In the United States, we are gearing up for the Thanksgiving holiday in one week. This is when family and friends come together over turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Oh wait, it’s not about the meal, it’s actually about giving gratitude and being thankful. Somehow, the meal takes center stage.
If you celebrate, what’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day food? Truth be told, it is my favorite holiday, because it means being together with loved ones and sharing the practice of gratitude together. Next to that though, it’s all about the pumpkin pie. The one thing I’ve never been a big fan of is stuffing. Stuffing is heavy, mushed up, old bread, and not all that good for you. Given that, I’m always on the hunt for a stuffing swap, and a healthier one at that. I found this recipe a couple of years ago, and it is light, so yummy, and full of superfoods, which means it is so good for you. It will make your Thanksgiving meal even more delicious and healthier, and no one will be asking “Where’s the stuffing?”
This is not my recipe, but another fellow Health Coach, Elizabeth Rider.
POMEGRANATE, KALE & QUINOA SALAD RECIPE
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves 8
1 cup quinoa (measure uncooked)*
1 large pomegranate, divided per instructions below
6 tablespoons pomegranate juice, from the pomegranate above
8 cups stemmed, massaged, chopped kale, per instructions below
1/2 cup finely celery (~ 1/8 inch dice)
1 cup sliced almond, lightly toasted
4 tablespoon fresh orange juice (e.g. juice from two clementine oranges)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
To prepare the quinoa: Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh colander unti the water runs clear; allowing as much water as possible to drain. Combine the quinoa with two cups purified water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cover, simmering for about 15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Fluff it with a fork. The health benefits of quinoa are beyond amazing!
To seed the pomegranate: Firmly roll the pomegranate on the counter with the palm of your hand for about 20 seconds. Roll hard enough to break up the seeds (you’ll hear them), but not so hard that you break the fruit open. Place a strainer above a large bowl and slice the fruit in half; juice will start spilling out immediately. Rolling the pomegranate loosens the seeds, so gently squeeze each half, cut side down, through the strainer. The strainer will catch the seeds and the juice will fall into the bowl. The pith (white part) should stay with the shell, if it doesn’t you can simple pick it out. If there is a lot, place the seeds in a large bowl of room temperature water. The seeds will sink and the pith will float for easy separation.
To prepare the kale: One bunch of kale that’s been stemmed, massaged and chopped will yield about eight cups. It’s an important step so don’t skip it! It really does make it much more enjoyable to eat. Once massaged give it a good chop, all of the ingredients in this salad are small so you don’t want large pieces of kale to overwhelm it.
To prepare the almonds: I prefer to always buy raw, unsalted nuts to maximize nutrition and control sodium intake. Place your raw, unsalted sliced almonds in a small saute pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes to lightly toaste, tossing half way through. They will be lightly fragrant and lightly golden brown. Watch them closely, nuts can burn very quickly on the stove. Slivered almonds would work just as well here too.
Recipe: Combine the pomegranate juice, orange juice, olive oil and sea salt in the bottom of a large bowl; whisk together until emulsified. Combine the rest of the ingredients into the dressing and serve, or store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to three days.
This recipe is direct from Elizabeth’s website. She also has tutorial videos about massaging the kale (very important step!) and how to seed a pomegranate.
*To add even more flavor, I actually make the quinoa with vegetable broth instead of water.
I make this dish every year for my daughter’s Thanksgiving potluck lunch at her school, and receive rave reviews with everyone asking for this recipe. No need to ask, here it is! Make the healthy swap and you can receive rave reviews too.
xoxo
Mel