Not a big fan of cabbage? Then this salad is for you. Because mild pointed cabbage and peppery watercress go seriously well together.
The type of cabbage used in this recipe is the mildest of cabbages out there, the Pointed Cabbage, sometimes referred to as Heart Cabbage.
Cabbages, like all cruciferous vegetables, are way up there on that list of foods we should all eat more of. Low in calories, high in fiber, and loaded with disease fighting properties, cruciferous vegetables also make you feel full longer. In other words they are an ideal bunch of veggies to try to include in your daily diet in one way or another.
And this recipe is a great place to start.
Personally I am a HUGE fan of cabbages and all other cruciferous vegetables, like kale, broccoli, bok choy, and cauliflower to name a few. I love their bitter taste which I find to be a lovely balancing force in most meals. The Pointed Cabbage, however, is the cabbage with the least amount of bitterness and actually has a mild, fresh, and slightly sweet flavor. In this salad I combine this lovely sweetness with the sharp flavor of another member of the cruciferous family, watercress. Together these two power foods combine into a lovely sweet yet peppery salad which, together with some roasted pumpkin seeds and a simple mustard and garlic dressing, make for a lovely side dish or a simple, quick, and very healthy lunch.
Cabbage and Watercress Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 of a small pointed cabbage sliced as thinly as you can
- A few large handfuls watercress
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Start by roasting the pumpkin seeds on a dry frying pan until they start to crack and turn brown in spots. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl mix the mustard with the garlic and water and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the olive oil and stir until everything is properly mixed.
- To that same salad bowl add the thinly sliced cabbage, the watercress, and the fresh thyme, then sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top. It is important to add the cabbage first. Do not mix the salad until ready to serve!
- Just before serving toss the salad to mix everything well and work the dressing into the salad.
