Healthy eating advocates often tell us to eat the rainbow and I can’t think of anything more colorful or healthy than this Pomegranate Orange Salad. It’s light, tasty and filled with juicy oranges, tart pomegranate seeds, healthy avocado and crunchy almonds. Keeping with healthy we topped it with a light honey sweetened dressing. Yum!
The holiday season seemed to fly by but it was a great one in our household. My daughter, husband and 2 grandkids joined us and we had a happy full house with loads of family time and, of course, great meals! I hope your holiday season was a wonderful one as well.
I had promised I would get back to my posting in the new year but, sigh, it wasn’t to be. I spent the first two days trying to get the house straightened up after the family left and get all the Christmas decorations packed away for next year. Yes, they are all down! Why, you ask? Well, my birthday is coming up tomorrow and my Mom always had all the holiday decorations down and my birthday decorations up so that I could feel it was my day instead of an extension of Christmas. Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard. So I’ve carried on the tradition.
But I’m back now & ready to cook up a storm. Speaking of cooking, on Christmas Eve I made one of the best standing rib roasts I’ve ever had and served it with this delicious salad. I found the original recipe on Chelsea’s Messy Apron and adapted it only slightly. I changed out the feta cheese for goat cheese and eliminated the cayenne pepper due to allergies. It was a huge hit and balanced out the meal perfectly! And the best part – it was so easy! Oh, and good for you too! Take a look at some of the benefits below.
- Mixed Greens – are packed with both vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A & C, folate, magnesium, potassium and iron. The perfect combination for a strong immune system.
- Oranges – are packed with Vitamin C and plenty of antioxidants. This fruit can help lower blood pressure and works as a powerful anti-inflammatory.
- Pomegranate Seeds – much like oranges, are a rich source of Vitamin C and antioxidants. They contain important dietary fiber and are high in anti-inflammatory properties. Eating pomegranate seeds has been shown to protect against certain cancers as well as Alzheimer’s.
- Avocados – contain a vast array of vitamins including K, C, B5, B6, and E as well as potassium. Potassium provides a reduced risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks. The monounsaturated fat they contain is a heart healthy fat & a great addition to any diet.
- Sliced Almonds – similar to avocados, have a high level of monounsaturated fats, the same fats found in olive oil, which reduce the risk of heart disease as well as cholesterol levels.
Wouldn’t you agree that this is an excellent salad to add to your diet in 2017?
- 7 cups fresh pre-washed mixed greens
- 3 navel oranges, peeled, divided into sections & halved
- 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup orange juice or about the juice of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey (can add more if you like a sweeter dressing)
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup extra light virgin olive oil
- Pinch of ground pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Place greens in a large salad bowl. Top with remaining salad ingredients.
- Prepare dressing by vigorously whisking all ingredients together.
- Pour over salad, toss gently and serve immediately.
If not serving salad immediately, combine all salad ingredients but cheese and almonds. Make dressing and store separately. When ready to serve, add cheese and almonds to salad and toss with dressing.
DON’T MISS A RECIPE!
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And while you’re at it, check out our newest cookbook, Healthy & Free, available now on Amazon. It will get your new year off to a great start!
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