Massaged Wilted Cabbage tossed with Mustard Dill Dressing

Add to favorites

raw / vegan / gluten-free / nut-free

When it comes to enjoying raw cabbage, coleslaw may be the most familiar cabbage preparation out there. It’s not too often that you see a person just munching away on a head of raw cabbage.

If I am going to eat it raw and coleslaw isn’t what my taste buds are begging for, I like to soften the texture by wilting it. You can wilt it by lightly sauteing, roasting, or steaming it but if you want to keep it raw, there is a technique that will give it that cooked appearance and texture.

But I will also add this little blurb;  if you have compromised digestion (you know who you are) or if you have thyroid issues, I do recommend cooking it, this will help reduce bloating and gas issues. And for those with thyroid issues, cabbage is known as a “Goitrogenic” Food. Studies suggested that they may suppress thyroid function. But through the cooking process, it inactivates most of these goitrogenic compounds.

Deep Tissue Massage

Who doesn’t like a massage? I remember my first massage, I was around twenty-five years old. My girlfriend and I booked a day at the spa. We felt like queens when they handed up fluffy white robes, slippers, and a tall glass of water with cucumber slices floating in it.

The ambiance was warm and cozy, just like my robe. We were told to slip into the dressing rooms and put on our robes and slippers, then to return to the secluded waiting room where the flames of lit candles danced and soft music awaited us.

We did as we were told and soon we found ourselves with our feet propped up, snipping our infused water, and flipping through magazines… each waiting for our personal masseuse to call upon us.

Gordon entered the room and called my name. I gave a quick, horrified glance at my girlfriend… A MAN! (my eyes screamed at her)  She gave me an assuring looking that everything was going to be ok. As I shyly followed Gorgon into the room, my mind raced… “a man, a male masseuse? A man? oh my goodness, I don’t know if I can do this.”  We entered a room that was even less lit up than the waiting room. It took my eyes a minute to adjust.  Gordon busied himself as he instructed me to remove the robe and slip under the sheet, face down, on the massage table.

I quickly removed my robe and shot under the sheet. As Gordon was tinkering with something along the wall shelf, I noticed that the table was all warm and cozy. Quietly in my mind, I asked, “Is this thing heated?”  I didn’t want to voice it and sound like I have never had a massage before.  Soon I felt Gordon’s hands touch my lower back as if to say welcome; we are about to begin. He peeled back the sheet and froze. I froze. Time froze. What?? My mind raced. Gordon let out a small chuckle and said, “You didn’t remove your clothing.” HUH? I was to remove my clothing?! Nobody told me that.

To shorten this story so we can get on to the recipe. I removed all my clothing except for my underclothing and remained stiff as a board throughout the whole massage. I just couldn’t bring myself to relax.  After the massage, I gathered my clothing and made my way back to the waiting area. My girlfriend appeared from a darkened corner and was as limp as a noodle. She sat down next to me. She was so relaxed that she could hardly hold herself up in a seated position. I, on the other hand, was as rigid as could be. “How was your massage? Wasn’t it just magical?” she asked. I just nodded in agreement, and I rubbed my stiff, sore neck. lol

Massaging Cabbage

It appears I totally got off track here. I was supposed to talk about massaging the cabbage, not me! Lol Massaging the cabbage will help to break down the cellular wall, softening it and giving it that limp, cooked appearance. Doing this with the added salt and lemon will also help because the acid of the lemon helps to break it down as well, and the salt helps to pull out the water… thus again, making it softer.  The longer you massage it, the softer it will get.

Now, you could stop right there and enjoy the cabbage as is, but I took it one step further.  I spread the cabbage out on a dehydrator tray and warmed it for a few hours. This also helped with wilting it, but it also gave me a warm raw dish which is sometimes a craving, especially on those chilly days.  You can skip this process if you wish, just know that you have options. Well, I  rambled long enough here. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. Blessings, amie sue

 Ingredients:

yields 4 cups

• 1 head green or purple cabbage (679 g), sliced thin
• 1-2 Tbsp cold-press olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Dressing

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp coconut vinegar
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp dried dill weed (or 1 tsp fresh dill, if you have it)
• 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt

Preparation:

1. Place the cabbage, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl.
   • Massage the cabbage for about 2-5 minutes.
   • You will notice that it will start to soften. That is what we are looking for,
2. Spread the cabbage out onto the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
3. Warm at 145 degrees for 1-3 hours or until softened.
   • Keep an eye on it, so you don’t let it dry too long, and it becomes dried cabbage bits.  Still good just not what we are aiming for at the moment.
4. While the cabbage is “cooking” whisk together the mustard, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, dill, black pepper, and salt. Once the cabbage is done, toss with the dressing and enjoy right away or store in the fridge in an airtight container.  Tastes wonderful warm.

Tags: Alkaline, Dairy Free, Dehydrated, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Nut Free, Nut Free Option, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, Vegan