Red Cabbage - Salad
Another superb quality about red cabbage is that it pairs beautifully with most salad greens. I always like to see what looks best (and cost efficient) in the produce aisle for the season and honor that. Here, I've chosen broccoli and carrot slaw, but brussel sprouts, spinach, or swiss chard are also great choices.
Ingredients:
Red Cabbage
Broccoli and Carrot Slaw
Broccoli Florets
Cauliflower Florets
Oregon Hazelnuts
It is important to note that these ingredients are found prepackaged in your local grocery store; an attractive quality for the time-savvy chef in all of us. Preparing food is actually a very therapeutic exercise for me, but I don't always have the time to dice and slice every last ingredient. I don't worry about measurements either. I go by how many mouths I'm feeding and, you guessed it, color! Just mix them all together in a large bowl and be sure to put aside your hazelnuts for the end, as your final flourish.
Dressing:
1 Cara Cara Orange (squeezed)
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp. Brown Rice Syrup (tastes like honey)
Pinch of Rosemary
Pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt
Fresh or Ground Ginger
I have grown accustomed to oil-free dressings. I believe they are just as delicious and healthier. I go through phases where I use oil in my cooking and don't. This is mostly due to the fact that I am quite frankly skeptical of the authenticity of most oils out there and how good they really are for you, authentic or not. If the idea of oil-free dressings scare you, please feel free to add a tablespoon or two of a nice grapeseed oil. It will be just as delicious, but give it a shot sometime, by starting out with less and less. Your taste buds might surprise you. Whisk all of the ingredients together and then add to your prepared salad. Add, omit, and replace as you see fit. Again, these are loose measurements left intentionally open for your own personal touch. Just go easy on the rosemary. Too much of this magnificently fragrant herb can garner a disappointing result that cannot be reversed.
No need to overdress, but I do prefer this salad to marinade in the fridge overnight for a delicious lunch the next day. It really allows the flavors to get acquainted, without losing any crunch or color.
Enjoy!