This salad is a like a little mid winter break in your mouth. Lime, cilantro, mango …. take me away.
Oh great, it’s only Wednesday!
That is what I thought when I woke up today. It is another sign that the changes I put in motion are working! My weeks used to be so busy, I would take a huge breath on Sunday night and hold it through the minute-by-minute craze. When the end of the week arrived and I realized I made it through another, I would exhale sharply, gasp for air and prepare to do it all again.
Thanks to a major shift in my gears, I am starting to see some positive change. I’m not scrambling through each day of the week. I am breathing.
Part of my shift has been a change in diet. I will NEVER be a purist but I have decreased sweets and meat and I have increased veggies, fruits and whole grains. Over the past few weeks, I have felt better and better and I am actually enjoying and even craving healthy foods! (I know, I know, you might be annoyed by this statement as I would have been in the past. This may not last but for now, I am on a roll. I have to ride this wave.)
The key to keeping the healthy diet going has been time to prepare foods ahead of time and have them in the fridge for quick lunches and dinners. This mango jicama salad was inspired by a similar dish I enjoyed at First Slice Cafe. I try to eat “in season,” and local as much as possible but sometimes during the Midwest winter, I need a little break from the root veggies and tough greens. This salad is a like a tropical, mid winter break in your mouth.
When making up a recipe, I usually search ingredients and similar recipes online and then head to the kitchen and wing it, incorporating ideas that I have read about. During my mango jicama search, I learned a few things. Unfortunately, I don’t remember where I saw it to give proper credit but one website showed how easily you can peel a jicama with a spoon. It worked:
Until last week, I had also never heard the meaty sides of a mango referred to as the “mango cheeks.” I guess I can see why:
This recipe is flexible and you can adjust it to your liking. My version has no fat added (see health kick above) and because I had some blueberries in the freezer, I tossed them in for color. If you are feeling creative, experiment with your own adjustments. And, make a big batch because it tasted even better the second day.
Mango Jicama Salad
1 mango, peeled and cut in slices
1 jicama, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch strips
1/2 cup of blueberries
Juice of 1/2 lime (3 Tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chile powder (mild or spicy, whichever you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
sea salt
Put the mango, jicama and blueberries in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine lime juice and chili powder. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit. Sprinkle the cilantro on top. Gently toss together and season with sea salt to taste.