We wanted to show our support for those suffering in Ukraine right now, by celebrating their traditional food, with a vegan slant to it. One dish which is common across central Europe and especially in Ukraine, and can easily be made vegan is Cabbage Rolls, known in Ukraine as Holubtsi. Cabbage is a common staple food, being readily available in that part of the world. It is also very nutritious, with high levels of fiber, folate and vitamin C, along with several minerals including calcium. While the traditional dish uses ground beef, this recipe replaces the beef with lentils, which are packed with protein and fiber, and avoid the saturated fat and cholesterol in beef.

Another common Ukrainian food is a traditional sausage. While there are many excellent brands of vegan sausages available in the store, we’ve found a recipe for you to make your own vegan sausages!

Brown Rice and Lentil Cabbage Rolls

Recipe adapted from recipe by Kathryn Pfeffer-Scanlan

Ingredients:

• 1 large green cabbage, whole
• 1 cup cooked green lentils (1/2 cup dried lentils)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (3/4 cup dried rice)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low-sodium (tamari if gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (Split between filling and tomato sauce)
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, no salt added
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

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