During Mango Madness week at Mother Earth’s I experimented with different mango recipes. This is one of my creations.

Ingredients

2 cups water
½ vegetable bouillon cube (or ½ teaspoon salt)
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped fresh mangoes
1 cup chopped cucumbers
3 tablespoons chopped scallions or spring onions
2 tablespoons tangerine balsamic vinegar (one of ME’s bulk vinegars)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or to taste)

Put water and bouillon into a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add quinoa. Cover and return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15–20 minutes (until quinoa is tender). Set aside and cool. Transfer to a bowl and fluff. Put remaining ingredients into a bowl. Stir to combine. Add to cooled quinoa and toss all the ingredients together. Serve cool or at room temperature. Serves 4–6. Enjoy!

Health Benefits of Mangoes

1. Prevents Cancer: 
   Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mangofruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.
2. Lowers Cholesterol: 
   The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad stuff).
3. Clears the Skin: 
   Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos help clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples.
4.  Improves Eye Health: 
   One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.
5. Alkalizes the Whole Body:
   The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserveof the body.
6. May Help with Diabetes: 
   Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood. The traditional home remedyinvolves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning. Mango fruit also has a relatively low glycemic index (41-60) so moderate quantities will not spike your sugar levels.
7. Promotes Healthy Sex: 
   Mangos are a great source of vitamin E. Even though the popular connection between sex drive and vitamin E was originally created by a mistaken generalization on rat studies, further research has shown balanced proper amounts (from whole foods) does help. Top of Form
8.  Improves Digestion: 
   Papayas are not the only fruit that contain enzymes for breaking down protein. There are several fruits, including mangoes, which have this healthful quality. The fiber in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.
9. Helps Fight Heat Stroke:
   Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm from overheating. From an ayurvedic viewpoint, the reason people often get diuretic and exhausted when visiting equatorial climates is because the strong “sun energy” is burning up your body, particularly the muscles. The kidneys then become overloaded with the toxins from this process.
10. Boosts the Immune System:
    The generous amounts of vitamin Cand vitamin A in mangos, plus 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy and strong