Cabbage is among the most underrated vegetables. And especially the purple variety.
It will always lend a touch of beauty to your dinner table.
Here, it takes the center of an Asian-influenced coleslaw, which swaps mayo for olive oil and a touch of sesame. A splash of rice vinegar adds some acid, while soy sauce creates a salty component.
And one of the best parts? The crunchy, salty peanuts on top, cut with the freshness of chopped cilantro.
Most people’s go-to dish using cabbage? Cole slaw. My family’s go-to cabbage dish? Asian slaw. Every year when the garden cabbages begin to form into tightly-bound, edible bowling balls, one of my parents is sure to whip up some Asian slaw. The flavorful spin on cole slaw is lighter and seemingly fresher than your typical mayonnaise-laden slaw. Plus, it will save you a lot of saturated fat, and add some healthier fats in their too.
We make this dish different nearly every time, depending on the family member that’s doing the slicing and dicing and on what fresh ingredients we have available. But below you’ll find a recipe for our latest cabbage creation. We’ve infused it with fresh cilantro and topped it off with salty peanuts to create a bowl of slaw that’s worth more than just a pretty picture. Go for a red cabbage, if available, for an extra eye-pleasing element. Plus, as I mentioned in this post, red cabbage has special phytonutrients shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that may do a bunch of other cool things for your body too.
But if green cabbage is what’s growing near you, than it will work too. It will still bring a healthy dose of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber to the table. So pick your cabbage and get chopping. Enjoy as a generous side, or serve atop a burger of your choice.
Also, just two days left to enter my giveaway for some summery treats from Stonyfield’s.
Fish tacos always resurrect memories of summer days spent working up an appetite alongside the ocean. Some of the best fish tacos I’ve ever eaten are the ones I’ve gotten from boxy beach huts down by the shore. Nothing beats spending a hot afternoon swimming through cool, wavy water, only to finish it off by getting messy with a fresh fish taco.
While I’m unfortunately not down at the beach, I’ve still been enjoying some fantastic warm, sunny weather. To go along with it, I’ve also decided to whip up some light and fresh fish tacos so I can enjoy them too.
I decided to switch up the classic recipes that I’m used to tasting and throw in some of those nutrient-loaded sweet potatoes to compliment the salmon I chose for my base. The naturally creamy sweetness of the potatoes, along with the tender fish and fresh, crunchy cabbage slaw definitely made for a winning combination. Cabbage is coming to its prime, so if it’s not growing in your garden, be on the lookout for it at your local farmer’s market.
You can bet I’ll be making some variation of these again. Hopefully I can make it to the beach by that time for a little extra inspiration!
Uncooked cabbage does not need mayonnaise. Yeah, you heard me. No fatty, eggy mayonnaise needed to make this superstar shine. In fact, fresh cabbage is in all reality better without its malevolent sidekick. Minus the mayo, it’ll keep longer, taste yummier, and make you feel overall better. This dish plays off of another of my favorite creamy ingredients—peanut butter. Combined with a kick of sesame, the peanut butter gives this cabbage dish a nutty boost of flavor, while keeping it healthy and fresh. Add in some chopped red pepper for a little red-green combo., and you’ve got yourself a light and unique holiday dish that will outshine all those other typical salads on the party table. Who doesn’t like to be the star of the party?
Cabbage Salad with Peanuts
(Serves 6)
Whisk together first 8 ingredients. In large bowl, toss cabbage, peppers, and cilantro. Add oil mixture. Season with pepper, to taste. Top with scallions and peanuts. Serve.