Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Thank you to Pompeian for sponsoring creation of this delicious salad and this post.  With Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it's easy to whip up beautiful, healthful salads for the holidays ~ like this festively gorgeous Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad with my family's treasured Maple Vinaigrette.  And with Pompeian's easy online label maker, I can put my Maple Vinaigrette recipe right on the olive oil bottle!

Isn't this Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad absolutely gorgeous?  I'm totally enamored with the beautiful way the bright red pomegranate seeds nestle into the green of all the other salad elements.  So pretty.  Like little red ornaments on a Christmas tree.

But it's not just a pretty salad.  That would look great on any holiday dinner table {or non-holiday dinner table, too, for that matter.}

No.

It's also a really tasty salad, too.  

Thanks in part to my treasured family recipe for Maple Vinaigrette dressing.  Having grown up in Vermont, I have a very special place in my heart for pure Vermont maple syrup.  Other than pouring it out straight from the jug over pancakes and waffles, Maple Vinaigrette is my favorite way to enjoy maple syrup.

This Maple Vinaigrette is really easy to make, too.  Big flavor for little effort ~ don't you just love that?  Simply whisk together some pure maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, whole grain mustard, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt.  That's it.  Done.

So easy.  So good. And it's made even extra delicious with the help of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Okay, so now I want to share with you something I think is really, really cool ... Pompeian's easy online label maker that lets us create our very own personalized label for a bottle of Pompeian extra virgin olive oil! ... complete with a family photo and one of our  treasured family recipes on it!!  

Here's the cute 'Harrelson Family Recipe' label I made for my Maple Vinaigrette ...

Isn't it sweet?

When it comes to sharing recipes, I think this is just about one of the most clever and adorable things I've seen.  And what a clever gift idea ...

I thought I had my neighbor Christmas gifts all figured out ... but I think I'm going to have to change my mind.  'Cause now I'm thinking I'd like to make olive oil bottles with personalized recipe labels from Pompeian's label maker ... with my Maple Vinaigrette recipe on the label ... and arrange the personalized bottle in a basket with all the fixings for this gorgeous Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad ... a bright red pomegranate, some avocados, an English cucumber, a little bottle of maple syrup ...

How neat would that be?

I'm sure you've got some great gift ideas coming to mind for these personalized olive oil bottles, too.  Well, making your own custom label with a cherished family recipe and family photo is easy.  Super  easy.

Just click here to visit the Pompeian Label Maker ... click the 'Get Started' button at the bottom of their label maker page ...

Click to visit the Pompeian Label Maker

... enter your family recipe, ... upload a favorite family photo, ... and print your label.  That's it!  Simply adhere your custom label to a 24 ounce bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil for your very own personalized olive oil bottle. 

Just in time for holiday gift giving.  Sweet.

And then crack open one of those bottles of olive oil, whip up some of my Maple Vinaigrette, and pour it over this gorgeous Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad.  I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does!

Avocado, Pomegranate, & Cucumber Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Source:  A Tracey creation
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients
Salad:

• 1 head Boston Bibb lettuce
• 1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 3/4 c. pomegranate seeds {approximately 1 pomegranate}
• 2 avocados, peeled and cubed

Maple Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 1 T. Pompeian extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T. pure maple syrup {I use Vermont Grade B}
• 1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 T. whole grain mustard
• pinch salt
• chopped fresh mint {optional*}

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, and salt.
2. Combine cucumber, pomegranate seeds, and avocado in a bowl; pour in maple vinaigrette mixture. Toss gently to coat.
3. Place 2 or 3 lettuce leaves on individual salad plates. Spoon avocado mixture on top of lettuce leaves. Sprinkle each serving with about a teaspoon of chopped fresh mint, if desired.

*Totally optional ... but I love the little minty zing of flavor the fresh mint gives!

Enjoy!

Please enjoy Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil with these other tasty salads from The Kitchen is My Playground ...

Cucumber, Tomato, & Avocado Salad with Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Fresh Green Bean, Walnut, & Feta Salad

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Kale & Apple Salad with Honey

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pompeian.  All opinions and text are my own.