mango

Mango Sticky Rice

April 16, 2014 by Erica

Mango Sticky Rice

You know you’ve entered yuppie status when you can’t resist the Whole Foods one-day sale on champagne mangoes, and end up coming home with an entire crate.

Mango Sticky Rice

This happened last Friday, when I ran into Whole Foods for a “few things” (always) on my way home from work, and left with $9 of mangoes. Such a sucker.

But $9 for 14 mangoes! I was both delighted with the deal and in disbelief that I was buying a crate of something just because it was on sale. Also, have I really entered the phase of my life where I stock up on whole crates of expensive produce? I might be, like, 10 years too young for that. So many emotions brought on by these mangoes. Plus, how do you use up 14 mangoes?

Mango Sticky Rice

Luckily, I found the solution to that last one.

Step 1: make mango sticky rice.

Step 2: devour mango sticky rice.

Step 3: repeat.

I think that should just about cover it.

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Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

May 1, 2013 by Erica

Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

Happy May!

I think this fruit salad is the perfect way to start off such a glorious month.

Fruit salad just screams “summer barbecue” to me. It doesn’t make an appearance unless you have warm weather, a grill, and enough friends present to make a dent in a huge bowl of fruit. Yep, it doesn’t get much better the kind of occasion that features fruit salad.

But I’m not a fan of what I’ve come to think of as the typical fruit salad: pineapple, melon, and grapes. Maybe I’ve eaten too many continental breakfasts, but that just does not appeal to me. It always seems to sit out too long, the pineapple is all sour and hard, and does anyone actually like the melon in that salad? If so, the world – or at least hotel breakfast buffets – needs more people like you. And fewer people like me, who pick out all the grapes for themselves.

So instead, I created this Thai-inspired fruit salad featuring my favorite spring and summer flavors. No melon required.

Thai-Inspired Fruit Salad with Lime and Thai Basil

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Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

March 25, 2013 by Erica

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

Hi there! How is Monday morning treatin’ ya?

We had quite the weekend. Between entertaining friends who stayed with us all week, my birthday on Thursday, a friend’s housewarming party on Friday, my company’s annual party on Saturday, and 20 inches of fresh powder in the mountains (that Nate took advantage of but I did not), we were pretty much out of commission by the time Sunday morning rolled around. These days I have to admit I don’t usually go out on both Friday and Saturday nights (and definitely not wearing monstrous heels), so this weekend was a reminder that I’m not as young as I used to be… and that sleeping in is necessary sometimes.

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

As a side note, I still can’t feel one of my toes after wearing those heels all night. Maybe I’ll forget about this and bring them the next time I go to Vegas… but until then, I’m pushing them to the back of my closet. Flats are the way to go!

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

Anyway, after a busy weekend, I seldom feel like slaving over a hot stove all day Sunday. I much prefer going to yoga and then tossing together a quick meal like this, that involves just a little chopping and a few minutes of cooking time.

We loved these tacos because they’re so fresh and light. Nothing is as refreshing as homemade salsa, and using lettuce leaves instead of taco shells lightens up the meal. No sense in cancelling out all those chaturangas I just did!

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

I based these off my chickpea tacos, using beans, onions, garlic, and the same spice mix. I know the ingredient list looks long, but honestly you just need a few fresh ingredients for the salsa, and the rest you most likely have in your pantry. I swear these come together quickly! If you’d rather use guacamole or regular salsa + cheese + sour cream, etc., go for it! But fruit salsa is allllways a good idea.

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

5.0 from 5 reviews

Black Bean Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

Hands-on time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

These lightened-up tacos feature spiced black beans and homemade mango-avocado salsa wrapped in fresh lettuce. Quick to prepare and bursting with flavor!

Author: Erica

Yields: 6 tacos

Ingredients

For the tacos:

1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, finely diced (yellow or red)
14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or about 1 1/2 cups cooked)
6 leaves bibb or iceberg lettuce

For the taco seasoning (or use 1/2 packet of your favorite taco seasoning):

1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water

For the mango avocado salsa:

1 mango, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

First prepare the salsa. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine all taco seasoning ingredients. The tacos come together quickly, so I like to do this before anything goes on the stove.
Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add garlic and onion and saute until soft, 4-5 minutes.
Pour in black beans and taco seasoning and stir to coat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until beans are heated through and some of the water is evaporated, 2-3 minutes.
Serve with lettuce leaves to be used as taco shells and mango avocado salsa.
Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from my Chickpea Taco recipe and FoodNetwork.com.

Tropical Oatmeal

March 4, 2013 by Erica

tropical oatmeal

Good morning! I know on Friday I laid out my grand plans for a big weekend of cooking. And it happened! But I just can’t get back to the regularly scheduled program until I stop everything and tell you about this oatmeal.

I’m going through a bit of a coconut phase. I blame the rest of the blog world, which is also in love with coconut.

In the last few weeks alone, I’ve posted lentil, banana bread, and salad recipes containing coconut. What I didn’t tell you is that I’ve been starting every morning with coconut, too!

tropical oatmeal

I’m always thinking about posting my breakfasts here, but let’s face it… they’re not too exciting. Oatmeal in the winter, Cheerios in the summer, with the occasional quinoa thrown in.

In the winter months, I go through phases with my oatmeal toppings (like everyone), and I always end up craving them so much. Some favorites lately: Frozen berries and brown sugar; peanut butter, banana, and chocolate chips; and now, coconut butter and mango. And even if it is just oatmeal, let me tell you that I think this coconut + mango combination is blog-worthy.

tropical oatmeal

Have you tried coconut butter yet? I just bought my first jar a few weeks ago and am loving it. Rather than just extracting the oil from the coconut, coconut butter is the entire flesh of the coconut, ground up. It’s very rich and has amazing coconut flavor. This oatmeal is my favorite use for it, but it’s also amazing spread on toast, and I’m excited to find more ways to use it, too. Whatever you do, let it melt before you eat it. YUM.

I’ll be honest: coconut butter breaks the bank a little. Artisana, the brand I bought, is $11.99 for a 16-oz jar. Yikes – that’s more than Justin’s almond butter! I did just see a 15-oz. Maranatha jar for $7.99 at the grocery store, so I’ll probably try that out next time. The good news is that a little goes a long way. In addition to being rich, it’s pretty brittle, so I usually microwave the whole jar for 15-30 seconds before scraping any out. Having to scrape it out, rather than being able to dip in and come out with a big ol’ scoop, stretches that jar quite a bit. If you like using coconut oil in cooking or baking, I definitely recommend trying out a jar of coconut butter.

tropical oatmeal

It’s still very much wintertime in Utah, and when I wake up on a cold and dark morning, this is my new favorite way of denying reality for 5 more minutes. Now it’s obviously not really a “recipe” – you can make your oatmeal any way you’d like or even use these toppings on any other breakfast cereal. No matter how many times I eat this combo, though, it just feels so luxurious! One more way to trick myself into getting through the winter (and the workweek).

tropical oatmeal

Tropical Oatmeal

Hands-on time

2 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Erica

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 cup cold water
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 Tbsp coconut butter
1 Tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 mango, peeled and chopped (or substitute 1/2 orange or 1/2 cup of fresh chopped pineapple)

Instructions

Combine oats and flax in a microwave-safe bowl. Add water, stir to combine, and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Remove from microwave (careful, the bowl might be hot!), sprinkle with cinnamon, and top with remaining ingredients. Wait a minute or two for coconut butter to melt, then dig in!

Tropical Chopped Salad with Mango, Pineapple, and Coconut

February 18, 2013 by Erica

It’s that time of year again… the time when we’re still in the depths of winter, and I start dreaming of the beach.

The mountains are beautiful in the winter, the skiing is great, the food is hearty, blah blah blah. It’s cold and I need a vacation.

This weekend, in an attempt to find the warm weather, Nate and I drove down to Zion National Park for some sun and hiking. Hopefully I’ll have a post with pictures for you later in the week! But I don’t even have a long weekend, so this morning I’m back at work, chugging away. A little weekend getaway to southern Utah was lovely, but something longer and more tropical would be right up my alley at the moment.

Enter this tropical salad. I went to the store and bought everything I could find that was delicious, in season, and from a warm location (sorry, sustainability), chopped it up, and put it in a bowl. Then I ate it and fantasized that I was sipping a pina colada on a beach, rather than eating salad out of a Tupperware in my office break room. It was so delicious that it almost worked.

This salad is just what you need at this time of year. Pineapple, mango, coconut, macadamia nuts, avocado? Yes yes yes! I enjoyed mine drizzled with olive oil and a few squeezes of lime, which I would recommend. You could also use your favorite dressing here!

Now to plan my summer beach vacation. Only 5 1/2 more months…

Tropical Chopped Salad with Mango, Pineapple, and Coconut

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the salad:
½ cup uncooked quinoa
4-5 cups shredded red leaf or romaine lettuce
1 mango, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped pineapple (about ¼ large pineapple)
1 cup finely chopped jicama
1 avocado, finely chopped
½ cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
½ cup flaked coconut, toasted
2-3 green onions, sliced

For dressing:
drizzle of olive oil
squeeze of lime juice
(or your favorite dressing)

Instructions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Add to a large bowl with all other salad ingredients. Toss and serve. Drizzle each serving with olive oil and lime juice.

Time:

30 minutes

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