Wow, the holidays are here already! Only a few short days left to shop for gifts, decorate and organize the holiday menu, but the cookies, chocolate and Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte's (350 calories in a Tall) have been in full view for weeks. All these little extras top up our weight by about 6 pounds come January! (READ MORE: 10 Steps to Healthy Holidays)
If you're like me, you're doing double time at the gym and building your menus around veggies and salads, so I couldn't help but laugh when I read this post from BuzzFeed Life on a friends Facebook page, The 8 Soul-Crushing Stages of Eating a Salad for Lunch.
That's pretty much how I feel when eating a restaurant salad, because nothing beats a beautiful homemade salad, especially this one. This is my favourite holiday salad - but with a few minor modifications, it's a year 'round staple at my dinner table.
You will need:
1 5 oz. package of arugula leaves
1/2 pomegranate
1/2 package baby tomatoes, washed and halved
1 small avocado
2-3 oz. blue cheese
2 oz. aged cheddar cheese (white), grated (optional)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Dressing: (prepare more or less according to taste)
Whisk together:
2 tbsp. extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. maple syrup
Wash and dry the arugula and place in a large bowl.
Cut the avocado into cubes, and peel the pomegranate, discarding the peel and pith. Add these, along with the tomatoes to the salad and mix well.
Drizzle with dressing and toss until salad is well-coated. Place the salad in a pretty bowl.
Grate the cheddar (if you're including it) over the salad, sprinkle the sliced almonds over top and serve.
This green & red salad even looks like Christmas! Let's call the arugula the ivy, and the pomegranate seeds and tomatoes resemble berries and ornaments. The white cheddar - well that's snow, of course!
If you don't like the dressing, feel free to use another one (even ranch would go nicely on this combo).
Happy holidays everyone, and wishing you many blessings in the New Year!
