It’s simple. Make Guy Fieri’s Waka Waka Salad, with my modifications. For all my bemoaning the fact that The Husband and Nick eat very few green vegetables, I will give them credit where credit is due. They will eat them if I hide them.
Guy Fieri, one of the more exuberant and rebellious stars of Food Network (and currently the host of four different shows: Guy’s Big Bite, Ultimate Recipe Showdown, Guy Off the Hook and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) made this Waka Waka Salad when he was competing on The Next Food Network Star in 2006. He subsequently won that show and has gone on to firmly implant himself onto Food Network’s line-up. His bright bleached blonde hair and biker dude persona have certainly shaken up the all-star roster over there a bit. I’ve made this recipe a few times before, and was originally drawn to it because of its fun name. Really, who doesn’t like saying Waka Waka Salad? It just makes you smile.
The salad is largely cabbage-based and there is no way I could get my boys to eat that, so to fool them into liking it, I mix in some spring greens, and they are none the wiser. When we had it over the weekend, they both had second helpings and The Husband was looking for leftovers the next day. See? Green vegetables can be their friend. It’s all in how you sell it. ;)
Waka Waka Salad (my modifications are italicized)
Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 packet ramen oriental seasoning
- Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 head Napa cabbage, sliced 1/8-inch thick (instead of using this and the next two cabbages and shredded carrots, I use a bag of that coleslaw mix. All the work is done for you!)
- 1/4 head red cabbage, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 1/2 head green cabbage, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, shredded
- small bag of spring greens
- 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (use fresh!)
- 24 wonton skins, fried (I skip this)
- 3 ramen noodle bunches, broken into small pieces
- 3/4 cup Spanish peanuts, finely chopped
In a large bowl combine oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, ramen seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix cabbages, onions, carrots, spring greens and cilantro. Whisk the dressing and pour over the cabbage mixture. Toss thoroughly. (Dress the salad no more than 10 minutes prior to serving.)
Place equal portions of salad on wonton skins and top with ramen noodles and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.
Sooo true. And it’s all in how you dress it up. That salad looks delish.
Sarah Carons last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Ball!
Do you have any tricks for getting husbands to eat any veggies at all?? :) My hubby is on a strict meat and potatoes diet – no fruits or veggies. Probably one of the main reasons I like to bake more than cook!
Traceys last blog post..Buttermilk Fantails
The name is catchy isn’t it… :)
Cynthias last blog post..My Char Siu & Siew Yuk
Nice title :) I dated a guy once who sheepishly confessed to me on one of our first dates that he “didn’t really like anything green.” He would eat salads but that was about where his tolerance for veggies ended!
mariss last blog post..Sweet Potato Soup
This salad sound delicious – what a great idea! The name does make a difference! Coming up with a cute name works for my daughter every time.
Natasha – 5 Star Foodies last blog post..White Asparagus Soup with Lemongrass and Almonds
Loved this as well the other night!
SIL
Love the sneakiness! ;) The name has me smiling just thinking about it! I’ll have to try this over the summer, sounds like it would be great with bbq.
Patsy Kreitmans last blog post..Cookies for Bunko Babes
It’s all in the marketing, at least for my kids it is. My husband is harder to sell, regardless of how catchy the name is.
Chefdrucks last blog post..Ready, Set, Relax… After You Do Your Homework
SIL – glad you liked it! And now, of course, that seems like a lifetime ago.
Chefdruck – it totally is all in the marketing, but I hear you on the husbands – they’re harder to outsmart sometimes. ;)
Patsy – as Sarah mentioned the other day, sounds like something Fozzy Bear would say. :)
Maris – maybe if we snuck the green vegetables into Pigs in a Blanket? ;)
Sarah – thanks, it was!
Tracey – I usually can hide asparagus and mushrooms and even peppers in casseroles but that’s it.
Natasha and Cynthia – it’s totally all about the name. :)
This Waka Waka salad sounds fantastic. How yummy!! Glad you were able to get your hubby to eat his cabbage. I bet he ate it and loved it, too!
Elyses last blog post..Toddy’s first foray into baking…
The salad looks great. Luckily we both like cabbage, even my son too!!! I love Guy’s show….I try never to miss it…
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