Spinach, Pear and Pomegranate Salad
Pomegranate seeds and walnuts add extra antioxidant power to this seriously nutritious—and delicious—salad. Slice and add the pears just before serving the salad, as the flesh will brown very quickly. For easier prep, purchase fresh pomegranate seeds at the market.
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Ingredients
- 1/3 cup walnut pieces
- 3 Tbs. cider vinegar
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 8 oz. baby spinach
- 2 ripe pears, such as Bartlett, cored and sliced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Directions
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour onto a plate to cool. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper to make a dressing.
Add the spinach, pears, pomegranate seeds and walnuts to the bowl and toss gently to mix and coat well. Divide the salad among 4 plates or bowls and top each with about 1 Tbs. blue cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Healthy in a Hurry, by Karen Ansel, MS, RD and Charity Ferreira (Weldon Owen, 2011).