I love salads. They’re easy to make, and can be really good for you. Unfortunately, I tend to forget about them during the winter months as there’s not always a lot of inspiring ingredients in the grocery aisles come November/December. So, when I was asked to bring the salad for Thanksgiving this year, I was forced to get creative. The end result was this divine Winter Salad with Persimmon, Pomegranate & Hazelnuts.
Persimmons are one of those foods that I’ve always looked at and thought “WTF do I do with them?”. But I adore their fall color and thought they’d look really pretty paired with arugula, and pomegranate. I decided to add sliced radicchio because, again, love its color. I topped the whole thing off with toasted hazelnuts and the World’s Best Salad Dressing. Besides being delicious, this Winter Salad is also really good for you.
Health Benefits of Persimmons
I am sure that you’ve seen a persimmon or two in the grocery store. They look like orange tomatoes. They’re actually a fruit and come in two varieties: Fuyu and Hachiya. For this recipe, you want the former – Fuyu persimmons. They have a more firm consistency and do not need to be fully ripe to taste good.
Besides being a sure winner in any fruit and vegetable beauty contest, persimmons are also loaded with vitamins and minerals. Just a small one contains over half your daily recommended dose of vitamin A which helps support your immune system (very important to me personally these days). Persimmons are also a nice source of:
- B vitamins
- folate
- magnesium
- vitamin C
- tannins
- fiber
All of these antioxidants act like superheroes for your health by lowering inflammation in the body. And fiber is fantastic for elimination. The end result is glowing skin, a smaller waistline and a reduced risk of every hateful disease that none of us want.
Embrace those Bitter Greens
Since I wanted this Winter Salad to be pretty both inside and out, I decided to really push the good-for-your-health aspect by adding radicchio. This bitter green is a variety of leaf-chicory.
While I thought the color would look marvelous, bitter greens are not to everyone’s taste. However, here, they really balance out the sweet of the persimmons which are much sweeter than an apple.
Radicchio is so good for you because it’s high in B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin K. The latter is great for strengthening bones and preventing neuronal damage to the brain. Bitter greens like radicchio also contain health boosting compounds that help regulate blood pressure and keep your blood sugar stable. And, like everything that I try to eat these days, radicchio is fabulous for your immune system.
Finish with Some Good Fats
Once I had all the immune fighting, inflammation lowering elements of this Winter Salad in place, I finished with some good, heart healthy fats: toasted hazelnuts and olive oil in the World’s Best Salad Dressing vinaigrette. And then I sprinkled a handful of pomegranate seeds for color, crunch and even more antioxidants et voilà — Winter Salad with Persimmon, Pomegranate & Hazelnuts.
Winter Salad with Persimmon, Pomegranate & Hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 2/3 c raw hazelnuts toasted & chopped
- 1/3 c pomegranate seeds see note
- 2 Fuyu persimmons thinly sliced
- 4 c baby arugula
- 1-2 c sliced radicchio
- 2-4 T World's Best Salad or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Spread the raw hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes until they smell nutty and are slightly browned. Cool completely and then chop coarsely.
- Make a batch of the World's Best Salad Dressing.
- Slice off the top and bottom of the persimmons, quarter and cut away the core. Then, slice them thinly across.
- Place the arugula in a bowl, top with the sliced radicchio and persimmons. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts on top and then toss with the salad dressing. Taste and add salt and/or more salad dressing as needed. Serve.
Notes
- I buy my pomegranate seeds already seeded at Trader Joes or Ralphs, but if you want to do it yourself, here is good "how to" video.
- If you don't like hazelnuts, substitute walnuts.