Photo by David Young-Wolff (www.davidyoung-wolff.com)
A Bowl of Summer’s Bounty
With so many delicious fruits and vegetables ripening in the summer, it’s an ideal time to mix up a tasty salad. This versatile, portable coleslaw is perfect for summer parties and barbecues. The base mixture of cancer-fighting cabbage becomes more tender with time; it also makes great leftovers since the greens don’t wilt as easily as lettuce. I’ve served this raw, vegan, gluten-free, gorgeous slaw to hundreds of clients and guests at cooking classes and workshops, so it’s been tasted and tested to serve well. Vary the toppers based on your preference and what’s peaking at your local farmers’ market. Try: red, yellow, and/or orange sweet cherry tomato halves; grated green zucchini or yellow summer squash; white, yellow or “Indian Red” corn kernels cut fresh from the cob; verdant herbs such as chopped cilantro and purple “Opal,” lemon, or Italian basil; or thinly sliced cooling cucumbers. In addition to celebrating summer’s bounty, this slaw demonstrates what I call Big Bang for your Bite! This is vibrantly colored food made from quality ingredients full of nutrition that tastes amazing without impacting the waistline. With so many colorful options, choose what tastes best to you and make this salad your very own rainbow of nutritious deliciousness!
Asian Summer Slaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus resting time
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients:
Base: 1 head cabbage (any color)
3 large, organic/sustainable carrots (if conventionally grown, peel before using)
1 large red onion
1 large red or yellow bell pepper
Dressing: ¼ c rice wine vinegar (natural or unseasoned)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (optional and to taste)
6 drops stevia or 1 Tbsp honey/agave nectar
4 tbsp olive oil
Toppers: Choose any or all of the following: 1-2 pints sweet, cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cobs fresh, raw sweet corn kernels 2 zucchini or summer squash, grated 2 Persian or European cucumbers, thinly sliced 1 bunch basil leaves, chopped fine 1 bunch cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
Directions:
1. Quarter, then core cabbage and chop into strips. Grate carrots. Half, then peel and slice the onion into thin half moons. Seed and chop bell pepper into thin strips.
2. Combine the cabbage, carrot, onion, and pepper in large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, hot sauce, seasoning and sweetener. Then, whisk in olive oil. Taste for seasoning using a strip of cabbage and adjust as needed.
4. Toss cabbage mixture well with dressing and set aside to marinate at least 20 minutes or overnight.
5. Meanwhile, prepare summer toppers and toss with cabbage mixture just before serving.
6. Store in the fridge and enjoy leftovers for up to a week.
David Young-Wolff loves to tell a story in a single frame. Never satisfied with the ordinary, he strives to create exciting images with a unique twist. davidyoung-wolff.com
Red Jen Ford is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Instructor and Seasonal Eating Expert. Jen teaches her clients the benefits and simplicity of eating local, sustainably grown food. Enjoy more of her dishes in her seasonal recipe booklets or her online course, Simply in Season: Recipes to Celebrate Healthy, Easy Seasonal Food.