Fuju Persimmon And Pomegranate Relish Perfect For Thanksgiving!

This simple and colorful side dish is vegan and gluten free.

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Getting the Menu Together
Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away so I'm finalizing my menu. I've got a full house this year so I'm trying to pick recipes that are delicious, simple, and that can either be prepped or made ahead. 

Since my persimmon tree finally blessed me with over 4 dozen fuyu persimmons, I will definitely serve them in at least one dish. They pair beautifully with pomegranates, so I'm thinking of making this simple raw vegan relish. 

Persimmons and pomegranates pair
beautifully and reflect the colors of fall.

A lot of people avoid pomegranates because they think they are difficult to clean. I know I avoided them for years until I figured out how to clean them. It's really pretty simple with the trick being that you have to do it with the fruit submerged in a bowl of water. Check out my post on How To Clean a Pomegranate. 

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Fuju Persimmon and Pomegranate Relish
Raw Vegan, Gluten and Dairy Fee
[makes 8 (1/4-cup) servings

Ingredients
2 cups pomegranate arils
2 persimmons, finely diced (2 cups)
1 jalalpeno, finely diced (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds*
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

* make sure you ask ahead if any of your guests have a nut allergy.

Directions
Toss all ingredients together and serve. It can also be stirred into freshly made cranberry sauce.

Nutrition
Per serving (with pecans): 114 calories, 5.5 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 69 mg omega-3 and 1,456 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 2 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.

Per serving (without nuts): 67 calories, 1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 mg omega-3 and 51 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 1 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.


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Vegan And Gluten-Free Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce With Pomegranate And Pear A Great Dish For The Holidays!

We added fresh pears and pomegranate arils to
our popular low-sugar cranberry sauce.

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Get Them While You Can
I can't get enough of fresh cranberries and pomegranates. Just knowing they will soon be gone makes me appreciate them even more. 

Here's a variation of our popular low-sugar cranberry sauce recipe with the addition of pears and cranberries. It was a big hit at Thanksgiving and it could be a great addition to your Christmas menu too! 

Serve it with roasted root vegetables, stuffed acorn squash, rice casserole, on top of a baked sweet potato, with vegan stuffing, or just eat it with a spoon. It keeps well so you can make it early in the day or even the night before.

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Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce with Pomegranate and Pear
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 10 to 12 servings]

1 large pomegranate
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
Juice from one large organic orange
Water
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
12 ounce bag fresh cranberries, stems removed
1 pear, peeled and diced
8 drops stevia, or to taste (optional)

To remove the arils, see my post on how to neatly clean a pomegranate and set aside the pomegranate arils.

After grating what you need from the orange peel, cut the orange in half. Squeeze the juice from both of the orange halves into a 1-cup measuring cup. Fill the rest of the measuring cup up with water. Place in a small saucepan with the orange peel and sugar.
Heat on medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Add the cranberries and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Add the pear and cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

Remove from the heat and add a few drops of stevia at a time until the sauce reaches the desired sweetness. Be careful because too much stevia will actually make it bitter.

Stir in the pomegranate arils. Place in a serving bowl, cool to room temperature and serve. 

Store in the refrigerator.

Per serving (10) 81 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 9 mg omega-3 and 42 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.

Per serving (12) 67 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 mg omega-3 and 35 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 2 mg sodium.

Vegan Roasted Shaved Brussels Sprouts And Shallots With Pomegranate Seeds How To Neatly Clean A Pomegranate Welcome To The 2013 Virtual Vegan Potluck!

Brussels Sprouts - A Thanksgiving Favorite!
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Check out my ebook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

2013 Virtual Vegan Potluck
Today's recipe will be part of the 2013 Virtual Vegan Potluck. At the bottom of the page, below my recipe, you will be able to link to over 100 vegan recipes posted by my fellow bloggers including appetizers, beverages, breads, salads, sides, soups, main courses, and desserts. So enjoy!

Thanksgiving Favorites
Brussels sprouts and pomegranates are both Thanksgiving favorites so you can only imagine the joy on your guests faces when they are presented together in this delicious dish!

There's a beautiful contrast between the smokey, roasted flavors of the Brussels sprouts and shallots and the bursting fresh flavors of the raw pomegranate seeds, which are actually called pomegranate arils.

Arils are 72 calories per half cup.
They are rich in vitamin C, K, and folate and
contain polyphenols that support heart health
and protect against cancer.

And in case you shy away from this beautiful, polyphenol-packed fruit because it appears to be impossible to clean, I will repost a very easy way to clean pomegranates - one that does not require a hazmat suit! 

How to Neatly Clean a Pomegranate

Step 1 - cut off the top.

Step 2 - Score the rind in four quadrants.

Step 3 - Break the fruit apart, separating the pith from the arils, while submerged  in a bowl of water.

Step 4 - The arils will sink to the bottom.
Skim off the pith and rind.

Step 5 - Drain the arils and set aside.

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Roasted Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Shallots with Pomegranate
Vegan, Gluten Free
Requires large shallow roasting pan
[makes 6 servings]

1 pound Brussels sprouts
6 ounces shallots, peeled, halved, and sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
1/2 cup pomegranate arils (see above on how to clean)
1/4 of a fresh lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly grease the roasting pan with a little olive oil.

Prepare the Brussels sprouts. Cut 1/4 inch off the bottoms and rinse.
Cut vertically in 1/4 inch slices. Place on the roasting pan with the shallots.

Drizzle oil over the Brussels sprouts and shallots and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until they are well coated. Spread out the vegetables in a single layer.

Bake until slightly golden brown, about 20 minutes, mixing the Brussels sprouts about half way through with a spatula.

Remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl. Top with pomegranate arils, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and additional freshly ground black pepper if desired. Toss and serve.

Per serving: 101 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 108 mg omega-3 and 492 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 13.5 g carbohydrates, and 3.5 g dietary fiber.

LINK TO THE PREVIOUS VIRTUAL VEGAN POTLUCK RECIPE

LINK TO THE NEXT VIRTUAL VEGAN POTLUCK RECIPE

LINK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POTLUCK

Pomegranate, Pear And Orange Salad - Raw Vegan And Gluten Free

An autumn fruit salad of pomegranate seeds, pear and orange.

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A Delightful Combination
Sometimes I just toss a few things I have in the house together and something wonderful happens. This is one of those times. I picked up a big pomegranate at the market (because how can I possibly resist this beautiful fruit) not knowing what I was going to do with it. I already had an entire bag of ripening pears at home together with a couple of fresh oranges. I diced a pear and an orange up very fine so their size didn't overshadow the little pomegranate seeds and just tossed them together with a little squirt of orange juice and POW - what a fresh, crunchy, delicious combination this made! And it only took a few minutes and 3 ingredients. 

Just in Time for Thanksgiving
This simple salad makes a great side dish for Thanksgiving or for a holiday brunch. It goes together quickly which is a "must" during the holidays. You can make the orange and pomegranate seeds ahead of time but don't add the pear until the last minute as it doesn't keep well.

Pomegranates are rich in vitamin C, K and folate and very high in fiber.

Raw Cleanse
This high fiber, nutrient and phytochemical-rich salad is perfect for a raw food cleanse. It's advisable to do a few "One Day Raw Food Cleanses" before you enter into the holiday season. Just a single, 100 calorie serving of this salad provides about 1/3rd of your daily requirement of vitamin C (just in time for flu season) and nearly 1/4th of your fiber needs.

Pomegranate, Pear and Orange Salad
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]

1 pomegranate
1 large orange
1 large pear

To prepare the pomegranate, cut off the top, score the rind in 4 quadrants and break the pomegranate apart over a bowl filled with water. Submerge the broken fruit and separate the seeds from the pith with your fingers. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the pith and rind will float to the top. Skim off the pith and rind and drain the seeds. See my post on How to Clean a Pomegranate. Place the seeds in a bowl.

1 large pomegranate yields about 1 1/2 cups of seeds 

To prepare the orange, cut off the top about 1/2 inch down so there's enough fresh pulp remaining in the top to squeeze into the salad.  Squeeze the juice from the top into the bowl of pomegranate seeds (you only need a teaspoon or two). Peel the rest of the orange and dice into small pieces. Place the orange pieces into the bowl.

Cut the pear into quarters, remove the seeds and dice into small pieces. Toss immediately with the orange and pomegranate seeds.

Serve immediately as a fruit salad or scoop onto a bed of greens.

Per serving: 107 calories, 1 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 2 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 5.4 g dietary fiber and 27 mg sodium.

Raw Vegan Brussels Sprouts Salad With Orange Chia Seed Vinaigrette, Dried Cranberries (Or Pomegranate Seeds) And Almonds - Perfect For Thanksgiving!

Love Them or Hate Them?

Most people have a strong opinion about these petite little cabbages. Me and the kids love Brussels sprouts and I made them every Thanksgiving when they were young. But my husband's not a fan and my daughter-in-law, who is just starting to come around, has in the past practically banned my son from eating them. But fear not, Brussels sprouts lovers, I think I've developed a recipe that everyone can enjoy. Try presenting this colorful dish at your next Thanksgiving or winter holiday feast! Double or triple the recipe for more guests. If you'd like, substitute pomegranate seeds for the dried cranberries.

Complete Raw Vegan Thanksgiving Menu

Last Thanksgiving I posted a Complete Raw Vegan Thanksgiving or Winter Holiday menu from raw appetizers to dessert. It's been a very popular post so check it out for lots of great "raw" ideas for Thanksgiving.

Amazing Health Benefits

On cup of Brussels sprouts provides over 100% of your daily requirement of vitamin C and K. Besides broccoli, it contains more glucosinolate (a phytonutrient associated with protecting our cells against cancer) than any other vegetable! They are also a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, folate, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, potassium and manganese.

This recipe also gives you all the benefits of the amazing chia seed! Each serving provides over 400 mg of ALA omega 3 fatty acid. Check out all my Chia Seed Recipes.

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Raw Vegan Brussels Sprouts Salad with Orange Chia Vinaigrette

[makes 4 servings]

2 teaspoons dried chia seeds

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon fresh orange zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon raw agave nectar

1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 packed cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

2 tablespoons dried cranberries (or pomegranate seeds)

In a small bowl, mix chia seeds with water and stir well. Stir several more times over the next 30 minutes while the chia seeds absorb the water.

After the chia seeds have formed a gel, add zest, orange juice, olive oil, agave nectar, apple cider vinegar and sea salt and mix thoroughly. (This dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated).

Mix dressing with the thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, almonds and cranberries and serve.

Per serving: 74.8 calories, 3.2 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 404 mg ALA omega 3 and 603 mg omega 6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g protein, 11.5 g carbohydrates, and 2.7 g dietary fiber.

Chia Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds - How to Clean A Pomegranate

This whole pomegranate yielded about 1 1/2 cups of seeds.

Slice off the top of the pomegranate with a sharp knife.

Score pomegranate rind in four sections .

Break into pieces under water and separate seeds from pith.

Seeds will sink to the bottom and white pith will float to the top.

Skim rind and white pith from top of water and drain seeds.

Pomegranates

Nothing is prettier than bright red pomegranate seeds garnishing desserts, salads and other dishes. Especially during the holidays. But these seeds aren't only beautiful, they are packed with antioxidants that protect against the harmful damage of "free radicals". They are high in vitamins C and K and are also a good source of folate and fiber. You get the most fiber and nutrients if you eat the seeds whole but you can also run them through a juicer.

How to Clean

The first time I saw one of these things I had no idea what to do with it. I busted it open and seeds flew all over the place. I didn't buy another one for quite some time. But I couldn't ignore the health benefits and the delicious taste of these little bright red seeds so I decided to try it again. After searching the internet, I found out the secret is to clean the little guy under water. First slice off the top, score the rind in 4 quadrants and break the pomegranate apart over a bowl filled with water. Submerge the broken fruit and start separating the seeds from the white pith with your fingers. They will immediately sink to the bottom and the pith and rind will float to the top. Skim off the pith and rind and drain the seeds. This fat pomegranate yielded about 1 1/2 cups of seeds.

A Festive and VERY Healthy Dessert

The little red seeds make any dessert look festive. Mixed with chia pudding made with hemp milk also makes this one of the healthiest desserts you can eat. Hemp milk and chia seeds are two of the best vegan sources of ALA omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is known to support heart health, reduce inflammation, boost your immune system, prevent depression and reduce joint pain. Each serving of this recipe provides 3.6 grams of omega 3. That's practically all a healthy vegan would need for their own bodies to produce enough of the beneficial DHA and EPA omega 3 fatty acids (typically found in fish) needed for one day. This recipe is also very low in calories and provides over 25% of your daily requirement of fiber.

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Chia Pudding with Pomegranate Seeds [serves 4]

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

2 cups (sweetened) Living Harvest vanilla Hemp Milk*

6 or 8 drops of liquid stevia for added sweetness (optional)

5 tablespoons raw chia seeds

* for a totally "raw" dessert, just add pomegranate seeds to my Amazing Chia Pudding recipe made from soaked cashews and dates.

Combine chia seeds with hemp milk and liquid stevia and stir vigorously with a fork for several minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes and stir again until the chia seeds are well blended and separated. Let the mixture sit out for an hour and stir one more time. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight until thickened and firm. I always make this a day ahead in order to give it time to set. Serve in four bowls each topped with 2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds or in one large bowl with the pomegranate seeds in a separate small serving bowl.

Per serving: 123 calories, 8.3 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.8 g protein, 20.3 g carbohydrates, 7.0 g fiber and 3.6 g omega 3 and 2.9 g omega 6 fatty acids.