About Me
The future of food is fusion.
Santiago de Cuba is my birthplace and the hub of various Cuban revolts, music, food, carnival and at times my nostalgia. My family and I left Cuba when I was a small child of 3 in 1962, and we began to wander the globe. Thanks to that wandering I am completely bilingual, and I have been influenced by a wide variety of culinary cultures. I also have had the fortune of calling many places my home including Gijón, Spain; Newark, New Jersey; New Orleans; Portland, Oregon in the USA and my beloved Puerto Rico.
The more I have traveled and have gotten to share meals with many different ethnic cultures, the more I am convinced that we are all part of something much greater than the individual atoms that compose us, and the nationalities that oftentimes define and divide us. Anyone who has had the privilege of traveling will share these sentiments with me.
Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey? Join me in embracing a bioactive plant-based natural food diet that will not only nourish your body but also bring immense joy and deliciousness into your life. This shift encompasses everything from discovering the wonders of kitchen gardening to carving out precious moments for meditation.
Together, we’ll embark on pantry makeovers infused with ancestral wisdom and explore a wide array of recipes bursting with intense flavors and tremendous nutrition.
I am María, also known as M.I., Mariki, La Suárez, and María Isabel. Allow me to guide you towards a path of wellness and fulfillment. Welcome to the world of Among the Coconuts, where food is the ultimate source of joy!
Homesteading
I have gotten a glimpse of the food industry from diverse positions as a bartender in Tyler’s a famous jazz club in New Orleans, managing Louisiana Pizza Kitchen a successful gourmet pizza restaurant, wholesaler, manufacturer in the natural food industry, chef, and culinary activist in the Pure Food Movement both here in Puerto Rico and in the USA.
My stay in Portland, Oregon inspired me to step out of the kitchen and into some serious gardening. In 2002 I resettled in Puerto Rico and got into some intensive urban gardening thanks to my sprouts harvesting an average of 22 lbs per week on a balcony. After living in cities all my life, 15 years ago I moved to a small farm with my partner in a small farm in the foothills of the central mountain region, 35 minutes south of the metro San Juan area and the ocean. Like many other people I have opted for living as close to nature as my level of comfort permits. I am grateful to be able to continue to experiment in this lush tropical land.
Dharma Bum
My quest for meaning and studies in psychology at Loyola University in New Orleans led me to the Zendo of Fr. Ben Wren, S.J. In 1981 I began my formal study of Zen. For 25 years I studied Zen, and contemplative prayer with Roshi Wren, and I now form part of his lineage of Dharma Bums.
Zen Enemas is a term coined by Fr. Wren and beside recipes, it is a subject that is on the table for discussions in my programs. I know for certain that I would not have be able to support people if I had not been supported, and gone through the process myself first. The parallels between detoxing with food, and practicing Zen, and vertical plunging are many. My Zen training has made it possible for me to be present and support people during dynamic transformation processes with food, and life. Being a Dharma Bum has been my salvation and by far my greatest claim to fame. Fr. Wren left us one book, Zen Among The Magnolias and one Tai Chi video Stillness In Motion.
Teacher and Author
For over three decades I have had the privilege of sharing my knowledge of natural food preparation and detoxing with a rainbow of people in diverse media and venues ranging from the projects in the urban hood to the sublime hideaways of the crème de la crème of the crop.
In 2010 I published my notes in Spanish and my first book on sprouting and raw foods El arte y el éxtasis de germinar. The book was well received and quickly became a bestseller on the Island and on Amazon. The English translation The Joy and Art of Sprouting is scheduled for publication along with other titles in the very near future.
We live in an era where people are eager and impatient, and want instant downloads and change. I know for certain that practice is the perfect teacher and the only route to learning and lasting change. Thanks to technology we can enjoy instant access to the downloads so that we may set aside time to practice.
