My other favourite snacky food to keep in the fridge, when I am on my self imposed “Watch the Body”(as opposed to watch your weight) Celi Diet, is the coleslaw. Little bowls of this is so good to snack on and sometimes I think that I could live on muesli and coleslaw quite comfortably if other members of the household did not desperately need variety.
Coleslaw by its very nature is made from calm cool CLEAN food. All fresh and clean. And sits comfortably with the mantra:
- No Flour
- No Sugar
- No Rice
- No Roots
- No CHEATING
We have lots of cabbages in the garden, lovely crinkly green ones and the king of cabbages: the Mighty Red Cabbage. You all know that cabbage is a super food. It is high in Vitamin C and Vitamin K which is the blood and bone vitamin. Cabbage is loaded with antioxidants (more than double in the red cabbage) and has fantastic detox properties. And there are these lovely rumours that it has fat burning abilities, probably all the .. um.. flatulence.
As I walked about the gardens picking the greens for the coleslaw I saw all kinds of colour. 
The bees are having the best time. Though there has been some robbing, I witnessed a grueling bee fight yesterday evening, as one hive of bees attempted to eject the thieves and vagabonds who were out on a pillaging mission from a neighbouring hive. I guess their honey is better!
Coleslaw
Now you all have your own favourite coleslaw, I am sure. So I shall merely list the ingredients in todays. You will all know how much of what to put where. No carrots in this one this is the Celi Diet Version.
- Green cabbage – finely shredded
- Red cabbage- finely shredded
- Red onion – sliced so it is transparent and roughly chopped
- Nuts(or seeds)
- Raisins
- Homemade cheddar cheese- grated
- Stalk of very finely sliced celery
The dressing has been adapted from my mothers recipe. (I am thinking of calling Mums recipes The Retro Recipes, as they are all steeped in the sugary 70’s.)
Heat together:
- 1/4 cup sugar (we are using 2 tablespoons of honey)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar (we will use cider)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Then add
- 1/3 cup salad oil (Peanut oil )
- herbs of choice we are using 1tsp fresh thyme, parsley and 1 tsp fresh celeriac finely chopped
Whisk cool oil into hot vinegar and pour over coleslaw while still warm, toss and serve when chilled.
Mum usually made a big batch because she swore that this dressing made it last longer in the fridge. However this theory was never tested because we were massive eaters of coleslaw as kids.
We are still having the most gorgeous evenings and as the light is fading I have brought the candles out.
I took this shot yesterday because that Borage is such a good Do-er. It flowers early and just keeps on going. The lavender is starting to flower again too. The bees are having a blast with all of these flowers. 
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
79 responses to “Celi Diet: Fall Coleslaw on a Gypsy Summer day”
Oh, man I am so happy I bought that cabbage yesterday at the market, and glad you reminded me of it…as, I intend to make my Reuben Cole slaw to go with the hot pastrami, Swiss and rye…
I’ll be a buzzing like those bees through the “Good Doer’s” though, my coleslaw ingredients probably wont fall under your list, or that category …oh well…it will be Good!!! lol
Oh, I tried to get this posted sooner, but with this newer, yet slower computer, I’m really struggling to stay above water…no, I shouldn’t have used that term.. Here, just have a look, though being from New Zealand it’s probably old news to you.
Bless You
paul
nasty business that .. off the coast at home. .. c
A lovely looking recipe, c! We use honey in our ‘slaw as well. (as we do for a lot of our sweetening needs) One of our local bee farmers just had their ‘pour’, and we got our years supply. Raw and unfiltered, the best way! 🙂
Yes, that is what i have in the cupboard too.. raw is the only way and you are so lucky to have your own bee man, at least you know it is actually honey! c
That homemade dressing sounds fabulous! And look at all of that fresh cabbage. Just wonderful. I really need to get on this celi diet with you. I think it’s going to work quite well. 🙂
It works quickly anyway! And now i really need to get cooking instead of loafing about on the computer.. i am writing the story for tomorrow and i just get so involved when i am writing! c
Such beautiful photos, C! Our cabbages were always full of holes and green caterpillars, as were the capsicums. How do you keep yours so bug-free?
Oh there are holes in the cabbages alright , but they had good hearts!! We do get bugs though. i had to shake a spider out of a green one yesterday! I never spray or anything i think one of the secrets is successional planting c
C – this looks HEAVENLY! I am a coleslaw fan (read: addict) and we have a head of organic napa in the fridge now. I will definitely try this!
Your pictures are so lovely. Thank you for sharing. And thanks so much also for the warm birthday wishes. You’re too kind. 🙂
You are welcome christin, have a great birthday day! c
I love cabbage and usually have some slaw in my fridge throughout the Summer. If I like your Mum’s dressing as much as I think I will, I’m going to regret not getting more honey last week from the Bee Man. Thanks, Celi, for another good recipe.
You can never have enough honey you know! c
How I love them… so delicious… And your photographs made me hungry now! With a wonderful recipes I am lost again, you are doing great series by these posts dear Cecilia, Thank you, with my love, nia
Thank you Nia, that coleslaw is so delicious i have almost finished it.. time to make another! c
It looks so appetizing! I love how you describe your food art and your life!
It is a lovely little life. i don’t have the travel you have though and i miss that.. all my travelling feels like another life! c
Because I’m German if you say cabbage I say when! I could eat this everyday. 🙂
Also you got a smile out of me with the photo of the Borage as Liz planted it this year in the garden this year and it’s just sitting there and flouring. I’ve wanted to rip it out, but Liz likes the flowers.
Tell Liz not to worry it doesn’t matter how often you rip it out it will grown again, its seeds are voracious (sp?), this is one of the reasons why i like it.. any plant that takes over and decides to do the gardening itself is all good in my book and then if the bees like it.. i am like Go for it! c
Your garden looks so healthy and full of lovely things, my meagre pots are so very lacking.
Colesalw in all it’s variations is always such a great salad to have in fridge ready to go.
You can grow lots of good plants in pots too though I guess Hippy. I bet you get some great salads out of them! c
You’ve inspired me to dig out my friend from Coast Rica’s cabbage salad recipe. It used the juice of a sour orange (never seen them here, but have used lemon and lime juice with success).
AND!!! I have not had any success with Borage since moving to Alabama. In California it grew with abandon, as if a weed, but not here! What’s the deal? I miss the loveliness in my herb bed. ~ Lynda
And Borage grows madly here Lynda, how weird, it even survives our outrageous winters. Maybe it is too hot? I would love to see your friends cabbage salad! c
Will do, but I have to try yours first… It looks divine and the colors are so beautiful! I also have to find her recipe… I seem to have misplaced it at the moment. Sorry, promise to send it ASAP when I do!
~ L
Oh no problem Lynda, I will be here! c
I just LOVE cole slaw and with these fresh ingredients, your cole slaw looks amazing. I will definitely have to try your recipe and go tot he farmers market.
The farmers market should be heaving with cabbage and kale and all that good stuff, cold weather brassicas are dense with nutrients! For sure..Get thee to the farmers market! c
Hi C. Super “munch” receipe. Never put on honey in coleslaw before. Will try this later. My museli munching days are numbered due to the ever increasing size of my bottom! Having said that I have also just seen your musesli receipe! There is no hope! Fab photos.
Have a great weekend.
Regards Florence x
Ah well it is good to know what you can and cannot eat though, you will have to have an egg for breakfast like me! c
I never thought I’d say Wow at a picture of coleslaw, but I’m doing that now! Also Cecilia you’re a Celi diet Champion!
Oh Mel you are a darling.. I have eaten that all up too so now I have to back out into the garden, part the weeds and hunt for more!.. c