Cabbage Papaya Peppers Slaw with Hemp Hearts and Bits of Dates

I just have a few basic kitchen tools, no fancy stand mixer or avocado slicer or Vitamix blender (which I have been eyeing on and off). So, when I suddenly get an electric grater/slicer aka Salad Shooter, I get too excited. After the initial skepticism wears off, that is. (The Am sure it just can't do what I want it to do feeling)

This cabbage slaw was the guinea pig of sorts for this Salad Shooter. I prefer slicing cabbage thinly with my trusty knife, but, I decided to shred it at the push of a button. And it came out all right. So, I sliced some peppers, shredded some broccoli stems, and julienned some barely-ripe firm papaya (in my finicky Mandoline slicer) to make a quick slaw/salad.

Squeeze the cabbage to press all the excess water out, so the slaw is not too soggy, before adding the dressing.

Topped with hemp hearts and sunflower seeds, and sprinkled with bits of dates, this Cabbage Papaya Peppers Slaw was a perfect quick meal.

Dressing and Vinaigrette are always fun. This time, it is a simple mix of the following. Simply stir well and adjust to taste.

Slaw Dressing:
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
1 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp apricot preserves/jam

Cheesy Sweet Potato and Cabbage Savory Bread

A thick slice of savory bread is perfect as tea time snack or as a quick lunch-mate for salads. While the sweetish cake-like zucchini bread and banana-blueberry bread and sweet potato bread get a huge raving endorsement, these savory breads are gaining in popularity as well with the kids lately.

The tiny wedge of purple cabbage that was relegated to the deep recesses of the crisper tray -- since I rarely throw away any vegetable before they are beyond redemption -- finally saw the light of day, but not for too long.

Why purple cabbage and sweet potato? asked the nicer half of the adult team at home.
Why not? I replied with conviction.

Ingredients
Wet:
1 cup finely chopped purple cabbage
1 cup mushed cooked sweet potato
2 eggs beaten
½ cup light olive oil
½ cup milk
1 cup grated cheeses - Parmesan and Colby jack or Cheddar
Dry:
¼ cup flax meal
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (reduce if preferred)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 ° F
2. Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl and stir till well incorporated
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, sifting the flour
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture stirring gently and folding it in
5. Pour into a greased standard loaf pan and bake in 350 °F oven for 35 to 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
6. Cool on a wire rack before slicing
7. Serve with plain whipped cream cheese

Chickpea, Wheat Berry, Pearl barley, Ptitim Salad

Periodically, I soak and cook some wheat berries and barley and keep them handy to sprinkle on top of leafy green salads. 1 cup wheat berry/barley with 2 cups stock works perfectly in rice cooker to yield cooked-but-not-mushy grains for this recipe.

The chewy texture of wheat berry and barley when combined with meaty texture of Ptitim (Israeli Couscous) and firmly-cooked chickpeas makes for a satisfyingly wholesome base for a quick summer salad. Although it is not summer here yet, some days are blazing hot already.

Chopped purple cabbage, diced zucchini, diced green mango, finely diced red onions, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, diced sweet orange and red bell peppers tossed together boost this earthy dish with colors and flavors.

A splash of lemon juice and some olive oil is all the dressing the salad needs. Any handy herbs would be fine. I used some parsley and mint from the garden.

Beets and Purple Carrot with Brown Rice, Barley, Mung Bean Cutlets

What to do with leftovers might be a troublesome prospect for some. It happens to be quite an exciting enterprise for me.

About 1½ cups of stuffing for the Stuffed Kohlrabi in Coconut Sauce was leftover (on purpose). Also, some purple carrots and beets and red cabbage were handy. That's how these loaded Beets and Purple Carrot with Brown Rice, Barley, Mung Bean Cutlets came about.

Ingredients
1½ cups Barley, Brown Rice, Mung Bean prepared as shared in Stuffed Kohlrabi recipe
1½ cups combined grated purple carrots, beets, red cabbage, lightly sauteed with salt
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup fine corn meal
Up to 1 cup all purpose flour (a little at a time, as needed)
salt to taste
oil as needed

2 to 3 cups of Panko seasoned bread crumbs

Preparation

1. Combine the sauteed purple carrots, red cabbage and beets with the brown rice+barley+mung-bean filling
2. Add the corn meal and coconut flour and stir till incorporated
3. Add some all purpose flour, a little at a time, to make a thick dough-like batter that can be shaped into golf ball sized spheres
4. Have the Panko breadcrumbs hand on a plate
5. Heat a pan to medium high
6. Press each dough ball into the breadcrumbs and flatten a little; also, press in breadcrumbs to the topside so that both surfaces are coated
7. Place gently on the hot pan and cook; flip and cook both sides till breadcrumbs get crisp and golden and the cutlets hold together
8. Serve warm with favorite chutneys, including Green Papaya, Green Mango, Kohlrabi Chutney

Purple Pleasures: Purple Carrots, Purple Beets, Purple Cabbage, Purple Onion Relish

Summer is the only time we visit the farm often, naturally. During each of these farm visits that are primarily focused on berry-picking, I exercise my right to loiter in the market attached to the farm, mentally salivating and resisting the urge to grab a bunch of each and every single produce there. That is, until the other adult gently but insistently escorts me to the checkout.

While the escort maneuvre was in progress last weekend, I held up a bunch of purple carrots grinning from ear to ear. But you have a pound of carrots at home already, he reasoned. Ah, but they are not purple, I clarified. You are going to be eating a lot of carrots this week, the wise septuagenarian co-shopper explained to him genially, all the while beaming at me. I could have hugged her right then.

The bright purples were irresistible at the farm market and so they came home with me, with no particular agenda except to use them as wisely as possible: purple carrots, purple cabbage, purple beets, purple onions. Well, sometimes the cabbage and beets fall under the "red foods" category, but, they seemed quite the purple to me this time so purple they shall be.

Ingredients

¼ cup finely chopped garlic

2 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 medium purple/red onion grated

1 cup grated purple cabbage

2 cups grated purple beets

2 cups grated purple carrots

Flavoring:

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup balsamic

1 teaspoon dried caraway seeds or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 Tablespoon red hot chili powder or ground black pepper (adjust to taste)

4 Tbsp brown sugar

salt to taste

¼ cup oil

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add garlic, ginger and onions, saute till aromatic
2. Add the grated beets, carrots, cabbage, some salt, and stir in the rest of the flavoring ingredients
3. Allow to simmer till liquid evaporates and the relish comes together to a coarse spreadable consistency
4. Taste and adjust seasoning
5. To preserve it, canning is done in a boiling water bath, just standard procedure

Ways to savor the Purple Carrot Beet Relish:

1. Mix with goat cheese and cream cheese and use it as a sandwich spread
2. Stir some in with thick Greek yogurt and use it as a Wrap sauce
3. Add a dollop of it to crackers and enjoy with cheese
4. Toss some cooked pasta with the beet relish, top with feta or other favorite cheese and enjoy a quick tasty meal minus the tomato sauce
5. Spread it on a pita or naan, top with avocado, watercress, snow peas and spring onions, fold in half or roll it up

Colorful Mini Peppers, Red Cabbage, Kidney Beans Warm Salad

Served as a warm salad, or a side for roti and naan, or along with fluffy jasmine rice, this versatile dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy. The rich colors, the balance of texture and flavors, plus the ease of cooking makes it a favorite weeknight dish.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked kidney beans
2 cups chunky-chopped red cabbage
2 cups colorful mini pepper, chopped

1 lemon cut into wedges for serving
chopped spring onions for garnish
greek yogurt or sour cream for serving on the side

flavoring:
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon pepper

1 tsp coconut oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the veggies and beans, a pinch of salt and turmeric, saute
2. Add the flavoring ingredients, stir well,  cover and allow to sweat a bit at medium heat
3. Remove the lid, splash water if needed to finish cooking the veggies to desired crunch
4. Garnish with spring onions and serve with some lemon wedges and sliced green chilies and a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Red Onion and Purple Cabbage in Roasted Gram, Almond, Curry Leaves Curry

Sometimes, the simplest of combinations brings about the greatest satisfaction.

I don't generally use much of roasted gram (aka Pottu Kadalai) mainly because it is not readily available. Every once in a while, I get it from the Indian store and use it in some dishes that feel like comfort food. Served with warm basmati rice, this curry or kozhambu is quite filling.

Ingredients
For the curry paste:
2 Tbsp roasted gram
⅓ cup almonds
1 jalapeño
20 curry leaves (double if preferred)
4 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp grated ginger

Veggies: anything is fine
red/purple cabbage
red onion

1 Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
water as needed

Tempering: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, 1 tsp coconut oil

Preparation

1. Grind the curry paste ingredients into a fine paste, keep handy
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the curry paste, saute a bit, then add the veggies, salt and enough water, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring often
3. roasted gram acts as a thickener, so, check for water often; when veggies are cooked through and the curry is at a desired thickness, remove from heat and add the tempering
4. Tempering: heat oil in a small pan, add urad dal; when it turns brown, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds; when mustard seeds pop, turn off heat and add it to the curry.
5. Stir well before serving with hot brown basmati rice

Crock-pot Green and Red Cabbage Rolls in Sauce

Cabbage rolls are quick and easy to make in a steamer or pan. But sometimes, just the sheer joy of starting it early and having it ready hours later makes me turn to the electrical crock pot for this.

Red cabbage leaves are notoriously crispy and not pliable to facilitate easy rolling. Use slightly old red cabbage that feels wilted a bit, yet good for consumption. Outer leaves with thick ridges don't work as well, of course. Also, I prefer to par cook it in the microwave with some water to make it softer and easier to roll up.

For a quick filling, ready-made frozen veggie patties are perfect. Either TJ's Pizza Veggie Burger patties or Black Bean Chipotle patties are the current favorites at home. Simply cook the patties, crumble them to make the filling.

Start some tomato sauce with corn and onion cooking in a crock pot. Assemble the cabbage rolls: simply fill a layer of cabbage large enough to make a roll, roll like a burrito wrap or dolma, place gently in the crock pot with the sauce. Cover and cook for  5 to 6 hours till desired doneness. I start this in the morning before going to work, and it is ready for dinner that evening.

Cabbage & Zucchini Slaw with Spicy Citrus Dressing

Until a few years ago, when I stared this food blog, I hadn't bother to ponder on the origins of some of the culinary terms, especially the names of some of the common dishes enjoyed today. One of the first ones that stuck in my head is this: colis → koolsalade → koolsla → cold slaw → cole slaw, nicely summed up in See The Globe.

Cabbage salad, cabbage borscht, home-made sauerkraut, home-made baechu kimchi, cabbage paruppusili, cabbage arachu vitta sambar, cabbage koottu, cabbage molagoottal, cabbage coconut-chili poduthuval... this antioxidant-rich, nutrients-packed, fiber-filled vegetable is consumed in many forms in our house.

As I was debating posting yet another cabbage salad recipe, it occurred to me that this Spicy Citrus dressing thrown together on a whim yearns to be shared. Especially with its crisp and crunchy freshness and zesty orange flavor, the salad definitely has earned its own post.

Ingredients
1 cup julienned or shredded zucchini and carrots, combined
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 jalapeno, seeded and julienned or slivered thin (optional)
1 tsp orange zest for garnish (optional)

Spicy Orange-Citrus Dressing:
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
½ Tbsp orange zest
½ Tbsp blue Agave syrup/nectar
½ Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (less if preferred)
½ Tbsp all-natural creamy peanut butter
½ Tbsp pomegranate red wine vinegar
½ Tbsp distilled white vinegar
½ Tbsp Bragg™ Liquid Aminos
½ Tbsp pure Chinese-style sesame seed oil

Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk to a thick consistency. Pour over the veggies. Marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving, longer the better. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Red Cabbage Salad with Peanut Chicken

Red cabbage with its antioxidants and crunch makes a great salad on its own or in combination with crisp lettuce and carrots. Here, Red Cabbage is the main item, topped with peanutty chicken for a filling meal. Prepare the red cabbage salad a day ahead and let it develop flavor before enjoying.

The dressing is what makes this salad interesting for me - easy to remember because it is just a teaspoon of each; and even though it looks like there are a lot of ingredients, it comes together easily. Plus, of course, a well-stocked set of staple condiments and herbs and spices and oils and vinegars come in handy...

Sweet-Spicy Chili Dressing:
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sambal oelek
1 tsp stone-ground brown mustard
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp blue agave nectar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed dry red chilies (optional)

Combine the dressing ingredients and toss with shredded red cabbage. About half medium red cabbage, approximately about 3 packed cups of shredded cabbage, drenched with the dressing yield from the above makes it perfect for me. As always, use as much or as little dressing as preferred.

Peanut chicken is a favorite salad topper, much like curried chicken or grilled lemon chicken. Simply pan cook a couple of marinated chicken tenders, cut them up, and toss with peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce:
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sambal oelek (less if preferred)

2 tsp agave nectar
1 tsp light low-sodium soy sauce
water as needed to make the sauce to desired consistency

Chicken and Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is packed with nutrients and dietary antioxidant, plus has a rich flavor compared to regular green cabbage. Asian Cabbage Salad and Red Cabbage with Mock Kibbeh are a couple of ways we enjoy this vegetable.

In this recipe, chicken is browned and cooked part-way first, then smothered in shredded red cabbage and cooked through with some red wine and spices. For extra rich flavor, I decided to relax my self-imposed restriction on butter, but substitute any favorite oil or butter if preferred. The chicken makes a great leftover for sandwiches and soups.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium head of red cabbage, shredded (about 4 or 5 cups)
1 small red onion cut into rings (optional)
½ cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tsp gin (optional)
1 to 2 Tbsp butter
salt to taste

marinade: red wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar

spices/herbs:
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 small bay leaf, crushed
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Cut the chicken breasts into even-sized pieces for uniform cooking, and marinate in the marinade for 30 minutes up to overnight (in the fridge)
2. Heat butter in a pan, sauté the onions if using, brown the chicken on both sides
3. Add the shredded red cabbage, wine, a light sprinkling of salt, herbs and spices, cover and cook till chicken is done; stir in gin if using
4. Garnish with spring onions or other fresh herbs and serve warm