A friend of mine asked how she could better use the premade mixes of vegetables and dried grains and pulses which are available in shops while also saving cash and eating healthily. As she’s a fan of a big salad which will last a few days, I have made this Pomegranate and Herb Salad with her favourites in mind.
As its base, to keep you full for longer thanks to the mix of complex slow release carbs and plant protein, is a Waitrose Quick Cook Italian Five Grain Mix. It’s really great value, including spelt, barley, durum wheat, rice and oats and saves having to buy all the individual bags of grain and needing to store them. As an alternative you could use a grain of your choice such as freekah, couscous, barley, brown rice or quinoa.
Pomegranates are just so full of flavour and juice at the moment it’s great to be able to use them in a dish where they really bring something to the party! But we don’t want their gorgeous juice to colour the rest of the salad too much so make sure they are added last and the salad not tossed too much afterwards so they stay in-tact. If you want to you could always layer the rest of the mixed salad with the pomegranates on a serving platter. This is also why you should prepare the pomegranate on a separate plate and then scatter just the seeds so excess juice isn’t added.
Pomegranate and Herb Salad
Ingredients
- 250g bag of mixed grain, or grain of your choice
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 50g flaked almonds
- 50g pine nuts
- 75g sultanas
- 200g feta, chopped into chunks or crumbled
- 1 ripe pomegranate
- 1 lemon
- small packs or a very large handful of coriander, flat leaf parsley and mint, hard stalks removed and roughly chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Cook the grain with a vegetable stock cube in the water, according to the pack instructions. The grains should be cooked but not mushy, a little bite is good.
- Step 2 While it is cooking toast the almonds and pine nuts in a dry pan until some are starting to brown on the outside.
- Step 3 Add into a salad bowl with the herbs, sultanas, cold grains, lemon juice and crumbled feta, toss well.
- Step 4 Gently toss through the pomegranate and serve.
I’m always looking for a way to have variety with my salads! Definitely need to try this one!
This has such a special texture and flavour – nothing boring about this salad!
This sounds like such a healthy and delicious meal! I have always loved pomegranate seeds!
OMG!!! Looks DELICIOUS!! I’m so hungry now. Making it this weekend.
Okay, first of all, your first picture is AMAZING! It makes me want this salad now. I’m trying to lose a few pounds for a girls weekend and I’ve been bored with what I’m eating so this will be a great addition!
Do try it, so flavoursome and nutritionally balanced too. Have a fab weekend!
Oh YUMMO! This sounds so delish! I’m going to have to try this one out for sure
Looks good and healthy! Gotta try this!
what a great recipe for a holiday meal. It looks so delish!!!
Going to have to try this – I want to get more creative with my salads!