Getting the Seeds out of a Pomegranate and A Twisted Mexican Chopped Salad

Lately, I have featured a couple of recipes that use fresh pomegranate seeds since the little ruby gems are in season from September through January and have tons of antioxidants and vitamin C. However, I have left you to your own devices when it comes to getting the seeds out.  If you Google it, you may have found out there are many ways to try to get the seeds out without breaking or cutting them: 1. Cut in half; whack the outside shell with a wooden spoon over a bowl. This is messy and time consuming. I'll pass. 2. Quarter the fruit.  Set the fruit in a bowl of water and pluck out the seeds under water. This is fine and it works, but then you have to deal with getting the skin pieces away from the water soaked seeds, clean another bowl, etc. Not ideal. 3. The best way...cut a cone in the flower end with a paring knife. Cut the bottom flat. Score the outside peel vertically along each ridge, but not enough to enter the seed area. Peel apart by each section and enjoy the seeds. Wait, I know you're probably saying, that doesn't sound easy at all. Check out this video and I'll show you what I mean:  http://youtu.be/GeqznAJ1y_U See? Pretty simple. Let's put those seeds to work with my newest recipe.

MY GIFT TO YOU!  I absolutely love Mexican food and if I could, would eat it every day. Thankfully,when I make my own Mexican dish I don't have to feel as guilty about what I'm putting in my body.  It's healthier! This was my inspiration behind this next salad recipe. This is not your typical side salad, this is a salad that will leave you feeling satisfied but not weighed down.  Plus it features a homemade dressing and numerous in season vegetables and fruit.  This meal may seem like a lot of work, but trust me, it's just many ingredients that you need to chop and toss together. It should take you 30 minutes or less. Chipotle Chopped Mexican Salad Ingredients: -1 lbs. of cooked, peeled and tail free shrimp -1 TBSP butter or olive oil -2 cloves garlic, minced -3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley (optional) -1 tsp. chipotle powder -½ cup red quinoa, cooked according to package directions -3 to 4 cups of fresh spinach, chopped -1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well -½ cup frozen corn, thawed -3 TBSP pomegranate seeds -8 cherry tomatoes, quartered -4 TBSP feta cheese, crumbled -3 TBSP pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) Chipotle Grapefruit Vinaigrette -½ large grapefruit, juiced -1/3 cup olive oil -1 tsp. chipotle powder -1 tsp. fine salt -1 tsp. black pepper -1/3 cup taco sauce or tomato puree Directions: In a small bowl, juice the grapefruit and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Whisk well to combine. To a hot skillet, add the oil and garlic and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 2 minutes. Toss the shrimp with parsley and chipotle powder. Set aside and start to layer your salad bowl. Start with black beans, corn, tomatoes, spinach, red quinoa, feta cheese, pepitas, pomegranate seeds and finish with a crown of shrimp. Drizzle with 2 TBSP of the well whisked vinaigrette and enjoy! Serves 2 adults. You'll have left over seeds so try tossing them into yogurt, savory chicken dishes (to finish) or eat them as is for a snack.

Kelly Bowlin Administration Director & BAC Foodie :)  Bay Athletic Club

Oh My Basil!

Cooking with fresh basil is a culinary pleasure I like to indulge in as much as possible.  Thanks to its popularity, basil is readily available, even in winter months.  This time of year you'll find the leafy greens blossoming in backyard gardens, fragrant and especially delicious, so take advantage while it is abundant. Basil has many health benefits to.  I've included some tips to help you utilize the herb in ways beyond my recipe this week. 1.  According to botanist James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy, basil has anti-anxiety effects.  It contains phytochemicals that studies suggest may lower cortisol, a hormone secreted when you're tense.  Simmer down on a hot or harried day by adding the herb to your iced tea: add 2 or 3 leaves (per serving) while your tea is steeping.  Lounge chair optional.   2.  The herb is a super source of iron with a little more than two cups of chopped Click to watch!  fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried providing 10 percent your daily value. That is right up there with spinach!  You could easily get your dose by subbing basil in for spinach in your salads, tossing into scrambled eggs or adding chopped basil to your vinaigrettes.   3.  Vitamin K is essential for helping blood clot and basil is full of it!  In fact, just two tablespoons of basil provides 29 percent of the daily recommended value. Practice your knife skills by chiffonading basil.  Check out this video where I'll show you how.   For best results with all these tips and suggestions, use fresh basil whenever possible.  When cooking with it, add to the dish during the last few minutes for maximum flavor.

Are you ready to do more than garnish tomatoes and salads or spike soups and sauces?  Great!  Let's use this herb at the peak of flavor and availability in a convenient and versatile sauce.  While pesto certainly highlights the bounty of fresh, summer taste, combining parmesan cheese, olive oil and nuts means it's tipping the scales at about 8 grams of fat per one tablespoon serving.  I'm going to keep the heart healthy fats from the nuts and olive oil, but substitute the parmesan to reduce the fat.  Let's get blending! Pumped Up Pesto Ingredients: -2 large bunches basil (about 5 cups fresh basil leaves) -2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped -1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil -2 TBSP lemon juice -1/4 tsp fine sea salt -1/4 tsp black pepper -1/4 cup raw walnuts -1/2 cup of cooked white beans (butter bean, northern beans, navy, etc). Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.  You'll need some power to blend everything smoothly, so your Magic Bullet might not make the grade for this project.  I like to layer the blender in this order: walnuts, garlic pepper, sea salt, lemon juice, beans and basil.  Pulse the ingredients a few times until they begin to homogenize a bit, then transfer the power to medium speed and drizzle in the oil in a steady stream.  Blend well until the consistency is smooth.  Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper to your taste. Pesto can keep well in the fridge for about three days and freezes extremely well. I would recommend making a second batch.  Just think...you'll be able to pull it out of your freezer, in the harsh cold of January and taste a little summer in your meal.

Kelly Bowlin