If you haven’t noticed by the posts this week, I FINALLY got a real camera! Up until now I’ve been shooting everything on my iPhone, and always wondered why my shots were no where near as gorgeous as some that I see floating around the gram. Well, turns out a camera makes all the difference. I’m a complete photography amateur, so it’s a godsend that the camera does 85% of the work for me. It’s amazing. And now, looking back at my site, I feel the overwhelming need to reshoot every single recipe ASAP. (I know, I need to chill). But anyway, I was hoping to reshoot this Mango Salsa with my camera before posting it, but simply ran out of time. I almost didn’t want to make this post today, but I promised you guys 5 days of healthy Super Bowl appetizers, and I’m a woman of my word!
I’ve never been a huge fan of mangoes, until I had this Mango Salsa and then oh. my. god. – I’m now an official fan. Others apparently share my love, because whenever this is served to a crowd, it’s gone in a snap! This is the perfect fruity complement to all the savory dishes likely to be served at your Super Bowl party on Sunday, and nice dip to sort of *refresh* the palate.
Did you know? Mangoes contain zeaxanthin, an antioxidant that plays a protective role in eye health and possibly helps ward off damage from macular degeneration. Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid located in the eye that helps filter blue light, further protecting the eye. (Lutein is the only other antioxidant that has this effect). What’s blue light? Oh, just that thing emitted from your phone, computer, tablet…basically everything you look at these days is hurting your eyes. However, our bodies do not naturally produce zeaxanthin or lutein in the quantities we need, so consuming foods high in these nutrients is critical for protecting your vision.
I’ve also heard mangoes are great for your skin by helping to unclog pores. Not just internally by providing your day’s worth of Vitamin C per serving, but also by applying slices directly to your face, allowing to sit 10-20 minutes, and then washing away any residue. While I haven’t tried this myself yet, I’m adding it to my list! Now that I teach 3-6 classes a day (the majority of them in the hot room) I’ve been really struggling lately to keep my skin clear. Obviously because I’m sweating so much, but also, the hot room expands my pores, allowing for more dirt to enter. I’m gonna hope this effect works internally as well, because I’ll take any excuse to keep munching on this salsa!
Scooping up Mango Salsa with chips isn’t the only way to eat this- I LOVE to use it as a topper to asparagus or other veggies, as a way to add flavor without using any oil. (Although sometimes I mix in diced avocado and it’s AMAZING!) If you’re not vegan, it’s also delicious spooned over shrimp, scallops, or a piece of grilled chicken. Basically, you should double up on the batch you make, to be sure you have leftovers to spice up your meals the following week!
Mango Salsa
Makes 5-6 cups
4 ripe mangoes, diced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
~1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely minced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
1- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
1/2 -1 tsp stevia- only if your mangoes aren’t that sweet
Tortilla Chips or Crackers of choice, for serving
Method:
Slice each mango in half, remove the pits, then slice the fruits lengthwise & crosswise to make tiny cubes. Use a giant spoon to scoop the mango from the edges, removing the fruit from the skin and transferring to a medium sized mixing bowl. Finely chop the remaining vegetables, stir together with the remaining ingredients, and season to taste. Refrigerate if you won’t be eating in the near future, although this can be served cold or at room temperature.
