De-Constructed Stuffed Cabbage Soup
4 Rules For Grocery Shopping:
1) Make a list. This will reduce the likelihood of grabbing THIS off the shelf.
2) Never shop while hungry (or on a fast day), you will overbuy!
3) Get dressed. Don’t wear pajamas or next thing you know there will be a picture of you HERE…
4) Bring your coupons or saver’s card. Don’t you get all fuzzy and tingly when you see how much you have saved on the bottom of the receipt?
I am ashamed to say that I don’t always follow my rules. Rule number 2 is the biggest challenge for me; I ALWAYS shop while hungry.
After your shopping trip, it is important to figure out how to use the produce before it goes bad. A few weeks ago, I catered an 150 person event and ordered too much cabbage. After many days of eating fresh coleslaw, I decided to make and freeze cabbage soup. The winter months are coming and there is nothing better than eating a hot bowl of soup on a cold night.
The cabbage soup below is a one pot meal. Made with cabbage, tomatoes, lentils and beans, this soup is extremely versatile and wonderfully tasty. I add ground up cooked meat or morning star to the soup to add some extra protein.
De-Constructed Stuffed Cabbage Soup
Makes A Lot!
2 Onions, diced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
4 TBS. Oil
2 Carrots, diced
2 Stocks Celery, diced 1 Head of Cabbage, sliced thin
2 Cans Chopped Tomatoes, with juice
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 Cup Lentils
8-10 C. Vegetable Broth
1/2 C. Parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Oregano
1 lb. Ground Meat or MorningStar (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and saute till translucent. Add garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for another minute. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, lentils and cabbage. Pour in the broth until it reaches about 2 inches about the cabbage. Add the parsley and oregano. Cover and let simmer till vegetable and lentils are tender and cooked, about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. In another pan, saute the meat or morningstar till brown. Top each bowl of soup with the ground meat.
