Maple pecan coleslaw

A word from the cook: Yes, I do cook more complex recipes. But this blog is more about the day-to-day challenges of a busy mom who wants to cook home food despite a crazazy schedule. So the recipes to be found here are easy on purpose.

_________________

Variation on coleslaw: Québec-style

Theoretically speaking, I am pretty much against the idea of store-bought precut vegetables. I’m more the anti-processed, home-cooked slow food movement type. I have even been known to master my fear and take out the dreaded mandoline. (Some kitchen tools make me nervous, so?) Practically speaking though, precut vegetables are a great time-saver and shortcut. Over the years, I even developed 2-3 quickie recipes with commercial coleslaw mixes. Like this pecan coleslaw with creamy maple dressing.

Hard to get it wrong mixing mayonnaise and maple, so don’t hesitate to tweak the dressing to suit your tastes and invent your own version, made in Quebec.

So how did Junior react? The first time, he looooved. Since, it’s been sometimes yes, sometimes no. I think he enjoys the pecans more than the vegetables but hey, by all means, you know.

Coming soon, the same store-bought mix inspired a braised Indian-style coleslaw, a killer topping for tikka chicken on naan bread sandwiches. You’ve been warned.
___________________________________

You don’t say.

How do precut vegetables stay fresh and crisp over a period of weeks? During packaging, most of the oxygen in the bag is replaced with nitrogen, the same gas that makes some beers bubbly, so it’s quite innocuous. When you open the bag, oxygen rushes in and food starts to oxidize. Spinach and other greens are usually washed in chlorinated water instead. How about that.

___________________________________

Maple pecan coleslaw
4 servings

• 1 package precut coleslaw (16 oz)
• 1 chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) coarsely chopped pecans

Dressing
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) regular or light mayonnaise (or 1/3 mayo, 1/3 plain yogurt)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Herbes-salées-du-bas-du-Fleuve*
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
• 2 tsp (10 ml) white wine vinegar
• pinch of salt
• pinch of celery pepper

1. Combine dressing ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, mix coleslaw, green onion and pecans. (Young children don’t like onions, so if that’s you case, keep green onion as a garnish at the end.) Pour over dressing and mix to combine.
3. If time allows, chill salad 1-2 hours to blend in flavours. If not, enjoy.

* Herbes-salées-du-bas-du-Fleuve is a product from Québec’s terroir. If you can’t find it where you live, in a mini-blender, grind a little celery, carrot, leek, parsley and coarse salt. You can also just use chopped parsley and green onion, then increase the salt in the recipe.