Spiced Red Cabbage Recipe

A hearty portion of vegetables with a meal provides the soluble fibre and minerals so important to steady blood sugar levels and eliminate waste products that we need to function efficiently. None more so than members of the brassicas family, or cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, kale and cavolo nero. Here, the red cabbage also adds in the antioxidant purple colour of proanthocyanidins that encourage circulation and support nervous system function.

The spices in this dish are also thermogenic or heat-creating to raise metabolism and efficient use of fuel. They also all have blood sugar-regulating properties, particularly cinnamon, which contains an antioxidant called MCHP that has shown to mimic the effects of insulin and allow us to use the sugars from carbohydrates more effectively. It also tells our brains we have had something sweet without upsetting blood sugar levels, so curbs the highs and lows of blood sugar imbalances, whilst quenching cravings. 

RECIPE

Serves: 10

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 75 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 head red cabbage
1-2 cooking apples
2 cinnamon sticks
4-6 bay leaves
8-10 peppercorns
8-10 all spice berries
8-10 juniper berries
6-8 cloves
4-6 star anise
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
250ml apple juice/cider/red wine
150ml apple cider vinegar
½ tsp fresh grated nutmeg

METHOD

1. Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage, cut into quarters and cut out the cores, then finely slice the cabbage either with a knife or a mandolin.

2. Peel and grate the apple and add to a large saucepan along with the cabbage, cinnamon sticks, bay and salt.

3. Make a bouquet garni by adding the peppercorns, all spice, juniper, cloves, star anise and fennel into a muslin cotton square, gathering up the corners to make a little bundle and securing with some string. If you do not have a muslin cloth then you can use a clean, natural j-cloth instead. Adding the spices into a muslin pouch allows you to infuse the flavours into the cabbage without having to pick the spices out at the end, but you can add the spices loose if you don't have anything to make your bouquet garni out of. You could use ground spices if you prefer.

4. Pour the liquids over the cabbage, put the pan on the heat and bring to a simmer.

5. Using some greaseproof paper, cut out a circle slightly larger than the circumference of the pan (this is called a cartouche) and place it over the top of the cabbage, this allows the steam to cook the top layer of the cabbage whilst still allowing some of the liquid to boil off and reduce down.

6. Gently simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

7. Remove bouquet garni, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves from the pan.

8. Grate fresh nutmeg over the cabbage before serving.

SERVING SUGGESTION Serve with roast organic meat or a nut roast and a root vegetable puree.

STORAGE The cabbage will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. The vinegar helps preserve the cabbage.

This recipe supports Chapter 1 of my Nine Foundations of Whole Health Natural Health Webinar (available to Whole Health Members), on Regulating Blood Sugar, Energy & Cravings. See my previous blog for more info on that chapter.

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