This colorful slaw, which combines a tangy dressing with crunchy carrots, radishes and apples, fuels healthy bacteria for digestion, and may help cancer patients whose treatments have caused taste changes.
There are nearly 100 trillion bacteria living in us that are responsible for many tasks, including metabolizing our food. This recipe promotes prebiotics, a type of bacteria-loving plant fiber that helps "feed" probiotic foods essential for gut health and our overall well-being.
Prebiotic foods include avocados, carrots, onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, apples, whole grains, and many other high-fiber foods. Some people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not be able to tolerate these specific foods. If you suffer from IBS, use caution when ingesting these foods and contact your dietitian for guidance.
As mentioned earlier, this recipe may help patients with taste alterations from cancer treatment; however, if mouth sores are present, the vinegar or lemon juice may cause discomfort.
If you are unable to find purple and yellow carrots and black radishes, usually available at local farmer's markets, whole food stores, or through the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, use red radishes and all orange carrots for the dish.
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Combine the following veggies in a large bowl and set aside (a food processor works great for grating veggies.):
- 3 black or red radishes, washed and coarsely grated
- 3 carrots (purple, orange, yellow), peeled and coarsely grated
- 3 large Granny Smith or yellow delicious apples, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
- 3 red or green scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Dressing
Whisk together the following, pour over grated vegetables and toss to coat:
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ tablespoon agave, or honey, more or less to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt or salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Keeps well in refrigerator for several days. Since olive oil thickens when cold, remove from refrigerator about ½ hour before serving.
Makes 10, ½ cup servings
Nutritional Information
Per ½ cup serving: Calories: 134; total fat: 8.6g (saturated 1.2g, polyunsaturated 1.3g, monounsaturated 6.0g); cholesterol: 0.0mg; sodium: 381.6mg; carbohydrates: 15.7g; fiber: 3.1g; sugars: 10.4g; protein: 0.7g; potassium: 242mg.