Banana Mango Smoothie Push Pops

I love ice cold fruit smoothies especially on days like today when the temperatures reach almost 100 degrees.  But, sometimes I just don't feel like cranking out the blender to whip up a batch especially if I'm hot and tired from walking the dogs in the heat or just doing whatever, outdoors.  That's when it's nice to have them made up and poured into individual Push Pops.  They're then stored in the freezer and ready to pop out and eat like a popsicle or push pop in this case.

Of course you can make these anyway you want, with whatever fruit, fruit juice or yogurt that your heart desires.  Best of all when you have company over, the kids or grandkids it's an ice cold healthy treat that everyone loves.

Here's the recipe for my Banana Mango Smoothie Push Pops, but don't be afraid to try your favorite ingredients and make your own creation.

Banana Mango Smoothie Push Pops
makes 4 push pops

In a blender place:

1 banana
1 ripe mango, sliced and cubed
1-2 teaspoons Agave Nectar
1/2 cup Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Blend until smooth.  Pour into Push Pops, cover and place in the freezer for 24 hours to solidfy.  Stand upright in between the slats of your freezer shelves.  They're ready to enjoy 24 hours later. 

Will keep indefinitely.

Interested in the health benefits of Agave Nectar?  Read here.

Enjoy!

Mango Sauce

I bought a few mangos earlier in the week to make a salsa and never did get around to it. So when I was making some Sea Bass the other night I thought I'd make some but, got side tracked and made a sauce instead.

I love mangoes so whenever I can, I like to put them in salads, on sandwiches, in wraps, salsas and sauces and whatever else I can think of. In fact, yesterday for lunch I took my cold salmon that I had cooked the day before and put it in a wrap with some fresh spinach, mango slices and balsamic vinaigrette dressing on top. I rolled it up and it was light and heavenly.

If you haven't eaten a mango before or cooked with one you might like to read the post I did a while back. It explains how to cut a Mango plus some tips you might find useful. You can also do a search on my blog for mangoes. I have several recipes posted as well.

At any rate, I set out to grill my Sea Bass the other night but it was so humid out and there were so many gnats that I decided to just roast it in the oven. Whether roasting (at 400F degrees) or grilling for about 20 minutes the Sea Bass turns out perfect. The only difference is that when grilling I find the fish caramelizes giving it a sweeter more succulent flavor.

The Mango Sauce was a great compliment to the Sea Bass and one that you could use on your favorite fish, meat, or even poultry. What you don't use store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Mango Sauce
serves 4

2 Roma Tomatoes
1 large ripe Mango, peeled, cut from the pit (see link above) and chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 jalepeno chile, seeded and diced
2 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Gently rub olive oil over the tomatoes and roast in a 400F degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until slightly charred.

In a medium saucepan , combine the tomatoes with all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Use and immersion blender and puree sauce ingredients or transfer sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.

Be sure to put a towel over the top of the blender lid prior to blending. Oftentimes when liquid it hot it will shoot out.

Transfer back to saucepan and continue to cook on low heat until sauce mixture is nice and thick.

Of course as always feel free to play around with the ingredients. If there's something that you don't like then leave it out or replace with something else. Spice it up if you like by adding in some chipotle peppers or cayenne pepper.

Your the chef in your kitchen so have fun and experiment!

Note: If grilling add some mango sauce to your fish (or other meat) near the end to add that bbq flavor then add some additional sauce when plating.

Salmon with a Mango & Blueberry Salsa

I love mangoes and blueberries. In fact every morning for breakfast I have a bowl of Oatmeal loaded with mangoes, blueberries and cinnamon. It gives me a jump start for my day.

So when I was having breakfast the other day I wondered what these fruits would taste like in a salsa. Since I was preparing Salmon that evening I decided to to try it, I mean how bad could it be? It actually tasted great and very refreshing.

In addition to the way it tasted did you know that Mangoes are:

High in antioxidants
High in iron
High in vitamins A, E and Selenium which protects against heart disease
Combats degestion

Blueberries also have some health benefits that include:

They help to slow the aging process.
They help reduce cell damage that may lead to some forms of cancer.
They help prevent and even cure urinary tract infections.
They help clean our blood vessels, our arteries and veins.
They are proving to be beneficial to those suffering with arthritis and fibroses myalgia.
They benefit the nervous system and may help to prevent mood swings.
They help you maintain good vision.
They are good for your complextion.
Help you stick to that “diet” and aid in weight control

Plus of course Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which help to ward off diseases.

With benefits like that I'm glad I've been eating them on a regular basis.

Below is the recipe for Mango & Blueberry Salsa

Ingredients

1/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup peeled, diced mangoes
2 tablespoons minced red onions
2 tablespoon minced red bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced jalepeno peppers, seeded
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Combine blueberries, mangoes, onions, bell peppers, cilantro, lime juice, jalepenos, honey, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside or cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (Best if used that day to avoid blueberries discoloring mangoes. Otherwise can hold up to 3 days)

Note: Be sure to wash hands carefully after handling chili peppers and be careful not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth prior to washing hands.

For more information on how to cut mangoes go to "Labels" on the right column of my blog and search for "mangoes".

Mangoes

I love mangoes and this time of year it seems I can't get enough of them even though they are available year round. There are tons of great recipes out there to use with mangoes and two that come to mind are a mango salsa and mango slaw. The former is perfect on just about any type of fish as well as using on chicken, pork or as a simple dip. Of course the mango slaw is a side dish and is delightfully refreshing. I've included recipes for both.

In addition below are simple instructions on how to cut a mango if you're not sure of the technique. However, something that many people are not aware of when cutting their mango is to be sure to wash the outside of the mango. When the mango is picked the sap from the stem/leaves often gets on the skin of the mango and is similar to the sap of poison ivy or poison oak. If there is sap on the skin when you peel it you can get sap on the meat of the mango and obviously if eaten can cause a serious reaction. Mangoes are a distant relative to the poison ivy and oak family. So use caution and be sure to wash the skins well.

Three Ways to Cut a Mango

A mango has a long flat seed in the center of the fruit. Once you learn how to work around the seed the rest is easy.

Always use a clean knife and cutting board when cutting a mango. Always wash the mango first before cutting.

"Slice and Scoop" Mango Cutting Method

1. Stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down and hold. Place your knife about a 1/4" from the widest center line and cut down through the mango. Flip the mango around and repeat the cut like you did on the other side. The resulting ovals of mango flesh are known as the "cheeks". What's left in the middle is mostly the flat mango seed.


2. Cut parallel slices through the mango flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin.


3. Scoop the mango slices out of the skin using a large spoon.

"Inside Out" Mango Cutting Method

Follow steps one and two above then turn the mango cheek a 1/4 rotation and cut another set of parallel slices making a checkerboard pattern.

Turn the scored mango cheek inside out by pushing the skin up from underneath.

Scape the mango chunks off the skin using either a knife or a spoon.

Using a Mango Splitter

A simple way but certainly not as much fun is using a Mango Splitter made by OXO

Mango Slaw (serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 lb shredded cabbage or bag of coleslaw blend

1 mango peeled, pitted and chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/3 cup sliced green onion

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Then whisk together the remaining ingredients and add to slaw mixing well to coat.

Mango Salsa (serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 medium jalepeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced

2/3 cup diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced

Stir together all ingredients and serve.

I hope you enjoy these recipes and remember when selecting your mangoes look for the ones that are yellow with a bit of red in them. They should be slightly tender to the touch. If you select mangoes that are not ripe yet just put them in a paper bag at room temperature until they ripen. Ripe mangoes can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to approximately 5 days. Enjoy!