Coleslaw – An Unusual Fall Favorite

Most people associate coleslaw with summer salads.  Not me.  Coleslaw is made in my kitchen more often in the fall and winter than any other time of year.  I think it is because there are fewer fresh garden or market salad fixings available in fall and winter but cabbage is always to be found in every size, purple or green.  This coleslaw is not heavy on oil, and has no mayonaise.  It taste fresh, a bit tart, a bit sweet, and has a nice crunch.  I like to have cole slaw when I serve hot sliced turkey sandwiches, meatballs and mushroom gravy, or jerk chicken.  This colesalw is perfect in fish or shrimp tacos.  Coleslaw is the perfect side.  Nutritious and low fat as well as low carb, it tastes better the longer it lasts, but it never lasts long! I always like to use  part green cabbage and part red as it is so colorful with the carrots and green peppers, but grren cabbage by itself is just as good.  The secret is lemon jello.  Not a jello fan for many reasons, I succumb to jello for just this recipe. I have tried replacing the jello with lemon juice but it doesn’t ‘work’ like jello does. When making this I always use sugar-free jello unless my grandchildren are around as their moms don’t like them eating sugar-free anything.  The point is you can tweak this recipe a bit (but not too much!) and still have soon-to-be-your-favorite coleslaw.  Like I always say, follow the recipe exact the first time you make it, tweak it the next time.  Enjoy your coleslaw!

In a large bowl mix together:

8 cups (solid packed) cabbage.  I never grate my cabbage.  Just chop it with a wide chef’s knife.

2 cups diced celery

2 cups grated carrots

1 medium green bell pepper, diced.

8 green onions, diced. Tops and all!

In a small pan heat until warm and sugar totally dissolved:

1/2 cup white vinegar (Half apple cider vinegar is good too!)

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar (A sugar subsitute could be used.)

When slightly cooled, stir in one small box of lemon jello.  Set aside.

Mix in small bowl:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

Pour all the liquids and spices over cabbage mix and stir thoroughly.  Your slaw may seem a bit dry but the slaw with create its own juice in a short time.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Stir a few times during the initial chilling. So good!