Asian Spinach Salad - Choose Cherries

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried Montmorency tart cherries
• 4 ounces dried rice noodles or rice sticks
• 4 cups fresh spinach, torn
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (or other fresh herbs), chopped
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch slivers
• 1/3 cup dry peanuts, unsalted and roasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon gingerroot, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper