Tropical Twist on Summer Bounty - Mango Cucumber Salad

Why are mangos so delicious? They are a staple of our house. We can usually buy them 2 for $1 at our local grocer. The store is still owned locally by a family, and makes us feel better about buying from a store, rather than a farmer (or growing it ourselves) because we are actually keeping our money in our community.

We could eat mangos every day and never get tired of them, but it is really a special treat to combine them with the swell of summer produce that we have harvested from our yard this week. Our cucumbers are truly out of control. Vines scaling our chicken wire fence at an alarming rate, sending tendrils of connection our every whichaway. Their vibrant yellow blooms have given way to oblong alligator -skinned fruit that hangs heavy, from limp vines. Summer’s fullest bloom is upon us.

This simple summer salad uses simple, clean ingredients that most people are growing in their gardens and gives them a tropical twist. It is vegan and gluten free. Great by itself as a light summer meal, or nice as a side dish with locally sourced grilled pork. Serve with a hard cider or clean drinking white wine.

Mango Cucumber Salad
Yield 1 serving as main dish or 2 servings as side
35 mins
5 mins prep, 30 inactive

2 small cucumbers, seeded and diced
2 mangos
1/3 cup red onion
1 jalapeno (keep the seeds if you like it hot)
2 calendula blooms- petals plucked
5 nasturtiums
sprig of mint
salt + pepper to taste

Combine all in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 30 mins before serving.

Let us know what you are eating right now and what you can’t live without!