Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce | dolly and oatmeal

going to the grocery store has long been one of my favorite things to do. when i visit a foreign country, or another state i'm always wanting to check out what's stocked in the aisles, and what kind of produce they're offering. when i was a kid, going to the grocery store with my dad was a weekly thing. every sunday we would go to grand union or a & p and get our groceries for the week. in the produce section, he would meticulously check whatever fruit or vegetable he was picking up for any bruises or spoilage. and in the dairy section he would tell me to look for the most recent date so we wouldn't get last week's delivery. each and every egg in the carton was checked for cracks or missing eggs. when we got to the check out, he preferred packing our bags, carefully distributing the weight so we wouldn't have any bags that were too heavy. at a young age i kind of thought that all of this was a bit of a chore, but now i find myself doing the exact same thing.

with amesy now, my trips to grocery store involve me hurriedly running through the aisles while entertaining him, or jaunts while he's with a sitter. the luxury of taking my time in the store will return one day, i'm sure, but for now i do the best i can with the time allotted. so buying what i can in the little spurts of time means a lot more especially when it comes to fresh produce. i'm always super bummed when the carton of strawberries i've bought for amesy turns rotten mid-week, or when our cilantro for thursday night guacamole salad get super wilted. no matter if it was my janky brooklyn refrigerator, or my brand new one here in LA, produce mid-week isn't always looking so hot.

so i was super intrigued when rubbermaid approached me to try out their line extension of FreshWorks produce saver containers which keep produce fresh up to 80% longer than traditional store packaging and fit a variety of produce needs (*based on strawberries in FreshWorks containers vs. store packaging. results may vary depending up on product use). to test them out, i stored some sturdier produce like brussels sprouts, and apples; and some tender produce like strawberries, raspberries, and herbs to test the containers out. all i did was remove the vegetables and fruit from their packaging (without washing or cutting) and delivered them right into their respective FreshWorks container. the hearty brussels and apple stayed fresh for over a week, and the delicate herbs and fruit lasted the entirety of the week as well before spoiling, which was so gratifying. the design of the containers is quite smart. the tops have what they call, FreshVent technology which allows the air to properly ventilate. while CrispTray at the bottom also helps ventilation, and keeps the veg or fruit elevated, keeping any moisture away. and i'm so excited about these containers, that i'm giving away a set of them to one reader! check out the details:

*giveaway is now closed* one reader will be chosen at random to win one FreshWorks 3-peice set. to enter: leave a comment (with a working email address, please!) sharing anything related to a supermarket haul (it could a memory, something funny, how your baby/child embarrass you - anything! full disclosure, mine is that i secretly love to see what other people have in their grocery carts! ). giveaway is open to US residents only (sorry overseas friends!), and will close november 9, 2017 at 5pm PST. good luck, everyone! xo

this post was created in partnership with rubbermaid. all thoughts and opinion, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce | v & gf

this slaw is a great base to add a protein to. in my house we like to add some shredded chicken. but you can certainly add your plant-based protein of choice too.

| serves 4 as a side, 2 as a meal |

spicy almond butter sauce

1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted almond butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 teaspoons coconut nectar
juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
fine sea salt, to taste
water to thin, if necessary

slaw

1 pound brussels sprouts, tough ends trimmed
1/2 head of purple cabbage
1/2 apple (preferably honeycrisp or another crisp apple)
4 green onions, ends trimmed, and white and light green parts sliced thin
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped fine
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
pinch of fine sea salt

method

in a mini food processor, blend together the spicy almond sauce ingredients, except the water, until completely smooth. add the water a couple tablespoons at a time until you have your desired consistency. pour the sauce into a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. remove the sauce about 1 hour prior to using. add more water to thin, if necessary.
place your mandolin over a large mixing bowl (if you don't have a mandolin, you can use a sharp knife), shred the brussels sprouts and cabbage into wispy pieces. use the julienne attachment on your mandolin to slice the apples into thin pieces (you can also do this with a knife if need be). to the mixing bowl, add the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, toasted hazelnuts and sesame seeds. add a sizable pinch of salt and give it all a toss.
drizzle the spice almond butter sauce onto the slaw and mix (since the slaw it a bit delicate, i like using my hands for this). taste for seasoning, and adjust is necessary.
leftover slaw can be refrigerated in a lidded container for up to 3 days.