Cabbage Patch Stew

You may have noticed that I've been cooking with cabbage a lot lately.  It's a phase I go through when I'm dieting.  Usually starting when I make a big pot of Crock Pot Low Calorie Vegetable Soup.  Then after the soup is made, I end up needing other alternatives for the rest of the head of cabbage.

This time around, I haven't gotten around to making the pot of soup since I've been trying all sorts of new recipes featuring cabbage.

I saw Debbi's recipe for Cabbage Patch Kidney Bean Stew and it reminded me a little of a one-pot meal I used to make years ago.  I've lost the recipe for that dish, so I'll have to try to recreate it one of these days.  Since I had most of the ingredients for Debbi's recipe, I figured it was the perfect time to throw it all in the slow cooker for an easy dinner!

I only had my cell phone handy, so I apologize for the not so great photo!

Cabbage Patch Stew 
*Adapted from Debbi Does Dinner...Healthy and Low Calorie

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 lb. pre-cooked ground beef, frozen (I used 80% lean)
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped 
• 2 Tbs. dried minced onions 
• 28 oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup ketchup 
• 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained/rinsed 
• 2 Tsp. Italian Seasoning 
• 2 Tsp. Chili Powder 
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:  

• Place frozen (cooked) ground beef in bottom of slow cooker.  
• Top with remaining ingredients.  Stir as best as you can. 
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until cabbage is tender.  
• After about an hour or so, stir the ingredients again to combine with the now-thawed meat.  

Notes:  

• Debbi's recipe cooks on low for 4-6 hours, but I threw this in the crock pot before I went to bed and let it cook through the night while I slept.  It cooked for 8 hours and turned out fine.  I also started with frozen meat.  I probably would use the shorter cooking time if starting with pre-cooked meat not from the freezer.  
• This meal is perfect on it's own but also tasty served over rice or ditalini pasta.  

Total calories:  2260*

6 servings @ 380* calories 

*Calories are approximate and may not always be accurate.


This recipe has been linked to the following blog carnivals and linky parties:

• Delicious Dishes hosted by It's a Blog Party!  
• Open Call Tuesday #9 hosted by Salt Tree
• Frugal Food Thursday hosted by Frugal Follies
• Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage