Wagner Winter Salad

Inspiration comes from all around us at any given moment. You just have to watch for it.  I happen to love to talk about food and in the course of a recent conversation, an idea for a new recipe popped into my head. That’s how it rolled when I was talking with my friend Donna about the vinaigrette I was going to make with her blood oranges and Meyer lemons.

As I was listing the ingredients for the salad I was going to pair with the Blood Orange Vinaigrette and she asked me if pomegranate arils would be good in the salad. They would be great in the salad! I had to laugh when she said, “I have some in the freezer if you ‘d like them for the salad.” Donna had harvested the pomegranates earlier, done all the hard work of removing the arils or seeds from the pith that surrounds them and placed them in freezer bags. All I had to do was defrost them and eat these beautiful little jewels! Did I get the good end of that deal or what?!

Sliced Pomegranate Arils

The aril is simply the seed pod inside a pomegranate. It is truly one of nature’s most unique types of fruit. The clear, ruby-colored fruit surrounds a tiny, crisp seed, and the whole aril is edible. Here are some tricks for opening a pomegranate quickly, without making a big mess:

  • Fill your kitchen sink with water.
  • Open your pomegranate by striking the hull with a knife tip, then cracking it apart with your hands.
  • Slice the pomegranate into quarters, right through the skin, with a sharp knife.
  • Place the pieces in the water, then pull the pith out and pull the seeds from the pith. The arils will yield quite readily.
  • To make things even easier, the seeds will sink to the bottom of the water and the pith will float to the top. The water helps you perform the separation, and also help keep your hands clean.
  • Collect the arils on a sheet of paper towel to absorb excess moisture, being careful not to squeeze them.
  • Your arils are now ready to eat or toss into a salad!

There were so many components of the salad and dressing that came right from the Wagner’s land. Coupled with the generosity of the gift of blood oranges, Meyer lemons, and now pomegranates, I knew the name for the salad had to be a nod to the Wagner’s themselves! The freshness of the citrus, tartness of the goat cheese and the lusciousness of the beets, crowned with the pomegranates make for a stunningly pleasing salad. Thus the Wagner Winter Salad was born! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Wagner Winter Salad

Mixed greens

In a large salad bowl combine the butter lettuce, radicchio, broccoli and kale slaw.

Quarter beets

Quarter the beets in bite size pieces and add to the greens.

Cut off ends

Cut the blood orange into supremes. First slice the ends of of the orange.

Remove peel

Then slice the peel off of the orange down to the fruit removing the peel and pith.

Segment orange

Run your knife between the membranes on each side to release the blood orange segments.

Add goat

Crumble the goat cheese into the salad and add the pistachio nuts.

Dress salad

Toss with some of the Blood Orange Vinaigrette to coat all of the ingredients.

Pomegranates

Add the pomegranate arils and gently toss to combine, making sure not the crush the fruit.

Wagner Winter Salad
Serves 8
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Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
15 min
183 calories
21 g
10 g
9 g
9 g
4 g
212 g
127 g
12 g
0 g
4 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
212g
Servings
8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 183
Calories from Fat 74
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g
13%
Saturated Fat 4g
18%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 10mg
3%
Sodium 127mg
5%
Total Carbohydrates 21g
7%
Dietary Fiber 6g
23%
Sugars 12g
Protein 9g
Vitamin A
18%
Vitamin C
169%
Calcium
10%
Iron
9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1 bag Butter Lettuce and Radicchio
  2. 1 bag Broccoli and Kale Slaw
  3. 8 ounces Roasted beets, quartered
  4. 2 Blood Oranges, supremed in segments
  5. 6 ounces goat cheese
  6. 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
  7. 1 cup pomegranate arils
  8. Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Instructions
  1. In a large salad bowl combine the butter lettuce, radicchio, broccoli and kale slaw.
  2. Quarter the beets in bite size pieces and add to the greens.
  3. Cut the blood orange into supremes. First slice the ends of of the orange.
  4. Then slice the peel off of the orange down to the fruit removing the peel and pith.
  5. Run your knife between the membranes on each side to release the blood orange segments.
  6. Crumble the goat cheese into the salad and add the pistachio nuts.
  7. Toss with some of the Blood Orange Vinaigrette to coat all of the ingredients.
  8. Add the pomegranate arils and gently toss to combine, making sure not the crush the fruit.
beta
calories
183
fat
9g
protein
9g
carbs
21g
more
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