Results: February 17th is National Cabbage Day!

From the French caboche, meaning head, cabbage comes in a variety of forms. The cabbage family is quite varied and includes brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kohlrabi and kale. Cabbage is an ancient food with origins in Asia Minor (Turkey today) and the eastern Mediterranean. Are you a fan of any of these vegetables in the cabbage family?

Cabbage is versatile and can be eaten raw, steamed or sautéed. A popular ingredient in Asian, German, Irish and Latin recipes, it's a culturally diverse food. Having low calories (6 per leaf) makes cabbage a popular diet food as well. It has no fat or cholesterol, is low in sodium and carbs, and is a good source of Vitamin C. Is cabbage a staple in your diet or would you like to make more use of this vegetable in your menu planning?

The Cabbage Soup Diet is a diet fad that became popular in the 1980s, with its origins unknown. But, it involves eating primarily cabbage soup for one week, with people claiming to lose around 10 pounds in the first week. Crash diets such as this may cause initial weight loss, but it is reported that usually weight gain returns once the diet is stopped. Have you ever sustained permanent weight loss from following any version of the cabbage soup diet?

Corned Beef and Cabbage: a humble meal of hearty beef protein and vegetables became a "traditional" Irish dish since the 1800's and over the years has become a part of St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Even if you aren't Irish, you've probably enjoyed, or at least heard of "corned beef and cabbage" as a famous recipe. Have you ever given this festive meal a try?