocolates are delicious. http://www.laughingmoonchocolates.com/

The plate below has her chocolate with my freeze dried mangosteen. They were scrumptious!

Mouth watering chocolate with the crunchy sweet and sour freeze dried mangosteen, my goodness, I feel like the world should taste it!

Now you can buy my Freeze Dried Mangosteen packages and place orders for chocolate dipped Mangosteen on my website as well !http://www.devanaturals.com/

Just drop me a line, I look forward to hearing from you all.

My long lost friend !

2008-12-04T06:24:00.000-08:00

Kismet??

I haven't met Medini Pradhan in 25 yrs. till date. One fine day I get a call from her and it's like we've always been in touch.

One of my dear college friends from Mumbai, India. We talked, laughed and cried, I was hysterical, don't tell her that.....SHSHSSHSSHHHH !!!!!
Anyway, got to talking about Deva Naturals, LLC. http://www.devanaturals.com/"MANGOSTEENS"

She is now in Chicago, doing really well, I might add!

http://www.cuisinecuisine.com/ , incredible or what!

I mentioned my freeze dried Mangosteen packages to her and mentioned that I am just starting out. I mailed her some to taste and get her input....

She's been in business for over 10 years now and I value her opinion as a friend and as a business woman.

Being the person that she is , she took pictures of my packed Mangosteen and sent them to me last night, her email says 4 am ??? Gosh girl, do you ever sleep?

Man! She sure gives her commitments to friends, family and customers a priority!

Just look at the picture she took ! That's how I have been retailing my packaged Mangosteen at http://www.healthylivingmarket.com/ and www.naturalprovisions.com

Naked Mangosteen !!!

2008-12-02T06:42:00.000-08:00

In the picture to your right you see Mangosteens without the peel, in their naked glory, ready to be freeeze dried.
As you can see, the fruit itself is pretty small about the size of a Clamentine.
It is white and has a peach like texture.
It gets it's touch of purple from the rind. If you look closely, it also has some pigmentation closer to the center, which is from the seeds.
The fruit is taken and freeze dried and packaged under hygenic conditions, then it is ready for sales.
"Freeze drying (also known as lyophilization) is a dehydration process typically used to preserve a perishable material or make the material more ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze drying"

After freeze drying the fruit becomes more intense in flavor making it sweet and sour, crunchy to taste!

Mangosteen Snack

2008-11-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

Importing or exporting food / fruit is very difficult. Lots of rules and regulations. Rightfully so, I say !
How do we get Mangosteen to where we live?
Shopping is so much fun, you never know what you might find. Well, walking around the super market in Bangkok, I saw in the snack isle, " Freeze dried Mangosteen " , afcourse, I wanted to try some! Did, loved it !
Brought it home, offered it to friends and family, the comments I got ranged from:

"Oooh yum!" -----I agree!
"Too sweet"-------No sugar added, I checked the label. Naturally, sweet!
" I don't like it"---------Every one has different taste buds !
"I can't stop eating it.."------------Me neither!

A friend of mine finished a whole 30 gm bag, 2 servings just while we were chatting, well, I ate some too, we ate it right from the bag, right Deb? !!!

Looked into importing it to the States.

Deva Naturals, LLC. has Mangosteen packages that have an FDA code on it. http://www.devanaturals.com/ , come check us out!
The fruit is freeze dried.
The packages are recylclable, resealable to keep the fruit fresh.
The fruit is all natural.
No additives, colors, preservatives, salt, sugar..........

All this worked in favor of being able to bring it in.

I thought the tag line: "ALL FRUIT, NOTHING BUT THE FRUIT " is just right !
That's how Deva Naturals, LLC. came into existence!
more to come....................

Hello there MANGOSTEEN !

2008-11-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

So, about 15 of us are playing charades, the whole family......... never fails, I have to enact a card, btw, the cards are home made!

Guess what card I get? MANGOSTEEN !

Everyone here knows what Mangosteen is but...........What the........... !!!!!!

How the.............?????

HMMM ...................????????

Here we go................:-) !!! AHEM AHEM ! (I clear my throat)

I make a slurping sound, sounds are allowed right?

I smack my lips, I lick my lips and slurp some more........... by now I'm really drooling! Slurp, slurp!!!

You won't believe the guess answers I got, uhhmmhmm! It was so funny, we were all rolling with laughter !! My 8 year old nephew and onwards to 75 yrs. of age in the video room.........

Ma yells..............MUNKHUD !!!

ONLY MY MOTHER WOULD KNOW THIS ABOUT ME !

YUP! Mungkhud is another name for Mangosteen in Thai.

We are all laughing.......how the heck did you know ma? She said, "u've never drooled so much over anything else!!!!!!!!! hehehehehe!!!! OH MAAAA!!!!!! "

Here is a picture of Mangosteen cut up to show off the beautiful, lucious fruit.

Ya, we also call it " Mungkhud " in Thai !

So, Ma goes to the fridge and brings out a huge platter of cut up whole Mangosteens for all of us!

It took about a full 6 minutes to finish the WHOLE platter and SATISFACTION WAS WRITTEN ALL OVER OUR FACES!!!!!!!!!

Not everyone knows what MANGOSTEEN is !!!

Rule number 1 : NEVER ASSUME !!! When u do that u make an ass of u and me !! Some one once told me!

So, check out the link www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangosteen

Personally, it is sooo juicy when fresh, but you know what? I am unsure if we can get all it's antioxidant benefits, that it is well known for.

My son loves it too!

"Too bad ma, we don't get it in the US" he says..... thinking out loud!

Well, now we do.........Freeze dried Mangosteen. http://www.devanaturals.com/

The Fresh fruit is not far behind!! I hear you can get it in Canada, so I'm sure it will get here, eventually...