Low fat carb free chicken cabbage rolls

I have to confess....I have never made cabbage rolls before. And, oh my gosh. After this....I will be making them a lot more.
I'm used to making roulades, sushi, lumpia, spring rolls...but wrapping something in cabbage? When I am not dieting? Hmmm. It was a challenge accepted. Not only are they low fat, gluten free, low carb - they are delicious! Ok, and not the "settle for it" kind of delicious. I found a true way to your heart, dear eaters. Pure comfort food. That's Good For You. Got your attention now? Let's do this.
This recipe makes enough for 3 with an appetite, with plenty for leftovers. Depending on your pans, and cabbage - you can easily fill a 9x13 pan and maybe a pie pan. (For someone to take home, or for you to freeze.)
Or, make them thick and keep them all for you. Hey...I don't judge.

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What you need

• 2 pounds ground chicken
  
• One head cauliflower
  
• One head purple cabbage (Purple food rocks! High in flavonoids, antioxidants...they keep you young and sexy. {Ok, aka: they are powerfully charged with stuff that helps you age gracefully, keep your memory, avoid cancer, make your heart happy and...oh, they are yummy.})
  
• A whole mess of baby spinach (three handfuls or so. No need to measure)
  
• One round (10 oz) Queso Fresco (Spanish cheese...mmmm. Low fat....the Mozzerella of Spanish cheese. Flavor. No grease.)
  
• 1 red bell pepper (or orange, or yellow. The green isn't as sweet as we would like...read on)
  
• About 1.5 pounds of tomato. (go all fresh, or you can grab a can or two, and still add some fresh....we will roast. Read on..) if you go canned, this is 3 small cans.
  
• 1 yellow or white onion
  
• A cup of stock
  
• half head garlic
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• Star anise - half a star
  
• Dried whole Spanish oregano (I know, I love the stuff. But it really makes a dish. It's less than a dollar an ounce, and the flavor is tremendous. Go for it...it's in the cellophane bags in the Spanish section of your supermarket)
  
• Salt and pepper (I like kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper)
  
• Red pepper flakes
  
  Making the sauce
  Get whatever fresh ingredients you are using together in a pan for roasting. I opted for a large call of diced tomatoes, so I only roasted one bell pepper, my onion, the garlic and two tomatoes. Drizzle your favorite oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, some oregano if you wish, and let them relax in an oven at 425.
  
  Get your ground chicken sautéing, add a little salt, pepper, oregano, and pepper flake. Puree the canned tomatoes and add to the pan. (Or skip if you have all fresh ingredients.)
  Once your roasted veg is ready - (the tomatoes will split, almost as if smiling), carefully chop them fine or prepare in a food processor, and get them in the pan too (save two cloves of roasted garlic for the "rice"). Add two handfuls of baby spinach and allow to wilt in. Taste the sauce and add more seasoning if need be, then it simmer nice and low while you make the rice...the sauce will be simple, but sweet from the pepper.
  
  Start your "rice"
  Cut your cauliflower into bits. Not too big, not too small...think dried elbow macaroni sized, if not a bit smaller. Sautée with oil of choice, (MCT, coconut, or even Pam. We impart flavor otherwise...)
  Add salt and pepper, your bay leaf, star anise, a few cloves of the roasted garlic, and a heavy sprinkling of crushed oregano. (Taste it! It should stand alone...) Don't let it cook all the way, sautée semi-high to get a sear and flavor. It should still have "tooth" to it. It will become a ninja that pretends to be rice. Set aside when done.
  
  Rollin'
  Try to separate your cabbage into leaves as big as possible. Even if you have smaller pieces, don't fret. It all tastes lovely. Place them in a large pan with a bit of stock, add a lid, and allow to steam till a little soft. Not mushy, but not to firm. Purple cabbage holds on to it's great texture, so it's an easy candidate for this process. I also discovered that my dog fancies it as well. Isn't that strange? Silly dog.
  Once your cabbage is done, get yourself a baking dish. Start with a piece of cabbage, some sauce, and a couple cubes of quest fresco.
  
  Roll like a lazy burrito. (ends not tucked in). If you have small pieces of cabbage, just layer them together, and place seam side down.
  
  Continue, then top with sauce, chunks of queso fresco, and more spinach.
  
  Bake this bad boy at 425 til the cheese browns. Serve and enjoy!
  The leftovers are so great...it didn't even make lunch....had it for breakfast the next day ;)
  
  

Finishing shot: Roasted pork tenderloin with root veg and fingerling potato

Roasted pork loin with white wine pan sauce, herbed organic fingerling potatoes, roasted celery root and radish.

Roasted pork tenderloin with white wine pan sauce

It's still roasting season out here in the Great Northwest; Winter doesn't seem to be done with us quite yet. My solution? Savory comfort food that warms the home and belly. This dish combines a mellow yet deliciously well seasoned pork tenderloin with a creamy decadent sauce. Bring it on, Winter.

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Ingredients

• 2 small pork tenderloins (cooks a little faster and more tender than the huge one)
  
• Olive oil
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• Granulated garlic
  
• Dijon mustard
  
• Herbs de province
  
• Tarragon
  
• Beef stock
  
• Flour (omit for gluten-free)
  
• Butter (I used a homemade "compound butter". I take a good organic butter, soften it, add chopped fresh herbs, then roll it into a tube shape in parchment, refrigerate, and use as needed. I like a mixture of thyme, rosemary and oregano. It preserves the herbs for weeks, and the butter absorbs all the wonderful flavor. A million uses!)
  
• Dry white wine (as I mentioned in making ratatouille, I go for a dry pinot gris or grigio. (It will give the already flavorful sauce an acidic kick - which is key for bringing brightness to a sauce with a bit of butter.)

Total time? About an hour and 15 minutes. More than half of that is prep and let sit and chill time.Prepping the loin You will have a half an hour - or more, after prepping. This makes for a perfect opportunity to pull some side dishes together, turn on some music, or call Mom ;) Sear all sides of the loins on high heat - no seasoning. Then, rub with a good coating of the Dijon. You will get some curious and awkwardly interested looks from your significant other. Then sprinkle on the salt, pepper, tarragon, garlic, herbs de province, and let chill in the fridge for a half an hour. This could easily be done the night before, 2 hours before....but a half hour is the magic spot for the flavors to awaken. After your loin has sat in the fridge, let it pre-funk on the counter by coming to room temperature. Cooking the loin Preheat your oven to 375. I like to preheat the oven with the pan i will be cooking in already in it (minus the meat). This way everything is nice and ready. Why stick a cold pan in a warm oven? Once preheated, oil your pan lightly, add the loin, and bake for about half an hour or so - depending on the cut of your pork loin. I like the finger test approach. It hasn't failed me yet! I go for a mid rare, as it will cook a bit more once pulled out of the oven to rest. Sauce base I start with a basic brown sauce base, but made thick. It's handy to make a few cups at a time and keep in the refrigerator - just a couple of spoonfuls makes for the start of a good pan sauce. To make the base, melt 2 tablespoons of compound butter in a small pot, and add 3 heaping tablespoons of flour. Cook this off til the flour turns a golden color, stirring often with a whisk. (Look at us making roux!) Then add the stock, keep whisking, and as it simmers together it will thicken. Salt and pepper lightly, and set aside. This can be done while the loin is still in the oven. Multitasking! Final sauce and plating While your loin is resting from it's amazing journey to becoming a delicious meal for you, we can pull together the final sauce. Transfer the loin to a cutting surface and place the pan over medium high heat. We are going to use all the love it left behind in the pan! Once the pan has heated up, deglaze with a cup of the pinot, and a pat of compound butter. The butter will help add a nice sheen and unctuous mouthfeel. Let this simmer together for a few minutes, while the alcohol cooks off. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce base, and whisk together. You may want to salt and pepper here - don't be shy, taste and see! The sauce should be thin (we aren't making gravy), but it should have a sexy body. You may even be tempted to sneak off and find a place where you can eat just the sauce by itself. For a gluten-free version, just omit the base. Instead, add a healthy cup of beef broth, and that extra butter that would have been roux. Reduction may take a little longer, but it's worth it! Slice the loin, drizzle with sauce and serve! It's great garnished with parsley or fresh rosemary. Whomever is lucky enough to share it with you will be happy you did. And, if it's all for you? Well...aren't you lucky.... What Winter?