Carrot Apple Cherry Salad

One of my current loves is Carrot Salad. I started with Carrot Apple Raisin Salad which is sort of an old stand-by. There are lots of versions of it out there. (Mine includes celery for extra crunch and flavor.) But last week, I went for the raisins and saw the dried cherries sitting right there and Carrot Apple Cherry Salad suddenly became my new favorite.

Carrot Apple Cherry Salad

This is an easy swap-out recipe.  I literally swapped the sweetened dried cherries for raisins.  But it created a flavor explosion.  The tartness of the cherries really made the sweet of the apple and carrot and the crunch of the celery pop.  I’m actually not sure if I will ever go back to the original.  (Of course, I will.  We have to be fair to all of our children!)

Just like the original, I make this salad in the food processor, so it comes together in about 10 minutes. It’s perfect for a week night side because it whips up so quickly. And, it perfect when you are smoking something in your electric smoker because it only gets better after it’s had a little time in the refrigerator. The naturally sweetness is a perfect complement to a smoky meat.

Start by shredding carrots, apples and celery in the food processor (I have a Ninja–affiliate link) or with a box grater (I love Oxo).

Make a dressing of mayo (use a Whole30 compliant mayo to make this a Whole30 side!), fresh lime juice and a touch of salt.  (I measure the mayonnaise in a glass measuring cup and then add the lime juice and salt and mix it with a flat whisk before adding to the fresh ingredients.)

Mix all of it together adding the cherries last.  I used organic sweetened dried cherries.  They are sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar.  The also have sunflower oil which technically makes them not Whole30 compliant.  There are several varieties on Amazon that are “just cherries,” but I haven’t tried them.

You can serve it immediately or cover it and put it in the refrigerator a few hours or even a day or two ahead of time.  I love to make it at the same time we are getting the meat ready to go in the electric smoker, that way we can just pull it out when the meat is ready.

Another Quick Week Night Salad

So when you are looking for the perfect weeknight (or any night) side salad to complement something cooked on the grill or smoked in the electric smoker, Carrot Apple Cherry Salad is the way to go. It’s a perfect Close to Home side. We hope that you will whip up a batch tonight. It will last a couple of days in the refrigerator, too. And let us know what you think.  If you prefer a classic, check out the original:  Carrot Apple Raisin Salad.

Now that you have the perfect side salad, don’t forget the main course.  Perhaps 10 Foods to Smoke in Your Electric Smoker or 10 MORE Foods to Smoke in Your Electric Smoker.

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