Mango Quinoa Salad

Sponsored by Dole^®



With school back in session, life has gotten very busy very quickly. It seems like I’m spending half my time putting out fires and juggling everyone’s schedule.

We have had so many  social events lately, often at the last minute. Every time I turn around it seems like there’s another event I need to be at and most of them require food.

All these events are fun but finding a way to throw something together at the last minute can be challenging.

Want to know my favorite trick for averting disaster when life forces you to get creative?

I keep my freezer stocked with Dole frozen fruit so I can throw something together in a pinch.

There are so many options when you have frozen fruit on hand and you don’t have to worry about prepping the fruit or having fresh fruit go bad. They even come in re-sealable bags so you can just pull out what you need and throw it back in the freezer.

I know if I have an assortment of Dole fruit in my freezer I can throw I can throw anything together, from a great dessert to a Mango Quinoa Salad.

This Mango Quinoa Salad is a family favorite and it tastes fantastic cold so it’s perfect to take to events or pot lucks because you don’t have to worry about keeping it warm.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried quinoa
• 1 cup Dole Mango Chunks
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup edamame, shelled
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, diced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced
• salt, pepper to taste

Preparation

To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper and set aside.

Boil two cups of water. When it comes to a rolling boil, add the 1 cup of dry quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

I roughly dice the frozen Mango into smaller pieces. Do this while it is still frozen so it is easier to work with. Once it thaws, it gets a bit slippery.

Dice all the veggies and cilantro.

When the quinoa is cooked, toss it with the mango, red onion, edamame, black beans, red pepper, jalapeño, and cilantro.

Pour the dressing on top and mix well.

You can enjoy this right away or cover and set in the fridge to let the flavors come together.

I love the freshness of this salad and it is always a hit when we share it.

We threw this salad together just last week for a last-minute neighborhood party. Since the fruit was all prepped — no washing, cutting, or mess — I was able to throw it together quickly and enjoy the event.

Need some more recipe ideas? Go here to find some unique recipe ideas that will help you save the day.