Beatriz’s Puerto Rican Cooking: An Act of Love

Beatriz Santiago lives in Boston with her husband and two children in a home filled with love and ease. Of Puerto Rican descent, she radiates an infectious, warm energy. The moment you meet her, her charisma shines through, making it easy to see how she became a prominent influencer sharing authentic Puerto Rican recipes with thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok.

But part of her magic is not about showing perfection—it’s about authenticity. That’s how she tells her life story. Beatriz found her way to cooking through a combination of factors, mainly her need to fend for herself from a young age. “I had a hard life,” she says at the outset, with a hint of melancholy in her eyes. “My mom had eight children, and I’m the oldest. She went through a situation of domestic violence, and I witnessed it all. But despite all the hardship, my mom always made sure we had one homemade meal a day—and it was always a traditional Puerto Rican dish,” she shares.

Between the ages of 14 and 18, Beatriz lived in foster homes and youth shelters. It was under those circumstances that she took her first steps in cooking. “I missed my mom’s homemade food so much. In these government programs, you eat all kinds of food… and you have to do a lot of things—cleaning, cooking—which I always volunteered for. [At one of the shelters] there was a chef, Ricky, who would invite me to cook with him for the other kids,” she recalls.

Cooking became her anchor to the home she longed for. She refined her skills in Puerto Rican cuisine with a foster mother who was also from the island. “She taught me a bit about cooking white rice, beans… When I was 17, I cooked fried chicken entirely by myself for the first time in my foster home. I remember it was still raw inside,” she laughs.

Her culinary skills deepened when she had her first child at 20. “I had no choice but to learn and practice,” Beatriz asserts.

What began as a necessity turned into a passion that, over the years, made her a successful cook and communicator. She never stopped improving, always guided by the memory of the flavors of her mother’s dishes. “My mom was born in the Puerto Rican countryside, and she learned to cook from her grandmother, using ingredients from their own garden. She’s an excellent cook. She always used a lot of herbs, everything was organic because that’s how she grew up. Her food was delicious, even with a few ingredients. It always amazed me. Over time, I started doing the same things my mom did when I was a kid, and I became especially interested in learning to cook healthily without processed ingredients. I wanted to learn the real way, making everything from scratch,” she says.

In 2020, her daughter created a TikTok account for her, opening up a whole new world. From this platform, Beatriz found joy not only in cooking but also in helping people: “Cooking is my love language. Every time someone comes to my house, I love making food for them and seeing the reaction in their faces when they taste something I made,” she says.

And lately, after years of distance, Beatriz was able to rebuild her relationship with her mother. “She says I cook like my great-grandmother. She has been very encouraging,” she confirms with joy. “Our connection is definitely through food.”

Choosing a Healthy Diet, Always

For Beatriz, choosing the best ingredients for her family is a priority and a way to protect her children’s future. “I invest a lot in the food I buy daily. I think about my kids and my husband—we are only getting older, not younger. Why wait when we have the chance right now to make good health choices? Sometimes, you just need someone to inspire you to take care of yourself and others; loving and respecting yourself, as well as making healthy food choices, go hand in hand. It’s a small extra step—just 30 more seconds—to make the right decisions when choosing your daily meals,” she explains.

She always shops at Latino supermarkets in Boston to find the ingredients she needs, since her non-negotiable priority is that her dishes are fresh and authentic. “You can swap ingredients to make any recipe more nutritious. You just need to learn how to do it properly so it works. Some herb combinations can do magic,” she affirms.

Yuca Empanadas: A Nutritious Delight

Maintaining low-carb, low-fat, and low-sugar meals is essential for Beatriz due to a personal reason. She has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common condition in women where diet plays a key role in improving their quality of life. Ground turkey is one of her go-to ingredients in many of her staple recipes. “I use it in several dishes, always seasoning it well and adding a bit of tomato sauce to keep it moist—it turns out delicious,” she assures.

For her collaboration with JENNIE-O® Turkey, Beatriz chose to share her recipe for yuca empanadas with turkey filling. “I love yuca. Because of my condition, I set out to create something fun and tasty,” she says.

For her, cooking today requires boldness, enthusiasm, and patience. “I put on some music. I need to feel optimistic, and I need to feel a lot of love. I pour all my best positive feelings into what I prepare, and I take my time,” she says.

With her contagious smile, Beatriz shares a final tip when it comes to cooking: “It requires patience and kindness. Put your spirit, your mind, and your heart into the act of cooking for your loved ones.” And she ends with her signature phrase, the same one she uses to close her videos: “Always cook with love.”

Yuca Empanadas Recipe (Empanadas de Yuca)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs frozen yuca
• 1 lb JENNIE-O® Lean Ground Turkey
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp sofrito
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Adobo seasoning to taste (for salt)

Instructions

• Boil water and add the frozen cassava with salt. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 30-40 minutes.

• While the cassava boils, prepare the filling. In a medium pan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the sofrito. Stir for a minute to release the flavors and prevent burning.
• Add the JENNIE-O® ground turkey to the sofrito mixture and cook over medium-high heat until browned.
• Once the turkey is cooked, mix in all the spices along with the tomato sauce. Adjust the adobo seasoning to taste. Remove from heat and let cool.

• When the cassava is ready, drain and let it cool before adding the cornstarch to avoid lumps. Once cool, add the cornstarch and knead until you get a uniform dough.
• Form dough balls the size of a golf ball or slightly larger.
• Use parchment paper or sandwich paper to flatten the dough, sprinkling some cornstarch to prevent sticking. You can use a rolling pin or a tortilla press. Place a portion of the filling in the center and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and brush them with oil or spray them with cooking spray.
• Bake until golden and crispy.

• Let it cool down, and enjoy! They taste amazing on their own or with a garlic-cilantro or mayoketchup sauce.

Note: For optimal food safety, ensure that the JENNIE-O® Lean Ground Turkey used in this recipe reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when fully cooked. We recommend using a food thermometer to accurately measure the temperature.