In times of tragedy and despair is when comfort food is needed most. Today I'm going to be sharing with you two of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes that are actually pretty simple to make and always help make me feel better when I'm down. Habichuelas guisadas translates in English to 'stewed red beans' and thankfully I took after my grandmother and was able to learn how to prepare them taste just like hers. It's a mix of red kidney beans and potatoes of your choice, cooked together to create a delicious stew. Alongside that I pair this with rice and my all time favorite pastelillos, or depending where you are from empanadillas or turnovers. I know a plate of food is not going to fix Puerto Rico's current state, but I want to share with you ways that you and I can help the residents of the island and also what I'm cooking up to remind me of that beautiful Isla del Encanto.
As many of you already know the island of Puerto Rico has been devastated by a tragic hurricane. This hurricane has left the island without many things we need on a daily basis to survive; such as electricity, food, water, hospitals, and even homes. Due to limited access to internet and phone reception many of us here in the states aren't able to get into contact as easily with our loved ones. I, too, have family on the island and worry every day for what the every day holds for them in Puerto Rico's current state of emergency. Since there is limited access to phones and internet, it is hard for them to contact us and let us know what they need. So word of mouth and spreading where we can all donate will be a huge help to Puerto Rico right now. Many are suffering and we can be the ones to help them survive this.
There are lots of organizations who are collecting donations to send to the island and help repair what has been lost. Below I am listing a couple of them so that you can get an idea of where to donate. Also, please be sure to do your own research and make sure you are donating to the organization that best suits you and to know where your donations are actually going to and that you are not being scammed, don't solely rely on this list that I am providing. One more thing to remember is that when tragic events like these happen donations pour in during the beginning but this is going to be a long process in recovery so the island will need more help a long the way, so recurring donations or even volunteering down the line will be a huge help. Remember every donation counts, so please help with what you can.
How you can help:
Guide of ways to help and emergency supplies most needed issued by Puerto Rican government
PR VOAD will be able to connect you with organizations that you can volunteer with and you can connect you with ways to go to Puerto Rico to help out the areas that have been devastated the most
Thank you all for helping to rebuild Puerto Rico. We shall be stronger than ever before. Boricua para siempre!
SERVING:
2-4 people
INGREDIENTS:
Vegan
Habichuelas Guisadas:
1-2 can(s) of Goya red kidney beans with liquid
2 tbsp of Goya Tomato Salsa
2-3 potatoes cubed
1-2 tbsp of sofrito
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp of Adobo
1/2 tbsp of Goya Sazon
Optional: 2 tbsp of EVOO or vegetable oil
Instructions:
1. Heat up a medium sized pot on low-to-medium heat, you can add in the oil once heated if using
2. Add in the sofrito and tomato sauce, after it's heated mix in the bouillon cube
3. Pour in your beans, potatoes, beans and stir all ingredients + bring to a boil
4. Lower heat, add in seasoning, and allow to cook until sauce thickens & potatoes are fork tender
5. Serve hot with a bowl of rice
SERVING:
3 - 5 people, depending on how hungry they are
INGREDIENTS:
Vegan
Pastelillo de Carne Vegano:
1 pack of ready made dough for turnovers
1/2 cup of veggie ground meat
1/4 cup of Tomato Salsa
1 tbsp of Sazon
1/2 cup of vegan cheese
1 tbsp of sofrito
Seasonings to taste
1/2 cup of frying oil
Instructions:
1. In a heated pan mix in the sofrito and salsa with the veggie ground meat and seasonings until cooked thoroughly
2. Spoon in veggie ground and cheese in the center of dough, do not overfill to avoid spillage
3. Fold one half of the disk over to the other half
4. Using a fork you can press the edges together
5. Heat oil in a frying pan, once hot lower heat to a medium heat setting on your stove
6. Carefully fry both sides of pastelillo for a few minutes until golden brown. If they brown too quickly, lower heat and fry the rest of your pastelillos
7. Place on a plate with a napkin to cool off and so excess oil can be soaked up. Allow to cool down for a few minutes before eating to avoid burning your mouth
8. Eat on it's own or serve with rice & beans