Did you know that improving your health can be as easy as cutting out meat and processed cold cuts one day a week? Doing so can reduce your risk of preventable chronic conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Enter Meatless Monday. This week's recipe is Stuffed Cabbage with Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa.
Stuffed Cabbage with Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa

Traditional stuffed cabbage recipes often feature rice and crumbled beef, but the recipe allows you to change things up and create a stuffing with caramelized roasted flavors instead. 

Note: We've added sweet sausage to this filling, but you can easily keep it vegan. Just omit the sausage and serve with a side of hummus.

Serves 4-6

First: Cook your cabbage.

You'll need a fresh, large head of green cabbage. Trim the bottom root and cut an X into the center core. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the head of cabbage for about five minutes until soft; remove and drain well.

Make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
For the filling, you'll need:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
1 red onion, peeled, diced
1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

Optional: Add vegetarian Italian Sausage
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 cup natural apple juice or cider
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
Sprinkle of sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel
To add in later:
A handful of raisins or dried cranberries
1 to 1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa
Throw the vegetables, apple, and sausage into a roasting pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add the apple juice, maple syrup, vinegar, salt and spices and toss well to coat. Roast in the oven till soft — about 40 to 50 minutes. Stir a few times during roasting to distribute the sauce and seasoning.

Meanwhile, make your sauce.
To make your sauce you'll need:
1 24-oz jar or can of strained tomatoes — I use Bionature Organic Strained Tomatoes
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Sea salt, to taste
Combine the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and stir. Cook over medium heat until simmering. Cover and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Taste-test before using in the recipe. If you like a bit of spice, add a dash of hot pepper — but please taste-test first.

To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly oil four serving dishes or one medium-large baking dish.
When the cabbage has cooled enough for you to handle, cut another 1/2 inch or so off the bottom core if you need to, and gently peel off the leaves one at a time; set the leaves aside on a plate or board. Trim any large leaves that may have a thick spine. Smaller leaves can be combined — use two to make one roll if you need to.
Combine the roasted vegetables and sausage with the cooked quinoa — start with a cup and see how much you need. If you want to stretch the filling, use more quinoa. Add a handful of raisins and stir in.
To stuff:
Lay a cabbage leaf on your work surface and add a spoonful of filling in the center. Fold in the side of the leaf and roll it up; tuck it into the prepared baking dish seam-side down. Repeat for the remaining leaves and filling.
Pour the sauce over the stuffed cabbage and bake in the center of a preheated oven for about 30 minutes, till heated through and bubbling.
You can make this stuffed cabbage ahead of time, if you wish; cover and chill. Add an extra 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
This recipe comes from Gluten Free Goddess.

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(Photo: Brian Hagiwara/Getty Images)