I had originally intended on posting my favourite mango salsa but it was nearing noon when I began assembling this recipe and I just knew fruits and veggies alone weren’t going to cut it for lunch. So, I mixed in some plump chickpeas for protein and fibre and was delighted with the result.
Chickpea, an otherwise ordinary looking legume, has an outstanding nutrition profile and excellent culinary versatility. In this salad, the chickpeas absorb the flavour of the ginger lime dressing beautifully, hitting the high notes when mixed in with cumin and cilantro. The solid, buttery texture of chickpeas also adds depth and satisfaction to the meal.
Blackberry Mango Salsa Salad with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette:
For the Salad:
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1 mango, peeled and diced
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12 or so fresh blackberries
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1/2 cucumber, partially peeled and diced
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1/2 purple onion, chopped
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1 cup cooked chickpeas, thoroughly rinsed if using canned
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1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
For the Ginger Lime Vinaigrette:
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3 Tbsp olive oil
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1 Tbsp sesame oil
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1 tsp rice vinegar
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2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
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1 Tbsp grated lime zest
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1 Tbsp minced ginger root
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1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
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1 tsp brown sugar
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½ tsp sea salt
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½ tsp cracked pepper
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1/4 tsp cumin seeds
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Serves 2
Assemble salad ingredients together in a serving bowl or on individual plates.
Combine vinaigrette ingredients together in a container with fitted lid. Shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired before drizzling over salsa salad.
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For the love of Chickpeas:
A half cup serving of cooked chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans), provides over 6 grams of dietary fibre and 7 grams high-quality vegetable protein. This same serving size also provides 35% of an adult’s daily requirement of folate and over 40% of the daily requirement of manganese.
How to cook Chickpeas:
Soak desired quantity of beans overnight. In the morning, drain the water and replace it with fresh, cold water for cooking. Place on stove and bring to a boil in a pot with a lid. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, tilting the lid slightly to allow steam to escape, and leave to cook for up to 90 minutes, or until tender.
Such a gorgeous and flavorful salad! Mango is a favorite of mine and I am loving the accompaniment of both cucumber and chickpeas!
Yum! I love mango and that was such a great idea to add in the chickepeas for added fiber/protein and to bulk it up enough for lunch. The ginger lime vinaigrette sounds tasty
Apparently we are getting our first dump on Friday. Oh Goody.
Why thank you Mr. Greg… I hope you’re having a great day.
Hi Alyssa, thanks so much! I hope you try it sometime.
I love salads and when they contain enough protein, I don’t feel deprived in the least ;0 – thanks Anne!
I hear you on that – what, another 3 months to go?? :)
Thanks Eva ~
Why thank you Baker Street!
thanks so much Tiffany!
You’re in San Francisco right? I’m thinking they import mango :) Thanks Nami, have a beautiful day.
Thanks so much sweet Caroline – xo
The snowy cold is precisely why I make them – haha — denial? me? Thanks Sissi – xo
Thanks Carrian – I appreciate you stopping by!
I know, these salads are a snap to make and so satisfying too… I love salad for lunch.
What nice compliments Linda, thank you!
Thanks so much Lynn! I hope you try the vinaigrette some time; I think you’ll enjoy… ;)
Who’s having warm weather? :)
Aw, thanks Angie.
Thank you Mandy; hope you’re having a beautiful day – xo.
Thanks so much Kay – I hope you try it sometime :)
I love ginger and lime too… heavenly combo. Thanks Kristy!
Thanks for dropping by Kati!
Thanks so much Yummy – it’s quite colourful, isn’t it ~
Thanks Stephanie – hope you’re having a great day :)
Thanks Amy… This Canadian lives in denial of our long, dreadful winter ;) This is one of the ways I try and get through it…!
Thanks Kim ~ blackberries are pretty wonderful especially when mixed with other fruits, veggies and flavourings; I find it takes away that edge of bitterness they sometimes have.
Smart plan! Produce certainly doesn’t look the same this time of year but anything I can do to enliven the plate, makes me happy! Thanks Charles.
Thanks MJ – I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try…the vinaigrette is so versatile and matches up with all kinds of different salads, foods.
Thanks Elio! :)
Thanks so much Lisa – I have a lot to learn about photography myself… One book I found very helpful for starters is “Plate to Pixel” by Helene Dujardin.
Thanks Junia – it’s full of flavour and goes with virtually anything – hope you enjoy if you try it.
That’s the great thing about salsa – it’s not just for chips! I love it with any protein…
That’s stunning. Mango and blackberry, what a combo. I love salsas, but this stands well on its own.
I really love this viniagrette! I bet the cumin went really well with the chick peas!
Oh what a beautiful salad, Kelly! Two things I got absolutely hooked on for the first time last year are chickpeas and blackberries! So I’m happy to see them both on this gorgeous plate! Isn’t it amazing how satisfying a salad feels when there is such a mix of beautiful colors, flavors and textures! : )
What a great salad Kelly, I love chick peas and the lime dressing sounds mouth watering. I need a salad like this to make me forget about winter (not that there is much snow (any) in TO, but my feet are constantly cold!
Ah.. now that’s my kind of salad! :)
Stunning! And I def. want to try this dressing!
How lovely! I’m not sure if I can get mango still, but this recipe is definitely a keeper! Looks so refreshing and perfect for summer bbq. I need to try ginger + lime combo which I’ve never tried before. I love this recipe!
I need to make that ginger lime vinaigrette!! Sounds fabulous. x
Kelly, even in the middle of – snowy and cold I suppose – Winter, your dishes look so colourful and fresh and light as if we were in the Summer. This salad sounds original and delicious. Adding lime and ginger in a vinaigrette is something I have never thought about… Thank you for the wonderful idea.
looks wonderful! Can’t wait to try it!
What a beautiful salad. It’s so great when a nutritious salad can be on the table in no time and looks this good! What a beautiful mix of flavors and colors. Gorgeous.
You make the prettiest salads Kelly!! They are always presented so picture perfect! The combinatio of mango and balckberries are one of my favorites. The added garbonzo beans is a nice touch, I would have not thought to add them to fruit but I bet it tastes really good together!!
WOW, what a beautiful pic! Looks simply delicious. Love your vinaigrette… I tend to use lemon a lot and often forget about how refreshing a twist of lime is in a salad dressing. Love the addition of cumin and cilantro. yum…
Lynn
Lovely combination, perfect for this warm weather!
A perfect fruit salad!
Wow – what an incredible salad and dressing – super tasty and refreshing. Delicious!
:-) Mandy
I love blackberries.. but I never thought about making it with salsa. So this dish looks absolutely amazing
You know I love your blackberry salads. This is another one that’s going on my list to make. This looks delicious Kelly and I love the ginger lime dressing. Fabulous flavor combo! :) Hope you had a great weekend!
This salad looks like its absolutely bursting the flavor! And I love that you added chickpeas to the mix – definitely one of my favorite fiber-rich ingredients!
Love the blackberry bursts thrown in with the mango. Sounds and looks delicious!
I love this so much!! I’m definitely going to be making this one!
This sounds delicious and refreshing! Adding chickpeas was a great idea to turn this into a well-balanced meal :)
Kelly,
I have been hooked on blackberries. This is a salad one would serve to the Gods and Goddesses. :)) X
My Inner Chick
http://myinnerchick.com
Thanks for reminding me that I have a couple of handfuls of blackberries in my freezer. We picked them and hoped to pick more last autumn, but the season was terrible, so I just froze them and forgot about them. I must get them out! I love the look of your salad – so colourful, juicy… so many different flavours in one bite! Delish :)
Mango and blackberry with chickpea – now that’s an interesting combination! I love all of the different textures and of course, the vinaigrette sounds perfect! What a healthy and tasty salad for the new year! I’m adding this to my New Year’s resolution food list. :)
Love chickpeas. Good addition.
This is my kind of salad. I have all the ingredients in my fridge so I’ll make it for dinner as side salad tonight. Love adding fresh herbs to my salad, so much better than the store bought dressings.
BTW, your photo’s are gorgeous, I need to take a class or two on photography!
i love your vinagrette! i’m always looking for new, creative recipes. :D chickpeas – i love. perfect salad to start the new year! :)
I love mango salsas – I used to top grilled chicken with it. Great idea to use chickpeas here! Can’t wait to try this combo out.