Chopped Mango Salad

This is one of my top favorite salads, and I tend to make a lot of it so it lasts me throughout the week - in 20 minutes you've basically made your lunch for the next 5 days (if it lasts that long). This is also a great transitional salad towards raw. The only "cooked" item is the beans, and everything else is raw, so you can pat yourself on the back as you realize you've done something amazingly healthy for yourself. 

You can tweak it as you wish, but try to keep to the staples - beans, mango, and veggies. The rest is up to you.  Also, for me the cilantro makes it "pop" but for you, that might mean parsley, or another fun herb like basil.  Also, I realize this list is long and it's not practical for some people.  If you only have green peppers, then just use that. If you don't like onions, omit them, etc.  

You want a good balance of sweet (mango) to spice (jalapeno) and also in terms of texture - soft (beans) to crunchy (veggies).  No matter what, experiment, have fun and enjoy the process.

2.5 or 3 cups black beans (or 2 cans of Eden black beans, drained)
  (you can also mix one black bean with one kidney bean)
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 mango, peeled, and diced
jalapeno, diced, to taste
1 medium tomato (or a handful of cherry tomatoes), diced
2 inches cucumber, diced
one large handful cilantro, minced
drizzle of flax seed oil
about 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Mix everything together and enjoy with a hearty flax seed cracker or with a sprouted tortilla.  I also like it as is with a side of sliced avocado.