I adore the pomegranate. It's such a photogenic and gem of a fruit. Outside is a tough exterior, inside these ruby red seeds burst with flavor when you bite into them. Not only are they gorgeous, but they're packed with all sorts of nutritional wonder. The pomegranate is the most powerful anti-oxidant of all fruits. It has powerful anti-cancer and immune supporting effects. It inhibits abnormal platelet aggregation that can potentially cause heart attacks, strokes and embolisms. It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Pomegranates have been shown to promote reversal of atherosclerotic plaque. They can relieve or protect against depression and osteoporosis. 

I've heard many people say, "I love pomegranates, but they're so hard to eat!" I remember sitting at a table with a pomegranate that was cut in half and working dexterously to get to each seed and thinking the effort was simply not worth it. And then someone taught me a little trick that has made ALL the difference!

At the top of the fruit you'll see a flower-like shape where the stem was. With a sharp knife cut a medium sized circle around it, then pull it out. Gently, with two hands, pry the fruit in half. You can then pry each half in half too if you wish. You'll see the huge sacs of seeds. Carefully peel away the thin layer of pith and your seeds will quite literally pop out. You can eat them on the spot, put them in a bowl or a plastic bag to enjoy later. Pomegranate seeds make a wonderful addition to so many wonderful foods and their beautiful color makes them a perfectly festive fruit for the holiday season. So enjoy all the benefits these little gems have to offer... and by all means, YES, do add them to your glass of bubbly!

Stay tuned as I will have some fun ways to add these seeds to many of your favorite recipes!