cabbage Tag

10 Sep

Posted at 11:02h in Recipes, Uncategorized by
12 Likes

Fresh organic produce is a staple in our home.  We are so grateful during CSA season because Blooming Glen Farm provides us with an amazing array of vegetables.  I really love creating colorful dishes that are full of flavor and this salad is one of my personal favorites.  Just be sure to carve out a little time for all of the chopping that this salad requires!

Zoodle Salad

Salad Ingredients:
2 zucchini- spiralized *
2 carrots- peeled and julienned
2 sweet peppers- julienned
3/4 cup cabbage- finely chopped
1-2 green onions- chopped
1 cucumber- peeled, seeds removed and julienned
1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing Ingredients:
6 Tbsp avocado oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp raw honey
4 Tbsp coconut aminos (can sub soy sauce if you want)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl and mix well.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Allow 15-20 minutes for veggies to marinate before serving.  This salad is best eaten the day it is made, so I recommend only dressing what you will eat.

*I love spiralizing my zucchini and making “zoodles” out of them.  But if you do not own a spiralizer, you can use a mandolin or a vegetable peeler to create more of a linguini “zoodle”.

**I added chicken to this salad.  I made an extra batch of dressing and marinated a few pastured chicken breasts in it.  After cooking the chicken, I thinly sliced them and added to the salad.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials, Website: www.truyouessentials.com

20 Jun

Posted at 07:52h in Recipes by
3 Likes

Napa CabbageThe delicate and pretty napa cabbage we found in our CSA shares this week regularly appears in East Asian dishes, from savory stir-fries to spicy Korean kimchi.  Napa is specifically a Chinese cabbage, comparable in flavor to bok choy and, of course, other cabbages.

Napa does have a milder flavor than the standard green and savoy cabbages, but still has all the nutrition those offer:

“[Cabbage’s] anti-inflammatory properties are stellar, thanks to the high content of an amino acid called glutamine. In addition to promoting the digestive process and intestinal health, glutamine has been shown to be useful in all sorts of treatments including burns and peptic ulcers. Because cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family, it’s also a great cancer-fighting food. Cruciferous veggies are high in indole-3-carbinol, a chemical shown to block the growth of cancer cells, as well as stimulate DNA repair in cells. Finally, a look at cabbage’s nutritional profile shows it as an excellent source of vitamins K and C, a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6 potassium and omega-3 fatty acids, and a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.”

This time of year, when the days are getting hotter and the air is humid, I prefer using napa uncooked, in a refreshing slaw.  There are tons of flavor varieties to play with when it comes to slaws.  Use the recipe below as a base, and try adding other shredded veggies, nuts, seeds, and vinegars.

Sesame Napa Slaw
Sesame Napa Slaw
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari sauce
1/2 teaspoon agave syrup
1 head napa cabbage, end trimmed, outer leaves removed, and chopped (about 4 cups)
2 green onions, with some of the greens, sliced thin
pepper, to taste

Method
In a bowl, mix the seeds, oil, vinegar, tamari and agave.  Add the cabbage and onion and toss, so that dressing coats the veggies. Pepper to taste and serve.

Post sources and recommended links:
Cabbages, from The Cooks Thesaurus.
8 Things to do with Napa Cabbage from She Knows.
Napa Cabbage: 5 Healthy Uses and Nutrition Facts, from Lunch Box Bunch.

Post and photos by Mikaela D. Martin: Blooming Glen CSA member since 2005, board-certified health counselor, and co-founder of Guidance for Growing, an integrative wellness practice in Souderton. Read more about healthy eating and living on her site, http://guidanceforgrowing.com!

01 Nov

Posted at 22:24h in Recipes by
5 Likes

Orangey Sweet & Sour CabbageCabbage is probably one of the most abused vegetables in town. On St. Patrick’s Day, it’s appearance is first upstaged by the potato, and then its nutrition is slow-cooked to near depletion. In picnic season, it’s coated with fatty oils, dressings and cream sauces. Probably worst of all, it’s reputation seems to be forever tarnished, thanks to the tiresome cabbage soup fad diet.

But, the cabbage deserves so much more than this! It’s anti-inflammatory properties are stellar, thanks to the high content of an amino acid called glutamine. In addition to promoting the digestive process and intestinal health, glutamine has been shown to be useful in all sorts of treatments including burns and peptic ulcers. Because cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family, it’s also a great cancer-fighting food. Cruciferous veggies are high in indole-3-carbinol, a chemical shown to block the growth of cancer cells, as well as stimulate DNA repair in cells. Finally, a look at cabbage’s nutritional profile shows it as an excellent source of vitamins K and C, a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6 potassium and omega-3 fatty acids, and a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.

Clearly, cabbage deserves to shine in all of our diets.  To get the most nutrition, be sure to eat it raw or fast-cooked. Cabbage is delicious steamed and splashed with balsamic vinegar, fits well into just about any stirfry, and makes a perfect wrap:

Orangey Sweet & Sour CabbageOrange Sweet & Sour Cabbage Wraps

Steam 12-15 large cabbage leaves until just tender, about 4 minutes, and set aside.

Combine sauce ingredients and set aside:
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup tamari
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup agave
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne
zest from 1/2 orange

Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups seitan*, chopped small, and cook until crispy (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. *Use crumbled tempeh for a gluten-free version, or if seitan is not available.

Reduce heat to low-medium, stir in 1 1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped small, 1 1/2 cup onion, chopped small and 4 cups cabbage, thinly shredded and cook until tender, but still crisp (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally; if mixture is sticking to pan, add a little water.

Reduce heat to low, stir in 3 cups cooked brown rice and half of the sauce, mix well and allow to thicken. Add sauce until the filling reaches your desired consistency. Remove filling from heat, scoop onto cabbage leaves and wrap ’em up!

Serve these immediately, two to three as a main dish or one as a side.  Options: Substitute peppers and rice for any veggies that are in season and grains that are on-hand.  Increase cayenne if you want to turn up the heat.  Substitute pineapple juice for orange juice and eliminate the orange zest if you want a more neutral sweet-and-sour flavor.

Post and photo by Mikaela D. Martin: Blooming Glen CSA member since 2005, board-certified health counselor, and co-founder and -owner of Guidance for Growing, an integrative wellness practice in Souderton. Read more about healthy eating and living on her site, http://guidanceforgrowing.com!