Reclaiming Joy: A Mother’s Healing Through Cooking Traditions

Like many first-time moms who face the challenge of feeding their six-month-old for the first time, Jacqui Saldaña found herself reconnecting with a long-overlooked passion for food and cooking.

The truth is, within just a few months into motherhood, your thoughts narrow down to a single persistent question: “What is the baby going to eat today?” What initially feels overwhelming — figuring out what to give, how, and when — often transforms into a genuine joy. You begin experimenting with new recipes, ingredients, and combinations. You master preparation techniques, learn about nutritional values, identify potential allergens, and discover the nearest organic markets — all with one purpose: giving your little one the very best.

Jacqui began cooking consistently for her baby Ryan, and started documenting her ideas on a blog to share with other mothers. For three years, she chronicled their life and food journey, building a community that celebrated and supported her through motherhood.

Then, the unthinkable happened — the most painful experience a mother can face: her son passed away. On her blog, she describes this experience as life breaking her, leaving her breathless and bare.

For such immeasurable grief, initially, there was only a vast void and a searing sorrow she carries to this day.

Eventually, she returned to her cooking blog — and to cooking itself — which became sanctuaries of healing. This space hosted a rapidly growing community where love and support carried her through. Here, she could honor Ryan’s memory while reclaiming a piece of herself that had gone with him.

The kitchen became her safe haven — a place to find peace and reconnect not only with her support system but also with her Puerto Rican and Costa Rican roots, her ancestors, and her memories. There, past and present merged in calming harmony, helping her rediscover herself and reshape her identity after such a profound loss. It was where she found the strength to dare to be happy again.

Over time, her smile returned. Together with her husband, she welcomed daughters Mila and Maya, completing their family of five.

She has embraced daily meal preparation as a space where she brings out the best of herself. Along the way, she discovered IKEA as a trusted companion: with durable, affordable, multi-functional — “always with a dual purpose”, as she says — and stylish products that display elegant minimalism perfectly matching her off-white kitchen.

She honors her life and family every day as a miracle to cherish. That’s why she cooks with care and patience, using the right cookware to keep her flavors authentic — like the VERDAGEN cast-iron frying pan for beloved fried dishes that define much of Central American cuisine, or the GRÖNSAKER bamboo spoon set that gently stirs legumes. Combined with the finest ingredients, she brings originality and love into everything she prepares.

One of Jacqui’s favorite recipes — easy, nutritious, and fun for the whole family — is patacones —or tostones— with savory black bean mash, a dish she has always loved when visiting her family in Costa Rica. On her blog, she explains that she calls them patacones in honor of her Costa Rican relatives, while with her Puerto Rican grandmother, they name them tostones. She serves this dish with a mango pico de gallo, which adds a fresh, sweet contrast to it.

For Jacqui, every meal deserves to be served mindfully and enjoyed slowly. She loves to savor each bite together with her family at the daily table and extend the evenings with something sweet and a warm sobremesa chat.

Enjoy her take on this delicious recipe to share with your family on any occasion!

Patacones or Tostones with Savory Black Bean Mash

Ingredients

For Tostones

• 5 green plantains
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• sea salt

Black Bean Mash

• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed, 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, 
• 2 garlic cloves finely diced, 
• 1 tsp cumin, 
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or water, 
• salt + pepper

Mango Pico de Gallo

• 1 mango
• 2 small tomatoes, 
• 1 purple onion, 
• Cilantro
• Lemon, salt, and olive oil

Preparation:

1- Start by warming up the vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium heat. 

2- Peel and cut plantains. Try to cut them all roughly the same size.

3- Gently add the plantain pieces to the hot oil and fry on each side for about 2 minutes in the VARDAGEN cast iron frying pan to soften the plantains. Then place them onto a platter with a dish towel or paper towel.

4- Next, you are going to smash together 2-3 pieces of plantain to make one big flat piece. I use a tortilla press lined with parchment paper. It is possible to line a plate with parchment paper and gently press down with the bottom of a cup. Just be sure to use a piece of parchment under the cup so you are smashing the plantains between two pieces of parchment. This will keep them from sticking to whatever you are using to smash them. 

5- Once the plantains are smashed together, they will form a large flat piece. Gently add the large flat plantains back into the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp. 

6- Once the plantains are golden and crisp, let the oil drain again on a dish towel or paper towel, place them neatly on a platter, and immediately sprinkle them with sea salt! Keep your condiments near your cooking area in STOCKHOLM 2025 brass bowls.

7- To make the black bean mash, take the VERDAGEN cast iron pan again and over medium heat, warm up olive oil, finely chopped garlic, and cumin. After about 2 minutes, add the drained and rinsed black beans to a KLOCKREN colander, along with 1/4 cup chicken stock or water, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Let them cook for about 8-10 minutes.

8- Use a potato masher or a fork and gently mash the black beans until you get your desired consistency to accompany your crisp plantains!

9- Prepare your mango pico de gallo, cutting all ingredients on the very comfortable STOLTHET bamboo cutting board with legs.

Next, place them in a glass IKEA 365+ recipient with a bamboo lid, along with lemon, salt, and olive oil. Close the lid for a bit and let it sit so the mix penetrates the vegetables and enhances their flavor.

For a perfect Latin-inspired finish, serve the tostones, mashed beans, and salad on the beautiful blue stoneware GLADELIG platters.

Enjoy this dish with a jar of horchata lightly sprinkled with cinnamon, and you’ll have the perfect mid-season appetizer to enjoy with your family any day of the week!