Bespiced

08/11/2026

The first Dal Chawal Virtual Supper Club is this Sunday, August 16th from 430 pm to 630 pm CST. If anyone want to cook live with me from their kitchens via zoom, sign up soon!

This week’s class is called
One Dal, Three Ways

You can choose to add a cooking class kit at check out so you don’t have to go shop for ingredients you may not have in your pantry! - Shipping and porch pick up if you are local to DFW

Menu and Sign up details are:

Join Sapna for a guided virtual cooking class. She will guide you step by step, hold your hand virtually as you will cook in your own kitchens. The classes will include recipes, grocery lists, nuggets of culinary wellness, Ayurveda insights and joyful memories.

08/11/2026

Thrilled to be featured in the Aug/Sept issue of Real Simple talking about a meal I take very seriously…LUNCH!

Confession: I’ve never been a big breakfast person. But an early, hearty lunch? Nonnegotiable.

I loved sharing why lunch deserves more attention, bringing together nutrition science and Ayurvedic wisdom to talk about energy, digestion, portion size, and avoiding that dreaded afternoon slump.

Thank you Jenna Helwig for including my voice alongside Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN and Dr. Susan Albers

And what a perfect timing for an early birthday gift 🎁✨

Link in Bio for the article.

07/31/2026

For months, I’ve been quietly working on something I’ve wanted to create ever since Dal Chawal was released.

So many of you have written to me saying,
“I wish I could cook with you.”
“I have the book but don’t know where to start.”
“Can you teach this recipe?”

I’m so excited to finally say… it’s happening.

✨ The Dal Chawal Virtual Supper Club is opening its doors.

These live online cooking classes go far beyond the cookbook. We’ll cook together, explore seasonal, plant forward recipes, uncover the wisdom of Ayurveda, build confidence with spices and techniques, and share the kind of everyday kitchen lessons that never fit on a printed page.

Whether Dal Chawal is already on your kitchen shelf or you’re simply curious about Indian home cooking, I’d love to welcome you into my kitchen.

And I’m especially excited that our very first class -
✨One Dal, Three Ways✨ - kicks off in August during my birthday week. I honestly can’t think of a better way to celebrate than cooking together.

Tap the link in bio to learn more, view the August classes and save your seat. ❤️

07/02/2026

I can focaccia.

Confession…focaccia is my favorite kind of bread. Maybe because I’m not a baker at heart. It feels more like cooking than baking, and I love where that creative freedom takes me. Sometimes it’s the perfect canvas to tell a story.

A flavor combination that had been living in my head for weeks finally found its way into the oven…and the result exceeded every expectation.

✨Blueberry Mango Lassi Focaccia finished with a beSPICED Chai Masala drizzle.✨

When the desi love for mangoes meets America’s iconic summer berry, something delicious happens.

Sweet and tangy mango lassi. Bursts of juicy blueberries. Warm chai spices. Crisp golden edges. A soft, pillowy center. Summer in every bite.

Perfect for your Fourth of July holiday table.

Available this Saturday, 7/4 only at the Coppell Farmers Market Quantities are limited, so DM me now to reserve yours before they’re gone.

06/14/2026

Last night, Dal Chawal did not bring home a James Beard Award.

I woke up this morning with more emotions than I expected.
Gratitude.
Wonder.
Disappointment.
Pride.
Humility.
Relief.

In the Bhagavad Gita, we are taught to focus on the work itself and not become attached to the outcome. And yet, if I am being honest, it is much easier to understand that lesson than it is to live it.

I never imagined, in my wildest dreams, that Dal Chawal would receive a James Beard Award nomination.

As I sat in that room last night, with kids, Aditya and Mihika beside me, who have been my biggest inspiration and “my why” - the last five years came flashing by.

The leap of faith of writing this book during a radical shift in my personal life. The people who appeared at exactly the right moment. The conversations, opportunities, challenges, and lessons that somehow led to a humble book about dal and rice being recognized on one of the biggest stages in food.

My mother, whose recipes, stories, and wisdom are woven throughout these pages. My father, who taught me to dream big and whose belief in me continues to guide my steps.

The incredible team at Hardie Grant, my editor Jenny Wapner who celebrated my voice and vision from the very beginning and surrounded me with a creative team that helped bring Dal Chawal into the world with such care and beauty. My agent, Sally Ekus who believed in me and this book long before it existed. Kristen Hartke , Uma Jolicoeur, AP | Eight Directions Wellness, LLC , the recipe testers, friends, colleagues, and readers who helped shape this work.

And I thought about all of you who cheered me on through this journey. Every message. Every book purchase. Every event attended. Every recipe cooked. Every shared post. Every word of encouragement.

By the time the envelope was opened, I was reminded just how much love surrounds this book.

Of course I would have loved to bring the medal home.
But a humble bowl of dal chawal made it to one of the biggest stages in food. For a meal that has nourished generations and lives quietly in millions of homes, that feels pretty remarkable.

Thank you for walking alongside me on this journey. My heart is full ❤️🙏🏽🧿

06/10/2026

Since Dal Chawal found its way into the world, one of the most unexpected gifts has been the conversations it has sparked.

The recipes you’ve cooked.
The family stories you’ve shared.
The questions you’ve asked.
The ways you’ve adapted the recipes and made them your own.

Each message, note, and conversation has meant more to me than you know.

So I thought it was time for us to gather.

Join me for a complimentary community Zoom conversation on Tuesday, June 16 at 2:00 PM CST.
Whether you own Dal Chawal, have cooked from the book, or are simply curious about Indian cooking, Ayurveda, pulses, rice, and plant forward meals, you are welcome.

Bring your questions. Share your favorite recipes. Tell me what you’d like to learn next.

And if you can’t join live, register anyway. A recording will be sent to everyone who signs up.

Registration link in bio.

I can’t wait to see you there. 💛

P.S. Virtual cooking classes return on June 21. I’ll be sharing the first class menu and registration details later this week, so stay close by.

05/13/2026

Good Things Take Time.

That message followed me all through Napa last week.

Still processing the magic of the inaugural Food is Life, Food is Health Summit hosted by .med and ✨

A room filled with chefs, physicians, dietitians, researchers, sustainability leaders, educators, and food systems leaders from across the country, all coming together around one shared belief: that the future of personal and planetary health depends on how we grow, cook, share, and understand food.

I had the honor of leading a sold out kitchen session centered around Indian culinary traditions, pulses, spices, plant diversity, and practical nourishment. The conversations that followed throughout the week were the real gift. So many meaningful connections, thoughtful exchanges, shared meals, and people doing deeply inspiring work across healthcare, food systems, education, and media.

Huge gratitude to - Kristen Rasmussen, RD extraordinaire, who along with the incredible leadership team including , , and others, shaped such a thoughtful and deeply collaborative gathering. You could feel the care, intention, and warmth behind every detail and every conversation.

It was also deeply meaningful to be part of conversations around culturally relevant health and culinary communication alongside and , moderated by 🫶🏽

And the author signing? Completely overwhelming in the best possible way. We sold Dal Chawal way more than one book a minute during the one hour signing session. I still cannot believe how many people showed up with such genuine enthusiasm for Dal Chawal and the power of rooted food traditions.

The morning the summit began, I received the surreal news that Dal Chawal had been nominated for a 2026 James Beard Award. The universe has a way with timing. It truly could not have picked a more meaningful place for me to receive this news. I spent the entire week surrounded by warmth, generosity, encouragement, and people who made me feel deeply seen in this work.

Still taking it all in. 🌿

05/11/2026

My Circle 🧿 My Hearts 🧿

Happy Mothers Day! 💫🫶🏽

📸

05/09/2026

Received the official seal from and seeing it on 🧿 Dal Chawal 🧿 is deeply humbling. Truly a moment of Desi pride. Here’s to bringing Ghar ka Khana front and center and celebrating the eternal love story of pulses and rice beloved in every Indian home.

If Dal Chawal has found a home in your kitchen, if a recipe made you call your mom, if a chapter made you slow down, if the book has earned a spot on your shelf or in someone’s hands as a gift, would you leave a review? Please join me in making some noise for this one…

Reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, or Goodreads carry real weight. If you have left a review on one platform (thank you), perhaps leave another one on a different platform. They help this book reach the readers who need it most: the home cook learning dal for the first time, the second-gen kid searching for their grandmother’s flavors, the seasoned cook familiar with Indian recipes but seeking the Ayurvedic lens to cook with deeper intention and adapt seasonally, the single parent cooking on a tight budget, the curious eater looking to add more meatless meals to their table.

The winners will be announced at the renowned Art Institute of Chicago, on Saturday, June 13. Stay tuned for more updates and wish me luck! ✨

05/07/2026

2026 James Beard Award Nominee
Vegetable-Focused Category
✨🧿 Dal Chawal ✨🧿

Dal Chawal is an emotion for billions of Indians around the world. It is the bowl that raises us, the one we return to in joy and in grief, the meal that holds the love of every mother and grandmother who came before us, the one that tastes like every kitchen we have ever loved. To carry this humble bowl to a national stage, and to see it celebrated here, is such a special honor of my life.

So grateful to the for recognizing this work, and to the entire team for trusting Dal Chawal from our very first conversation. To , for walking with me through every step. And to every friend, colleague, reader, and most of all my family and my kids, who have cheered me on through this journey, your belief is woven into these pages.

Such an emotional and surreal day. Didn’t think Chicago was part of my travel plans this year. ✨