Orange Pomegranate Coleslaw

I have no clue why pomegranate popped into my head the other day but it did. When something pops into my head I tend make it a personal challenge to use that ingredient. Well, I happened to have about half a head of red cabbage left after making veggie packed peanut butter pasta for the 1,000th time. Hence, the orange pomegranate coleslaw was born.

If you are afraid of pomegranate, please don't be! It's really simple to work with. I just cut mine in half and put both halves in a bowl of water. I broke it apart easily with my hands, pulling the seeds out as I went. The theory is that the white pulp/shell will float and the seeds will sink. It works simply enough with a little time. Once you have the seeds pulled out, skim the pulp off the top of the water and drain the seeds.

Pomegranate seeds are like little explosions in your mouth. It's seriously a strange sensation at first. It's like a little pocket of sweet juice with every bite. The seeds are also a bit crunchy so it adds nice flavor and crunch to the coleslaw!

I am not a huge fan of coleslaw. I'm not opposed, but it is for sure not my go-to side dish. I think it's the mayonnaise and the bland looking mix of cabbage. It's so...well, blah. It's time to take your coleslaw to the next level! The red cabbage definitely adds some visual appeal to the mix and the bright pomegranate seeds are a beautiful addition.

ORANGE POMEGRANATE COLESLAW
prep time: 10 minutes
serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 large head of red cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)
• 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss together red cabbage, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and raisins in a a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt. Pour over coleslaw mixture and toss until combined.

NOTES

This recipe lasts in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To remove the seeds from the pomegranate, I cut the pomegranate in half and placed it in a bowl of water. The white pulp should float as you break the halves apart with your hands and the seeds will sink. Skim off the pulp and drain the water to get the seeds.