he holidays are a time
when family recipes
takecenter stage: arroz
con gandules simmering on the stove, pastelón layered with sweet plantains, and abuela’s secret flan cooling on the counter. For many, these foods are a taste of home, a connection to heritage, and a celebration of love. But as rates of diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease soar across Latin communities, many families are looking for ways to make their traditional dishes healthier, without losing the flavors that define them.
That’s where Karla Salinari, known as The Latina Health Coach, comes in. A certified holistic nutrition coach and award-winning author, Karla has built a movement around helping people reconnect with their cultural foods through a plant-based lens. Her bestselling cookbook, Abuela’s Plant-Based Kitchen, and her 7-day program co-developed with Columbia University Medical Center called Real Food Reset offers practical ways to enjoy Latin classics with nourishing, plant-based ingredients.
“You don’t have to give up your abuela’s recipes to eat healthy,” Karla says. “It’s about honoring those flavors while making choices that take care of our health.”
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