This Asian Slaw Will Add a Vibrant Burst of Color to Your Meals

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Autumn is all about vibrant color and pumpkin spice, isn’t it? I think of heartier salads with a more substantial texture, now that the weather has turned cooler, and I am making more soups and chilis. This Asian slaw is an eye-catching example. The robust combination of the toasted sesame oil and soy sauce in the dressing pairs perfectly with the crunch of the cabbage and carrots. Wouldn’t it make a tasty side to a creamy soup or your favorite comfort-food casserole?

It’s been said that we “eat with our eyes first”, I confess that is true of me. I love cookbooks with pictures because the images help me decide what recipe to try next. Few recipes will offer the visual stimulation that this one will.

Ingredients

4 cups of red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
1/2 cup.green onions
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted. (Toast in oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.)

Dressing ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, or Coconut Aminos
1 Tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.

Slice the cabbage into thin strips. Do the same with the red pepper and the carrot. Chop the green onions into 1/4 inch slices. Now that all the vegetables are chopped, move on to the creamy sesame dressing.

Creamy Sesame Dressing

To avoid using commercially made mayonnaise, make this healthy mayonnaise from wellness mama,–don’t worry it will only take about 2 minutes! It will be so much better for you without the soybean oil and preservatives. Make sure everything is at room temperature before you start to mix it.

Ingredients for Homemade Mayonnaise

4 egg yolks at room temperature
1 TBSP lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp regular or Dijon mustard or ½ tsp dried mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2/3 cup pure olive oil (not extra virgin) for a milder taste.
2/3 cup coconut oil (warm) or other healthy oil

Instructions

Put egg yolks into blender or bowl and whisk/blend until smooth
Add lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, and spices and blend until mixed
SLOWLY add oil while blending or whisking at low speed, starting with olive oil. Start with a drop at a time until it starts to emulsify and then keep adding a stream about as thick as an uncooked piece of spaghetti, I repeat, very slowly until all oil is incorporated.

Store up to one week. Makes 1.5 cups. The Asian slaw will only need half a cup, so you can use the rest to make a homemade ranch dressing or tuna salad, or once you try this slaw, you may decide to make it again later in the week!

Now that the mayonnaise is ready, gradually whisk the toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, or Coconut Aminos if you prefer,) into the mayonnaise so that it looks like this:

After combining the vegetables toss them lightly with the creamy slaw dressing and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Garnish it with additional sliced green onions. I often serve it to guests because of its colorful presentation brightens any meal.