Fresh for summer (and your health): carrot & pomegranate salad
Image: Jamie Oliver
Last month was Men's Health Month, and I covered some of the best supplements and foods for men's unique health concerns. One of the items I recommended was pomegranate, because it's been shown to inhibit colon and prostate cancer cell growth by destroying the cancer cells through a process known as apoptosis.
But pomegranate isn't just for the fellas. This fruit (of which we consume the seeds and their juice) is also a powerful antioxidant. With all the BBQs and beer drinking that can come with summer, incorporating a few more antioxidants into your diet isn't the worst idea.
The salad recipe below from Jamie Oliver is a perfect place to start - the mint makes it fresh, and the sweet, tanginess of the pomegranate mixes well with the feta cheese (try goat's feta if you're avoiding dairy).
Carrot & Pomegranate Grain Salad
Recipe from Jamie Oliver
Ingredients
350 small bunch of mixed-colour baby heritage carrots
1 pomegranate
1 big bunch of fresh mint
1 cup of cooked grains (try quinoa for extra protein, but brown rice is great, too)
1/2 cup crumbled goat's feta cheese
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Directions
Wash the carrots, halve any larger ones, then place in a large cold non-stick frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Put on a medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until golden and tender, tossing regularly.
Meanwhile, halve the pomegranate, squeeze the juice from one half through a sieve into a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop the top leafy half of the mint (reserving a few nice leaves), stir into the bowl, then taste and season to perfection.
Transfer the carrots to the dressing bowl, while you toss the grains in the pan for 1 minute with a splash of water to warm through. Tip into the bowl and mix with the dressed carrots, then divide between your plates.
Holding the remaining pomegranate half cut-side down in your fingers, bash the back of it with a spoon so all the seeds tumble over the salads. Sprinkle with the feta and reserved mint leaves, and tuck in.