Kiwi, avocado, and pomegranate salad with pomegranate-horseradish vinaigrette recipe

Pomegranate vinegar is less acidic than regular vinegar, so you can use a much lower oil-to-vinegar ration than in normal vinaigrette, which reduces the hidden fat found in so many dressings.

This dressing is amazing—light and fruity and citrusy with a little kick. But the horseradish strikes people as a weird ingredient, so I don’t tell anyone what’s in it unless they ask. It’s also fabulous on beet salad, or any other salad where some of the ingredients are a little on the sweet side.

It keeps forever in the fridge, so I make a bunch and just keep it on hand. Take it out of the refrigerator about half an hour before you plan to use it so the oil can come back to room temperature—it goes solid in the cold.

The salad is really beautiful, too, with the ruby pomegranate arils glowing on top of all the different colors of green. Be sure your guests admire it properly before you toss it.

The salad serves 2-4, depending on how big of a lettuce fiend you are. There will be dressing left over for several more salads this size.

Horseradish-pomegranate dressing
Makes ½ cup. Each tablespoon of dressing counts as 1.5 Weight Watchers points, and 1.5 servings of healthy oil.

3 T pomegranate vinegar or pomegranate-infused red wine vinegar*
3 T good extra virgin olive oil
1 T horseradish
1 T fresh lime juice (optional)
½ t salt

Put everything in the jar and shake it until it is well blended. (You’ll need to shake it again when you’re ready to dress the salad.)

Kiwi, avocado, and pomegranate salad
4 cups lettuce, cut or torn into bite-size pieces (butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce are nice)
2 kiwis, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick, and halved cross-wise
¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds (arils)*
½ an avocado, 1/2-inch dice
1 green onion, 1/8-inch slice (optional)

Put the lettuce in a bowl. Add the fruit and vegetables. Pour on some (not all!) salad dressing and toss.

This is fantastic with my Guilt-free silken tofu fettuccini Alfredo.