‘Tis the season of eggnog, sugar cookies and holiday parties (slash cocktails).
In other words, big-time indulgence.
Don’t misunderstand me. There’s room for indulgence.
Guess what there’s also room for? Healthy seasonal options. No word of a lie.
Like mandarin oranges, in-shell nuts and Lifesavers candy books, pomegranates = Christmas time.
This recipe incorporates pomegranates in a unique way and is a healthy option for an office potluck or a side for Christmas dinner.
First, you’ll need to start with a little cooked quinoa…
Quinoa with pomegranates, hazelnuts and feta
Serves | 6-8 |
Prep time | 30 minutes |
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup hazelnuts (roasted and roughly chopped )
- 75g feta cheese (crumbled)
- the seeds of 1/2 - 3/4 of a pomegranate
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Medium shallot (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Note
This can be served alone as a side or combined with canned chickpeas for a terrific lunch.
Directions
1. | Combine cooked and cooled quinoa with hazelnuts, pomegranate, feta cheese and parsley in a large bowl |
2. | In a separate small bowl, add vinegar, olive oil, shallot, mustard, and honey and whisk until well combined. |
3. | Toss quinoa mixture with dressing and serve with additional pomegranate seeds and parsley sprinkled on top. |
To toast whole hazelnuts, heat oven to 350F and roast for 10-12 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, rubs the skins off with a clean dishtowel. The skins can be quite bitter.
Don’t fuss about getting every last piece of skin though.
My favourite way to seed a pomegranate. Also my husband’s (the household neat freak).
Cut pomegranate in half.
Fill a large bowl halfway with water. Submerge the pomegranate halves in the water while peeling off the skin and popping out all of the seeds. The seeds sink and the bitter white flesh floats and can be skimmed right off the top.
Strain out the water and dump the seeds on a clean dish towel to dry.
I served this as a side for some fish. Since there was a lot left over, I added a can of chickpeas, and lunch for tomorrow is all set!
Happy Holidays to All!
Erin
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Susan says
That’s REALLY a pretty salad. Great use of colorful (and healthy) ingredients.
Richelle says
I got a pomegranate seeder for Christmas. Thought you needed to know this. XO
Angie says
Just made this…..delicious!!! Especially like the idea of adding chick peas for lunch tomorrow. I’m an utterly hopeless cook but I love the photos somehow they give me the confidence to cook!! Marvellous.
Love Angie