Avocado Thai Crunch Salad

This salad has it all!  Two kinds of cabbage, avocado, peanuts, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, crispy won ton skins, and two dressings that compliment each other so incredibly well.  Seriously this has so many layers of flavor, color, and texture - it truly is a feast for the senses.  It was inspired by the Thai Crunch Salad at California Pizza Kitchen, another place we used to frequent before I became more concerned about GMOs and pesticides.  Now I can say I have mastered a home version that uses only organic ingredients - Woohoo!  This does take some time to prepare, but many of the elements can be made ahead of time.  I always make this salad to have two days in a row because I love it so much.  

 Ingredients (makes 4 large entree salads)

Salad
1 head cabbage, chopped in 1/4" strips
1 head red cabbage, cored and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
2 bunches green onions, white and light green parts chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped
2 C cooked and shelled edamame
2 cups roasted peanuts
4 avocados, chopped
1 C Cilantro Lime dressing
4 C fried won ton strips
1 C Thai Peanut Dressing

Cilantro Lime Dressing
1/4 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 C olive oil

Thai Peanut Dressing
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp water
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing by putting all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into a food processor.  Process until smooth, about 1 minute.  Then, with the machine running, slowly add the olive oil.  Continue processing for 1 more minute.  Store in the fridge until ready for use. Whisk before using.
2. Make the Thai Peanut Dressing by putting the peanut butter, honey, vinegar, water, and soy sauce into a small bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add sugar, salt, cayenne, and oil.  Whisk until fully incorporated.  
3. Assemble the salad by placing the cabbage, carrots, green onion, cucumber, cilantro, edamame, and peanuts into a large bowl.  Add the Cilantro Lime Dressing and toss to combine.  Plate the salads and top with won ton skins and avocado.  Drizzle the Thai Peanut Dressing on top and serve.  

Adapted from California Pizza Kitchen

Mexican Skillet Cabbage

I love finding new vegetable based side dishes for Mexican food.  In the past, I have always gone for Spanish rice, which is delicious but not very healthy.  This Mexican Skillet Cabbage gives you the same flavors as Spanish rice, but with no carbs!  It is another super easy dish that has about 5 minutes of hands on time (including slicing and mincing!) and the rest of the time is spent in the skillet with very little attention needed.  It was a tad spicy for my 4 year old because of the diced green chiles, but it was absolutely fine for my hubby and me.  We loved it!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 15oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles

salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage and tomatoes and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the cabbage is soft.

Adapted from Food.com

Chinese Chicken Salad

I love having a big entree salad for dinner, it just feels so clean and healthy.  I try to have a salad dinner several times a month and this salad was a wonderful addition to my line-up.  It has so many textures with the lettuce, cabbage, won ton skins, sugar snap peas, almonds, and chicken.  The dressing was light and the oranges added an extra burst of flavor in every bite.  This will be on permanent rotation in my house from now on.  I hope you try it too!

Ingredients (makes 4 entree salads)

For the salad:

1 large head romaine, chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1/2 C cilantro, finely chopped

4 -5 C cooked chicken or Gardien Chick'n Scallopini, cut or torn into pieces

1/2 C scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 C sliced almonds

crispy fried won ton skins

toasted sesame seeds

8 mandarin oranges, peeled and separated

For the dressing

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C lemon juice

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

3 Tbsp peanut oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing.  Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and scallions.  Pour 1/3 C dressing in with the chicken and scallions.  Toss to combine.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, sugar snap peas, and cilantro.  Add dressing (whisking continuously to prevent separation).  Toss to evenly coat.  Add the chicken mixture and toss.  
4. Serve on individual plates and top with almonds, sesame seeds, won ton skins, and orange slices.    Enjoy!

Classic Coleslaw

I have to admit another food I have missed since becoming a vegetarian.  I grew up having KFC occasionally, and I always LOVED their coleslaw.  But I have to tell you, there really isn't a reason to go to KFC as a vegetarian.  Because of that, I haven't had it for years.  I have tried a variety of coleslaws and this one is the closest I have found to the taste I adored.  I know, it is a mayo-based version, so it isn't the healthiest.  But you know what?  Sometimes you just want the real thing.  This is the perfect side dish for a family picnic, BBQ, or just about anything.  :)

Ingredients

1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1/4 C parsley, chopped
1/2 large cabbage head
1/2 C mayonnaise
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp white vinegar

Directions

1. Place the bell pepper, green onion, carrot, and parsley in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped being careful not to over process.  Cut half the cabbage into chunks and add to the processor.  Pulse a few times, again being careful not to over process.  
2. Slice the remaining cabbage thinly and place in a large bowl.  Add the processed vegetables and mix together.  In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and allow to stand for 3-5 minutes.  
3. Combine the dressing with the vegetables and toss to evenly coat.  Allow to chill for at least 1 hour.

Adapted from Paula Dean

Simple Sauteed Cabbage

I have only ever tried raw, uncooked cabbage in dishes like coleslaw, fumi salad, and the like.  Well, I have been missing out!  The farm had some beautiful cabbage this week and I just had to pick some up.  The weather had been cooling down and I really didn't want a cold salad, so I decided to try something new.  WOW!  This is not only one of the easiest side dishes ever, it is so delicious!  I can't believe how much flavor is packed in this simple recipe!  If you have never tried cooked cabbage, you owe it to yourself to try this recipe.  It's perfect for these cold weather evenings!

Ingredients (serves 2 as a side)

1/2 large head of cabbage

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

Directions

1. Remove core of cabbage and discard.  Place cut side down and thinly slice as you would for coleslaw.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add cabbage, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.
3. Saute 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and just starting to brown.  Serve warm.

Adapted from Ina Garten

My Family's Fumi Salad

This salad is one from my childhood.  Every New Year's Day, my extended family would have Japanese food (my mother is Japanese).  We would only have this food one day a year, and this salad was an integral part of the assortment.  As I got older and started taking on the responsibility of preparing that New Year's food, I realized how simple this salad was!  It made me wonder why we only saved it for this special occasion. 

There are literally five ingredients to this salad and four ingredients for the dressing. Best of all, it takes 5 minutes total to prepare.  What could be easier?  It is such a wonderful side to any asian dinner.  It is light and refreshing.

Cabbage is such an under-utilized leafy vegetable (outside of coleslaw), and this is a wonderful way to bring it back to your table.  The most important thing about this dish is to prepare it the night before.  That allows enough time for the dressing to be absorbed and the flavors to really develop. 

I truly hope you take these few ingredients and share this salad with your family.  You won't regret it!

Ingredients

1/2 a head of cabbage

4 Tbsp slivered almonds

4 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

4-5 green onions, chopped

1 package ramen noodles, coarsely crushed

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp finely ground pepper

1/2 C salad oil (we use canola)

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

Directions

1. Cut the cabbage into wedges and run it through your food processor's slicing disc.  You could always chop it by hand if you prefer.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, green onion, almonds, sesame seeds, and ramen noodles.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oil, sugar, pepper, and rice vinegar.  Whisk to combine.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. 
5. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.