Check out this infographic—amongst the many benefits, I was surprised to see that cabbage is high in omega 3 (with a good omega 3 to omega 6 ratio, at that!).

It’s cabbage season and I love it in so many ways: atakilt wat (ethiopian cabbage carrot potato dish), stir fried like my tias in Mexico do with chile, tomato, onion salt and coriander, in soups, baked as a cabbage steak with tofu, carrots, pineapple and peanut butter…the list goes on. But, even though it’s totally possible for our four person household to go through a cabbage in a week, there’s also good arguments for taking the time to preserve it so it lasts months maybe, or at least more than a week or two. What are these good arguments? The probiotic health benefits of fermented foods for one. And, the therapeutic benefits of knowing you have food in your fridge that you can eat in the next month or two. I’m no expert on pickling or fermentation, but I hear you don’t have to be…even novices like me could get good results. So, that’s my project for the week. If you want to try it out, too, here’s a few recipes to try:

(and please share any tips or comments—I have a lot to learn!)

Curtido Salvadoreño with True Fermentation (eat after 3 days, could last weeks!)

Curtido Salvadoreño Shortcut (uses vinegar instead of just salt to preserve, eat same day or within a week)

Red Sauerkraut (cabbage, beet, carrot, turmeric, ginger and garlic)

Traditional Sauerkraut (with caraway, optional though)