The weather is warm and the fresh summer flavors are here again!
We have already enjoyed this salad a couple times this season, a bright and colorful favorite that is flavorful and filling. My favorite salty marcona almonds with sweet mango and red onion blend perfectly. Each time I make this I am in bliss over the flavors!
Since this is made from many of my favorite ingredients, I wanted to share with one of my favorite bloggers – Kris Beal! She has a brand new makeover on her blog – it looks awesome – and she recently asked me to guest post. I always consider it a compliment to guest post on another blog, and in this case I was very excited to do so!
Kris is super fun – she makes me laugh with her stories, is very wise and inspirational, and a friend I know I could spend all day talking and laughing with.
Head on over to visit Kris and read my guest post!
What flavors make you think of summer?
{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
Kris this salad looks sooo good! I love mango and edamame…I bet I would adore this (But i’d hold the onions just b/c I am that way…haha)
that’s okay, Averie, it’s plenty flavorful without the onion!
Happy Thursday!
Oh that looks incredible – so vibrant. Love the addition of the almonds for texture too. Thanks for sharing Kris’ blog link too. On my way there now.
Heather you will LOVE Kris!
she is awesome fun.
I’ve been trolling and we are now officially friends! I hope that’s ok
So nice to meet you! And yes…. almonds make everything gourmet, right?
yay! two of my favorites, Heather, meet Kris! Kris, this is Heather!
I get inspiration and energy from each of you!!
SOOOOOO beautiful! Kristina you are so kind and generous – and you ALWAYS make me smile…. Did you know I come over here for a moodbooster? Just trolling and clicking always makes me smile – thanks again! xoxox
I did NOT know that until I read it this morning – that makes me smile big and *wave wave wave* my hands in the air! thank YOU, dear friend! XXO!
Oh my goodness this looks perfect for summer
Gonna go check out Kris’ makeover
Thanks for sharing!
thank YOU, Meg!
Seriously – sweet and spicy and protein and crunchy and… and… and… it’s is such a perfect dish for me (aka the one who used to cry in the kitchen). No more crying – unless I’m a-chopping-onions
Nice to meet you!
Honestly the look is perfect for summer and it’s pretty much as if I can taste the freshness – which again is perfect for a hot day. I could eat this for lunch – no doubt!!
hi Susan! this is THE perfect salad for summer… we eat it a lot!
Aren’t the pix amazing? For me the color and flavors are POPPING out of the computer screen! I’ve got all the makings and will give it a whorl – but I’ll leave the photography to dear Kristina
The salad looks and sounds amazing! I’m heading over to check out Kris’ blog now! Thanks for sharing!
you’re welcome – glad you’re going to visit, Kris is really fun, you will like her!
Love your name LOL I used to call myself the Dairy Queen when I was nursing… uh… a “few” years back. I digress… So nice to meet you! I’ll be trolling and clicking around your blog soon. Thanks!
This looks so fresh and delicious! Once again, you made an adorable plate of food
thank you Holly
Ooooh the textures in this would be amazing!!
it is full of great texture and flavor… one of my favorites for summer…
Look at all these colors
ART! #nuffsaid
PS I’m a cooking rookie too – YAY!
You know Billy and I love marcona almonds! We ate about 3 pounds last September/October traveling around Italy and Spain. I’d have to 86 the onions (can’t stand them!) but I know I’d enjoy this combo.
I’ve never had a marcona almond – didn’t even know what they were! But I’m gonna discover them this weekend with this beauty
mmmmmmm
Love the colors! I’ve been adding edamame to a lot of my spring/summer salads and it’s the perfect light meal on super hot days.
Colors are UNBELIEVABLE! I’m new to edimame – gonna bust ‘em out this weekend with the mango – woot!
Looks so yummy! Love your fun recipes! And speaking of yummy & fun — I adore me some Kris too! I think you both are such treasures ( p.s. I’m often a lurker also
aw, Joyce! you are so sweet and hearing that makes me Smile Big! also, I think of you every time I do my ab work on my machine!!
Awwww – no surprise you lurk around happy joyful places my friend! You KNOW we adore you too! hugs!
Oh yay!!!
Aww, this is soooooooooo pretty!
And now I need to confess something: I bought a bag of quinoa the other day. Yes, the last time I tried it, I found it terrible, but perhaps I didn’t scrub it enough before cooking? It was so bitter, and if this bitterness was due to my lack of scrubbing, I couldn’t live with the thought I hadn’t given it a second chance. 
Kath, I hope that is it… generally I put the dry quinoa into my mesh strainer and set it to rinse under the faucet, just letting it run (warm water, then cold) for at least a few minutes. some brands / types may need more? I have heard people actually soak their quinoa for a bit before cooking – perhaps try this? soak for a bit, then also rinse?
I hope that works, quinoa is not meant to be bitter, but can be if not scrubbed enough
hope all is great, my friend – Basil wags and wiggles hello!
*wiggle wiggle* (Imagine I just used my ears or so.
)
I’ll let you know about the quinoa as soon as I’ve tried! I’ll definitely do the soaking and washing!
Ooooooh – very good to know! This is SOOOOOO much better than the cooking channel
Hehehe! Even better than this one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeUHy0A1GF0
Ooh! I’ve had something similar, only minus the quinoa and served as a mango salsa on tofu. YUM. Looks great!
Note to self: rediscover tofu.
#justsayin
I love how we both blogged about quinoa-bean salads today! But honestly, that’s such a good base to start from… all that protein. Yum! I like how you added almonds too for a bit of crunch and even more nutrition. Will be making this when the mangoes are back in season!
Oh my! Great minds, eh? I must go check it out – I sooooooo love learning what the “real” cooking experts are doing **I dream someday of getting better in the kitchen**
yes, the almonds are a perfect crunch and great flavor… oh, and that nutrition thing too
So what’s the deal with the marcona almonds? I’ve been hearing about them but I’ve never had them… tell me why they are so awesome!
Mmm, so awesome are marcona almonds. (so much so, they make me talk like Yoda in my head??) Marcona almonds are Spanish almonds, just a different type and they are salty and delicious.
YES! Tell us!
oooh yes a good summer combo fo. sho. I dont like cutting mangos — come slice mine? Kthx!
haa… oh, Jenn, I’m not good at it either! I’ve been eating many mangoes lately, so I am getting better… and this one was a small pit or something, it was easy!
This can also be a Christmas dish because of that lovely colors.
Grape tomatoes and zucchini makes me think of summer!
Lord, that’s lovely photography! Also, Marcona almonds, wow, I bet this tastes divine. Bookmarked!
thank you, Sayward… this really is one of our favorites, the flavors go well together and yep, those almonds…
Happy Friday to you all!
I was at Whole Foods last weekend and saw Marcona almond *butter* for the first time. Have you seen that stuff? I can’t even imagine the amazingness . . .
WHAAAT?? okay, I am going there TODAY. I need this. do you remember the brand?
DOn’t know the brand but there was only one. Downtown WF, in with the other nut butters. Let me know if you get it and how you like it!
This salad looks WONDERFUL… even better than something I’d pay $8.99 per pound for at WF.
oh, wow, Michele, now THAT is a compliment – thank you!
This recipe looks unbelievable, I’m gonna try it really soon.
I recently wrote an article on the health benefits of quinoa, check it out.
http://www.theironyou.com/2011/03/more-on-quinoa.html
Peace
Mike @TheIronYou
it is summertime here, and this salad looks like it will be a perfect lunch! gorgeous colors!
now this is a salad I can get on board with – I bet it DOES taste like summer!! thanks for a recipe, I can’t wait to make this.
my new favorite salad! this time of year I used frozen stuff, but it still tastes fresh like summer!
I know, this is generally a summer salad so I can make it fresh, but it is still SO good even with the frozen, right? I do that in the winter too… happy you like it!
“FEED ME THE STARS!”
oh, Kath!! this is THE most awesome video!!
I love the dog narration, and Jason started imitating him, adding more ingredients… to the batter.
I love that show, it’s too funny!
There’s a whole series about different Japanese dishes (look for “cooking with dog” on YouTube), and in almost every vid they have Chopin’s minute waltz in the background. 
In one they also had the black keys etude. 
oh, my – I need to find those. Jason and I were both cracking up! that dog is crazy funny. thank you for sharing <3
didn’t have time to get there today… I will as soon as I can, and will report back!!
have a great weekend!
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