Cabbage, Carrot and Dried Cherry Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dijon Dressing

This is my new “go to” salad.  For some reason I’ve been on a cabbage kick lately.  Not sure what got that started but my frig has constantly been full of purple cabbage, savoy cabbage, and Napa cabbage.  I think it’s due to all that beautiful cabbage staring at me when I walk through the produce section of the market.  It can’t help but jump into my basket!  

I often prepare a broccoli slaw recipe from cookbook Author, Kathleen Daelman.  She uses broccoli slaw with dried cranberries and a tangy buttermilk Dijon dressing.    It’s fantastic, but because I had all that cabbage in my frig, and lots of carrots, maybe I could come up with something similar, only using the cabbage.  

As you can see, it was a delicious idea; thin sliced Napa and purple cabbage, and shredded carrots.  I was completely out of dried cranberries but I had a huge bag of dried cherries.  No buttermilk either, however, I always have plain yogurt hanging around.  A great substitution! 

My new “go to” salad is born!  I love it when dishes on a whim come together so beautifully and so tasty!  Crunchy sweet carrots, spicy purple cabbage and tender, mellow Napa cabbage all tangled together in a tangy and spicy, but sweet yogurt dressing.  Add a little grilled chicken or fish and voilla!  You just made dinner.  🙂

Serves 4 (or 2 if you really love salad!)

Ingredients

1 small head organic purple cabbage, thinly sliced

1 head organic Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded carrots (I buy the bagged organic carrot shreds)

1 cup dried cherries (use more if you like)

Salt and pepper

1 cup (or a little more if you love dressing) plain yogurt ( I love Nancy’s plain lowfat organic yogurt)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2-3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (a little more if you love spicy)

Directions

Place the purple cabbage, Napa cabbage and carrot shreds in a large bowl.  Hold the cherries until the end or they all fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, honey and Dijon.  Taste to be sure flavors are perfectly suitable for you.  Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper if needed. Sometimes I’m feeling my dressing a little sweeter so I add a dash more honey.  And sometimes I want a little more spice so I’ll add a dash more Dijon.  This is definitely a dressing you can play with to make it your own.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.  Now toss the salad with the cherries and serve!

This is a delightful spring and summer salad and it pairs deliciously with grilled meats and fish.  Great for barbeques and picnics.  If you’d like to make this a travel dish, prepare the salad and dressing but don’t toss them together until you are ready to serve the salad.  Enjoy!