Is there a fruit prettier than the pomegranate? And it's no surprise that they've had such a long career as a special food, as they are nutritional powerhouses and one of the diabetic's best friends. They contain calcium, potassium, and iron, plus compounds known as phytonutrients that help the body protect against heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

According to Pomegranates.org, the powerful antioxidants in the fruit also help slow aging and neutralize almost twice as many free radicals as red wine and seven times as many as green tea. As a further benefit, researchers say the crunchy seeds help flush fats from the digestive tract.

Besides just breaking a pomegranate open and noshing on the yummy seeds, there are about a million delicious uses for those seeds. A few come to mind: Toss them with a beet salad, include them in guacamole, garnish a savory rice pilaf with them or make pomegranate syrup for ice cream or pancakes. They're in season during the holidays, so now's the time to stock up!

Melissa Breyer of Care2 shared a fantastic recipe for using pomegranates: White bean soup with a pomegranate garnish. Yum! The thick smooth bean soup is topped with the bright bracing tang and crunch of pomegranate seeds. It's delicious!

Melissa also shared the cleanest and easiest way to remove pomegranate seeds: Start by cutting off the crown, then cutting a fruit into several sections. Submerge a section in a bowl of cool water and roll the seeds out with you fingers. When you have removed all the seeds, drain the water out in a colander.

White Bean Soup with Pomegranate Salsa
From Pomegranates.org

Soup
2 cups dried white cannelloni beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, minced
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Black pepper
2 cups cold water

Garnish
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see note)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup freshly minced Italian parsley

1. Make the beans: Pick through the beans and discard any small pebbles or debris. Place beans in a large pot and cover with 2 to 4 inches of cold water. Let soak overnight and then rinse under running water. Return to the pot and cover with 2 to 4 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain well and set aside.

2. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Add the cooked beans and 2 cups of water; bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Cool briefly, then using an immersion blender or standard blender, puree until smooth. Return to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

4. For the garnish: In a medium bowl, combine pomegranate molasses, lime juice, and shallot; whisk to combine. Whisk in the olive oil. Add the pomegranate seeds and parsley; toss well.

5. To serve, ladle hot soup into bowls; garnish with a spoonful of the pomegranate in the center of the soup, and drizzle a bit of the olive oil over all.

Note: You can buy pomegranate molasses at Middle Eastern stores, or make your own by bringing 3 cups of pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of honey or sugar to a boil, and then simmer until reduced to 1 cup.