Raw Slaw and Ribbons

Each week my family gets a grocery delivery, not because we are lazy but because we have twins, it is one of those time saving strategies that we have come to depend on. Small Potatoes Urban Delivery or spud for short brings us our staples such as milk, bread, yoghurt , and an assortment of organic produce in a Fresh Harvest box.  Spud tries to include local seasonal veggies, organic fruits and some basics. At this time of year the two things we get a lot of are cabbage and carrots. At any given time I can open my fridge and find a head of cabbage in my crisper just waiting for the next braising. But the other thing that happens at this time of the year is, we get  caught up in harvest feasts and forget that many of these foods can be eaten raw. With that in mind I set out to make a simple raw salad of cabbage, carrots and raisins. A naked slaw. Then dressed with a nutritional salad dressing adapted from the Hollyhocks Cooks recipe book. 

Yeast Dressing

• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (brand such as Red Star)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup tamari (soy sauce)
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp crushed garlic (or if using a blender 1-2 whole cloves when mixing ingredients together)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix for about a minute until everything comes together. With blender running add slowly,

• 1 1/2 cup canola or other light vegetable oil (avoid olive oil as the flavour is too strong).

This makes a large quantity but gets used up quickly.

Put in a squirt bottle the babies can do it themselves; and anything that they can do "me do" themselves is usually a hit. The dressing is a new family favourite as it can be used on salads, dip for plain raw veggies and a sauce on soba noodles or rice. 

One last thing- I have a new favourite tool called a Y peeler- it makes pretty transparently thin ribbons of most vegetables. To paraphrase Jamie Oliver "never a dull salad again".

photos by me