When you think of "camping food" you probably think hotdogs, s'mores, and potato chips, not a veggie and plant protein filled salad. However, that's where this recipe proved itself to be a necessary one to have in my repertoire. The second best part of this recipe is that you can make it in advance and because the cabbage and carrots are so cruciferous, they hold up well to the dressing for extended periods of time. (The first best part of the recipe is peanut butter, obviously). I threw this salad together in a giant bowl and then threw some saran wrap (which I actually despise because I find it impossible to work with) over the bowl and transported it to my parents camper where we (mainly my mom and I) ate off of the salad throughout the weekend. It kept me from falling into the trap of neglecting my veggie consumption because we were on a trip. Although I definitely indulged in a s'mores (arguable one of life's greatest pleasures), I definitely felt good about that decision because I was filling up on nutrients and not just sugar. Because balance.
It's important that I note that we were more accurately glamping, so there was a refrigerator and such, so if you don't have access to such things this may not fit into your camping excursion. Although I would imagine you could portion it into mason jars and keep in a cooler for a one or two day trip. If anyone tries this, let me know. But whether you're camping or not this makes a great meal prep for quick dinners or work lunches. I highly recommend just buying your cabbage shredded to make your life a heck of a lot easier. Or if you have mad shredding skillz, this is a chance to use them.
Thai Peanut Cabbage + Chickpea Salad
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Sriracha to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
Salad:
- 5 cups roughly shredded green or red cabbage (I used a bag of mixed shredded cabbage and carrots from Trader Joe's)
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped for garnish
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Place the shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and chickpeas in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Chop the cilantro and basil and garnish. Finish by topping the salad with the roasted peanuts. Serve and enjoy!
