Recipe by Andrea Falcone, RD | Photography by Paul Buceta
Let’s face it: if you’ve seen one cheese tray, you’ve seen ‘em all. This holiday, greet your dinner guests with a fresh take on the canapé with this light and bright vegetarian hors d’oeuvre. It’s a healthy way to get the party started.
Goat Cheese, Honey & Pomegranate Cups
Total Time: 25 minutes • Makes 15 servings
• 1 small pomegranate
• ¾ cup goat cheese (soft or semi-soft)
• 1 cup light ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ Tbsp finely chopped mint (optional)
• 30 endive leaves, washed and dried
• 2/3 cup pecans, chopped
1. Rinse the pomegranate. Zest a few tsp of the skin and put aside for garnish.
2. Cut the pomegranate and separate the arils (seeds) from the flesh, reserving 2 Tbsp in a small sealable bag to use for the marinade.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the goat cheese, ricotta, and honey.
Add the remaining pomegranates and gently mix into the cheese mixture.
*If using mint, add to the cheese mixture here as well.
4. Arrange the endive leaves on a plate and evenly spoon 1 Tbsp of the cheese mixture onto each leaf.
5. Top each endive with a few chopped pecans.
6. To finish off the dish, squeeze the juice out of the pomegranate arils that are in the sealable bag. Cut a small hole at the tip of the bag and drizzle a few drops of the juice over the endive leaves.
7. Garnish the whole plate with the grated pomegranate skin.
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 89, Fat: 6 g, Carbs: 5.5 g, Protein: 4 g, Fiber: 1 g
