So now onto the recipe for Arroz con Gandules, or Rice with Pigeon Peas. I don’t think I’ve tried to cook any authentic Latin dishes, but this went pretty well. I found pigeon peas and the Sazon spice packets in the Latin section of my regular grocery store. While it was convenient to have the spices all mixed for me, the packet also contains MSG, so be warned if you are sensitive to that.

I left out the pepper and cilantro, and used a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh. I also used long grain brown rice, and that may be the reason that the overall cooking time was much longer. I just kept adding water to the pot, and simmering it covered until finally the rice was tender. In the end, the dish was very good, and not too spicy at all. It was perfect with a side salad (not pictured) and there are plenty of leftovers for lunch this week. Gina’s website has many light recipes, so go take a look!