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Pomegranate Salad With Persimmons and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF & High Protein}

Gluten Free
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This pomegranate salad is bright and colorful with persimmons, feta and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. A quick and easy, healthy salad that makes a great meal or a side!

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness

Choo Choo!

That’s the sounds of the everybodies-doing-it train. It’s also the sound of me taking that baby for a riiiiidee. 

Do you know this train? It’s the one the drives around Pinterest and tells me what kind of things you guys are eating these days, and what kinds of things I should be making to keep yo’ tastebuds like this –> :).

I have been peepin’ a lot of brightly colored things during my nights of wasting time pinning all the things researching new recipe ideas. Upon more inspection, I learned that these brightly colored things are know as “pomegranates” and “persimmons.” And that, my lovelies, is part 1 in the story: how this salad was born.

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness

Now, let’s get into part 2 of our story. Back in my school days, my mom would always ask me what I wanted for lunch. I was always the difficult child and, ever single day, I would tell her that I wanted “something exotic.” My brother was the “good kid” and wanted an easy peasy ham ‘n cheese sandwich every. single. day. Not me though.

Some days she even gave me peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches because she just had no idea what to feed me. It. Rocked.

Don’t worry there is no peanut butter or chocolate chips in this salad. Although…maybe? Ideas.

I decided that, because I had no idea what I was going to be eating, I would finally be able to get that “exotic” lunch experience that I have been wanting for 23 years. Excitement ensued.

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness

Part 3 of our story goes like this: I had never eaten either before AND I didn’t even know what a persimmon was. Is it sweet? Sour? Salty? Does it taste like feet? Do I even know what feet taste like? I had no clue.

So, armed with zero knowledge, I went to the grocery store. There was a poor, unsuspecting man working in the produce department that looked like the perfect victim for my questions. I explained to him that I had never eaten a pomegranate or a persimmon, had no idea what they tasted like, but I wanted to purchase a few, so could he please help me pick out some good ones? He just gave me those crazy-why-is-this-girl-only-buying-a-basket-of-food-that-she-doesn’t-know-how-to-use-let-alone-what-any-of-it-tastes-like eyes, and put some good ‘ers in my basket. I looked at everything I was about to buy and my eyes smiled. I didn’t know what any of it would end up in, but everything was pretty. Pretty is important.

You understand.

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness

After much pondering I decided to make a salad. Cop out, because everything tastes good in a salad? Yes. You can judge me. HOW-EV-ER I am being totally and completely serious when I say this is the greatest salad that my mouth has ever experienced in, well, ever. You guys are going to like this. It’s sweet, creamy, a little crunchy, and loaded with antioxidants. Persimmons may be my new favorite fruit for realz.  They kind of taste like an apricot x100 on the get-in-my-face-now scale. Quick tip though: Pick one that is u-g-l-y and looks like it is almost about to go rotten (except it’s not rotten.) That is what Mr-poor-unsuspecting-grocery-man told me, or else they give you cotton mouth.  Ickyickyicky.

Also, you should eat this because pomegranates are one of those “super foods.”

Does anyone else just picture little pomegranate arils flying around with mini capes? Maybe that’s just me.

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness

I’m done.

Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein} - Food Faith Fitness
5 from 4 votes
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Pomegranate Persimmon Salad With Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette {GF + High Protein}

This pomegranate salad is bright and colorful with persimmons, feta and a honey balsamic vinaigrette. A quick and easy, healthy salad that makes a great meal or a side!

Course Meatless Main, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword fruit salad recipes, gluten free salads, healthy salads, high protein recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Author Taylor

Ingredients

  • For the salad:
  • 1/4 Cup Pecans toasted
  • 1/2 Cup Pomegranate arils (about 1/2 a large pomegranate's worth}
  • 6 Cups Spring mix or lettuce of choice
  • 2/3 Cup Red onion sliced
  • 1 cup Small avocado sliced (about 1/2 a )
  • 2 cup Small persimmons sliced (about 1/2 a )
  • 1/3 Cup Low-fat or Fat-free feta cheese
  • 1 cup Large chicken breast chopped (about 1 )
  • For the vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 Cup Pomegranate juice
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • 2 tsps Olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a small baking sheetwith parchment paper.
  3. Place the pecans on the prepared baking sheet and toast until brown and "toasted" smelling (you'll be able to tell.) About 8-10 minutes, watch careful so they do not burn.
  4. While the nuts toast, it's time to tackle the pomegranate.
  5. Place a large knife just to the right or left of the bump on the top and slice straight down, cutting the pomegranate in half. Note: Cut it on a plastic cutting board so that the juice does not stain a nice, wooden one.
  6. Now, cut each half in half again, leaving you with quarters.
  7. Take one quarter at a time and invert it over alarge bowl and scrape out as many of the seeds as possible. Once finished, turn it right side up and get out the remaining seeds. Drain the juice into a small bowl and set aside for later.
  8. Now, fill the bowl with cold water until there is about 3/4 of an inch above the pomegranate seeds. This will allow all the extra little skin bits to float to the top and you can easy remove them with your fingers or a spoon.
  9. Do this process another time or two, until all the bits are removed. Drain and set aside.
  10. Add the spring mix into a large mixing bowl.
  11. Slice the red onion and avocado and add it to the spring mix.
  12. Take the 2 persimmons and slice them in half. Remove the leafy part and the hard, inner core. Slice each half again, and then each quarter into 4-5 slices. Add to the spring mix.
  13. Add in the feta cheese and chopped chicken.
  14. Finally add in the pomegranate arils and stir until everything is well combined. Set aside while you whip up the vinaigrette.
  15. For the Vinaigrette:
  16. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients until well mixed.
  17. Pour the vinaigrette into the bowl and toss to coat evenly.
  18. Divide the salad evenly between two plates and...
  19. DEVOUR!

Recipe Notes

You could easily leave out the chicken and serve this as a side salad.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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Want  more salad?

Quinoa Fruit Salad

Quinoa Fruit Salad

Skinny Cobb Salad

Skinny Cobb Salad

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chris @ Shared Appetite says

    January 17, 2014 at 11:44 am

    I’m trying to think if I’ve ever had persimmons… I’m actually not sure! Maybe in dining out or something like that, but I’ve never gone to the grocery store and been like, you know what, today I’m going to bring home some persimmons. You’ve inspired me to try them out 🙂 Love all the colors in that salad, and the vinaigrette looks yum!

    Reply

  2. Melanie @ Carmel Moments says

    January 17, 2014 at 12:57 pm

    I just bought a persimmon for the first time this week. I wasn’t even sure how to cut it or anything. Gotta love Google. Haven’t tried it yet. Here’s a great place I can use! Love pomegranates.
    P.S. Photos are beautiful!

    Reply

  6. Hayley@healthyregardshayley says

    January 17, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    AH! Thank you for this. I tried a persimmon for the first time last week because they were cheap at Sprouts and well I have always wanted to try one, and it did just that, was cotton-y!!! The flavor was good too so it was a little disappointing that the texture was gross. This salad is lovely, I will get an ugly persimmon and try it (:

    Reply

  8. Julia says

    January 17, 2014 at 1:51 pm


    I LOVE salads that are chockerblock full of goodies! You’ve got a persimmon fan right here and combining them will all those fresh, tasty ingredients sounds brilliant! And I could drink that honey balsamic vinaigrette…lay it on me, sister!

    Reply

    • Tate says

      January 17, 2014 at 4:11 pm

      Haha girl, imagine what would happen if we went grocery shopping together! One day I wanna hear the rhubarb story! Thanks!:)

      Reply

  11. colleen says

    January 17, 2014 at 4:19 pm

    Yes you were the difficult child, causing me alllllll kinds of lunch/I’m a terrible uncreative mom kinda stress!!! G;ad you have created something worthy of your exotic lunch desires. This is a BEAUTIFUL salad, I will have to try this very very soon!

    Reply

  17. Lauren McGinnis says

    January 17, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    Hmmm, I’ve never had a persimmon before… I should probably get on that.

    Also, “Does anyone else just picture little pomegranate arils flying around with mini capes? Maybe that’s just me.”
    This is absolutely hilarious and wonderful. That’s definitely what pomegranate seeds do in their free time, when they’re not looking super yummy in salads and what not 😉

    Reply

  20. Erin | The Emerging Foodie says

    January 19, 2014 at 3:28 am

    Gorgeous colors and lovely flavors! Winning! The vinaigrette sounds awesome, too. But maybe not quite as awesome as peanut butter chocolate chip sandwiches… new ideas for nannying. Just kidding your dressing sounds better. But those are a close second. 😉

    Reply

  21. Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens says

    January 19, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Oh my goodness! Never had a pomegranate??? Girlfriend! You are totally forgiven since you love love love them now! 🙂

    This whole dish is just a picture of pure health! Imagine if we had to calculate all the nutrients! Protein, antioxidants, healthy fats … it’s so perfect I may just cry!!! I love it! And … I’m about to run to the store – gotta stock up to make this salad! 🙂

    Reply

    • Tate says

      January 20, 2014 at 1:37 am

      Haha Thanks for looking past my pomegranate failure lady! 😀

      I hope that you love it, and all it’s nutritious-ness, just as I do! Thanks so much Gretchen! 🙂

      Reply

  22. Kelly says

    January 20, 2014 at 4:24 am

    This salad looks wonderful Taylor! I love all the pretty colors in here – I am a big fan of pomegranates and persimmons so this salad sounds heavenly 🙂 Hehe and your grocery store story was awesome and too cute 🙂

    Reply

  27. Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says

    January 21, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    Colorful and bright salads like this one are my favorite! Yours look totally gorgeous wow. And the presentation is adorable, I love that blue wooden board you used! I need one of those too hehehe.
    Have a nice day Taylor!
    p.s: peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches?? HEAVEN <3

    Reply

    • Tate says

      January 21, 2014 at 2:59 pm

      Thank you so much Consuelo! That blue board is my fav!
      You definitely need to shove a chocolate and pb sandwich in your face sometime soon girl! Have a great day! 🙂

      Reply

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