I love this salad! The mix of hot and cold ingredients, the mix of sweet and savory, and the fact that all the ingredients are in season which means shopping locally! In case you’re not entirely sold on the idea of adding pomegranate to your salad, check out all the health benefits!
Pomegranates contain fibre, protein, Vit C, Vit K, Folate and Potassium. They also contain plant compounds punicalagins (a powerful antioxidant) and punic acid (a fatty acid) which contain most of their health benefits including it’s potent anti-inflammatory properties. In addition it may help fight some forms of cancer, lower blood pressure and help with joint pain just to name a few. To see more details on the health benefits and the research click here. Just be mindful that pomegranates are still a fruit and therefore are loaded with natural sugars. Make sure you include this in your daily tally of pieces of fruit you have consumed so you don’t over do it!
This dish serves 2 but you can easily make it for more or less by halving or doubling ingredients. If you have a favourite ingredient you may wish to add more of that particular item, yummo! If you have prepared everything in advance this salad is quick to put together, about 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 a Cauliflower cut into flowerettes
- approx 4 inches of Sweet Potato cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 generous handfuls of Kale
- 1/2 cup Quinoa (pre-cooked and cooled will make about 1.5 cups click here to learn how to cook quinoa)
- 1 Pomegranate
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 2 teaspoons of mixed seeds
- OPTIONAL: Pulled Pork, Lamb, Chicken (approximately 150 grams per person)
- OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup crumbled goats feta (leave out if lactose/dairy free)
Method
Step 1 – Pre-cook the cauliflower, sweet potato and any meat you are including.
- To pre-cook the cauliflower simply steam in what ever fashion you normally would (not too much though, you want it to stay firm enough that it doesn’t fall apart)
- To pre-cook sweet potato you can steam it or roast it, which ever is your preference.
- Pre-cook meat in what ever way you most enjoy. Slow cooking is a great way to get the meat tender, it will literally pull away from the bone, yum! For a few different slow cooked pulled pork recipes click here.
Note: I usually make this salad the day after doing a slow cooked roast and roast veggies to make it easier to have all the ingredients ready to go.
Step 2 – Put the Kale in the bottom of the bowls or plates you are going to serve your salads in.
Step 3 – Cut your pomegranate in half and spoon the whole seeds onto the bed of kale. Next add the cooled quinoa.
Step 4 – Over medium heat and with a little coconut oil, toast the slivered almonds and sprinkle evenly between the two bowls.
Step 5 – Using the same pan brown the cauliflower and sweet potato and once at desired temperature add to the salads. If you prefer you veggies cold, skip this step.
Step 6 – Again using the same pan, if needed add some more oil and heat the meat through. Once nice and hot, layer the meat evenly between the salads.
Step 7 – Next sprinkle the teaspoon of mixed seeds over each bowl and add the feta on top if including it.
Your mouth should now be watering! Enjoy!