Today’s recipe is actually my first entry in a monthly cooking and baking event for a lovely group of food bloggers called Muslim food bloggers. They host monthly challenges (MFBC) that range from selecting a recipe from a blog to cooking or baking using a certain ingredient or cooking a specific recipe from a certain country.I love monthly cooking and baking challenges, they are a great way to meet bloggers from all around the globe who share the same passion  and they are also a wonderful way to step outside of one’s comfort zone when it comes to cooking and baking.

For the month of Jan, the challenge was to prepare a recipe using dates. As you probably already know, I love dates! I use them in cakes

cookies,

bread ,

and smoothies but for this challenge,keeping my #healthier_kinder_you series in mind I decided to go for a salad. A pomelo, arugula, almonds and date salad.

Pomelo, if you are not familiar with it is a citrus fruit, usually double  or even triple the size of a grapefruit.It is usually yellow to green in color. The flesh is firmer and sweeter when compared to grapefruit.
I have always loved pomelo but more so recently after learning about the impressive health benefits of pomelos. These health benefits  include its ability to boost the immune system, improve digestion, lower blood pressure, reduce cramping, prevent anemia, boost bone strength, reduce signs of premature aging, and protect heart health.Impressive! don’t you think?

Today’s recipe is a great way to enjoy pomelo when it’s in season. Peppery arugula, juicy pomelo, sweet dates and crunchy nutty almonds play a perfect melody of flavors, colors and textures. If you like pomelo, give this salad a try, you’ll love it! If you have never tried pomelo before, this salad is a great way to add this healthy fruit to your meals.

1 pomelo (for substitutions check out the notes)

5 cups arugula

1/4 cup Slivered almonds

1 cup soft pitted dates

Salad dressing suggestions:
Creamy citrus and poppy seeds salad dressing
Citrus vinaigrette salad dressing
Or simply dress it up with 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice whisked with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt

1. To get the pomelo flesh it is best to use a sharp serrated knife to slice the tops and bottoms off . Next use your knife to slice off strips of  the peel taking as much of the pith as possible(The pith of a pomelo is really thick!). Split the pomelo in half to get to the inner segments by placing your thumbs in the central gap between the segments then pull the pomelo apart into two halves.  Separate the segments then use your knife to cut the thin membrane that covers each segment open and remove the pomelo flesh.
2. Arrange the arugula leaves on your serving plate
3. Top with pomelo flesh, pitted dates and slivered almonds
4. Right before serving drizzle the salad dressing on top of the salad

Notes:

If you can’t find pomelo you can use pink grapefruit. You’ll need 2-3  grapefruits to replace one pomelo depending on their size . Also remember that grapefruit is more better and less firm when compared to pomelo, to balance the bitterness, you may want to add a  extra pinch of sugar to the salad dressing

وصفه اليوم طريقه رائعه للاستمتاع بالبومله في موسمها. خصوصا مع الابحاث الجديده اللي اكتشفت انها البومله بتدعم المناعه و بتخفض الضغط و بتساعد على الهضم و تقويه العظام

سلطه البومله بالتمر و اللوز

حبه بومله مقشره و مقطعه

5 كوب جرجير

1 كوب تمر سكري مزال منه النواه

1/4 كوب شرائح لوز

2-3 ملاعق عصير ليمون

رشه ملح

2-3 ملاعق زيت زيتون

نوزع الجرجير على صحن التقديم ثم نوزع التمر و اللوز و البومله فوقه

نخلط الليمون و الزيت و الملح و نصبها فوق السلطه قبل التقديم مباشره