Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Every good entree needs a great, fresh salad, preferably green. And yes, even the holiday menu can benefit from tasty greens, complementing the heavier entree or side dishes and providing color contrast to the brown and orange colored foods like turkey/chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots, rolls etc. The nutritional contribution goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway . . . EAT YOUR GREENS!!
A winter green salad means using vegetables that are available AND flavorful year round like celery, onion, carrot, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mixed greens of all varieties to name a few. Generally summer garden vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers are available, but are not full-flavored and are spendy compared to other more available vegetables listed above.
I love adding winter fruit to salads, like these beautiful red pears available at good prices in the winter (and fall). They are so naturally sweet, add moisture and a little crunch too! Speaking of crunch, I like adding chopped nuts like honey roasted almonds or pecans which you can make yourself or purchase pre-made. The dried cranberries addition is for “pretty” and a touch of natural sweetness.
You’ll love the Pomegranate Dressing. It’s the star of the recipe! Even though it’s made with pomegranate juice, it’s not that sweet. The olive oil and vinegar dominate which is a good thing because of the sweetness in the salad ingredients. Using mustard also keeps the sugar quotient down and helps the olive oil emulsify (not separate). Drizzle the olive oil into the dressing when blending to help that process. By the way pomegranate juice is super high in anti-oxidants, chemicals which fight inflammation. It’s a little pricey, but worth it for this dressing.
Serve with your favorite holiday meal or anytime of year for a fresh and colorful addition.
- Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
- 2 cups spring salad mix
- 2 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 cup sliced celery (about 2 ribs)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 pear sliced or chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup Honey Roasted chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp EACH garlic powder, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Combine spring mix, Brussels sprouts, celery and red onion in a large serving dish. Divide evenly between 8 serving plates. Arrange pear slices, dried cranberries and chopped pecans over top.
- For the Dressing: Combine the pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a container of a small food processor; cover and process until well blended. With motor running slowly pour in olive oil to blend with dressing. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve (up to 5 days). Shake/whisk before serving. (Will not use all the dressing.)
- When ready to serve, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to combine.
You will also enjoy:
Spinach, Pear and Walnut Salad with Tarragon Dressing
Berries and Nuts Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Roasted Artichoke and White Bean Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
