Winter can make eating in-season produce a challenge.

When I lived in a remote area of Alaska and everything “fresh” was shipped in (and I use the word fresh lightly here), I had to get creative to keep my vegetable intake up around this time of year.

(Psst – You can read more about how I managed to eat clean while living in a rural area here).

Even though I now have access to (actually) fresh produce year-round, I still prefer to use what’s available locally and in-season as much as possible.

That means eating more hearty vegetables during the winter months. Ya know, the kind that would have survived a few months storage in the root cellar in your great grandma’s time.

We’re talking, well, roots! Carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, and the like. Plus other winter superstars, like cabbage and hearty cruciferous veg.

Still, I sometimes miss summer salads and raw veggies. When the need for crunchy goodness hits, I turn to slaw.

Many winter veggies – not just cabbage! – happen to make a pretty tasty slaw.

If you’re needing a little raw veggie crunch in your world, try my recipe for Balsamic Carrot Slaw. Simple, flavorful, and way better than boring crudite.

Balsamic carrot slaw is a great way to add some zing to the monotony of slow-cooked stews, soups, and roasts.

Print Recipe

Balsamic Carrot Slaw

3-4 carrots, peeled, and sliced into shoestrings/julienned on the mandolin (roughly 3 cups)
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
2 Tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar (the type that’s a bit thicker and a tad sweet)
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh pepper
½ tsp dried thyme

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.
Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Toss before serving.

You’ll notice I used a mandolin for this recipe to slice the carrots into the most perfect, even julienne.

Whenever I use ‘em, I always get questions about mandolins. I personally like this one because it’s practically foolproof. You can slice different thicknesses, julienne, or shred with the never-rust, stay-sharp surgical stainless steel blade. It also takes up minimal space in my cupboard.

At our house, we use this mandolin for making oven-roasted sweet potato fries, for slicing kholrabi into “chips” (like I use to scoop my wild salmon ceviche), for making fermented carrots with ginger and jalapeno), and so, so many more things.

You can always julienne with a knife, but it just takes a loooooooong time and a lot of patience. If you’re not up for it or don’t want to buy a mandolin, I’d suggest shredding the carrots for a less pretty – but still tasty – version of your own.

Serving suggestions for Balsamic Carrot Slaw:

Topping for pulled pork tacos. (Here’s my favorite slow cooker pulled pork.)
Mix into a green salad or marinated kale salad
Serve atop chili or stew
Eat right out of the bowl!

I hope you enjoy my recipe for balsamic carrot slaw. Let me know your favorite way to serve it in the comments below.

Until next week,
Lily

PS – Hungry for more (flavorful) veggie recipes? Download your free copy of my ebook “Veggies: Eat Them Because You Want To, Not Because You Have To” via the box below or here to see how yummy veggies can be!

PPS – Find yourself on a slaw kick? Don’t slaw your roll. ( Next time try my Asian Beet Slaw or Tangy Coleslaw.