Spring slaw with cabbage, carrots, parsley, onion, chili-spiced pumpkin seeds, celery seed, ume and red vinegar, olive oil. This slaw is like a late winter pickle, with the crunchy freshness of produce to come. I love cruciferous salads in the spring when it’s too early for the season’s more delicate greens. Its sour and bitter flavors are classic for spring, and so many possible variations are tantalizing. Celery seed adds a sharp aromatic flavor, and is digestive, anti-inflammatory, and nerve calming. Celery and parsley were so entwined in their use in ancient times that they were called the same name. Parsley, rich in vitamin A,K, iron and folate, is a plant that can thrive growing up through the rocks. Way beyond garnish, parsley has been used for breath freshening, diuretic, antibacterial, and anti-fungal action, as well as for arthritis, bladder infection, digestion, acid reflux, constipation, and skin issues. Happy munching!

Spring Cabbage Slaw Recipe

Ingredients:

1 medium green cabbage, sliced thin

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

1 large onion, quartered and sliced

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup ume vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup balance

1/4 cup toasted (spiced) pumpkin seeds

Procedure:

1. Prepare the cabbage, carrots, onion, and parsley and mix in a large bowl.

2. Add celery seed and pumpkin seeds and mix.

3. Combine oil, vinegars, and maple syrup whisking to emulsify. Pour over veggie mix and combine well.

4. The maple softens the bitterness of the cabbage and helps blend all the flavors. Adjust maple to taste.

5. Slaw keeps well for about a week, become more pickled in flavor the longer it sits. Try it as an entree salad paired with a protein, as a side or lunch salad, as a topping for fish or other protein. Play around with different substitutions and make it a canvas for what you have and feel like eating.

Makes about 12 cups.

Enjoy!