Split Pea Soup

Ode to Heidi 

Part 2.  

 

Split Pea soup is quite possibly my favorite soup! If it's on the menu, I'm ordering it. And I will often let a restaurant's soup decide whether or not I choose to eat there ever again. Most places get this soup wrong because so often the split-peas can make the final product chalky, chunky, and thick; Not how I like my soup at all. But done right, I'm in soup heaven. And if I may make a shout out to two place in L.A. that I think do Split Pea right, visit The Overland Cafe in Culver City, or Il Tramezzino in Beverly Hills. But it was only a matter of time before I tried my hand at split pea soup, because well, if you like things done right, you should (eventually) learn to do them yourself. At least in cooking, that's mostly true. Heidi's recipe calls for curry powder, but I didn't have any on hand so I just used a little turmeric, and it really helped to boost that green color in the soup. As in any soup, I recommend using a broth or Bouillon that you absolutely love. I always use Rapunzel vegan vegetable bouillon with no salt added. The bay leaf is my own addition, because both above referenced restaurants use it in their recipes, and it may just be the key ingredient to why I love this soup SO much! 

 

Split Pea Soup

(Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Green Lentil Soup) 

 

 
Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter or coconut oil 
• 1 large yellow onion chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 to 2 bay leaves, whole
• 5 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or bouillon cubes dissolved in water)
• 1 1/2 cups green split peas (picked over and rinsed) 
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 3 tbps. Indian curry powder or turmeric (optional) 
• sea salt 
• 1 bunch fresh chives, minced 

Tips:

• I don't like my food spicy, so I eased up on the chili flakes. Where Heidi's recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon, I used only 1/4 teaspoon. But the little hint of heat was a very nice addition to this classic. 
• If using bouillon cubes, start a pot of boiling water while you are cutting your onions so that you can add simmering stock to your soft onions in step two.

step one. Combine the 2 tablespoons of butter, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes in a large soup pot over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onions soften (a couple minutes). 

step two. Add the vegetable broth or stock, and the split peas. simmer, covered, until the split peas are tender (30-50 minutes).

step 3. Prepare a brown butter drizzle. Warm 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and let it brown. When it starts to smell nutty and fragrant, stir in your curry or turmeric powder and sautee for less than a minute. Remove from heat.

step four. When the pea soup mixture is finished cooking, remove from heat, and stir in the coconut milk, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and puree with an immersion blender. Make as smooth or chunky as you like. Stir in half of the spiced brown butter to taste, and add more salt, if needed. If your broth was unsalted, you may add a few teaspoons of salt at the end.

Serve. Drizzle with remaining brown butter and sprinkle with chives.

This soup is a meal in itself. A buttered roll, or toasted baguette may be all you need to finish off your plate.

Orzotto

I know... I know... It's been a while!
The holidays always have me trying so many new recipes, it can be overwhelming and often times I find myself being overly ambitious (Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Brownies??). So today we are visiting an old stand by. I've been cooking this "orzotto" recipe longer than I've had this blog, so I'm surprised actually that it hasn't made it's way to these pages yet. 

I first came across this recipe for Lemon Basil Orzotto on the Cooking Channel in 2011. I loved the idea of a risotto made with pasta, it as like a light-bulb going off in my head. And this recipe is so simple that it quickly became my go-to dinner dish when I needed something fast and delicious. I started with whole wheat orzo pasta to add an extra layer of flavor, and because I think it's got sucha  a great bite and it's so good for you. But soon I found myself adapting the recipe to use seasonal vegetables, or sometimes just whatever I could find in my kitchen. This is the perfect recipe to share with friends and family because of how easy it is to variate this dish so that it's always fresh and exciting, every time you make it.

Butternut Squash variation I posted on my Instagram in 2013

For this post, I used asparagus, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms because they are three flavors I just can't get enough of in the fall. There is something so earthy and grounding about the taste of this dish. I want to just carry my plate to the couch and put on a movie.

My sister recently borrowed this recipe for a dinner party and said that is was "by far the crowd favorite". 

Enjoy!

Asparagus, Zucchini and Mushroom Orzotto

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter (optional) 
• 1/2 onion diced 
• 1 1/2 cups orzo 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually have a heavy hand here) 
• 3 cups vegetable stock or broth (Rapunzel Bouillon is my favorite) 
• 1 zucchini quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch asparagus chopped 
• 1 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms diced
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or pecorino romano) 
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or soy cream 
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

Tips: 

• Choose a wine that you like to drink. Sacrifice 1/2 cup to your dish, and pour yourself a glass while you man the stove. 

• Substitute Farro or Pearl Barley for the Orzo.

• Toast your pine nuts for 2 minutes in a dry sauce pan to bring out the flavor. (Keep and eye on 'em, they burn quickly!) 
• Prepare your veggies a day ahead for even quicker cook time. 

• Add garlic at anytime. 

Directions:

step one. Prepare your veggies. If you don't have a steamer, you can poach your asparagus by dropping into boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then transferring to an ice bath. For my zucchini and mushrooms, I like to add 2 tbsp of butter to a skillet  on med-high heat and stir occasionally until everything browns a little. Mushrooms LOVE butter so don't be surprised if they soak it all up! Set vegetables aside. 

step two. Bring your broth to a boil.

step three. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and translucent. Add the orzo and toast until you see some browning on the grain (this will keep the pasta al dente). stir occasionally. 

step four. Add the wine and cook until absorbed. 

step five. Gradually add your vegetable broth (1 cup at a time), stirring frequently until the liquid is almost absorbed and orzo is tender. Remove from the heat. 

step six. Fold in vegetables, cheese, and cream. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with Pine Nuts. 

Serving suggestion: 

Served with mixed green salad with pomegranate vinaigrette.

 

fifty-nine

59

Fifty-nine is the age my parents turned last week. And as a reminder that the're only that much closer to the big six-oh, they came to me seeking healthful guidance. Of course I told them to exercise; take small walks around the neighborhood, and stretch while watching TV. I even bought my mom a cute little set of bright pink 3lb hand weights. But their diet needed an overhaul and that was clear. Here are some pictures I took of their fridge and cabinets. 

If you want to drop some lbs after 50, the refined sugar in sodas, juices, and sugary cereals, are not going to help. Neither are sweet "weight loss" drinks or pre-packaged smoothies. I formulated some small changes for my parents to start transitioning away from these processed foods, and try to intake more whole, natural, and even raw foods as a part of their daily diet. 

A complete overhaul of their fridge was done. I moved everything I didn't want readily available to them, out to the fridge they have in their garage. This way, if they want to cheat, they have to hunt down that bad food first. Then I replaced the majority of their everyday foods with healthier options. Here's a look at my purchase from Whole Foods. 

I focused on less processed, dairy-free, & gluten free items like: dressings, bread, butter, fresh almond butter, beer, and hummus. And of course RAW VEGETABLES. But I know my parents also like convenience, so I even got some frozen pizzas, mac and cheese, and a few vegan desserts I like. But I didn't want to leave them with a bunch of pieces to assemble and no instruction booklet, like an IKEA nightmare. So I drafted a plan, discussed taking small steps towards a healthier diet, and said I'd be checking in regularly (5 days in and they're not annoyed yet). I also made them a set of my vegan burgers, a huge batch of coconut lemongrass soup, and THIS recipe for Curried Quinoa & Vegetables.

This dish reminds me so much of my favorite Thai fried rice. I'm thinking about adding raisins and pineapple to my next batch. Kimberly puts cayenne pepper in her recipe. It's great to make a big batch and eat throughout the week.

Curried Quinoa & Vegetables

(Modified from The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbs. coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• High quality sea salt (adjust to personal taste)
• 1 Tbs. curry
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut milk 
• ¾ cup dry quinoa

Optional Prep: soak the quinoa in water for a few hours, or overnight.

Instructions:

Step One. In a saucepan place 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the quinoa to the hot water, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent soft (about 10-15 minutes). Pour through a fine strainer and set to the side in a bowl.

Step Two.Heat the coconut oil in a skillet pan. Add the diced onions, and lightly sauté for a few minutes, adding the Celtic sea salt, curry, turmeric, and black pepper. I also like to add some minced garlic here. 

Step Three.Add the other vegetables and lightly sauté for 5-6 minutes, until they become softened (but not overcooked).Add the cooked quinoa, and the coconut milk and stir everything together. Adjust flavoring as needed.

All Seasons Tarte

   It pains me to say that I haven't been cooking much lately. Since the holidays really. I guess I should have made a resolution to keep up my blog, but I was doing so well, I did not foresee what shortfalls were ahead of me. So, I apologize. And with the spring upon us, guaranteed, I'll be cooking up some fresh seasonal goodies to fill your kitchen for the months to come.
  
Next week for example, I'm taking on my second catering task. My sister and I will be providing food for 100 guests at my mom's first annual garden party. We'll be serving up tiny sandwiches, caprese kabobs, and yummy finger desserts. So I can at least promise a few recipes in advance that will be great for your upcoming summer get-togethers.

    But first, a long awaited tarte recipe. This is not the same as a quiche (you can see my first quiche and crust recipe here), it's a tarte, because it contains more veggies than egg mixture, a quiche is slightly more eggy, but to me, they are really the same thing. I made this tarte for Christmas dinner, but I thought it was still appropriate for Easter, so here it is, 'The All-Seasons Tarte'.


notes on the recipe:
  Of course, I made my own crust, but it's alright to buy a pie or pastry crust form the store. Prepping and cooking could take close to two hours, and this on definitely calls for a grocery list, but it is SO worth it. This tarte is all the reward you will need in the end. 
   

The All-Seasons Tarte

(Published in 'Plenty' by Yotam Ottolenghi as the 'Very Full Tart')

Ingredients: 

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 5 tablesoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium eggplants (aubergine), cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 medium sweet potato (kumara) , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 medium onions, cut in half and then cut in thin wedges
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 purchased or homeade pie or shortcrust pastry
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs, picked
• 4 ounces Ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces Feta cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

step one. 
    Preheat oven to 450?F (230?C). Cover a large baking sheet with foil.

step two. 
    Cut peppers in half and discard seeds and stem. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and place on one side of the prepared sheet pan.

step three. 
    On the opposite side of the baking sheet, combine the eggplant with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes to the eggplant and stir to combine. Roast for another 12 minutes, then add zucchini, return to oven and roast 12 more minutes. After a total roasting time of 36 minutes the peppers should be charred in places and the other veggies golden and quite fragrant. Remove from oven and immediately cover the peppers with foil. Once the peppers are cool, the skin will easily slip off. Remove the skins and cut into 1″ pieces.

step four.
    While the veggies are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions with the bay leaves and a half teaspoon of salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, soft and sweet. Discard the bay leaves and set aside.

step five.
    Reduce oven temperature to 375?F (160?C). Line a 11-inch shallow tart pan (or a 9-inch deep tart pan) with pastry crust. Blind-bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans (or rice), and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

step six. 
     Spread the onions over the bottom of baked tart crust, then top with roasted vegtables. Scatter with half the thyme and dot with small chunks of both cheeses, then the tomato halves, cut-side up. Whisk the eggs and cream with a half teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and pour into the tart; the tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme on top. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the filling sets and turns golden. Rest for at least 10 minutes, then remove the tart from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

enjoy!

 

Jerusalem

A collection of 120 recipes exploring the flavors of Jerusalem from the New York Times bestselling author of Plenty, one of the most lauded cookbooks of 2011.

I got my sister this cookbook for her birthday last month. This weekend, I told her to pick out some recipes, send me a grocery list, and we would cook. When she texted me the list, I was excited to see a new ingredient, "Za'atar". This spice blend is basically the herbs de provence of the Middle East. I had a terrific time at the Mediterranean market, discovering new cheeses, grains, and syrups. The trip made me excited to learn more about Mediterranean cooking and try new foods. 

The recipe we started with is lengthily titled, "Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar". The photo above was pictured in the book. The red onions really shine in this dish, and the blend of za'atar spice with the tahini provides a soft touch of earthiness and sesame. Not only is this a supremely flavorful dish, but the hardest part is finding a grocery store that carries za'atar. 

 

our happy little version

Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Onion with Tahini & Za'atar

(From Jerusalem: A Cookbook by yotam ottolenghi & sami timimi)

 "This is a highly versatile dish that is quite simple to prepare but boasts some very substantial flavors." - Jerusalem: a cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, cut into 2 1/2 inch long wedges
• 2 red onions, cut into 1 1/4 inch wide wedges
• 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon light tahini paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 3 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablspoon za'atar
• 1 tablespoon coarsley chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions: 

preheat over to 475 F Version

 

step one.
    Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. 

step two.
   To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

step three.
   Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve.
   Spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley. 

"Tahini sauce is quite dominant. Although we love this you may want to use a little less of it when finishing the dish. Just taste it an decide." - Jerusalem: a cookbook

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

   

Chanterelle Tacos

FRIDAY: DINNER

Nightfall at the campsite.  Photo by Ramin Sharifi

After an amazing session of restorative yoga, it was time for dinner.  These Chanterelle Tacos are straight from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day cookbook. I used Jalapenos for a little more kick. Great if you give the tortillas a little char, and make sure you buy Mexican oregano. The yogis enjoyed them with black beans, chips, and salsa. 

     I'm new to mushrooms, I've never really liked eating them before this year. And I find that I'm more fond of the "exotic" type mushrooms. Chanterelles have a great earthy flavor and might even convert the mushroom-objector near you. 

Chanterelle Mushrooms and Onions.   Photo by Ramin Sharifi

Chaterelle Tacos

(Adapted from Super Natural Every Day)

 Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 small serrano chile, or jalapeno finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 12 ounces chanterelles or mixed wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Serving suggestions:

I heated a can of black beans with some salsa and served it on top or along side these tacos, whichever you prefer. 

step 1.
    Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, chile, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until onions are translucent.

step 2.
    Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, over high heat, until mushrooms turn deep golden brown and release their liquid. I got two tips from a chef friend of mine for this recipe: 1. "Give mushrooms a lot of room," so use a big pan. 2. "Chanterelle's love butter," so I replaced oliv oil in this recipe for vegan butter.

step 3.
   While your mushrooms are cooking, warm your tortillas either over the flame of a gas burner, turning with tongs, until crisp and blackened in spots. Or by wrapping a small stack in foil and placing over the heat. (You can also char them in the broiler if you have one available).

Step 4.     
   Remove the mushroom and onion mix from heat and sprinkle with oregano. Adjust salt if necessary

plating.
    Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Summer Mango Salsa

Spotting whales from the Shake Shack at Crystal Cove

Family Vacation

The perfect time for making big portions of food, something I don't often get to do when cooking for myself in my little apartment. I got to make three great recipes for my family this week as we vacationed in Newport Coast, CA. The first, is a sweet mango salsa, the perfect compliment to the poolside beverage of your choice. My brother-in-law, who picked out this delicious beer for us, was practically begging me to make a second batch. This salsa is a healthy and colorful expression of summer, and a great way to change up a snack food favorite.

Honey Mango Salsa

Ingredients*:

• 3 mangos
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 2 serano chiles
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

*note: These measurements are guidelines. Everybody likes their salsa a little different. I like a little a lot of cilantro, and not as much heat. But if you like things spicy, feel free to throw in an extra pepper or chile. 

 

 

step. 1

peel and dice your mango. If you've never chopped a fresh mango before, it can be a little tricky because the center, or pit, is unusually shaped. I like to peel it first, and then cut lengthwise as close to the pit as I can, on both sides; splitting the mango into three pieces. 

 

 

   Then I make diagonal cuts toward the pit so I can figure out where it is, and then I slice chunks of the mango away from the pit. It can be a weird experience the first time, I'll be honest, so I suggest you buy an extra mango for practice. Once you get it, it's really easier to do than to explain. But you'll be thankful for your sous chef next time you see mango in your fruit salad. 

 

 Three fully diced mangoes should look like this:

step 2.

    Get the corn off it's cobb. I grilled my corn first so it had a little char on it, but this is optional. If you don't have a grill, you can rub a little oil on the cob and stick it under your broiler, rotating every 5 minutes or so. The honey and lime juice will deglaze the char later and you won't see any black corn in your salsa, but the smokey flavor will hang around for a subtle difference. 

 

step 3. 

  Chop your peppers. For your bell peppers and your chiles, you want to get out the veins and seeds. Just slice your pepper in half and scrape along the inside with a teaspoon until all the white parts and seeds are gone. Then chop finely. Go ahead and chop up that onion too. 

step 4. 

    In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and lime juice with a pinch of salt. Pour this over your fruit and veggie mixture and toss lightly. 

step 5.

    Chop your cilantro and gently fold into your salsa. Give it a taste, and add salt, pepper, or more spicy chiles as desired. 

 

Suggested serving: Sweet potato tortilla chips, or on top of a three cheese quesadilla.

A note on mangoes:  

If you're taking an iron supplement, which most vegetarians do in one way or another, the vitamin C in Mangoes will help your body absorb the iron into your blood. One raw mango carries almost 75% of your daily recommended value of Vitamin C.