Baby Lima Beans Salad with Bell pepper and Pomegranate

Make ahead, Vegan Baby Lima Beans Salad with Bell pepper and Pomegranate requires minimal chopping and prep work. Looks like jewels in a bowl on your dinner table.

Thanksgiving dinner table with all the food arranged is the best sight a foodie can ask for. The colors are always filled with shades of brown (turkey,gravy, bread,stuffing,pumpkin pie etc..) and white (mashed potato,crab, chessey dips,gratin, pasta etc..) .Your only chance to add color to the table is cranberry sauce and salads.

Almost all the dishes are creamy buttery rich so how about some nice acidic salad to cut down the richness. It really cleanses the palate and enhances the flavors of the main dishes.
I have purposely avoided adding cheese, pecans or walnuts so pomegranate would shine.Plus the nutty buttery flavors comes from the lima beans.

Leafy green salad takes up ur  time on the dinner day with cleaning ,washing, chopping and of course wilting if made ahead. Here is an easy salad that can be made few hours prior to dinner which will still stay fresh and crisp. Added bonus of no nut and no dairy too.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:( Please increase quantity according to ur taste)
Baby Lima beans- 1/2lb (frozen)
Bell pepper- 1/2 of 1 chopped
Pomegranate – 1/2 of 1 seeds separated( arils )
Red Onion – 1 small chopped finely
Lime juice – 1 tbsp or as required(freshly squeezed)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Cook frozen lima beans in enough water with salt until fully cooked but not mushy. Should have shape intact.
Drain the water and allow it to cool completely.
Meanwhile add lime juice to the finely chopped onion and let it rest for a while( atleast an hour)so the pungency of onion is reduced and it gives a pickled effect. You may used ready made pickled onions too instead.
Chop the bell pepper into required size.
In a mixing bowl toss in the cooked lima beans ,chopped bell pepper, onion and the lime juice.Mix gently add salt and pepper.
Just before serving add the pomegranate seeds mix once . Scatter more on top.This way the pomegranate seeds will retain the jewel tone  and will not look squishy.

Note :
Go for some horseradish or mustard sauce too if u like to for that extra pungency.

Here are other menu ideas : Sides and desserts

LINKS HERE :  Spicy hot Indian Roasted Turkey, Purple potato salad with Grapefruit vinaigrette , Cranberry sauce, Roasted Fig and Beet Salad, Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Wine Poached Pear.

Links here : Creamy potato salad with mint , Beet & Cucumber rolls , Cauliflower Breadsticks ,
Dessert ideas :Cheesecake with Caramel topping , Caramel Apple Cake , Carrot cake with Coconut & Raisins .

 Cabbage roll with stuffed Turkey (LEFTOVER IDEAS) , Cranberry Pistachio Pilaf  ,Creamy Squash Rigatoni Pasta .

Here are other Thanksgiving side dish ideas from Food Network friends:

Hope you like this post.
Meena