Vegan Coleslaw With Creamy Cashew Dressing—Hold The Mayo!

Coleslaw is an American favorite side dish but unfortunately it is usually covered in high cholesterol mayonnaise making it less healthy than it could be and not an option for vegan consumption. Cabbage, the center piece of coleslaw, is a powerful cancer fighting cruciferous vegetable. Dressed in a delicious mixture of raw cashews, honey and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, it makes a good raw vegan lunch dish. And of course, it’s also a wonderful side dish when eating grilled veggies, chicken or fish.

If you are not already familiar with apple cider vinegar, this recipe will introduce you to an ingredient with many health benefits. For centuries, apple cider vinegar has been used to cure a long list of ailments including arthritis, acid reflux, high cholesterol – and the list goes on and on. Some claim that it breaks down fat and is used to lose weight. My personal experience with it was when I was suffering from severe reflux and I used it as part of a holistic regimen to get that under complete control. The one thing you must be sure of is that you buy “unpasteurized” apple cider vinegar. It looks cloudy and maybe even a bit brown. If it is clear, it’s the wrong stuff. You can use apple cider vinegar in any recipe that calls for vinegar as a much healthier alternative. Many people drink a few teaspoons a day mixed with a little honey.

This coleslaw recipe provides 234% of your daily requirement of Vitamin A, 39% of Vitamin C, 62% of Vitamin K and 12% of Folate. It has zero grams of cholesterol and is very low in saturated fat.

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Vegan Coleslaw With Creamy Cashew Dressing [serves 6]
1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 small red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 medium apple, cored and shredded
2 tablespoons of minced red onion
1/4 cup raisins
2/3 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked for 1 hour
2 tablespoons raw local honey
1/4 cup raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup water

In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage, carrot, apple, onion and raisins. In a Vita Mix or other high speed blender, blend cashew pieces, water, apple cider vinegar and honey until smooth. Mix the dressing well with the cabbage mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate for several hours. Mix again before serving. Garnish with additional cashews and raisins if you desire.

Per serving: 154 calories, 5.3 g fat, .9 g saturated fat, zero cholesterol, 3.7 g protein,
26.3 g carbohydrates, and 4.1 g of fiber.