How To Peel + Enjoy A Pomegranate
It is the season for pomegranate and to enjoy these wonderful antioxidant rich ruby red jewels in a variety of healthy meals. Think baby spinach leaves topped with Persian feta, pistachio, figs and a generous scattering of pomegranate, maybe a muhammara dip made from pomegranate, roasted red capsicum and walnuts served with crunchy raw vegetable crudities or a refreshing salsa made from pomegranate, orange, lemon and coriander you can spoon over grilled organic chicken, rare roast beef or vegetable tagine. The possibilities are endless and personally, I just love to eat them straight enjoying their natural delicious flavour.
What’s good about them:
They are high in antioxidants, especially C that can help support your immune system, also high in fibre for healthy digestion. Studies show pomegranate could also be beneficial to helping reduce cholesterol as well as having anti-inflamatory properties.
STEP 1: PLACE THE WHOLE POMEGRANATE ONTO A WORKING BENCH (see picture below)
STEP 2: TRIM OFF THE TOP AND BOTTOM ENDS SO THAT YOUR POMEGRANATE SITS NEATLY:
Make sure the crown end is on top.
STEP 3: REMOVE THE SKIN:
The skin is tough so it needs to be removed with a knife. You can do this a little like peeling an apple all the way around or like you would an orange from top to bottom.
The skin is also thin so try not to damage the exposed jewels of pomegranate underneath the skin.
STEP 4: REMOVE THE CENTRE CORE:
Insert a small knife into the centre core and remove it, the pomegranate may also split at this stage but this is ok.
STEP 5: PULL APART THE POMEGRANATE:
Just like you would an orange or mandarine. The gory of the jewels will be exposed so you can eat and enjoy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Add pomegranate seeds to a leafy green salad made with baby spinach, pistachio and Persian feta, serve with pomegranate dressing.
Sprinkle pomegranate over your next bircher muesli
Add to quinoa and oven roasted vegetables or a Detox energy salad.
Make a salsa from fresh pomegranate jewels, lemon, honey, cold pressed olive oil and coriander. Spoon over grilled chicken, rare roast beef or oven roasted cinnamon pumpkin.
Add pomegranate to a power smoothie or fresh juice.
Nutritional info: 100 g edible portion of pomegranate jewels
Protein: 1.9 g
Total fat: 1 g
Carbs: 13.5 g
fibre: 3.5 g
sodium: 4 g
Calories: 83
kilojoules: 349
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Hi teresa, this is so helpful! Love the pomegranate dressing too. Just wondering also if you had any ideas for what would be a good packed lunch? we’re going hiking this long weekend so i’m looking for something vegetarian and GF that can be made early and chucked around in the heat. Thanks for any help and wishing you and your family a safe and happy easter.
Hi Theresa,
Always love your recipes. When I was in India a waiter there showed me another interesting trick with pomegranates. Slice it in half, then put the cut side down and cup it in your palm. Take a spoon and whack the back of the pomegranate (on the skin side). All the little pearls will fall out into your hand or onto your plate! One of my traveling companions was borderline diabetic and this was the only fruit they recommended that she could eat every morning, I believe because of its low glycemic index.
How to squeeze a pommegranite: Roll the whole pommegranite on the kitchen bench again and again, pressing it and listening as you hear the seeds pop. Put a hole in with a skewer and squeeze into a glass. Enjoy
Love all these great suggestions. I remember as a child I used to sit and pick each seed out with a safety pin! Not very safe and extremely tedious! It always put me off buying them and now I know the easy ways I can enjoy them again. Thanx guys and love your recipes Teresa! xx
Happy Easter Linzi ! xxx
Hi Teresa, great post! Do you mind if I link back to it in one of my own blog posts?
Go Ahead ! thanks Kirsty
Do you have any advice on a healthy bbq sauce?