
Asian Napa Cabbage Carrot Salad served with non-toxic, biodegradable, compostable dinnerware (by Verterra)
Today, I am sharing a simple recipe for Asian Napa Cabbage Carrot Salad that I threw together as a way to use up the ends of some napa cabbage I had leftover in my refrigerator. I hate throwing away food (my friends can attest to that as my refrigerator is always full of little containers of leftovers!), so this simple dish is reflective of my frugal nature when it comes to food. Do you like the compostable dinnerware I served it on? I picked up these samples, made with fallen leaves and water, by Verterra from the IACP conference I attended recently. It also happens to dovetail nicely into the upcoming Earth Day.
April 22nd marks the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, a day where events are held worldwide in more than 175 countries to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment. I have to admit that the term Earth Day used to conjure up images of hippies when I was younger. However, now that I am older and a bit wiser, I have become much more conscious and aware of the impact my choices and actions have on my ecological footprint.
As part of my upbringing, I was taught not to be wasteful, whether food (see my recent interview on Expendable Edibles), clothing or physical possessions (I rarely throw anything out and try to make a point of donating items in good condition each year). I buy local organic produce during the summer from the farmer’s market and have a CSA share (“Community Supported Agriculture”). I have also cut back the amount of meat our family consumes, use non-toxic cleaning products and buy recycled products when possible (I just bought a stapler made with recycled material and post-consumer waste – who knew that was possible?). However, there is so much more I can do to help reduce our family’s carbon footprint. I took this Ecological Footprint Quiz and found lots of other areas that I need to work on to be a more responsible citizen of the Earth.
I found this “Earth Day Anthem,” set to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy melody, which so eloquently puts our responsibility to care for our Earth front and center.
“Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment
Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world”
It is so easy to take our environment for granted when we live on a day-to-day basis. But, that is short-sighted. After all, don’t we want our children and grandchildren, and their descendents to inherit a healthy and safe earth?
Here are some areas to think about that will reduce your Ecological Footprint and mine:
- Reduce your Carbon Footprint by using cleaner transport, adding energy-saving features to your home, and adopting energy-saving habits
- Reduce your Food Footprint by buying local, planting a garden, and going meatless for one meal a week (18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption
- Reduce your Housing Footprint by choosing sustainable building materials, furnishings and cleaning products, and adopting water-saving habits
- Reduce your Goods and Services Footprint by replacing items when you really need to, recycling, composting and buying recycled products
In celebration of Earth Day, a group of bloggers is hosting a virtual Picnic for the Planet 2012 to help raise awareness about actions we can take to help protect our Earth. On and around Earth Day, people from around the world will be throwing Picnic for the Planet events to celebrate the planet we live on, the food it provides and the people we share it with.
Asian Napa Cabbage Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup bits and pieces of napa cabbage
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 carrot shredded (I used a peeler)
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sugar depending on taste
- 1 Thai bird chili pepper finely minced
Instructions
-
Finely shred napa cabbage. Sprinkle with a little salt and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Drain any liquid. Toss with shredded carrots, lime juice, sugar and chili pepper.
i am going to start composting
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I have been recycling and composting – to the point that our garbage is about half of what it used to be.
Such a lovely salad! Sounds delicious!
I love the heart of this message. And salads are the perfect way to use up vegetables. Having leftover Napa cabbage is a bonus! We go meatless at least two days a week – the trend to do this is wonderful. And now it is April and the garden beckons. Love going across my yard for dinner!
Looks delicious!
My co-workers and I are planning a summer vegetable garden at our workplace!
Always recycle….love the earth….organic gardening – keep our neighborhood clean task force :o) We also love picnics!!
Riding my bike more
Jeanette, I want to come to YOUR picnic!!
Great giveaway! I am planning to be more conscientious about recycling and composting.
I followed you on pinterest and pinned this post.
I signed up for RSS feed.
I liked you and also Nature Conservancy on FB.
I’m going to try and start food composting and start carpooling or riding my bike.
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I plan on installing a rain barrel to reuse water for my flowers and yard work.
This is such a clean and crisp salad recipe-perfect for spring and summer.
This is a lovely fresh salad for a picnic. You’re right – it is so easy to take our environment for granted. As a family, we try to do our best to recycle, turn off lights, etc., but I always feel like we could be doing more.
Be consumers of products made of recycled materials, and do our best to be teachers to our children on how to take care of this planet for generations to come!
I’m definitely going to have to try this for sure!
I will try to do more recycling and buy more recycled products
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Great giveaway Jeanette! I love cabbage salad. I already follow your RSS and Pinterest and just added twitter and NC’s twitter!
We recycle everything we can, reduce the use of paper products, and use refillable bottles rather than plastic water bottles. Great giveaway!!
I follow Jeanette’s Healthy Living on facebook.
We will use less plastic bottles.
I’m reducing my carbon footprint this year by trading in my gas guzzling truck and purchasing an economy car. I’m also being more mindful of when I drive, combining trips instead of making multiples. I also grow a gigantic garden to feed the family. Great giveaway Jeanette and lovely salad!
I plan to continue to recycle and use reusable water bottles.
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We’re going to start composting!
I will walk to work.
Love that eco-friendly dinnerware! Perfect for this event.
Yum, the slaw is a perfect addition to any picnic.
Love the slaw recipe and would go good with pulled pork. I am making my garden 3 times last years size and planting more veggies that I will can. Let dependent on big farms
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i plan to recycle more
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We have a rain barrel that we use for all outdoor watering. It’s great and very convenient, also.
Fantastic post, dish and giveaway! Love these types of events 🙂
I am always for all things Earth Friendly 🙂
love the simple cabbage salad! perfect side dish to add to an asian themed dinner :).
the giveaway is AWESOME. who wouldn’t want a picnic basket full of goodies??
I LIKED you in FB. I signed up for your Emails
I love being green! I always recycle, ride my bike when I can, turn off or unplug electronic items I’m not using, and take short showers (still kind of working on that!).
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What a great giveaway! I like both on facebook
I follow you on pinterest and I pinned it.
Follow you on Pinterest and pinned this post!
I follow both on twitter and subscribe to email.
Subscribed via email.
Tweeted!
To reduce my ecological footprint, I’m recycling a lot, picking up recyclables when I take my dog for walks, and eating and buying local.
I’m doing “buy no new clothes 2012″ to consume less and focus on using what I have.
Following you and nature_org on twitter @ThatAshlei
To reduce my ecological footprint, I always use environmental friendly household products, buy from local farmers’ market,and encourage my friends and family to do the same. 🙂
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Liked you and The Nature Conservancy on Facebook
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subscribed to your RSS feed. 🙂
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So far I haven’t ate meat since March 4th, going to try to keep it that way.
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I plan on bringing my own reuseable grocery bags to the store when shopping.
I like you and Nature Conservatory on FB
I follow you and Nature Conservatory on Twitter too
I signed up for your email subscription
Following on Pinterest too
I love all the actions you all are taking to help conserve our Earth!
Tweeted with the hashtag too – thanks for a great EarthDay giveaway of goodies! 🙂
I’m a bit behind on the reusable bag curve but I’m doing a super great job now about bringing my own to the stores. I do have an organic veggie garden and I compost. I also subscribe to a CSA but come summer, I might have to cancel that, I went a little crazy with the veggie planting this year and I know I will have a horrific abundance of tomatoes, peppers, okra, cucumbers, and eggplants! PS. my csa this week has cabbage in it and I’m going to be making your cabbage salad!
We have 3 recycle bins in our garage and we try to fill them up weekly to help our environment.
I like you and The Nature Conservancy on Facebook.
I’m going to make my household recycle more and remember to keep the lights off when not in use.
Like you and Nature Conservatory on FB
following you on Twitter & following Nature Conservatory
Subscribed to your email newsletter too
Following on Pinterest
We planted a raised bed vegetable garden for the first time this year.
follow on twitter @saramama
I really try to be eco-friendly by walking most places and always bringing my own bag when going to the grocery store! My one weakness is taking cabs instead of the subway when I’m not walking. I really need to cut back on that this year!
We’re working on growing more of our own produce.
Many thanks for supporting The Nature Conservancy this Earth Day, Jeannette! And thanks for sharing those great ideas for reducing your ecological footprint. Simple changes can make a big difference!
-Madeline, The Nature Conservancy
I recycle most everything I can that our community recycling center takes. This year, I’m going to build a raised vegetable garden so I can grow some of my own vegetables.
I adore cabbage (truly, I eat coleslaw at least 4 times a week) and simplicity is what I aim for… loving this recipe!
My goal for 2012 is to recycle more, use more reusable products and start a garden
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I recycle extensively, I conserve water, and turn down the furnace. I grown my own garden, buy locally, and this year I went vegetarian. 🙂
I will bring my own grocery bags to reuse when I go food shopping.
Following you on Twitter & following Nature Conservatory
Following also on FB
Tweeted – thanks so much!
I started composting about 2 years ago and this year am finally putting the compost to use in my first ever raised veggie bed. It is such fun to come home every night and check on the garden with my daughter.
I use reusable shopping bags, try to eat a more plant based diet, and I started a garden this year.
Following both on Twitter.
Following on Pinterest and pinned http://pinterest.com/pin/157063105724730440/
we are trying to eat mostly locally grown produce
I’m loving this salad! All of these Earth Day recipes are fabulous. Just Pinned this sucker!
I plan on using NO paper towels or paper napkins
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hanging our laundry out to dry
composting
recycling more like cans
thanks
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i love this recipe! Thank you for linking up on Successful Saturdays!
I hope to reduce the amount of waste in my home, both food and buying unnecessary things that are not necessary. Awesome post as always Jeanette!
What a wonderful recipe and great giveaway! I’m new to this blog, but have been really enjoying reading it! I truly value living an eco-conscious life, and make earth-friendly choices with every opportunity… Over the years, this has encouraged me to follow a mostly plant-based diet, purchase eco skin/body care products that are not tested on animals, walk/bike/run to places that are within a 3mi radius instead of driving, carpool, and minimizing the use of electricity and water at home. But quite honestly, nothing has been as tremendously impacting in my life as the closeness that I’ve come to feel with Earth as a result of becoming aware of animal farming… I love animals and simply cannot make decisions that can ultimately hurt them in any way. Such a perspective, I believe, has made me a kinder, more compassionate, and open-minded person, and I am grateful for that. I still consume some animal products, and that is a recent choice I’ve had to make because of health problems that I was facing while living a vegan lifestyle. Though veganism may not be best suited for everyone, living a life of awareness and compassion, and making appropriate decisions, is. Happy Earth Day!
I want to figure out how to use less electricity in our home – unplugging appliances and electronics not used very often, etc.
By planting a garden and growing our own veggies. No more canned veggies from the store. I will can my own reducing a lot of waste.
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Follow you on Pinterest and pinned this post http://pinterest.com/pin/21040323229329225/
I’m a RSS subscriber.
I’m growing more of my own food this year.