Fresh Cabbage Salsa

Happy Summer!

 

  

Tis' the season of BBQ's, potlucks, celebrations and outdoor entertaining.

 

Tis' the season of farmers' markets, garden abundance and colorful veggies a'plenty.

 

In my opinion, this is the easiest time of year to be vegan because there are SO many beautiful plant-based options everywhere you go. I am giddy with excitement every time I pass a farm stand with a stunning selection rainbow of fruits and veggies.

 

From this plethora of incredible abundance come recipes like this fresh cabbage salsa.

 

I swiped the idea from a friend of the family who created something similar at an outdoor concert-potluck we went to in White Salmon, WA a few weeks ago.

 



 I absolutely LOVED the recipe at the concert and thought it would be a perfect recipe to make for the July 4th potluck we were going to.

The morning of July 4th, I raced the Sauvie's Island Flat half marathon with some friends, and the stars aligned when we got to  hang out at the market on the island after the race.

Half Flat Marathon with two of the greatest girls alive. Seriously, you should meet these two.

I specifically brought my wallet to be able to buy some island-produce to bolster the wealth from our own garden. The result? This beautifully colored fresh cabage salsa.

You could also use green cabbage and/or a red tomato, but I thought the yellow heirloom tomato paired with the purple cabbage, white sweet onion and green peppers/herbs would be a lovely combination. This salsa is SO easy and uses so much delicious freshness!

Fresh Cabbage Salsa

Makes a HUGE bowl

• 1 large head of cabbage
• 1 large sweet onion (preferably a walla walla!)
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 2 large or 4 small heirloom tomatoes
• 1 large bunch of cilantro
• 1 medium bunch of basil
• Juice from 4-5 limes (I did 5 because they were little and I loooove limes)
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp agave (to counter balance the acids from the lime and vinegar - shouldn't add too much sweetness)
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (I used Jacobsen salt. That stuff is like baby angel flakes)

Assemble all ingredients. Have a LARGE bowl within arms reach.

Chop the cabbage and onion and toss them in the bowl.

Finely dice Jalapeno peppers - either remove or leave the seeds depending on your spiciness preference.

Dice heirloom tomatoes with a sharp or serrated knife and toss them in.

Chiffonade the basil and cilantro together if possible (or just chop the crap out of em') and throw those in the bowl.

Squeeze limes over the top and add vinegar and agave. Add your first round of spices before tossing the whole thing together. Taste and season further if necessary.

You can serve this right away, but it is advisable to wait at least an hour or so for the flavors to blend together. It's also great made a day ahead of time and will stay fresh and delicious for several days in the fridge. Just make sure to cover it because it will overpower everything else in your fridge!

If desired - save several large cabbage leaves and serve in those, as pictured :) Pair with fresh squeezed margarita for a balanced afternoon snack.

Don'tcha just love summer?!

Live long and prosper. And savor the season's bounties while you can!