I am always on the lookout for new-to-me gluten-free foods.  I especially like naturally gluten-free foods and have been making a real effort to try fruits & vegetables that I once passed over thinking I didn’t like them.  In all reality, when I asked myself why I didn’t like some of those foods, it wasn’t because I had tried them and didn’t like them, but that I had never really given said food a chance. 

Last year I went out on a limb tried papaya and hated it.  Fortunately that experience did not ruin me and I picked up a mango this past week at the store.  Once I figured out how to cut the darn thing, I fell in love with it.  I started to cut it like I would an avocado.  Clearly just because they are shaped similarly doesn’t mean that they look the same on the inside.  Some people may have picked up on that quicker than I did.  I butchered my way through enough mango for my breakfast fruit bowl and then set out to find out how I am really supposed to cut a mango.  I figured that finding out the correct way was in my best interest if I wanted to keep all of my fingers attached to my hands.  This is what I found, complete with instructions & pictures.  I do best when pictures are involved.  Who knew that the “pit” wasn’t round?  I didn’t.  Apparently it is a “flatish, oblong pit” that must be cut around.  It is a good thing that the mango is super tasty, otherwise this seems like an awful lot of work!  LOL!  I assume that it will become second nature over time, just like cutting an avocado, watermelon or cantaloupe.  I wonder if there is a special tool like my combination apple/pear corer/slicer.  That is one cool gadget that I don’t want to be without (my fingers are pretty happy about this one too).  While I am searching for a mango cutter, I probably should pick up a cherry pitter since cherry season will be upon us soon. 

Back to eating the mango.  It rocked!  I wonder why it took me so long to try it?!  Not only did I add it to my fruit bowl for breakfast, I added it to my black beans & rice dish that I ate for lunch.  I can’t wait to add this into my rotation of fruit!  As I was watching The Biggest Loser last week, they had a recipe using mango with quinoa and black beans that sounds fantastic!  Here is the recipe:

Naturally gluten-free!! Perfect summer treat!

Mango Quinoa Salad

Ali Vincent’s protein-loaded treat!

Season 5 champ Ali Vincent showed contestants this week how to make this delicious snack. Or you can have it with fish as a side dish for dinner or put it in a wrap.

2 cups cooked red quinoa (at room temperature or cold)

1 mango diced

1 handful of chopped cilantro

1 15-ounce can of black beans

1 red bell pepper chopped

6 green onions thinly sliced

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil and lime juice. In a big bowl, combine all other ingredients. Drizzle liquid mixture over the salad, and toss until well combined. Chill for about an hour.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: calories 240; Total Fat 8g; Sat Fat 1g; Cholest 0mg; Sodium 10mg; Total Carb 34g; Fiber 7g; Sugars 9g; Protein 7g.

Have you tried a mango before?  Do you have any favorite uses for mango?  Care to share them with me?

Don’t forget that today is the Gluten-Free Food Labeling Summit!  Click here to read more about it. 

Kim