The things I learned about pomegranate while tossing this Pear Harvest Salad

We fell in love with this Pear Harvest Salad, although the addition of pomegranate seeds in the recipe at first gave me pause. Hubby helped me remove the seeds from the pomegranate. I know pomegranate is BIG right now; it’s said to have antioxidant health benefits and be effective against heart disease and hypertension. I surely didn’t want to leave it out and miss those possible plusses.

I simply couldn’t see how those seeds were going to work in a salad. They looked as if they were the sort of things that would immediately get stuck in your teeth and detract.

When I tossed them in—reluctantly—and bit into my first seed as part of the mix, it unleashed a tiny burst of pomegranate juice that was the perfect tart/sweet addition to the salad. The seed casing then seemed to dissolve in my mouth. I’m pleased to report that not one seed got stuck. I don’t think this salad would be nearly as delicious without it. (Plus the skin from the seeds is thought to add fiber to the diet.)

The recipe called for 4 cups cubed turkey breast, but as I do with many recipes, I subbed cooked chicken breast, which I’m more likely to have on hand. We loved the pear/avocado combo and the topping of blue cheese and honey-roasted sliced almonds. The cider vinegar/honey/Dijon mustard dressing was wonderful.

This would be a scene-stealer salad at a bring-a-dish event or merely one your family will enjoy down to the last morsel in the bowl.

Pear Harvest Salad

2 packages (5-ounces each) spring mix salad greens

4 cups cubed cooked turkey breast (I used chicken breast)

2 medium pears, sliced

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:

6 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Topping:

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup honey-roasted sliced almonds

Divide spring mix among six plates. (I merely put my spring mix in a big salad bowl and tossed all ingredients together instead of dividing the mix.) Layer with turkey, pears, avocado, pomegranate seeds, and onion. Whisk the dressing ingredients; drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with cheese and almonds. Makes 6 servings. (Recipe source: Taste of Home Thanksgiving Recipe Cards)