Ecuador is a country full of diversity in flora, fauna and agriculture. Ecuador is located in South America on the Equator Line. Its climate allows us to find a wide selections of fruits, vegetables, beans and grains.

Growing in a country rich of diversity and natural resources eating healthy was natural, common and not an effort.  Natural, fresh and non-process food are cheaper than process food.  Cuisine is rich in veggies, fruits, grains, nuts, beans and wild veggies and flowers.

After Bolivia’s, La Paz, Quito is the second highest capital city at 2,850 meters and lies 25 kms south of the equator. Even though Quito is located at a high altitude of  9,350 feet. Quito doesn’t suffer of very cold and harsh temperatures because it is close to the equator. What makes it rich in diversity

Quito’s and other  Andes cities’s cuisine  have a higher consumptions of potatoes, corn, beans, grains, nuts, fermented food, hot soups and coladas ( hot cereals made of grains flour).

One of my favorite snack that “thanks God”…I am able to prepare in America is “Tostado and Chochos” Toasted Corn and Lupini Beans. You can find the dry corn and chochos at the local Spanish market.  I get it at Compare and Food.  But, you can also find it on nuts on-line site.

The first time I made it, my husband loved it so much that ask for it all the time. Now, it has become on of those snack that doesnt last more than 3  days. Even dough  I make over 2 pounds of it!

To make roasted corn, Put in a pot a little of oil, I personally love Coconut Oil because of its health benefits and it is the best cooking oil. Once the corn is in the pot with a wood table spoon you have to stir it and be-careful. It pops! My daughter calls it PopCorn. Do not let it sit otherwise it will burn.

To make: Chochos. Soak the beans in a bowl with water for 48hours with a little salt. Then, cook  the beans until it is “Al Dente” then let it soak for 5 days with salt to take the bitterness away. You have to change the water of the bowl every day until you try it and it is not bitter anymore.

Now, It is ready to eat!  Add salt at your own taste, lemon, olive oil and enjoy!

In Quito. We add roasted corn to soups, creams and shrimp coctails, but moslty we eat it with chochos and encebollado (onion salad with tomatoes and parsley). Yeah! It is delicious!

A healthy snack you can make at home any time without spending too much time and money. You will be saving thousands of dollars on junk foods. But the most important thing is “you are being a role model for your kids to eat home cooked meals made with love surround family”

Try it and let me know how you do!