Coleslaw....I Mean, Cabbage Salad!

What's up with the aversion people have to coleslaw? Is it that, traditionally, it's shredded cabbage and carrot swimming in mayonnaise? Or is it just the raw cabbage? But coleslaw is one of the most versatile, potentially most nutritious mix of raw veggie salads I think there is!

Tracy's Rainbow Cabbage Salad

I have been eating some version of coleslaw at least 5 times a week! In fact, I often take it to pot lucks because the raw veggies hold up well prepared in advance....but I always call it "Cabbage Salad", because if I call it coleslaw...the look on peoples faces is usually one of being "put off".

Basic coleslaw is just shredded cabbage and carrot dressed with mayo. An easy and quick way to lighten it up is simply using a mayo/yogurt combination. From there you can add sweet, heat, tang (or all, like I often do) and with a protein, like diced chicken, it can easily become a maincourse meal.

To get flavor ideas I poured over cookbooks for any and all recipes for salads, especially coleslaws The first I came across, I dare anyone to dislike is "Curry Coleslaw" (recipes to follow), when anyone smells this, they come running! "Oooh! What's that?" Is what I often hear from friends and co-workers. And it's the recipe I've given out the most,

Curry Dressing (for cabbage salad)

mayo / yogurt 1 cup total (1/2 & 1/2)

apple cider vinegar, 2 tbl.

lemon juice, 1-2 tbl.

sugar, 2 tbl. (or honey)

curry powder 1 tbl. ( I like alot!)

garlic, 1 clove crushed

S&P

The veggies for this salad start out with

green and/or red cabbage, shredded

carrot, shredded

green onion

golden raisins

cilantro and/or parsley

I've added, diced jalapeno, and switched out the raisins for fresh grapes, a fuji apple, or pineapple (fresh) and chopped dates. And I alway make my salads main dish by adding chicken/turkey/pork, etc.. But really, use what you have or like!

The picture above is my Rainbow Cabbage Salad, I made it the day I made my Rainbow Chili. And although I could call most of my salads "rainbows" because I always use plenty of colorful veggies, this one got the name! I started with one red bell and one jalapeno left over from the chili ingredients. I decided on a slghtly sweet dressing to balance out the spicy chili.

Dressing

mayo/yogurt, apple cider vinegar, sugar, S& P....simple!

Salad

green and red cabbage, shredded

carrot, shredded

red bell pepper

broccoli, (stems incuded, shredded)

fuji apple

jalapeno, diced

S&P

Some of the other variations of coleslaw;

Waldorf Coleslaw with Blue Cheese

Broccoli Slaw w/peanuts

Cabbage and White Bean Coleslaw w/bar-b-que dressing

Sweet and Sour Slaw w/ Chutney Dressing

Cabbage and Crab w/ Orange Mustard Dressing

Etc... I could go on and on....

Life is good. Food is good. Coleslaw, I mean Cabbage Salad is good!