Kale, Quinoa, and Cherry Salad

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 (6-ounce) packages baby kale
• 1 1/2 (8.5-ounce) packages precooked quinoa and brown rice blend (such as Seeds of Change)
• 3/4 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons oil mixture and kale. Place kale mixture on a platter. Stir quinoa blend, cherries, parsley, shallots, and chickpeas into remaining oil mixture. Top kale mixture with quinoa mixture and cheese.

Serves 6 (2/3 c. kale, 2/3 c. quinoa mixture); 296 calories.

VERDICT:  I made my own quinoa/rice blend, since I couldn't find any precooked at Lund's and we had both rice and quinoa--I think you could use any cooked grain without diminishing the results.  Without that, this would have been pretty easy.  I learned how to pit cherries by smashing them with a chef's knife, and it wasn't hard at all!  Keep.