One particular ingredient that I love to pop into my shopping basket is a white cabbage. I know what you are thinking…It isn’t the most exciting of vegetables but I feel it’s a little underrated as most people walk past it and look for some sort of kale like cavolo nero. But you see in most places it is incredibly cheap to buy one, they go into so many different recipes and last for an insanely long time.

My Grandma used to use white cabbage for her side dish of boiled cabbage, as you would on your Sunday roast. Nowadays we use savoy or spring greens. I always enjoyed eating it on a particular dish she used to cook, the way she cooked it, and yes it was boiled but still it was a lovely dish all together…but I won’t reveal that yet.

What I use white cabbage for mainly is for doing batches of coleslaw as it will last a good few days kept in an airtight container in the fridge and is so much better than shop bought.
I’ve done many versions over the years and have done fennel ones before but usually adding fruit to it. I decided to keep this really simple and didn’t expect it to taste as good as it did. I wasn’t going to post it either on here with it being so simple but this could just be the accompaniment you are looking for.

Fennel Coleslaw:

Ingredients:

1/4 white cabbage shredded fairly finely
–  1 small red onion finely sliced
–  1/4 – 1/2 fennel sliced finely ( outer leaves de-string )
–  a good handful of flat leaf parsley chopped
–  2-3 tbsp mayonnaise, I used a french style. ( don’t have it too thick/wet )
–  4-5 grinds of cracked black pepper
–  a pinch of sea salt. ( I used ground down pink himalayan but not a necessity )
–  5-6 fennel frond tops ( chopped down if needed )
–  A good spritz of fresh lemon juice.

Method:

*  Simple:  Put all ingredients together, stir, taste, stir, taste…maybe season more and serve! *

I don’t like to diet as you all know. I like my treats in between and being a recipe developer and a food writer it’s a little hard for one to do so even if I wanted to.
I always balance my diet and eat in moderation. However I have to say, some of us ladies get to a certain time in the year and have a little panic on how that vest top is going to look like on with those Capri pants you bought on a whim to try and “get into” next summer ( I.E this ).  I hate to say it but I have had that thought literally only the other day as I started to see the daffodils emerging early and realising that February is almost over. Where has it gone?

So I’ve come up with a recipe that has great flavours, it’s packed with Omega 3 and 6 ( not to mention other great nutritional value to it)  and will keep you feeling full throughout the day but not bloated.

If you aren’t sure what Miso is, it’s a soy bean paste that is used mainly for soup but it’s also great for a marinade and dressings.

This is a great recipe for lots of occasions, maybe try it as a little twist for an Easter Lunch with friends perhaps?

Miso glazed salmon and brown rice salad:

Ingredients: ( 4 servings )

150g brown rice
2 Salmon Fillets
1 tbsp Soy sauce ( I buy mine from  Wang Fung Hong )
2 tsp Miso paste ( I buy mine from Wang Fung Hong  )
1 tbsp Honey ( I used manuka Honey and the unclear kind )
A thumbnail size of fresh ginger grated
1 tbsp coconut oil
handful of broccoli chopped into small florets
a few radishes thinly sliced
a few cucumber strips
a handful of soya beans defrosted and drained ( Most supermarkets will sell these now in the frozen section )
2 spring onions sliced thinly and on a diagonal
handful of salad cress
handful of fresh coriander

Method:

Cover the salmon with the miso paste, soy, honey and ginger and set aside. ( This can be done hours before if you like )

*  Cook rice to packet instructions and set aside.

In a frying pan, heat the coconut oil and shallow fry your salmon until cooked through.

*   Cook the broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes as you still want it to have some crunch to it.

In a Bowl pop in your rice, then assemble all other salad ingredients. Flake through your salmon.

*  If there are any juices left in the frying pan pop over the salad also and then serve.

*** Top tip ***

If you take off the skin of your salmon when flaking it. Pop the skin back under a grill to crisp up.  It is great for a salad topper.

As you can see by this picture below, when I was recipe developing … I had a lot to get through for Lunch the next day also. It was very nice indeed!

Hi to all my lovely readers out there…  Just a quick message to let you know I AM,  actually still here!