Ginger Cabbage Carrot Slaw

I've been so busy lately that I sometimes find myself contemplating quick and easy meals or just not cooking dinner and eating scrambled eggs instead. Then I remember that cooking is a way for me to relax and let go of being busy. I usually enjoy the process of cooking so much that I rarely want to rush it. Lately I've found help from my mandoline to make the process of chopping and shredding much easier. It is great for quickly prepping the vegetables for a stir fry and perfect for making vegetable slaws. Although I do whatever I can to avoid coleslaw, I have come to appreciate vegetable slaws as an appealing alternative to salads in the fall and winter. They are usually sturdy, colorful and a provide the welcome crunch of fresh vegetables when green things are becoming scarce.

The idea for this slaw came from my Mom who told me about a salad she made the other day with beets, carrots, almonds and ginger. She had gotten the recipe from my sister Jess. I have no idea if this is anything like the original, but it sounded good. I didn't have beets but I used purple cabbage and orange and purple carrots. I love the way the cabbage, carrots and almonds each have their own crunchiness which combines into a hearty but light salad. I made a miso ginger dressing which adds salt and sweetness to the vegetables. The slaw is sturdy enough to hold up to a few days in the fridge so you can have it on hand when you need a quick meal.

Ginger Cabbage Carrot Slaw
I think this would be really good with the sweetness of beets, too, if you don't mind everything turning a beautiful purple. If you have dressing left over it is delicious tossed with roasted brussels sprouts

1 cup almonds
3 cups of purple cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
3-4 carrots, grated
1 tablespoon grated or minced ginger
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon miso paste

Toast the almonds. When they are cool, chop them into small pieces. Combine the shredded cabbage, grated carrots and chopped almonds in a bowl. In a small bowl whisk together ginger, olive oil, vinegar and miso paste until smooth. Adjust flavors to your taste. Pour enough dressing on the salad to lightly coat everything (or add more as you prefer).  

An Excess of Carrots

I've been on a mission to clean out my cupboards. First I focused on emptying the freezer, making sure to use up the beans, that last jar of pesto and some cranberries which I had forgotten about. I've been trying to empty jars of chickpeas, quinoa, rice, cornmeal and flours by using them in as many recipes and meals as I can. It's good to clean and empty out and since we're leaving our kitchen (and our apartment) I am glad to use up everything before we go.

We will be spending a month on the east coast. We'll attend a wedding, visit with family, catch up with friends, enjoy being near the ocean, and spend a few days by a lake. I'm looking forward to connecting with people that we haven't seen much in the past two years without feeling frazzled or rushed. We are fortunate that Ray can work from anywhere and I've saved some money so I can take an extended break from work. When we get back I will catch up on canning and filling jars but while we are away I want to leave as little as possible in our cupboards and refrigerator.

I've been trying to use up jars of condiments and jams. I've been sprinkling sesame and pumpkin seeds in the salads we have been eating nearly every night dressed creatively with left over pesto or romesco sauce. Despite the plentiful bowls of greens and vegetables, I have struggled to make a dent in the large bag of carrots which Ray bought when he was in a juicing phase. The phase ended shortly after he opened the bag. When I was trying to think of ways to use them up my thoughts soon drifted to carrot cake. I admit that "needing to use up the carrots" was just an excuse to make some cupcakes, but I did clear out a few odds and ends of sugars and flours, too. I know that I have too many cakes with vegetables on this site already, but carrot cake is the classic and a favorite of mine. It requires no special occasion but would be well suited to any celebration, even if it is just rejoicing that the carrots are gone!



Carrot Cupcakes
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates
Since I was focused on using up whatever I could, I mixed brown, white and maple sugar and whole wheat, whole spelt, and a bit of buckwheat flour. If you have odds and ends to use up you can also try some substitutions. 

2 cups peeled and grated carrots
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350'. Butter a twelve cup muffin tin or fill with paper liners. Combine the carrots, sugar, eggs, olive oil and ginger. Mix together until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir this into the wet ingredients until the flour is just incorporated. Divide the batter into the 12 cups and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for a few minutes and then remove them from the tin and let them cool on a rack.When they are cool frost them with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Drink in the Warmth

This month has been quite a jumble of plans set aside, unexpected interruptions, and the need for extra days of rest. I've been doing most of my cooking with whatever I can find in the cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator. I haven't been cooking a lot, but I've appreciated whatever chance I get to return to the stove. The meditation of chopping, sauteing, and stirring provides nourishment even before we sit down to the meal. It the midst of a hectic day or a stressful situation, soup is a chance to sit calmly, pause for a moment and to drink in the warmth.

I'm picky about soup, but I've had a couple of carrot soups at restaurants that I loved. They were flavorful, rich, satisfying but seemingly simple and straight-forward. I did my best to replicate those bright orange bowls with this roasted carrot ginger soup.




Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup
I started this soup by taking the carrot peels (and some I had saved from other carrots) an onion and some garlic and made a carrot stock to use for the soup (for stock making, check out this post). That is entirely optional, but a nice way to use some carrot peels for a broth which compliments the flavor of the soup. The carrot is roasted with the seasonings, but you may want to add more once the soup has been pureed if you like it more gingery, etc.


2 lbs carrots
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock (see above)
2 cups water
milk or cream

Preheat the oven to 400' Peel the carrots and cut across the carrot into rounds of about the same thickness. Toss the carrots with the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, salt and pepper, and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the carrots on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven. Stir them occasionally, to ensure even cooking. They are ready when they are slightly caramelized and tender when pierced with a fork. Place the roasted carrots in a soup pot and add the broth and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Puree the soup using an immersion or regular blender, until very smooth. Add milk or cream if you wish and adjust seasoning to taste.


Serve topped with creme fraiche and a pinch of grated carrot. Makes about four servings.