A classic lime margarita can get boring just like a breakfast banana can. But don't worry, there is a perfect solution to both of those issues: Pomegranates. Pomegranates are a great way to switch up the fruit in your house and is also a great juice to add to your crushes, margaritas, or simple vodka and soda. Take a look at some of the benefits of pomegranate seeds, and even pomegranate oil.
- One average pomegranate contains 4.7 grams of protein and 11.3 grams of fiber
- An average pomegranate contains 32% of the daily value of Vitamin C and 27% of the daily value of Folate
- Pomegranates are full of antioxidants which help protect the cells of your body from damage by free radicals. Too many free radicals can be harmful to your body and contribute to many chronic diseases.
- Pomegranates are a great short-term cure to inflammation
- Pomegranates, both their juice and oil, can help kill cancer cells and slow their spread in the body.
Recipes:
Pomegranate Feta Salad (the-girl-who-ate-everything.com)
- 1/2 cup Pecans
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 10 ounce package Mixed Baby Greens
- 1 Pomegranate, peel and seeds separated
- 1/4 Red Onion, sliced thin
- 1 8 ounce package crumbled Feta Cheese
Dressing:
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon White Sugar or Honey
- 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- To make the candied pecans, pour the sugar in a small skillet and pour the pecans on top. Cook over medium heat until sugar melts and turns a caramel color stirring constantly so that the nuts and sugar do not burn. Be patient! It takes a while for the sugar to start melting. Once the sugar turns a caramel color coat keep stirring to coat the pecans with it. Pour pecans onto greased wax paper or aluminum foil to cool. Once pecans are cooled, break them into pieces.
- Place the lettuce, pomegranate seeds, red onion, feta cheese, and pecan pieces into a large mixing bowl; set aside.
- Whisk together the Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil, sugar or honey, lemon zest, lemon juice (to taste), salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs (granbaby-cakes.com)
- 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 lbs Beef Short Ribs
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 medium Onion, chopped
- 3 Bacon slices, cut into small pieces
- 3 teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 cups Pomegranate Juice
- 1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
- 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Parsley and Pomegranate seeds for garnish
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add olive oil to large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Liberally season short ribs with salt and pepper to taste then add short ribs to the hot pot.
- Sear ribs on all sides until golden brown. Once beef is finished searing, remove from pot, drain on paper towels, and place to the side. Using a knife, deglaze the bottom of the pan getting up all of the bits of deliciousness stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Next add chopped onion and bacon to pan and brown until onion is tender (about 6-8 minutes). Add garlic and only cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and stir together and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in pomegranate juice, beef stock, and soy sauce then stir in brown sugar and ground ginger and whisk until everything is smooth. Add thyme sprigs then bring the braising liquid to a boil.
- Once boiling, return beef short ribs to liquid, cover with top and place in the oven for 2 - 2½ hours or until ribs are completely tender (easily separated with a fork) and the liquid has thickened into a gravy that has stuck to the ribs.
- At this point, there will be lots of fat that has rendered to the top from the ribs. You will want to scoop this out to remove it. If you have time, place the entire dutch oven in the fridge for a few hours and let the fat solidify. You can easily scoop it out then and place the oven right back on the heat to heat up. It also let’s the flavors intensify even more
Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon (foodandwine.com)
- 1 cup refrigerated Pomegranate Juice
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup fresh Meyer Lemon Juice
- 1/3 cup fresh Navel Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 20 large Sea Scallops, side muscles removed, scallops patted dry
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 cup Pomegranate Arils
- 2 small Persian Cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup Naval Orange Segments
- 2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon Segments
- 1 tablespoon unseeded fresh Serrano Chile Slices
- 1 teaspoon toasted Black Sesame Seeds
- Fresh Cilantro Leaves, for garnish
- Toasted Lavash Bread, for serving
- Bring pomegranate juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Boil, undisturbed, until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt; stir until dissolved. Transfer to a medium bowl; chill until mixture reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pour lemon juice and orange juice through a fine wire-mesh strainer into pomegranate mixture; stir to combine, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 14-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sprinkle scallops evenly with black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook scallops until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Quickly flip scallops; cook 15 seconds. Divide scallops evenly among 4 shallow bowls; let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Arrange pomegranate arils, cucumbers, orange segments, and lemon segments evenly around scallops. Carefully pour 1/3 cup chilled pomegranate mixture around inside edge of each bowl so juice runs to bottom of bowl without covering scallops. Top servings evenly with serrano slices, if using. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil evenly over scallop mixture; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Garnish with cilantro, and serve with lavash.
