Marshmellow Fluff

I hate it when lots of words get in the way of cupcakes and delicious things, which is why I love Ming Makes Cupcakes.  Short and sweet (pun intended!)

If you know me, you know I love Native Foods, a restaurant so delicious it’s worthy of eating every single day.  However, I cannot, because when I do eat there, I am powerless against their vegan vanilla cupcakes which renders me incapable of squishing myself into clothing.  My favorite dish on their menu is the delectable Azteca Salad, filled with crunchy goodness, tangy flavors and healthy eats.  After scouring the internet for calorie content (yes, it is healthy but I wanted to see if it was actually a caloric anomaly and had negative calories, in trying to justify ordering it every time with a side of cucpakes), instead, I found the recipe, which I now share with you so that you can experience the delicousness yourself!

The Mecca Azteca from The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook

1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup peeled and chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped jicama
1 cup chopped avocado
2 cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt
2 cups mixed salad greens
4 cups cooked.quinoa, cooled
1 cup Mango Lime Vinaigrette
2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 Tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
4 Tbsp currants, raisins, or chopped dates
4 slices fresh mango
1 tsp chipotle powder or cayenne pepper (optional)
In a bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, jicama, avocado, and red onion. Toss with lemon juice and sea salt. Divide salad greens on four plates or bowls. Top each with I cup of cooked quinoa. On each serving, drizzle quinoa with about 2 tablespoons of the Mango Lime Vinaigrette. On each serving, place one-quarter of the tomato mixture on top of the quinoa. Drizzle a bit more Mango Lime Vinaigrette on top of the tomato mixture on each serving. Garnish each serving with cilantro leaves, pumpkin seeds, currants, fresh mango slice, and chipotle powder.

Chef Tanya’s set-up at the Native Foods Cafe in Palm Springs.  

Mango-Lime Vinigrette

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango
1/2 cups safflower or sunflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
This dressing is thick, so you may need to drizzle it on salads using a spoon.  Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. When I use frozen mango, I sometimes put it in frozen, since blending defrosts it. Alternatively you may defrost the mango first.  Substitute tangerine juice for lime juice, and call it Mango Tango Vinaigrette.  Check out the Mecca Azteca Salad (page 167), which uses this dressing, and see why it’s one of our most requested specials.