Meatless Monday: Vegetable-stuffed cabbage rolls

According to Meatless Monday, going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

This recipe for vegetable-stuffed cabbage rolls includes oodles of veggies and the addition of bulgur. Super hearty, healthy and tasty, this dish might also bring back fond memories of family dinners from when you were young.

Fill your head with healthy food options!

Filling and good for you, cabbage is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables that also includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy and radishes. Cruciferous vegetables are considered one of the most dominant food crops worldwide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, half a cup of raw cabbage includes:

• 10 calories
• 0 grams of fat
• 0 milligrams of cholesterol

The same amount of cooked cabbage has 15 calories and no fat or cholesterol. Also, half a cup of raw cabbage contains 30 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin C (the same amount of cooked cabbage has 25 percent).

How to select cabbage:

• Look for solid, heavy heads of cabbage
• Steer clear of cabbage with discolored veins
• Don't buy pre-cut cabbage since it loses its vitamin C content

How to store cabbage:

• Keep it cold to help retain its vitamin C content
• Keep the entire head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the refrigerator
• If you're only using a portion of the cabbage, try to use the remainder within a day or two

This recipe is courtesy of Taste of Home.

Vegetable-stuffed cabbage rolls

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 3/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large head cabbage
• 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients up to the cabbage. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for five minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the cabbage in boiling water just until the leaves fall off head. Set aside eight large leaves for rolls (refrigerate the remaining cabbage for another use). Cut out the thick vein from each leaf, making a V-shape cut. Overlap cut ends before filling. Stir four tablespoons Parmesan cheese and lemon juice into the vegetable mixture.
3. Place a heaping 1/3 cupful on each cabbage leaf and fold in the sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll to completely enclose the filling.
4. Combine the tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce and pour 1/3 cup into a 2-quart baking dish. Place cabbage rolls in the dish and spoon the remaining sauce over top.
5. Cover and bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner. Not only is it good for you, but it might bring back some good meal memories you had as a kid!

Meatless Monday options to try

Mushroom stroganoff
Quiche me! Sweet potato and caramelized onion quiche
Put some pizzazz in your potatoes
Carrot-mushroom barley stew