Tag Archives: pomegranate

Lebanese Chicken Salad

Lunch and Light Meals, , , , , , , , ,

Lebanese Chicken Salad

Living in a hot climate we eat a lot of salads, and are always looking for new ideas to keep the meal interesting. This one combines chicken marinated in Lebanese Seven Spice Mix with a honey mustard dressing. You can make your own mustard at home or use store bought wholegrain mustard.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice powder
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 150g baby spinach leaves (or other lettuce leaves)
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks of 1cm
  • 5 radishes, sliced thinly (optional)
  • 1/2 a pomegranate, seeds removed
  • optional – you could also add some feta cheese

Honey Mustard Dressing

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 cm strips. Place in a bowl
  2. Add the Lebanese seven spice powder and 1 Tbsp olive oil to the chicken. Sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine as a marinade.
  3. Pan fry the chicken over a moderate heat until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  4. Wash the baby spinach leaves (or lettuce), and place the spinach, cucumber, and radish in a serving bowl.
  5. To make the honey mustard dressing, place the honey, mustard, olive oil, white wine vinegar, a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper into a glass or jar. Stir well to combine (or shake to combine in a jar).
  6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss the salad to coat all leaves.
  7. Spread the chicken over the top of the salad.
  8. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (and feta if you are using it)
  9. Serve the salad as a light meal for 2 people

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Peter Bjorn and John – Gimme Some

Fitness Speed Juice

Drinks, , , , , , , ,

Fitness Speed Juice

Our little Juicemaster Liam has been busy again creating a new juice for after exercise. Inspired by needing a big refreshment after playing football, he created this apple, orange, lime, carrot and pomegranate juice. This might just be one of his best yet!

Ingredients

  • 1 green apple
  • 1 red apple
  • 1 orange (whole, do not peel it)
  • 1 lime (whole, do not peel it)
  • 1/2 pomegranate (cut in half, seeds left in, not peeled)
  • 1 carrot, whole
  • a few ice cubes
  • Centrifugal or slow juicer

Directions

  1. Cut any of the fruit to fit into your juicer as required
  2. Juice the apples on the slower speed of the juicer
  3. Juice the carrot, pomegranate, orange and lime on the fast speed of the juicer
  4. Stir to combine the juices together
  5. Serve over ice

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds –  Riverman

Duck Breast with Pomegranate Sauce

Dinner, , , , , , , ,

Duck Breast with pomegranate sauce

Duck is a flavorsome meat, and this powerfully flavoured sauce makes a rich combination, that is quite impressive to serve. The ingredients can be a little expensive to buy, but it does make a wonderful dish for a special occasion. Serve with a salad and sweet potato chips.

Ingredients

  • 2 large duck breasts, skin on
  • coconut oil
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • Pomegranate seeds to garnish
  • Fresh coriander to garnish

Sauce ingredients

  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 100 ml organic pomegranate juice (check the label carefully to avoid added sugar and additives. The one we found was in a glass jar, and imported from America.)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp manuka honey
  • 50 ml fresh orange juice
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 5 thyme sprigs

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
  2. Make a few cuts in the fat / skin of the duck breast. Brush with a little coconut oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
  3. Fry in an oven proof pan for 5 minutes skin side down on a moderate heat. Turn the duck over and cook for a further 2 minutes. 
  4. Put all of the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Pour the sauce over the duck, and put the pan with duck and sauce into the oven to cook for around 5 minutes (depending on the size of the duck breast it might take a little more or less time). 
  6. Garnish with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds to serve. 

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Burning Spear – Marcus Garvey / Garvey’s Ghost

 

 

Avocado Tahini Dip with Pomegranate Seeds

Condiments and Dips, , , , , , , , , ,

Avocado Tahini Dip with Pomegranate SeedsThere is nothing that says “Middle Eastern food” like pomegranate and tahini. This avocado tahini dip is given a very fresh flavour with the addition of pomegranate seeds which are both stirred through it and used as a garnish. While the pomegranate gives it a delicious flavour, you can also leave them out for a more simple avocado tahini dressing if you prefer.

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 Tbsp tahini
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 red chili, de-seeded
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • handful of fresh mint
  • handful of fresh coriander
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • handful of pomegranate seeds to garnish
  • sumac to garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Put the avocado, garlic, tahini, lime juice, cumin powder, chili, red onion, mint, coriander, sea salt, pepper and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth.
  2. The  dip should be on the thick side, so be careful not to add too much olive oil. 
  3. Stir through a handful of pomegranate seeds so that they are found throughout the dip. 
  4. Garnish with a little sumac (optional)
  5. Serve together with sweet potato fries, with Lebanese lamb burgers, or on pan fried fish. 

Music to go with it…
Listen on Spotify: Tiny Ruins – Brightly Painted One