We love connecting with our beautiful community all over the world so it was a joy to get to know Leticia ‘Letoto’ Gimeno recently. The Spanish beauty and her husband Nacho live in sunny Miami in the United States with their adorable beach boys Nico and Felipe – or ‘Little P’ as they call him – and their teenage daughter, Lola. The couple first met in Spain when Leticia was 17 and have been loved-up ever since. A true Children of the Tribe family, they love nothing more than exploring in the jungle near their home, travelling the globe and spending long, lazy days together on the beach as a family. We spoke to this plant-based super mama about travel, family life in Miami and managed to get her super healthy and delicious coconut rice recipe to share with you all.

Photography: Alejandra Flo

Like us, you seem to spend a lot of time outside and on the beach. What are some of your favourite things to do together?

We love to explore around the beach, build sandcastles and hide and seek for things. We love animals and, as we are surrounded by jungle, we have raccoon friends, iguanas, a thousand types of birds and ducks, which we go visit every day. We also love going to the cinema, watching films together and cooking the kids’ favourite meals as they are perfect and engaged helpers. They make me so proud.

What do you like about living in Miami?

I love the weather, the freedom and especially how happy the kids are here. We need to live by the sea because, for me, it's something essential and we like to spend most of our day outside. The weather here facilitates that need. Also we live in a very kid-friendly neighbourhood where it's all about the kids and that is just perfect for us. 

Have you always been so health-conscious?

I've always loved sports and eating healthily as that is what I was taught at home but I became more health-conscious after I had my kids because I wanted to provide them with the best. For me, nutrition and physical exercise are essential in my kids’ life and I like to learn about every related issue. I recently finished a course in child nutrition from Stanford University, which has helped me a lot.

Describe motherhood in a sentence?

Words can't even describe it. It is the best feeling in the world.

When are you the happiest?

When we are all together, especially when the five of us go on trips. We share every experience and we love to talk about them afterwards. Actually, any moments with my kids makes me happy. If I have to say one, I'd say when they wake up and they just want mummy cuddles and they spend a long time hugging and cuddling me. 

Do you have any trips planned with your tribe for 2017?

We are going to Spain in April because my big sister is getting married - we are so excited about it. Then will be back here in May and looking for something to do in the summer; maybe Mexico, California or Hawaii.

You are plant-based. Can you share a recipe for one of your kids' favourite meals?

My kids love almost every kind of food. They are super easy and since they were little they have tried everything so they don't reject any kind of food.

Their favorite recipe is coconut rice, which is super easy to make.

Leticia’s Coconut Rice.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of jasmine rice

1 can of coconut milk

1 1/4 cups of water

1 tsp coconut sugar 

1 pinch of salt 

2 scallions

1 cup coconut chips or flakes

Method: Combine water, milk sugar and salt in a saucepan. Mix and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add rice and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (until rice is tender). 

Remove from heat and add chopped scallions and coco chips. Wait 10 minutes and enjoy.

xx