Winter Salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon,Toasted Almonds and Raspberry Vinaigrette
Day 3 of Healthy Week guys, and it's salad time! You knew it had to be coming, right?!! But this is no ordinary ho-hum lettuce experience. Would I do that to you? No way! If you're craving sweetness, this is right up your alley because this salad takes 2 kind of off-the-beaten-path winter fruits, pomegranate and persimmons, and pairs them with slightly peppery arugula and a tangy raspberry vinaigrette, to create a unique wow-in-your-mouth culinary adventure! You're going to love this!
Are you familiar with persimmons? I have to admit, that until I took a look at this recipe, I'd never actually seen, let alone, tasted one. Yes, I lead a rather sheltered life! In any case, if you too have been leading a persimmon-free existence, they sort of look like a very orange-y tomato and taste sweet with a delicate sort of flavor--kind of hard to describe. You really do have to try one and the time to do it is now, while they're still in season.
The other thing that makes this salad so fun and unique are the pomegranate seeds. They're sweet, tangy, add an interesting texture and really brighten up a drab winter's day!!
Rounding out the salad are the toasted almonds, giving the salad an added crunch factor and the lovely raspberry vinaigrette, which for us anyway, strict devotees of the balsamic vinaigrette camp, makes a really nice change of pace. This is easy enough to make for a weeknight first course, but interesting and fancy enough to serve at a dinner party too. Truly versatile!!
Just looking at this makes you feel healthier! It's said that we eat with our eyes and if that's so then this simple but gorgeous salad is a feast! So many colors and shapes! And all of them natural too! Proof positive that Mother Nature knows best!
Winter Salad with Pomegranate, Persimmon, Toasted Almonds and Raspberry Vinaigrette
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes (less if you buy the already seeded pomegranate seeds)
Ingredients
1/3 cup toasted, sliced almonds
1 large bag baby arugula
1 pomegranate seeded, (about 1/2 cup seeds if you're buying already-seeded pomegranate seeds)
2 ripe but still somewhat firm Fuyu persimmons (flat-bottomed), peeled and cut into thin wedges
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
The Recipe
1. Place the arugula, pomegranate seeds and persimmons in a large salad bowl and mix together gently. Set aside.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk the raspberry vinegar and pomegranate juice together. Slowly whisk in the grapeseed and olive oils and blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette and top with the toasted almonds.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone by Curtis Stone. I toyed around with some of the measurements and swapped almonds for hazelnuts.
