Summer Coolslaw

I love coleslaw! I love cabbage! The issue with coleslaw is that the traditional recipes have ingredients that are faux pas, unnecessary.and I prefer to not include them in my dishes. they are: sugar, mayo and white vinegar (grain alcohol) - these ingredients are completely omitted in my recipes. I’m not missing them one bit! There’s natural and even more delicious alternatives. The kitchen is my apothecary and figuring it out the perfect subs is my niche..

In Ayurveda - the sister science of yoga (emphasizes good health, prevention and treatment of illness through lifestyle practices) teaches us to eat seasonally and combine our foods appropriately. Cabbage is high in fiber and low in calories - win win!. Coleslaw (coolslaw) is a great balance for the heavy quality of meat. Ever notice coleslaw served at bbq’s or at delis. Why? The vinegar (good quality) and flavors in coleslaw are a healthy source of probiotics for the gut. You see where I’m going with this…? We need to cool off our digestive fire (Agni) in the warmer months to stimulate our digestion. The sour, pungent, astringent and tarty flavors in salads do just that. There’s lots of tastes going on in this dish and therefore, we can all (body types) dig in!

vegan dairy-free nut-free gluten-free

1/2 head of purple cabbage shred in cuisinart or by hand
1/2 head of green cabbage shred in cuisinart of by hand
I carrot shredded
I small red onion cut into this half moons
cilantro or parsley for garnish finely chopped - optional
pumpkin seeds for garnish - roasted and salted - optional

Dressing

1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar a.k.a. ACV or ume plum vinegar - either are great although ume is my fave - the tarty flavor hits the spot!

-add all the veggie ingredients in a large bowl
-in a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing
-pour the dressing over the coolslaw and toss well
-Add more seasoning to taste
-cover and place in fridge for at least an hour to marinate
-before serving toss the coolslaw again
-garnish with cilantro - optional

Genia’s Spoon Me Tips: I like to use red onions in this recipe. Go for the rainbow colors. You can replace the onion for 1/2 cup scallions finely chopped - adds a gorgeous green color - looks decadent in the coolslaw.

You can use one whole green or one whole purple cabbage instead of half of each.

Love is cool,
Genia