Deliciously perfect for lunch, dinner, or a post-exercise recover snack, this Revitalizing Black Bean Mango & Cilantro Salad is packed with anti-aging nutrients that may have you wanting to dance your way through even the sluggish of afternoons. An all-time favourite bean salad at our house, this salad is also an excellent candidate for a lunch box. Yes, this salad recipe holds up to even the more rigorous of lunch box commutes.
Are Canned Beans a Healthy Choice?
Beans are a healthy choice. Ideally, one has time to soak and cook dried beans at home. But, if you're life is busy, like this entrepreneurial mom, canned beans are great to have on hand. Look for canned beans with a short ingredients list, avoiding those that contain extra additives such as EDTA. Plus, give your canned beans a really good rinse to remove any added salt. Beans are high in protein, fibre and many minerals most people who eat a Western diet are lacking.
Should I Eat Beans?
Beans are a low-methionine source of protein making it a great food to help your aging body maintain muscle and strength, while not turning on aging pathways. (Methionine turns on aging pathways in the body - you can read all about it, in Aging Bites). Red peppers are a great source of many antioxidants, including vitamin C, which is needed by your skin to create collagen and avoid wrinkling. Mango offers your skin another anti-aging nutrient silica, which provides strength and resilience. Onion is a source of quercetin, known for its ability to turn off the mTOR aging pathway. Be wary of your own body's reactions to certain foods - we are all created differently. If your body tends to struggle with the digestion of beans, go with your gut. Always listen to your body and eat foods that make you feel good.
How to Make Beans Taste Good
The easiest way to make beans taste good is to mix them in with other foods you love the flavours of. In this Revitalizing Black Bean Mango & Cilantro Salad the sweet mango, spicy red onion, herbaceous cilantro, crunchy bell peppers, and honey-based salad dressing create a fiesta of delicious flavours that are complimented by the meaty-texture of the black beans to create a satisfying dish.
Revitalizing Black Bean, Mango & Cilantro Salad Recipe
Enjoy this vibrant salad! It is ridiculously delicious. Plus, every spoonful is packed with nutrients to help you love how you age.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 can of rinsed organic black beans
1 large Red pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1 large Mango, chopped
2 tbsp Red Onion, finely diced
3 tbsp Olive oil
Juice from ½ of a lime
½ tsp of Honey
Directions:
Makes 4 servings. In a bowl, combine beans, red pepper, cilantro, mango and red onion. Mix with a spoon. In a tall-rimmed smaller container, mix together olive oil, lime juice and honey until fully combined. Drizzle lime vinaigrette mixture over salad and mix well. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate and enjoy over the next few days.
Optional Add-Ins:
You can also add some non-GMO yellow corn kernels to this recipe for an added splash of colour and dimension in flavor.
Get more unBEANlievable Healthy Recipes
More Healthy Bean Recipes at my good friend's healthy blog, SneakyMommies where you'll find 10 Delicious and Nutritions Bean Recipes created by a group of TOOTally talented food bloggers, Moms and dietiticians.
