When it comes to fruits and vegetables I can truly say that there aren’t really any that I would turn away. There might be some that I don’t eat or buy as often as others, but for the most part if it’s in the kitchen or refrigerator my family will gobble it up, as long as I do the washing and chopping. Living in the Northeast it’s often harder to find some of the yummiest of fruits, like mangos. I love mangos, but it’s often hit or miss at my local grocery store as far as availability goes, so they don’t end up in my shopping cart all that often. When I was invited to participate in a campaign with the National Mango Board my first thought was oh my gosh, there’s a National Mango Board? Then, Who knew? That’s some seriously important fruit is all I’m saying. I probably responded with a little too much excitement where fruit is concerned, but I was thrilled to take part and receive a shipment of mangos right on my doorstep, along with a colorful cookbook filled with mouth-watering mango-licious recipes. When the box of gorgeous fruit arrived they were nearly perfectly ripened, so I wanted to act fast and find the perfect recipe to delight my family’s taste buds. Coincidentally, we hadn’t had tacos for a dinner in a while, so my choice was actually super easy, I decided to go with the Cinco de Mango Salsa. We love homemade salsa and fortunately my family will eat whatever I put in front of them. They understand the importance of eating a healthy diet and that includes lots of fruits and vegetables. Now, I have to admit something, though. I was a bit skeptical when I first read the salsa recipe since I’ve never made one that had fruit in it before, especially something as sweet as mango. The foodie side of my brain then realized that the balance of sweet and spicy, with a dash of salty, would make this an irresistible dish that everyone would devour within minutes. Paul was definitely a little unsure about how these flavors would play together in his mouth, but after just one bite, he was a fan. He told me the bite kept giving and giving with depth of flavor and a finish that had him elbowing the rest of us out of the way so he could dip chip after chip into this delicious salsa. (It’s possible he’s endured a few food shows because of my addiction, hence the use of that phrasedepth of flavor.) Before we even finished our meal, he and Nick were asking me how soon I could make more Cinco de Mango Salsa. I seriously love it when that happens, especially when it’s with something that’s not only super easy to prepare, but is also healthy as well. Oh, just how simple you ask? Here’s a little video I made to show you just how quick and easy it is to whip some up to accompany a meal or as a party snack, or as your lunch. I don’t judge.
While I don’t claim to be a rock star on camera, I have to give credit to Nick, who didn’t want to be on camera with me, but did a great job for me behind the scenes. He actually suggested that I do these kinds of videos more often. I’m afraid if we did that, I’d have a difficult time keeping up with all of the phone calls from television networks wanting to give me my own cooking show, so I’ll just stick to posting a very amateur video every now and then. I mean, really, who needs that kind of success anyway?
Oh gosh, I nearly forgot to share the details of that amazing salsa recipe with you, so here you go:
Cinco de Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
3 large ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
1 medium jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Stir it all together in a bowl and enjoy. Buy more ingredients. Repeat…..again and again.
So while I had a whole lot of fun during my time with the mangos, I also learned a few things, so I’ve got to share them with you so we can both walk around a whole lot smarter with our brains bursting of mango knowledge.
- Mangos have over 20 different vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A and Vitamin C – hello strong bones, vision support and immunity-building ability!
- Mangos are the most popular fruit in the world, with the first being grown over 5,000 years ago in India.
- Ooh, specific fun fact pertaining to that salsa recipe I shared above – choose a slightly firm, less ripe mango, which will keep its shape, texture and tang when mixed with other ingredients.
- Interesting fact: mangos are distantly related to a few unexpected crops – the cashew and pistachio. Who knew?!
- Mangos are a good source of fiber. Diets low in fat and high in fiber-containing grain products, fruits, and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of some types of cancer.
With all that I learned I plan to make mangos a regular part of my shopping trips, especially during those bitter cold winter months when I’m longing for a reminder of the tropics and hot summer days. There is so much more to learn at Mango.org. It’s filled with oodles of information from how to choose a mango, how to store them, how to cut them, to more nutritional information as well as some fun activities and games for the kids. Seriously, you could spend the day there, or at least an afternoon or an hour. It doesn’t really matter to me as long as you go check it out, but just leave enough time in your day to get to the supermarket and fill your shopping cart with mangos!
The National Mango Board challenged me to spend a week creating healthier eating and snacking habits for my family. Join the conversation and one of my readers will receive a cookbook and a chance to win a shipment of mangos and $200 gift card to Williams-Sonoma.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of National Mango Board. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.
