Summer in February – A Light, Refreshing Slaw

Feeling overloaded and bloated from all the baked goods and sweets that have been making frequent appearances in my life ever since Thanksgiving, I felt the need for something light, refreshing, and healthy. So, I pulled out my July 2007 issue of Bon Appetit, and decided to whip up a batch of Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Cilantro.One of the things that appealed to me about this recipe was its lack of mayonnaise. I wanted something that I could fill up on, and not have an iota of guilt over what I had just eaten. I had all of the ingredients on hand, except frozen orange juice, and coleslaw mix. So, I shredded up my own cabbage mix, and used Dole brand Pineapple-Orange-Banana frozen juice concentrate. Believe it or not, it tasted great!

Cabbage and Corn Slaw with Cilantro

Adapted from a recipe by Pam Anderson in Bon Appetit, July 2007

1/3 cup frozen pine-orange-banana juice concentrate, thawed
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar (this can be rather hard to find – this is rice vinegar that does not contain sugar. If you can find only seasoned rice vinegar, increase the lime juice to taste)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 head of purple cabbage (about 8 oz.), shredded
1/2 head green cabbage (about 8 oz.), shredded
2 large carrots, grated
2 cups of frozen corn
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips
6 medium green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Whisk orange juice concentrate, lime juice, rice vinegar, and olive oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine cabbage, corn kernels, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.