3 Reasons that Cabbage Isn’t Just for St. Patty’s Day

Oh cabbage, that often overlooked cruciferous that we often buzz past on our way to the kale and spinach.  And if we do find ourselves in need of it, we head straight to the bagged greens and pick up a bag of pre-cut cabbage which we end up slathering with mayo for our favorite slaw.

In honor of St. Patty’s Day, I want you to stop and smell the cabbage! Not just on this special day, but from here on out.  There are so many reasons to love this big headed wonder, whose cousins include broccoli, collard greens and Brussels sprouts.

Here are three of my favorite reasons why:

Cabbage is low calorie, high in fiber and (red cabbage) is more than 90% water. Water-dense foods can help with weight loss and maintenance.

Cabbage is chock-full of Vitamins A, C & K.   A cup of red cabbage will satisfy 85% of your daily vitamin C requirements and about 20% of your daily vitamin A requirements.  One cup of chopped green cabbage has 57% of your daily intake of Vitamin K which supports bone density.

The crunchy green is quite satiating, especially when eaten raw, compared to some other less dense leafy greens that you might use in your tossed salad.

Health benefits aside, red and green cabbage makes for a beautiful presentation when combined in a salad. Try my recipe for Red and Green Cabbage Salad today. I promise, it will change your mind about cabbage:).

RED & GREEN CABBAGE SALAD

Ingredients

  • ½ head green cabbage
  • ½ head purple cabbage
  • ½ – 1 cup of parsley, roughly chopped
  • 5 T. walnut oil
  • 2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (add more if desired)
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts

Directions

  • Roughly chop and toast walnuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Let cool.
  • Shred each of the cabbages with a knife.
  • Prepare dressing with walnut oil, white wine vinegar and mustard. Add 1 tsp. honey for a sweeter taste. Toss the salad with dressing, walnuts, parsley. Enjoy!

NOTES: This salad tastes even better after it sits for a while (refrigerated) and soaks up the dressing. Great for lunch the next day, too.

RecipesCharlee Conway