Butter bean salad with pomegranate seeds and scallions
While I have been eating in accordance to the Bon Appetit Food Lovers Cleanse for the last 2 weeks, I admit I did not follow their day-by-day menu plans. Instead I did a lot of mixing and matching depending upon what was on hand at any given time. This is sad only because it means it took me an extra week to discover the unexpectedly delicious coupling of butter beans and pomegranate seeds.
In fact, to be honest, I saw a picture of the salad (made with white cannellini beans) and immediately thought, “Oh hell no. That’s one to skip.” Even though I love a good bean salad, for some reason my brain could just not accept the combination of beans and fruit.
But then I saw reviews for the recipe — both online and on Instagram — and was surprised. People seemed to love it. And almost everyone praised the pomegranates for making the salad a success. After all, take them away and the salad is very, very basic — lemon, parsley, olive oil and green onions. Good, no doubt, but nothing to write home about.
The pomegranate seeds, on the other hand, are the life of the party. They add color, which is sorely needed considering the color palette is generally white with a hint of green. But, more importantly, they add complexity — bursts of sweet, tart and crunch all at once. The blending of those flavors and textures is what makes this salad a beautiful (and tasty) thing.
Oh white bean and pomegranate salad — I take it all back! I’m sorry I doubted you!
While it made for a nice light lunch, it was also super delicious with some seared steelhead and sautéed chard.
With food this good, it’d be easy to stay on this cleanse forever. But alas, it’s not in my nature to go dairy and beer free.
Attempts in Domesticity 
Cleanse schmense…but those PIES in the header!!!! YUM!!!!
Ha! Thanks! Those pies were seriously fabulous. Just revisiting that picture made my mouth water so I knew they would make a good header. Problem is now I just want to be eating them!
I don’t see a ‘problem’!
“Come over here, you little butter bean, you!!” (Sorry, that’s all I ever got when someone mentions butter beans.)
It’s hard to resist! =)
what a pretty salad! Yes, the pomegranate seeds make it. Am assuming bourbon is not allowed on the cleanse, so will have to pass. But thanks for sharing your experience. Woo and a hoo to you 😀
Gin was definitely allowed on the cleanse which is the only reason I managed to make it through the last 2 weeks! Though their version of a cleanse cocktail involved 1/2 oz of liquor. *sigh* Oh well — it’s over now and I spent the evening chowing down on tacos, without a hint of quinoa in sight! =)
Can you say yum! Thank you for posting original, creative recipes – there are so many blogs out there just adjusting well known recipes – this is so inventive. Check out this Pear Jam recipe using Harry & David pears http://laughingsamurai.com/howto/fedex-mistake-turned-glorious-pear-jam/
It was definitely yum x 10. That pear jam also looks super good. Nice save on turning an over-ripe product into a delicious one! =)
I have never tried this combination, but it sure looks and sounds delicious!
It really was! I was honestly surprised at how good it tasted.
I would never in a million years have thought of the combination of beans and pomegranate seeds. But it sounds interesting (in a good way!) and is certainly very pretty. All that said, are you back on the beer yet?
Right? I’m still a little perplexed by the combo but now that I’ve tried it, I know it works.
The recipes in the cleanse look amazing (as well as yours of course!). Are you doing the cleanse to lose weight or just be healthy?
I did it mainly just to sugar/refined flour/processed food detox. Way too much indulging in December! This was nice because I never felt unsatisfied, and it felt good to eat a lot of real food for a change.
I know the feeling! It looked like great tasting healthy food.