Sesame Orange Coleslaw

I think I have a new favorite salad! To go along with last night's Thai Coconut Soup, I created this coleslaw, sort of a fusion of Chinese, Thai, and California (those oranges!) The little pieces of orange are explosions of sweet flavor amid the sesame-ginger seasoned dressing. I used three little clementines, but you could use any seedless orange, tangerine, or satsuma--even mandarin oranges from a can. I also used fresh-squeezed OJ, but the kind out of a box will work just fine, too.

Sesame Orange Coleslaw

1 bag (16 ounces) prepared coleslaw
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
3 small seedless oranges, broken into sections
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds -- toasted
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tsp. lime juice
2 teaspoons vegan sugar (or other sweetener)

Combine the coleslaw, bell pepper, and orange slices in a large salad bowl. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Allow the flavors to combine for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This is a truly delicious way to eat your cabbage, one of the World's Healthiest Foods. (Women, did you know that studies have suggested that women who eat more Brassica family vegetables, such as cabbage, have a much lower risk of breast cancer?) You can pump up the nutrition in this salad even more by using fresh cabbage instead of the bagged version.

Sweetnicks has a great weekly event, Antioxidant-Rich Tuesdays (ARF/5-A-Day), that encourages us to eat our antioxidant-rich foods. It's being hosted this week by Stephanie at Dispensing Happiness, so I'll be sending this recipe over to her.

Tags: vegan recipes vegetarian cooking food fat-free ARF 5-A-Day