Saturday, May 1, 2010

Mango Agua Fresca--A Healthy & Thirst-Quenching "Simple Saturday Sipper"

Having purchased several more sweet and juicy Maui mangoes from Whole Foods, and in need of my "Simple Saturday Sipper" for this week, I checked out the Whole Foods website to see what mango drink recipes they might have and found a simple recipe for a Mango Agua Fresca (here). I love agua frescas--so easy and light, and thought it would make the most of the fresh mango and also be perfect for the muggy day we were having. Not to mention it is also healthy, with the mangoes offering plenty of vitamins C, B6, and A, as well as potassium, antioxidants and some fiber too.


Whole Foods says, "This light, refreshing drink popularized in Central America is a terrific thirst quencher on a hot summer day. The trick with making agua fresca (Spanish for "fresh water") is to infuse the water with fruit essence without turning it into a smoothie or slushy drink. Feel free to experiment with other flavors such as strawberry, watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. This recipe was inspired by Maria Gonzales, a street food vendor and Whole Planet Foundation borrower, who lives in León, Nicaragua."


Mango Agua Fresca
Whole Foods Market
(Serves 2)

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or honey, more or less to taste
Lime wedge and mint leaves for garnish

In a blender, combine mango and water and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into ice-filled glasses. Stir in lime juice and agave. Garnish with lime and mint, and serve.

Nutrition Per serving: (about 10oz/284g-wt.): 70 calories (5 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium, 19g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 17g sugar), 1g protein


Notes/Results: Perfectly delicious. The natural sweetness of the mango is enhanced by the touch of honey, and the lime juice adds a nice bit of tangy flavor. In addition to the local mangoes, the limes and honey were local ingredients too--love that! ;-) Refreshing, light and very thirst-quenching, making it wonderful on a warm day. I will make this again.

Happy Saturday!

12 comments:

  1. that looks great.....a perfect summer drink!

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  2. You are so making me crave a mango smoothie! Or anything mango-flavored really. I am going to have to make a trip to my local street vendor.

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  3. ooh that looks and sounds refreshing!

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  4. So much better for me and more refreshing than my usual cold beer!

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  5. The photos of your sippers are always fabulous. The colors in today's drink are just fabulous. What kind of camera are you using, Deb? The clarity is amazing. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  6. I've said it before but I am SO jealous of your mangoes! This looks like such a nice summer drink.

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  7. Oh fab pic. The colours make me want to go to the beach with a glass of this in the shade of a palm tree

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  8. I could go for one of these wonderfully refreshing drinks right now. We are having a heat wave here in NY!

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  9. Lovely recipes, never had this recipe before. Will surely try it next time I am making mango juice.

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  10. Sandi--thanks! ;-)

    Joanne--Mango is delicious! ;-)

    Kat--mahalo ;-)

    Pam--both are good! ;-)

    Mary--Thanks! My camera is just a small point and shoot Casio--although it does have a food setting, but I bought a couple of light boxes and when paired with the white background it really brings out the colors. At least when i get the lighting right.
    ;-)

    Foodycat--I am pretty lucky when they are in season here they are delicious! ;-)

    Wizzy--thanks! ;-)

    Reeni--I wish I could send you one! ;-)

    Priya--thank you! Hope you enjoy it. ;-)

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  11. Wow! this sounds so good..Hey, I've sent you the details for your event souper sundays. Messaged the details on your event announcement page just now..first time here and you have a wonderful space..I'm just gonna explore all your recipes now..

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  12. We had a very muggy Saturday too and this drink sounds like the perfect solution! I love mangoes and definitely need to pick some up next time I'm out.

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