Sunday, March 29, 2020

Mango, Avacado,and Arugula Salad !

   Greetings my friends ! Our country is currently going through a crisis right now with the Corona Virus. We are advised to eat healthy, exercise, stay home as much as possible, wash our hands frequently, stay 6 feet away from each other, among other precautions.
    Sooo....speaking of healthy food....I believe I may have been looking for a healthy salad recipe years ago with mangos in it, when I fell upon Laylita's Mango, Avacado, and Arugula Salad at laylita.com. Her salad is gorgeous with its vibrant colors and the flavor is out of this world with the addition of a spicy orange, lime vinaigrette dressing ! She has been heavily influenced from her upbringing in Latin America with its' wonderful spices and colors !
   I tweaked this recipe a little by adding toasted pumpkin seeds, changing the orange juice in the salad dressing to orange juice concentrate, to intensify the flavor, and added chili flakes because most of the time I usually do not have a hot red chili pepper on hand. That's funny because there is a Fresno chili, and Fresno, California is where I live ! If I use arugula , I like to use baby arugula leaves because they do not have such a strong, almost hot flavor !
   I have been finding HUGE, organic mangos that are grown in the USA , in the winter, and maybe in the summer if I can recall, at Whole Foods Market. This is a great spicy, citrusy salad to take to a bar-b-que with meats or fish, or to eat with Mexican and South American food !

                                                                Ingredients

6 cups arugula leaves  (I like to use a combination of spinach and baby greens too.)
1 mango peeled and cut into long, thin slices
1 avocado peeled and sliced (It's good to slice the avocado right before serving, to prevent browning.)
1/2 red onion sliced thin (I use a mandoline slicer for beautiful slices, but be VERY careful not to cut yourself !)
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

                                                             Spicy Orange Vinaigrette

1 tbs champagne vinegar, or cider vinegar, or lemon juice (I prefer the champagne vinegar.)
4 tbs orange juice concentrate
2 tbs lime juice, about 1/2 lime
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbs chopped cilantro
1 red chili, or hot pepper, or bell pepper  (I usually use a red bell pepper for color anyway.)
1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional if not using a hot pepper)
salt and pepper

                                                                           Instructions

   Combine all the vinaigrette salad dressing ingredients in a jar, close it tight, and shake until the ingredients are well mixed. In a frying pan, turn the heat to medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pumpkin seeds. Stir and lightly toast the seeds until they are slightly golden brown. Watch them carefully ! Soak the onion slices in warm water with a dash of salt and 1 tbs lime juice for about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the onion slices. toss the arugula or other greens with half the vinaigrette. Add the avocado slices, mango slices, and onion slices to the arugula/greens mix. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds on top. Serve immediately ! This salad is good with rice on the side too.
   I am praying for you, your families, and the people of the world ; for your protection, strength, endurance, peace, and joy as we weather this trial together. Remember to eat as healthy as you can ! Much love from me !