In the heart of winter, when the chill of the season wraps around the city and the streets shimmer with holiday lights, there’s a warmth that emanates from the kitchens of those who celebrate with love and tradition. Among these homes was that of Eleanor, a matriarch known throughout her neighborhood for her lavish holiday dinners that brought together family and friends in a celebration of gratitude and togetherness. This year, Eleanor decided to introduce a new dish that would honor her family’s heritage while embracing her recent transition to a ketogenic lifestyle. Thus, the idea for Keto Stuffed Cabbage was born.
Eleanor’s kitchen became a haven of activity as she set about creating this dish, which was as much a nod to her Eastern European roots as it was to her commitment to healthful eating. She began with a whole cabbage, carefully separating its leaves, which would later be wrapped around a savory, keto-friendly filling. The filling was a hearty mixture of chopped meat, whisked eggs, and cauliflower rice—a clever substitute for traditional rice that kept the dish low in carbs. To this, she added almond flour for binding, finely chopped brown onion for sweetness, and a blend of Himalayan salt for seasoning.
Once the cabbage leaves were stuffed and rolled, Eleanor simmered them in a rich tomato sauce she had prepared using fresh tomatoes, coconut oil, lemon juice, and a mix of liquid Lakanto sweetener and Lakanto golden sweetener to achieve the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness without the added sugar.
As the Keto Stuffed Cabbage cooked, filling the house with its inviting aroma, Eleanor set the table with her finest china, lit candles that cast a warm glow over the room, and welcomed her guests into her home. The dish was the centerpiece of a holiday dinner that was both a feast for the senses and a testament to Eleanor’s belief that the joy of holiday traditions could be maintained and even enhanced with mindful choices.
The Keto Stuffed Cabbage was met with acclaim, each bite a testament to Eleanor’s culinary creativity and her ability to meld tradition with innovation. The dinner became a new cherished memory for all who attended, a reminder of the power of food to bring people together, nourish the body, and warm the heart, no matter the dietary preferences that guided them. Through her Keto Stuffed Cabbage, Eleanor not only celebrated the holiday in healthful style but also passed on a legacy of adaptability and inclusiveness that would inspire future generations.
Keto Stuffed Cabbage
- 1 whole cabbage
- 4 lbs chopped meat
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 pound cauliflower rice (package of )
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 brown onion (large)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 fresh tomatoes (1 can of tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of liquid lakanto sweetener
- 1/2 cup lakanto golden sweetener
STEP ONE
- One cabbage – remove and save the core.
- Steam the cabbage until it softens.
- Cool.
- Peel off the leaves. Save any broken leaves.
STEP TWO
- Combine the following:
- 4 lbs of chopped meat
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 pound package of cauliflower rice
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
STEP THREE
- In the bottom of a large pot brown a large onion in coconut oil
- add 4 fresh tomatoes or 1 can of tomatoes
- put in all the pieces of cabbage that didn’t make the grade (the broken pieces)
- add 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of liquid lakanto sweetener
- (note you’ll probably want to double/triple the amounts of lemon juice and sweetener based on the quantity of meat you make).
STEP FOUR
- Using whole leaves of cabbage add some of the meat mixture and make rolls.
- Gently add the stuffed cabbage rolls to the pot.
- Cook on a low flame for 2 hours.
STEP FIVE (Optional but my mother will yell at you if you don’t)
- In a flat pan, arrange the cabbage.
- Pour in the juice.
- Sprinkle the top with lakanto golden sweetener
- Bake at 325 for one hour.
- Freezes wells.
- Improves with age. (Like my mom!)
(note you’ll probably want to double/triple the amounts of lemon juice and sweetener based on the quantity of meat you make).
