Warm Golden Beet and Cabbage Slaw with Creamy Italian Dressing

As you may or may not have noticed, I have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus this past week or so.  WIth finals quickly approaching, I have been buried up to my ears in projects and assignments that I have been scrambling to finish.  Unfortunately, this has taken away a lot of my spare time that I usually spend cooking and blogging to relieve my stress.  As a result, I have turned into one giant stress ball, which I am sure many of you can relate to.  

Fortunately, the kind of stress I have been experience is the good kind known as “eustress” which is “stress that is deemed healthful or giving one the feeling of fulfillment,” and comes from the Greek words “eu” and “stress” literally meaning “good stress.”  I recognized this a few days ago when I was on the go all day and feeling particularly overwhelmed.  I stopped for the half a second I had to spare, wishing I could just sit down and relax...But then a strange thing happened, my subconscious said to me, “Isn’t it nice to know that you have such a full and meaningful life?” And I said to myself, “Absolutely!”  

So, even though stress can sometimes keep you from doing the things that you love, every once in a while you just need to embrace it knowing that it carries with it a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

This recipe doesn’t have much to do with stress except maybe for the fact that it is a quick and easy recipe ideal for a busy, stressful day.  And it is warm and yummy, which are always comforting qualities when it comes to food.

Warm Golden Beet and Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

• ½ head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 medium golden beets
• ½ red onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 Tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup creamy Italian dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Peel the beets, and shred them with a cheese grater.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic.  Allow to cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the onions, cabbage, and beets and sautée until slightly softened (about 3 minutes).  
4. In a large bowl, mix the slaw with the dressing, and enjoy!

Creamy Italian Dressing (recipe from 500 Paleo Recipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

• ⅔ cup olive oil

Directions:

Put everything but the oil in your blender.  Have your oil measured and ready.  Turn on the blender.  Now slowly pour in the oil, in a stream no thicker than a pencil lead.  When all the oil is blended in, you're done! You can adjust the seasoning a bit if you like.  Store in a container in the fridge and use it up within a few days.

What are some of the ways you manage your stress? Leave your suggestions in a comment below.