Cabbage is a simple vegetable and a wonderful seasonal addition to your everyday meals. From simple slaws and cabbage soup to stuffed cabbage rolls and savory noodle dishes, cabbage is an inexpensive and handy vegetable to stock in your kitchen this spring.

Savory Cabbage Noodles (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large package egg noodles*
5 slices bacon*
Olive oil, as needed

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup reduced fat cottage cheese*

*To make a vegetarian or vegan version of this dish, substitute whole wheat linguine, tempeh bacon, and crumbled tofu or dairy-free mozzarella cheese.

Directions:

Bake or saute the bacon until crisp. Crumble the bacon directly into a large saucepan and add the bacon drippings.

Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the core, and slice the quarters into 1/2-inch shreds.

Prepare the noodles according to package directions.

While the noodles are cooking, add the cabbage and onions to the bacon. Saute 10-15 minutes, or until the onion slices begin to caramelize. You may need to add additional olive oil to the pan if you used a low fat or vegetarian bacon and/or the vegetables begin to stick to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Drain the noodles and add them to the saucepan. Be sure to drain the noodles well or you will end up with too much liquid in your dish. Toss the noodles with the mixed vegetables and bacon until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Add the cottage cheese, stir well, and cook until the cottage cheese melts into a cream sauce. Serve hot.

Cabbage Rolls (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef, ground turkey, meatless ground beef substitute, or crumbled tempeh
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 large carrot, grated
1 sweet potato, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
salt and pepper, to taste

1 large green cabbage
2 cups marinara sauce

Sour cream or Greek yogurt [optional]

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 11 baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with all of the ingredients except for the cabbage and marinara sauce. Set aside.

Remove the core from the cabbage. Steam the cabbage over high heat in a large pot. Rotate the cabbage occasionally for even steaming.

Gently peel off the leaves. Scoop about 1/2 cup of the filling onto each cabbage leaf and carefully roll each leaf as if you were making enchiladas. Place seam side down in your prepared baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the rolls and spread evenly with a spatula.

Cover and cook for approximately one hour. Remove cover and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes. Serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.