In my experience summer means hanging out con la familia eating delicious food every weekend, rain or shine.  To help you prepare for the many asados and parrilladas you are about to attend, here are five simple recipes that you can make and take to your family potluck!

Papas Chorreadas

I’m not sure if this recipe resonates in every Latin cuisine, but in my Colombian-American experience papas chorreadas are a must at every family BBQ! Everyone loves potatoes but the key here is the creamy hogao, or sauce. Like any recipe, everyone makes it slightly different. This particular recipe has been passed down a few generations so consider yourself lucky to get in on the secret! 

Ingredients (3-6 servings)

• 6 medium red potatoes
• 1 (8 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 green onions
• 1 tbsp vegan butter
• 1/2 veggie bouillon cube
• 1 tbsp Loisa Sazon
• ¼ cup unsweetened cashew milk (or any thick non-dairy milk)
• 1 slice vegan cheddar cheese

Instructions 

1. Wash and lightly peel potatoes. Boil until cooked through, about 30 minutes.
2. While potatoes are boiling, combine diced tomatoes and white part of the green onions in a food processor. Make sure to cut off roots of the onion before processing.
3. Pour mixture in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and add butter. Mix well and simmer for another minute. Add bouillon cube and mix well for another minute. Mix in Loisa Sazon and simmer for a minute. Add milk and let simmer for 5 minutes. Lay cheese over the sauce and allow it to melt. Once melted enough, mix well, bring sauce to low heat and cover.
4. Chop some green onion chives and prepare to plate potatoes.
5. Once the potatoes are cooked through, place them in serving dish and cut them in halves to let out some steam.
6. Pour hogao (sauce) evenly to cover all potatoes and garnish with chives.
7. Enjoy! 

Elote with Sazón (Street Corn)

Maiz, or corn is an integral part of Latin American cuisines, dating back to the diets of our indigenous ancestors and what their lands provided. Centuries later and we still celebrate this beautiful crop in many different ways. One of them being Elote! Now is the time to fire up that grill, or if you don’t have one (like me), preheat your ovens and let’s roast some corn.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 4 ears of corn
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• ½ cup vegan mayo
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ cup vegan mozzarella shreds
• 1 tbsp Loisa Sazon
• ¼ cup chives
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ lime  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Leave cast iron pan or baking dish in the oven so that it is hot when you place the corn in it.
2. Lightly butter all sides of the corn. When the oven is heated, carefully take out the pan and place all ears of buttered corn in it and hear them sizzle.
3. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then rotate and repeat until all sides are roasted
4. While the corn is in the oven combine the salt, pepper and vegan mayo. Remove the corn from the oven and let it cool to touch.
5. Coat each ear of corn on the cob with a generous amount of the mayo mixture. Crumble the cheese and dust the Loisa Sazon evenly over top.
6. Finally, sprinkle some chives and cilantro to garnish. Oh, and don’t forget to squeeze that lime juice all over for that tangy Latin bite!

Loaded Choripan

Let me paint a nostalgic picture for a moment. You and the fam are outside en el patio, enjoying a nice cold carbonated drink as more and more of your family and friends start to trickle in. The food is being prepped and your dad has already started grilling some chorizos, or sausages. You all huddle around the grill with a piece of bread waiting for a chorizo right off the grill. These little heavenly sandwiches keep you happy and satisfied especially if you load them up like this!

Ingredients (4 Servings)

• 1 French baguette loaf
• 4 Beyond Sausage (Original)
• 2 Tbsp Loisa Adobo
• ½ cup vegan mayo
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp Loisa Sazon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ red onion, chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ¼ cup chives
• 1 cup potato chips, shredded or crushed

Instructions 

1. Cut each sausage in half the long way. Rub Loisa Adobo on all sides of the sausages and set aside. If you have a grill, now would be the time to place these there and cook until blackened. Otherwise, drizzle some grapeseed oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry each side of the sausages until blackened and crispy.
2. While your sausages are cooking combine mayo, water, Loisa Sazon, salt and pepper to make a flavorful sauce for your choripan.
3. As your sausages finish cooking, add chopped onions to the same hot pan and sauté for about a minute or until they begin turning translucent.
4. Slice baguette into 4 sections and slice again in half the long way. Place chorizos inside the baguette and one by one top with onions, cilantro, chives, special sauce, and crushed potato chips for that crunch!

Congri Layered Dip 

There is no party without a dip to hold you over while the rest of the food is being made. Sure, you can have a salsa, or even some incredible guac, but why not be the one to bring this bomb layered dip that will squash hangriness instantaneously! Grab a tortilla chip and let’s dive into this super easy recipe!

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

• 1 Loisa Brown Rice & Black Beans pouch
• 2 cups smashed avocado (or your favorite guacamole)
• 1 cup pico de gallo (or your favorite salsa)
• 1 cup vegan mozzarella shreds (or any shredded cheese of your choice)

Instructions

1. Prep guacamole and salsa if you are making it from scratch
2. Heat up Loisa Brown Rice & Black Beans pouch for 90 seconds following instructions on the back. Pour content into a deep enough dish as this will be your bottom layer.
3. Spread avocado/guac over the congri (rice and beans) evenly. Repeat this with salsa and make the cheese your top layer.
4. Grab a chip and dig in!

Brown Rice & Quinoa Patties

Poolside BBQs always include some sort of burger action. Why not try a healthier alternative to the traditional meat patty and have one made from Loisa’s very own grains and some fresh veggies? You can even meal prep these and keep some in the fridge or freezer for later in the week!

Ingredients (4 servings) 

• 1 Loisa Brown Rice & Quinoa pouch
• ¼ green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 small red/yellow/orange peppers, chopped
• ¼ red onion, chopped
• 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 2 tsp Loisa Adobo
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 servings vegan egg (4 tbsp powder, 1 cup water)

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F
2. Heat up Loisa Brown Rice & Quinoa pouch for 90 seconds following instructions on the back.
3. Combine all ingredients (except vegan egg) in a large mixing bowl. In a small separate bowl, whisk together vegan egg until a liquid mixture. Add to large bowl. Fold in all ingredients and make sure everything is coated with vegan egg.
4. Using a potato masher or a large sturdy fork start mashing everything until thick and bound together.
5. Using your hands, divide mixture into four sections. Grab section by section, roll into a ball and flatten out to make a patty. Repeat this with three remaining sections to make four patties total.
6. Place in baking pan or sheet and in the oven to cook for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. If you have access to a grill, place these there until crispy.
7. To serve, you can eat these like a traditional burger, or you can cut and put them in a lettuce wrap. Either way you won’t be disappointed!