5 Ways to Use Mangoes This Summer
As much as strawberries get all the love this time of year, which is very well deserved, I think it’s about time another fruit gets to step up to the plate and gets most of the limelight this summer. I think it’s about time for mangoes to get all the love and attention they deserve.
I’ll never forget the first time I made a dinner meal with mangoes. I made a recipe called “Mexican haystacks”--similar to if you have ever had “Hawaiian haystacks”, but with a Mexican food twist. You have a base of cilantro brown rice and deliciously seasoned ground turkey then you pile it sky-high with all the toppings your heart could ever desire: chopped red bell pepper, thin slices of green onion, chunks of avocado and best of all--mango! This meal is like a true party in your mouth. These flavors all work SO well together. It is a recipe that the whole family will love.
I’m going to post this recipe at the bottom, but for now, I would love to mention a few other great ways to enjoy this beautiful fruit this summer! Probably my favorite reason to love mangoes is that they are so versatile--they can easily be made sweet, spicy or savory.
1. Fresh Mango Salsa
I had to start out with my favorite one, right? :) I absolutely love adding mango to a fresh pico de gallo-like salsa. Especially when you add some heat with some jalapeno peppers! I could easily eat a whole bag of tortilla chips dipped in this salsa all on my own. It is crazy good with a salsa that is perfectly sweet and spicy all at the same time! It is great to dip chips and is also perfect for a topping for fish tacos.
2. Mango Sticky Rice
Of course this is a popular dessert in Thai restaurants where sticky white rice is combined with a lovely sauce made from coconut milk and topped with fresh sliced mango. It is heavenly and is really easy to make at home too.
3. Mango-Walnut Chicken Salad
For a great way to mix up your lunch game if you get sick of the same old tuna or egg salad sandwich, make a chicken-walnut salad and add in some chopped sweet mango. You’ll love the sweetness it brings to this usually pretty ho-hum sandwich. Mix chicken, mango, mayo, lime juice, a little curry powder and your chopped walnuts and you are good to go! It is sure to become your new favorite lunch.
4. Mango and White Fish Ceviche
Ceviche is a raw fish Mexican or South American dish, cured in citrus juice and is often served as an appetizer with chips. Add in your mango very last, after all the other ingredients have done their work and all the flavors have melded together. You are going to love this as an alternative to your usual chips and salsa appetizer.
5. Mango Cheesecake
The sweet tropical fruit flavors from mango pair so well with the tartness of a cheesecake. You can also mix the mango with another tropical fruit, such as pineapple, passion fruit or kiwi--and add zest of lime, strawberries and macadamia nuts for a true tropical sensational taste.
What are your favorite ways to use mango? Please share your ideas and thoughts in the comments below.
.jpg)
RICE
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 bunch fresh cilantro
MEAT
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups salsa (I used Kirkland organic salsa from costco)
TOPPINGS
1 2 1-2 avocados, chopped
1 2 1-2 red peppers, chopped
1 2 1-2 ripe mangoes, chopped
fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
blog comments powered by Disqus
I’ll never forget the first time I made a dinner meal with mangoes. I made a recipe called “Mexican haystacks”--similar to if you have ever had “Hawaiian haystacks”, but with a Mexican food twist. You have a base of cilantro brown rice and deliciously seasoned ground turkey then you pile it sky-high with all the toppings your heart could ever desire: chopped red bell pepper, thin slices of green onion, chunks of avocado and best of all--mango! This meal is like a true party in your mouth. These flavors all work SO well together. It is a recipe that the whole family will love.
I’m going to post this recipe at the bottom, but for now, I would love to mention a few other great ways to enjoy this beautiful fruit this summer! Probably my favorite reason to love mangoes is that they are so versatile--they can easily be made sweet, spicy or savory.
1. Fresh Mango Salsa
I had to start out with my favorite one, right? :) I absolutely love adding mango to a fresh pico de gallo-like salsa. Especially when you add some heat with some jalapeno peppers! I could easily eat a whole bag of tortilla chips dipped in this salsa all on my own. It is crazy good with a salsa that is perfectly sweet and spicy all at the same time! It is great to dip chips and is also perfect for a topping for fish tacos.
2. Mango Sticky Rice
Of course this is a popular dessert in Thai restaurants where sticky white rice is combined with a lovely sauce made from coconut milk and topped with fresh sliced mango. It is heavenly and is really easy to make at home too.
3. Mango-Walnut Chicken Salad
For a great way to mix up your lunch game if you get sick of the same old tuna or egg salad sandwich, make a chicken-walnut salad and add in some chopped sweet mango. You’ll love the sweetness it brings to this usually pretty ho-hum sandwich. Mix chicken, mango, mayo, lime juice, a little curry powder and your chopped walnuts and you are good to go! It is sure to become your new favorite lunch.
4. Mango and White Fish Ceviche
Ceviche is a raw fish Mexican or South American dish, cured in citrus juice and is often served as an appetizer with chips. Add in your mango very last, after all the other ingredients have done their work and all the flavors have melded together. You are going to love this as an alternative to your usual chips and salsa appetizer.
5. Mango Cheesecake
The sweet tropical fruit flavors from mango pair so well with the tartness of a cheesecake. You can also mix the mango with another tropical fruit, such as pineapple, passion fruit or kiwi--and add zest of lime, strawberries and macadamia nuts for a true tropical sensational taste.
What are your favorite ways to use mango? Please share your ideas and thoughts in the comments below.
Mexican Haystacks
Serving size: 4
Calories per serving: 470
Ingredients:
Calories per serving: 470
RICE
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 bunch fresh cilantro
MEAT
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups salsa (I used Kirkland organic salsa from costco)
TOPPINGS
1 2 1-2 avocados, chopped
1 2 1-2 red peppers, chopped
1 2 1-2 ripe mangoes, chopped
fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Start your brown rice in a pot on the stove, or in a rice maker. Next, add ground turkey and chopped onion to a large saute pan. Add garlic powder and salt and pepper. When the turkey is browned, add 4 cups of salsa. Bring the salsa to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, chop the cilantro, pepper, avocado, and mango. When the rice is done, simply stir in almost all of the fresh cilantro, leaving just enough to garnish each dish.
I served each person with the rice and meat already on the plate, and everybody had fun adding their own toppings. Kids always like to feel that they "made" their own dinner!
I'd recommend serving this with a nice big green salad on the side.
*Also, the recipe above made enough for our family of five to have leftovers the next day. If you are cooking for a smaller family, just chop one avocado, pepper, and mango. You can also make less rice and only 1 lb. of turkey. If you do this, reduce the salsa used to only 2-3 cups.
Source: wholeandfree.blogspot.com
I served each person with the rice and meat already on the plate, and everybody had fun adding their own toppings. Kids always like to feel that they "made" their own dinner!
I'd recommend serving this with a nice big green salad on the side.
*Also, the recipe above made enough for our family of five to have leftovers the next day. If you are cooking for a smaller family, just chop one avocado, pepper, and mango. You can also make less rice and only 1 lb. of turkey. If you do this, reduce the salsa used to only 2-3 cups.
Source: wholeandfree.blogspot.com
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Sources:
- www.wholeandfree.blogspot.com
- www.pixabay.com
- www.domesblissity.com
- www.insanelygoodrecipes.com
Mary Richardson
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! mary@dvo.com
