Apple-Peanut Slaw

Many years ago I went to dinner at a friend's. When I arrived, there was nothing cooking. Instead, my friend went out into his garden and picked a head of cabbage. He shredded it, dressed it with a little mayonnaise, and served it up as dinner. Having assumed that dinner = protein + starch + green vegetable, I was temporarily taken aback, but quickly came around. It was a delicious summer meal -- light and crunchy and fresh! I've never again seen slaw in the same light.

I fell in love with this apple-peanut slaw at a BBQ place in San Jose, CA called Armadillo Willy's. It's a little sweet and, if you liked taffy apples rolled in peanuts as a kid, you'll probably like it, too. It's a cool complement to barbecue or is nicely set off by an ear of lightly steamed corn and a bean salad.

My version is mild, but at Armadillo Willy's they make it spicy, so don't hesitate to add a little cayenne pepper and/or Tabasco to the dressing if you want some kick.

Apple-Peanut Slaw for 6

Veggies:

1-1/2 lb. green cabbage (about 1/2 head), shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1 tart organic apple, cored and shredded

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup low-fat yogurt

1/8 cup brown sugar¹

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 to 1 cup dry-roasted low-salt or salt-free peanuts

Shred the cabbage and carrot and toss together in a large bowl. Blend the dressing ingredients together. Shred the apple last (so it doesn't have time to brown) and toss it well with the cabbage/carrot mixture. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix well. Either mix in the peanuts just before you serve or put them on the table separately for people to sprinkle on top.

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¹In the future I plan to experiment with using honey instead of brown sugar. If you happen to try that first, let me know how it comes out!

Pure Food and Wine - NYC

I heard recently from Stuart Perrin about a wonderful lunch he had at a restaurant called Pure Food and Wine, on Irving Place in New York City. He said “The concept is great: raw foods prepared with a serious gourmet touch. The food was delicious, well balanced and a great deal of consciousness went into its preparation and presentation. Everything was Vegan: no meat, no dairy, no sugar. Even my 15 year old daughter raved about the lunch. It was a special experience - something to be learned…”

For those in New York, it sounds like a wonderful place to eat! And for all of us, it serves as a good reminder to, as Stuart put it to me, “try and reach for the exceptional… possibilities of healthy gourmet food.”

Organic or Not?

When cooking, I often specify organic for some ingredients, but not others. I know there are other considerations, but from a healthy cooking perspective, here's how I decide when to go organic.

For a long time, I didn't know what to make of organics. They were so expensive, and the organic produce always looked older and sadder at the regular supermarket than its conventionally-bred brethren.

I began to change when the issue of overexposure to Alar, a pesticide commonly used on apples, became big news in 1989. At that time, I was eating an apple every day for lunch. Suddenly, the organic apples looked better to me, and I began buying them when they were available. But I still wasn't convinced about other fruits and vegetables.

My true change of heart came when Consumer Reports began recommending that consumers always buy organic for certain produce items¹. Drawing on government data, they listed a dozen or so fruits and vegetables that frequently tested positive for pesticide residue, even after washing (and sometimes peeling!). I decided that, when a mainstream non-profit organization like Consumer Reports said there was a problem, it was time for me to listen. I began to seriously change my buying and eating habits.

These days my list comes from the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit committed to exposing problems with toxic contaminants. They analyze data from the USDA Pesticide Testing program and annually publish their findings. The group just released their 2011 report EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce on June 20th, listing the latest Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, as follows:

EWG's 2011 Dirty Dozen^TM
Most frequently contaminated/ highest in pesticide residue -- eat organic!

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

EWG's 2011 Clean Fifteen^TM
Lowest in pesticide residue

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn**
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

**Genetically modified (GMO) sweet corn is not labeled so in the US. If you have concerns about GMOs, then buy organic sweet corn.

Now I shop according to the list. For items in the Dirty Dozen, I try very hard to buy organic, and if it doesn't look good at the supermarket, I go to an organic grocery. For items in the Clean 15, I don't worry too much. And for everything else, I either lean towards organic or consult EWG's full list and make a judgment call.

Yes, organic produce is more expensive. But I think it's worth it to avoid eating pesticides. Even though the exposures for individual items may be low and the USDA says they're within regulatory tolerances, they must add up if you're eating healthy amounts of fruits and veggies every day. And when you're trying to eat a particularly plant-based diet, I think it's even more important to lower the volume of pesticides consumed!

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¹ Consumer Reports' original article does not seem to be available on the web, but here's one from February 2006, "Starting the Year Right"