¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

Hola familia,

How’s your September going so far? I have some exciting news to share. As we step into Hispanic Heritage Month, I'm excited to announce a special series celebrating our rich Puerto Rican culinary traditions—with a Healthy Rican twist! Every week during Hispanic Heritage Month, I’ll be sharing some of the best authentic Puerto Rican foods featuring our signature Healthy Rican spices. Each recipe will showcase one of our products, starting with a staple in every Puerto Rican kitchen: Adobo.

These recipes are not only delicious but also made with wholesome ingredients that align with our mission and vision. From the classic sofrito flavors to the vibrant delicious adobo, we’re bringing you the best of Puerto Rican cuisine with a health-conscious twist.

A Taste of History: The Story of Adobo

Adobo is more than just a seasoning; it's a tradition that has been passed down through generations in Puerto Rican households. Originating from the Spanish word "adobar," meaning "to marinate," adobo has been a key ingredient in our cooking for many years. It’s a versatile blend that can be used to season everything from meats and vegetables to beans and soups.

While typical store bought adobos often include ingredients like MSG and preservatives, we’ve taken a different approach. At Healthy Rican, our adobo is made with a clean blend of Himalayan pink salt, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, oregano, and coriander. It’s free of MSG, food coloring, preservatives, and artificial flavors, so EVERYONE, including those of us that are sensitive to these ingredients can enjoy all the rich, savory goodness without any of the unnecessary additives.

This week's Featured Recipe: “Tostones”

You can’t think of Puerto Rican foods without thinking of delicious, crispy tostones. To kick off our series, we’ll be sharing our delicious version of tostones, featuring our Healthy Rican Adobo. This dish is a true celebration of Puerto Rican flavors.

Typically tostones are fried, but did you know that the oil we cook them in makes a difference? How about rather than giving up on our traditional foods, we just switch up the ingredients. Yeah? While I don’t fry a lot, when I do, here are my favorites: 

• Refined coconut oil. Coconut oil is known to have a high smoke point and is ideal for cooking at high temperatures. The refined version doesn’t have as much flavor, which is perfect for those that do not like the coconut flavor. 
• Avocado oil is another great choice as it has one of the highest smoke points, coming in around 520° Fahrenheit (F). This makes it ideal for an all-purpose oil or really high heat cooking. This brand is my favorite. 
• Extra virgin olive oil in moderation as olive oil has a lower smoke point, and can lose its properties once cooked at high heat. 

How to make tostones:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 green plantains (each plantain will make approximately 5-6 tostones)
• 1 cup cooking oil of choice
• Healthy Rican Adobo

Directions:

Using a knife, cut both ends of the plantain. To help peel the plantain, slice the peel (long side of the plantain), carefully use the knife to peel without breaking into the plantain. Once peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces. 

Add the oil to a small pot, and bring the oil to a med-high heat to avoid burning the plantains as the pieces must cook all the way through. Once the oil is hot, add the plantain pieces and cook on both sides. They must look dark to golden yellow and soft enough to stick a fork in them. 

Remove from the heat, and flatten the pieces using two flat surfaces or a tostonera. You can also use a piece of parchment paper on the counter and a plate or bottom of a mug to flatten. 

Bring the tostones back to the oil to fry a second time. Just 1 minute or less to each side or until crispy and golden brown. 

Remove from heat and place on a plate with paper towels to remove any excess oil. Sprinkle with Healthy Rican Adobo and enjoy as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce, aioli or the famous Puerto Rican mayo-ketchup which is half mayo, half ketchup and a hint of garlic. 

Hispanic Heritage Celebration Sale

What makes our adobo special? It’s all in the ingredients. We’ve carefully selected each one for its flavor and health benefits, ensuring that you’re not only getting a delicious seasoning but also nourishing your body with every sprinkle.

To celebrate, start by re-stocking and getting ready for the holidays! 

You can purchase the ADOBO 3-pack on Amazon with a 15% discount on the subscribe and save program, or get a 10% off one today! 

Check it out here!

Join Us on This Flavorful Journey

We are excited to share these recipes with you and celebrate the vibrant culinary heritage of Puerto Rico together. Keep an eye on your inbox next week for the next recipe in our Hispanic Heritage Month series, and don’t forget to let us know how you’re enjoying the flavors of Healthy Rican.

We’d love to see how you’re using our spices in your kitchen—post your recipe and tag us on Instagram with #HispanicHeritageWithHealthyRican for a chance to be featured!

Lastly, Do you live in LA?

Come meet us in person!! Healthy Rican is a proud sponsor of 2024 Revolución Los Angeles. Revolución 2024 is an annual program showcasing the most diverse and inclusive Latino/Latina speakers, panels, creators, and artists. September 20th - 22nd. Check it out! 

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for our featured product NEXT week!! It’s going to be delicious!

As always thank you for your continued support. I truly do appreciate it. For more delicious recipes you can head over to my blog, check out the recipes that are there and don’t forget to drop me a line. I love chatting with you.

I appreciate you! 

Wishing you much love, health, and happiness,

Mayra Luz Colón

Founder of Nutrition Dork LLC & Healthy Rican

Author of Healthy Rican: Put the Latin Spice in your Healthy Life! 

P.S. Thanks for taking the time to connect with me. As always, our promise to you is that we do not spam or send an unnecessary amount of emails. If at any moment, it's not working out for you, no hard feelings! Just unsubscribe below. We'll always be here if you change your mind. :)