summer cabbage.

While I love making sauerkraut, when we are getting one head of cabbage at a time in our CSA box I often find that head of cabbage sitting on my counter longer than I would like. One of my favorite recipes that uses that whole cabbage head is my take on a German style Apples & Cabbage. It tastes great as a side dish fresh out of the pot steamy hot, and is also good the next day cold from the fridge.


ingredients::
4 cups thinly sliced red or green cabbage
2 1/2 cups peeled/sliced apples (tart)
1 large sliced red onion
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider or beer (I use hard cider)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds & coriander seeds, ground (or you could go more traditional and use caraway seeds)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pinch of nutmeg
ground fresh pepper to taste


instructions::
Put the cabbage, apples, onion and cider/beer into a saucepan. Cover and cook on medium heat until everything is tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, reduce heat to simmer, and cook another 30 minutes. Add more beer/cider if needed to keep everything from sticking to the pan. Season to taste.


think::

Did you know :: Red cabbage contains a lot more protective phytonutrients than white cabbage, and "The vitamin C equivalent, a measure of antioxidant capacity, of red cabbages is six to eight times higher than that of white cabbage." Red cabbage may be beneficial in prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. In addition to being packed with Vitamin C, red cabbage is a good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids and a decent source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, potassium, magnesium, and even vitamin A!

turnip potato mash.

Oh, it is that time again! The time of cold nights, comfort foods, bread in the oven, and the slow cooker on the counter. In our CSA box we have been getting those end of season root veggies which go so well with all of that cold weather food. One of my favorites is turnips.

I love making the first of the season turnip potato mash. So good!

::turnip potato mash::

8 turnips, chopped
5-6 medium potatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
freshly ground pepper
1-2 cloves of soft roasted garlic (optional)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
fresh or dried herbs, if you like (I added dried thyme from our garden)

Put the chopped turnips & potatoes in a pot with water (enough to cover). Bring to a boil, and then cook on medium heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and toss into a casserole pan. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the cooked root veggies. Add the butter, roasted garlic, salt & pepper, herbs and then mix. Sprinkle most of the Parmesan over the top. Place the casserole pan into a pre-heated 350º oven. Bake about 20-30 minutes until the top is golden. Let cool a bit and then serve with a little bit of the fresh Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Great side dish!

I know many people just boil and mash their turnips and serve without the baking step, but I find turnips a bit more watery than potatoes. Baking a bit helps thicken the dish a little, and also gives a nice boost of flavor on top from the baked parmesan!



ingredient tip::

Turnips may be a 'starch' veggie, but they contain only about one third of the calories as an equal amount of potatoes. Turnips are a great source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, manganese, panthothenic acid and copper. They also contain a good amount of thiamine, potassium, niacin, magnesium, riboflavin and the vitamins B6 and E.

And with turnips don't throw away those greens! Turnips Greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. We like to saute them in a pan with a little olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper and a splash of good balsamic. Takes only a minute and they are super tasty!