Not Your Mama's Coleslaw

In honor of St. Patrick's Day this month's recipe includes cabbage, a traditional Irish ingredient.


While I normally shy away from cabbage, (I spent many childhood nights sitting at my mom's dinner table and stealthily spitting the stuff into my napkin), I'm trying to reintroduce it into my diet since it's incredibly healthy.


Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli, and thus it's loaded with nutrients. It's an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, fiber, manganese and folate. And surprisingly, cabbage has an omega-3 fatty acid in it called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. You don't typically find vegetables with omega-3 fatty acids.


Since I'm not a fan of cooked cabbage, this recipe calls for it raw, which for me makes it far more palatable. If you want to really amp up the health benefits, substitute red cabbage for the green. It's deep color means it's loaded with flavonoids which research suggests help to prevent cancer.


Today's recipe is a slightly different take on coleslaw. It's an Asian inspired dish that is far different from the mayonnaise-heavy slaw you're used to seeing. By ditching the mayo you get rid of a lot of fat and calories and as a bonus, this dish is perfect for an outdoor BBQ or picnic since it doesn't need to be refrigerated. Enjoy!


Asian Coleslaw
The Slaw
2 TBLS sesame seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
4 scallions, sliced, green and white parts
1/2 package of raw Ramen Noodles, broken into small pieces


The Dressing
1/2 of the spice package from Chicken Ramen Noodles
1 TBLS sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBLS white wine vinegar


1. In a medium bowl add the sesame seeds, almonds, cabbage, scallions and Ramen Noodles and mix until combined
2. In a small bowl whisk together the spice package, sugar, olive oil, salt and vinegar
3. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture
4. Mix everything together until cabbage is coated with the dressing
Note: As a variation sometimes I substitute shredded broccoli for the cabbage. It's delicious too.