6 (make that, 10) ways to eat cabbage

Yes I am devoting an entire post, and an entire month, to cabbage. Because it’s awesome and tasty and filling and “meaty-ish.” No, I’m not reinventing the wheel here. But, seriously, how much easier and cheeeeaper does it get than up a head of cabbage?!? (Answer: it doesn’t.)

Last year, I started eating a new veggie every week (or using a veggie in a new way), and it helped me lose 25 pounds of baby weight from our second second. My main diet change was really simple: making veggies a huge part of each meal. I came up with some of these recipes to keep it interesting, so I didn’t get bored with the same old veggies, day in and day out. Avoiding a veggie rut. You heard it here first.

And thus, we have my very own, Ode to Cabbage.

1. ROAST IT and serve as a side dish. This is number one AND IN CAPS BECAUSE IT’S THAT GOOD. Like, my steak-loving husband actually requests this every week and is totally okay with a veggie-only meal as long as roasted cabbage is somewhere in there. For real. It’s filling and hearty and cheap and easy. You can use any type of cabbage, green or red. All you do it cut up the cabbage however you like (wedges, chunks, thin strips), put it on a baking sheet, add a couple tablespoons of coconut oil (or olive oil), add some salt and pepper, mix it up with your hands, spread it out, and put it in a 375-degree oven for however long it takes to get tender. (Usually 20 to 30 minutes for me.)

2. Make a warm, roasted cabbage salad. Or 5. We loooove the roasted cabbage thing at our house so much that I am starting to come up with new ways to use it. Like roasted cabbage salads. They are delicious and they seem super sophisticated, yet they’re ridiculously easy. They’re the perfect thing to have chopped and ready to roast when company comes over. Then just throw the toppings on and serve warm. (Sigh, I dream of having company over again one day. But for now I will just raise my 2 boys under 3 1/2 and shut up about it.)

First up, my Cozy Up roasted red cabbage salad, which is the perfect combination of sweet tanginess, roasted sophistication and uber-cheap ingredients.

Next, the Far-Out, Far East roasted cabbage salad might just be the most gorgeous thing that’s ever come out of my kitchen. Oh, and yeah, that’s a 20¢ piece of seaweed on top. (I’m soooo fancy.) Serve it at your next dinner party, and your guests will think you are the most chic, healthy, smart cook ever. (No one needs to know how cheap and easy it was to make!)

The Love Your Greens roasted cabbage salad uses goat cheese, walnuts, kale chips and Mariani dates to dress up your ordinary lunch salad. Decadent and deliciously satisfying!

The Skinny Summer cabbage salad uses the natural sugar in fruit for its sweetness, which is the perfect counterpoint to the salty roasted cabbage. Eat up!

The Super Sexy roasted red cabbage salad lives up to its name, and it’s the perfect first course for a sexy Valentine’s Day dinner at home!

3. Make your own creamy coleslaw. Back when we had no money and couldn’t even afford store-bought coleslaw to bring to family barbecues, I would go to the store and buy a head of cabbage to make my own coleslaw. Then I’d grate carrots and onion, and mix up my own dressing, all using this Betty Crocker recipe. (You could sub fat-free Greek yogurt for the sour cream and mayo to make it a little healthier, or even make your own dressing using olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.) Classic staple. The key is making it ahead so it has time to sit in the fridge and soften a bit in the dressing. It’s. So. Good.

4. Make 4-Ingredient clean-eating Mexican coleslaw. It’s not really Mexican, but it’s really healthy and really good. It takes 4 suuuper-cheap ingredients and makes a great filler in a mean chicken soft taco, or an interesting, healthy base to a taco salad. Plus, it’s only 39¢ per serving! My sister made it for me when I was staying at her house in California, and it went perfectly under our shredded Slow cooker salsa chicken. Healthy, tasty, delicious and filling.

5. Steam it. Seriously. Don’t just leave this for St. Patty’s Day. It’s delicious and so good for you. And it really couldn’t be easier. Cut half a green cabbage into chunks and put in microwave-safe bowl. Add a few tablespoons of water and microwave until the cabbage is tender. Add vinegar, salt and pepper and enjoy!

6. Make Kelly’s 33¢/serving amazing Asian cabbage slaw. My friend Kelly is asked for this recipe every time she makes it for a party or get-together. The ramen noodles are unexpected, and make it fun and different. Plus, it’s toooootally inexpensive ($2.01 for a huge bowl), and it feeds an army.

What are your favorite ways to eat cabbage? Leave your ideas in the comments section below.