Open a Pomegranate

Pomegranate!

I’m stating the obvious, but Thanksgiving, and the days surrounding it, are always so gluttonous for me. Even before I had the first bite of our holiday feast this year, I was already feeling a bit stuffed from the previous couple of days. At some point my body was just crying for relief, even if my taste buds were begging for more stuffing or mashed potatoes. Fast forward to today, and I am grateful that most of the leftovers are now gone. As much as I enjoy every morsel, I always look forward to returning to some normalcy surrounding my meals, as well as incorporating more fresh and simple foods.

Something fresh and simple like a pomegranate can be exactly what a body like mine needs after days of holiday binging. Pomegranates contain a large amount of antioxidants, fiber and vitamins – exactly what most of us need anyway whether or not our bodies have been through the Thanksgiving mill. Plus, it’s just a fun fruit. When you open it up, you are welcomed by the sight of dozens of gleaming brilliant red and pink seeds. As you pop them in your mouth, the sweet and crisp seeds first burst then give way to a firmer texture.

An unopened pomegranate

Because I’m in the mood for something simple, I’m just going to reserve this post for telling you how to open a pomegranate and relinquish those seeds. It’s super easy, and this is a mess-free way to ensure you don’t get your clothes stained.

How to Open a Pomegranate

You’ll need:

• 1 pomegranate
• 1 cutting board
• 1 knife
• 1 large bowl filled with water
• 1 strainer

First cut off the top and the bottom of your pomegranate.

Cutting the top and bottom off the pomegranate

With your knife, cut (or score) into the skin vertically and equally apart in four places around the fruit, but do not cut all the way through.

Scoring the pomegranate

Place your pomegranate into the bowl of water (this is what will protect your clothes from getting stained from pomegranate juice). Tear open the pomegranate where you have scored the fruit (it should give way pretty easily). You will have four pieces now to work with as you pry away the seeds.

Opening my pomegranate

Gently pull the seeds away from the shell. The seeds will fall to the bottom, while any free pith or membrane pieces (this is the white part) will float to the top. This process will take a few minutes.

Retrieving pomegranate seeds

Once you’re done, take a strainer and remove any floating pith and discard.

Removing pomegranate pith

Strain the seeds, then enjoy right away or you can store them in the refrigerator for later use. Be sure to use within a few days.

Pomegranate seeds

Suggestions for using pomegranate seeds:

• Simply snack on them!
• Toss a handful of pomegranate seeds into a salad.
• Add them to your morning cereal or vegan yogurt.
• Top your vegan ice cream with some seeds to add texture and flavor.

What is your favorite way to eat a pomegranate?

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

Be Sociable, Share!

•