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Wake up your winter menu

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Sweet potatoes with pomegranate and caramelized onions make for a comforting baked compote. (©iStockphoto.com/Frances Twitty) Sweet potatoes with pomegranate and caramelized onions make for a comforting baked compote. (©iStockphoto.com/Frances Twitty)


By Jennifer Hazard for Oral Care And Health Daily
 

It's easy to get bored with winter recipes, but you don't have to wait for next summer's farmers markets to get inspired. Sometimes, adding an unexpected side dish or salad to a main course can be just what you need to spice up your menu. Try these unique ideas, which pair seasonal fruits and vegetables to create memorable and healthy meals:

1. Sweet potatoes with pomegranate and caramelized onions make for a comforting baked compote.

2. Green beans with roasted pecans or Swiss chard sauteed with garlic are easy to prepare, and they look great on the table.

3. Fresh fennel and apple slaw. Crisp salads are perfect for winter, and this low-sodium slaw is healthy for you too. Fennel is rich in minerals and vitamins, calcium, potassium and iron, contributing to strong teeth and bones. The acidic nature of apples makes them the ideal food for cleansing and brightening teeth. Below, John Csukor, president and CEO of KOR Food Innovation in Ashland, Va., shares the recipe:

Fennel Apple Slaw With Creamy Lemon Dressing
Serves four. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons finely minced chives
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a medium stainless-steel bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until fully blended.

Salad:

2 cups Braeburn or Fuji apples, washed and cut into thin strips (toss with lemon juice)
2 cups fresh fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted whole almonds
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

In a medium stainless-steel bowl, combine apples, fennel bulb, almonds and pomegranate arils. Pour dressing over the ingredients and toss gently to coat completely.

Jennifer Hazard has written for Martha Stewart Living and various regional magazines and newspapers, including Maine Food & Lifestyle and Vermont Life.

Copyright (c) 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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