Pomegranate Splash!

I don’t know about you, but the change to Daylight Saving Time has to be one of the hardest things to get your body adjusted to!  I am seriously not myself for a good week or more while my biorhythms get into the new order of things, and my poor little boy is experiencing the same difficulty.  So what to do when you need to get everyone off to work and school but you’re over tired and moving slowly?  Sitting down for breakfast is nearly impossible unless you can get away with going to work in your pj’s (in my dreams!).  Since I was awake last night, when I should have been in bed (my body still thinks it’s an hour earlier of course), I decided that planning ahead for the next morning was in order… based on what I had on hand in the fridge, freezer and pantry, a smoothie looked to be my best course of action.

Nothing beats the fresh taste of a smoothie and there isn’t any better way to pack  a  full load of nutrition in a quick and easy breakfast than with yogurt, berries and a little pomegranate  — And bonus,  it can move around with you while you get ready!  Try this one on for size, you won’t be disappointed!

Sherea

Pomegranate Berry Smoothie

1 C  Low Fat or Fat Free  Vanilla (or Plain) Yogurt

1 C  fresh or frozen berries of choice (I like the mixed frozen berries for a full flavenoid and antioxidant boost)

1 banana (optional – it makes the smoothie a little thicker which may or may not suit your taste)

1 tbs     pomegranate reduction sauce***

1.     Place all ingredients in a blender and blend together until smooth.

2.     Serve in a tall glass with a straw!  How’s that for easy!!

Servings: 2

Cooking Tips

*** Stir in  1Tbs of Flax Seed oil (cold pressed) after blending for the added benefits of healthy Omega-3’s!
***This and similar items can be found at www.clubsauce.com.  Consider using blueberry merlot, black currant cabernet, tart cherry syrah, or pomegranate port as additional compliments to this dish. (The alcohol has been cooked out during the reduction process)

Its that time of year again, when the grass starts to turn green and we dye eggs, turn our beer green and celebrate the rebirth of the Earth from its winter slumber –  Truly one of my favorite times of year!!

In the rotation of holidays, the March and Spring holidays just don’t seem to get enough of the limelight compared to the winter holidays — let’s face it, its really hard to top Christmas.  But these days are equally as special if not more so! If you are celebrating from origins of your faith or just for the relief that winter is over, the celebration should still be grand!  Large or small, the gathering  of family and friends starts with  food  and builds from there… well if you are ready for something really splendid for your Spring celebrations, you will want to include this Pomegranate Port Wine Fig  Sauce recipe in your menu! It’s an especially nice compliment to lamb, but will work divinely with what ever your meat of choice is.

Happy Passover, Easter, St Patrick’s  Day, Vernal Equinox … ah heck, just Happy Spring!!!  And happy eating!!

Sherea

Pomegranate Port Wine Fig Sauce

Servings: 4 to 5

Ingredients:

1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tbs shallots, minced
2 tbs unsalted butter
1.5 oz lamb stock by More Than Gourmet*** diluted with 2 cups hot water
1/4 cup MarXana Pomegranate Based Fig Port Reduction Sauce ***

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and allow them to turn to a golden color then add garlic. Stir until the garlic just starts to turn a light tan color and add the thyme. Stir all the ingredients for a few seconds more to meld the flavors.
2. Add the reconstituted lamb stock to the pan. Stir and scrape the bits pieces on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and continue to cook until reduced to half. Add the pomegranate fig port reduction sauce and stir to incorporate all the flavors. Continue to cook for two minutes or until slightly thickened then remove form heat.
3. Serve the finished sauce over sliced lamb or in a sauceboat to be added at the table. If you prefer a smoother sauces without the garlic and shallot pieces you can strain the sauce through a sieve before serving.

Cooking Tips:

***These items are all available on the www.clubsauce.com website if they cannot be purchased at your local gourmet shop.

I have been given the daunting task of deciding what to plant in our garden this year.  Since I am the one that does the vast majority of cooking in our house I understand why this is my task to undertake… after all I’m not the one tilling the soil, planting each seed or weeding… but I am the one harvesting and doing the culinary creating.  I almost just wish that things were planted and I would make do with what I get.  That’s the lazy way I know… maybe I just prefer the challenge to be on the back end.
Anyway, with the given task I decided to go through my notebook of recipes I used based on the past couple of harvests and see what we enjoyed the most to help guide me in what I would like to pick fresh off the vine this summer.  In my perusal, I came across the one root vegetable that is often forgotten, but that my boys and I thoroughly loved eating last summer, Beets!

If you have been eating canned beets, forget about it! You haven’t had beets until you’ve prepared them fresh for yourself! So forgo the canned and go direct to the produce area for beautiful fresh beets and then treat yourself with this ultimate beet recipe.  I incorporated Pomegranate Port Reduction Sauce for the ultimate in flavor (I never knew beets could taste so good!) and kept it healthy without all the added sugar and salt you get from canning beets (either yourself or store bought).

Enjoy!

Sherea

Beets in Pomegranate Rice Vinegar

Ingredients:

3 Roasted Beets, recipe follows
1/2 large red onion, slice thin
3/4 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned)
3 tablespoon Pomegranate Port Reduction Sauce***
6 whole black peppercorns

Roasted Beets:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim leaves from beets and rinse, pat dry with paper towel and reserve. Wash beets, pat dry with paper towel and remove stem with one inch remaining. Coat and rub beets with one tablespoon olive oil. Place beets on a tin foil sheet large enough to create a pouch and seal. Place the closed pouch on a cookie sheet or metal tray in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until beets are fork tender.

Directions:

1. Remove roasted beets from oven and allow to cool
2. Slip the skin from the beets under cool water or with a pairing knife
3. Slice the beets into thin pieces and layer them in a deep dish or jar with the sliced onions in alternating layers.
4. In a separate container mix the rice vinegar and pomegranate reduction sauce.  Pour the mixture over the beets and onions.
5. Add whole black peppercorns and cover with saran wrap or jar lid.
6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or longer before serving. Beets will last for up to one week if properly sealed and refrigerated. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serving Suggestion: Spread the beet leaves on a serving platter and place sliced beets and onions on top for an attractive presentation at the table.