Crunchy pomegranate salad just in time for summer barbecues

If the length of your life is directly proportional to the amount of antioxidants in your body, as some studies suggest, this salad should see you right through to a healthy hundred. Also, it’s delicious.

This flavorful recipe came to me via a school mate of mine from the Faculty of Food Science at the University of Toronto. I mention this because it is a dish I think Elizabeth Zott, the heroine of the popular novel Lessons in Chemistry, would probably like to make for her TV audience on Supper at Six. It’s hearty and colorful. And it comes with a flavor pop that is sure to please. But best of all, it’s packed with nutrition.

It’s easiest if you have an efficient grater of some sort. Mine is a food processor that comes with a slicer that I can swap out for a grater blade. I removed the blender blade from the bowl, and away I went. It made quick work of grating the large carrot and parsnip that forms the basis of this salad.

To that you add toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and, of course, the seeds from a ripe pomegranate. Some finely chopped kale adds contrasting color. Sweet onion and celery, chopped fine, complete the dish by adding more crunch.

*Pomegranate molasses or syrup, also known as grenadine, are all one and the same thing*

The dressing is super easy. Just mix half-and-half good virgin olive oil with pomegranate syrup, AKA grenadine or pomegranate molasses. All three are exactly the same thing. Find it in a Middle Eastern store or on the International shelves of your local grocery chain.

Serve in a glass bowl to show off the colors and you’re done. It took me about an hour to assemble and wash up. You can make the salad a day ahead and add the dressing just before serving.

*Use a wooden spoon to pound an inverted half of a pomegranate to dislodge the seeds*

Linda’s crunchy pomegranate salad
Serves 6 to 8, about 4 cups

1 large parsnip, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet Vidalia onion (if you can’t find any sweet onions, leave the onion out)
1 ripe pomegranate
1 cup finely chopped kale leaves, omitting the stalks
3 tablespoons shelled sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup good quality virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pomegranate syrup (also known as grenadine or pomegranate molasses)
A few good grinds of salt and pepper to taste

*Food processor with the slicing blade inverted to the grater option*

Use an electric grater if you have one to make fast work of grating the parsnip and carrot, then add them to a generous-sized mixing bowl and toss well.
Wash the celery well, then slice each stalk in strips. Turn the strips and chop them into very small pieces. Add to the salad bowl.
Cut two thin slices off a large Vidalia onion and chop it finely. Add it to the salad.
Add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds to the salad. If you want to toast them in an unoiled pan on the stove top, it will add about 10 minutes to your prep time. Watch them carefully, and remove them from the heat the minute they start to brown. Pour them onto a plate to cool. Add them to the salad.
Wash the kale leaves, cut out the stems, and chop the leaves finely. Kale can be tough if the pieces are too large. So chop as finely as you can. Add them to the salad.
Cut the pomegranate in half across the middle, not through the stem at the top. Using a big wooden spoon, hold one of the halves in your palm over a bowl and beat the skin hard. This dislodges the seeds, which should hopefully fall through your fingers into the bowl. Keep turning and beating until most of the seeds are dislodged. Now you can turn the softened skin inside out to get the last of the seeds. Add all the seeds to the salad.
Put the olive oil and pomegranate syrup together into a small glass jar and shake until well blended. Grind in a few turns of salt and pepper. Taste and add more if needed.
Toss the salad well, then add the dressing. Toss some more. Spoon the salad into a glass bowl and serve.

Nutrition facts

Each ingredient in this salad is an important source of antioxidants. And there are seven of them! Here is a brief run-down of the tremendous health benefits of this colorful salad.

Pomegranates – In their whole-fruit form, they are health-boosting power-houses. They are high in fiber, vitamin C, and folate, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Their antioxidants are called ellagitannins, which help reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the primary cause of so many of our chronic diseases. By reducing inflammation in the brain, ellagitannins also help protect against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The fiber in pomegranate provides fuel for probiotics and thus helps prevent certain digestive health conditions. The polyphenolic compounds in this fruit can reduce blood pressure, decrease plaque buildup, and reduce chest pain. They can also protect against cancer, slowing tumor growth and protecting your cells from free radical damage. No wonder it was once considered food for the gods!

Carrot – This orange root veggie is a particularly good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Carrots are linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health. What’s more, their carotene antioxidants have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.

Parsnip – It’s rich in several important nutrients and antioxidants that may improve immunity, enhance digestive health, and aid weight loss.

Sunflower seeds – Small but powerful, these seeds are rich in healthy fats, beneficial plant compounds, and several vitamins and minerals that play a role in reducing risk of common health problems, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Pumpkin seeds – Eating only a small amount of pumpkin seeds can provide you with a substantial quantity of healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc. These nutrients can help improve fertility, heart health, and blood sugar control.

Olive oil – Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, makes up 71% of the total oil content in olive oil. Studies suggest that it reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Olive oil is also loaded with powerful antioxidants that are biologically active in reducing risk of chronic diseases that affect your cardiovascular and central nervous system.

References

I’ve relied on Healthline Nutrition for most of the scientific information on nutrition in these foods, a trusted source. Check them out yourself for details. The antioxidants in all these amazing salad ingredients keep the oxygen that you take in when you breath from rusting your body away, from the inside out. if you have read this far, you have just reviewed another helpful “Lesson in Chemistry.”