TASTE
Lighten dressing for crunchy ramen cabbage salad
| • | Pot stickers in a pan |
By Elaine Magee
Q. I love to make this salad for potlucks and barbecues, but it calls for a cup of oil! Can you take a look at it for me?
A. I've seen this salad served lots of different ways. It makes a great salad for large groups and can actually be thrown together pretty quickly especially if you have the nuts and sesame seeds already toasted and the chicken already roasted and sliced.
However, even the light version will have a high percentage of calories from fat because the main ingredient in the salad, shredded cabbage, doesn't contribute the carbohydrates or calories needed to balance the calories and fat from the the nuts, noodles and dressing.
One block of dried ramen noodles contributes around 14 grams of fat, with about 7 grams saturated. So we are going to keep the dressing light by using 2 tablespoons of canola oil instead of half a cup of vegetable oil. Add a tablespoon of honey instead of granulated sugar and 4 tablespoons of fruit juice to help make up the difference in liquid volume. Use only half of the ramen seasoning packet which decreases the amount of sodium in the dressing and ... frankly, half a packet adds plenty of flavor. Double the recipe if you are making this for a potluck or barbecue.
Original recipe contains 303 calories, 22 grams of fat and 3.5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
LIGHT RAMEN CABBAGE SALAD
Dressing:
Toast almonds and sesame seeds in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until golden. Cook separately because they will turn golden at different times.
Add the dressing ingredients to a food processor bowl or small mixing bowl and pulse or beat until well blended; set aside.
Add almonds, green onions, cabbage, dried ramen noodles (crunched up into small pieces with your hands), and chicken, if desired, into a large bowl and toss to mix well.
Drizzle dressing over cabbage salad and toss to blend all ingredients. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with mandarin oranges if desired. Serve immediately or cover bowl and keep in refrigerator until needed (ideally within a few hours). If the cabbage isn't shredded too finely, it will keep better over time .
Makes about 8 servings (about 1 1/3 cups each with chicken).
Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook" and "The Flax Cookbook." Readers may reach her through her Web site at www.recipedoctor.com.
