Convenience foods abound in our modern grocery stores; we are truly spoiled.  I am amazed every time I go to the grocery store; new things are always appearing on the shelves to help me save time.  One of the convenience foods that I have found to be a great help is the coleslaw mix located in the produce department.  It is a combination of mostly green cabbage with a little red cabbage and carrot for color, all shredded and ready for me to add my own dressings.  I also use this coleslaw mix for recipes such as egg rolls and potstickers that call for shredded cabbage, and when I’m making cabbage soup.  It is a real timesaver.
 
Of course you may shred your own cabbage and carrots with your timesaving food processor, an appliance I certainly can’t live without, but by using the pre-shredded mix, this salad goes together in just 10-15 minutes.  The dressing can be prepared up to a week ahead and if you have extra dressing, it is good on other tossed salads with fruit or simply drizzled over a bowl of berries.

Serve this salad with grilled marinated chicken, steak, or pork tenderloin (bottled teriyaki sauce is quite good, especially if you liven it up with some additional fresh ginger and sesame oil), an Asian rice pilaf done in your timesaving rice cooker, or Quick Fried Rice done on top of the stove.

Asian Cabbage Salad with Ginger Orange Dressing
 
12  Servings
 
1 1/2 pounds coleslaw mix (green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots)
4 green onions including tops, sliced
1 cup soy nuts (health food department), or coarsely chopped cashews
1 cup dried pineapple wedges, coarsely chopped
2 cups chow mien noodles
           
1 batch Ginger Orange Dressing
 
Mix the coleslaw mix, nuts, pineapple, and chow mien noodles.  Toss with the dressing; serve immediately.

Ginger Orange Dressing
 
2 1" pieces the diameter of a quarter fresh ginger
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
 
Peel the ginger and place the pieces in the blender.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add the rice vinegar, sugar, orange juice concentrate, and salt; process on the highest until smooth.  Add the oils and process until thick and smooth.