this recipe, with many other delicious treats for thanksgiving, appears in the parlato design studio seasonal eats recipe guide! request a free copy before november 7 [details here], and follow the thanksgiving2011 tag for more recipes as they become available. enjoy & thanks for being awesome!

i decided to include a fresh, crunchy salad in my thanksgiving menu, because so much of thanksgiving food is carb-laden comfort food, i thought it would be nice to contrast that with some raw greens and fruit. this salad is really easy to prepare if you have an adjustable mandoline with a julienne attachment [it’s not necessary, but it cuts the prep time down a lot]. replacing any mayonnaise with yogurt, we’re getting a leaner fat and protein, and natural probiotics. beyond being tangy and refreshing, a little of this salad goes a long way!

apple, celery & lemony yogurt slaw

half a head of napa cabbage
4 medium apples, mixed
2 large stalks celery
1 cup plain greek yogurt
juice and minced zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp crushed
mustard seeds
1 tb apple cider vinegar

slice cabbage crosswise thinly [about 1⁄8” thick] and place in a large mixing bowl. julienne the apples into matchsticks with a knife or a julienne mandoline and place in the bowl. slice celery stalks thinly crosswise with a knife or mandoline and place in the bowl.

in a small mixing bowl, add the yogurt, minced lemon zest, mustard and mustard seeds, mix to incorporate. whisk in the vinegar and lemon juice to incorporate quickly to prevent curdling. salt and pepper to taste.

pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. transfer to a serving bowl to serve.

variations

make it vegan
substitute the dairy yogurt for vegenaise, cultured soy, or coconut vegan yogurt
skip the yogurt and make…
– lemon viniagrette
– lemon maple vinaigrette

alternate ingredients
– increase the color contrast with some red cabbage
– increase the tangy factor with some radicchio
– spice it up with some julienned radishes
– increase the probiotics with some saurkraut
– go all out on color and fiber with vitamin-rich root veggies like julienned carrots and beets