Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips)

Plantains are a great and versatile produce that also happen to be quite inexpensive.  One great way of making green plantains is to make plantain chips or what is called mariquitas de platano. You want to make sure you use green plantains to make mariquitas de platano as ripened (yellow or black) plantains will end up soggy. These chips are simple to make and very delicious. Everyone in my family loves these because the chips are light and crispy! Also, they pair well with a variety of food and can be eaten as a side dish or as a snack. This is another vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free friendly food. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Food processor slicer for a standard mixer or handheld slicer
• A small/medium pot, knife, cutting board, and wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS             
                                 

                                                                         

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Peel the plantain(s) and cut it in half (Depending on the size of the plantain, the pieces should be 4 ¼ to 5 inches in size) 
2. Slice the plantains using a food processor, standard mixer attachment, or handheld (mandoline) slicer. If you have none of those, you could also use a peeler. The pieces should be thin, about 1 to 2 mm thick. 
3. Now put oil in a pot about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil on high heat and use a plantain slice to check if the oil is hot enough. If the oil bubbles, the oil is ready.  
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and begin frying the plantains. Make sure you separate the plantain slices when placing them in the frying pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan or let the plantain slices overlap or they will clump and get stuck together. Cook the plantain slices for about 20 seconds or remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown. (Note: the plantain slices will cook very quickly in the oil and will continue to cook once removed from the oil, so be sure to remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown). Use a wire or mesh spider strainer to remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate/tray covered with paper towels. Once finished frying, the plantains are ready to serve. The plantains can also be saved to eat later or at any time as a snack.  

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

With the holidays approaching, it conjures thoughts of all the traditional dishes my Cuban family eats during our Christmas Eve meal. One main side dish that is served is frijoles negros (black beans), which goes really well with the roasted pork, yucca, white rice, fufu (mashed plantains), and shrimp served for the holiday meal.  However, black beans are an amazing recipe that makes for a simple, hardy, and healthy meal for any day of the year, not just holidays! This also happens to be a great vegan- and vegetarian-friendly recipe. It’s also gluten and dairy free! Black beans are simple, inexpensive to make, healthy, and delicious! So have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!   

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (16 oz bag) of dry black beans
• 1 medium-sized green pepper
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• 5 cups of water plus 2 cups of water to add later as needed

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, put the dry black beans in a pot. Then rinse the beans three times with water, draining the water each time. Next fill the pot halfway, with about 5 cups of water, and let the beans soak for at least 2 hours or just let them soak overnight.   
2. Now finely chop the onion and green pepper in a food processor.
3. Once the beans finish soaking, add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cumin to the pot with the beans and water. Place the pot covered on the stove and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower to medium-high heat and let boil for 5 minutes with the lid slightly uncovered. 
4. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes (Note: The timing could be different based on the brand of beans used and how long you soaked the beans).
5. By this point, the fluid should have reduced. Add 2 cups of water and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
6. Now take a large stirring spoon and squash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup/liquid part of the beans (Note: Squash the beans until you get a thickness you like; watch the video demonstration for a visual/more details). Then reduce the heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes.  After that, the beans are ready to serve! 
   

Tuna with Cream Cheese Spread & Sandwiches (Bocaditos de Atún)

I think when people hear tuna sandwich they tend to think of the typical tuna with mayonnaise version, which I happen to really like. However, while growing up, I was exposed to a different kind of tuna sandwich that is equally delicious, despite the odd ingredients that go into the tuna mix. Instead, this recipe combines tuna, cream cheese, ketchup, and green olives. Yes, I just said ketchup and green olives with tuna.  I was always excited when I got home from school and saw my mother made tuna with cream cheese because I love these sandwiches! The ingredients complement one another well. The addition of the green olives and ketchup add a bit of saltiness, tanginess, and sweetness to the sandwiches that perfectly contrasts with the tuna and cream cheese! Furthermore, this tuna mixture also complements whatever bread you use, so the flavor of the wheat, multigrain or bread you use will come through.  I absolutely recommend giving this recipe a try because the amazing flavor of these sandwiches will surprise you and will make you want to go back for more! So, have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!

Tuna with Cream Cheese (Bocaditos de Atún) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 oz can of tuna in water
• 8 oz package of cream cheese
• Half of a 5.75 oz jar of green olives, strained any liquid
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup
• 1 loaf of wheat, white, or multigrain bread

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium size bowl
• A large flat plate
• A cutting board, knife, fork, and spoon.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS
 

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Open the can of tuna and drain out the water. Now, place the tuna in a bowl and use a fork to flake the tuna until very refined, finely shredded. Set aside.
2. Put the cream cheese on a large flat plate. Then use a fork to smash the cream cheese and fold over and continue to smoosh it around until it reaches a very smooth consistency. Next, use the fork to flatten out the cream cheese on the plate (Note: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator so it can soften a bit at room temperature.  That will make it easier to work with and smooth out).
3. Now, add the tuna to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until it reaches a very smooth and creamy consistency. Continue to mix until you don’t see any white streaks of cream cheese.
4. Next, add the ketchup and mix thoroughly so that there are no red streaks of ketchup and the mixture is all the same color.
5. On a cutting board, take each green olive and slice into three rings. Then, add the green olives to the tuna-cream cheese mixture and use a spoon to gently, fold the olives into the mixture until evenly distributed. Now the mixture is done, and you can begin to make the sandwiches.
6. Take two pieces of bread and use a knife or spoon to spread 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of the tuna mix on the bread about ¹/₈ of an inch thick (or more if you want the sandwiches filled more).
7. Then cut the bread in ½ and serve. If you want, you can also cut off the crust, cut the sandwiches in half, and serve (Note: If you set up a bunch of sandwiches to serve, be sure to put in an airtight container or place damp paper towels over the sandwiches to prevent the bread from drying out).

Orange Chicken (Pollo en Salsa)

One of my favorite dishes of all time is my mother’s “Orange Chicken” or pollo en salsa.   

I lovingly call this dish orange chicken because of the vibrant orange color the sauce gets after cooking and imparts on the chicken. The sauce of this dish is incredibly flavorful, and the chicken is so tender it just falls apart, which are the main reasons I love this dish so much! What makes this recipe even better is that it is a single pot meal in which all of the ingredients get put in a pot and left to cook. Yet, the result is an amazing meal/dish that is complex in flavor. So have fun giving this recipe a try, and enjoy!     

Orange Chicken (Pollo en Salsa) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 chicken leg quarters (about 3 lbs) (you can include chicken breast; please note if you choose to only use chicken breast the sauce will end up having a weaker flavor than if chicken leg quarters are used or at least included when making this recipe)
• 1 medium or large red pepper
• 2 medium onions
• 2 packets of sazón con azafran or 1 tablespoon of saffron/bijol
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• ¾ tablespoon of salt
• Half of a 7 ounce jar of green olives
• 2 teaspoons of the green olive liquid
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• ¼ cup of white cooking wine
• 1 ½ to 2 cups of water
• 1 large potatoes (optional)

Note: Taste the green olives to see how salty they are and adjust the salt additions accordingly.  Just remember salt can be added at the end but it can’t be taken out, so err on the side of caution and reduce the amount of salt and/or green olive liquid if the green olives seem on the saltier side.

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. First, collect and prepare the ingredients. Cut the leg quarters to separate the legs from the thighs (or use precut legs and thighs). Next, cut the onions in half, and then slice each half into slices ¹/₈ inch thick.  Slice the red peppers lengthwise into slices about ¼ inch thick. Next, cut the potato in four and then cut each piece into slices a ½ inch thick. 
2. In a large pot, place the chicken in the pot side by side.  Then add the salt, garlic, sazón con azafran (saffron), onions, red pepper, potatoes, green olives, and tomato sauce.  Make sure to evenly distribute the ingredients over the chicken. Lastly, add the tomato sauce and water. The water should come up to the top of the chicken and other ingredients.  If not, just add a bit more water to the pot.  Reserve the cooking wine to add later during the cooking process.
3. Now, put the pot on the stove with the lid on, bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, and let cook for 40 minutes.
4. Next, add in the cooking wine and continue to cook for another 40 minutes on medium heat. The chicken and sauce should be ready to serve. You will know it’s done because the sauce should have thickened, you should see red oil floating on top of the sauce from the oils naturally extracted from the red pepper, and the potatoes, chicken, and red peppers should be tender.  Use a fork to test for tenderness and if the potatoes or red peppers feel firm continue to cook until those are tender. Once done, serve with white rice or another side dish(es).

Chicken Salad Sandwich

 

One great way to use leftover chicken or turkey is to make chicken/turkey salad, which could be eaten as a sandwich, with crackers, lettuce, and more! This chicken salad recipe also incorporates apples and napa cabbage to provide a bit of crunch and sweetness! The recipe also uses Greek yogurt dressing instead of mayo to lower the caloric value, without the loss of the creamy texture mayo provides. However, mayo can still be used if that is what you prefer. As a sandwich, it can be topped with spinach, lettuce, cabbage, tomato, onion and so on to create a light, but satisfying meal. So have fun giving this simple recipe a try, get creative, and enjoy!  

Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups of chicken or turkey, finely chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• 5 tablespoons of dill Greek yogurt (or you can use mayonnaise)
• 1 ½ cups of spinach
• 2 large napa cabbage leaves (or you can use 1 ¼ cups of regular cabbage)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Bread, your choice: rolls, French bread, white or wheat bread, etc.
• Optional toppings: tomato slices, onions, cucumbers, etc. (Get creative!)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large bowl, cutting board, spoon, and knife

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. First, collect and prepare the ingredients. Take the napa cabbage and separate the white from the leafy part. Then chop the white part into ¹/₈ inch sized cubes and cut the leafy part of the napa cabbage into ¹/₈ inch thick slices so that it is shredded. Now peel, core the apple, and chop into ¹/₈ inch cubes. Then finely chop the chicken or turkey.

(See the video recipe demonstration for a visual of how to chop the ingredients and how small the ingredients are chopped)

2. In a large bowl add the chopped chicken, white part of the napa cabbage, and apple, then mix thoroughly.
3. Next, add the Greek yogurt dressing (or mayonnaise) and mix thoroughly. Now add salt and pepper to taste. The chicken salad is done and can either be served with crackers or made into sandwiches.
4. To assemble the sandwich, use a 4 by 4 inch piece of bread or a napa cabbage or lettuce leaf.  First, put a few tablespoons (about 4) of the chicken salad mixture, then add some spinach leaves, the shredded leafy part of the napa cabbage and top with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, or any other toppings. Then serve the sandwiches!

Note: The quantities for filling the sandwiches is up to you. This chicken salad recipe can make 3 very filled 4 by 4 inch sandwiches, so adjust how much chicken salad is made or how filled the sandwiches are based on how many people you need to feed.