Cherries are one of those fruits that I could sit and eat for hours! Having a bowl full of cherries in my lap, literally makes me happy! I’d never considered doing much more with cherries than just eating them as is.  Whole Foods Market, is currently celebrating their 5th Annual Cherry Fest and I was invited to create a recipe for an in-store event they were having.

cherry fest sign Shopping in Whole Foods makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! I literally walk around with my mouth gaping open in awe! I LOVE that Whole Foods Market supports and promotes local farms and I feel content knowing that my produce is fresh from the farm to my table. They had such beautiful cherries in the produce section that I couldn’t wait to get them home and use them in my Summertime Salad with fresh Cherries recipe!

IMG_3960 Let me take a minute to talk about the dressing I used for the salad. It’s a recipe that’s been passed down among girlfriends for about 9 years now. Originally, one of my good friends served this dressing on a salad at my baby shower (my baby is currently 9 years old). I swear EVERYONE at that shower was asking her for the recipe! (including me) I cannot even count how many times I’ve made this dressing. I honestly think I serve it on almost every occasion possible AND everyone always loves it and asks for the recipe. My girlfriends and I call it “the dressing” and everyone in our circle of friends knows exactly what someone is talking about if you use those words! It’s just the kind of dressing you can use on most salads, so I’m using it on this one today. I think it’s going to become your new “secret weapon” too! Ok, here comes the recipe….

Ingredients for the Secret Weapon dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup good quality olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • 5 oz. of Baby Arugula
  • 1 lb. cherries, pitted and sliced
  • 4 ears of corn, cooked and cut off the cob (after it’s cooled)
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

For the dressing, finely chop the parsley and add to a dressing container of your choice, mixing in all of the other ingredients to the container. Dressing can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator but will need to return to room temp prior to serving. Shake dressing well prior to serving. I usually double the recipe for the dressing when I make it, just so I have extra, in case I make more salad at the party. (Everyone will want more, trust me!)

For the salad, place baby arugula, corn, avocado, feta cheese crumbles, and fresh cherries in a bowl and toss with dressing. If desired, sprinkle some extra feta cheese crumbles on top. (I promise, no one will object to this)

summer salad

So…tell me what you think? Are you ready to go and make my Summertime Salad now or what?

Did I mention their cherries are going to be on sale tomorrow for $1.99 a pound?!!!

photo-237

You NEED to go buy some and make something yummy too! 

I just have ONE MORE thing to share…a giveaway! Everyone loves giveaways, right? In honor of Whole Foods Market and their Cherry Fest, they’ve given me one $50 Whole Foods gift card to give away to one of my lucky readers! Enter below on the Rafflecopter! Good Luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided with a Whole Foods gift card as compensation for creating my recipe. All opinions are my own. Some images provided to me by Whole Foods.

35 Comments on Celebrating Whole Foods Market Cherry Fest: Summertime Salad with Fresh Cherries Recipe & a Giveaway!

  1. I have only been there once to get vitamins. Boring right?? I need to win that gift card and go back. 🙂

  2. A Whole Foods Market opened up near me, and I’m still pinching myself! I shop their sales, use coupons, and have a great time taking their classes and learning about healthy foods. I love it. I see so many people that spend a lot of money there, I don’t do that, but I find things are often less expensive at Whole Foods than buying online, or many of the other stores if they even have anything remotely like their produce and veggies, specialty items.

  3. I have not yet! We have a fairly new one not too far, I have thought about going over and checking it out. Have heard such wonderful things!

  4. I have shopped Whole Foods, especially for their wines, great variety. I have also shopped on their website a few times. 🙂

  5. I love shopping at whole foods. They have some great stuff there. Everytime I go I find something new to try.

  6. Absolutely., I love Whole Foods. I like their deli with the different salads and vegetarian line.

  7. I have shopped there before. I just don’t go that often because it’s a bit of a drive from my house.

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