The apartment was tiny, but it didn’t matter.  Candles were lit, drinks were out, and the table was clear to receive all of the delicious dishes that would arrive shortly. 

We call it book club but joke that it ought to be called food club.  Every month we meet to discuss a book, eat thoughtfully prepared food, and spend time together.  It’s one of my favorite military spouse social activities. The love of reading bridges rank, branch, and age to bring together a group that might not otherwise see each other socially.  For parents of very young children, it might be one of their only nights out each month and they look forward to the adult conversation.

Because the food is so delicious, it’s easy to overeat on book club nights, so I have a strategy.  I always fill half of my plate with salad, leaving the other half for other beautiful options.  I eat dessert if it is especially compelling.  For me, that means something chocolate.  And, I usually stick to water or tea to drink, careful to avoid drinking calories.

To make sure I can fill half of my plate with salad, that’s what I usually take.  This month, I made over a recipe from Seeded at the Table, substituting Greek yogurt for the mayo, honey for the sugar, and doubling up the apples and nuts.  It’s crunchy and just a little bit sweet.  My daughter was really enthusiastic about this dish!

Made-Over Apple Slaw

Servings: Yield: 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 green cabbage, shredded

2 firm red apples, unpeeled and diced

2 sour green apples, unpeeled and diced

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Add the cabbage, apples and almonds, tossing completely.  Cover and chill before serving.

NUTRITION INFO:

Amount Per Serving

Calories 126.1

Total Fat 3.2 g

Saturated Fat 0.3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.9 g

Cholesterol 0.0 mg

Sodium 21.5 mg

Potassium 325.6 mg

Total Carbohydrate 22.6 g

Dietary Fiber 4.3 g

Sugars 15.2 g

Protein 4.9 g

TIPS:

Use the thin slicer blade rather than the grater blade of a food processor to shred the cabbage.  A sharp knife will do if you don't have a food processor. 

To avoid burning, watch the almonds as they're toasting, stirring frequently.

Other nice add-ins:

Raisins

Shredded carrots

Shredded raw beets

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

Anything with color and crunch!