In the summer, cabbage is usually served in the form of cole slaw, but using it in a quick stir-fry is an easy way to incorporate it into a full meal.

Cabbage is worth using. It’s nutritious while being very low in calories and fat. Its health benefits are truly amazing for an often unsung vegetable. It’s a strong antioxidant, containing compounds that are known to help protect against various cancers. It has been shown to be helpful in reducing LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels in the blood. Fresh cabbage also rivals oranges as an excellent source of Vitamin C.

The following recipe is a loose adaptation of a Chinese stir-fry of shrimp and cabbage. As with most Chinese dishes, it will cook very quickly if you prep your ingredients ahead of time.

1. Combine the following ingredients in a measuring cup or preferably, a small jar with a screw top so you can shake it up again when you’re ready to use it.

1/3 C chicken broth
2 TBS medium to dry sherry
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper

2. Thinly shred 4 cups of cabbage (green or Napa). Store in a plastic zip-lock.
3. Peel and devein one pound of large shrimp. Or buy them that way and just defrost them!
4. Mince 2 tsp. garlic and 1 tsp. fresh ginger. Combine them in a little zip lock.
5. Slice scallions to equal about 1/3C.

When you’re ready to cook:

1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high to high heat. Add about 1 1/2 TBS canola oil to the pan.
2. Add the shrimp to the hot oil and saute for about a minute.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to stir for less than a minute.
4. Shake up your jar of liquid ingredients and add them to the pan.
5. Bring to a boil and cook for another minute or so.
6. Add the cabbage. Stir everything together until the cabbage wilts. This should only take another minute.
7. Sprinkle the scallions over the dish and serve with rice.

A couple of additional notes:

I sometimes add about a teaspoon of Hoisin sauce during the final stirring.

A little Sriracha is nice if you want to spice things up a bit.

This dish is really good with brown rice, but you need to plan ahead because brown rice can take up to 40 minutes to cook and the dish itself takes very little time.