(Disclaimer: I had trouble naming this dish, so AK helped out… :))
Hard economic times mean a lot of people have to cut their food budgets. Luckily, there are plenty of cheap, fresh ingredients that are filling and healthy, but you get a lot of bang for your buck so they won’t put a dent in your wallet. One of my favorite fall & winter ingredients that is both cheap and healthy is cabbage.
You may have seen the recent NYTimes article on cabbage, “A Versatile Vegetable for Hard Times.” Yes, cabbage is an acquired taste, but there are so many different applications you can use with cabbage that you are sure to find one that works for you and your family. Cabbage is high in vitamins K and C, and has lots of fiber so it’ll help you feel full longer.
Here is just one easy and delicious cabbage recipe. I use ground turkey to keep it healthy, but you could use beef or another ground meat. I also keep it simple with onions, carrots, celery, and cabbage, but you could add other veggies as well.
Turkey & Cabbage (Awesomeness)
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey
2 carrots, peeled
1 celery stalk
2 cups sliced cabbage
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat oil in a large saucepan. Saute onions 4-5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and turkey and cook until browned.
- Meanwhile, use a peeler to make ribbons of of the carrots. Slice celery thinly. Add carrots, celery, and cabbage to pan and cook covered until veggies are soft and turkey is cooked through, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The cost:
onion: .39
garlic: .10
turkey: 3.99
carrots: .69
celery: .99
cabbage: .35
Grand total: $6.51; serves 4 over rice (+$0.99)