Whether you find your veggies at the store, a farmer’s market or your garden, one thing in summer abundance is cabbage. Cabbage—green or red or Chinese—is often easy to find and affordable. But what to do with all that cabbage? Here’s my favorite recipe, loaded with a few special ingredients alongside a no-mayo- dressing that packs a healthy punch.

Red cabbage has a bit more vitamin A and iron than its green and Chinese counterparts, but all promote healthy digestion, lower inflammation, support immune function and supply nutrients your body needs. I like to use as a side dish, or atop a bed of greens or as a jumpstart-my-day breakfast with a piece of whole grain or gluten free toast.

This recipe, like many of my others has a healthy dose of freedom, as in, I love to improvise in the kitchen. Occasionally we wind up with a dud, but most often throwing in that spice or that vegetable or that other ingredient yields further deliciousness.

Here’s what you’ll need:

One small head green cabbage or half a Chinese cabbage sliced & chopped
AND one small head red cabbage, sliced & chopped
4-5 big carrots, grated
One big handful of raisins, try golden raisins or currants for a change!
One big hand full of some kind of nuts. If you want to splurge, use pine nuts, but toasted almonds or cashews work well, too. (I would avoid peanuts and walnuts in this recipe.)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
One white or yellow or red onion, minced or a hand full of chives, minced, or mix & match
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup, red wine, white wine, rice, or apple cider vinegar, again, feel free to mix & match
2 TBSP sesame oil, toasted or not
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2-3 handfuls of whatever fresh herbs you can find. Dill and cilantro are often in mine
Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl thoroughly and allow to chill. Often better on day 2 or 3.