Fourth of July Barbecue Recipe: Firecracker ‘Slaw

This time of year is full of backyard ‘cues, and Fourth of July weekend is no exception. The biggest thing I hear people say after holidays is that they overdid it: too much food, too much alcohol, too much name it. It’s definitely hard to maintain a health-conscious diet with a busy social life, but it’s equally important not to stress so much about it that you ruin your time with family and friends. Something that works for me is to contribute a super-tasty, super-healthy dish to the festivities. That way there’s something good for me (and others) to eat. More importantly we all get to indulge—guilt-free—with delicious appetizers and desserts. This low-cal festive and colorful coleslaw is great as a side dish or atop your favorite burger. Bonus: It’s bursting with flavor.

Firecracker ‘Slaw
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. shredded green cabbage
1 c. shredded red cabbage
1 c. red, green and yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 c. apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
¼ c. sesame oil
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. honey
Sea salt, to taste

Prepare all vegetables. In a large bowl, add cabbage and apple cider vinegar. Add salt. Hand-toss to make sure ingredients are coated evenly. Press for at least 20 minutes. (To press, simply place a large plate over veggies and then weigh down plate with something heavy. Pressing cabbage with salt and vinegar pickles it mildly, making it softer and easier to digest.) Let sit as you prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey and mustard. When ready, drain pressed cabbage. Add remaining vegetables and toss with dressing. Serve immediately or let sit for up to 24 hours to allow all flavors to blend. Immediately before serving, sprinkle with sesame seeds so they stay fresh and crunchy.

Per serving: 86 calories, 7 g. fat, 1 g. sat. fat, 6 g. carbs, 1 g. fiber, 1 g. protein, 0 mg. cholesterol, 30 mg. sodium