Opera Singer in the Kitchen: A Light and Tropical Jungle Book Salad

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A new week started and I was getting a feel for my menu plan and in those plans came an idea for a Jungle Book-inspired salad. Why a #JungleFresh salad you might ask? Well, we’re happy to announce that the Blu-Ray / Combo Pack Diamond Edition of Disney’s The Jungle Book is released on February 11^th, 2014! We have been trying to get our young kids to eat more veggies but to no avail, since they always see behind my healthy schemes.

When I think of winter I do not generally think about eating a lot of raw foods, like salads and such, but when a clean start is decided clean foods need to be reintroduced especially in the winter. Since we returned from Disney World a few weeks ago, it has been hard getting back into my regular schedule including grocery shopping. My husband called me one evening from the grocery store offering to do the shopping so that was nice, but I have finally have gotten back to the groove.

As I entered Walmart, I was amazed to see a huge produce area to my right. I had decided to leave my youngest daughter at home and brought my toddler with me with a list in hand. I had a LIST in my hand which is always a miracle. I usually leave it home. Luckily, everything I needed for my salad was in the produce section so I quickly picked all my items. I happened to be in a store when my toddler got hungry so I was happy to pick one of the snack packs available in the produce section. How convenient, eh?

When I planned a jungle-inspired salad I thought of tropical fruits but I was wary of the availability of tropical fruits in the winter. Well, there was nothing to fear because all of the fruits were available for me! I was amazed, happy, and shocked all at once! I actually spent a quality amount of time in the produce section because I was genuinely amazed at the selection.

Arriving home, I got all fruits and veggies together hoping to put it all together for my family’s lunch the next day. I was going to prepare grilled chicken but our power went out and is currently STILL out. As we salvaged our food from the fridge and freezer, the produce kept calling us and boy, did we have a great tropical lunch despite being in a cold home.

I chopped up fresh mango, Clementine oranges, avocado, star fruit and grated fresh carrots. I was praying that the girls would eat their lunch since it was not their normal warm meal or sandwich. I made a fresh vinaigrette with little oil and tossed the salad and served it to the little gang. My toddler was the first to question the salad but then I explained how we were eating a NEW kind of salad with lots of yummy fruit that a bear would eat in a jungle. My toddler's eyes lit up.

Even though we have not introduced many Disney films yet, because our toddler does not sit for them at home, we HAVE listened to The Jungle Book while playing and they enjoyed listening to it! So how did we all like these salads? Look at my bundled kids eating their salads! They ate the fruit and the salad really well and I was happy because they were hardly complaining. Here is how I made the recipe:

A Light and Tropical Jungle Book Salad - #JungleFresh

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

Salad

1-5-ounce bag mixed greens
1 mango, peeled, pitted and chopped (save the pit)
1/2 cup canned pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup shredded and sweetened coconut
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup canned mandarin slices, reserving juice
1/2 cup shredded carrots
3 green onions, chopped
1 star fruit, sliced in 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup Almond Accents, sweet roasted almonds with dried pomegranate arils

Dressing

1/4 cup Clementine orange juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice, reserved from can
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Salad

In a big bowl, add the lettuce. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the mango skin completely. Using a knife, slice the mango flesh on four sides against the mango pit. Chop the mango and add to the salad.

Chop the rest of the listed fruits and veggies and add to the salad bowl except for the star fruit. Use the slices to decorate the plate. Make sure to reserve the pineapple juice for dressing.

Dressing

Place Clementine orange and pineapple juices in a small bowl. Squeeze the mango pit with your hand to release the remaining of the mango pulp. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder to the juices as well as the oil. Shake well. Pour over the salad and toss well. Serve with rice crackers.