Kohlrabi Slaw

Most cole slaws are pretty easy to make especially if you buy a pre-sliced bag of cole slaw mix which usually includes green and red cabbage along with shredded carrots. I’m always looking for new types of cole slaw and a cooking show I watched recently added kohlrabi to it and I remembered the kohlrabi from my childhood. My sister, brothers, and I would be weeding the garden and see the kohlrabi bulbs, cut them off, and eat them like apples. So delicious! And my mother would be so angry with us because she’d planned on cooking them for supper.

This reminds me of that because they’re raw. If you don’t like kohlrabi or can’t find it in your supermarket, jicama would work just as well. Some thin slices of apple or pear would be great in this as well.

Combine in a large bowl:

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced kohlrabi

1 cup shredded carrots

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (I sliced it thin and then cut the slices in half)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced white cabbage (I used Chinese but any white or green cabbage works)

In a glass jar combine:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar (white or apple cider would also work)

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)

Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about a minute or until emulsified. Pour over the vegetables and stir to mix the vegetables and dressing (I used tongs for this). Serve chilled. Makes 6 servings.

Easy Summer Pickles

My husband loved these pickles. It was the only way I could get him to eat cucumbers so I made them often. It’s a quick and easy thing to do. The longest part of the process is peeling the cucumbers so feel free if the peels don’t bother you to leave them on. And it’s so variable – by simply changing the type of vinegar and herbs/spices used, the taste changes completely. I’ll give you some variations at the end of the basic recipe.

In a 3-cup bowl combine:

1/2 to 1 cup water, depending on how strong you want the pickle

1 cup vinegar (I use a blend of white and rice – a strong and a mild vinegar)

2 teaspoons date sugar

1/4 teaspoon alum (keeps the cucumbers crunchy)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Add:

6 mini cucumbers, sliced

That’s the basic recipe and they are very good just this way. I like to change it up though so think about adding the following, remembering that spices are always better once they’re a little roasted.

Variations:

1/2 teaspoon of: mustard seed, cumin seed, celery seed, coriander seed or just one of these

2 bay leaves

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced or several scallions, sliced

1 tablespoon of: fresh dill weed or 1 teaspoon of dried dill weed

1 tablespoon of: fresh tarragon or fresh rosemary or fresh thyme or fresh basil or parsley

Using all white vinegar makes for a very pungent pickle where you may want to increase the date sugar or even use a couple of tablespoons of honey or agave nectar

Using all rice vinegar will make a very mild pickle where the date sugar can be totally eliminated

As I said at the top, changing the vinegar, and there are plenty of them out there these days, will totally change the taste of these pickles so use the vinegars your family likes best

Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw

Quick and easy, especially with pre-mixed cole slaw mix, this is a delicious, fat-free side dish that won’t spoil if left out because it has no mayonnaise.

I find it hard to believe that this is my 300th blog! How time flies and how the recipes just keep adding up. Hope you’re enjoying this adventure in cooking as much as I.

In a medium size bowl, whisk:

1/4 cup date sugar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 cup white vinegar

Whisk until the date sugar dissolves. Stir into the dressing:

1 1/2 cups pre-mixed cole slaw mix (green and red cabbage and carrot)

1/4 cup sliced scallion greens

Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 2-3.