Iceberg Lettuce Slaw
Once upon a time, I rescued an abandoned, ugly duckling head of iceberg lettuce hiding in the back of my tiny RV fridge and turned it into a dainty princess side dish. I didn’t feel like cooking, so I got the bright idea to shred the lettuce with a partial carrot that I found in a ziplock then tossed it with a quick honey-mustard vinaigrette and a quiet hit of coriander and called it a slaw. Is it a slaw? Maybe not, but it handled leftover grilled chicken and showed up on a sandwich the next day, so it works no matter what you call it.
Simple, whole food recipes are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 and want to learn about sustainable waist loss, renewed energy, restored self-confidence, understanding perimenopause and reducing overwhelm, I’m your people. start here
Ingredients
(see printable recipe card down below)
Serves: 4 | Start to finish: 10 minutes
1 head iceberg lettuce (about 600 g), cored and shredded
1 carrot (80 g), peeled and shredded
¼ red onion (40 g), thinly sliced (optional)
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
6 tbsp (90 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (7 g) honey
1 tsp (5 g) Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt and pepper
Swaps and enhancements for hormones (perimenopause) and insulin resistance:
this works beautifully as a side but has minimal protein as a standalone. Pairs well with grilled chicken, salmon, or pulled pork.
Add 2 tbsp (18 g) pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds — zero flavor disruption, adds magnesium and healthy fat
How To Make This
In a large bowl, whisk together the coriander, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, and a small pinch of salt and pepper until smooth.
Add the shredded lettuce, carrot, and red onion. Toss to coat evenly.
Serve immediately.
Real Talk
This slaw does not keep well, so make it, serve it, eat it.
If you need something that holds overnight, the Honey Mustard Coleslaw is built for that.
Coriander is the quiet move in this dressing. It sounds like an unusual choice next to honey and Dijon but it rounds out the sharpness of the vinegar in a way that's hard to put your finger on. Don't skip it.
Storage
Honestly, eat it immediately. It turns to limpy when stored.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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You can, if you want boring dressing. I added it for a reason. A small pinch of cumin is a reasonable substitute if you want to keep that warm, slightly earthy note in the background.
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Yes. Thinly sliced cucumber adds more crunch. Corn works. Sliced radishes if you want more bite. Keep the additions thin and light so the iceberg stays the main character.
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You can do whatever you want, it’s your salad. But yes, grilled chicken, roti chicken, shrimp, tuna or a can of white beans all work. The dressing is substantial enough to carry it.
Before You Go
This recipe came out of the same place where I write the rest of this blog: in a vintage RV parked in the woods next to a river, where I write about rebel wellness, fierce confidence, simple living and hormone friendly meals for women over 40 in perimenopause and menopause. If you’re interested to learn more about these topics, read my story or start here .
If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped or what you added.
Melissa
Recipe adapted from: Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook
Iceberg Lettuce Slaw
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned or shredded
- ½ head iceberg lettuce, halved, cored and shredded
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl add the coriander, oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth
- Add carrots, lettuce and onions and toss.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
217Fat (grams)
21 gSat. Fat (grams)
3 gCarbs (grams)
7 gFiber (grams)
1 gNet carbs
6 gSugar (grams)
5 gProtein (grams)
1 gSodium (milligrams)
81 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View disclaimer.
