Quinoa Mama

This is one of those dishes that save me anytime I have unexpected company. Not only is it easy and quick to make, but it is also nutritious and riquísimo! By the way, quinoa dates back to the Inca civilization and stands alone as a complete protein source, unusual among food plants. No wonder the Incas called it “the mother of all grains.”

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Work in Progress

As I struggled to organize myself feeling unbearable pain, I realized the time had come to face reality- I needed to schedule total knee replacement surgery.


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Denisse Oller
Surrender At Any Age

I lived most of my childhood in a cookie-cutter house in one of the blandest, most non-descript, middle-class suburbs in all of San Juan, Puerto Rico. There were doors that led to nowhere and windows forever closed. Fast forward, and here I am, actually on the dance floor enlivening through movements those lyrics I remember so well, as I moved to this pulsating, dramatic rhythm.

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Gratitude

It has always been hard for me to accept love, until recently. This transformation has been decades in the making; having faith and trust in others does not come easy to someone who did not learn it as a child. Accepting and embracing love has been just as challenging.

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Mom, Alzheimer’s, and Me

I was her first born. She was 38 when she delivered me. Back in those days, she was considered an old woman to start raising a family. She was a loving “mama” and she cared, but even as a young child, I perceived that being a mother and a housewife overwhelmed her. She looked to me like a trapped animal.

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Shedding My Layers

Fifteen years ago, I left one the most coveted jobs in television,  anchor of the 6 pm and 11 pm top-rated Univision NY-Noticias 41 newscasts. I was miserable at a job where I felt stifled and underused, I had pent-up frustration that had built over the years and which finally burst. One day, I simply reached my limit. I knew I had to leave, and I did. How had I reached this point of no return? 

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Living a Joyful Life is a Choice

Only a month ago I had the thrill of a lifetime. Here I was lurching on my Vespa through the streets of Rome, swaying from side to side as I made my way through crowded avenues and narrow cobblestone covered alleys. The cars around me swerved, switching lanes, blasting their horns. I felt exhilarated! Here I was living in the moment, laughing and celebrating life, carefree and free!

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