ROCKET AND POMEGRANATE SALAD WITH PEARS AND BLUE CHEESE

Jan 1, 2013

smitten ⋅ fruits and veggies, gluten free, quick and easy, side salads ⋅ almonds, arugula, blue cheese, pear, pomegranate, salad ⋅ 1 comment

•Yup, that’s right…..starting out 2013 with a healthy recipe! This salad is packed with all sorts of good for you things, like pomegranates, pears, almonds, arugula, and well blue cheese might not be a super food, but it makes this salad special and goes perfect with the pears.  This might not please the pallets of the persnickety, but for those of us who enjoy a flavor and texture sensation all in one bite, this salad is a real treat:)

 

 

 

1 lb baby arugula

1 50z container of blue cheese crumbles (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds-from about a half a pomegranate, give or take

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 ripe pears-I used Bartlett

1 batch of lemon vinaigrette

 

serves 4-6

prep time 45 min- all components can be prepped ahead and kept separate in the fridge until ready to serve, but wait until last min to cut and add pears.

 

Whip together the lemon vinaigrette, and let sit in fridge for 30 min while you work on the rest of the salad.

I’m sure there are easier ways to get the seeds out of a pomegranate, but I just cut into 4 wedges and pick out with my fingers.  They will stain up your fingers a bit, and avoid wearing a white shirt(lesson learned).  Store the other half  of the pomegranate in a baggie in the fridge to snack on later…YUM!

Wash and spin dry the arugula and add it to a large bowl.

Pour in the blue cheese crumbles.

Add in the pomegranate seeds…so pretty!

Add in the sliced pears.

Pour almonds into a dry sauté pan, and toast on med heat for 3-5 min, just to release some of the natural oils.  You are not frying them, just heating through.

Pour into the salad bowl, and carefully toss everything together.

Pour over the vinaigrette, and toss again.  Sprinkle with a little freshly ground pepper♥Enjoy