Click here and read how a can of store-bought black beans reminds me of the beans I was served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the highlands of Western Honduras. Just open, heat, and serve these beans with your favorite Central American recipe!
This hearty black bean stew was inspired by Feijoada, a stew made of bean, beef, and pork, the national dish of Brazil. But here I’ve added my own touch, like sautéing veggies in bacon drippings and seasoning beans with adobo, saffron, and red pepper flakes. (more).
My puchero is a fall casserole that I’ve adapted from my Mexican host mom’s signature recipe. My version calls for butternut squash, plantain bananas, carrots, yellow crookneck squash, and Yukon potatoes. It takes its name from squishing the veggies between your fingers, puch, puch, puchero. (more).
These Honduran baleadas or soft bean tacos are the ultimate comfort food with a generous filling of creamy refried beans sandwiched between a homemade flour tortilla. Made in just 7 minutes and with only 2 ingredients, this no-fuss meal is fast and easy but will (more).
These Creamy and Dreamy Refried Beans are enhanced by the flavorful drippings of hickory-smoked bacon and key spices like red pepper flakes and earthy cumin. Serve with my Naturally Sweet Banana Smoothies and my Honduran Baleadas or Bean Tacos for an authentic Central American dish! (more).
Instead of settling for bland supermarket tortillas, now you can enjoy the best homemade corn tortillas. Here I recount my tips of decades of experience, which I learned from my own trial and error and from Honduran women I met in the Peace Corps.
This mouth-watering dish is one of my favorites to date with the winning combination of fire-roasted green chiles, mildly sweet corn tortillas, and melted cheddar cheese. Yet the secret ingredients are the creamy chive cream cheese, tempered by sour cream, and the earthy black olives. (more).
I find that salsa verde can be unpleasantly acidic, but here, I temper the typical sour note by omitting the lime juice and pairing it with ripe, charred tomatillos and a dash of salt instead of sugar. Use this as a dip on chips or (more).
I was first introduced to this luscious banana smoothie while in the Peace Corps in Honduras. Ever since, it’s been a longtime favorite and is easy to make, taking only 3 minutes to prep and using only 3 ingredients. Plus, it’s naturally sweet, consisting solely (more).
Sometimes I feel that I have the best hobby in the world. What can beat taste tasting margaritas until I hone the perfect combination of sweet limeade, sour lime juice, and briny sea salt? This recipe took various iterations to perfect, but my family was (more).
This nutrient-rich Mexican cobb salad is packed with protein and fiber with over 65 and 27 grams, respectively. Plus, it’s delicious with buttermilk dressing offsetting the smoky achiote chicken, sweet corn, seasoned black beans, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and mozzarella cheese. What a slice of heaven! (more).
These Mexican soy tostadas are fast and easy to make, requiring only 18 minutes and using just 6 ingredients, one of which is water. The crumbled Mexican soy is a good source of protein and makes this dish vegan if paired with vegan sour cream. (more).
This homemade red enchilada sauce is so addictive that you’ll be topping it on a plethora of recipes, like my Mexican Soy Tostadas. It’s also a nice accompaniment to eggs, like the traditional dish of Mexican huevos rancheros. Try it for yourself and tell me (more).
My Original Mexican Lasagna is a healthy adaptation of the traditional Mexican dish called chilaquiles. Here, a red sauce of tomato, onion, and sweet peppers is layered with chicken, tortillas, and peppers, and is topped off with mozzarella cheese and a dollop of sour cream. (more).
Decades after my junior year abroad in Mérida, Mexico, I began experimenting with an unusual take on a regional dish known as chilaquiles. From the typical mix of sweet peppers, tomatoes, and onions, I ran across a rich sauce to use for my Mexican lasagna. (more).
Here My Chipotle Hummus With A Kick is the perfect fusion of Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines. This tasty starter draws on the heat of Mexican chipotle peppers in adobo sauce but tames it with the cooling effect of absorbent sour cream, garbanzo beans, and tahini. (more).
This sensational soup fills the home with the flavorful aroma of earthy hominy and smoky chili anchos. The garnish of lemons and radishes lends a textural crunch and tangy note to this unique soup. Note: this soup is mild in heat although using chilies. It (more).
Here, the traditional cup of Joe is given a twist, with the unexpected complement of allspice and sugar to coffee. This is the customary way coffee was served when I was a Peace Corp Volunteer two decades ago in the coffee producing sector of western (more).
This adapted, time-honored soup from the Yucatán features a blend of sweet mini peppers, which is accented by a sour tang of freshly squeezed lime juice. Naturally low in carbs and fat, this soup still abounds in flavor and can be made vegetarian and vegan. (more).
While you often think of guacamole as a splurge, its star ingredient, avocado, is nutritively high in fiber and potassium. So, indulge in this mouth-watering appetizer, which is alway the hit of any occasion, whether a simple family gathering or a potluck where you want (more).