November is Pomegranate Month

“The pomegranate is not only beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, but is loaded with health benefits.

Pomegranates are an excellent source of Vitamin C. In addition, the pomegranate is rich in polyphenols, some of the most powerful of the antioxidants. And there’s more: each seed provides a satisfying crunch and a bit of fiber in every bite.“

The word pomegranate comes from Middle French and means “seeded apple”.

I found a box of four large and succulent pomegranates while out doing errands today. I took the seeds from half and added them to my plain yogurt - absolutely delicious. The pomegranate seeds are sweet enough to flavor the yogurt. Directions on how to open a pomegranate are found here. Recipes from the POM Wonderful site are found here. And if you want to pursue the “history” behind pomegranates you will find that here.

“The pomegranate is native to Asia, from the Middle East to the Himalayas, where it grows in sandy or rocky scrublands. It is cultivated for its fruit and showy flowers in much of the Mediterranean region and tropical America. The pomegranate has escaped cultivation and become established in parts of southern Europe and the American South and Southwest.” Additional botanical information can be found here.