Pomegranate seeds, toasted pecans, and vinaigrette can be prepared in advance so when lunchtime rolls around, all you have to do is chop up an apple and fennel bulb and toss!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted*
  • 1 large apple, washed
  • 1/2 bulb fennel (or 2-3 stalks celery)
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Clementine Vinaigrette (recipe below)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Wash and divide fennel, reserving half of it for tomorrow’s salad. Place cut side down on cutting board and slice thinly.
  2. Chop apple into batonnets (think 1/2-inch thick matchsticks) –or just hack it up any way you like!
  3. In a medium bowl, combine fennel, apple, pecans and pomegranates and toss to combine.
  4. Drizzle with clementine vinaigrette, season lightly with salt and pepper and mix well. Serve at once.

*Tip: I like to toast up several cups of pecans when I’m baking something, and then store them in a glass jar so that they are ready to go for the rest of the week, rather than heating my oven too frequently.

Why bother to toast nuts? Well, just like toasting spices, subjecting the nuts to heat brings out their flavors and releases those natural oils. I find it also takes off that ‘fridge taste’. Yes, you should keep your shelled nuts in an airtight container (glass jars work for me) in the refrigerator to keep them as fresh as possible.

Clementine-Coriander Vinaigrette

Still got small citrus hanging around from the holidays? Grab a few and squeeze up this refreshing and tangy vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe clementines
  • pinch of ground coriander
  • pinch of freshly ground pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Halve clementines and squeeze juice into a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for three minutes. (This reduces the juice, making the flavor more concentrated.) Allow to cool for a few minutes.
  2. Add coriander, salt, pepper and olive oil to the bowl. Whisk together until combined.
  3. Taste vinaigrette and adjust seasoning as necessary.
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