I know it’s MN State Fair season because my entire Instagram feed of friends & family back home has blown up with images of pronto pups, corn on the cob and all the latest, weirdest creations Minnesotans have managed to come up with. In the name of balancing out the bucket of Sweet Martha’s Cookies, I thought I’d share something just as tasty and slightly more nourishing 🙂 You’ll crave this Mango Kiwi Salad the day after the MN State Fair when you can’t even think about looking at another cheese curd.
It’s funny, because I was never a big MN State Fair person but this moment seems to be a really stark reminder that I do in fact live in another state now. It’s like the moment you can’t have it, you kind of want it. You know that feeling?
Beyond the slight pangs of wanting a Sweet Martha’s Cookie, it’s been so good to be back in the kitchen on the regular, since my move. In strong alignment with the Sweet Martha’s Cookie craving, I definitely tend to have a sweet tooth over a salty tooth (is that even a thing?). So I figured, why not merge the summery, tropical flavors of mango and kiwi with a salad! Not to mention that the MN State Fair is a stark reminder that the summer is coming to an end, so let’s get all the tropical fruits we can before pumpkin season hits.
This Mango Kiwi Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette is so darn easy to throw together and boy oh boy is it tasty. Check out the recipe below, along with some serving suggestions to make this salad a full blown meal!
Mango and Kiwi Close Up of Mango Kiwi Salad Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
The simplest salad that pops with so much summery flavor.
- 4 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup freshly cut mango chunks
- 1/2 cup freshly cut kiwi chunks
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
PER SERVING
60 cals ~ 0g fat ~ 13g carb ~ 2g protein
A light vinaigrette that pairs perfectly with all kinds of salads!
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- dash of salt
Combine all ingredients in a container and shake, shake, shake before pouring over the salad.
PER SERVING
98 cals ~ 10g fat ~ 2g carb ~ 0g protein
One note, specific to the homemade vinaigrette, is to make sure that you are using a more flavorless oil, like avocado oil. I know someone out there is going to think, “well all I have is olive oil right now, so I’ll just use that.” Consider yourself warned… it won’t taste the way it should… I tried 😉 Avocado oil is my absolute go-to for salad dressings because it is a high-quality oil that isn’t aggressively processed and it imparts nearly no flavor to the dressing. Olive oil, on the other hand, is a great oil, but imparts a lot of flavor to your dressing. Check out Chosen Foods Avocado Oil for your next vinaigrette!
Now that you have your Mango Kiwi Salad made, here are some ideas on how to serve it up! This salad works perfectly as a side dish to any meal. If you want to take it a step further and make it the base of your meal, try topping it with salmon or chicken! I paired it with my Slow Cooker Shredded Balsamic Chicken and LOVED it. Even better yet, I put the salad with the shredded chicken into a wrap and literally jumped for joy over how delicious it was.
This is such a tasty and fun way to finish out summer by celebrating the bright flavors of tropical fruits. And this recipe just might come in handy amidst the dreary months of winter as well. In the mean time, all my fellow Minnesotans, make sure to have a Sweet Martha’s Cookie for me 😉
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