Here’s one of the newer recipes that Chef Manolo has been preparing. Quinoa is a tasty seed that functions much like a grain. It has all the essential amino acids making it a complete protein, and is gluten-free and cholesterol-free.

Ingredients:
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
• 1 egg
• salt
• pepper

Prep:
1. Mix everything together in a bowl and, with the help of an ice cream scoop, roll into little balls.
2. Fry these balls in a pan for a couple of minutes until they are lightly-browned on the outside, but still soft on the inside.
3. Finish them by baking in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with salad and any sauce of your choosing. Enjoy!

The Dog Prana (Prana Perruno in Spanish) project was established 3 months ago with the idea of assisting a local dog shelter by training a couple of dogs at a time to make them more adoptable. Mariana, one of our managers, rented a small parcel very close by and – with the help of some volunteers made it “dog-safe” and named it Prana Perruno.

After first setting it up, Mariana quickly realized that there was much more that could be done, so Dog Prana started collaborating with all the dog shelters in the Los Cabos area. She currently takes in up to 5 dogs at a time from the Humane Society that have already been adopted by people in Canada or the U.S. and that are just waiting for a ride to their new homes abroad. This enables the Humane Society to shelter other dogs that have not yet found someone to adopt them and are still seeking a permanent home.

While they are here, the dogs receive basic training: learning to walk with a leash, sit, come, and other basic commands. Mariana assists in their continued rehabilitation as well. Dogs in shelters or that have lived in the streets for some time, tend to compete for everything and can become somewhat aggressive towards other dogs (or people) for food, toys, a place to rest, and even for love and attention. Often, they don’t know how to play with each other or with humans; they don’t know how to behave as a loved pet usually would. So Dog Prana provides a transitional space where they can begin the adjustment process, learn new behavior, and move more freely than they could within the confines of a kennel.

Mariana and Benjamin also organize a weekly event at Prana del Mar to raise funds for the project. They offer a raffle and sometimes bring live music to enliven those evenings. With the money raised, they pay rent on the land and buy food for the dogs at Dog Prana as well as for those at the Humane Society of Los Cabos and El Ranchito Dog Shelter. Additional donations in cash are also made in special cases for dogs that are in particularly bad condition and need medicine or physical rehabilitation.

Dog Prana helps to promote adoptions of the dogs and cats found in shelters, raise awareness regarding free sterilizations, and even tries to find escorts among our guests who are willing allow an adopted dog to hitch a ride with them back to the U.S. or Canada after their retreat with us. If you are planning to come to Prana del Mar or the Los Cabos area and you would like to visit Dog Prana or get more info on how you can help, please contact Mariana via email. You can also “like” the Facebook page.

Mariana also would like to express her personal gratitude for the circumstances in her life that have made it possible for her to help these dogs and do what she truly loves. It has led her to a deeper bond with our guests here at Prana del Mar as well as to many other people who also love animals and wish to protect them. She is very thankful for the help and support of all those who have taken an interest in Dog Prana, especially her husband Benjamin who has contributed his energy and assistance throughout the development of the project.

We’re very proud of Mariana’s efforts, her dedicated service, and all that she has already accomplished. If you’re interested in the welfare of animals, we hope that you’ll ask her about Prana Perruno the next time you come to visit. If you’d like, she’d be happy to introduce you to some new friends!