With the fourth of July just around the corner, I wanted to whip up some fresh salad ideas that can be served as sides for weekend festivities.

My goal:  a mayo-free spin on slaw to cut back on calories, but that also packed a fresh summer flavor punch, was versatile, full of color and fast to make.

I picked up some local in-season ingredients at my farmers market, as well as some fresh picked garden fare ingredients, and this summer slaw came to fruition.

This colorful slaw is paleo, vegetarian & vegan-friendly, ReBoot-friendly (Week 1+), gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and uses the freshest real food ingredients!

Ingredients

3 carrots

3 radishes

1 large cucumber

1/2 fennel bulb

1/2 small purple cabbage

1/2 small green cabbage

Dressing:

1 cup cherry tomatoes (about 10-12)

3 limes, juiced

1 large garlic clove

1 inch piece of ginger, skinned

1/2 bunch basil (nice handful – cilantro or mint would work too)

2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoon coconut aminos (good gluten-free soy substitute)

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Big pinch pink salt & pepper

*links above are brands I personally use and recommend

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Directions

1.  Take all of your dressing ingredients and add to a food processor.  Blend until all incorporated.

2.  Next add your shredding blade to the food processor for the veggies (keep your dressing in the food processor). With mine, I have the default blending blade that removes and then a separate shred or slice blade piece I  can add.  You could use either:  shred blade will create slaw, slicer will basically mandolin everything into a salad. Both works.

3.  Turn food processor back on and through the top hole, begin adding all of your vegetables to the dressing.

4.  After all of your vegetables have been added, remove mixture to a bowl and toss so the dressing is coated well on the slaw.

Taste/add for pink salt & pepper.

Serve and top off with some fennel bulb leaves (see picture below).  If your cabbages have some big outer leaves you didn’t use, serve individual portions on the leaves for style points (also pictured below).

You can serve this as a main side dish, one of many side dishes, or even portion small sizes onto individual cabbage leaves (mentioned above) or in small serving cups for a healthy appetizer.  If you want to get ambitious, try as a topping on a burger or hot dog.

Enjoy and have a great & safe 4th of July weekend if you’re celebrating!