Cooking Matters Recipe: Cabbage Rolls

The Spring Session of the Cooking Matters Cooking Class is off to a great start! We welcomed back Chef Carol, who taught participants knife skills, food safety, and cooking techniques. During spring a lot of fruits and vegetables are in season. Shopping in season allows you to get the freshest produce without having to spend too much money.

Participants in the Cooking Matters Cooking Class learned
how to make delicious Cabbage Rolls to kick off the spring session

Cabbage is in season during the spring; we discussed what to look for during purchase, how to store it, and why it’s a healthy choice. At the time of purchase cabbage leaves should be firm, fresh, and free of markings or brown spots. Cabbage must be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready for use, and you should always be sure to clean cabbage before use by removing the outer layer of leaves and rinsing it under cold water. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, plus it is an excellent source of Vitamin C!

Our menu consisted of cabbage rolls, chickpea and tomato salad with fresh basil, and pineapple carrot muffins. Once our meal was prepared we sat down to enjoy our hard work. I lead a discussion about the importance of consuming a well-balanced diet from all food groups. We compared our meal to the MyPlate guidelines set by the USDA. Lastly, we brushed up on our food label reading skills. In order to make healthy food choices at the grocery store you must have the ability to read and understand a food label. Over the next 5 weeks, participants will continue to expand their nutrition knowledge and gain cooking experience. I am looking forward to the coming weeks because this group was so fun and energetic— stay tuned next week for another recipe and more information.

CABBAGE ROLLS 

8 Servings

Ingredients:
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup uncooked brown rice
8 cabbage leaves1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup
8-16 toothpicks

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring a large, wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until softened; drain.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, cooked rice, onion, egg, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.

Divide the turkey mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and secure them with toothpicks or string.

In a large skillet over medium heat, place the cabbage rolls and pour the remaining tomato soup over the top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with the liquid often.