Did you ever see the movie ‘Willy Wonka’? Do you remember the scene when the contestants and their accompanying parent made it through the madcap start of their journey to arrive in the Wonka inner sanctum with the chocolate river, edible foliage and Oompa Loompas? Willy Wonka told them they could eat anything they chose and most dove in as though they’d been on a hunger strike before coming.
Augustus Gloop, the rotund, gluttonous German boy, shoved the candy edibles in his mouth so spastically it was uncomfortable to watch. It seemed to expose some deep-seated inner issue. Though not quite as ferocious, that is how I am with salad once the New Year arrives. I don’t embarrass myself in front of fellow diners but am ravenous for salad. But for winter salad. There is something digital about the end of December, leaving me crawling figuratively on hands and knees, from the Land of Sweets into a healthier food phase. It’s not even conscious, and it’s not about trying to lose weight or get healthier (which is a great side effect); it’s a bit like having been lost in a desert, emerging parched and desperate for water. Only it’s greens I seek.
I am currently obsessed with a particular winter salad. Cold weather baby greens adorned with slices of red onion, Seckel pears and pomegranate seeds with a drizzle of Apple Cider Vinaigrette. The variety of heartier greens are loaded with flavor and visual presence; arugula, baby red chard, and spinach. The young varieties of these greens are soft and dense with nutrition as well. The pomegranate (full of antioxidants) gives some sweetness but it’s really their crunch which I love. The onions add a spice and full flavor. The diminutive Seckel pears also contribute sweetness with crunch. I love everything about it; the unkempt look of it, the smell, the flavors, its variety and balance. Because it’s made with cold weather greens it slips naturally into our daily seasonally-inspired meals. (Kids love it too!)
I’ve included a basic Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe but two others that are also delicious and perfect for Winter Salads: Tangerine Balsamic Vinaigrette and Apple Cider Beet Vinaigrette
Recipe
Pomegranate and Pear Winter Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Ingredients for 1 serving of Salad (side salad size):
- 1 cup Mixed Baby Greens: Spinach , red chard, green chard, arugula*,rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons Red Onion , (see below for cutting instructions)
- ½ Seckel pear , seeded and sliced vertically
Ingredients for Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Apple Juice
- ¼-1/2 cup quality Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions for the Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
- In a jar with a lid, combine apple cider vinegar, apple juice, and ¼ cup olive oil. Seal jar and shake vigorously to combine. Taste the dressing and adjust with more oil as needed. Salt and pepper to taste. Note: Generally the proportions of vinegar to oil in this type of dressing are 1 portion vinegar to 2 portions oil. I love more even portions so the recipe starts there and you can add more oil to change the flavor if you prefer. Apple cider vinegar, especially mixed with apple juice don’t tend to be as strong as other vinegars to me.
Instructions to assemble Winter Salad:
- Cut a 1/4 inch thick slice from the middle section of a medium red onion and then cut the slice into ¾ inch long pieces. Can also be chopped if preferred.
- Place greens on the plate to be served. Layer onion segments, pear slices and pomegranate seeds on top. Drizzle very lightly with Apple Cider Vinaigrette. If making a larger portion, the salad can be tossed with the dressing and served if easier.
Notes
Nutrition
In the spirit of a delicious and healthy start to the year I’m sharing some more recipes that might be of interest. To be clear, it has to taste good for me to be interested. I’m as keen on healthy eating as the next girl but not unless it’s a visual and flavorful celebration!
SOUPS and SALADS
Split Pea Soup with Red Wine and Ham
Roasted Pumpkin and Cannellini Bean soup
Anasazi Bean and Roasted Chile soup
Spicy Mustard Mint Mizuna salad with Tangerine-Balsamic
Arugula Apple-Beet Candied Pecan Salad
SIDES and DESSERT
Homemade Applesauce (no sugar)
Three ingredient No Bake Berry Tart (any berries can be used)
MAIN DISHES
Peanut Encrusted Pork Tenderloin
Walnut Meyer Lemon Pesto with Brown Rice Penne
Costa Rican Gallo Pinto (beans and Rice)
Toasted Pistachio Arugula Pesto with Brown Rice Fusili Pasta
WATER, WATER, WATER!
We hear it all the time ‘Drink More Water!’ but do you? Living at altitude we especially notice when we don’t hydrate adequately. One trick to make it easier is to infuse your water with herbs, fruits and/or vegetables. In addition to Mint Water which I make all the time in the summer, I found a fabulous post about Infusing Coconut Water on Fuss Free Cooking. Coconut Water is super hydrating, and who could pass up these gorgeous infusions?!
For more delicious suggestions, check out my Pinterest Board ‘Healthy Goodness’ for no-compromise, beautiful food with big flavor!
marla says
Love this recipe! Will be linking back to this in my upcoming post 🙂
Toni Dash says
Thanks Marla!
marla says
Such a beautiful winter salad!!
Toni Dash says
Thanks Marla! Love a dish that’s as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat too!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I love adding pom seeds to the salad, both for the benefits and for the color and yours is such a beautiful looking salad. Love those mixed greens!
Toni Dash says
I do too Roxanna. Once you figure out how to get the seeds out of the pomegranate, a whole new world of possibilities opens up! Thanks for your kind comment.
Sara @ The Cozy Herbivore says
This is stunning! I love the colors, it just looks so crisp and vibrant and beautiful. The perfect pick-me-up on a dreary winter day.
BTW, I got my Hobbit book in the mail, thank you again! It’s really silly and adorable, I love it!
Laura says
Looks great! Exactly what I need after the holidays, when I ate too much meat.
Toni Dash says
I ate too much everything Laura!
Meeling says
Wonderful salad!! I love pomegranate seeds and the seeds are so easy to remove yourself but for those that don’t want to, “pom” now sells the seeds in a little jar at the market.
Yum!!
Melissa says
This looks yummy. I love pomegranates and put them in my oatmeal in the morning (along with some fresh fruit). Delicious!!
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
Happy New Year! I adore pomegranates. What a fantastic pop of flavor (and color) for the salad. The three salad dressings sound fantastic too. I’m very intrigued by the tangerine one (being a citrus freak and all). I wish I shared the yen for greenery come new year, but that pull just isn’t as strong in me as it should be. Does it help that I always, always drink water? Even with my coffee on my desk now, there’s a glass of water alongside it, almost empty.
Toni Dash says
YES, you are redeemed for your water consumption. One thing I found when really beginning to eat seasonally is my tastes change every season. Would never eat soup in summer and equally don’t think about berries and most salad in the winter. I think the desparate need to stuff greens in my mouth is related to the imbalance in December; rich, fattier foods, far less vegetables. I literally can barely stand it by New Year’s day!
Kristi Rimkus says
I love mixed greens like these. This is such a healthy salad. Perfect after all that holiday food.
Toni Dash says
I agree Kristi, completely. I love baby greens too because their flavor and texture is much more delicate but packed with nutrition. This salad comes together in the blink of an eye (good for me as sometimes if it takes too much work for the time I have, I won’t bother with salad).
Toni Dash says
Mary you are so kind! I love the unkempt, tossled look of the salad and then to bite in with so many flavors and texture…I’m smitten!
Mary says
Your photography is always beautiful, but this salad is breathtakingly so. Gorgeous colors and it is a great shot too!