February 27, 2021 | By Meghan Jaszczak
Biblio Bistro is back for 2021 and kicks off with a good one! This episode features Eggroll Bowls, which highlights fresh cabbage. Cabbage is seasonally available in late fall through winter and is usually available at Farmers Markets in early-t0-mid-summer through early fall.
About Eggroll Bowls
This recipe is a quick, tasty, and nutritious way to satisfy your eggroll craving! The fresh ginger and garlic add extra flavor and a slight spicy punch. The sliced cabbage and carrots provide fiber, antioxidants and a delightful crunch to this easy weeknight dish.
In total, this recipe was only $6.62 to prepare, or $1.66 per serving!
Healthy Eating Tips from Dietitian Meghan
- Cabbage – Cabbage is considered a cruciferous vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are also in that same category). Research suggests that these types of veggies are protective against colon cancer. They are also linked to contributing to good gut health. These types of veggies do tend to be harder to digest for some, such as individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. Cooking these types of veggies may be better tolerated for these individuals.
- Carrots – Carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A, which supports eye, skin and immune health. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning your body cannot properly absorb this nutrient unless it is consumed with some fat. In this recipe the olive and sesame oil, as well as some fat from the pork meat, all count towards a fat source so that the vitamin A can be adequately absorbed and utilized in the body!
- Pork – Pork provides protein for this dish, which will help keep you full for a longer period of time. After you’re done handling raw meat, make sure you wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds (two sets of “Happy Birthday”) before moving on to the next step in the recipe.
Cooking Tips from Chef Michael
- For well-cooked, but crisp veggies, try not to overcrowd your frying pan (1 inch-thick layer is a good rule of thumb). If your pan isn’t big enough, cook ingredients in batches and add back together at the very end. You also want a relatively high heat to get the veggies crisp, but still cooked well enough.
- For a quick and easy way to peel ginger, you can scrape with a good old fashioned spoon (metal would work best). The time you’ll save is just short of magic.
- When cooking with raw meat, you want to avoid any cross contamination with other surfaces or ingredients you’ll be using. Have a designated bowl or cutting board for meat, and remove it from the cooking area as soon as you’re done using. Make sure the area you were prepping the raw meat has been sanitized and that your hands are clean (whether that means sanitizing your hands with warm water and soap or discarding your contaminated rubber gloves).
- Make sure to temp any raw meat that you’re cooking. For pork, the internal temperature needs to be 145 degrees Fahrenheit or higher to avoid foodborne illness.
Farmers Markets in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula
From Calumet to L’Anse to Bruce Crossing there are great farmers markets all over Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Our friends at the Western U.P. Food Systems Collaborative have put together a great resource on this that gets updated regularly. Check out a full list of farmers markets here, wupfoodsystems.com/farmers-markets.
About Biblio Bistro
The Biblio Bistro series strives to show that healthy cooking doesn’t have to be boring or laborious. Our goal is that by watching this series, participants can feel more confident and curious in the kitchen, all the while increasing fruit and veggie intake and supporting the local food system! Learn more about Biblio Bistro at pldl.org/biblio-bistro.
About Portage Health Foundation’s Food Initiative
Portage Health Foundation is passionate about making a difference when it comes to food in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties. PHF’s Food Initiative is two-fold. First, the food initiative aims to improve access to locally grown and healthful foods within our community. Second, it provides educational resources and tools to promote sustainable changes to eating and lifestyle habits for all. Learn more about this initiative at phfgive.org/food.