The cabbage, like the turnip, is a vegetable that gets little respect, despite the fact that it has been around a long time and is most versatile and healthy.

 

The cabbage traveled from Europe, some say Germany, to the North American shores and has been evolving ever since.

 

Cabbage is not that difficult to grow and it is worthwhile setting a little patch aside to grow this one.

 

Why, well besides, the fact that you can make cabbage rolls, stir fries, stews, soups and cole slaw to name a few dishes, the cabbage packs a health wallop and stores reasonably well.

 

Cabbage contains the following:

 

Vitamin A  Vitamin B1  Vitamin B2  Vitamin B6  Vitamin C  Folate (folic acid)

 

I like raw cabbage either as a cole slaw or simply by itself, sliced thin with a little apple cider vinegar drizzled over it and some black pepper. It makes a great snack that can be prepared in advance, put in a sealed container and kept in the fridge until I am ready to enjoy it. Apples and cabbage go well together and a few thin apple slices can sweeten a cole slaw.

 

A Basic Cole Slaw:

 

Ingredients:

 

1-      1 medium cabbage, grated

2-      1 large carrot, grated

 

If you are making slaw for one, simply grate the amount of each vegetable you desire and palce the rest in a sealed container for another time. I usually add twice as much cabbage as I do carrot but that is my preference. You can use a purple cabbage for a different look or a purple and green cabbage.

 

Dressing:

 

Here you have a wide range of options, some use mayonnaise which is tasty, I prefer to use either a lemon juice and vinegar combination or a balsamic vinaigrettes. I have, because my wife likes it, used a creamy blue cheese dressing.

 

Make your own decisions.

 

Choice, when a food increases your options you just gotta love it.

 

In my vegetable soup stock, the bits of cabbage that I have not used yet are included. I buy cabbage regularly and our kitchen almost always has some on hand.

 

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls:

 

 

Ingredients-

 

1 head of cabbage  1/3 cup butter  3 cups par boiled rice  2 onions  1/2 tsp. garlic  2 cans tomato juice  sea salt and black pepper

 

Preparation-

 

1- Boil cabbage leaves in pot until tender, do not overcook.

2- Boil rice until it's soft.

3- In pan, melt butter, add diced onion and garlic.

3- Cook onion on medium heat until golden brown.

4- When cabbage is ready, mix rice, butter and onions together in a big pot.

5- Lay the leaves of cabbage one leaf at a time across your hand,

6- Spoon rice mixture onto one end of the leaf.

7- Roll the cabbage and push in rice from the open ends.

8- Place in a crock pot with a sheet of wax paper between the layers.

9- Pour one can of tomato juice on them and let cook for 1 hour,

10- Add another can and let cook for another 45 minutes.

11- Pepper, salt to taste.

 

Serve and enjoy. A simple green salad can go well with this meal or steamed vegetables.

 

If you are cramped for space you can grow two, maybe three cabbages, in a large container, at least two feet across. Be sure to consider the fact that you are growing in a container when you buy yoru cabbage seed and select the varieties that suit.