Red & Blue (with a little Green) Salad
This cherry, blueberry and pine nut salad packs some serious flavor and is a perfect color combination for your July 4th celebrations.
The nuttiness of the toasted pine nuts pairs perfectly with the creamy, tangy goat cheese and the sweetness of the fruit. I love the citrusy blood orange oil and sweet and tart cherry almond vinegar dressing on this salad which enhances the flavors of the fruit. You can convert this into an entrée easily by adding some grilled chicken or salmon, drizzled with the same vinaigrette.
I adore cherries – but they have a really short season where I live, so when they are available, I gorge on them not only for their taste, but also for their wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. They help decrease inflammation in joints and muscles by lowering the uric acid in the body, thus relieving the symptoms of gout and arthritis. But, BE BRAVE and experiment by substituting the cherries with raspberries or strawberries to make this salad all summer long.
Bring some patriotic colors and amazing taste to your July 4th table!
Fresh Cherry & Toasted Pine Nut Salad
Ingredients
1 ½ cups halved and pitted cherries
1 cup blueberries
3 – 4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (or vegan goat cheese)
¼ cup O&V Blood Orange Oil *
2-3 tablespoons O&V Cherry Almond Vinegar *
½ tablespoon honey or Runamok Maple Syrup *
½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preparation
In a small saucepan over medium low heat, lightly toast the pine nuts till slightly golden. Halve, pit and then slice the cherries.
In a small bowl whisk together the vinaigrette by combining the oil, vinegar, mustard, honey/maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste.
Add the washed and dried spinach to a large bowl. Gently toss with 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Arrange on 4 plates.
Top the spinach with the sliced cherries, blueberries, sprinkle with the cooled pine nuts, and the goat cheese crumbles. Drizzle with a little more of the dressing and serve immediately (you may not need all the dressing).
Serves 4
Active time 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes
Notes
* The Blood Orange Oil and Cherry Almond vinegar add amazing sweet and citrusy notes to this salad. For more tartness in your dressing, you can substitute with an Unflavored EVOO. The vinegar is harder to replace, without changing out the flavors completely, but any high-quality fruity vinegar may be substituted. The Runamok Maple Syrup may be purchased at most Oil & Vinegar stores.
Categories: Soups & Salads Gluten Free, Dairy Free Option, Vegetarian, Vegan, Seasonal Salad, Red-White-Blue Salad, Easy Entertaining, Mediterranean Diet, Plant Based, Fruit Forward Salad, Blueberries, Cherries, Cherry Almond Vinegar, Blood Orange Oil, Pine Nuts, Spinach Salad, Dijon Mustard, Runamok Maple Syrup,
