Grilled shrimp with mangos

Mad about mangos? I am nuts about mangos. They are one of my favorites right up there with pineapples and most fruits for that matter. Such an exceptional fruit and so versatile--both for its fragrance, taste and visual appeal. It's no surprise with over 100 varieties to choose from, mango is one of the most popular fruits in the world.

Just to tell you how my mind works, whenever I see a recipe that calls for nectarines or peaches my mind is already in overdrive thinking of substituting mango instead! Why even the name, mango makes me just want to eat them.

Mango just pairs so well with seafood, poultry --a marvelous salsa addition and even added to a delicious summer fruit smoothie! DO try experimenting with this luscious fruit. This weekend I am trying a strawberry mango cheesecake to bring along to a cookout. See what I mean? They are addicting. :)

We finally got a short break in the weather this week and I decided to make my shrimp with mango on the grill. I'll usually have a bag of shrimp in the freezer and love the ease of this recipe and that if I have pop-in company, it's one that can be put together quickly and just turns out great everytime.



1 lb shrimp (2 for serious shrimp lovers like us) peeled and deveined
4 TBLS olive oil
3 tsp fresh ginger, minced well
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
zest of two limes
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
juice of one orange
1/4 tsp tobasco sauce
white pepper & just a pinch of salt
3 TBLS minced cilantro
3 TBLS fresh parsley, minced
2 mangos, peeled and cubed
1 pckg wood skewers

Before you assemble the marinade, soak the wooden skewers in warm water for 15 minutes, to prevent burning. Prepare the marinade by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl. Rinse and peel and devein shrimp and place in the marinade for 20 minutes. Slice the mangos into 1 inch pieces. Now begin skewering the shrimp alternating with mango pieces. Reserve any marinade liquid for basting. Depending on the size shrimp you will use will determine how many filled skewers you'll end up with. On a heated grill or broiler, grill the shrimp for 3-4 minutes each side, basting with reserved marinade liquid on each turn. That's all there is to it!
I served this with jasmine rice and my favorite avocado mango salsa with plenty of cilantro.





Oh! And if you haven't already had enough mango, for a light dessert, serve your guests some luscious strawberry mango smoothies! After all you should have a few more leftover mangos sitting out on your counter :-)



Toss in a blender: 1 peeled and cubed mango, 10-12 hulled strawberries, 1 peeled nectarine, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 3 tsp wildflower honey, 6-8 ice cubes. Give it a whirl for 20 seconds and top with sprinkled homemade granola. Yum!

Enjoy! Let the fireworks displays begin. I hope everyone has a great 4th of July celebration.

Northern Bean & Kale Soup

We have so much kale in the garden and as I cannot recall when I saw the last rays of sunshine, I decided to put on a hearty pot of white bean and kale soup for lunch.
Just a simple soup but so comforting and delicious..that just hit the spot. I tossed in a a few handfuls of spinach at the end of the cook to clear out the garden and added a half cup sliced turkey breast and some leftover sliced fennel sausage. With the addition of white Northern beans or cannellini you end up with a very hearty and flavorful soup pot.





Northern Bean & Kale Soup


for a printable recipe, click here

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
2 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 carrots, diced
a bunch of assorted kales-well washed & chopped, approx 1#
4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 can northern white beans or cannellini beans
a handful of fresh summer savory
a few sprigs fresh thyme
a tsp fresh rosemary minced
sea salt & ground white pepper

Cook shallots and garlic in olive oil for just a few minutes. Add white wine and vegetable or chicken stock. Bring it to a simmer and stir in the chopped kales. Cook ten minutes and then add the beans and herbs to the pot. Simmer until the kale is tender. At the end of the cook, toss in turkey slices and fresh spinach leaves. Serve hot with plenty of grated cheese. Enjoy!