Salads

Cabbage Salad

Cabbage– shredded green and purple (red) cabbage. You can use a sharp knife to shred the cabbage or use a food processor.
Bell pepper– I use red, but orange or yellow would work too.
Mango– pick a ripe mango that is juicy and sweet.
Avocado– avocado makes every salad better!
Green onion– sliced!
Fresh herbs– fresh mint and Thai basil (or regular basil).
Jalapeño– for a little heat.
Nuts– chopped cashews or peanuts for a salty crunch.
Sesame seeds– for garnish.

The dressing only takes a few minutes to whisk up and adds SO much flavor to the salad. You will need the following ingredients:

Lime juice
Avocado oil or olive oil
Soy sauce– I recommend lite soy sauce. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free use Tamari or coconut aminos.
Garlic
Ginger– use fresh ginger and grate with a microplane.
Sesame oil– a little goes a long way so be careful when measuring.

First make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, red pepper, mango, avocado, green onion, mint, basil, and jalapeño.
Add the dressing and toss with tongs until slaw is coated.
Stir in the cashews or peanuts, if using.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

You can make this fresh corn salad in 10 minutes tops and there is no cooking involved. That is why it is the perfect summer salad!

After you cut the corn off the cob, you are ready to make corn salad. You don’t have to cook the corn. I promise you can eat the corn raw. It is so fresh and juicy and that is one of the perks of this salad, you don’t have to cook anything. If you want, you can grill or char the corn, but it isn’t necessary. I like it simple and fresh!
I like to use grape or cherry tomatoes, but if you want to use larger tomatoes, you can chop them up. Use up those summer tomatoes, any variety you have on hand.
In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, tomato, avocado, cilantro, and green onion. Add a little olive oil and lime juice. I don’t think the salad needs a dressing, just a little flavor from the olive oil and lime. I like the simplicity of this salad.
Stir GENTLY so you don’t mush up the avocado. If you are making the salad in advance, wait to add the avocado, the other ingredients hold up nicely. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, to taste.
Serve and ENJOY!

Black beans– make sure you rinse and drain the black beans before you get started. You don’t want the liquid in the can in your salad or it will be soupy.
Corn– I love using fresh sweet corn in this salad during the summertime. Cut the corn kernels off a large ear of corn with a sharp knife. You don’t have to cook the sweet corn, you can add it to the salad raw. If corn is out of season, you can use frozen corn or drained canned corn.
Tomatoes– I use grape or cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. You can also use a large tomato and chop it, both work great!
Red bell pepper– yellow or orange bell pepper work too!
Red onion– I use red onion because I love the pop of purple, but green onion will work too.
Cilantro– chopped cilantro really boost the flavor in this salad. If you are in the group that thinks cilantro tastes like soap, you could use fresh parsley instead. I love the cilantro flavor though:)
Lime– Fresh lime juice prevents the avocado from browning and adds great flavor.
Olive oil– just a little drizzle. You can also use avocado oil.
Spices– I add chili powder and cumin. The chili powder doesn’t make the salad spicy, it just gives it a nice flavor. If you want to add heat to the salad, you can add diced jalapeño.
Avocado– stir in the avocado right before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.

In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, chili powder, and cumin.
Stir to combine.
Gently stir in the avocado and season with additional salt, if necessary.