Eat the Rainbow! Making Veggie Slaw from Your Garden

Cassie Cubilla
Health Educator

Katie Barker, RD
Health Educator

Do you grow vegetables in the winter? The Poe Center definitely does. Lots of veggies thrive in NC’s winter climate. Join the Poe Center’s expert health educators as they harvest broccoli and red cabbage from the GrowWELL Garden, and use those veggies in a delicious rainbow slaw. This slaw recipe is customizable, has complete proteins, and can involve the whole family.

Planting seasons may vary depending on your planting zone. Because the Poe Center is located in central North Carolina, we plant in Zone 8a. To find your planting zone, go to https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/.

Rainbow Slaw

Rainbow slaw is a sweet and tangy cabbage slaw that includes roasted broccoli and edamame. Add your own spin to the rainbow slaw by picking your favorite vegetables or fruits to complement the recipe. The slaw dressing can be made with any nut butter and can be modified to be sweeter or spicier depending on your family’s preferences. This is the perfect side dish for winter meals, but it can be enjoyed year-round!

Slaw Ingredients

1 pound of broccoli

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 cups red cabbage, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and julienned (or shredded)

1 cup edamame, shelled

Salt and pepper to taste

Herbs (cilantro, mint, green onions) chopped to garnish (optional)

Nuts or seeds, toasted (sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or peanuts), to garnish (optional)

2 to 3 teaspoons vinegar

Dash of red pepper flakes

Close up of a freshly picked red cabbage.

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter or almond butter)

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

3 Tablespoons honey (more or less to taste)

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

4 Tablespoons lime juice 

1 Tablespoon soy sauce 

2 teaspoons sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. 
  2. Cut broccoli into florets, saving the broccoli stalks for later. Place the florets and tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon each of oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. 
  3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the broccoli starts to brown and the tomatoes soften and start to pop open.
  4. Shred broccoli stalks, cabbage, and carrots. You can use a food processor or box grater to shred. The broccoli stalks may have a fibrous outer layer that cannot be shredded, so peel before shredding. 
  5. Add cabbage, carrots, edamame, roasted broccoli, and roasted tomatoes to a mixing bowl.
  6. In a blender or mason jar, add the dressing ingredients, and process or shake well until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Adjust spice levels by adding sriracha chili sauce to taste. Adjust the sweetness by adding honey to taste. 
  7. Toss the veggies with the dressing.
  8. Optional: toast nuts and seeds of choice for about 5 minutes in the preheated oven, and use to garnish slaw. Chop up fresh herbs to put on top of the slaw. 
  9. Serve warm or chilled.


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