Coleslaw Recipe For Everyone Including Vegans

What is Coleslaw?

The Romans would eat a dish that resembles coleslaw that was made from cabbage, eggs, and vinegar. So, it is safe to say that we have been eating coleslaw in some form for millennia. More recent recipes come from the Dutch. When they formed New York State, they grew cabbage along the Hudson River.

The Dutch term for this dish was 'Koolsla', which translates to Kool = cold, and Sla = Salad. Here lies the birth of Coleslaw.

There are so many different recipes and variations that can be found all over Europe, with each country and region adding in their own special ingredient but the overall consistent ingredient is raw white cabbage.

Mayonnaise was an added ingredient from around the mid-18th century and was mostly used in British and American versions of the dish. Nowadays most people only eat it with mayo, but my version is based on the traditional old recipe that does not use mayo or salad dressing. This not only makes it vegan but also far less calorific and healthier.

Can you Freeze Coleslaw?

This is a good question, but sadly the answer is no. It is not something that will freeze well, generally, fresh vegetables spoil when frozen and personally I would advise against it. However, if you store it in an airtight container it will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

How to make Coleslaw

This fresh cloeslaw is so easy to make and literally everyone will love to tuck in to this all on it'sown, as a side dish or chucked into a sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1/2 White Cabbage
• 1/2 Red Cabbage
• 2 Medium Carrots
• 1 Fennel
• The Juice of 1 Red Grapefruit
• The juice of 1 Lemon
• 20mls Apple Cider Vinegar
• 75 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Large Pinch of Sea Salt
• 1 Heaped teaspoon of Honey

Method

This is very easy to make and should only take you about 15 minutes to prepare. I like to make it then allow a couple of hours to marinate in the fridge, but it is equally delicious if served immediately.

The first job is to peel and coarsely grate the carrot, make sure that you do not grate it on the smallest size as it will just turn to mulch, you want to be able to see the carrot amongst the cabbage.

If you have a Mandolin Slicer in your kitchen kit, use it to finely slice the fennel, red and white cabbage. If you don't have one, then you can use a potato peeler to finely shred the cabbage, or failing that slice it with a knife as fine as you can.

Prepare the Dressing

Squeeze the juice from the lemon and grapefruit into a small bowl and add the salt, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Gently beat together, when combined add the olive oil and stir gently until mixed thoroughly. Pour over the shredded vegetables and blend them all together in a large salad bowl.

Don't be Shy to Mix It Up!

What I love most about making meals from scratch is the flexibility to change elements to adapt to my guest's likes and dislikes and stuff I have in the fridge that needs eating. To give your coleslaw a fresh flavour you can add a bit of fresh coriander or some celery. I have also added sliced green apple which was very tasty.

Thin slices of red onion is also a great way to add some sharpness. There are recipes that add walnuts or raisins, walnuts will add a crunchy texture and raisins will make it sweeter. Whatever tickles your fancy, why not give it a try?

This is a good for you as it is tasty

One of the best reasons for making this exquisite salad is how good it is for your body. Eating raw cabbage is a great way to give your body so much goodness such as fibre, Vitamin C, and more. It is great for your digestion and has proven to lower the risk of colon cancer. It also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and reduces inflammation throughout your body.

Magical Apple Cider Vinegar

If you can, try to use a good brand of Apple Cider Vinegar, such as RAW, Willy's, or Bragg. It is made from fermented apple cider and the health benefits are very well documented. It is a great digestive aid and full of antioxidants. It can lower blood sugar levels, cholesterol as well as blood pressure. Not only that it is also a great weight loss aid as it increases your feeling of fullness.

Don't be put off by The Mother

As this is a fermented vinegar it is really good for your gut health as it is a probiotic that your gut's microbiome love to feast on, you are feeding the good bacteria in your gut that is vital for a healthy digestive system.

The Mother is the stringy blend of probiotic bacteria and yeast, which is visible floating around in the vinegar. It may look murky, but this is where all the good stuff is, so don't be put off by the appearance your tummy will love it!