Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed cabbage is one of my favorite dishes. It's the perfect dinner to make when you have leftover rice and/or lentils. I used both in this recipe. Here's the condensed version of why it's good for you: Briefly cooked cabbage helps prevent cancer, lowers your cholesterol and reduces inflammation. It's an excellent source of vitamins C and K. 

Stuffed Cabbage

1 organic head of cabbage 

2 C cooked brown rice and/or lentils

1 28oz can of organic crushed tomatoes

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp Allspice

1 tsp sea salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Carefully remove 6-8 outer leaves of a head of cabbage. Removing the core will make this step a little easier. Wash any leaves that have dirt on them. Place the leaves into the boiling water, being careful not to tear them. Blanch the leaves until the stalks slightly soften. Timing depends on the thickness of the stalk but it will be roughly 5 minutes or less. Carefully drain the leaves and allow to cool until you can handle them.

I had leftover lentils and brown rice that were combined with a sauteed onion, in my freezer. For every 6-8 rolls you make, you will need about 2 cups. Of course, you can always make the "stuffing" prior to blanching the cabbage if you don't have leftovers.

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar and allspice. Place half the tomatoes into a small baking dish.

On a clean workspace or plate, lay one leaf out and place a large spoonful (serving spoon or tablespoon) of rice toward the bottom of the leaf. Gently fold both sides over the stuffing, then roll toward the outer portion of the leaf, using your fingers to keep the sides tucked in as you roll. Place seam side down into the baking dish. Continue rolling leaves and adding them to the dish. Pour the remaining tomatoes over the rolls.

Bake in the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes. 

NOTES: This recipe has enough tomato sauce to make several more rolls. So if you double it, you won't have to double the sauce. If you're making more rolls, make sure you buy a larger head of cabbage, rather than small.

I use the remaining head of cabbage to make a quick coleslaw while the rolls are cooking. Finely dice it, add a large shredded carrot, a few tablespoons of Earth Balance Mindful Mayo and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Lentils with Red Cabbage, Shiitake and Onions

This is a quick and easy dish that can be a side, or your main course if you're vegan/vegetarian. The ingredients are natural sources of fiber, iron and protein.

Lentils with Red Cabbage, Shiitake and Onions

1 C Green Lentils

1 Yellow Onion, quartered and sliced

1 C Red Cabbage, sliced the same size as the onions

8 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removes and tops sliced

2 cloves of Garlic, finely sliced

3-4 TBS Tamari

1 Bay leaf

4-5 TBS of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Rinse the lentils and put them in a small sauce pan with the bay leaf. Cover with water, about an inch or so above the lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the mean time, add the olive oil, onion, cabbage, mushrooms and garlic to a large fry pan with a lid. Season with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover. Allow this to braise in it's own moisture for about 10 minutes, checking towards the end to make sure it's not burning. The veggies should be lightly caramelized. 

Drain the lentils (remove the bay leaf) and add them to the veggies. Add the Tamari, stir and serve.

Serves 4 as a main dish; 6 as a side. Vegan and Gluten Free.

*Just a reminder that I use all organic ingredients. Support your local organic farms whenever possible. Say NO to GMOs!

Mushroom Sauce

This is an easy sauce that you can use with many dishes....pasta, polenta, crepes, etc. The sauce is vegan and can be made gluten-free. Maitake mushrooms give your immune system a boost, so if they're available at your market, make sure you include them in this dish.

Mushroom Sauce

About 4 handfuls of assorted mushrooms, chopped

1/2 lg sweet onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, diced

3/4 C vegetable broth

3 tsp flour (cornstarch for gluten free)

1 tsp fresh thyme

4-5 TBS of extra virgin olive oil or organic Earth Balance

2 tsp organic barley miso

2 TBS white wine or sherry (omit for vegan)

salt and pepper

Add olive oil or Earth Balance to a large saute pan. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms and saute over medium heat being careful not to burn the garlic. Lightly season with thyme, salt and pepper, then saute until onions and mushrooms are a light golden brown. Turn down the heat and sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour or cornstarch. Stir until the mushrooms are coated and the flour is no longer white. Add 1/2 C of the vegetable broth and the wine, continuing to stir. Allow sauce to thicken while simmering. Add the miso to the remaining 1/4 C of broth and whisk until dissolved. Add miso to the sauce and stir until blended. Makes about 2-3 cups.

NOTES: If using Earth Balance instead of the olive oil, keep in mind that it's salted and you will most likely not need to add more salt. The miso is also salty. 

Veggie Latkes

I like to add veggies to my latkes so I don't feel as guilty for eating fried potatoes. Today I added carrots, kale and red onions. One of my favorites is spinach and feta cheese, which I'll probably post here eventually. Zucchini also works very well. But the traditional latkes with applesauce are just as delicious! I usually make them for breakfast with an over easy egg on top. If you'd like to make them gluten free, try garbanzo flour. It adds a nice flavor.

Veggie Latkes

4 Russet Potatoes, peeled and grated

1 lg Carrot, grated

3 Kale leaves, remove stalks, roll then finely slice

1/2 Red Onion, finely diced

2 TBS flour

1 Egg, beaten (optional)

Salt and Pepper

Oil for frying (I used organic expeller pressed canola)

Combine potatoes and vegetables in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and pepper, add egg if you are using one. Add flour and coat well. 

In a large frying pan, add oil until the bottom of the pan is covered. Heat over medium flame until you drop in one shred of potato and it sizzles. Using a fork, spoon or your hands, drop small amounts of mixture into the oil. I use a fork to shape and lightly pat down into a small disc shape. Fry until golden brown then carefully turn over and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels. You can keep them warm in a 250 degree oven until you're ready to serve.

NOTES: The drier the potatoes, the better the latkes. Red potatoes have too much moisture and will make your latkes soft.

Vegetarian Chili

It's Superbowl weekend and even though I am not a football fan, I do like getting together with friends and eating! In honor of the big game, I made a pot of vegetarian (vegan) chili. The most challenging part of this blog so far, has been writing out the recipes. I don't usually measure anything when I'm cooking, especially chili. I change the ingredients around depending on what I have at hand. I kept notes today so I'd have some idea of exactly what I put in the pot and how much! I like spicy food, but if you don't, you may want to tweak this recipe to suit your own taste. GO EAGLES! (I know they're not playing....just messin' with ya)

Vegetarian/Vegan Chili

3 C dried beans (I used Red Kidney, Navy and Pinto) soaked overnight in water and drained

1 Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 Jalapeno Pepper, diced

1 Yellow onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, diced

3 Carrots, quartered and diced

1 28oz can of Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 6oz can of tomato paste

2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

1 or 2 8oz pkgs of Chorizo Seitan

4 C water

3 tsp Chili Powder

3 tsp Paprika

2 tsp Cumin

3 Bay Leaves

Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil

Garnish: Cheddar Cheese, Green Onions, Bread, Tortilla Chips, etc

In a 6 qt stock pot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots and peppers in a few tablespoons of olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the beans, tomatoes, water and spices. (Not the salt!) Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 2 hours. Crumble the seitan and add to the chili. Add salt to taste and simmer another 15-20 minutes. Remove Bay Leaves before serving. Makes about 4 qts of chili.

NOTES: Adding salt too soon prevents the beans from getting soft. Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce can be found in the Mexican section of your market. They come in a small can and pack a big punch. Don't even think about adding the entire can! Upton's Naturals makes a non-GMO Chorizo flavored Seitan. If your market carries it, it's probably in the refrigerator section where the tofu is located. Using a pressure cooker will reduce cooking time. I allowed mine to simmer for 5 hours, but it's not necessary.