Eat Well: Mango a Go Go

The following post was written by my mom, WWW. Thanks, mom! Also, apparently we were on the same page (ha!) this week with our homage(s) to great children's books. (See below.) We must be related or something.

Last week while spending a couple of days in LA with my girls, Archer read me one of his favorite books, Adventures of Cow, Too. It is hilarious and sarcastic and wonderful, and it's such a joy to laugh with him as he sees the humor in its pages. Fable loves the book, also, but most likely because it's Archer’s favorite. She has her own special stories… Olivia and The Napping House. It got me thinking about my children and how each of them had their favorite books… each different and as unique as their personalities. David, who was inseparable from his own beloved brown teddy bear, asked for Who Wants an Old Teddy Bear? and Happy Birthday, Moon every single night. Rebecca loved all books by Maurice Sendak but her favorite was Outside Over There. We never bought it (we didn’t buy many books when she was little since we didn’t have much money) but she would check it out almost every week at the library. I loved reading it… such a deep and poetic story of a strong heroine who saves her baby sister. When Rachel came along 7 years after Rebecca, I bought Outside Over There for her thinking she would love it as much as her sister, but after hearing it once she announced that it was “TOO SCARY” and never wanted it read to her again. I felt sad that I had never bought it for Rebecca who had loved it so much, that I had bought it for the wrong daughter. But I guess Rebecca got the joy of finding it every week at the library and repeatedly bringing it home.

In contrast to Rebecca’s darker taste, Rachel’s favorite stories were Piggies and Stellaluna. I kept stocked up on mangos during her Stellaluna period because she always wanted to eat one after reading the book, pretending she was a fruit bat as she opened her mouth wide for the juicy chunks of mango flesh. That brings me to this week’s food post since at 23 weeks the babies are mango-sized.

Mangoes, although superb as is, are fabulous in recipes, especially in summer. They are rich in vitamins and their juicy sweetness can liven up a grain recipe or give variety to salsa (mango salsa is wonderful with fish). Besides the availability of mangoes year-round, you now can buy frozen mangoes, a wonderful addition to smoothies. I loved making my kids smoothies in the summer as they thought they were getting a treat and I knew they were getting a rainbow of vitamin filled fruits. And one of my favorite drinks is mango lassi, an Indian yoghurt drink, that is simple to make and a great accompaniment to spicy food.

The biggest problem with a mango is trying to cut it. I have tried all of the recommended ways and have found this way the easiest. Chef Allen Susser is a mango specialist and makes cutting mangoes a snap. Just make sure you have a good sharp knife…that makes all the difference.

Mango Salsa

1 mango, cut up

Chopped cilantro to taste

chopped jicama (about ¾ of a cup or to taste)

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

A few tablespoons finely minced onion

Juice of 1 lime

1 ripe but firm avocado, chopped:

Combine all ingredients. Taste and correct seasonings.

Mango Lassi

1 mango, cut up

1 cup yoghurt

½ cup milk (you can use rice or almond milk)

4 teaspoons of sugar or honey (more if needed)

a few pinches of ground cardamom pods

Put all ingredients (including a pinch of cardamom) in a blender and blend until smooth.

Add more sugar or honey if needed. Sprinkle a little cardamom on top and serve.

***

This next recipe was inspired by Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Apricot Lime Vinaigrette in Clean Food by Terry Walters. I liked it because it has a lot of different protein-rich ingredients (quinoa, beans, and two types of seeds). I thought it needed more of a kick, so I added more lime juice and took out the apricot nectar in the original recipe. I also substituted cilantro for the mint, giving it a more pungent flavor. I cooked my black beans but you could use canned, drained and rinsed.

Quinoa, Mango, and Black Bean Salad

¾ cup quinoa

1 ¼ cups water

3 cups cooked black beans

½ cup chopped red onion

1 mango, chopped

1 cup peeled and diced jicama

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Vinaigrette

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup lime juice

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

½ cup chopped cilantro (or mint)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to boil and add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Cover and reduce to a simmer, until water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Set aside to cool. Place beans, onion, mango, and jicama in a large bowl.

Fluff the cooled quinoa with a fork and add to bowl:

(Gently fold to combine.)

Whisk together salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Pour over salad and toss to coat. Fold in tomatoes, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds just before serving.

Enjoy and Happy Summer!

Love,

WWW

P.S. Amanda, I'm sorry I missed you at Café Gratitude. I would have LOVED it if you had come up to say hi. Next time, please do! xo, Wendy