5 Good Mood Red Cabbage Recipes

In a farewell to February and a tribute to red/purple foods, here is a round up of delicious, nutritious red cabbage recipes. Cabbage is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. Purple cabbage has additional powerful phytochemicals (natural chemical compounds in plants) called anthocyanins that are good for your brain.

I want to give a special shout-out to anthocyanins, the compounds you can find in reddish-purplish foods ranging from blackberries to red cabbage. I don’t like to play favorites, but these molecules are something special. These flavonoids have long been known to exhibit extraordinary anti-inflammatory properties. They have also been linked to improved memory and mood states.

Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety
Drew Ramsey, MD

These flavonoids exhibit extraordinary anti-inflammatory properties. They have also been linked to improved memory and mood states…

Tip:

Shred a whole cabbage in a food processor to use throughout the week. In addition to using in these meals you can

Add a handful into leafy green salads
Replace rice with the shredded cabbage and use base for curry, bean dishes
Add a handful on top of chili or bean soups

Nutrient-Dense Cabbage Mushroom Ramen Soup – Color My Food

Creamy Red Cabbage Soup – Easy Healthy Recipes
Topping options

Micro greens or chopped parsley
Toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Braised Red Cabbage – Maria Ushakova
I made this with Roasted Pork Tenderloin, a classic pairing with cabbage in Germany and Austria. The leftover braised cabbage I mixed, about 1/4 cup or so, into leafy green salads.

Roasted Red Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts – Color My Food

This is so pretty. And super nutrient dense!

Variations

Use broccoli instead of Brussels sprouts
With or without potatoes
Use sweet potatoes instead of potatoes
Experiment! What other veggies could you add?

Pesto Roasted Cauliflower and Purple Cabbage – Sanity of Lack Thereof

I never thought I’d ever say I am crazy for cauliflower. Yet here I am. Especially for roasted cauliflower. Yum! When I learned how powerful cauliflower is for our immune system, I set out to find ways to make it taste good. Suddenly I have found so many possibilities! This is an especially nutrient-dense recipe because it has both cauliflower and red cabbage.
Pesto is a favorite in our house. I always make a double batch to use later in the week: