Mama Mia, MANGO!

FRESH MANGO SALSA

Okay....so you are out grocery shopping and having a great time...

Wait, is that only ME?

Whatevs. There you see it...heaven in a box....a FREAKING BOX of mangoes. Like a whole box!

You stop yourself and say, how could I ever eat a box of mangoes? I stop you and say, SHUT UP. Hell yeah, you can eat a box of mangoes. The real question is how can you stop yourself from eating them in one day?

One of my favourite things to make when I get my hands on fresh mangoes is salsa! 

1 large mango or 2 smaller ones, peeled, pitted, and diced.

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1 fresh jalapeño, chopped, or 4-6 slices of pickled jalapeño. More or less to taste.

Salt and pepper

Fresh squeezed lime juice from one lime.

Mix it up and try, just try to not eat it all.

Eat it with tortilla chips. 

Use it to top your favourite quesadilla, taco (great on fish tacos), etc.

Top your grilled fish with it -- instant gourmet!

Pssssttttt....gonna let you in on a little secret: substitute the mango with fresh tomatoes and you just made Pico De Gallo. Ummmm, yeah.

Super Yummy Sweet & Sour Spareribs

Super-duper deliciousness that your family will love. Not sure how calorie-wise they are for you but it's got to be better than take out any day!

Originates from a recipe I received years ago and have tweaked it along the way...I still manage to change it up every time I make it. Star Anise is a nice addition and so is fresh chopped ginger (added to the sauce part). Chinese Five Spice is also another good one. Play around and make it your own!

4 cups sweet & sour cut pork side ribs, sliced individually between the bones
Salt, pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup soy sauce

Mix together and saute ribs in a deep pan until well browned on all sides.

Once the ribs are nicely browned...

In a separate bowl, mix the following together (who am I kidding, just dump it all in the pan and save yourself some dishes to wash):

1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups of water

Pour the sauce mixture into pans with ribs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with lid for an hour.

Taste sauce. Too sweet, add a bit more vinegar. Too sour, add a bit more sugar.

Simmer for another half hour or so, until ribs are super tender, falling of the bones, and the sauce has reduced.

Serve over rice.

I usually double the recipe — trust me, you will eat a second helping. Or maybe that's just me….

Salmon Ceviche

Ceviche is basically a way of cooking foods in citrus juices. Yes, don't worry, it is perfectly safe and absolutely delicious!

Hubby and son recently had a very productive salmon fishing trip on the west coast so I made up a batch of this to test out the oh so very yummy fresh salmon they brought home.

Ingredients:

Approximately 8 ounce piece of raw salmon, skinless and boneless
3 limes
1 tomato, diced
I small red onion, diced
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, fine diced (optional for you but not around here)
1/2 chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste



Instructions
Slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl (glass or stainless is always my preference when dealing with raw foods). I use a stainless steel reamer. Pick out any seeds that are in the juice.

Add the olive oil, chopped tomato, onion, minced pepper, and cilantro/parsley (or both) and mix it up.

Slice the salmon on the diagonal into 1/4" thin slices. Make them bite size so cut them into smaller pieces if necessary.

Add them to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Stir gently to coat all of the salmon. Let it sit (cook) in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

Serve it with a slotted spoon along side of a crusty baguette.

Yummy, pretty, easy, and super impressive!!

Chili Lime Salmon with Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa

I love to top a flavourful and spicy piece of grilled salmon with the perfect fruit salsa. It is a delicious and fresh contrast in flavours. Serve it on a need of your favourite basmati rice and voila, a feast for the eyes and the taste buds! Enjoy (we did last night, yum)

Chili Lime Salmon with Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa
Made it up last night, honest.

One salmon fillet per person.
Rub olive oil on each piece, all sides
Generously sprinkle with VE Chili Lime Sansel on all sides of fish pieces.

Let sit for a half hour in the fridge while you mix up the salsa.

Fire up the grill to medium/high heat.

Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa:

2 cups diced seedless watermelon
1/2 cup fresh whole blueberries
1 chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
1 tablespoon VE Fruit Salsa Mix
Salt & Pepper to taste

Toss together in a small bowl and refrigerate to allow flavours to intermingle and have a good time :)

Reduce grill heat to medium and grill salmon for about 4-5 minutes per side. Don't over cook salmon, just cook until the inside changes colour but it still glossy.

Serve over steamed basmati rice and a generous scoop of your prepared salsa on top.

Pour yourself a lovely chilled glass of white zinfandel (its all about colour on my table) and dig in!


For substitutions to the Epicure blends suggested in this recipe, contact me!

Lean Mean & Hearty Taco Soup (oh and SPICY too)

Another super easy weeknight dinner using Epicure's products. Can you tell I kinda like having them handy??

Servings: 5 to 6
Ingredients:

2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
1-1/2 lb (750 g) ground turkey
1 cup (250 ml) chopped red onion
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Minced Garlic
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Red Bell Pepper
1 tbsp VE Chili Seasoning
2 tsp (5 mL) VE Taco Seasoning
2 tbsp VE Caliente Salsa (spicy) or VE Poco Picante Salsa mix (less spicy)
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed, or any beans...I used white kidney beans today.
2 cups (500 ml) VE Rustico Sauce Mix (prepared as per instructions on jar)
1 cup (250 ml) frozen corn kernels
2 cups (500 ml) prepared VE Beef Bouillon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Optional Toppings:
Low-fat sour cream
Low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
Small corn taco shells, crumbled

Preparation:

In large heavy pot, heat oil. Add ground beef; brown well. Add onion and garlic. Add next four seasonings. Cook for five minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, corn, and bouillon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cook for about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt & pepper to taste. Add fresh cilantro and/or parsley just before serving. Spoon into bowls and top as desired.