Pomegranates

“I felt my heart crack slowly like a pomegranate, spilling its seeds.” 
― A Horse Named Sorrow by Trebor Healey

I have heard Pomegranates referred to as 'The Jewel of the Season'. 

Pomegranates are known as the fruit of winter. One of the oldest known fruits, found in writings and artifacts of many cultures and religions, the pomegranate is  an original native of Persia. This nutrient dense and antioxidant rich fruit has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life. It's easy to add these pretty seeds, known as arils, to everything from ice cream to salads and whole grains  to cereal. They add the perfect pop of flavor to breakfast, lunch and dinner.  

Here are some quick ways to give you that power boost. 

1. Sprinkle a handful of pomegranates seeds to make a simple snack on a slice of whole grain with a layer of nut butter. 

2. Pomegranates pair perfectly with warm winter vegetables. Coat chunks of butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and rosemary, and roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until they're soft and tender. Cook brown rice. Toss arugula with toasted walnuts, brown rice, pomegranates and butternut squash. Mix with a warm red wine vinaigrette.

    

Apple-Cranberry-Pomegranate Salsa
Cook's notes: This fresh all-purpose condiment pairs well with any holiday pork roast or turkey. Look for refrigerated prepackaged pomegranate seeds in the supermarket this time of year, or buy whole fruit for the recipe and garnish with any extra.
Recipe from myrecipes.com
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1/4 cup halved sweetened dried cranberries
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, diced 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 tablespoon loosely packed orange zest 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Directions:

• Bring sugar, wine, and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
• Remove from heat; add cranberries. Let stand 20 minutes, and drain. Transfer to a bowl. Toss together diced apple and lime juice, and stir into cranberries. 
• Stir in pomegranate seeds, walnuts, orange zest, and parsley. 
• Gradually stir in olive oil.

Gingerbread Turkey Cookies got a makeover with a maple leaf cookie cutter. The recipe was posted recently at http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/11/diy-autumn-ideas.html
I doubled the original recipe to make 2 dozen cookies. Yum!

Next go around I plan to make sugar cookies using my new turkey cutter just in time for the holiday season.