My #1 favorite healthy & hearty fall salad with butternut squash, tart cherries and a savory apple cider sage dressing. Gluten free.
My mom loves to clip articles. Newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, stories, recipes – sometimes they come in the mail, sometimes she saves them up for a visit. A couple of years ago she brought me a recipe for a couscous salad clipped from Edible Michiana that was similar to this one. We made it, loved it… then later I lost it. But I could never get this sweet & savory flavor combo out of my mind so I’ve been making versions of it ever since.
The original recipe used couscous but I used quinoa here because it’s the grain I usually have on hand. I tossed it with roasted butternut squash, feta cheese and dried tart cherries for a sweet & tangy pop of flavor. They perfectly balance the warm, savory flavors that are going on here.
While the butternut squash is roasting in the oven, make your dressing. I slightly warm some olive oil and mix in apple cider vinegar, sage, honey and cinnamon. I promise – once you toss the sage in, your kitchen will instantly smell like fall… it’s just so warm and cozy.
recipe inspired by this recipe from Edible Michiana.
I think sour cherry and orange compote with some Greek yoghurt on top would be a nice fall breakfast, but I also love saffron pilaf with chicken and dried sour cherries.
My mother and I make amaaaaaaazing oatmeal cookies with dried tart cherries, dark chocolate chips, dried apricots, a hint of cinnamon and walnuts. They have the perfect amount of sweetness, and the oatmeal actually keeps you filled up! A fun (and slightly naughty) alternative to a morning granola bar.
those do sound amazing!
Tart cherry chutney served over warmed Brie with slices of baguette!
The way you used the cherries in this recipe reminded me of sun-dried tomatoes.
I love pasta, but sometimes it can be a bit heavy…so I often go towards soba noodles as the lighter alternative.
I would love to see how the cherries would develop in a light, savory tomato sauce spooned over soba noodles. Maybe a bit of fresh arugula and sauteed mushrooms to top it all off.
Sour cherry Dutch babies!
Love this!! Tart cherries are amazing for joint pain also! Im obsessed with chocolate so maybe dark chocolate tart cherry brownies!
Tart cherry thumbprint cookies sound great to me
Chilled Hungarian sour cherry soup! Complete with sugar , flour sour cream and confectioners sugar !! 🙂
Hmmm… Oatmeal with dried sour cherries, a handful of walnuts, and a bit of maple syrup is the perfect weekday breakfast! And I’ve made cinnamon-raisin buns with cherries instead of raisins – good times. Also, just eat the things by the handful, ideally with a piece of chocolate as a chaser.
Quinoa and butternut squash are a few of my favorite things! Love!
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I’d love to make a warm tart cherry compote/sauce to serve over vanilla ice cream!
tart cherries and almond slivers in long grain wild rice and, on the sweeter side, tart cherry sorbet! (tart cherry scones would be irresistible too)
I love the idea of tart cherries with a savory dish! I think tart cherries with roasted cumin-y cauliflower would be super interesting.
Thank you for the giveaway! I love your blog!
I would make a tart cherry chutney. I would make it really spicy and savory with lots of warm spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, red pepper flakes and fresh ginger. And, I would make it really chunky and marmalade-y. Then I would use it on everything – grilled cheese, tacos and all kinds of squash!
Tart cherries in a wild rice salad or wild rice hot dish would be delicious!
Frozen tart cherries + cottage cheese + almond-coconut milk + chocolate whey protein powder = heaven!
A tart cherry flatbread, with plenty of roasted garlic, goat cheese (or bleu cheese if you’re feeling adventurous), arugula, and some herbs (tarragon or rosemary would work well I think) .
in scones!
Tart cherries with spinach linguine! Sauté spinach with tart cherries olive oil and garlic; toss with ground pepitas, salt, pepper and linguine! So tasty!
I love tart cherries (especially early into fall). One of my favorite recipes is a smoothie I make with tart cherries, black cherries, 1 frozen banana, 2/3 Cup Coconut Milk, 1/4 Water, and a drizzle of honey. Blend and serve, it’s like a milkshake but healthy and a bit tartly.
Xo