This delicious Lemony Cabbage Salad recipe is from a friend on Maui. She brought it down to the beach one evening when a group of us gathered for “pupus” (the Hawaiian word for appetizer, traditionally meat heavy). My version of pupus is of course the opposite! It’s plant heavy!
My friend Cheryl lives most of the year in Hay River, North West Territories, spending the winters on the island. She and her husband spend a lot of their time hunting and fishing, so needless to say, they are at a bit of a loss when they entertain this “vegan”. 😉
Cheryl’s cabbage salad was inadvertently plant-based so I was thrilled when she introduced me to it. It meant I could finally eat something she brought down! She always tried hard to make something that I could enjoy, but often she would say, “I think it’s vegan.”, and then, “Oh, right… it’s not, it has mayo in it…” (or milk or cheese). I can totally understand how it could be difficult for people who aren’t familiar with this type of eating.
Sometimes being plant-based can present challenging social situations. However, I have to say, I will always remain proud and passionate about not eating animals or their secretions, both for the health reasons and sparing animals from pain and hardship.
Making Lemony Cabbage Salad
This recipe is so fresh and crispy with the red cabbage, parsley, lemon and cumin dressing. It is so easy to whip up and the flavor really soaks in as it sits. It is arguably even better the next day.
I made it a couple of times, changing the amount of oil and adding in some lemon rind. The original recipe called for a lot of grape seed oil, which is certainly not a preferred oil to consume. I reduced it to just a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, which could also just be deleted if you have an aversion.
I hope you try this out and enjoy it as much as we do! It is perfect for this time of year when we are all looking for bright and lively foods after the winter season.
Benefits of Eating This Fresh Cabbage Salad
Oh and as per usual, here is some helpful information about the benefits of eating these wholesome foods…
Cabbage: cruciferous vegetable that is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help reduce the chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. It is a great source of vitamin C which helps the body absorb iron.
Lemon: We all know lemons are a great source of vitamin C which is important for our immune system function, wound healing and also the absorption of iron.
Cumin: This spice is rich in antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation in the body and may help lower cholesterol.
(Sources: Medical News Today and Healthline.com)
Ingredients
- 1 head of purple cabbage, chopped finely
- 1 1/2 lemons squeezed, or enough to make about 1/3 of a cup of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of minced, firmly packed parsley
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- grated lemon peel from 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 heaping tablespoon of ground cumin
- sprinkling of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash cabbage and remove any outer leaves that look old.
- Cut out the tough center and discard. (or save for soup stock).
- Slice the cabbage into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Wash, grate and squeeze the lemons over the cabbage. Then pour on the olive oil, sprinkle on the spices and stir until combined.
- Taste the salad and add more spices as necessary.
- Allow to sit for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
www.thevibrantveggie.com
If you are thinking of making this recipe, it would go great with my Smoky Carrot Hot Dogs! Kids love these, and there aren’t any mystery ingredients in them.
Have I ever told you about the time my mom’s Home Economics university class went to the meat packing plant? That’s quite the story… let’s just say she hasn’t eaten a hot dog since. 😳
