Country: Honduras

About: A Nashville based consultant working with food centered nonprofits and small businesses throughout the U.S. and Latin America. Renee is the Director of Outreach & Operations, Feeding Nashville. She is passionate about using her voice and skills to serve the Latinx community and is an advocate for increased access to entrepreneurial resources and initiatives to combat food insecurity in minority populations. 

Recipe for Change: 

When I think of creating change, I immediately think of mentorship. Taking time to invite others into my work, family, struggles, and passions is an investment in the development of an individual that has remarkable potential for return. My dad spent his life teaching and mentoring inner city youth and I have benefited enormously from the intentionality of women who patiently taught, encouraged, and gave opportunities to me over the years. It requires honesty, humility, and self-awareness – but raising up informed, compassionate, and emboldened leaders exponentially grows our ability to create long-lasting and multi-generational change.

Here are a few steps to get started as you begin a mentorship relationship:

1. Be a listener. In most situations, people benefit more simply from being listened to than they do being given advice. Stop prescribing and listen to understand.
2. Make an active choice to open up about your life. You don’t need to share everything, but being honest about your failings, hopes, and perspective creates opportunities for others to learn from your experiences. 
3. Set measurable personal and professional goals together. The whole point of mentorship is to help someone grow. Determine a few key goals that you can hold each other accountable for and then take steps to accomplish them together.
4. Share your resources, knowledge, time, and social circles. Recommend books, connect your mentee with other people who can help them grow, and help them get involved with opportunities or organizations that they would benefit from.
5. Be a friend and be an encourager. At the end of the day, strong relationships are what have the deepest impact. Be a friend first and speak encouragement every chance you get.

Recipe: Traditional Honduran Baleadas with Oscar’s frijoles.

Baleadas are a traditional Honduran food that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack! This recipe was carefully perfected over the years by my Dad, Oscar. I have the sweetest memories of waking up to the delicious smell of black beans and garlic simmering on the stove or making them together for breakfast while drinking coffee and chatting in Spanish.

INGREDIENTS:

Frijoles

2 cans black beans partially drained

1/2 white onion

1 ½ tablespoon of olive oil

¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of salt 

4 cloves of garlic 

Flour Tortillas 

2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of baking powder

1/3 cup of Crisco shortening

¾ cup of hot water

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE FRIJOLES:

1. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and half of the onion – sauté in a pan and set aside.

2. Puree the black beans, olive oil, 2 whole garlic cloves, cayenne pepper and remaining onion in a blender or food processor. Add salt to taste. 

3. Pour black bean mixture into the pan with sautéed onions and garlic. Cover and cook on stovetop for 25 to 30 minutes on medium heat – stirring every few minutes. 

4. The beans will transition from a puree to a firmer consistency and will be ready when beans stand up in little peaks when stirred.

FOR THE TORTILLAS:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly incorporate shortening until it resembles a coarse meal.
2. Add hot water a little at a time until the dough holds together. Knead until smooth and divide into 10 small round disks.
3. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Once the dough has rested, roll into circles on a lightly floured surface.
4. To cook, place tortillas on a hot, unoiled pan for 30-45 seconds. Flip when each side is lightly browned with air bubbles.
5. To prepare the baleadas, gently spread the frijoles on a tortilla. Top with a combination of crema, queso fresco, avocado, scrambled eggs, and pickled onion. Fold in half y disfruta!