Cherry season is HERE, and we’re busy celebrating like it’s nobody’s business. And by celebrating, I mean eating our weight in cherries! Starting with this healthy Cherry Kale Salad with a Honey Lime Vinaigrette that is pure Okanagan perfection.
The cherries are ripe and falling off the trees, and farmers have been busy as bees harvesting these sweet gems and bringing them to market for us to devour. I am eternally grateful for our cherry tree. Our family had a cherry tree since we moved here in 1985, and I can say that picking and eating fresh cherries is one of my favourite childhood memories.
Of course, more cherries means more cherry recipes, and I’m not stopping at a simple cherry pie (although come to think of it, there’s an amazing recipe for a slab cherry pie in the cookbook [1] if you’re looking for one).
We grew a lot of things in our garden this year, and kale was one of them. Charles and I always arm wrestle over how much to plant. I hope he’s not reading this because EVERY year I sneak in extra things. It’s a thing. Our garden is always a bit over-planted once the summer really hits, but it makes me happy. Zucchini plants are growing in every direction, beet greens are spilling out of the planter boxes he built for me and towers of tomatoes are just waiting to ripen for our next salad. It’s pure therapy.
Since I just so happened to plant 4 extra kale bushels I’m happy to report that we have no shortage of leafy greens. Which is a good thing, because this kale cherry salad can be whipped up in a jiffy and uses so few ingredients that we always have on hand. As with any salad you can flex the ingredients. No lime? Use lemon. No almonds? Use pecans or pumpkin seeds.
Should you wish to make the salad more hearty for a meal just top it with a breast of grilled chicken or some tofu. A grilled piece of fish would be beautiful here as well!
I just so happen to have plenty of cherry recipes up my sleeve (like my Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Creamsicles [2], as healthy as a creamsicle gets and SO quick and yummy!) to share with you. We will do a formal round up, but in the meantime I love these Okanagan Cherry Oat Bars [3], and this Peach Cherry Salsa [4] is killer (best served when cherry and peach season collide… soon)! I also created a Cherry Coconut Vegan Yogurt [5] for Jill’s site couple years ago and it’s a simple no fuss recipe!
Cherry Kale Salad
Cherry Kale Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
This salad is fresh, and healthy and the very best way to use up those cherries!
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 5 cups lightly packed washed and torn kale
- 1 ½ cups cherries (cut in half and pitted)
- ½ cup sliced almonds (lightly toasted)
- 2/3 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup lime juice (approximately 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ cup avocado or olive oil
Instructions
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Mix all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
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In a mason jar or large cup, combine the lime juice, Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar and garlic clove. Whisk together. Slowly add the vegetable oil while whisking (I use an Aerolatte or immersion blender for this, it makes perfectly emulsified salad dressings every time!).
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Drizzle the dressing over the salad (you may not use it all depending on your taste) and serve.