Coleslaw Dressing (AIP)

This dressing separates and it is supposed to. Shake it 15 seconds before every use and stop reading that as a fault. Coconut milk brings some emulsifying power of its own and many canned brands add guar gum besides, but 3/4 cup of it against 2 tablespoons of olive oil will still settle out before long. Straight from the refrigerator the coconut fat will be firm and the jar will look wrong, so give it a few minutes on the counter, and shake the can before you open it or you pour off the thin water and are left holding solid cream.

A protocol this long needs a few things that ask nothing of you, and a jar already made is 1 of them. What it buys is raw cabbage, and raw is where the value sits. Vitamin C breaks down with heat and leaches into cooking water, so cooked cabbage returns much less of it than shredded raw cabbage does. Make the jar on a Sunday and you have handed yourself 6 salads you never have to decide about.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (shake the can before opening)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

Add all four ingredients to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake for about 15 seconds until smooth and combined. The olive oil and coconut milk will emulsify briefly; it may separate on standing, which is normal.

Taste and adjust: if you want more tang, add a small additional splash of apple cider vinegar. If it tastes sharp, another tablespoon of coconut milk softens it.

Pour over shredded cabbage, carrots, or any combination of sliced raw vegetables immediately before serving, or dress just before eating if you prefer the vegetables to stay crisp. For a pre-made coleslaw, toss the vegetables with the dressing and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; the vegetables will soften slightly and the flavors will deepen.

Dressing keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. Shake before each use.

*Adapted from Lichen Paleo Loving AIP*