My daughter saw cabbage in the fridge and immediately said, “can we have this for dinner tonight?” Bless her little health-conscious soul. She obviously had fond memories of our eating lots of coleslaw in the summer. To tell you the truth, I went a little overboard preparing it this summer–I just couldn’t get enough of my Asian-inspired coleslaw. We’re in the depths of February now so I thought why not throw it in the skillet. Turns out I actually like hot coleslaw better than cold! If that’s all this post were about I’d be done but you know I have an ulterior motive. And it’s not such a sneaky one–it’s always about health for me. So here’s the lowdown on some of the nutritional value of this side dish:
Cabbage is just phenomenal when we’re talking about its nutritional profile. First off and most importantly it’s a member of the Cruciferous family (aka the Brassica family) along with Kale, Swiss Chard, Brussels Sprouts, Bok Choy, Broccoli and more. Anytime we’re talking about a member of this family, you know we mean business–it’s anti-cancerous among other things.1 In a recent study of over 57, 000 individuals, cabbage was found to be extremely important in preventing type 2 diabetes.2 Cancer and diabetes? Well, that’s all I need to hear to include it plentifully in my diet. But let’s add one more reason: because there are about 20 different flavonoids and 15 different phenols in cabbage which act as antioxidants, it’s also important for decreasing risk of cardiovascular disease.3, 4
While green cabbage is a great choice, make sure to include red cabbage in your diet since it’s vibrant color shows how concentrated it is in anthocyanin polyphenols, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. My Sauteed Coleslaw uses green but you might want to use a combination or go rogue and go all red. The slaw I made all summer included a granny apple and carrots and they meld wonderfully when sauteed with cabbage and the coconut oil. You could just eat those four ingredients sauteed up with a little salt and pepper but why not take it the extra mile and add the honey, apple cider vinegar, celery seed and extra virgin olive oil. Substitute the olive oil for toasted sesame oil and it really takes on an Asian taste and smell. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
In my opinion this is a seriously delicious alternative to summer coleslaw that adds a little bit of warmth and comfort to a chilly winter’s day. I can’t wait for my daughter to try this tasty hot side dish tonight.
Sauteed Coleslaw
Move over summer! It's time to red-do some of those seasonal favorites and make them winter-worthy. Coleslaw is at the top of the list. The way the coconut oil infuses the cabbage with flavor add just the right amount of a surprise twist.
Ingredients
- 1 small cabbage (red or green), shredded
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1 small granny apple, shredded
- 2 T coconut oil
- 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper
- 1 T toasted sesame oil (organic)
- 1 T raw honey
- 1 T apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Heat skillet to medium high then add coconut oil
- Step 2 In a medium bowl whisk together sesame oil, honey, vinegar and celery seed. Set aside.
- Step 3 Add cabbage, carrot, apple, salt and pepper to skillet and saute for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally
- Step 4 Remove from heat, cool slightly and add to the bowl. Blend gently
- Step 5 Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!
- Razis, Ahmad Faizal Abdull, and Noramaliza Mohd Noor. “Cruciferous Vegetables: Dietary Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention.” Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention14, no. 3 (2013): 1565-570. doi:10.7314/apjcp.2013.14.3.1565.
- Lacoppidan, Sandra, Cecilie Kyrø, Steffen Loft, Anne Helnæs, Jane Christensen, Camilla Hansen, Christina Dahm, Kim Overvad, Anne Tjønneland, and Anja Olsen. “Adherence to a Healthy Nordic Food Index Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Type-2 Diabetes—The Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort Study.” Nutrients7, no. 12 (2015): 8633-644. doi:10.3390/nu7105418.
- Bacchetti, Tiziana, Domenico Tullii, Simona Masciangelo, Rosaria Gesuita, Edlira Skrami, Francesca Brugè, Sonia Silvestri, Patrick Orlando, Luca Tiano, and Gianna Ferretti. “Effect of black and red cabbage on plasma carotenoid levels, lipid profile and oxidized low density lipoprotein.” Journal of Functional Foods8 (2014): 128-37. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2014.02.020.
- Gaziano, J. Michael. “Dietary antioxidants and cardiovascular disease.” Vitamins & Hormones, 2000, 299-320. doi:10.1016/s0083-6729(00)58029-7.