A cabbage as big as my head!

Last winter I signed up for a bi-weekly delivery of an organic fruit and vegetable box, as it was a great way to support local farmers and start eating more vegetables. The interesting challenge was that I never knew what I was going to receive in my box, which caused me to seek out new recipes and opened up a whole new world of healthy meals that I probably wouldn't have tried on my own.

However, my enthusiasm for the organic food adventure became quickly dampened when each and every time I opened my box, I was greeted by the sight of a gigantic cabbage, the proportions of which would be more suitable for a sauerkraut cook-off during Oktoberfest than a single person household.

I went through many recipes to deal with my over-abundance of cabbage, many of which I am too kind to share with you.While I do admit that my backyard bunny(and probably his 45 friends) really scored that winter, I did succeed in finding two dishes that I really enjoyed.  I hope you do, too.

Stir-Fried Cabbage with Peanut Sauce

2 cups shredded cabbage                               2 stalks celery
1 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup veg stock( I use the vegetarian chicken stock from Bulk Barn)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar                                 1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
1 carrot                                                        1 tsp soy sauce or Braggs
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp peanut butter                                  1/2 tsp chili powder

Shred cabbage and slice carrots into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice celery.
Heat oil in a large non stick skillet or wok.  Add chili powder and saute briefly. Add cabbage, carrot and celery and stir-fry 5-8 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add soy sauce and stock and stir well to combine. Cover, reduce heat and let cook for 5 minutes.
Combine peanut butter and vinegar. Uncover cabbage and increase heat. Stir in peanut butter mixture. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peanut butter has melted into the cabbage.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Vegetable Borscht

1 red onion, chopped                                     4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, chopped                                 2-4 beets, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil                                                1-2 cups cabbage, chopped (purple adds nice colour)
1 cup spinach                                                  1 can diced tomatoes
2.5 cups veg. stock                                         1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 tsp horseradish (I substitute  1tsp.dijion mustard)

In large pot, saute onions, garlic, carrots and beets in oil on medium heat. until onions are translucent. Add the cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, stock, pepper and horseradish. Simmer on medium heat for 20-30 minutes or until carrots and beets can be pierced easily with a fork.

Cold comfort: cooking when you feel like cr*p

Right now, it seems that everyone either has a cold or is fighting one. While the last thing anyone wants to do when they are sick is spend alot of time in the kitchen, there is nothing more comforting like a piping-hot, spicy bowl of soup.  I have designed this recipe with shortcuts, so you can chill on the couch while this is cooking. A tip for my male readers:  the extra time provides ample opportunity to whine loudly about how sick you are.

This soup is great for colds as lentils are high in protein, calcium, potassium, zinc(a cold fighter), and iron. The vitamin c in the tomatoes not only fights colds but enhances iron absorption. Garlic and cayenne pepper have been proven to fight cold side effects.

Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup
As much garlic as you can stand, minced (garlic powder is fine)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups of frozen vegtables, thawed (I used mixed frozen vegs)
2 stalks celery (optional)
6 cups vegetable stock
1 can diced tomatoes, including juice
2 cups cooked lentils (pre-cook or used canned)
pepper (to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)

In a large pot, add stock, lentils,celery, onions, and canned tomatos. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add  vegetables, pepper, cayenne  and garlic powder. Simmer for 20 minutes.