Mustard Greens and Pomegranate Salad with Fresh Orange Juice Dressing

Fresh leaf lettuce salad is a food that I’ve never had until I moved to the United States. Back in the Philippines, my family hardly ate any raw vegetables… my Mom worried about bacteria and pesticides. There’s a lot of fresh fruit in the Philippines though and this makes up for not eating fresh leaf lettuce salads.  

When I was living with Sally, salads were almost always present during dinner. She made the most amazing salads and my favorites are the ones tossed with some fruit: apples, pears, watermelons, cantaloupes, pineapples, pomegranates, and so on. All the combinations just worked in the magical way that Sally tosses everything together.  

It’s been a long while since I had a good salad and I’ve been craving it for days. The last time I made salad was during the dwindling days of summer. As soon as work was over last Friday afternoon, I started thinking about having a salad. Sally makes fresh leaf lettuce salads with pomegranate during the winter. So, I definitely wanted some in mine too. At the grocery store, I hunted for salad ingredients, found everything I needed and more. Unfortunately, I had to settle for leftovers that night because there was plenty. On Saturday, I cooked a big batch of Three Cheese Rigatoni with Brussels Sprouts and Fig-Cran-Apple Sauce, had a prom sign-in task, and a friend’s engagement party. Feeling overbooked, I didn’t get the chance to formulate the salad in my little head. This combination came together in my mind before falling asleep and it was all I could think of all throughout Sunday morning, during my yoga class at noon, and could hardly wait to get home and make it for lunch.

To put an end to my rambling, the point is, mulling over a recipe for days works because this turned out wonderful. Thanks to all the time spent thinking about it and the Sally inspiration. There’s a lovely blend of different flavors and textures in this beautiful salad: crisp mustard greens; juicy, melt-in-your-mouth pomegranate seeds; salty pistachio crunches; soft mozzarella pieces; and sweet orange juice dews on the bitter-spicy leaves.    

Mustard Greens and Pomegranate Salad with Fresh Orange Juice Dressing

(Makes two servings)
I recommend assembling this salad in individual bowls rather than a big one. This is a basic recipe and it’s okay to roll your eyes at my having to give instructions on how to make it. I’m a teacher, giving directions has become a habit. ;) 

about 5 leaves mustard greens, torn

about 5 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, or more if you like
handful of roasted and salted pistachios, chopped
fresh mozzarella, torn or shredded
freshly squeezed juice of one orange

Wash and dry the mustard green leaves. Tear into bite size pieces and divide between two bowls.

Cut the pomegranate in half and scoop out three tablespoons of seeds. Scatter seeds over the leaves between the bowls.

Shell the pistachios and roughly chop. Sprinkle over the leaves in both bowls.

Pinch off a handful of fresh mozzarella and tear into small pieces. Again, sprinkle over both bowls.

Cut an orange in half and squeeze the juice out of each half into a bowl, using a lemon squeezer. If you don’t have a squeezer, make sure to catch the seeds with a strainer or a fork.

Serve.

Enjoy this fresh, wholesome goodness!