Recipe: Cabbage and Barley with Turkey Meatballs

CABBAGE AND BARLEY WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS

FOR THE MEATBALLS:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 egg
2 Tbsp. whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. low-fat Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 lb. ground turkey meat
FOR THE CABBAGE AND BARLEY:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cups coarsely shredded cabbage
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup uncooked barley
Salt (to taste, optional)
Tabasco sauce (to taste, optional)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium mixing bowl add garlic, onion, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, cheese, parsley and pepper and blend. Mix in turkey. Shape mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs. Place meatballs in glass baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

TO PREPARE THE CABBAGE AND BARLEY:
In deep skillet, over medium-high heat, add oil, cabbage, onion, garlic, caraway and fennel. Cook stirring until cabbage has wilted slightly, about 3 minutes.

In medium mixing bowl, whisk together broth, mustard and vinegar. Add to skillet along with barley and stir. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes or until barley is tender. Gently stir occasionally and add water if too dry.

If desired, add salt to taste and a dash of Tabasco, to taste, for some zest. Add meatballs to skillet. Gently stir to combine all ingredients. Let mixture stand for about 2 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 360 calories, 11 g total fat (3 g saturated fat), 45 g carbohydrate, 20 g protein, 9 g dietary fiber, 480 mg sodium.

RECIPE NOTES:
Cultivated for more than 4,000 years in Asia, the Irish brought cabbage to Europe around 600 B.C. Cabbage is low calorie, packed with cancer-fighting phytochemicals and rich in vitamins C and K.

Native Americans hunted wild turkey as early as 1000 A.D. Domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe in the 16th century, it was the first bird on the moon when astronaut Neil Armstrong ate turkey in a foil packet for his first lunar meal.

The caraway seeds, which are actually the fruit of a biennial herb of the parsley family, provide a somewhat sweet and tangy flavor. The fennel, native to the Mediterranean region, is more aromatic and less pungent. Its name comes from the Greek word for marathon because the famous battle at Marathon in 490 B.C. against the Persians was fought on a field of fennel.

The addition of barley makes this a satisfying dish that suits the transition of winter to spring. Add a dollop or two of Tabasco sauce if you prefer some zest.

Source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research