Wow, that was some cold snap that we just went through. Every year, usually in January, we get severe cold weather. I will never get used to seeing that it will be minus 47 – 57 with the wind chill. On Thursday I went to warm up my SUV, which had been sitting outside at work, and the lock was so cold it was hard to get the door unlocked, and then once it was running it was equally hard to get it locked. This is the first year that we had alerts across the province to shut off as much power as we could to prevent power outages. One of my sons lives in the Cochrane area on the outskirts of Calgary, and they lost power for several hours Saturday afternoon. What a surprise it was to have alerts going off on phones and on the television. By the time this paper is printed, and you are reading this, we should be well out of the extreme temperatures, thankfully.
During the winter months, we tend to eat a lot of cooked foods, even comfort foods. It is however important to also eat raw foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and salads. Here is a refreshing salad, that has the added benefit of having pineapple in it. Pineapple contains bromalin, which helps digest protein. Bromalin is also effective in boosting the immune system. New research from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and the FDA shows that bromalin, found in pineapple, can inhibit the SARS, Covid 2 virus in the body, in multiple ways. Note that the pineapple has to be raw, as in the canned pineapple, the enzyme is deactivated. Other research shows, that the bromalin in pineapple can also inhibit the flu. Be careful eating too much fresh pineapple at a time, as it is a powerful protein-dissolving enzyme, and some people feel it in their mouth. This Pineapple Coleslaw is the perfect winter salad, especially to dodge cold and flu season. I make this salad with 5 percent sour cream in the dressing, but whipping cream would also be great. If you used Greek yogurt, you would lose some of the benefits of the pineapple, as the bromalin would also be working on the protein in the yogurt.
Pineapple Coleslaw
1 package of cut-up cabbage
1/2 pineapple
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped red or yellow
onion
1 large carrot grated
Dressing
1/2 cup whipping cream or sour
cream or Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Peel and cube the pineapple. Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl. In a smaller bowl combine all the dressing ingredients, and blend well. Pour the dressing on the salad ingredients, and toss to mix.