Salads are an important part of the meal. It has become expected to serve salad as a first course, but that’s really the job of an appetizer or a soup. A salad should be eaten between the main course and dessert to clear the palate and get digestion going. In any case, here’s an easy one that is sure to please at any point in the meal.
Make the dressing first so you can let the cherries sit in it a while. Make sure you have this:
Balsamic vinegar
Light agave nectar
Olive oil
Black cherries
The dressing is really easy… pour about 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar in a bowl and then squirt in about 2 tablespoons of light agave nectar, followed by 4 tablespoons of olive oil. With a small wire whisk, rapidly whip everything together and then continue to add more olive oil and agave nectar to taste. The agave nectar will make it thicker and sweeter and the olive oil will make the vinegar not as strong. Next, remove the pits from a handful of black cherries and let them soak in the dressing. You can use a spoon to muddle it a bit if you want a stronger cherry flavor in the dressing or even chop up the cherries, if you want another layer of texture.
To make the salad, get this:
50/50 mix blend of arugula and spinach
1 large, ripe tomato
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup of crunchy roasted soy beans
Start with the arugula and spinach mix in a large salad bowl. Dice up 1 large, ripe tomato and a 1/2 cup carrots and throw them in too. Try about 1/4 cup of crunchy roasted soy beans for texture and make sure all is mixed up well. Add the dressing and toss just before serving.