I Fought The Slaw And The Slaw Won

Winter Is Coming

Asian Broccoli Slaw - Get your slaw on, y'all!

There I said it. That nasty "W" word. Many of you dread it like nobody's beeswax; the bleakness, dreary greys, dirty whites, the unrelenting cold and chill, the shovel after shovel of snow, the ice, the chapped lips and fingers. You get the picture? Forget for a second that in Houston, we see about 2 weeks of winter per year, usually in January. You're probably stuffing your pie hole with tons of comfort food and the slow cooker just may have become a family institution?

This is always a tough time of year for me. Holiday season, chilly (ish) weather, up-regulated desire for thick, gooey, cheesy, gravylicious comfort food. I swear I used to be a bear at some time, because my body thinks it's hibernating and that it's perfectly okay to store a few pounds in the bottom line. But it's not okay! The holidays are here and we will all be tempted to party and party and drink and drink. For those of you who successfully navigated Thanksgiving, hurray!!!! Congrats!

After a comfort food marathon such as Thanksgiving, I look forward, even yearn, for green.

Crispy, crunchy green.

Cucumbers and summer, green.

In the middle of "fwinter."

The Boys (Buddy, Tony, Kevin, Schylling,
Zippy, and their little toy dog, Wee Wee,
Wee Wee's baby, Skeeter
and Stretch the Giraffe) with Khakki,
my dauntless and intrepid sissy and
post-surgical nurse x 3, who is NOT
in the WPP (Witless Protection Program)!

Yes I yearn, and the boys (you remember our sock monkey boys: Buddy, Tony, Kevin, Schylling, Zippy, and their little toy dog, Wee Wee, Wee Wee's baby, Skeeter and Stretch the Giraffe), who are enamored of anything Asian these days, allow the yearning for green and I allow their enamorment (is that a word?)...they go around singing, "I think I'm going Japanese, I think I'm going Japanese I really think so!"

So in honor of the boys and their Asian fixation, and to assuage my inner veggie-craving beast, I whipped up a little Asian slaw filled with deep nutrition to wash away the winter-blues and make your bottom line, tow-the-line.

Get your slaw on with us and be sure to drop a line to let us know how you liked it. Of course, feel free to take short cuts, use tri-colored slaw, use pre-chopped onions and bell peppers, but be warned: cabbage from a bag never tastes like "real, live, freshly sliced cabbage" -- just sayin'.

 

Asian Broccoli Slaw

Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup   Yield: 4 servings (7 cups)
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

This spicy Asian slaw is refreshing and cooling, even though it adds a pop of heat. It packs a ton of vitamins A and C into you during the dead of "fwinter." Don't leave-off the dressing or the toppings. They really add to the fresh taste--as in "fresh-in-your-face-fwinter."

Asian Broccoli Slaw tastes like a bowl of summer in your mouth.

Slaw

• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 cups broccoli slaw
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced thinly
• 1/8 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup radish, grated
• 4 ounces tomatoes, halved or quartered (Campari or grape tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup Asian Slaw Dressing (recipe follows)

Optional Asian Broccoli Slaw toppings...so good.

Toppings - optional

• 1 serrano pepper, about 1 large, chopped with seeds
• 1/8 cup cilantro leaves, whole, chopped
• 1/8 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/8 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Asian Broccoli Slaw ingredients so tasty, you'll cheer winter away!

Combine all slaw ingredients and toss with dressing. Refrigerate salad for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Top with your favorite blend of fresh herbs: mint and cilantro play great together as does purple Thai basil. Add a squeeze of lime, maybe throw a few more green onions on it and a bit of serrano. Enjoy.

Per Serving (Includes Dressing): 139 Calories; 10g Fat (58.2% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 9g Net Carbohydrate

Serving Ideas: Serve with grilled chicken for a simple weeknight meal or pair with yummy Faux Pho. Goes great with tacos, sandwiches, soups or grilled meats.

SUSIET's NOTES: This is a refreshing salad with a little heat thrown in for fun. If you prefer it mild, simply omit the serrano and dial back on the sambal oelek (or Rooster Sauce aka sriracha) in the dressing. We love it with everything from Asian to Tex-Mex! You may ask, Why so many ingredients? Well, because each ingredient brings a flavor profile to the bowl that increases the pleasure of eating it! And believe it or not, this only takes about 15 minutes to throw in a bowl! Make the dressing ahead and have it waiting in the fridge. Super simple meal in minutes!

Asian Broccoli Slaw with Grilled Chicken, served with a cup of Faux Pho. YUMMY!

Asian Slaw Dressing II

Serving Size: 2 tablespoons   Yield: 6 servings (3/4 cup)
Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 10 Minutes

Asian Slaw Dressing II is delicious with
or without the Chia seeds

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped or pressed
• 1/4 ounce ginger root, grated (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek—or Rooster Sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (Kame preferred)
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce—or coconut aminos, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil, toasted style
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground if possible
• 1-2 drops liquid zero cal sweetener (concentrated stevia preferred)
• 1 green onion, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Chia Seeds (optional)

Combine all ingredients and shake well. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks

Per Serving (without Chia Seeds): 83 Calories; 9g Fat (97.5% calories from fat); trace Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace g Net Carbohydrate

Serving Ideas: Serve with any Asian slaw or salad. Great as a marinade or for shirataki noodle salads.

SUSIET's NOTES: This is such a refreshing salad dressing. It works great on lettuces as well as cabbage based slaws. It's the bomb with a Dandan Shirataki Noodle type of salad.