Grilled Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa

We have been buying produce like it's nobody's business lately! At one point this week, we had the following items in our kitchen: cantaloupe, watermelon, avocado, tomatoes, mangoes, plums, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, cherries and bananas. For only two people, that's a lot of fruit! So I decided to make some delicioso salsa. It could have been paired with just about any type of fish (mahi mahi, halibut, salmon, tilapia), but I decided to keep it simple and convenient (translate: I didn't have any fish in my fridge) and serve it with chicken. The result was simple, fresh and tasty!

(Bonus: we had some leftovers, so I served it up the next morning in an omelet. Who knew mangoes could taste so good with eggs!)

Inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow

INGREDIENTS:

2 servings simple blackened chicken

1 ripe mango, diced

1 ripe avocado, diced

2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and diced

5-6 green onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon lime juice

garlic salt, to taste

lemon pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix mango, avocado, tomatoes, green onions, and lime juice. Season to taste with garlic salt and lemon pepper. 

Using a sharp knife, cut blackened chicken breasts in half, lengthwise.

On a plate, place chicken breasts. Spoon a generous serving of the mango avocado salsa over the chicken. 

Enjoy!!

Homemade Whipped Cream

Ah, whipped cream. That magical concoction that adds an element of heaven to almost any already delicious dessert. Fresh fruit, cakes, pies, ice cream, cookies, hot cocoa, milkshakes...the possibilities are endless. Since I typically strive for healthy options, I prefer my whipped cream with fruit (mangoes pictured here). 

Also, do you know how easy it is to make your own whipped cream? You just need to be a little patient holding your electric beaters. (If you have a stand mixer, there is really no excuse.) I don't think I'll ever buy Cool Whip again. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever purchased Cool Whip, but you get what I'm saying, right? 

From AllRecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon confectioner's sugar (granulated sugar works great too)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Add vanilla and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat as cream will then become lumpy.

Serve with anything sweet, or dip your finger in and lick right off your finger.

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint (or Cilantro)

I do not like coleslaw. There is too much mayonnaise, in my opinion. But I do like mango slaw. This salad is perfect as a summer accompaniment to any grilled meal, including burgers, steaks, or chicken.

*adapted from Smitten Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and julienned

1 half head cabbage

1/2-1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about two limes

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons oil of your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup thinly slices fresh mint leaves (I accidentally bought cilantro at the store, instead of mint so I used that instead--still great and maybe even better if you're making this to accompany a Mexican dish)

1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Toss mangoes, cabbage, red pepper and onion in a medium-size serving bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over mango mixture and serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to let flavors meddle for about an hour. When ready to serve, mix in mint (or cilantro) and cashews.

Enjoy!

Seasoned Tilapia with Mango Avocado Salsa

Summer is here! Can we sing the Hallelujah praises now? I spent all day yesterday in a swimsuit and fell asleep with  sunscreen on my skin and a bit of sand in my toes. The grills have been smoking in our apartment complex and, well, I could go on and on with reasons why I love summer, but this is a food blog, not a summer blog. But I will list just one more reason why I love summer: dishes like this. Simple, flavorful food with fresh ingredients that speak for themselves. Avocados and mangoes are a magical combination.

For tips on how to cut a mango, click here.

INGREDIENTS:

(for the fish):

3-4 fillets tilapia (or other white fish)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon (or less) cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lime (or 1 Tablespoon lime juice)

olive oil

(for the salsa):

3/4 cup red salsa

1 mango, chopped

juice of two limes (or 2 Tablespoons lime juice)

1/2 avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Place the fish on a plate and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and juice of one lime. 

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until golden on the outside. Remove from heat and cover, until ready to serve.

Make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup red salsa, mango, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, and avocado. Serve immediately with fish. 

SERVING SUGGESTION:

This also works well as fish tacos. On a small corn tortilla, layer chopped lettuce (cabbage or iceberg works best), then fish, then salsa. Let the warm summer nights begin. 

Mango, Black Bean, and Goat Cheese Enchiladas

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Mexican food and the Spanish language are two loves of mine. I'll never forget the moment that speaking Spanish finally felt natural for me. After seven years of studying the language, at the ripe age of 20, I found myself sitting on a folding chair in front of the Seville Cathedral in Sevilla, Spain, waiting for a performance about the life of Christopher Columbus to begin. Behind me sat a man from Puerto Rico who muttered a simple, "¡Hola!". We proceeded to speak for about 40 minutes and not once did I need to pause to think of a word or resort to 'Spanglish'. It was one of the greatest feelings and one I hope to repeat in a couple more languages (Arabic and French, please). Thanks to the deep Mexican heritage in Southern California, I am still able to be surrounded by Spanish speakers on a daily basis. I'm very grateful for that.

About the food, this California-ized Mexican dish is just delightful. The combination of sweet, juicy mangoes with rich, creamy goat cheese makes my mouth water.  

 I'm not gonna lie, this recipe took a little more effort than I anticipated, but that was because I actually made the sauce from scratch, instead of just buying green enchilada sauce. While the homemade sauce was delicious, I've revised this recipe to include an either/or option. 

*adapted from quickbeanrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz. can black beans

1 cup diced mango

4 stalks scallions, thinly sliced

1 8 oz. can corn

4-6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

8-10 small corn tortillas or 4-5 larger flour tortillas - I used whole wheat flour tortillas

mozzarella cheese (optional)

salt to taste

cilantro for garnish

(for the sauce):

8-10 tomatillos, husked, seeded and minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small onion, minced

OR

1 can green enchilada sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

For the sauce (if making), cook tomatillos in chicken broth with garlic and onions over medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor or blender and blitz to get a smooth, creamy texture. Add salt as desired.

For enchilada filling, cook black beans, mango, scallions, and corn until heated through. Take out from heat and stir in goat cheese.

Over medium heat and using cooking spray, warm tortillas on both sides until lightly browned.

Spread half of the green sauce evenly at the bottom of a cooking dish. One by one, fill each tortilla with filling and roll into an enchilada shape, then place in cooking dish seam side down. Pour remaining green sauce over the enchiladas. Top with any remaining mango/goat cheese filling. If desired, top with mozzarella cheese as well. 

Cook in the oven for 10 minutes until tortillas are nicely charred and cheese is melted. Top with cilantro for garnish. 

Serve with rice and beans, put on your sombrero, and sing "Ayayayay!"