Turn Over A New Leaf And Give Cabbage A Try

I’m here today to sing the praises of cabbage, a vegetable that’s generally honored only on St. Patrick’s Day.

Cabbage belongs to a group called cruciferous vegetables. This group includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and kohlrabi. They are called anti-cancer vegetables because, if eaten regularly, they’re associated with lower cancer rates, particularly cancers of the stomach and large intestine.

Green cabbage is the most common variety in the produce department. Other choices include red cabbage, savoy, bok choy, and Chinese or Napa cabbage. Chinese or Napa cabbage and bok choy work great for stir-fry dishes.

To make things easy, pre-shredded cabbage is readily available. You’ve no excuse for not tossing together a quick coleslaw using packaged cabbage and prepared dressing.

Today’s entree, a cabbage-sausage casserole, uses about 2 cups of packaged cabbage. Don’t be concerned if shredded carrots and red cabbage are in the mixture too; they’ll make for a colorful dish.

The cabbage needs careful attention while cooking, only 3-4 minutes in this recipe. Overcooking will result in a strong, lingering odor.

Reduce fat by selecting one of the newer lower-fat Polish kielbasa sausages. There are only 3 grams of fat in 4 ounces of sausage, bringing the fat calories of the entree to 26 percent.

Now, is anyone interested in sauerkraut?

Noodles with Kielbasa, Cabbage and Caraway Seeds

Adapted from “The 5 In 10 Pasta and Noodle Cookbook” (John Boswell Management)

1 pound wide egg noodles

1/2 pound regular or low-fat precooked Kielbasa sausage

4 tablespoons margarine

1/2 package shredded cabbage mix (about 2 cups)

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the noodles as directed on package.

Cut the sausage into 1/4-inch slices. Melt margarine in skillet and add sausage. Cook 2 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Add the 1/2 package shredded cabbage. Cook, stirring often, until softened and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the caraway seeds and cook 1 minute longer.

Toss the cooked noodles with the cabbage mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 209 calories, 9 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fat (26 percent fat calories), 46 milligrams cholesterol, 379 milligrams sodium.

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