Add a spark to your Labor Day barbecue with my recipe for Summer Slaw. The salad contains a rainbow of colors and is loaded with a variety of fresh summer veggies and fruits tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing.
An alternative to traditional cole slaw, Summer Slaw includes tender baby spinach, tart apples, red onion, shredded green cabbage, plump Jersey blueberries, and crunchy sunflower seeds combined with a homemade honey Dijon dressing. With ingredients that you typically have on hand, the dressing can be made in a couple of minutes and tastes fresher than one you can pick up at the grocery store.
Looking for the perfect dish to take to your next cookout or party? Summer Slaw can be made in advance so there is no last minute chopping and slicing. The dressing can be whisked up and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The remaining ingredients can be prepared a day in advance and left in the refrigerator. Just before serving, toss the dressing with the spinach, cabbage and remaining ingredients and top with extra sunflower seeds.
The next time you are looking for an out of the ordinary side dish to serve with grilled chicken, hamburgers, or steak, try Summer Slaw.
Summer Slaw
Serves 6
for the dressing –
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon milk
Salt and pepper to taste
for the slaw
8 cups of baby spinach
2 cups of shredded green cabbage
1 large apple, julienned
1 cup blueberries
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
In a small bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cabbage, apple, blueberries, onion, and 3 tablespoons of the sunflower seeds. Set aside.
To serve, toss spinach mixture with the dressing. Sprinkle the remaining sunflower seeds and serve immediately.
Amy Casey, of Sparta, is a cookbook author and a food columnist for the New Jersey Herald. She has developed a wealth of recipes as a personal chef and also while cooking for her own family of five. See more of her recipes on her website www.amycaseycooks.com. Her recently published cookbook is entitled Dinner for a Year 52 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Spice Up Your Family Menu Planning. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amycaseycooks and on Twitter at @amycaseycooks.
