Cooking for one is not fun. When Siv goes away on a business trip, I normally resort to leftovers and take-outs if I don’t find anyone to go out with. I am too lazy to cook an elaborate meal just for myself. I am not into eating out alone either! I can do pretty much everything alone, I am proud of being quite self sufficient, but hate sitting in a restaurant by myself.  Sometimes I am forced to, like on all day shopping trips to the mall and on business trips - though I try to order room service whenever possible. 

I have no problems sitting alone in coffee shops - with my laptop of course, but I just hate doing this in a restaurant where one has to wait at a table for the order to arrive. I don’t know what to do with myself, where do I look, what do I do with my hands, on the table/off the table? I get all self-conscious all of a sudden! If I absolutely have to eat alone in a restaurant, I have to take a book with me, if I don’t have one on me, I go to the bookstore and buy one! This is a bad habit I am trying to overcome… is it just me?  

Well, anyway this is such a week. Siv is away, and I am so swamped at work, just don’t have the time to socialize. So I had to resort to my quick fix dinners. Salad being an all time favorite, and the least work to assemble, is always on the top of my list for easy dinners. Today’s special is made with one of my favorite fruits - pomegranate. I made the dressing with some store-bought pomegranate juice.  Quick and easy, and so healthy too.

This salad is packed with good stuff. Pomegranate is full of antioxidants, walnuts are good for your heart, reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, also full of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acid. And spinach of course, if it is good for Popeye, must be good for us, right? And I had it with salmon, which of course is full of omega-3 fatty acids. I was quite proud of myself, eating all healthy and all. 

Ingredients

  • ~4 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tbsp crumbled gorgonzola (blue cheese)

    • Method

    In a small bowl, place the garlic and shallots. With a pestle, or the back of a wooden spoon crush the garlic and shallot pieces to release the flavor. Add the sugar, mustard, pomegranate juice, lemon juice and vinegar and whisk well to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

    Toss the spinach with a little of the vinaigrette. You may not need the whole thing. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the walnuts, pom seeds and cheese crumbles.

    Serve with grilled salmon or grilled chicken.

    This serves two. I kept the rest of the dressing in the fridge and used it the next day for the exact same dinner.

    If you need a more intense pomegranate flavor, boil crushed garlic, pomegranate juice and vinegar in a pan to reduce the liquid down to half.  Remove from the stove and whisk in the rest of the ingredients.


    Comments

    39 Responses to “Spinach Walnut Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette”

    1. richa on October 17th, 2007 8:02 pm

      i usually order to go when i’m by myself, then i go home and eat :)

      that looks so refreshing! u a mind reader, just got myself a pom, just in time for this :)
      great looking salad!

      Yep, I do that too.. Take out to the rescue :) …

    2. Anh on October 17th, 2007 8:43 pm

      Sig, this is a lovely salad! very corlorful, too.

      Thanks Anh! :)

    3. Raaga on October 17th, 2007 9:35 pm

      Very healthy :-) and the vinaigrette seems so easy and I can almost taste it Sig.

      Thanks Raaga! :) Hope you are having fun in the Himalayas!

    4. roopa on October 17th, 2007 10:02 pm

      what a healthy salad Sig! i know cooking for oneself is rather so boring task i too just hate it during those times :roll:

      yeah, it really is boring when nobody is there to praise us I guess :) food blogging is kind of a motivation to cook though :)

    5. Nags on October 17th, 2007 10:44 pm

      lovely salad. i am also so swamped at work that i haven’t had a chance to cook anything.. have to post something soon..

      I know, work sucks :) wish someone paid me to blog… saw your latest post, glad you got a break :)

    6. sra on October 17th, 2007 11:03 pm

      :(Yes): Lovely it looks, Sig!

      :) thanks Sra

    7. musy on October 17th, 2007 11:51 pm

      Sig, the first cpl. of paragraphs resonate well with me :). I too have this block of not enjoying eating out alone! Cafe’s are OK, most restaurants are not, except one local Indian restaurant. It serves really average food, but i used to go there so often with my friend MD, that its really a comfort zone now. Plus those guys are really nice, they entertained us even when we just ordered chai and pakodas, and we could sit there as long as we watned to :-D

      Lovely salad, i was wondering what to do with the remaining pack of walnuts, you have a solid answer :).

      :) that is what I need to find, a friendly neighborhood restaurant, where everybody knows your name… and they are always glad you came…. :D

    8. Lakshmi on October 18th, 2007 12:03 am

      :(Flower): looks colorfull :(Flower):

      Thanks Lakshmi! :)

    9. Bharathy on October 18th, 2007 12:39 am

      Crunchy…juicy..colourful… very very healthy, indeed!! :grin: !!

      Thanks Bharathy :)

    10. bhags on October 18th, 2007 12:42 am

      I had to develop the habit of having dinner alone at night …. :(
      the salad looks nice and fresh

      I am okay to have dinner alone, in the house…

      TV for the company :)

    11. sia on October 18th, 2007 12:54 am

      its not just u sig darling who hates to eat alone. i prefer take away or room service when i am travelling.
      u surely r on healthy eating spree. salad looks bright and cheerful just like u :nerd:

      :) yeah, room service has saved me in a lot of occasions :) and thank good for take aways!

    12. padmaja on October 18th, 2007 1:31 am

      Sig you are not alone, I do feel so self conscious when I am alone in a restaurant.I feel as if there 100 of eyes watching my each and evry move. I am so independent n confident everywhere else. People at work laugh when i tag along a colleague with me for any leaving do’s, saying i can handle a crowd on nerds at a business so amazingly but can’t eat in a restaurant alone??
      Earlier, i was bad with shopping as well, i just can’t or wont shop alone as with someone next to me makes it more enjoyable you know. I overcame that weakness last year and do things on my own most of the time( rocky hates shopping u see).

      Hey good you got over the fear of shopping alone Padmaja, because that is one thing I LOVE doing alone, I hate going with Siv or anyone else, I have to be in my zone :)

    13. Rachna on October 18th, 2007 2:23 am

      heee sig… im a day dreamer..can sit anywhere anytime and think and think and be lost in my thoughts … at least thats what i think i am… come to think of it, i havent eaten out alone… loooove the salad, so so healthy… the gorgonzola looks like feta… and i love the combo of pomegranate walnuts, cheese and greens…wow…. :(Yes):

      :) okay, you must try going to a restaurant alone… :) and see if you can really get lost in thoughts :)

    14. indosungod on October 18th, 2007 4:35 am

      Sig, atleast you venture out with a book, I would not even do that. The salad with the salmon looks great.

      :) it is the worst case scenarios, I mean eat alone or die… then it is book to the rescue :)

    15. sunita on October 18th, 2007 4:54 am

      Cooking for one’s own self is indeed very hard…I always feel so lazy to do it…but you’ve done a very good job with your salad.

      Yeah, the laziness really kicks in when alone right? :) Thanks Sunita, I guess with food blogging we are never really cooking for one anymore… :)

    16. lakshmi on October 18th, 2007 5:23 am

      pass me those walnuts :)- the only thing i make for myself is rasam. i can eat out alone - in fact there were days (when i was still single) when i’d rather go out alone :D . like rachna says - you need to let your mind wander aimlessly.

      Oh wow, I am jealous… :) There are so many things I’d rather do alone, esp shopping… but eating, I just can’t…. my mind just doesn’t want to wander in there :)

    17. Asha on October 18th, 2007 5:44 am

      I sip a glass of water!! Easy enough, ain’t it?
      I love Salmon. I have decided to cook more fish dishes in my blog now, just will choose less smelly ones!:))
      I tend to buy lot of books when I am on vacation for some reason!:P

      :) that is a good idea… I read the menu for about 10 minutes too.. :) Yay, you are going to have more seafood… Looking forward to the yummy recipes :)

    18. Rajitha on October 18th, 2007 5:58 am

      yum..i love salads..and cooking for one is a chore…i usually make maggi!..and coming to the part of eating out alone..i can do it..i am always lost in my thoughts…so i guess i may even forget i am alone ;)

      Oh I am soo jealous girl… I am in my dreamland all the time too… but somehow not in a restaurant :)

    19. sandeepa on October 18th, 2007 6:14 am

      If D is travelling and I have no company, it is usually maggi and egges for me :) You are right even I have this odd feeling if I am alone at a restaurant. But thankfully, if I have to I can always take S along :)

      oh yeah, that is true… you can always take S along… and she can talk too… but even if it is a baby I think I’d be fine… just someone to look at and not stare into thin air :)

    20. Cinnamon on October 18th, 2007 6:21 am

      The Salad looks so healthy and colorful!!!
      And even I feel very conscious to go to a restaurant alone… faced the situation only once; and decided never to go alone again :)

      :) Thanks Cinnamon… I am so glad to hear that I am not alone.. others have the problem too :)

    21. Jyothsna on October 18th, 2007 6:56 am

      Thank God for Maggi and frozen veggies!! Thats what I survive on when my husband’s travelling!!:) I like the salad, good combo of pomegranate and walnuts!

      I can have Maggi once, may be twice :) then I crave for proper food :)

    22. Laavanya on October 18th, 2007 7:14 am

      I love that Pomegranate Vinaigrette… sounds really good!

      Thanks Laavanya!

    23. Roopa on October 18th, 2007 7:17 am

      Hi Sig,

      The Salad looks Grerat with pomegranate,You are such a creative, Me & my DH both like to try your receipes very much, yesterday i made spice mushroom stir fry, it was too good, its in my Lunchbox today..
      Great work
      Thanks for sharig your receipes

      Roopa

      Thanks Roopa! Glad you enjoyed the mushroom stir fry… Always appreciate the feedback :)

    24. Happy Cook on October 18th, 2007 7:29 am

      Salade looke wonderfull.
      Sig i also hate to go to plzces alone. I think i have only done that once in my whole life. And then the whole time i was sitiing with a magazine under my nose.
      Coffeeshops that i don’t mind going alone.

      yeah, books or magazines are great to hide behind :) I envy people who can do this alone!

    25. Mishmash! on October 18th, 2007 7:46 am

      I also share the same problem…cooking for one person and eating alone and sleeping alone is something I hate to do…whenever I am alone, I live on leftovers and junk food and come up with unimaginable combos!!! and if it is for a longer duration, I would have lost some pounds by the end of it too , which is in a way good these days :P

      Shn

      I too try to live on leftovers, but sometimes I get sudden unbelievable cravings for good food when I am alone, then there is no choice but cook :)

    26. Padma on October 18th, 2007 8:07 am

      Loved the ingredients in the Vinaigrette Sig! Very Healthy and neat platter, would like it anytime of the day… hey as promised I post one NV recipe, juz chk and am still working with the middle col and the biggest hurdle is I have to re-create the round corner images again? it s**ks!

      thanks padma… Yeah, the rounded corner templates are tough to modify… they look good though… good luck with the changes :)

    27. Sivani on October 18th, 2007 8:11 am

      I am definitely going to have to try that pomegranate vinaigrette. When we visited Vancouver, BC, pomegranate - and especially pomegranate juice - was a very popular ingredient on all the menus, including the cocktail menu :-)

      pomegranate cocktails are awesome, don’t you think? Pometini, and Pomojitos yummm… :)

    28. mandira on October 18th, 2007 10:29 am

      Sig, this looks delicious. I esp love the grilled salmon, is it? great combo!

      Thanks Mandira, It is pan fried salmon.. I love salmon , in any form.. esp with salad :)

    29. sharmi on October 18th, 2007 11:24 am

      salad looks good! I too got some pomegranate yesterday, will come up with a recipe:)

      Looking forward to it Sharmi! :)

    30. Rina on October 18th, 2007 11:47 am

      Lovely :(Flower): healthy salad dear. I was looking for some salad recipes recently, :(Yes): how did you know :?:

      Telepathy Rina :)

    31. Suganya on October 18th, 2007 12:19 pm

      Spinach and pomegranate is surprisingly a great combo. I wait for fall just to have this salad!

      oh yeah… and walnuts too… that makes my favorite combo :)

    32. TBC on October 18th, 2007 3:31 pm

      The vinaigrette sounds really good. I had seen something very similar on the Food Network and was planning to give it a shot. Now I can come back here when I’m ready to make it.

      Hope you like it TBC … it is a variation on the basic vinaigrette recipe…

    33. Susan from Food Blogga on October 18th, 2007 3:56 pm

      Yes! It’s pomegranate seeds, and I just adore them on salads. This is a fantastic fall salad, Sig!

      Thanks Susan! :) pomegranate seeds are my favorite salad toppings, they are soo good looking and taste awesome too!

    34. Cynthia on October 18th, 2007 5:54 pm

      No, it’s not just you :grin:

      :) good to know that Cynthia

    35. CW on October 19th, 2007 6:43 am

      Welcome to self-conscious anonymous! I am ofcourse at the ahem..other end of the spectrum..can’t even walk alone, esp in malls. Dont know what to do with my eyes (peering down ALL the time is hardly practical)!!

      Lol, you crack me up… CW! :) Malls are the best places to be by one’s self if you ask me :) .. you can stare at the window displays and walk…

    36. Kaykat on October 19th, 2007 8:23 am

      I know what you mean. I’m totally fine as long as I have a book with me, but I end feeling quite lost if I don’t - which probably explains why my book goes with me wherever I go, just in case I need to hide in it :)

      I think you did really well given it was a 1-person food day, this salad looks divine. And you know me, I’m the pomegranate freak, so I’m all over this one :)

      Yeah, I should remember to carry a book with me all the time too… I usually end up buying new ones if I have to sit and eat :) … And yes, I remember your pom salad, that is when I went and picked me up some poms :)

    37. archana on October 19th, 2007 9:02 am

      when i used to travel for fun alone, i would actually go to restaurants where i could meet other single travelers and socialize and eat together, else i would eat a huge lunch and have a light snack around 5 and then just a drink for dinner.

      now, if i am home alone, i eat cereal for dinner because i am ultimate lazy when i have to cook for myself. Or I make ganji or something comforting like that.

      I also hate eating alone at restaurants.. same with movies.. i find both to be more social outings for me.

      The salad looks great..

      Socializing with strangers is even more painful for me than eating alone actually :) … Movies on the other hand, I have no problems watching alone..in fact I’ve seen a lot of movies alone… :)

    38. Pravs on October 20th, 2007 7:13 pm

      Was this the salad you were having when you checked on me ?? This looks like a healthy salad.Even i don’t feel like cooking when i have to cook just for myself.Yeah, dining alone in a resturant is really hard for me too…so boring.

      Yep, this was the salad, it was hard to eat looking at your spicy mutton curry though…

    39. luthie on October 30th, 2007 9:27 pm

      You’re not alone…^_^

      I can’t stand eating alone without a book either. Haha.

      My mom calls it a bad habit…^_^

      Thanks luthie :) , hey, when did reading become a bad habit ;)

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