Treating the Veggie Right to Make Delicious Cabbage Soups

Cabbage is king of the cruciferous family of vegetables. Here are some tips to help you prepare the best cabbage soup

1. Choosing the Right Cabbage

Look for green cabbage with large heads that are not cracked. Fresh cabbage heads can be stored in the refrigerator for up to fourteen days. Do not wash the cabbage before storing since this will hasten the wilting of the leaves. Here are some things that you should be reminded of when looking at the different varieties of cabbage:

Green cabbage - this is also known as Dutch White. The leaves of this variety are deep green on the outside and the inner layer is of a paler shade. This cabbage should be eaten in a few days if it will be consumed raw.

Savoy cabbage - this is the cabbage of choice for salads. It presents as wrinkled leaves with a blue-green dash. Savoys when cooked, smells better than the green cabbage

Red cabbage - this variant has a stronger flavored compared to the thicker heads of the green cabbage. Remember to use genuine stainless kitchenware and cookware when cooking the red cabbage or else it will be discolored

2. Nutrient Facts

The well known varieties in the United States are bok choy and the green cabbage. Cabbage is known to lower the risk for cancers including colorectal cancer. This vegetable is high in vitamin C, fiber, and beta carotene.

3. Proper Cooking

The original cabbage soup recipe is a mixed of cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and celery. The broth is reddish and is seasoned with salt to taste. Cook the soup in low to medium heat until all the vegetables are tender and good to eat.

There are several variations of this soup and if you love to cook you can experiment to improve or enhance the basic soup for your diet. Below are some examples of the cabbage soup variations:

- Munich - contains a mixed of caraway seeds, thyme, and apple cider vinegar

- Florence - flavor is enhanced by herbs like oregano and basil mixed with garlic and parsley

- Honolulu - spicy mixed of hot sauce and ginger

- Casablanca - mint leaves and curry spikes this soup up

- Spicy - this is a feast of flavor putting vegetables flavoring it with ginger, curry, lemon grass, cilantro, and chili powder

4. Preserving

Cooked cabbage soup can be stored in your refrigerator for about two weeks and will not spoil. Raw cabbages can be pickled and used on a later date. It can also be fermented by mixing the cabbage in a water-salt solution that promotes growth of good bacteria while killing unwanted germs. The fermented cabbage is called Kimchee and sauerkraut.

The cabbage soup diet is a fast acting diet plan; the best thing is that it doesn't limit you to eating cabbage only. A specific set of food for each day is well outlined through the course of the week. You will be eating vegetables, fruits, and meat. Choosing and handling the right type of cabbage for your cabbage soup diet is vital especially the way you cook it. But the most important thing is to follow the dietary plan.

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