Cabbage is a really underrated vegetable. It’s very versatile and so good for our bodies. I love buying it already shredded and throwing it in a stir fry. A few nights ago, I realized I had a bag to use and was all stir fried out. I had little remaining fresh vegetables, as we needed a trip to the grocery store, so I had to work with what I had in the pantry. Since we always have Earth Balance butter in the fridge, I had everything I needed to make a delicious cabbage containing meal.
As if we needed more reasons to love cabbage, 1 cup contains just 22 calories! Not to mention 1 gram of protein and 2 grams of fiber. Then there’s the vitamins. Cabbage is packed with vitamin K, which is essential for clotting our blood properly. Vitamin C, which is just an amazing thing in and of itself, is also present. Folate, Manganese, Calcium, Potassium, B6- these are all present, at least a little bit, in this delicious, low calorie food. Besides all these nutrients, cabbage also contains antioxidants which protect our bodies against free radicals. Free radicals have been shown to damage healthy cells which can then lead to cancer. Do we need any other reasons to eat cabbage!?
Earth Balance spread has been around for awhile now. It’s popping up all over the place, in terms of where you can find it; it’s not just at Whole Foods. It is made up mainly of vegetable oil and is a perfect substitute for butter in almost any recipe. It even comes in sticks for making baking easier! It’s not crazy expensive either. I buy a huge tub from Whole Foods, seen here, for $10 and it lasts! Butter is something everyone could switch out and not miss. Yes, Earth Balance contains oil, so is it super healthy and lowfat? No, not really, but it’s still a much better alternative than using an animal product. If you can use a plant-based product instead, without missing the animal product, why not give it a try?
Through my short bit of research, cabbage and noodles is a Polish dish called “Haluski.” Ironically, I’m quite Polish and never had this growing up! I’m sure going to make up for it now. 😋
I added the fennel seed, as I already had some from a previous recipe. It’s not necessary here, but adds a nice depth of flavor. It can easily be found on Amazon, of course. In addition, I like a little kick, and just a few sprinkles of crushed red pepper flakes on top makes it perfect.
Written as is makes about 8 servings. If doubled, you would definitely have a lot to freeze!
So lo and behold, my cabbage and noodle recipe! It’s very simple and delicious.
Ingredients:
Half a head green cabbage, chopped finely or one 10oz bag already shredded
*You can double the recipe and use the entire head of cabbage. This recipe will freeze nicely.*
8 Tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter, divided
1 pound vegan noodle of your choice (eggless egg noodles or Rigatoni work well)
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons fennel seed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes for topping (optional)
Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.
While noodles are cooking, in a large saucepan, saute onion in a tablespoon of butter.
After about 10 minutes, add cabbage and fennel seed and mix well. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Cover and continue to let the cabbage cook for 8-10 minutes.
Drain noodles and return them to the pot in which they were cooked. Add the remaining butter and stir well, mixing throughout.
Add cabbage and onion mixture to noodles and stir again.
Add a bit more salt and pepper, if necessary. Top with red pepper flakes, if using, and enjoy!😋
The Veg Table 