This post was in partnership with the Mango Board — we only partner with brands that are NS approved and all our opinions are authentic and remain our own.
Meet the Mango Harvest Wild Rice recipe, a side dish that can easily transform into a year-round entree.
Fall and winter recipes are some of my personal favorites; they’re often very simple to make especially when it’s a 1-pot recipe, a soup, or a side dish that can transform into an entree just by adding proteins and greens.
This Mango Harvest Wild Rice is just that, it’s hearty, satisfying, has fiber and vitamin C (buh bye cold season), tastes delicious and can be made on your meal prep day for nutritious leftovers all week.
A couple things to keep in mind when you make this recipe that will really change the outcome is to start with great quality ingredients and make sure the mango is ripe — it’s the star ingredient of this recipe!
A quick tip on how to know if a honey mango (also called Ataulfo or Champagne) is ripe (that’s the mango variety I used in this recipe), your nose knows so smell and make sure it’s fragrant. It will also give slightly which means it’s soft inside, and it’ll turn vibrant yellow. Honey mangos skin wrinkles slightly when it’s ripe, so don’t let that deter you from purchasing – it means it’s ready to eat!
Another tip, if you’re pressed for time, store mangos in a brown paper bag at room temperature for a couple days to speed the ripening process!
As with all our recipes, make the ingredients work for you, if you’re not a fan of pistachios try roasted walnuts for added omega-3 benefits; if you don’t have vegetable stock on hand, use chicken stock.
Most importantly, make this on the weekend so you have a quick lunch by adding this recipe to a handful (or two) of greens or reheat it for dinner as a side dish or an entree by adding protein. The possibilities are endless and can be enjoyed in all seasons!
Stripped
Fiber
Both mangos and wild rice are good in fiber — we know fiber keeps our blood sugars stable, digestive systems moving along regularly, and have been shown to help decrease cholesterol.
Mangos contain about 3 grams of fiber per one cup sliced, and one cup sliced contains 22-24 grams of naturally occurring sugar – at levels similar to many other fruits
Vitamin C
Mangos are the star of the show in this recipe when it comes to giving this recipe it’s boost of vitamin C. One cup of mango includes 100% of your daily vitamin C. . Vitamin C is important for our immune function, collagen synthesis, eye health, to cardiovascular health.
Optimizer Option
Boost this side dish or make it an entree, by adding your favorite plant-based proteins or responsibly sourced animal proteins. Also, by adding a handful of dark greens such as spinach or arugula, you’ll increase the fiber and nutrients to transform this side dish into a meal.