If you are trying to add more vegetables to your meals, coleslaw is a fast, low cost, and effective way to do so. Slaw is a great side dish, added to burgers, or as a light lunch.
However, not all coleslaws are created equal – if they are slathered in heavy dressing, their nutritional value can be compromised, so here are some tasty ways to add extra interest to your slaw.
- Start with a bright base – use red cabbage to add colour and antioxidants, slice thinly and use 1/3 of a small cabbage as a base
- Add dark green leaves – thinly sliced spinach, silverbeet or kale to add more nutrients
- Get grating – carrot, beetroot and fennel bulb are delicious
- Heavenly herbs – chop in parsley, coriander, mint or basil for flavour
- Fabulous fruit – slice apples or pears into matchsticks for a burst of crunch and sweetness
- Make it crunch – celery, nuts, seeds and spring onions add flavour an
- Just a spoonful of sugar – sprinkle your slaw with a couple of teaspoons of sugar, mix through and chill for an hour before serving. You won’t need a dressing and the vegetables will be juicy and crunchy
Here are some combinations to try:
Nutty and spicy slaw
- 1/3 cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
- 100g spinach, chopped
- chilli roasted peanuts
- black sesame seeds
- sesame oil
Mix all the chopped vegetables and herbs together, then sprinkle with nuts, seeds and oil. Refrigerate for an hour then serve.
Coconut and apple slaw
- 1/3 red cabbage, finely sliced
- 100g silverbeet, sliced
- 1 large apple, match sticked
- 1 carrot, grated
- 3/4 cup coconut thread
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
Mix all ingredients together and chill
Fennel Slaw
- 2 fennel bulbs, finely chopped or grated
- 50g kale, finely sliced
- 1 pear, chopped into tiny pieces
- 1/4 cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 tbsp sugar
Mix all ingredients together and chill.
Beetroot and mint slaw
- 100g spinach, finely sliced
- 1/3 cabbage, finely sliced
- 1/2 raw beetroot, grated
- 1 cup mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
Squeeze some of the liquid out of the beetroot, then mix all ingredients together and chill.