One of our local watering holes (when we actually get a chance to sneak out for lunch) houses a plentitude of healthy eating alternatives, but if you feel like a cheat day they also tempt you with some glutinous grub. For the most part, as creatures of habit we order the same thing every morning and the waiters mainly ask what we are having in order to be polite and save us any embarrassment. Victory over the temptation.
During the wintertime, Tamu's go to refreshment at God Save the Food is a mix of fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate juice. Thirst quenching, antioxidant and vitamin C packed, this potion is simple yet potent. Pomegranates, during this flu ridden season, serve as an immune booster and fight off infection. Needless to say, we should be sprinkling this magic fruit wherever we can.
There is no elegant way of extracting seeds from a pomegranate without looking like you came out of an episode of Dexter. Unless you shell out the extra bucks to get pomegranate seeds already picked for your enjoyment, these seeds can often leave you helpless to the mess. But with winter here, all I want to see on any label is pomegranate, from my face serums to the actual super fruit getting in my belly. So, I am getting my hands dirty and plucking out those seeds.
Where do you think they get that lovely red hue? From their polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that are much higher in number to some of the other fruits on the stand (thus the intense red).
I am not going to yet again harp on about how much I love turmeric. Just know that it is my go-to when trying help simmer down any inflammation. Stumbling upon this recipe that combines the two, it was a no brainer that I obviously had to try it for myself.
Heat the olive oil, onion and garlic in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the quinoa. Stir the quinoa for a minute and then add the vegetable broth and turmeric. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes off the heat but still covered.
Once cooled a bit, toss in the pomegranates. Top the mixture with the walnuts and scallions. It can be served warm or at room temperature.