Pomegranate Power Greens Salad

Courtesy of Noor Salem

By Noor Salem, contributing columnist

Pomegranate is an extraordinary fruit, and is one I advise you incorporate more into your diet. Pomegranate is high in vitamin C and flavonols that block inflammation. I’ve seen clients that deal with joint pain, such as arthritis, find relief after increasing their intake of anti-inflammatory foods like pomegranate. Besides that, pomegranate is anti-bacterial, prevent cancer cell growth, lower blood pressure, relief osteoarthritis, and contain unique antioxidant properties. Cooking with pomegranate could get messy, but definitely worthy of it. To minimize your juicy mess, cut the pomegranate into quarters. using your thumbs against the peel, push the seeds outwards, into a bowl. You can keep them stored in an air-tight container, and toss onto your salad, or eat them as is.

You won’t need anyone reminding you to eat your salad once you try this recipe. It’s the perfect combination of soft avocados, juicy pomegranate, and tasty cilantro. It’s full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, healthy fats, anti-inflammatory health benefits, cardiovascular health benefits, and more. There’s no need to convince you to eat this for health reasons, you’ll be reaching for seconds due to the extraordinary taste.

Avocados, a delicious fruit, are mostly made of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. They have many heart health benefits, cognitive health benefits, fiber, and best of all, great taste. Be sure to enjoy your avocados ripe, for optimum taste and nutrients alike. I love using avocados in my salads, dips, and even entrees. You’ll find avocados paired in many of my breakfast meals and snacks in my book, Sunnah Superfoods. The reason I love using healthy fats like avocados, extra virgin olive oil, and nuts in my meals is due to their myriad of benefits. These healthy fats curb your cravings, keep you full longer, have cardiovascular benefits, have vital antioxidants and nutrients, allow you to better absorb nutrients, are great for your memory, and have anti-inflammatory benefits. So when you go for too much guacamole, recognize it’s the avocados granting you that feeling of satiety. Pair them with organic eggs for a great snack after a workout to revive your energy. Toss a few slices of avocados in your smoothie not only for a nice creamy texture, but for a boost of healthy fats which would curb your blood sugar spike.

This exotic salad is one of my all-time favorite salads. It makes a delicious addition to your Ramadan iftar, and will give you more energy than consuming deep fried food. Pomegranate is a food mentioned in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), as well as numerous items in the Qur’an. The extra virgin olive oil is another wonderful ingredient in this salad, further boosting your nutrient intake.

Try this recipe, and feel free to swap any of the spices or greens to one you prefer better. It tastes best chilled, and will make a great addition to any dinner party or family meal you have.

Ingredients:

3-4 cups organic power greens or spring mix (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula, herbs)

1 bunch fresh organic parsley

1 bunch fresh organic cilantro

2 medium ripe avocados

2 pomegranates, fresh

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Organic Raw Apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon turmeric, ground

1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon ground mustard seed

Directions:

1. Chop the greens parsley, and cilantro and transfer to a serving platter.
2. Cut the avocados into cubes. Place on top of the greens,
3. Peel the pomegranate and remove the seeds; add to the greens as well.
4. Place the remaining ingredients in a mason jar and shake until well mixed. Drizzle onto the salad.
5. Toss; serve chilled.

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.

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