As I shared on my blog post earlier this week, I absolutely love pomegranates at this time of year and I find real joy in concocting new creations, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner, using this antioxidant-rich and incredibly tasty fruit!
The nice thing about pomegranates is that they are available in almost every grocery store this time of year. You don’t have to go around searching for them at the higher-end grocers. I found these ones for $1 a piece at a “bottom line prices” type of store! I can’t think of any better way to spend $1 folks!
Aside from eating them by the handful, which seems to be the most popular way to eat them around here (especially by my 4 and 1-year-old) I love to sprinkle them over salads.
And when you sprinkle pomegranates on a salad, you quickly get a very festive looking salad because of that bright ruby red colour of the pomegranate! Pair that with a fresh citrus/lime and olive oil dressing, and you have yourself a little taste of heaven 🙂
The best thing about this salad is that you can do much of the prep work ahead of time, which is key for all of you busy moms out there, including washing the greens, seeding the pomegranate, and toasting the sliced almonds.
Just in case you haven’t toasted almonds before, here is how I toasted mine:
- Place sliced almonds in a frypan over medium heat. (No oil needed)
- Add a pinch or two of cane sugar (optional)
- Stir until pan starts to heat and almonds begin to turn a toasty brown colour
- Remove from heat and spread out on a piece of parchment paper to cool
- Store in a container
I may have added a sprinkle or two of cane sugar to these toasted almonds 🙂
If you want to experiment with the dressing, I suggest trying some avocado oil instead of olive oil. It provides a beautiful flavour and pairs nicely with the chopped avocado in the salad.
The options are endless when making new salads this time of the year. Experiment with your favourite toppings and what’s in season and on sale. You’ll never know where it takes you!
Festive Green Leaf Pomegranate Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large head green leaf lettuce, trimmed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 box (142 g or 5 oz) of arugula OR baby spinach with arugula OR spring mix
- 1 large pomegranate, seeded (white membranes discarded)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see above for directions)
- 1 ripe avocado, chopped
PREPARATION:
- To make the dressing, whisk together lime juice, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar and salt are dissolved, then add oil in a steady stream, whisking until combined.
- Wash lettuce and spin to remove excess water.
- Combine all of the lettuces with the dressing and a handful or two of each of the toppings (pomegranate seeds, avocado and almonds).
- Then sprinkle the top of the salad with the remaining avocado, almonds and pomegranate seeds.
- Serve immediately.
T minus 24 days until Christmas!!
The gift of health makes a great gift for anyone on your Christmas list! Consider a gift certificate to Blueprint Nutrition for that special someone 🙂
Cheers,
