White Bean & Cabbage Slaw with Apples & Cider Vinaigrette

This refreshing, bright, and filling twist on traditional slaw makes a great side or light lunch, and has been a fun way for me to connect with my heritage through food. Thank you to AncestryDNA for sponsoring this post! 

I’m excited to share this recipe with you guys today – not only because slaw is one of my favorite foods (that vinegar tang + CRUNCH = perfection), but also because this recipe was inspired based on my family’s geographic origins!

Have you guys heard of AncestryDNA? It’s a company that uses a simple saliva test to discover your ethnicity and heritage. You can trace your lineage back generations and even find relatives and ancestors on their website – so cool! The at-home saliva test was fast and easy, and before I knew it my results were in. If you want to try AncestryDNA yourself, they have a sale going on right now through August 20 – only $59!

The test uncovers your origins from more than 350 regions around the world. Here are my official primary heritage results:

• 41% Europe West (Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein)
• 39% Ireland/Scotland/Wales
• 8% Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)

I knew we had a lot of ancestors from western Europe but didn’t realize Ireland/Scotland/Wales would be so heavily in the mix, too! The results also showed migration patterns of my ancestors, which was interesting. And if you enter a family tree, their birth and death places will be incorporated into/plotted on your personalized migration map. I wish that my grandfather on my mom’s side was still alive, because he LOVED genealogy and would have been incredibly fascinated by AncestryDNA.

When I got my results, my friends at AncestryDNA challenged me to share a recipe that would help connect me with my roots. I love quintessentially German red cabbage, but that felt a little heavy for summer, so I decided a red cabbage slaw would be a better fit for August instead. And here we are!

This recipe is so easy, and I love all the textures, colors, and fresh flavor. There is more protein and fat in this slaw compared to a traditional slaw, thanks to the sunflower seeds and white beans, so you can even make this a light lunch, although it also makes a fabulous side for summer BBQs as well.

This slaw still tastes very European-inspired, but it’s much lighter than braised cabbage/bean dishes. It will also hold up well in the fridge for a few days, so this is a nice make-ahead packed lunch option as well!

Here’s the full recipe. Enjoy it!

Yields 6 cups     adjust servings

White Bean & Cabbage Slaw with Apples & Cider Vinaigrette

Prep Time 15 minutes Prep Time

Cook Time

Total Time 15 mins Total Time

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Ingredients

• 1 small head red cabbage, shredded
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 granny smith apple, finely chopped
• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the cabbage, onion, apple, white beans, parsley, dill, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
2. In a separate small bowl or jar, whisk or shake the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper until combined. 
3. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the slaw ingredients and toss to coat. 
4. Enjoy!

by Anne @ fANNEtastic food

Do you know where your ancestors come from? What are some dishes that you enjoy that help connect you to your ancestral roots?