Braised Balsamic Red Cabbage with Cherries

Hi friends!  Hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July!  We headed out to the San Juan Islands to spend time with friends and get some quiet time.  We saw an amazing fireworks show on Friday evening from a grassy bluff that overlooked several of the islands.  Our friend that was hosting all of us on the island has Celiac Disease, so together we planned a great menu to share with everyone that would be considerate of both of us.  Burgers, brats, pulled pork, chicken and lots of great side dishes including my Italian No-Pasta Salad and Asian Chicken Slaw.  We're so international. ;)

Cherry season is in full swing here in Washington and my favorites, Rainier cherries, are well stocked at the farmers markets and grocery stores.  I love their sweet flavor.  I used Rainier cherries for this recipe, but any variety should do great!

Braised Balsamic Red Cabbage with Cherries

Prep:  10 minutes, Cook: 36 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 head of red cabbage, sliced about 1/4" thick

4 Tbsp balsamic, divided

2 cups whole cherries, pitted and sliced in half

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced

Directions:

1. Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onions have started to turn translucent.
3. Add the shredded red cabbage to the skillet and saute for about 15 minutes, or until the cabbage and began to soften.  
4. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar to the skillet and toss the cabbage and onions to thoroughly coat.  Saute for about 8 minutes.
5. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar, thyme and cherries, and toss to combine.  Cook for an additional 8 minutes, or until the cherries and cabbage have become tender.

Serves: 6 

Enjoy!