Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries

Our generous friends, Erin and Brian, have a sour cherry tree in their yard and they sweetly offered the bountiful tree up to us to come and pick.  We only were able to make it over once, but we did manage to walk away with a huge bowl full before the malicious mosquitoes drank all our blood.  Brian suggested we try dehydrating some of the cherries and he said freezing them first might help since dehydrating cherries can take a while.  I immediately came home and pitted them all and stuck them in the freezer.  I had dreams of pie in my head and maybe some muffins for the dehydrated cherries.  I should have know better.  My kids love pies (not that I ever make them, but our friend Gita is famous in our house for her delicious pies), muffins, and all things vegan and desserty, but they also can't help themselves from enjoying nature at its best.  Thus, some of the cherries were eaten before they were frozen, more were eaten right out of the freezer, and then many of the dried sour cherries disappeared right out of Ex before I could even put them in a container.  Who I am I to argue with this?  Why add sugar and crust to something which already tastes so good?

I did have a few dehydrated cherries squirreled away from little hands and I needed to come up with dinner (it was already 7:30pm and we were playing at the park with nothing in mind for supper).  I came inside, opened my 1,000 Vegan Recipes cookbook and voila.  Spiced Sweet Potatoes with Dried Cherries popped off the page.  Sure, Robin called for sweetened dried cherries not unsweetened sour cherries, but I was sure it would work out fine.  I also subbed a yellow onion for the red onion, blackstrap molasses for the maple syrup/agave nectar, but the result was still quite good.  I can't wait to make this unique side dish again.  The sour cherries added a nice tang with went well with the sweet and slightly spiced potatoes.  It is something I never would have come up with on my own.  The kids agreed that cashews or walnuts would make a nice addition as well.  I made BBQ tempeh (didn't use the BBQ sauce from 1,000 Vegan Recipes this time, just jarred barbeque sauce we've had in the cabinet for literally years since I was in a hurry).  Of course, I sauteed some garlicky kale from the garden to complete the meal.  We also had the last of the salad greens from Vicky's yard.  I swear they are the best salad greens we've had in a while, but they are about end of life.  Rob made tahini dressing and I added raisins and cashews.  Another delicious, nutritious summer meal.  Done and done.