Category Archives: MANGO RECIPES

Mango Salsa – Yum!

This site would NOT be complete without a blog post devoted entirely to the ever-tasty mango salsa.  Oh the love’s gonna start pouring in because, frankly, mango salsa is good with just about anything.  I love it with pork.  Other folks love with fish or beef.  It’s alllllll good.

But…some of us are in a hurry, and we can’t fathom the idea of the chopping and cutting necessary to make a decent salsa.  No problem.  Mango Maven’s got your back.  I mentioned in my “Ode to Trader Joe’s” post that they sell a delicious mango and papaya salsa.  And how lucky are we that Costco sells a really tasty one too – I think with peach, not papaya.  Both are really, really good offerings.  In each store, you’ll find the salsas in the fresh, refrigerated goods section.   I’m happy to add other fresh salsas here from other markets too.  Just let me know what else is out there!

For those of you that would like to chop and cut your way to making your own mango salsa, here are three top drawer resources, each a little different:

 

FAGE & Mango: My Favored Way to Start the Day!

When I can get good mangoes, my favorite breakfast of all time provides about 50% of my daily protein requirement and 80% of my daily Vitamin C requirement – and all for around 300 calories.   The best thing, though, is that my *fav* tastes like dessert!

Here’s my routine.

I spoon at least a cup’s worth of FAGE (pronounced fah-yeh) Greek Yogurt into my food processor.  I use either the 2% version or the fat-free version and wouldn’t think of using anything but FAGE because of its ever-so-mild flavor and smooth texture.  (In my area, FAGE can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Safeway, and Costco)

Then I cut a mango or two’s worth of slices and put them in the food processor and blend the mango and yogurt together until the whole concoction is super smooth.  What comes out is something akin to mango pudding.  It is to die for good – and so healthy!  I scrape the mix into a mug with a spatula and enjoy with the help of a few (quiet!) slurps and a spoon.   The consistency comes out thicker than a typical smoothie, which I like because it feels like more of a meal.

Mango and FAGE make for that rare and divine combination that can satisfy health nuts, dieters, and gourmets all at once.  What a meal!  And when mangoes aren’t to be found, I substitute bananas, which also make for a delicious, healthy breakfast.

Happy food processing!

 

                         

FAGE 2% Greek yogurt

 

 

Cutting off the end for an easier start with the mango cutter

            

 

 

 

 

The cheeks and seed after the cut

 

 

 

On your mark, get set….

 

 

 

Go!

 

 

 

 

 

Pure Satisfaction

 

Rebecca Wood & Mango Sorbet Recipe

So there’s this very cool lady named Rebecca Wood.  She’s one of those special folks who teaches the rest of us all about food and nutrition, with one her areas of expertise being whole foods as you see below.  Well.  Rebecca publishes a newsletter and included a nifty recipe for mango sorbet in her “My Dad and Cake” issue.  While I don’t want you to leave *MY* site,  I’m going to link you to the recipe instead of posting it directly out of respect for Rebecca’s copyright; I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

And thanks, Rebecca, for being a friend to mangoes!

http://www.rwood.com/Recipes/Mango_Sorbet.htm

A Mango Lassi Just for You; compliments of India!

For the uninitiated, a lassi is a delicious yogurt-based chilled drink hailing from the Punjab region of India.

Lassis come two ways, sweet or salty, and are popular throughout India and Pakistan. Lucky for us, lassis are beginning to take hold here in the United States!  Why the luck?  Because lassis are so delicious!!

Sweet lassis are made with and without fruit, and in the “with fruit” category, mango lassis are the most popular. Makes sense to me!

There is no ONE WAY to make a mango lassi, so experiment!  Below are some suggested core mango lassi recipes to start with.  Remember that Greek yogurt is strained and will produce a thicker mango lassi; regular plain yogurt will make for a thinner lassi.  You’ll need less ice to produce a quintessentially cool, refreshing mango lassi if you begin with mangoes or mango pulp that have been refrigerated.  This is my preference because I tend to prefer more robust flavors (less ice).  And experimenting with different textured sweeteners like honey, stevia, demerara sugar, or turbinadosugar is really the only way to see what you like best.   When you find the combination that suits you best, serve it up for any spring or summer gathering.

As for aesthetics, I would serve my guests mango lassis in footed glasses garnished with mint leaves or saffron strands. Mango slices placed on the sides of the glasses might be nice too.  I tend to prefer organic looking serving pieces, but you might prefer a more traditional porcelain tray.  Whatever you choose, the light-orange-colored lassis will be beautiful!

In all the below recipes, place the ingredients in a blender and blend until frothy and smooth.  Serve and enjoy immediately!  Mango pieces should come from ripe, skinned mangoes.  If you can’t get ripe mangoes, try mango pulp!  If you can’t find mango pulp at your local grocer, try Amazon or India Blend, both of whom will deliver all the mango pulp you could ever need right to your doorstep.

Mango Lassi – Version 1

  • mango pieces from 2 RIPE mangoes
  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup ice

Mango Lassi – Version 2

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup ripe mango pieces
  • 4 teaspoons sugar, to taste
  • A dash of ground cardamom

Mango Lassi – Version 3

  • 2 part plain yogurt
  • 1 part milk
  • 1 part canned mango pulp OR  1 1/2 parts fresh mango pieces
  • sweeten to taste

Mango Lassi, Version 4

  • 3½ fl oz cream
  • 7fl oz whole milk
  • 14fl oz plain yogurt
  • 14fl oz mango pulp
  • 4 tsp superfine sugar

And lastly, if you are interested in mango lassis, you might be interested in other types of Indian cuisine.  India Blend has a great selection of hard-to-find ingredients delivered to your doorstep!

Mango Margaritas – Summer’s Best for Foodies gone Naughty

All that I can say is…if you mess up mango margaritas after leveraging what’s in this humdinger of post…then I don’t know what, but it’s not good.

For the margarita mix lovers out there, I have two cool finds.

First the Margarita Collection from Williams-Sonoma. Customers rate it 4.8 out of 5.0 stars and the triple pack comes with pineapple, lemon-lime, and MANGO!!!!!  🙂

And then, for my low-calorie-hound readers, check out BajaBob.com and his wildly popular mango margarita mix. A cool 4.7 out of 5.0 stars and ZERO calories. Yes, you heard it from the Maven first.

Then I dug around for some nifty glasses that I thought would look GREAT with tropical-colored mango margaritas and found a few. The way I see it, Sears and Williams-Sonoma have your mango margarita glass fannies covered.

Now time for a few recipe ideas.  I’m sure all of you margarita fiends out there can take a quick gander at the ideas below and see what will suite your palate the best!  And it *should go* without saying but…don’t forget the lime garnish, nor the salt or sugar for the rims. And uh, yes, the below ingredients are blended.  😉

Version 1

10 oz bag of frozen diced mango
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2/3 cup tequila – preferably silver
2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 cups ice water

Version 2

2 (1.5 fluid ounce) jiggers tequila
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger triple sec liqueur
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger fresh lime juice
1 mango (see how to make cool little mango pieces)
4 ice cubes
1/4 cup mango nectar

Version 3

3 ounces silver tequila
1 1/2 ounces triple sec
2 to 2 1/2 cups ice
2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup or 2 teaspoons sugar
4 ounces fresh or frozen mango pieces (use more ice if you choose to use fresh mango)

Version 4

1 1/4 ounces silver tequila
1 ounce triple sec
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces simple syrup or sweet-and-sour mix
3/4 cup partially frozen mango

Now for the margarita machines/blenders by Margaritaville – aren’t they the coolest? And even more importantly, they’ve got SUPERB CUSTOMER RATINGS. Nothing but the best for my mango fans. Now you might not need the King Kong of the lot, but then again you just might. Because mango lovers = carousers.

Whatever or however you pass your summer, be sure to give a little time to the almighty mango margarita. They’re not so very naughty, after all.

My Husband’s Favorite Dessert of All Time: Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Mango Cherimoya Tart

My Husband’s Favorite Dessert of All Time: Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Mango Cherimoya Tart

God Bless Rose Levy Beranbaum.   I mean, REALLY.  God Bless Her.

Rose is the kind of woman that can take a distinctly non-domesticated female, give her clear and concise directions, and “wha-la” a masterpiece emerges!  In case you don’t know about Rose, she’s the author of many fine cookbooks – and today I’m referring most especially to her authorship of The Pie and Pastry Bible.

You see, a couple of years ago, I moved to the Monterey Peninsula and got an invitation to a certain someone’s locally famous Pie Party.  That’s right.  A whole party dedicated to pies.  Notable judges are brought in.  Everyone brings THEIR BEST effort.  Votes are cast.  Winners are crowned.  It’s quite a deal.

The first year that I attended, I relied on Rose to help me and she came through amazingly.  I tried her Honey Chiffon Tart – co-produced with my friend, Pam.

honey chiffon pie

Honey Chiffon Pie

Can you believe we took second with this beautiful specimen?  THAT gives you an idea of just how awesome the pies are at said Pie Party.

 

 

honey chiffon pie

Chocolate Bees with Sliced Almond Wings

Anyway, this last year, I thought it would be nifty to do something with my favorite fruit…

Once again, I relied on Rose to help me out.   She had published a recipe for a Mango Passion Tart, which I thought sounded fresh & lovely.  The problem was that I couldn’t find passion fruit.  So…I relied upon a similar tropical flavor to fit the bill, cherimoya.  The white flesh is incredibly flavorful, bursting with tropical goodness.

cherimoya

Cherimoya

The cherimoya was juiced and then the juice was used to infuse the curd cream inside the tart.  I wish I would have taken more pics along the way, but I just wanted to show you how amazing mangoes can be in pies & tarts.

 

 

The tart turned out so beautifully! Not only was it pleasing to the eye, but it was light and fresh – and not too sweet. Everyone loved it – especially my husband. His birthday is coming up soon…I think I’ll make him one as a surprise!

BTW, I’ve procured a hot little coupon for my fruit loving friends… Enjoy! 🙂

Shop TheFruitCompany.com

 

Mango Recipe: Mango Banana Rum Muffins – A Mango Recipe You DON’T want to miss.

Mango Recipe: Mango Banana Rum Muffins – A Mango Recipe You DON’T want to miss.

You know when you have those days where you’ll feeling creative, yet have “nothing” in the kitchen pantry to work with AND are too lazy to venture out to the store?  That was exactly where I was today – until I really started digging.  We are so darn spoiled here in the amazing USA.  As it turned out, here’s what “nothing”  looked like:  I unearthed a wayward mango, 2 wayward bananas, some tropical pancake mix & rum.  I had a bit of flour left at the bottom of a bag and some sugar too.  Once I found fresh eggs & walnuts, that was it! I was in business.

Here’s the concoction that I put together – and boy did it make GREAT MUFFINS!!

1 cup rank & file white flour

1 cup Kona Coast Hawaiian Style Macadamia Nut Pancake & Waffle Mix (yum, right?)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

roughly 3/4 cup finely chopped English walnuts  (macadamia would have been optimal imho)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 *very* ripe bananas

1 *very* ripe mango

Here’s how I put it all together:

1)  I pureed the mango and banana in my food processor.  Truth be known, I would have much rather had 2 mangoes and 1 banana, but I was in the “use what I have” mode.  Then I covered it with plastic wrap until I was ready for it.

2)  I combined the sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, Kona mix & salt (in a separate bowl)

3)  Then I whisked the eggs, oil & rum (in a separate bowl).  I have no idea if this is the right way, it’s just what I happened to do.

Finally, I combined all together in one large bowl, then mixed just a little with my hand mixer, then folded in the nuts at the end.

What came out were some really awesome, tropics infused muffins.  And boy does my house smell amazing!!

For those of that might want to try these little gems, the Kona mix can be purchased at Cost Plus World Market.  What I seriously do feel really good about is using fruit that was headed for the compost pile in the next day or so.   “Creative” gets points, but “not wasting food” gets even more points.

 

Mango Recipe: Curried Mango Quinoa Salad – YES. YES. YES!!

Oh yes.  You read that correctly.   Doesn’t it sound incredibly yummy?  I assure you, it is!

The recipe’s below, just know that I made a substitution because I was out of quinoa.  I had this bag of “Harvest Blend” pearl couscous from Trader Joe’s on hand, so used that instead of the quinoa.  But I’m guessing the taste wasn’t altered much. Plus there’s one other modification you’ll see pictured.  🙂

1 cup quinoa (or in my case, 1 cup Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend pearl couscous)

1/4 cup canola  oil

1 tablespoon mango chutney, chopped if overly chunky.  (I couldn’t immediately put my hands on mango chutney but I found a close substitute with Crofter’s Premium Spread –  Organic Mango.  I procured this find at my local health food store.)

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

1 cup chopped, peeled fresh mango (I might have thrown in a tad more…  🙂  )

1 cup chopped cucumber (peeled or unpeeled – it’s up to you)

5 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 cups baby spinach

salt/pepper to taste

 

You can tell by looking at it, that this is one yummy spread, right?

 

 

 

Cook quinoa or Harvest Blend according to instructions.  Drain, cool and transfer to a bowl.

Whisk oil and next 4 ingredients in a bowl.  Taste and add salt/pepper as desired.

Add mango, cucumber, green onions, and 1/4 cup of the dressing to the quinoa/Harvest Blend.  Toss to coat.

Put spinach on two plates.  Spoon mango/quinoa mixture on top of spinach.  Drizzle remaining dressing on top.

And shazam – you have a refreshing, healthy salad that is balanced in its amino acids, nutrients, and colors!