November is National Pomegranate Month and "Good Morning America" has gathered an assortment of recipes that utilize the nutrient-rich fruit to mark the occasion.
Pomegranates are often called the "Jewel of Winter" because the fruit, which is packed with antioxidants, polyphenols and vitamin C, hits peak seasonality from now through January.
The dark ruby red arils tucked tightly between the peel and membrane are perfect for both sweet and savory cooking applications when you want to add a pop of tartness and sweet flavor.
The team of recipe developers at POM Wonderful shared with "GMA" a selection of top recipes to celebrate their 20th anniversary and National Pomegranate Month.
Grab some juice and arils to make the recipes below at home!
Ingredients
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup pomegranate arils, divided
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 cup Halo orange (mandarin/clementine) segments
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon almond butter
2 teaspoons agave syrup (or honey)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
Directions
In a small bowl, combine pomegranate juice and chia seeds. Let sit for 5 minutes.
In two 8-ounce jars or containers, layer rolled oats, bananas, 1/4 cup Pomegranate Arils, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and all remaining ingredients except almond milk. Add chia seed mixture.
When ready to refrigerate, stir together with the almond milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 5 hours.
In the morning, top mixture with additional Greek yogurt and extra pomegranate Arils.
Ingredients
Wild Rice and Roasted Squash
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils
1 cup wild rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 small acorn squash, skin washed
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
1/2 cup skinned hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
Put water, pomegranate juice, salt, and wild rice into a pot; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until rice has popped and is tender. Drain rice in a colander.
Heat oven to 425 F. Cut squash into quarters and remove seeds and stem. Cut each piece into 1/2-inch slices. Brush squash slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until tender, tossing once halfway through.
For dressing, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil.
In a large bowl, combine the rice, squash, scallions, nuts, herbs, and pomegranate arils. Mix in half the dressing.
Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side for anyone who wants to add more.
Ingredients
Meatless Meatballs 1/2 cup Pom Pomegranate Arils
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmagiano Reggiano
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3/4-pound eggplant, diced 1/4-inch
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large egg, beaten
Sauce:
1 cup pomegranate juice
Pomegranate arils for garnish
8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons harissa
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Plain yogurt for serving
Extra flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Directions
For the meatballs: Heat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmagiano Reggiano, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, and cumin. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, eggplant, and salt and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in walnuts, garlic and tomato paste.
Transfer half the eggplant mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add back to the original eggplant mixture. Stir in the bread crumb mixture and egg.
Generously coat hands with oil or water and form mixture into 24 meatless "meatballs," about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Place on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart.
Bake until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
For the harissa sauce: In a medium saucepan, boil POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice over medium high heat until reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the tomato sauce, harissa, honey, cumin, and ginger. Let cool slightly. Top meatballs with POM Pomegranate Arils and parsley and serve with harissa sauce and yogurt.
Ingredients
Pom Brown Rice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
Pom Ginger Marinated Salmon
1 tablespoon POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
2 tablespoons honey
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Four 4-6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets
Pom Sriracha
1/3 cup sriracha
3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Bowl toppings:
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate arils
2 sheets nori, thinly sliced
For the POM Brown Rice: Heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the brown rice, and salt and stir. Allow to toast for a minute then add water and POM Juice. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to cook for 40 to 45 minutes on the lowest heat.
Remove rice from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Set aside and keep warm.
For the POM Ginger Marinated Salmon: In a small bowl, combine the POM Juice, honey, ginger, and garlic and stir to combine. Season the salmon with salt and spread a quarter of the marinade on each fillet.
Preheat an air fryer to 400 F. Grease the basket with cooking spray and place the salmon fillet skin side down. Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes.
For the POM Sriracha: In a small bowl, combine the sriracha, POM Juice and rice wine vinegar. Set aside.
To assemble, divide the rice into four bowls. Arrange toppings as desired and top with cooked salmon. Drizzle with POM Sriracha.
Recipes reprinted with permission from POM Wonderful culinary team.