POM Wonderful (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)

Recently, I had the opportunity to try POM Wonderful. Those attractive hourglass shaped bottles of 100% pomegranate juice offer a sweet-tart punch that I enjoyed as is, but that I positively loved in smoothies. Those who would choose apple juice over cranberry juice should probably look elsewhere, as this isn't a super-sweet beverage. But if you like a little contrast, it is definitely worth a try.

I keep meaning to try it in recipes, there are so many sweet and savory concoctions swirling around (pomegranate molasses and syrup for drizzling, use it in muffins, create a fresh salad dressing), but everytime I crack one open, down the hatch it goes. What can I say, it has been a hot summer! Though, I am not a straight juice fan, and I never really have been. I find it a bit too potent for my taste buds. Rather, I craved the combination of POM Wonderful and sparkling mineral water (cost effective too!). It creates a refreshing spritzer that is still full of flavor. I have sampled many 100% juices this way, but POM Wonderful has been my favorite thus far.

As mentioned, I loved POM Wonderful in smoothies. It goes beautifully with sweet, ripe berries, but my favorite combination was pomegranate and mango …

Amazing Pom-Mango Smoothie
This smoothie has a delightful combination of sweet and tangy to wake up your taste buds. It is my latest addiction. The picture shown here is pre-Amazing Grass (which is optional). I love this smoothie with the Amazing Grass, but the brown-ish-green color wasn’t exactly picture-worthy. Ignore the color, love the flavor.

½ Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (use rice or coconut milk for nut-free)
½ Cup Pomegranate Juice (I used POM wonderful)
12 Frozen Mango Chunks
1 Scoop Amazing Grass Berry SuperFood (optional)
2 T Protein Powder of choice (optional)
Sweetener (optional – I don’t use)
4 Large Chunks of Ice (optional)

Combine everything but the ice in your blender, and whiz until smooth. If you would like it thicker and/or frostier, add the ice (pulsing at first) and blend until smooth.

Almond Smoothie Option: For more of a meal, add 1 Tablespoon of Almond Butter, and sprinkle with a few sliced almonds if desired.

Yields 1 big and delicious serving

This is a third party review by Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide & Cookbook. For more information on this product, and to find out where you can purchase it, visit the POM Wonderful website.