Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad

This was my go to salad for the 2014 holiday season. Great at pot lucks as well as great for quick, healthy dinners at home.  I am going to keep going to it for a while longer--as long as I can get pomegranates this winter.

Pomegranate, Quinoa and Hominy Salad
4 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc.)
1 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup white hominy
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thinly
1/4 cup slivered red cabbage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
optional: 4 ounces blue cheese, cubed or crumbled
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Prepare and place in a serving bowl the greens, pomegranate arils, pistachios, hominy and quinoa. Heat a small non stick sauce pan to medium heat then add the sweet onion slices, red cabbage and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook and stir for 4 or 5 minutes. Add vinegar and salt. Continue to cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vinegar has reduced almost entirely. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the dressing by whisking the ingredients together. Toss the warm onions and cabbage, the blue cheese if using and the dressing with other ingredients just before serving.

Hints: This is a very hearty salad and can easily be used as a main dish, especially if you use the blue cheese. Try feta or fresh mozzarella if you don't like blue cheese. I find white hominy in the canned vegetable section of the supermarket. It comes in yellow too. Cut the onion in half lengthwise and then slice it into slivers. When I took this salad to pot lucks, I kept the dressing and the onion cabbage mixtures separately to transport then mixed together just before serving. I had some pomegranate balsamic vinegar on hand that I purchased from my local grocery store (I also saw it at Trader Joes) but plain balsamic would be just fine. I try to keep some cooked quinoa on hand in the fridge for salads like this one, soups or for crackers etc. Black or brown rice would be a good substitute for the quinoa.

This not only tastes superb but travels well and has beautiful color, (red, green and white) for a winter salad. When I make it with romaine lettuce only, it holds up until the next day for my leftovers lunch.