Mango Toast with Hazlenut-Pepita Butter

Ingredients

1 c. raw hazelnuts

1 c. raw pepitas

kosher salt

1/4 c. freeze-dried blueberries

2 tsp. Aleppo pepper

4 slices sourdough

2 large, ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced

maple syrup, for serving

sea salt, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Toast hazelnuts on baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Toast pepitas on a separate baking sheet, tossing once, until just beginning to brown in a few spots and very fragrant, about 14 to 16 minutes. 

Once nuts and seeds are cool, puree in Vitamix until a smooth paste forms. Taste and season with salt. 

Using a mortar and pestle, finely grind blueberries with Aleppo pepper and a pinch of salt. Spread hazelnut-pepita butter over each slice of toasted sourdough bread. Top with mango and drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle blueberry-red pepper and sea salt. 

Serves 4. 

1 serving = 375 calories 
 

Thai Mango Salads with Coriander Tofu & Japanese Yam

Ingredients
8 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 Japanese yam (or regular yam)
1 mango
4 radishes
2 hearts of romaine lettuce
1/4 c. peanut sauce (pre-made)
1 lime
2 tsp. chile garlic sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces and add to the baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, ground coriander, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until crispy in places, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Halve the yam lengthwise and then cut into wedges. Add to another baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Peel the mango, remove the flesh from the pit, and dice the flesh. Thinly slice the radishes. Roughly chop the romaine.

In a small bowl, mix together the peanut sauce, chili garlic sauce, just half the lime juice, and 1 tsp water. Mix the peanut dressing well.

Divide the chopped lettuce between serving plates and toss with the remaining lime juice, 1 tsp olive oil each, and a pinch of salt.

Top the salads with crispy coriander tofu and roasted yam. Drizzle with peanut dressing. Sprinkle with sliced radishes and mango.

Coconut-Lime Rice with Red Beans & Mango

Ingredients
2 c. short-grain brown rice
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 c. diced onion or shallots
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 c. canned coconut milk
2 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 mango
1 1/2 c. cooked red beans (or 2 15-oz. cans)
1 lime, juiced and zested
cilantro and scallions, for serving

Directions
Rinse the rice under cool water and set aside. Saute onions in a large soup pot, until they start to brown a bit. Add the ginger and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the rice and keep stirring until rice is slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, broth, salt and cayenne and bring to a simmer. Give the pot a quick stir, cover it, and leave it alone until rice is tender and has absorbed nearly all the liquid (about 40 minutes).

While the rice is cooking, chop up the mango into bite-size pieces.

When the rice is tender, fold in the beans, lime juice and zest, and mango. Let this all cook together for another minute or two so that everything warms up. Serve topped with cilantro and scallions.

Serves 4 to 6.

Soba Noodles with Eggplant & Mango

Ingredients
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 1 small lime
1/2 c. sunflower or avocado oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 7 oz. soba noodles (or your favorite Asian noodles)
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice or 1/4-inch thick strips
3/4 c. basil leaves, chopped (if you find Thai basil, use less of it)
3/4 c. cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions
In a small saucepan, gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat only enough oil to coat a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant. Once golden brown, remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain. Next, shallow-fry the tofu in a similar method, and move to paper towels to drain oil.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rinse well. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible.

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.

Serves 3 as a main course.

1 serving = 615 calories

Chopped Thai Salad with Coconut Curry Dressing

Ingredients

For the dressing: 
1-14.5 oz. can coconut milk
1/4 c. natural peanut butter
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
agave or honey, to taste

For the salad: 
3 c. kale, chopped
2 c. napa cabbage, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 mango, chopped
1 c. carrots, shredded or diced
1/2 c. roasted, unsalted peanuts
1/2 c. cilantro, finely chopped

Directions
Place all dressing ingredients into a blender (or similar) and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken dressing. Allow to cool.

Assemble salad components and toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as entree or 4 as side.

Quinoa with Mango & Curried Yogurt

Ingredients

1/3 c. plain yogurt

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil

1 1/3 c. quinoa

1 lb. firm-ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded (if desired for less heat) and minced

1/3 c. chopped fresh mint

1/2 c. salted roasted peanuts (2 1/2 ounces), chopped

Directions

Whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing).

Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water.

Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Toss quinoa with curried yogurt and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mango & Tomato Salad

An adaptation from one of the Moosewood cookbooks, this is a light summer salad, perfect served alongside grilled veggie burgers.

Ingredients
2 c. fresh mango, diced
2 c. tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. mint, finely chopped
1/3 c. scallions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
Toss together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serves 4 as a side dish.

NOTE: You can use any fresh fruit, so choose something in season! Also, try substituting Thai basil or cilantro for the mint.

Mango Salsa

This salsa is super easy and always gets rave reviews. Offering a fruit-based salsa, a guacamole and a traditional tomato-based salsa makes a very colorful spread for summer parties on the deck. Best accompanied by mojitos and margaritas!

Ingredients
1 mango, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions
Toss ingredients for a chunky salsa, or pulse each ingredient lightly (don't puree!) in Chef Tony's Ultimate Chopper (or a regular food processor) separately and then combine for a more cohesive salsa.