Mango, Blueberry and Macadamia Nut Salad
SKILL LEVEL :
Easy and quickMaui Inspired
Recently I had the good fortune to stay with some friends on Maui. I was particularly excited about my time in Maui when I realized I was visiting during the peak of mango season. All mangos are fabulous, but there is no better mango than a tree-ripened mango. Allowed to ripen on the tree, mangos become incredibly sweet and flavorful. While on Maui we had so many mangos that I had the opportunity to do a little mango recipe development. This salad is fresh and flavorful and one you will want to add to your regular rotation.
Eat your Colors Nutrition
A good rule of thumb when trying to maximize nutrition is to eat produce in a variety of colors. This multi-colored orange, green and blue salad accomplishes just that.
Click to download our free e-cookbook: 15 Recipes To Make You Look Like A Star
Look for Tree-Ripened Mangos
Unfortunately most of us don't have mango trees in our back yard ladened with ripe fruit. Lucky for us, U.S. grocery stores are starting to sell tree-ripened mangos. They don't come cheap, but once you taste one you will never be content with a run-of-the-mill mango that was picked before it had a chance to ripen. Melissa's Produce offers tree-ripened mangos and I have also found tree-ripened at Gelson's. Has anyone else found these delicious treats in the grocery store?
Keitt Mango Season is Almost Here
California-grown Keitt mango season is almost here. Beginning in the late summer and early fall, look for large, green Keitt mangos at your local farmer's markets, and at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. These incredible mangos, are large, with some weighing as much as 5 pounds, have small seeds, lots of flesh and are incredibly sweet. Don't let their green skin fool you. They are ripe when they give slightly to pressure when you squeeze them, despite their green color.
Want to learn more about mangos, their history, nutritional value and how to cut them like a boss? Check out my mango article for all the details.
Macadamia Nuts
I grew up in Hawaii thinking macadamia nuts were delicious, but very calorie dense and fattening. Like other tree nuts, current science is discovering the benefits of eating more nuts, including macadamia nuts. While studies are not conclusive, some of the health benefits of eating macadamia nuts are thought to include: lowering of LDL cholesterol, regulation of blood sugar and one study shows eating a few macadamia nuts daily is helpful in weight management. Macadamia nuts are very low in Omega-6's compared to other nuts and are thought to have cancer preventing, anti-inflammatory, bone-strengthening and gut supportive properties.
Parmesan Cheese
I add a few flakes of good quality Parmesan cheese to this salad to boost umami. Use a vegetable peeler to create shavings of Parmesan. If you are adverse to dairy, the cheese is optional and the salad is quite good without it.
Mango, Blueberry and Macadamia Nut Salad
This mixed green salad is laden with fresh mango, blueberries, crispy cucumbers, fragrant mint and basil and garnished with chopped macadamia nuts. I add a few shavings of optional parmesan cheese to boost umami.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: New American
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
1 T minced shallots
1 T Spanish sherry vinegar
4 T good quality olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
For the Salad:
1 head butter lettuce, rinsed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 head head red curly lettuce, rinsed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped into 1″ pieces
6 ounces blueberries
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 handful fresh mint, torn into pieces
1 handful fresh basil, torn into pieces
3/4 c chopped macadamia nuts (I like them lightly salted)
1 1/2 ounces good quality parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
For the Dressing:
Put the minced shallots in a small bowl and add vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust ingredients.
For the Salad:
Scatter the lettuce in a shallow bowl. Add mangoes, blueberries, cucumbers, fresh herbs and macadamia nuts. If you are adding Parmesan cheese, use a vegetable peeler to make Parmesan shavings and add to the salad. Toss with dressing and serve.