I love hummus, as a dip, sandwich spread, by the spoonful. I had a bunch of leftover pomegranate seeds from Thanksgiving and wanted to put them to use. As I was creating my weekly batch of hummus, I thought adding juice and seeds would be perfect for a festive dip.

I couldn’t be more happy with how this turned out, bright, slightly sweet, yet still savory. Serve with carrots sticks, pita chips, however you usually enjoy your hummus!

Not sure how to open a pomegranate? Check out my step-by-step guide to remove the seeds.

Most people can eat the seeds whole, as they are a great source of fiber. Of course, the juice is a great source of antioxidants.  Recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice may help fight prostate cancer. The juice has also been shown to slow the progression of plaques in mice with atherosclerosis.

Pomegranate Hummus

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. garbanzo beans
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup tahini
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp. pomegranate juice, divided
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pomegranate arils

Place chickpeas, garlic cloves, tahini, salt, lemon zest and juice, tabasco sauce, and 1 tbsp. pomegranate juice. Process until the hummus is pureed. Taste. Depending on the salt in the beans, you might need more.

Scoop hummus into a bowl and top with reserved 3 Tbsp. pomegranate juice. Using a knife or chopstick, slowly swirl in the juice. Topped with pomegranate seeds (arils).

Sometimes I wonder how the first person discovered the greatest food gems. Who would have thought underneath a prickly artichoke you would find the heart? Or stuffed in a ruby pomegranate you would find sweet, juicy seeds (called arils)?

While opening and de-seeding a pomegranate might seem a bit daunting, the reward is worth it. I prefer this method for opening a pomegrante over the water trick.

What you need: a small pairing knife, cutting board, bowl, strainer, spoon

Place the pomegranate on the cutting board, using a small pairing knife slice the crown off the end.

Now that the end if off, you should be able to see small quadrants that separate the seeds.

Cut each section out and set aside. Use the white spaces between the arils as your guide on where to cut.

Remove the sections

Place the strainer over a bowl. Flip the section upside down so arils are facing down towards the strainer and skin is up towards you. Use the back of a spoon and tap over the entire skin. The arils will fall out into the strainer. Continue until all arils are out. Repeat with remaining sections.

Rinse in cold water.

It might seem like a lot of steps, but it takes no time once you know what you are doing. Full of fiber, antioxidants, pomegranates are the perfect winter treat!  I love using the seeds in this salad, perfect for fall. Spinach in a dijon vinaigrette,topped with sliced pears and pomegranate arils.

What’s your favorite way to use pomegranates?