Stuffed Food is Mighty Tasty

What's better than really good food?

Try really good food, stuffed with more really good food.

Case in point:

Savory Stuffed Tomatoes (Yes, please)

Chocolate cookies stuffed with peanut butter (Please pass me one. Or five.)

Stuffed Sweet Potato Pockets (I need more of these in my life).

Today: Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage, adapted from a Moosewood Collective Recipe.

Mind. Blowing. Check out the unique variety of ingredients loaded into this baby:

• Savory: onion, bell pepper, carrot, soy sauce
• Sweet: apple, honey, raisins (yes!)
• Crunchy: toasted walnuts
• Awesome: ricotta cheese

A family friend passed this recipe along to me, which he located in an old Moosewood Cookbook. I'm super grateful. Because they're super good. We enjoyed ours tonight with a simple side salad.

What's your favorite "stuffed" food?

Stuffed Cabbage

(adapted from a Moosewood Collective recipe)

These guys are nothing like the traditional salty, meaty stuffed cabbage. The sweetness of the honey, apple, and raisins balance beautifully with the soy sauce, veggies, and crunchy walnuts. You could serve yours on a bed of rice, but who needs rice when you've got delicious food, stuffed with more delicious food?

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 apples, diced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
• One 15 oz. container of part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP reduced-sodium soy-sauce
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large pot of water, pre-boil cabbage until just tender, about 10 - 15 minutes. Drain and remove 6 - 8 large leaves for stuffing.

3) Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, apple, carrot, and garlic. Saute until softened and lightly browned--about 8 - 9 minutes.

4) In a large bowl, combine the vegetable mixture with the ricotta, toasted walnuts, honey, soy sauce, and pepper.

5) Spoon the filling (about 1/4 cup) into each individual cabbage leaf and wrap tightly. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes.