This Crunchy Ramen Coleslaw is as an easy, Asian inspired salad that whips up in minutes. It's one of the most simple and healthy recipes I've tried, made with cabbage and Ramen and served cold with a delicious, flavorful dressing that the whole family will love!
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Well, I have completely and totally failed at T's 14 and 15 month updates. Life has been so crazy busy and in a totally good way.
The biggest piece of news I have to share is that T too her first steps this month! We knew she was getting close and she would take one step here and there but always revert back to walking. But finally, one night we were hanging in our room after dinner, getting ready to start the girl's bedtime routine and T went for it!
We were all super excited and I was thrilled to be able to catch it on video. She still doesn't walk consistently yet, but she's walking a ton more than I expected and I know one day she's just going to take off and go right into running (she is my wild woman, after all!).
Speaking of my wild child, it's fascinating to see the differences in my girls. On Mother's Day, we made our way over to the playground after a tasty breakfast at the diner. If you follow my instagram story, you likely saw a few videos of my girls on the swings.
Now in the past, A was never a fan of swinging. She always preferred the slide. And while the slide still holds the number one spot in her heart, she is much more open to swinging now that her sister loves it. Seriously, guys. T is alllllllll about the swings.
That day, I got a video of each girl swinging individually. A had a tight smile on her face as she held on for dear life. T, on the other hand, was smiling and laughing with reckless abandon. I would pull the swing back, up high and then let it go which would make her giggle even harder! I love it when their unique personalities shine through and seeing how similar and also different they are.
Mother's Day was an all-around excellent day in general! J let me sleep in a bit and then my girls came in and woke me up with kisses and some pretty handmade gifts that they'd created at daycare, which I cherish (and a dress I'd been eyeing at Nordstrom on our Utah trip but decided to leave it so as not to overspend! Sneaky, sneaky J!).
After the diner and the playground, we relaxed at home. The gals went down for a nap while I cooked and photographed some food. And once they woke, we headed over to my parents for an early dinner. It was a wonderful day. Very relaxing and J and the girls made me feel extra special!
Father's Day was also pretty great. T was a bit off that whole week prior, we think she had a little bug. But we started the day with a tasty breakfast and some gifts for Daddy. The rest of the day we relaxed and then went over to my parents house and had Taco night, which was an excellent and delicious idea.
I can't even begin to tell you how blessed I feel to have a man like Justin in my life and in my girl's lives. I know the word blessed can seem a bit cliche now that it's become somewhat of a "basic" sort of hashtag. But if you look at the true meaning of the word it fits here perfectly.
He is a true partner. He's 100% involved and active in raising our children and keeping our home, no questions asked. Everything he does is with love and is to serve others. And he does it with a smile on his face and without the expectation of anything in return.
Justin is also not only my love but a damn good friend. One sound that you can always hear around our house is the sound of laughter (and lots of it!). Even after almost 8 years of marriage and 11 years as a couple, we are constantly finding things to talk about and laugh about together.
In many ways I am no picnic to be around but he accepts me for every single fault and challenges me daily to be a better person. Ok, I will stop waxing poetic about J now. 🙂
So this is a recipe that I've seen about a million variations of over the years. I'm not even sure where my mom got it. But it's got a delicious flavor and whips up in minutes.
This salad is perfect for those moments when you remember you need to bring a dish to pass, but forgot to plan ahead. I bought everything pre-chopped to make life easier (it really wasn't that much more expensive!).
The first time my mom made this, I was super skeptical. I mean, I love me some Ramen, although I tend to enjoy my Ramen cooked. But it's broken up so small that it isn't a jarring addition at all. In fact, it adds a satisfying crunch and texture and makes the overall salad more interesting.
I also love the flavor of the dressing. It has a tinge of sweetness mixed with a nutty flavor that only almonds and sesame seeds can deliver. This salad is light and refreshing; the perfect summer side dish.
One word of advice: try not to dress it until right before you eat it. As it sits, it absorbs the dressing and the noodles lose their crunch (and the overall flavor fades a bit overnight in general). You can always assemble everything and keep the dressing separate until you're ready to serve it.
Other great summer side dishes include:
- German Potato Salad
- Green Bean Salad
- Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Peas and Shrimp Salad
- Roasted Beets Salad with Feta and Dill
- Greek Couscous Salad
- Mexican Bean Salad
- Tomato Salad
- German Potato Salad
- Vicky’s Tabouli
Crunchy Ramen Coleslaw
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1 one pound bag of shredded cabbage
- 1 bag of Oriental Flavor Ramen Noodles broken up into bite-size pieces (reserve the seasoning packet)
- Chopped scallions for garnish
Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup of vegetable or canola oil
- Ramen seasoning packet which comes from the noodles that go into the salad
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the sesame seeds and slivered almonds into pan and toast them for a couple minutes over medium low heat, turning them periodically. They will start to smell fragrant when they are done (don't burn them!). Set aside to cool.
- In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil, Ramen seasoning packet and some salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, mix the cabbage, noodles, almonds and sesame seeds.
- Toss well in the dressing and sprinkle with chopped scallions just before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Make sure you wait to dress it until just before serving.
Other variations:
Asian slaw mix
Broccoli slaw mix
Optional add-ins:
Raw peas
Sunflower seeds
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