We may be “jumping the gun” and celebrating early  with our summery-refreshing salad, but we just don’t care! Whip up this salad now, and make it through out the summer as well! The tart sweet tomatoes are a great foil for the juicy ripe mango. Easy AND delicious.

Parsley adds a green note of flavor to the salad as well as nutrition. A compound in parsley called carnosol may provide anticancer and anti-inflammatory benefits, according to a study published in the June 2011. In the review, parsley had benefit effects in reducing inflammation and inhibiting the development of leukemia, prostate, breast, skin and colon cancers. Certain flavonoid antioxidants named apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and kaempferol give parsley the health properties. Finally, parsley is high in vitamin C, providing 20 milligrams in a 1/4-cup serving of the fresh herb. The same-sized serving provides 21 milligrams of calcium, 8 milligrams of magnesium and 83 milligrams of potassium. What a wonderful salad with such great health benefits!

Refreshing Mango and Tomato Salad

• 1/4 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 TB Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 Tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 3 Ripe Mangoes, cut into ½” Cubes
• 2 TB Minced Red Onion
• 1 Small Cucumber peeled and seeded, cut into ½” Cubes
• 1 Jalapeno, Ribs removed, seeded and minced
• 1 Cup Chopped Parsley, divided
• 6 – 8 Tomatoes, sliced
• 1 Bag Baby Spinach
• ¼ Cup Slivered Almonds, toasted

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and mustard and season with salt. Add the onion, cucumber, jalapeno and ½ Cup parsley and stir. Arrange the spinach and then the tomatoes on the plates and top with the mango mixture. Garnish with slivered almonds and the remaining parsley and serve.