Thai Coleslaw with Cilantro

It’s Thursday! I woke up this morning panicking about being late for work, but then I realized that yesterday had been the last day of school. It’s summer! I went to work anyways to clean up my classroom and close up shop for the summer. It definitely felt weird walking in knowing that most of my colleagues in my building won’t be there this coming August, and that my Room 16 family will be a new set of faces. But I did remember, as I entered my classroom this morning, that a certain kid of mine would be reminding me that it’s Thursday and I’m supposed to post something.

Since I have my grandma and aunt over (they just arrived for my not so little sister’s graduation ceremony this Saturday), I don’t have anything super new for you. It’s a salad/coleslaw recipe that my mom often throws together, and it’s extremely flavorful. I’ve been meaning to share it with you!

This ‘coleslaw’ is loaded with all sorts of good nutrients. There’s Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, scallions, cucumbers, cilantro, edamame, and avocados. Even though this melody of veggies all provide nutrients to our bodies, I’m going to focus on the stars: Cabbage. (Skip down if you want to just get to the recipe because I’m about to go off on a tangent about how we all need to add more cruciferous vegetables into our diets)

The Napa and red cabbage, which play a main role in this coleslaw, are rich in nutrients. They are considered cruciferous vegetables, similar to broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, and therefore contain a substance called glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are compounds that give cruciferous veggies their bitter and more pungent taste. When we consume the cruciferous veggies and our bodies break down the glucosinolates, it is believed that the process of breaking down the glucosinolates can prevent cancer by enhancing the elimination of carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer). In simple terms, they might be able to prevent certain types of cancer. They are also high in fiber and vitamins K, C, B6, and Folate (which is an important B vitamin for pregnant women to help prevent any neural tube defects). We should all be eating cruciferous vegetables at least twice a week because…well I just told you why.

Gobble this salad up because it’s tasty and loaded with healthy fats, protein, and vitamins. Top it with the dressing and you’ll get a mouthful of pure yumminess.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 3/4 of a small red bell pepper (cored and chop into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 and 1/2 small bunch cilantro leaves
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons all natural peanut butter
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons of honey
• 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon (Asian) sesame oil
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coleslaw (Salad):

• 1 head Napa cabbage cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 1 small head red cabbage, cored and chopped into strips
• 2 large carrots, shredded/chopped into strips
• 2 bunches scallions/green onions (thinly sliced)
• 1 large cucumber (peeled, cored, and chopped into strips)
• 1 large bunch chopped cilantro
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 2 cups cooked shelled edamame beans (usually get mine frozen)

Instructions:

1. For the dressing, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of the food processor except for the olive oil. Process until smooth and slowly pour the olive oil in as the dressing is processing. When it’s ready, toss the dressing with the coleslaw in a large bowl and serve.

Note: I generally like my salads coated in a flavorful dressing, but if you’re unsure if it’ll be too much for you, start off with only a part of the dressing mixed and add more if you need to. You can also just leave the dressing on the side and people can serve themselves. 

This is probably one of my favorite salads! I first had it during Thanksgiving a few years ago at my cousin’s house.  Since then we’ve adjusted the recipe to make it healthier and to add to the flavors. I know that this coleslaw will be a staple in my household as the summer heat rolls in. Hopefully you’ll all enjoy it!