Citrus Salad with Pomegranate & Mint

Hundreds of nutritious fruits, vegetables and grains are indigenous to the African continent, where the cuisines of each country and region are as diverse as the crops that grow there. Our series, African Heritage Diet as Medicine: How Black Food Can Heal the Community, explores the African Heritage Diet and highlights some of the most nutrient-dense foods found on the African continent and treasured by the diaspora. This dietary pattern—introduced by Oldways—promotes health outcomes associated with longevity and increased vitality and features foods that are most likely to be available worldwide.

At one of my first meals at the home of friends who would later become chosen family in Dakar, I was surprised when a beautiful basket of mangoes was passed at the end of the meal, and folks went about paring them and eating them as their dessert. 

As one who has never had a sweet tooth for pies and cakes, I was delighted to discover that the rich, sweet desserts that are typically the ending flourish of an American meal are not a part of the numerous culinary traditions on much of the African continent. In Morocco, I was greeted in my hotel room by a blue-and-white bowl filled to the brim with fruit, reminding me of the fruit bounty of the country—natives of Tangier are even called Tangerines. In the Ivory Coast, pineapples are a way of life, making an appearance in just about every meal when they are in season. In Western Africa, fruit is especially on display at dessert time when it takes pride of place.

This fruit-for-dessert mantra has been taken to heart and become a large part of the African Heritage Diet Food Pyramid that was designed by Oldways Preservation and Trust. Back when we were working to develop the Pyramid, which sought to highlight the foods, eating patterns and rich cultural heritage of the African diaspora to help reduce the risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, we were all delighted at how reconfiguring the typically less-nutritious course made for a more rounded and still satisfying finish. No one was against the idea of finishing off the meal with a small bit of sweetness, so the idea of fruit as a finish was another way to incorporate more produce into one's diet.

I keep to it today and often surprise friends with this colorful and refreshing citrus salad at the end of a meal. It's based on a traditional Moroccan starter of oranges, radishes and orange flower water, but I find that it works perfectly as a dessert. If I'm in New Orleans, much of the citrus may come from my garden, where I grow everything from Meyer lemons to kumquats as well as the mint that is used for a garnish. My body may be in the Crescent City, but after one bite I'm transported to the shores of the Mediterranean.