Being from the Caribbean, rice and beans can be an unapologetic go-to dish again and again. We love it! We put together a recipe for you for a taste of the Caribbean. Here is our Rich Beans recipe in both Spanish and English.

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• ​Remember to place some parchment paper on your baking tray.​

Within one medium sized bowl, combine wet ingredients:
#1 Whisk coconut oil, brown sugar, and applesauce
#2 Add coconut milk and vanilla extract
Separate bowl, combine dry ingredients:
#3 Whisk flour, salt, baking soda – mix for a good 2 minutes
#4 Combine both dry and wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon
#5 Mix in the vegan chocolate chips, and any other topping of choice
#6 Add mini scoops of dough onto baking tray, making sure to give sufficient separation between each doughball 

Unhealthy Habits to Conquer
If you are currently working at home as a result of the pandemic, see if you are guilty of the following unhealthy habits:

• Sitting slouched and hunched over when working on your laptop or desktop computer.
• Forgetting to eat meals on time.
• Forgetting to drink water as often as possible.
• Working in dim light.
• Putting your face too close to the computer monitor.
• Not sleeping enough at night.
• Not exercising.

1. Sit straight.  It often takes years for good posture to become second nature to a person. But you can start with one simple rule: sit straight. Whether your chair has a backrest or none, make it a habit to sit comfortably straight with your weight equally distributed on your buttocks. Feel how the muscles on your back support your spine. Push your shoulders back and slightly down, and lift your chin so it's almost parellel to the floor. If your computer screen is below your eyeline, just lower your gaze instead of slouching down to its level.

Simply correcting how you sit can already do a lot for your posture and health. It helps keep your spine in proper alignment with your hips, knees and limbs.

2. Don't stress over what you cannot control. There's already so much that's out of your hands during the pandemic. It's no use dwelling over them. Turn your attention instead to what you can control. Clean your home and give it a makeover so that it becomes a space you'll want to hang out in instead of thinking of when you can freely go outside again. Donate to credible charity causes instead of yelling at politicians on the TV. Hire a professional to open an account and do your Shopify website design so that you can sell your goods online instead of just waiting for the government to lift restrictions on "non-essential" businesses.

3. Hydrate and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Nutrition is paramount during a pandemic. A healthy body is just as vulnerable to the coronavirus as any, but the chances of beating the illness are higher among people without preexisting medical conditions. Conversely, the elderly and people with serious health problems have a higher risk of infection. Reduce your risk by eating nutritious food. Do what you can to boost your immune system and avoid diseases that will make you more vulnerable to the virus.

4. Get enough sleep. Quality and sufficient sleep are crucial to a person's physical and mental health. Poor sleep has been linked to many medical conditions, including diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, weak immune system, depression and anxiety. One of the downsides of being at home 24/7 is there's hardly any delineation between work and home life. As a result, people end up working well into the evening or dawn. A few more hours of productivity can be good for your career, but compromising your health in the process shouldn't be a price to pay.
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Remote working is necessary at this time and there's no telling how long you will be working from home. Don't make it a reason for your health to deteriorate. Turn the four tips above into habits, and you'll notice a vast improvement in your health and mental well-being.

plantain that was ​beginning to ripen up, so I cut it open and made myself a quick and savory plant-based appetizer. We are calling this one, Plátanos (Plantains) a la Caribbean.