Welcome to the Healthy Rican Familia!
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Here you'll find recipes that you can make with the Healthy Rican seasonings.
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HEALTHY RICAN'S ORIGINAL RECIPES

Aceite de Achiote (Oil of Annatto)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup annatto seeds
- 1 cup oil of choice For this, you can use any type of oil you cook with. Traditionally, our grandmothers used lard as the oil/fat of choice. Healthier options include; avocado oil and refined coconut oil.
Instructions
- Add the oil and annatto seeds into a small pot.
- Heat the oil on low until it comes to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes, or until it achieves the desired color.
- Do not heat for more than 10 minutes to avoid the burning of the seeds.
- Allow to cool and strain the oil into a glass jar.
- If desired, you can save the annatto seeds for another time as you can use the same seeds twice.

Arroz con Gandules (Apastelado)
Equipment
- Food Grater for optional green bananas
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp aceite de achiote oil
- 2 tbsp Sofrito *if using Healthy Rican, see below
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup diced peppers
- ¼ cup diced ham optional
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp bouillon chicken or vegetable
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 1 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo
- 3 cups water or broth
- 5-6 spanish olives optional
- 15 oz gandules pigeon peas
- 3 cups jasmine or white rice rinsed
- 3 green bananas optional
- 1 banana or plantain leaf optional
Instructions
- In a large pot or caldero, add oil, sofrito, onions, peppers, ham if using, garlic, bouillon and tomato paste and stir fry on high heat for a minute.
- Add the seasonings and half of the water or broth and olives if using. Bring to a quick boil and add the gandules and rice. Top with remaining water or broth until the broth is ¼ inch above the rice. Try the broth to make sure the flavor is to your liking. Add any salt or seasonings to taste and stir well.
- For extra flavor that will make your dish taste like Puerto Rican pasteles, follow this extra step. While you wait for the broth to come to a boil, peel and grate the green bananas using the fine shred/zest side of the food grater. You can also use a food processor or blender.
- Once the broth evaporates, reduce the heat to low, add the green banana mixture on top and spread around, cover with a banana leaf if you have it, cover with a lid and allow to cook for approximately 20-25 minutes. Do not uncover for at least 20 minutes. The rice should be fluffy and completely cooked through.
- Turn the rice from the bottom up while incorporating the green bananas. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Notes

Pavochón
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
Ingredients
- 14-15 lb turkey defrosted
Pavochón Marinade Ingredients
- 1 head garlic pealed
- 1/2 cup small yellow onion
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2 pcs lime juiced
- 2 tbsp Healthy Rican Savory Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Remove giblets and turkey neck from the turkey and fully dry the turkey with paper towels.
- Make the turkey marinade: Add all the marinade ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, or chop everything by hand very finely and mix all together.
- Gently lift the skin from the turkey breast and separate gently.
- Season the turkey with the marinade over and under the skin.
- Cover the turkey and refrigerate for 12-48 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the fridge at least an hour before cooking, and let sit at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey as desired and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Roast turkey uncovered until juices are clear and turkey has cooked through. Typically for 2-3 hours or until the turkey reaches the following temperatures: 180°F in thigh. 170°F in the breast. 165°F in stuffing.
- Enjoy with your favorite side dishes, along with quality time with your loved ones.

Puerto Rican Pasteles
Ingredients
- 5-6 pounds meat chicken thighs or pork belly
- 3 tbsp aceite de achiote or oil with sazón
- 3 tbsp (heaping) sofrito
- 3 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 5-6 pcs culantro leaves recao or cilantro
- 3 tbsp pimento-stuffed olives
- 2-3 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo and Sazón to taste
- 1 can chickpeas optional
- 1 dozen green bananas
- 10-12 pieces yautia blanca can be replaced with yuca
- ½ small squash calabaza
- 1 dash milk of choice or broth to help blend the masa/dough
- banana leaves found in the Latin frozen food section
- paper for pasteles and tamales papel para pasteles
- string
Instructions
- Pre-cook the meat by steaming or boiling it. Typically cooks within 10-15 minutes. After completely cooked, remove from heat, strain any extra water, and add to a bowl. For the chicken, you can chop into small chunks or pull using 2 forks. Note: if using pork, chop into small chunks before cooking.
- In a large pot, add the oil, sofrito, tomato sauce, garlic, culantro, olives, and chickpeas. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked meat with 1 cup of water. Add adobo and sazón to taste, stir well, and allow to boil for 5-8 minutes on high heat. If there is an excess of liquid, continue to cook on low heat, until the sauce thickens up. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cut the corners of the green bananas. For easier peeling, place all the green bananas in a large bowl and cover with water. Allow to sit for a few minutes before you start.
- Peel and cut the yautia and squash into small chunks.
- Using a small knife, cut longways into the banana peel to open. Then chop into small pieces.
- In a large blender or food processor, blend all the chopped yautia, squash, and green bananas. For easier blending, add a bit of milk to get it started. Do small batches at a time and add the masa/dough into a large bowl.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil of annatto and 2 tbsp of the meat sauce to the masa/dough. If oil of annatto is not available, use oil of choice, and sazón or achiote molido (ground annatto). Mix well. Optional: Add salt to taste at this point.
- On a flat surface, place a rectangular piece of pastel paper (approximately 12x9”). Place a smaller rectangular piece of banana leaf on top.
- Spread 1 tsp of oil of annatto on top of the leaf.
- Add ¾ cup of masa/dough on top of the leaf and spread it out. It does not matter if it overflows to the paper.
- Add 2 tbs of meat along the middle of the dough.
- Quickly wrap the pasteles, and make sure the masa/dough does not come out through the sides. To do this, fold in both long sides, and bring in the corners.
- Place 2 pasteles together, making sure that the corners are facing each other.
- Using a 24" long string, tie the pasteles together. Tight enough that they do not open during the cooking process.
- To cook, fill a large deep pot with water ¾ of the way. Bring to a boil and add the pasteles and make sure they are completely submerged. Allow to boil for 35-40 minutes.
- You can freeze the remaining pasteles for up to two months. When frozen, allow to cook for 45-50 minutes.
- Enjoy on their own, or with some hot sauce (or ketchup), and a pinch of salt if needed.

Puerto Rican Pernil (Roasted Pork)
Ingredients
- 8 lbs. pork shoulder skin off or on
- 8-10 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp sofrito
- 2 tbsp Healthy Rican Adobo
- 1 tsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp black pepper optional
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Add the garlic cloves, oil, vinegar and all the seasonings into a blender and blend well.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the skin or cut it back like it the skin was a cover. Poke holes into the meat to insert our marinade.
- Rub the marinade all around the pork, and inside the poked holes.
- If you keep the skin on, rub a good amount of salt on top of the skin, but make sure to scrape off part of the salt with a knife right before cooking.
- Cover and keep in your refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, preheat your oven to 300° F and cook covered for about 5 hours.
- You can add ½ cup of water to the roaster to add some additional juices for later.
- The internal temperature should be between 190°F-205°F.
- The meat will fall apart tender when it is done. For extra crunchy skin you can uncover before it's done, increase the heat to 450°F, and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, until you achieve desired crunchiness.
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes.
- You can use a large cutting board and with a sharp knife, start chopping the meat and place in a serving platter.
- Add some of the remaining juices on top for extra juiciness and flavor.

Savory Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp Savory Spice Mix
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- 1 pc small onion
- 1 pc large carrot
- 2 sticks celery
- 1 large potato
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Marinate the meat with the Savory Spice Mix and garlic before cooking (the longer the better).
- Meanwhile, peel and dice all the veggies (onion, carrot, celery and potato) into squares. If desired, chop about 1/4 bunch of cilantro for cooking and garnish.
- On high heat, add a bit of oil to the bottom of the pan. Add the meat and brown for a few minutes on each side. Add the veggies, tomato sauce, broth, and 1/2 of the cilantro (if desired).
- Cover and cook on high heat until the chicken is no longer pink inside, and veggies are soft and tender (about 30-35 mins).
- Uncover and continue to cook until you achieve desired broth thickness.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pcs thick cut pork chops
- 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Savory Spice Mix
- 2+2 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo
- 3/4 cup GF panko
- 1 pc apple grated
- 1 pc leek cleaned and sliced thin
- 1/8 cup dried cranberries
- 1/8 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 pcs large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. This will fit a 9x13 baking dish or 12" skillet.
- In a bowl add the cubed sweet potatoes, olive oil and 2 tsp adobo spice.
- Mix well and then pour the sweet potatoes into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Slice the pork chops down the center, creating a little pocket for the stuffing.
- Season both sides of the pork chops with the savory spice mix. In a bowl add the panko, 2 tsp adobo, leek, apple, cranberries, orange juice and parsley. Mix well
- Add the stuffing to the pork chops and place on the sweet potatoes. Drizzle honey over the pork chops and sprinkle some kosher salt.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, potatoes should be tender and the pork should read 150. Remove and enjoy!

Puerto Rican Sancocho (Meat and Root Vegetable Stew)
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs cut into pieces boned or deboned
- 1 lb stew beef
- 2 tbsp Healthy Rican Adobo or Savory Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Sazón
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or cooking oil of choice (aceite de achiote can also be used)
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup diced peppers (I like red or roasted red peppers)
- 2 heaping tbsp sofrito (blended onions, peppers, cilantro, and garlic) or Healthy Rican Sofrito (rehydrated with water)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or minced garlic
- 1-2 tbsp chicken bouillon (I used Better than Bouillon brand)
- 2 cups stuffed green olives optional
- 2 pcs yuca/cassava roots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 pcs malanga roots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 pcs corn on the cob cut into 1- or 2-inch pieces
- 3 pcs large carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 piece celery root chopped, optional
- 1/4 bunch recao or fresh cilantro
- salt, pepper and additional seasonings to taste
- 2 pcs green bananas or green plantains grated
Instructions
- Chop the meats into 2-inch chunks or smaller if desired and marinate with the seasonings.
- In a large pot, over low-to-medium heat, combine the oil, chicken and beef, and stir fry until the meat is brown on all sides. Add a bit of broth if the meat starts to burn or stick to the bottom.
- Add the onion, peppers, sofrito, garlic, tomato sauce, bouillon, and green olives if using. Mix well and cover with water.
- Once it comes to a rolling boil, add all the root vegetables, except the grated green bananas. Add additional water or broth if needed until everything is covered (approximately 1/2 inch over the root vegetables). Add the recao or cilantro on top, cover and continue to cook on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes. Cooking times vary per stove, meat and root vegetable quantities. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.
- Once the broth starts to thicken, try the broth and add additional seasonings to taste. Spoon in the grated green bananas and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until everything is cooked through and you achieve desired thickness. Keep in mind the broth will continue to thicken as it sits and cools down.
- Remove the recao/cilantro. Serve and sprinkle fresh cilantro on top if desired.
- Can be served with rice or on its own as a hearty soup. Enjoy!!
Notes

Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. ground beef or any ground meat
- 1 onions diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 can kidney beans rinsed, drained
- 1 cans tomato soup undiluted
- 1 large can diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tbsp. Healthy Rican Taco Tuesday
- 1 tsp. brown sugar or any sweetener of choice
- 1 -2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 celery sticks diced (optional)
- 1 small cans mushroom pieces drained, chopped (optional)
- Sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese if desired as toppings
Instructions
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Place in a large pot and do not drain.
- In the same frying pan used for the ground beef, sauté the onion, celery and green pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Add the sautéed veggies, kidney beans, mushrooms pieces, tomato soup and tomatoes with the liquid to the ground beef along with the seasonings, sugar, and garlic.
- Stir all the ingredients well. Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and simmer for 30 minutes or more, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
- Enjoy topped with sour-cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cooked chicken shredded
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped red onions
- ¼ cup chopped bell peppers
- ¼ chopped cilantro
- 1 jar salsa
- 1 can 16 oz. black beans
- 1 can 16 oz. corn
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ lime juice
- 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Taco Tuesday
- Optional toppings: tortilla strips avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc.
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into an instant pot/pressure cooker. You can also use a large pot on the stovetop, or a slow cooker, just know cooking times will vary.
- Cook on high for 5 minutes. On the stove top, cook on medium/high heat for 10 minutes, on a slow cooker, add everything in the morning, and set to low, dinner will be ready when you get home.
- Serve and top with tortilla strips, avocado, cheddar cheese, sour cream cilantro, and whatever toppings you enjoy.

Picadillo (ground meat for tacos, salads and more)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat beef, chicken, or plant based
- 1-2 tbsp Healthy Rican Taco Tuesday
- ¼ cup diced onions
- ¼ cup diced bell peppers
- ¼ bunch cilantro chopped
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2-3 tbsp tomato sauce
Instructions
- In a frying pan, add the ground meat and cook until it starts to brown. Strain the fat if needed.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, reduce heat to medium/low and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes. The meat should be completely browned, and onions will be translucent.
- Enjoy with your favorite tacos, in empanadas or taco salad.
Healthy Rican Sofrito
Sofrito is a base to add flavor to various Latin foods and dishes. However, it's so versatile, it can be used as a dry rub to marinate meats, and added in soups, stews, roasted vegetables, potatoes and more. It also makes a great dressing and marinade when hydrated in water and/or olive oil. Our dehydrated version is great to have on hand for it's convenience and long shelf life.

How to make Sofrito Magic:
- 2 tbsp. Healthy Rican Sofrito
- 1/4 cup water
In a small bowl, mix together the sofrito and water, and prepare to be amazed. Wait a few minutes before using the sofrito in your meals. Once the water has been completely absorbed, the sofrito is ready for use. Typically sofrito is stir fried before using in foods like yellow rice, beans and stews. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
If this is your first time cooking with sofrito, check out my recipes below and on my blog!

Healthy Rican Dressing (for Salads, Pasta Salad and more)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp raw honey or date sweetener for Whole30 approved
- 2 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp Healthy Rican Sofrito
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- Mix it all together and enjoy!
Notes

Delicious Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of choice (can be gluten-free, chickpea or lentil pasta for a high-protein alternative)
- 1 can (or 2 cups) cooked chickpeas
- 1 pc cucumber peeled and cubed
- 1 pc chopped tomato cubed
- 1/2 cup red bell peper chopped in cubes
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup Healthy Rican Dressing see recipe above
Instructions
- Using the directions on the box, cook the pasta until al dente. Allow the pasta to cool, or using a colander, cool down under running cold water.
- In a large bowl, add the drained and cooled down pasta, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and dressing.
- Mix well and enjoy!
Notes

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It’s my 7 day meal plan based on my Whole30 experience as a Latina Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach (aka Nutrition Dork)