Cabbage gets no love.  It’s that vegetable we look at in the market and think, “Yeah, I see you a lot, you’re inexpensive, but I have no idea what to do with you!” Right?

So, this month’s article is all about cabbage, the neglected vegetable.

There are so many unique varieties of cabbage; I encourage you to try a few until you find one you love.  My personal favorites are Napa and Savoy; they’re just so pretty and great additions to slaws and stir-frys.

So why should you attempt to eat more of this vegetable with which you have no idea what to do?

Let’s break it down:

-       As a cruciferous vegetable (cousin of broccoli, Brussels sprouts etc.), cabbage naturally cleans out your colon.  Cabbage juice in particular has been used to naturally treat ulcers for centuries!

-       Cabbage is one of the best vegetables for cancer prevention.  It contains three different types of nutrient richness – antioxidant richness, anti-inflammatory richness, and richness in glucosinolates (amino acids that stimulate the body’s own natural antioxidant systems).  A review of 94 studies published in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention showed that in 70 percent of the studies, cabbage consumption was associated with a decreased risk in cancer!

-       Cabbage is super rich in vitamins A, C and phytonutrients, and when steamed, can lower cholesterol by binding with the bile acids in your body.

On board?  I hope so!

Here are two of my favorite cabbage recipes:

The first, Cabbage and Apple Slaw, comes from my {Healthy} Cooking Camp partner Quinn Asteak! We served this dish at a Your Bella Life Colorful Conversations event and it was a huge hit!

Another personal favorite is Vegetarian Borscht with Cabbage.  This soup will last all week and when served cold is light, refreshing and filling.

Now I want to hear from you! How do you Bella Beauties eat your cabbage? 

Vegetarian Borscht with Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 pound beets, peeled and cut into a small dice (feel free to buy vacuum packed, pre-prepared beets)

2 medium onions, sliced into half-moons

2 large carrots, small dice

1 pound white cabbage, cut thinly into shreds

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 cups of vegetable stock

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt, chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or dill

Directions:

1. Sauté all of the veggies over medium heat in olive oil with salt and pepper in a large soup pot.
2. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a separate pot.  When the vegetables are soft (5-8 minutes) add them to the hot stock.  Bring everything to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook about 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
3. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and add lemon juice.  You can serve this soup warm or cold!  Delicious through the summer months.