Asian-Style Slaw (includes Thermomix method)

A refreshingly different take on coleslaw that's a great side for Asian-flavoured grilled or barbecued meat and fish.

Full of flavour and texture, this is delicious as a side dish to complement all kinds of Asian flavours, whether you have it on the side of grilled meat or fish, some tasty barbecued skewers, or pop it inside a 'fusion' burger with a splash of sweet chilli sauce!

Not only is it tasty, it's healthy too, being packed full of fresh ingredients. I serve this with my Thai-style salmon fishcakes - and I'm sure it would be equally delicious with Thai crab cakes too!

Serves five, 45 calories per serving.

Thermomix Coleslaw - The Final Cut!

AKA every second counts!

So, my first choice for making coleslaw would be shredding the cabbage etc. by hand, because I like the contrasts in texture of the grated and sliced vegetables. But... I wanted to give it a go in the Thermomix, and get the texture and flavour as close as I could to my ideal. So, with a bit of experimentation, and determination, I got it to this, which everybody really liked!

There's not a lot to it, which in most peoples' books is a good thing! But I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, so I'm sharing it for the Thermomixers who haven't had a go at making coleslaw yet, or who fancy a change.

Serves four to six, 94 calories per portion for a quarter (very generous portion!), 62 calories for a sixth.

Speedy Shredded Carrot, Cabbage and Caraway / Cumin Salad

A five minute side dish for something slightly different - almost a cross between a salad and a slaw...

Great with my quick Turkish griddled chicken breasts.

You can throw this together in minutes, and it will happily keep chilled for a few hours (or while your Turkish chicken marinates for a minute and you prepare the other side/s), as there's no lettuce in it to wilt

Serves two, generously - easily doubled and a great one to stick through the food processor if you're making in larger quantities and want to save time. 71 calories per serving.

Pulled Pork 'Sandwich' with Smoky Barbecue Sauce and Southern Style Slaw

So this, quite simply, is a delicious consummation between the home-made pulled pork, barbecue sauce, and slaw I've posted, between two pieces of bread, or bun, or roll, or whatever you like to call it...

It's for those who like the details, the numbers, the finished product.

Look tempting? Mmmm, it is very tasty - my son actually said, without being asked or prompted "Wow, Mum, I think that's actually the tastiest sandwich I've ever had in my life".

I'm not sure what that says about my sandwich-making, but this is some good shizzle.

Not, perhaps a recipe in itself, but it does give the calorie counters an idea of how much they're putting in their mouths in terms of delicious, smoky, porky naughtiness. Or maybe not so naughty! The rest of you, just go ahead and shovel it in... [calories in square brackets].

Calories, per bun/'sandwich' approximately 309 (if using all my recipes - other products will vary)

You don't need to use all of these recipes, you can just buy your favourite coleslaw and BBQ sauce and impress your friends by finishing off your own pork on the barbecue - or if this has really whet your appetite, you can even buy pre-cooked pork joints for warming through and pulling as well. But obviously, they won't be as tasty... ;)

Coleslaw - Southern-Style and Healthy

Delicious, crunchy, coleslaw, perfect with pulled pork, salad, in a sandwich, with a barbecue, on top of a jacket potato, or eat it on its own... whichever way you like it!

I made this to go with my pulled pork recipe (it's fantastic in a bun with pulled pork and barbecue sauce!), but if you're a fan of coleslaw then you already know how versatile it is - I'm having leftovers tonight with my Cajun chicken, and a nice fresh salad and the children had it in their lunchboxes, in cheese sandwiches... everyone loves it! I also have to be careful not to eat too much after I've just made it, as I love how fresh homemade coleslaw tastes, especially with the apple in it - and I don't like the huge, overpowering chunks of onion you get which overwhelm you in bought coleslaw.

The great thing about this recipe, is that you can make it as creamy as you like it, and add or substitute ingredients to suit your tastes (suggestions at the bottom in the Tips). Oh, and did I mention you can cheat and buy a bag of ready shredded coleslaw mix if you prefer? I've given you the basis for a nice crisp coleslaw, with a slight sweet and crunchy element from tart, Granny Smith apples and carrots, the tang of sweet white onions, and the crispness of shredded green cabbage (with a little red cabbage as well, if you like!) with a tasty dressing - it's up to you how much mayonnaise you add, if you're not counting the calories. I'm not one for a 'sloppy slaw' (one of the reasons I've used nice thick Greek yoghurt alongside the mayonnaise, rather than buttermilk), but when you've made it up with my suggested quantities, you can just keep going with the mayonnaise until it's the consistency you like. [Calories in square brackets, if you're counting].

Calories per 50g serving: 60 for full fat version, 27 for light version (extra-light mayo and 0% fat Greek yoghurt).  (Total weight, approximately 1,190g, total calories 888 for full fat version, 475 for extra light mayo, fat free yoghurt version).