Leggo my Mango!

Mangoes come in all shapes and sizes, just like me and you! Love them! Photo by: www.mango.org 

That's right, you heard me! Get your own! Silly

I have loved mangoes since first taste. The adventure, the thrill, the challenge, the taste, the mess...a kid's dream of how life should be when it comes to eating! Sweet and sticky and so much FUN!

As grandma would say: "Go for what you know!" There's no wrong way to eat a mango! Photo by: darlinggourmet.com

Mangoes come in many shapes and sizes and can satisfy even my most desperate of hungers.

"Why would I want to eat a mango?" you might ask...glad you did. Here is vivacious vegan to spell it out for you:

M: Memory. Mangoes have been linked to increased concentration and memory due to the glutamine acid in them. Don't forget to eat your mangoes!
A: One word: Antioxidants. Mangoes contain tons of antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat. These hard-to-pronounce elements protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers.
N: Neutralizes! Mangoes are fantastic at bringing balance to a highly acidic body, as they have wonderful alkalizing properties.
G: Low glycemic levels. Mangoes are great for diabetics, especially the leaves! You can boil the leaves, then let them soak overnight in the same water, drain and drink in the morning for a natural way to regulate your insulin levels.
O: Open your EYES! Mangoes are well known for high levels of Vitamin A and C. Just one cup of mangoes can provide up to 25% of your daily Vitamin A intake and 76% of your daily Vitamin C intake. Eating one mango a day can help you see better at night and help prevent dry eyes.

Mangoes make such lush smoothies! Makes you want to get one RIGHT NOW! 

The best way to know if a mango is ripe and ready for eating is two ways (in my experience):
1) Check the firmness of the mango. Squeeze it gently and assess: is it hard as a rock, toooo soft and squishy or a bit pliable to the press yet you couldn't make a thumb print in the skin even if you wanted to. This business of fruit picking can certainly seem tricky, but as with all things, practice will bring progress.

So venture out on your first 10 for $10 mango spree and test out your skills!

See the little knob at the top? (bottom left of the fruit) That's what you'll pop off to check for ripeness.
Photo by:  www.veganyumyum.com

2) Press right at the top of the "stem" or at least where one once was. There is often a small knob that can be plucked off, if this knob is next to impossible to flick with the tip of your thumb, it's not ripe enough. If it is easy to pull off, that is a good sign the mango is ripe.

Now there are as many ways to EAT A MANGO as there are households in my neighborhood so I won't go into detail here...but like my grandma always said..."Go for what you know!"

Delicious, sweet and nutritious! Photo by: www.wearenotmartha.com

Whether you slice them or peel them with your fingers...eat them in neat chunks or suck all the juice from the top...get you some mangoes in your life TODAY!

*TIP: If they do not carry them at your local grocery, check your local Hispanic/Mexican market or Asian market. Also here's a great post on how to cut a mango. Show them some love!

BONUS: Mango Salsa Recipe:

Mango, Avocado, Lime, Red onion, evoo, sal, peppa, cilantro, jalapeno, tomato, garlic....YUM!
Click the link for the mind blowing recipe! Photo by: www.makeitnaked.com

Easy Mango Salsa recipe!

Live. Love. Well.
~h