Vegetables Anyone?

I'm one of those people who could literally put down an entire bag of reese peanut butter cups or plain M&Ms or tootsie rolls or really any other form of candy/baked goods in one sitting. Not joking. I really could and about once a week I have exert considerable restraint to prevent myself from doing it. Consequently vegetables and exercise have to play a pretty serious role in my life. The hubbs however, is a pretty picky eater and isn't a huge fan of veggies. Things he will not eat include; broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, corn, beans, tofu, or any type of sauce among others.

Normally I try to make things that the hubbs will eat but when guests come over the food rules go out the door. For our wedding the hubbs, in a HUGE leap of faith, gave me Cooks Illustrated: The Best Vegetable Recipes and I haven't had a chance to use it as often as I would like.
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Have you tried these books? I am in love with them. I also have the original version of the book and the light version. These books are like the consumer reports of cooking. They tell you all the best brands, all the best ways to do things (did you know that carrot cake is made 1 million times more delicious if you put the oil and eggs in a food processor and make an emulsion before you mix it?) and the best ingredients.

So this week when a couple of friends were coming over for dinner I busted out the vegetable book and whipped up the Confetti Cabbage Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing (I had never made a cabbage anything before). Our guests, who were college-age students, declared it a success (that could be seen as an impressive recommendation because college kids don't like vegetables but it could also be questionable because I was offering free food. The hubbs declared it "gross because it had vinegar in it.")

Confetti Cabbage Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing
Modified From The Best Vegetable Recipes

1 lb green or red cabbage shredded
1 large carrot peeled and grated
salt
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
2 med cloves garlic
1 1/2 in piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 med radishes grated
4 med scallions sliced thin
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts

1. toss cabbage and carrots in 1 tsp salt and place in a colander. Let stand until wilted (at least one hour--I mean..did you know that? That you have to wilt cabbage? I didn't). Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place PB, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, water, ginger and pepper flakes in a food processor until smooth. Toss dressing with cabbage mixture, radishes, peanuts and 3/4 of scallions. Start using 1/2 of dressing and continue to add dressing to taste (we only used half and it was plenty strong).
3.Garnish with sesame seeds and remaining scallions

The salad was really similar to one I had at this restaurant a couple of weeks ago and would have been even more delicious with some chicken and some fried little noodles (Do you like that? Fried noodles and peanut butter in a salad? Maybe I should start a new blog called "things a chubby girl thinks.")