Avocado and Pomegranate Salad with Sparkling Apple Juice

by Laurie David, Environmentalist and Author, The Family Dinner

These vegan and kid-friendly recipes are great for a small or large group. The sparkling apple juice recipe (on page 2) is a great complement to the avocado and lettuce salad. Enjoy the love-themed recipes on Valentine’s Day or any day!

Lett-Us Love

Red greens with avocado, mango, pomegranate seeds and toasted pistachios

You need:

6 cups assorted red lettuces; you can also mix in red endive, radicchio, and red beet leaves
1 avocado, cut into thin wedges
1 cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
1 whole mango, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup pistachios or sliced almonds, toasted
Pomegranate vinaigrette (see below)

In your salad bowl, toss the lettuce with enough dressing to make you happy. In a separate bowl, toss the fruit with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and arrange in a lovely manner on top of the greens. Sprinkle with the nuts and serve right away.

Makes 6 servings

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

You need:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (or simmer 3/4 cup pomegranate juice until it is as thick as maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light flavored olive oil, nut oil or a combination of the two

Pour the vinegar, mustard, pomegranate syrup and salt into a mason jar and shake until the salt has dissolved. Add the olive oil, shake and shake again. Then, taste it â€” this is important. Does it need more salt? A little more vinegar? When it is perfect, drizzle on your salad.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Next: Ruby Red Razzle Dazzles