If you want to contribute something a little bit different this year to a Halloween part, think about making some Pan de Muerto for your guests or as a Halloween party gift. This is a historical sweet bread recipe (pan = bread) and is only served during Day of the Dead rituals. The bread is cooked for families and offered on the Day of the Dead alters that are set up for any visiting dead relative spirits that are invited into homes through these celebrations. Day of hte Dead is a party and time of honor for deceased relatives that have long since left this earth, but are invited back into their family homes for Nov 2. Pan de Muerto is a staple for this day and easy to make.

Pan de Muerto recipe – Day of the Dead bread recipe

• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons anise seed

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F after you have prepared the bread mixture.
2. In a medium saucepa, heat milk and butter together , until the butter melts. Remove from the heat, add warm water and check that the temperature of the liquid is 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
3. In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Mix  in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and mix until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
4. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
5. Place the ball of kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approx. 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with a himemade glaze and regular sugar. To make glaze: In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with white sugar

You can seperate the bread dough into smaller loaves and create miniture breads or you can make one loaf. The sides of the Pan de Muertos are to represent bones so be as creative as you like when creating these decorations with the bread dough.

This is a fun recipe that brings a cultural aspect to your Halloween party. We for sure will be having Day of the Dead bread on the beaches of Tulum for our own spirits, our live spirits as we watch the sun rise, watch the sun set and just hang on the coast of the Mexican Caribbean Nov 2. If you want to switch your Halloween plans and have a different experience for November, know that Casa de las Olas has a last minute discount for November 2012. If you have flexible travel dates, get 20% off our November rates when you email us to book your November vacation. Yup, 20% off your stay with few spots left but still some spots. Email today at info@casadelasolas.com and get in on the last minute Flexible dates = flexible rates sale.

The Mayas have been doing many things right for centuries, but their use of coconuts as a staple in their diets is more than just delicious it is down right healthy! If you look at where Mayan communities have settled throughout Mexico, Guatemala, and South America, they are surrounded by coconut trees. Was this by design or was this just an accident? I don’t know if anyone can answer that question but coconuts, both the water and the meat are an excellent food both nutritionally and medicinally.

Health benefits of coconuts

Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is said to be a “functional food” because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional qualities. The Coconut can be divided into four parts, each part delivering different nutritional and medicinal benefits. The four parts are the coconut water, the oil, the meat and the milk. The water and meat are obtained without any processing where as the oil and milk do require a process to produce these healthy options.

Coconut water is a hydration liquid that is a 4 times more rehydrating than regular water. The coconut water is found when you open the coconut straight from the tree. The water is rich in potassium, providing double the amount of this nutrient than a banana. It is low in calories and when taken in its natural state is not high in sugar like sports drinks and juice.

Coconut oil is great internally and externally, nurturing the body and your skin. The oil itself can help to lower cholesterol, by creating more of the good HDL cholesterol that will destroy the bad LDL cholesterol. The body also metabolizes coconut oil faster and easier. If you use coconut oil on your skin and in your hair, the oil does moisturizer better and deeper.

Coconut milk is not only delicious, adding flavor to your foods and cooking, but it has high level of omega 3, 6 and 9 fats along with high amounts of amino acids. The milk is digested better by the body as it lacks enzymes that animal milk products have to make animal milk difficult to digest and the milk aids the digestive system, it does not hinder it. As a dairy free product coconut milk is a great option for vegans, vegetarians and those who are lactose intolerant.

Coconut meat is a great source of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and zinc. The fiber in the coconut meat is what really makes it rock, as it is a great plant source for fiber for those who are wheat or grain intolerant. Like coconut milk and oil, the meat is easily digested and aids in digestion, it does not hinder it.

Hang by a coconut tree at Casa de las Olas in Tulum, Mexico

Coconut trees thrive in Tulum, as the climate and location presents the ideal growing conditions for this palm tree. At Casa de las Olas, we continue to plant more and more coconut trees not only for the nuts nutritional value but the shade it produces from the sun and the birds it attracts throughout the year. It is not unusual for our staff to deliver a fresh coconut to you on the beach or on your balcony over breakfast as a health offering. We want you to return home relaxed and healthy and having a fresh coconut each day will do just that for you.

Coconut trees sustain the property in Tulum

Okay so there are lots of health benefits from coconuts, but the coconut trees themselves also help us to preserve the sand and dunes that make up the Casa de las Olas property. Palm trees are great at protecting the ever-changing ways of nature, the movement of the ocean, natural storms, and the preservation of our dune. Even if coconuts did not have a human health benefit, they have a land health benefit that we utilize in our sustainable practices.

Check out photos of Casa del las Olas in Tulum to see the amount of coconut trees, how the work with the climate and the ocean to preserve our little piece of paradise. we will continue to listen to the contemporary Mayan community that lives here as they continue to show us ways to preserve and protect the beaches of Tulum, their home for centuries and a place that they share with us.

Fun and easy holiday recipe that take minutes to prepare – bring a taste of Tulum to your parties

This is an easy and fun recipe that you can prepare as an appetizer, a canape or as a snack. To make this fun and eclectic we have built the recipe in three parts, bottom, middle and top.

To create your bottom you can choose any of the following ingredients:

1. French stick bread

2. Cucumber

3. Gluten free breads

4. Locally baked bread in your neighbourhood

5. Beefsteak tomatoes

To prepare your bottoms. No matter which bottom you have chosen, cut the bread or veggies on an angle so that your final bottom is oval in shape, or close to oval. If you are using bread, toast both sides lightly. All bottoms can do with a slight drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. all of the bottoms can be stored in air tight containers until you are ready to prepare your recipe.

To prepare our middle use the following ingredients:

1. Avocado – Haas avocados can be found in most grocery stores and should be ripe

2. Fresh limes or lime juice

3. Ground pepper

To prepare your middle. Mash your avocados, fresh lime juice and pepper together in a bowl. This is done with a fork so that the avocado is slightly lumpy. You will want a bit of texture to your avocado so that it remains on your bottom. Prepare this right before serving as avocados tend to turn brown when left open to the air.

To prepare your tops. This is the fun part! Use all of a select few or just one of the following ingredients:

1. Sliced radish

2. Organic greens – arugula, sprouts, baby spinach, beet root leaves, kale, parsley, cilantro or any organic green of your choice

3. Roasted garlic peeled and mashed

4. Marinated red onions in orange juice ( a great mayan salsa)

5. Roasted nuts – sunflower, pepitas, cashews, sliced almonds

6. Fruits – papaya, oranges, pomegranate, roasted pineapple, apple

Prepare your toppings in advance by washing, cutting, roasting or chopping and put in an airtight container. When you are ready, open up your containers and start decorating your bottoms that have been spread with your middles.

Putting it all together! Bottoms, middle and tops!

Lay out your bottoms on a cookie sheet, cutting board or on wax paper that is placed on your counter. Whether you are using breads or veggies or a combination of both, the same is done for all the bottoms to make the middle and top process easy!

Spread all your bottoms with your middle. Spread lightly and cover as much of the bottom as you can without making the bottom sloppy or too heavy to pick up.

Start adding your tops! place organic greens or spread some roasted garlic, or sprinkle your mayan onion salsa or add some nuts. This is where you take over and make the apps, the canapes or the snacks your own.

Listo! as we say in Spanish. You now have a great holiday app that is a reflection of Tulum, Mexico, a great holiday treat that takes minutes to prepare and if you need more they are easy to make pronto if your guests are gobbling them up.

For your gluten-free friends, use the veggies and gluten-free breads. For your vegan friends, veggie bottoms, for your alkaline diet friends use the veggie bottoms. No one needs to be left out on the holidays and this recipe from the beaches of Tulum will make sure of it.

Love this recipe? Check out our OH! Food Workshop in Tulum Nov 30 to Dec 5 2012! There is much more where this came from!