Tag Archives: healthy sides

Zesty Purple Slaw

A Tasty Fall Side With Benefits

In honor of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Bring It is “Going Purple,”  because it is on brand for the cause and more importantly, because purple food is great for you! Foods that are naturally deep colored purples, reds and blues are full of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are natural pigments found in plants, and classified as flavonoids. Flavonoids (in addition to being fun to say) are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. They help maintain hormonal function and improve vascular health. So, there’s your science lesson for the day. Whew! Now we can move on to the tasty part.

Anthocyanins may be hard to pronounce (think of cyanide, or the blue cyan printer cartridge), but they are easy to eat, especially in the fall. Look for deep, bright colors—purple, blue, red, and dark-colored produce, including:

  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries 
  • Cranberries
  • Red and purple grapes
  • Cherries
  • Plums
  • Red cabbage
  • Purple carrots
  • Purple potatoes or sweet potatoes
  • Eggplant
  • Red onions
  • Blood oranges

And some pantry type stuff like

  • Black beluga lentils
  • Black rice

We’re starting our purple food mission with a very easy recipe (wayyyy easier than our beloved Hero Slaw). It also optimizes the bennies of anthocyanins by combining them with vitamin C (here from lime juice), that stabilizes them and helps you absorb them. This recipe also keeps the ingredients raw, which is good. High heat can destroy their potency, so you get the best bang for your anthocyanin buck by eating them raw or lightly cooked/steamed/roasted. And finally, slackers will rejoice that this easy recipe is an excellent side for any slacker fall fare (looking at you, Game Day Pulled Pork).

Zesty Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Ingredients:

  • ½ red cabbage, finely shaved
  • 2 Tart/sweet red apples (pink lady, Braeburn, Empire, etc) cut into matchsticks
  • ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 cup loosely packed cilantro, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest (from 1 lime)
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice (from 1 lime), plus more to taste
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • Kosher salt, to taste (I used 1 tsp diamond crystal)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, apples, onion, cilantro, mint, jalapeño. Mix dressing of lime zest, lime juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper and toss it all together well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Burning Questions…

Can I get extra credit? Heck yeah!

  • Add nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts.
  • Toss in some dried cherries, red grapes.
  • Enjoy it with a cup of hot or iced Red Zinger tea, which has a double hit of anthocyanins from hibiscus flowers and rosehips.

What if I am a wimp? Leave out the jalapeno! Ditto on the cilantro if you are in the cilantro hater club. But sub some parsley and do keep the mint in there because it adds pizzazz and boosts your daily plant fiber.

What’s next? Weird food—especially weird and healthy food— is so my jam. Next up is a purple soup (still in progress), probably involving some purple cauliflower, purple potatoes and red onion.

Picnic Perfection Broccoli, and Grated Carrots Ooh La La

This is it. The Super Bowl of summer gatherings is here. The sun is hot, the timing is loose, the fridge is likely full and the setting is outdoors. What we have here is a picnic situation, and I’ve got you covered with some no-fuss potluck faves.

I could also call these McFaves, because they both came into my life from my favorite foodie McFamily. You know who you are!

Each of these are a little miraculous in the way they transform a humble vegetable and a few basic ingredients into something addictive. Both recipes originated from the New York Times, which means they come with lots of commentary. I have distilled the extensive kvetching to the finer points.

These sides are easy to make, healthy, great at room temp and smashing as leftovers. They also travel like champs. There is no downside here people!

Make them. Share them, or not. They will bring you joy and serious roughage. Happy 4th to all!

In the lunch rotation. Every….darned….day

French Grated Carrot Salad
By Martha Rose Shulman and the NY Times

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil (or a mix of the two), or use 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt or buttermilk and 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
  • ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

  1. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and parsley and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate before serving (I recommend making this 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead, then tossing again).

Notes: Not a one. This is straight up perfection.

Picnic Perfect Broccoli
by Melissa Clark and the NY Times

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar (I say 1 Tbsp)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste (kosher is key…science, man)
  • 2 heads broccoli, 1 pound each, cut into bite-size florets
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 fat garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (ground cumin works in a pinch)
  • 2 teaspoons roasted (Asian) sesame oil
  • Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes.

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar and salt. Add broccoli and toss to combine.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil and pepper flakes. Pour mixture over broccoli and toss well. Let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature, and up to 48 (chill it if you want to keep it for more than 2 hours). Adjust seasonings (it may need more salt) and serve.

Notes:

2 lbs of broccoli— deconstructed into florets — is a LOT of broccoli. You can easily scale it down, but don’t skimp on the vinegar. I boost up the vinegar to 1 Tbsp for the full recipe because it seems like the right thing to do.

There is much hand-wringing about all the oil, but remember, it’s a lot of broccoli. I’ve used 2/3 cup oil and that worked just fine. Some say 1/3 cup is enough. That said, don’t fly too close to the sun like the guy who brought it down to 2 Tbsp, and definitely don’t EVER put him on dessert duty.  

Finally, pay attention to the timing and make it far enough ahead so the broccoli has a chance to soften and take on the flavors.

Way Bettah Broccoli Salad

Bring It is back! No need to drag you all through a long preamble, but the short story is this: For the first time since New Year’s mama’s got a kitchen again… just in time for eating in place! OK, it’s alllllmost a full kitchen, but it involves running water, a fridge and a dishwasher, so we’re good to go.

I’m going to be serving up recipes with an eye towards feeding all those bonus people —less than 10 but more than two—who may be back in your house. If you don’t have a full house, you may be cooking for someone who doesn’t feel safe getting out to the grocery store or to pick up takeout from the local restaurants. Whatever your jam, chances are it involves more cooking and more time at home.

This is a funky time for sure, and because you may not know what’s available in the grocery store even if you can get there, we’re doubling down on our Bring It ingredients credo, which is: “Love the one you’re with.” As in, modify and substitute as needed, with conviction. Also, because you may find your self needing to provide actual breakfast vs leftovers or cereal, I highly suggest revisiting these overnight sensation muffins and popovers. Minimal evening effort + pantry staples = happy morning tribe.

So, on to today’s recipe that I’ve made countless times since discovering it. It came from my quest for a healthier version of that guiltiest of picnic pleasures—the sweet and creamy bacon broccoli salad. This transcends age, gender and most dietary restrictions. It is a hit with pretty much everyone who eats vegetables. As with most salads, it’s all about the dressing, which features tahini and maple syrup. So, it’s not low fat or low sugar, but you can dial the sweetness (and the amount of dressing you use of course) up or down…or live a little and enjoy it as written.

This is how I make it, but feel free to riff on the options. There’s no wrong answer here. You’re eating raw broccoli fergawdsakes, protecting yourself from the inside out. Go you!

I hope you all stay healthy and happy and are eating well in place.

Way Bettah Broccoli Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 medium heads (3/4–1 lb) broccoli
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds (or toasted sunflower seeds)
  • 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
  • 1–2 shallots, thinly-sliced (or red onion in a pinch)
  • 1–2 tsp white sesame seeds (not a dealbreaker. This slacker has never used them)
  • optional: 1/4 cup feta or ricotta salata cheese (same as above)

For the dressing:

  • 3 Tbsp tahini
  • 3–4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp fresh garlic, finely-minced
  • kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Uh…WASH YOUR HANDS (as if we’d forget, but still)

Make the dressing:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, 3 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and honey until combined. Add up to another tablespoon of oil to thin as desired. Stir in the garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. Or, if saving for later, transfer to an air-tight jar. May be made in advance and kept refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Assemble the salad:

  1. Chop the broccoli into small bite-sized florets. Pro tip: See here how to butcher your broccoli. Basically, hold it by the stem and shave the broccoli tips with a sharp knife, like you’re giving it an all over hair cut. Save the stems for broccoli stem pesto, or soup or whatever moves you.
  2. Toss together the broccoli, shallots, and raisins or cranberries with the dressing. Refrigerate for about an hour. Just before serving, add the almonds, sesame seeds, and feta, if using. Serve chilled.