Layered Salad with Black Beans and Mango-Cucumber Salsa

Ever since I was a child, one of the highlights of summer is the arrival of fresh mangoes. When I was growing up in the 60′s and 70′s, mangoes weren’t available in the local A&P or Piggly Wiggly. They were a rare treat that we enjoyed only after a visit to or from our Florida relatives. One of the few food memories I have is of my father cutting off small pieces of mango for us children to sample to see if we liked it; he wasn’t willing to waste the precious fruit on kids who might not appreciate it. I can’t remember what my brother and sister thought of it, but I loved the rich, perfumed sweetness of my first mango. These days I don’t have to visit Florida to get my mango fix. When summer rolls around, I buy mangoes by the box from the Indian grocery just a mile from my house.

This summer, I made my way through two $10 boxes–about 20 pounds–of “Champagne” mangoes, and because the mangoes in the second box started out a little over-ripe, I scurried to use them all, tossing them into my curried rice and my salads, as well as just eating them leaning over the kitchen sink or cutting them to share with the family. My favorite way to prepare them is to cut them into “hedgehogs”:

Just stand the mango on its stem end and slice each side off by cutting as close as you can to the seed that runs through the middle. Then take each “cheek” and make parallel slices through the length of the mango down to (but not through) the skin. Turn and make palallel slices width-wise. Then press on the skin side to flip the mango inside out, making a little hedgehog. Kids (and parents like me) love to eat the mango flesh right off the hedgehog (have napkins ready!) but if you’re using the mango in a dish, you can easily slice the cubes off the skin. Don’t neglect to use the mango around the seed–there’s usually a good bit clinging to it. (If you’ve never done this before, check out one of the many mango-cutting videos available online.)

Mangoes and black beans just seem to belong together, so for lunch one day last week, I seasoned some black beans, threw together some mango salsa, and piled them both on some baby lettuce that I’d tossed with a little white balsamic vinaigrette. I used the black beans hot off the stove so they wilted the lettuce a little (I like that), but you can also chill both the beans and the salsa for a truly cold salad. And, if you’re into the “salad in a jar” thing, you can layer the cold ingredients in mason jars to grab and eat throughout the week. Just put the ingredients into the jar in reverse order–salsa on the bottom, beans in the middle, and greens on top. Just before serving, drizzle on a little salad dressing, shake, pour into a bowl, and enjoy. I used the recipes below, along with about a pound of lettuce, to make two huge salads, but since most people don’t eat industrial-sized salads like I do, I’ve calculated the nutrition using four servings. If you’re a ginormous salad eater like me, just double the numbers.

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Mango-Cucumber Salsa

This salsa looks best if you use it right away but tastes better if you chill it and allow the flavors to blend for a few hours.

Ingredients

• 2 small mangoes, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, or to taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 0 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Nutrition (per serving): 51 calories, 2 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 2.4mg sodium, 163.6mg potassium, 12.7g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 9.9g sugar, <1g protein, 1.6 points.

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Easy Black Beans

This simple recipe is great for when you’re short on time, but if you’re not in a hurry, you can make it even tastier by sauteing a small onion, a clove or two of minced garlic, and half of a diced jalapeno pepper before adding the beans to the pan.

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes (or halved grape tomatoes)
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, or to taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan or microwaveable container. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat (or high powder) and cook for about 5 minutes.

Notes

If you’re really pressed for time, you can substitute 1/2 cup of salsa for the tomatoes, salt, and red pepper.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s) | Cooking time: 6 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Nutrition (per serving): 120 calories, 6 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 208.9mg sodium, 374.2mg potassium, 21.7g carbohydrates, 7.9g fiber, <1g sugar, 7.9g protein, 3.5 points.

Tagged as: eat-to-live, gluten-free, Ridiculously Easy, soy-free, Under 200