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Picnic Cole Slaw

Are you starting to feel like summer is almost over? Sports practices are gearing up, school supplies are filling the stores, the days are getting shorter, and mornings and evenings are sometimes (blessedly!) a little cooler. It can feel a bit sad to watch summer wind down, but take heart! There is plenty of time left for a few more picnics and barbecues, and they’ll even be a bit more pleasant if the heat index drops a bit!

When you plan your menu, you may instinctively include cole slaw. It makes frequent appearances at barbecues and picnics and can seem like a healthy choice, given that it’s just vegetables in a bowl, right? I mean, it’s practically SALAD! But the truth is that cole slaw can be a nutritional nightmare. Most varieties sold in delis or served in restaurants are laden with full-fat mayonnaise and can really wreak havoc on your daily calorie tally. For example, a small order of cole slaw at Chick-Fil-A has more calories and fat (360 cal/31 g!) than a small order of waffle fries (290 cal/16 g). This is for cabbage and carrots, people!

Now, unless you are REALLY a fan of coleslaw, there is no way that a teensy dish of it is worth that kind of calorie and fat hit. But there is an alternative…making your own version with a delicious, cool, slightly tangy dressing. I like this one, adapted from the Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide
. With my modifications, a serving is less than 100 calories and 5 g of fat! Now that’s more like it, right? Happy picnicking!

Picnic Cole Slaw

serves 6

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 head green cabbage, “shredded” (sliced very thin)*
1/2 head red cabbage, “shredded” (sliced very thin)*
3 large carrots, julienned
1/3 c. pickled jalapenos
** See note below

Whisk all the wet ingredients plus salt and pepper in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots and jalapenos. Add dressing and toss to evenly coat vegetables.

Chill and serve.

*If you’ve never shredded cabbage, here’s a link to a quick tutorial. And if you REALLY want to make this easy, you could even buy a bag of slaw mix!

**If you like your slaw a bit sweeter, you can add a packet of stevia sweetener to the dressing ingredients.

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Summer Gazpacho

It’s HOT outside! The kind of hot that makes your makeup melt off and your clothes stick to you. The kind of hot that begs for gallons of iced tea to be in the fridge and for ceiling fans to assist the AC in doing its job. The kind of hot that makes people start thinking about making gazpacho….well, at least that’s what happens to ME!

Isn’t it convenient that just when the summer heat hits its peak, so too does the produce at the farmer’s market? It makes this gazpacho all the better.

For the uninitiated, gazpacho is a cold, tomato-based, often spicy, vegetable soup that can be pureed or left chunky. My personal preference is for the chunky version – the kind where you can still identify the vegetables that were used to create it. This one, which I’ve adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe, perfectly suits my style.

Be sure to make this before the summer produce starts to wane…then kick back on your patio or deck and serve this gorgeous soup in clear glass bowls to show off its colors and sheen. Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream or Greek Yogurt and a sprinkle of freshly cut herbs. Open a bottle of a simple white wine (a Chenin Blanc perhaps) and toast to the heat of summer. Aaah.

Gazpacho
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

serves 8

2 English cucumbers, seeded
3 red peppers, cored and seeded
6 heirloom tomatoes
1 large red onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups tomato juice (buy the best quality you can find)
1/2 cup white (or red) wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Roughly chop the cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and onions into 1″ cubes. Separately put each vegetable into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped (be careful not to puree!).
After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving.

Garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of freshly cut herbs.

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Green Beans and Sweet Corn with Summer Vinaigrette

I am loving the bounty of fresh produce available at my local farmer’s markets and in my parents’ garden this summer! Every day presents another opportunity to do something simple and wonderful with all those fresh flavors. I’ve worked my way through tomato sandwiches, BLT’s, caprese, Greek salad, fresh tomato dressing (the one I wrote about in my July newsletter), corn on the cob, grilled zucchini and squash, ratatouille, and all my other standby favorites. And then I started trying new things…like this salad from a cookbook called Clean Food that my husband got me for Christmas last year. It was written by Terry Walters, a fellow graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and since all of the recipes are vegetarian (many are even vegan) it’s a great source when I’m looking for vegetable recipes in particular! This one jumped out at me when I found myself in possession of a rather large quantity of fresh green beans.

I’d serve this with a simply grilled meat or fish (flank steak? pork tenderloin? salmon? tilapia?) and a big bowl of fruit for an easy summer meal. It would also pack well for a picnic or barbecue – I’d add the dressing just before serving so the tomatoes don’t get overly juicy.

Green Beans and Sweet Corn with Summer Vinaigrette
photo credit: Whole Foods website

adapted from Clean Food Cookbook by Terry Walters

serves 6

1 1/2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob
2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
2 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam corn in microwave or steamer basket until tender (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Steam or boil green beans for 3 minutes or until bright green or just tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking, drain and add to corn.

In small bowl, whisk together olive oil through salt and pepper and pour over beans and corn. Add tomatoes and onions and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature (or cold).

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