Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I’ve been whipping up omelets, salads and skillet dishes for quick meals these days. Every now and again though, I get the urge (and have the time) to make a more labor-intensive dish…you know the one you can taste the effort and love you put into it?

This is one of those meals. I made these cabbage rolls during our last Spring snow storm when I was craving comfort food and these hit the spot!

For April I was assigned to Sarah’s Fantastical Sharing of Recipes blog for the Secret Recipe Club…and I couldn’t decide what to make! My goodness, Sarah has an extensive list of dishes that I kept scrolling through to choose from. I have her family’s original Tamale Balls and Guy Fieri’s Cherry Cobbler Pizza on my to-make list but when I saw her Classic Cabbage Rolls, I was sold. Besides the cabbage, I had all of the ingredients already on-hand and needed a little “me time” in the kitchen.

I made a few slight changes by finely dicing my onions, using a large head of cabbage instead of medium and used crushed tomatoes instead of diced since that’s what I hand in the pantry. I also used brown rice, unsweetened ketchup, coconut sugar for the sweetener and I added 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms because I needed to use them up in the fridge. Since I used already salted tomatoes, I opted to reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon and increase the black pepper by a smidgen.

Delicious results!

Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (lightly adapted from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes)
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Grain-free option, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free

Ingredients

• 1 large head cabbage
• 1 1/2 cups finely diced onion, divided
• 1 Tbsp. butter, ghee, olive oil, coconut oil, Earth Balance (use oil or Earth Balance for dairy free)
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans organic crushed tomatoes with basil (or Italian diced tomatoes)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp coconut palm sugar or other sweetener
• 1 tsp sea salt, divided
• 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa (for grain-free, increase mushrooms)
• 1/4 cup ketchup (I used unsweetened ketchup)
• 2 Tbsp gluten free Worcestershire sauce (I used Lea and Perrins brand)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 lb. ground beef, bison or turkey (if using turkey use lean not extra lean)
• 1/4 lb. Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)
• 1/2 cup V8 juice, optional (I didn’t use)

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes or until outer leaves are tender. Drain and rinse in cold water; drain. Remove eight large outer leaves (refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use) and set aside.
• Meanwhile in a large saucepan, saute 1 cup onion in butter/oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, sweetener and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and remaining onion and salt. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture, add in mushrooms and mix well.
• Remove thick vein from cabbage leaves for easier rolling. Place about 1/2 cup meat mixture on each leaf; fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll up leaf to completely enclose filling. Place seam side down in a skillet. Top with the sauce.
• Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Add V8 juice if desired. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes longer or until rolls are heated through and a thermometer inserted in the filling reads 160°. 

Yield: 4 servings (8 rolls)

Click here for other scrumptious recipes in this month’s reveal!

Mixed Grain Salad with Avocado and Black Beans

I’ve missed blogging so much…I am really overdue for a post. Not only do I feel I have a responsibility to my you all, my fabulous and inspiring readers, to come up with recipes and accompanying photos, I have to admit there’s a selfish motivation backing this blog as well. Cooking/baking + photography is a stress reliever as well as a creative outlet for me. At the same time, the actual writing part has been more difficult these past few weeks yet I’ve missed all of you dearly in addition to being in the kitchen.

There are many changes going on in my personal life right now…I am an emotional roller coaster to say the least and I am taking one day at a time as I am experiencing a level of sadness and grieving that I’ve never had to before. At the same time, I feel stronger every day as my crying outbursts diminish and my negative feelings are turning into more positive ones. I realize I am being vague but please bear with me as I find myself and my strength with each day that passes, I will eventually be back in full swing again!

Not to mention, I’ve been without internet for the past 11 days so I am happy to report that issue has been remedied this evening…one thing to mark off on my check list. Things are looking up

While this might not be a crazy creative recipe, it’s very fitting for where I am right now: simple ingredients, good carbs, healthy fats and light summer flavors…this translates into a serotonin rush and a full, happy tummy. Eaten alongside a few of my salted millionaire shortbread bars, I am momentarily transported to my happy place

This easy grain salad can be made with your favorite gluten free grains, I chose quinoa, millet and amaranth but brown rice, buckwheat or sorghum could also do the trick! If you prefer one grain in particular, feel free to use 1 full cup for an even simpler dish. This recipe is an easy side, quick make-ahead lunch or a filling vegetarian entree…it’s up to you!

Mixed Grain Salad with Avocado and Black Beans

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (red or white)
1/2 cup uncooked amaranth grain or millet or 1/4 cup of each (I used 1/4 cup both)
2 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil or Earth Balance, divided
3/4 cup onion, diced (or even 4 scallions, diced for a variation)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or one 15 oz can  rinsed and drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped + more for garnish
juice from 1 lime
1 avocado, pit removed and diced into chunks
1/4 cup walnuts (sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds or your favorite nut can be substituted)
sea salt and pepper to taste

Optional: nutritional yeast or dairy free shredded cheddar cheese for serving

Directions

1. To a medium pot, add quinoa, amaranth/millet, vegetable broth and 1 tsp oil. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and grains are cooked through. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
2. In a small skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent and tender. Toss in the black beans, garlic and ground cumin, cooking for one minute or until fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. Transfer grains to a large mixing bowl. Add onion-bean mixture and toss to combine. Stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional cilantro and nutritional yeast or cheese if desired and enjoy!

I ‘ll leave you with a quote that has resonated with me recently:

“When your heart speaks, take good notes.” 
Judith Campbell

Pizza Quinoa Casserole

This is a must-try recipe. If you are a quinoa fan, you might want to run (not walk) to get these ingredients for your next meal!

To conclude pizza week here at Natural Noshing, I have a Pizza Quinoa Casserole to share that was slightly adapted from the lovely Heidi over at Food Doodles. The moment this recipe was posted, I printed it out to cook at my earliest opportunity. This recipe is a sure-fire winner, even with the few tweaks I made from the items I had on hand. This casserole may or may not be on my weekly menu for a while…I highly recommend you make this dish!

I ate my pizza quinoa for lunch as a main dish two days in a row and served it as a side to grilled chicken for dinner….DELISH! You can easily make this vegan and dairy free by eliminating the cheese on top or using dairy-free cheese shreds. A variety of cheeses would work well here in place of the Italian blend I used– goat cheese, mozzarella, feta etc based on your personal preference.

Pizza Quinoa Casserole (adapted from Food Doodles)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa cooked in 2 C water or about 3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa* – rice or millet would make nice substitutes too
4 oz can tomato paste (I had a barely used open can, feel free to use the whole 6 oz)
3-4 large cloves garlic, finely minced, grated or pressed
1 small onion, diced (if you aren’t a big onion fan, use 1/2 onion and finely dice)
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, Earth Balance or butter/ghee
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp basil or 2 Tbsp fresh basil
1 tbsp dried parsley
pinch of stevia (or 1/4 tsp granulated sweetener)
3/4 – 1 tsp sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp nutritional yeast(optional but I used for a cheesy flavor)
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese, optional (or goat cheese, mozzarella or feta)

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa well and combine with water in a small pot over high heat.  Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to low and simmer for 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed, the quinoa is tender and completely cooked.  Remove from the heat and leave covered in the pot for 5 minutes while assembling other ingredients.*

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 4 – 1 cup ramekins, 2 – 2 cup dishes or a larger casserole dish, depending on how you want to bake and serve this.

3. In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste with the garlic and onion, water and olive oil.  Mix well.  Add tomatoes and all the seasonings including the nutritional yeast if using.  Mix well again before adding the quinoa.  Once the mixture is completely mixed, taste for seasonings and add more salt as needed.  Then divide evenly among the dishes for baking, sprinkle with cheese if desired and place in the oven.  I baked mine in two gratin dishes and one loaf pan, but this could easily be done in smaller ramekins for individual servings, or in one larger dish.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly or until the quinoa on top is golden and crispy.  If desired, sprinkle with more nutritional yeast and fresh basil or parsley and serve.

*For a quicker prep, cook the quinoa the night before and refrigerate to easily assemble the next evening.

Quinoa, Caper and Tomato Salad

This week was a milestone for me. A small milestone, but still something to celebrate in my little world. So what’s all the fuss about? I ate RAW cherry tomatoes AND actually liked them! (Mom, are you proud?) Yes, I feel it’s necessary to celebrate the small victories — life is more fun that way

Since I can remember, those crunchy little grape tomatoes always freaked me out. (I told you before I was bit crazy but…) this is very odd since I love all forms of cooked tomatoes and I order (thin) slices of tomato on my sandwiches. Must be something about the texture and the intense tomato flavor burst that weirded me out…until now!

This yummy quinoa salad won me over! Juicy tomatoes, fresh corn and bright lemon juice pair really well with the nutty quinoa and salty capers and cheese. I served this “salad” as a delicious light lunch with a green side salad. If you are looking for a healthy make-ahead dish that can be served chilled or at room temperature, give this a go. If you want an added protein boost, feel free to add cubed chicken, cooked shrimp or tempeh for a quick one-dish meal.

Quinoa, Caper and Tomato Salad 

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium cob of corn, kernels removed (or about 1/3 – 1/2 cup kernels)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shaved or very thinly sliced red onion (or sub 3 green onions, sliced)
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or more if you want)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil (a large drizzle)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp capers
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese (for vegan, use a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast or omit)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a dry medium saucepan, add quinoa and cook over medium heat for two minutes stirring constantly to lightly toast. Add garlic and broth/water and bring to a broil. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
2.Remove from the heat, add corn kernels immediately and let sit covered for 5-6 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
3. In a medium mixing bowl add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Add quinoa-corn mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Have you enjoyed any particular foods lately that used to make you dislike?