Kara's Asian slaw

We had a cookout on Sunday and provided hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie versions of both those. Our friends brought the sides and the sweets, and it was quite decadent: There was bean salad, red cabbage salad, dill coleslaw (modeled after Anatolia's tasty version), BBQ chicken, Italian sausage, panzanella (bread salad), jalapeno cornbread with butter, pasta salad, habanero salsa, Southwest potato salad, watermelon, vegan sloppy joes, baguette with pesto, rosemary-olive bread, cherry cobbler, chocolate cake, brownies, cookies, a variety of chips, and plenty of other goodies I'm probably forgetting.

If I had made something for a side, I would have made my sister-in-law Kara's Asian slaw. It's a simple recipe she came up with some years ago, and the "secret" ingredient is a Trader Joe's sesame soy ginger vinaigrette (but any such vinaigrette will do). Now, there's a running joke in the family that Kara always "accidentally" leaves out an important ingredient when passing along her recipes because they never turn out quite like her versions, but fear not! Having made this slaw quite a few times now, I feel secure in saying that she gave me the real deal.

If you haven't tried the TJ dressing, it's really yummy -- and at a bargain price, of course.

Also, if you are avoiding peanuts, this slaw works really well with sunflower butter (my favorite is Sunbutter Natural Crunch) and sunflower seeds in place of the peanut butter and peanuts.



Kara's Asian slaw

2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

1 package pre-cut slaw

3/4 cup sesame soy ginger vinaigrette

1 tablespoon peanut butter

a few shakes of soy sauce

a drizzle of sesame oil



Whisk together the vinaigrette, peanut butter, and soy sauce. Toss with the slaw, sprinkle the peanuts on top, and drizzle with sesame oil.