Category: Recipes

This Australian coleslaw is a bit unusual from what we are used to in America but great for the hostess who thinks “outside the box.” The original version had hot peppers in it, but I don’t do spicy, so I left them out.

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Australian Coleslaw

A twist on the coleslaw salad.

Course Salad

Cuisine Australian

Keyword cabbage

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cabbage, shredded
• 3 carrots, grated
• 3 onions
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon celery seed

Instructions

• In a deep bowl, toss together the cabbage and carrots.
• Dice all the remaining vegetables.
• Mix into the bowl with the cabbage and carrots.
• Sprinkle the sugar over the vegetables.
• In a medium-sized pot, bring the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and celery seed to a boil.
• Pour over the vegetable mixture while hot and do not stir!
• Let cool and then cover and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Pour off the excess liquid before serving.

What is the difference between red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar?

Although red wine has a bolder flavor than white wine, the opposite is true when these beverages are further fermented into vinegar. According to Difference.guru, red wine vinegar has “more subtle flavors and comes in more varieties” than white wine vinegar. Perhaps, that’s why this recipe called for it originally. A bolder vinegar would not have gone well with a Jalapeno.

However, since my version of the recipe got rid of the spice, I suspect you could easily use white wine vinegar and get good results.

What’s so Australian about this coleslaw?

This question was foremost in my mind when I started working with it and you know what? I could not find an answer. For all I know, someone just thought it would be cool to call it Australian and it caught on from there.

A note about Australian cuisine

Australian cuisine is a hodgepodge, at least these days, of Aboriginal fare, colonial cuisine, and foreign influences. Given the environment, Australia has put its own vibe and stamp on all these influences, of course. Where else will you find kangaroo meat in the grocery store?

I’ve already provided one hint at how you can get creative with this recipe — switch out the vinegar. You can also play around with the cabbage, as I suggested in a previous coleslaw recipe.

You can also experiment with the oil. Try different grades of olive oil, or even go for a different oil such as avocado oil or sesame seed oil. Also, feel free to leave out the sugar or substitute with a light drizzle of honey.

If you’re looking for some favorable but light meat dish, these Asian-inspired Turkey Meatballs just might do the trick.

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Asian Turkey Meatballs

Simple turkey meatballs with an Asian flair.

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound turkey breast, ground
• 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup plum sauce, heated
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

• Place the turkey, onion, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
• Using your hands, knead all the ingredients together until well blended.
• If the mixture doesn't hold together, add a bit more bread crumbs.
• Make 18 meatballs approximately the same size.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to a medium temperature.
• Add the meatballs and stir until brown on all sides.
• Cover and allow them to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the meatballs on a platter and top with the plum sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds.
• Serve at once with noodles or brown rice.

How do turkey meatballs differ from beef meatballs?

The biggest difference between turkey meatballs and beef meatballs is the flavor. On its own, beef is simply more flavorful than turkey. However, because turkey has a more mild flavor profile, it can take on the flavor of the herbs and spices you mix with it, something that beef doesn’t do as well.

In addition, ground beef is higher in protein, iron and potassium than ground turkey does.

So why go with turkey meatballs if beef has tastes bolder and more distinctive and has more protein per serving?

The answer is the fat. Ground turkey has lower levels of saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. However, if you want to get that benefit, you have to purchase a LEAN ground turkey or ground turkey breast meat.

As with all recipes, you can play around with this one to make it unique, fresh, and very much your own. Here are some ideas:

Play around with the ground meat: You can switch out with another meat, such as ground chicken, beef, pork, or even lamb. Or, you can blend more than one kind of ground meat, creating a hybrid meatball.

Instead of regular bread crumbs, use panko breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers.

Pump up the Asian flavor with some Chinese, Japanese, Thai or other Asian herb and spice blend you find in the grocery store. Here are some suggestions you can find on Amazon:

• Chinese Five Spice
• Japanese Seven Spice
• Thai Seven Spice
• Asian Seasoning
• Simply Asia Taste of Asia 3 Pack: Korean BBQ, Sweet Chili and Orange Ginger Garlic

Of course, if you switch up the seasonings, you may also have to switch out the sauce. Plum sauce may not taste as good with some of these blends. Other Asian-style sauces you can try include:

• Stir-fried Noodles Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce
• Sweet Soy Sauce
• Mandarin Orange Chicken Sauce
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Pad Thai Sauce
• General Tso Sauce

There are a variety of ways you can make apple pancakes. This particular recipe I call a “double apple” style because you add the apple to the pancake in two different ways.

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Apples Pancakes

Almost like apple fritters, but really apple pancakes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword apples

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• Apple Corer and Slicer

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
• 1/3 cup sugar for the recipe plus 2 Tablespoons sugar or more for cooking
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg freshly grated if you have it, but pre-grated will work
• 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 peeled Granny Smith apples

Instructions

Prepare the Apples

• Wash the apples. Rinse with white vinegar and then rinse again with water. This will ensure that they are clean and free of pesticides.
• Using an apple corer and slicer, core and slice the two apples.
• Take one apple, cut it in half so that you have slices. Put in a small glass bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
• Take the other apple and chop it into small, julienned slices. Place that in another small glass bowl and sprinkle it with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

Prepare the Batter

• Melt the butter over medium heat being sure not to scorch it.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.
• Add the flour to the beaten egg.
• Then add the 1/3 cup of sugar. Reserve the rest of the sugar for later cooking.
• Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
• Add the buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter to the mixture and then stir to incorporate everything.
• Add the chopped apple. Stir until just combined. The mixture will be thick.

Grill the Pancakes

• Preheat the griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly spray with cooking spray or add a little butter.
• Add about 1/2 cup batter to the griddle. Place 2 lightly sugared apple slices on top.
• Cook the pancake until bubbles form (about 2 minutes).
• Flip the pancake with a spatula and cook until golden brown on each side for a total of about 4 minutes cooking time per pancake. You may need to spray the spatula with cooking spray between pancakes to ensure the pancake doesn't stick to the spatula.

For tips on how to use an apple corer, check out this video I created.

The Many Faces of Apple Pancakes

When it comes right down to it, an apple pancake is called an apple pancake because it is a pancake with apples involved. But how those apples are incorporated into the pancake is really up to the person making the pancakes. There are a wide variety of ways to make apple pancakes and the recipe I just share is just one version. Here are some other ideas:

• With Applesauce: Some cooks take a regular pancake recipe and use apple sauce as part of the liquid in the batter, infusing the apple flavor into the pancake.
• With Apple Chunks: Others will simply chop up an apple and toss it into the batter and grill. Voila! Apple pancakes!
• German Style: Heard of a Big Dutch Baby? That’s another name for German Pancakes. Take that recipe, add apple and I bet you can figure out what you’ve got.

And those are just the basics! You can get fancy and throw in some mix-ins for added flavor. Yes, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are the traditional standbys, but these flavor additions work really well with apple, as well:

• Caramel pieces
• Butterscotch chips
• Chocolate chips
• Pear
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Banana
• Kiwi
• Cheddar cheese
• Apricot
• Cardamom
• Cranberry
• Pumpkin
• Rosemary

Plating Ideas

These pancakes are filling and tasty all on their own, but to add variety — as well some protein and nutrition — to the meal, try serving them with the following ideas:

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Scrambled Eggs
• Frittata
• Crustless Quiche
• Poached Eggs
• Ham

A sprig of mint and a twist of orange on top make a nice touch, as well.

There is something about coleslaw that reminds me of spring and summer. Maybe because it goes so well with barbecue dishes such as chicken and pork, which are often served this time of year. Some say this recipe tastes almost like a certain chain restaurant’s slaw.

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Buttermilk Coleslaw

A sweet and tangy coleslaw that tastes great with fried chicken or a BBQ sandwich.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Dutch

Keyword cabbage

Servings 4

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 8 cups cabbage, shredded (about 1 head)
• 3/4 cup carrots, shredded (1-2 carrots)
• 2 Tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

• In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, and onion.
• In a blender on low speed, combine the milk, buttermilk, sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and blend until smooth.
• Pour over the slaw mix and fold until everything is well coated.

Where the word “coleslaw” came from:

Coleslaw comes from a Dutch word meaning cabbage salad. While in the U.S. traditional coleslaw is a combination of shredded cabbage and a mayonnaise-based dressing, coleslaw can contain any number of ingredients.

How to Shred Cabbage

There are a variety of ways to shred cabbage, as well as a variety of tools you can use to do so. Me, I just buy it pre-shredded. But, in case you want to do this from scratch, here are some options:

Food Processor: Cut the cabbage into small enough wedges that they will fit into your machine and pulse.

Cabbage Shredder: This device is kind of like a special, double-bladed knife made for cutting cabbage.

Cabbage Shredder: This device looks like a giant julienne peeler.

Mandolin Style Cabbage Shredder: You have to cut the cabbage into wedges before shredding. This is a more traditional device.

How to Avoid Pink Cole Slaw

If you use red cabbage, it will naturally dye your coleslaw a light shade of pink. Don’t worry, this does not change the flavor. However, if you prefer not to have pink coleslaw, you have three options:

1. Rinse and dry your red cabbage after shredding
2. Start with pre-shredded slaw mix purchased from a store (these have been rinsed and are slightly dry)
3. Skip using the red cabbage

There are lots of ways you can mix up this coleslaw either to make it your own, or just because you want something a little different.

Do you have a spiralizer? Try adding in some spiralized veggies to take the place of some of the cabbage.

Include additional ingredients beyond the cabbage and carrots. Here are some ideas that you can mix in:

• Raisins
• Craisins
• Shredded or chopped apples
• Almonds
• Pecans
• Chopped celery
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped pineapple

Add additional flavor to the dressing. Add 1/8 teaspoon of any of the following:

• Onion powder
• Dry mustard
• Celery seed
• Dill weed
• Parsley

Swap ingredients out. Here are some suggestions:

• Substitute yogurt for the mayonnaise
• Substitute half-and-half or cream for regular milk
• Use a whole onion and/or substitute red onion for the white one
• Add some zing with a splash of Tabasco sauce and cilantro
• Substitute lime juice for the lemon
• Substitute broccoli for cabbage