Feta-Topped Purple Cabbage Salad

I like combining fresh and cooked in a salad for optimum flavor and more interesting texture. Here purple cabbage is dressed with a light creamy dressing and topped with sautéed peppers, shredded feta cheese, and crispy fried onions. This recipe makes enough for a crowd. Feel free to adapt quantities to your needs.

Directions

Prepare the Peppers

1. Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat olive oil. Add peppers and sauté for 10 minutes or until lightly softened.

2. Add dried cranberries and continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Prepare the Dressing

1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl, preferably with an immersion blender.

Notes:

The applesauce makes the dressing very creamy. You can sub water if you wish, which makes the dressing thinner. Either way, the dressing keeps for at least a week in the fridge.

To Serve

1. Place cabbage in a large bowl. Add peppers and dried cranberries and mix together gently.

2. Add dressing and stir to coat.

3. Sprinkle feta cheese over the top. Garnish with crispy fried onions and/or roasted sunflower seeds.

Variations:

Alternately, mix cabbage with dressing. Turn into a pretty salad bowl or deep platter. Make rows on top of sautéed peppers, feta cheese, and crispy fried onions. Scatter a few sunflower seeds over all, if desired.