A pomegranate is a fruit the size of a large orange. The leathery reddish-pink skin shelters the membranous walls and bitter tissue that house compartments or sacs filled with hundreds of seeds. A translucent red pulp that has a slightly sweet and tart taste surrounds these seeds. Pomegranates are grown in California and throughout Asia and the Mediterranean countries.

Selection and Storage

Pomegranates are available in the United States from September through December. Select fruit that is heavy for its size with bright, fresh color and blemish-free skin. You can refrigerate whole pomegranates for up to 2 months or store them in a cool, dark place for up to a month. Pomegranate seeds packed in an airtight container and stored in the freezer will keep for up to 3 months.

Uses & Preparation

Pomegranates are a versatile fruit and can be used as a garnish on sweet and savory dishes or pressed to extract the juice. To use a pomegranate, cut it in half and pry out the pulp-encased seeds, removing any of the light-colored membrane that adheres. The juice can stain your clothes so be sure to wear an apron or clothing that you don’t mind getting stained.

Recipes

Fall Festival Fruit Salad
Serves 4. Each serving equals three 5 A Day servings
Source: Produce for Better Health

Ingredients

4 cups of spinach leaves, chopped
1 red apple, cored and thinly sliced
¼ lb grapes
1 cantaloupe, or other melon, seeded, pared and cut into chunks
½ cup pomegranate seeds

Core, rinse, and thoroughly drain lettuce. Using a stainless steel knife, cut lettuce into bite-size chunks. Arrange apple slices, grape clusters, and melon wedges on lettuce. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over top. Chill. When ready to serve, drizzle citrus dressing over all.

Citrus Dressing

½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup unsweetened orange juice concentrate, thawed

Combine yogurt and orange juice concentrate. Whip until smooth. Makes about 1 cup.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 186, Fat 2g, Calories from Fat 8%, Cholesterol 2mg, Fiber 4g, Sodium 55mg.

Herbed Pomegranate Salsa
Serves 4. Each serving equals one 5 A Day serving
Source: Unknown

Ingredients

2 Tbsps fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsps fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsps Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup small red onion, chopped
1 pomegranate, skin and light-colored membrane removed
6 Tbsps fresh lime juice
2 tsps grated lime zest
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 serrano pepper, chopped
1½ cup large tomato, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

In a medium bowl, toss together mint, cilantro, Italian flat-leaf parsley, red onion, pomegranate, lime juice, lime zest, jalapeno pepper, serrano pepper, tomato, and olive oil. Season with salt and white pepper. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 77, Protein 1g, Carbohydrates 14g, Fat 2g, Calories from Fat 230%, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 1g, Sodium 305mg.

Pomegranate and Banana Salad
Serves 4. Each serving equals two 5 A Day servings
Source: Pomegranate Council

Ingredients 

2 pomegranates, chilled
4 bananas
1 Tbs palm sugar or brown sugar
2 limes (or ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice)

Mix together the juice of the lime and the Tbsp of sugar. Adjust sweet and sour to taste. Score and seed both pomegranates, freeing the seeds. Mound the pomegranate seeds in the center of the salad plates and slice the bananas around the perimeter of the seeds. Drizzle with the prepared lime dressing and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 83, Protein 1g, Fat 0g, Calories from Fat 0%, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 2g, Carbohydrates 21g, Sodium 7mg.

Jicama, Green Bean, and Pomegranate Salad
Serves 4. Each serving equals two 5 A Day servings
Source: Pomegranate Council

Ingredients

1 fresh pomegranate
½ cup pomegranate juice
1 ½ lbs pieces of jicama
2 lbs thin French green beans
¼ cup walnuts
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Peel and cut jicama into ¼-inch thick slices. Stack 2 or 3 slices on a cutting board and cut into ¼-inch sticks. Place in a bowl and toss with pomegranate juice. Chill, covered for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water, trim green beans. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch beans for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Transfer beans with a slotted spoon into ice water to stop cooking. Drain in colander.

To prepare the pomegranate, follow the 6-step process to get the fresh seeds. Chop the walnuts coarsely. Take out the jicama mixture, and add green beans, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 261, Fat 9g, Calories from Fat 28%, Carbohydrates 44g, Fiber 17g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 23mg.

Pomegranate Syrup (Grenadine)
Makes about eight 1/4 cup servings.
Source: "Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables" by Elizabeth Schneider

Ingredients

2 large pomegranates, seeded (about 2 cups seeds)
1½ cups sugar

Combine seeds and sugar in a non-aluminum saucepan; stir to mix, crushing well, until you have a wet mass. Cover and let stand 12 to 24 hours. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Strain out seeds, pressing down to extract juice. Pour into a hot sterilized jar. Cover with a piece of cloth or a clean towel until cooled. Cap tightly and refrigerate.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 171, Protein 0g, Fat 0g, Calories from Fat 0%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 44g, Fiber 0g, Sodium 1mg.

Grilled Eggplant with Pomegranate Sauce
Serves 6. Each serving equals one 5 A Day serving
Source: Pomegranate Council

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
½ cup pomegranate syrup
1 tsp salt

Garnish

Minced parsley
½cup pomegranate seeds

Cut eggplant into ¼-inch slices, and place them on paper towels. Sprinkle slices with salt, and weight them down with heavy plates or a board for 30 minutes. Then pat them dry with paper towels.

Lightly brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on grill. Grill them for 3 minutes on each side, or until they are lightly browned on both sides. Remove from grill. Arrange the eggplant by overlapping the slices on a serving dish.

In a mortar, crush garlic cloves with 2 tsps salt to a paste. In a non-metallic bowl, combine the garlic paste and pomegranate syrup. Spread a little of the mixture on each eggplant slice. Sprinkle the slices with minced parley and pomegranate seeds for garnish and chill covered.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 239, Protein 1g, Fat 2g, Calories from Fat 27%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 55g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 397mg.

Spicy Pomegranate Baked Pears
Serves 4. Each serving equals one 5 A Day serving
Source: Pomegranate Council

Ingredients

4 firm baking pears
1 cup pomegranate syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches in length
4 whole cloves

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel pears, halve lengthwise, and core. Arrange pears cut side down in a ceramic baking dish. In a non-metallic bowl, combine pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves. Pour the mixture over the pears, and place in pre-heated oven. Bake for 45 minutes, basting frequently or until pears are tender.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 342, Protein 1g, Fat 1g, Calories from Fat 5%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 86g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 2mg.

Content source: Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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