BBQ Cabbage Sandwiches

Oh my goodness.... these were so good! I know it sounds a little odd, but bear with me on this one. I have this lovely friend, Jill from Simple Daily Recipes, who does some of the most amazing vegan recipes. It was on her site that I found this deliciousness. I changed it up just a teeny bit in my version but not much. You can find the recipe on Jill's site here: http://simpledailyrecipes.com/102060/superfast-barbecue-cabbage-sandwiches/ If you have any interest in eating a plant based diet (even if you want to be a part timer like I am), I would encourage you to take a look at her stuff... she is knowledgeable and she is a hoot to watch on You Tube! Go ahead... go take a look... I'll wait here for you ;)

See? Isn't she amazing? Told ya! ;)

I saw this recipe and knew I had to try it out right away. We had it the next day, I believe. We really LOVE cabbage in this household and we also love BBQ, so I was pretty sure it would be a hit. Like Jill says... this doesn't have a super cabbage-y flavor, so even if you aren't a big fan of cabbage it would be worth a shot trying this recipe out. My kids said they liked this as much as traditional shredded BBQ pork sandwiches. I loved that! It's easier to make, much more economical, lower in calories and you can eat a ton of it, if you want! I will echo what Jill says in her video, use more cabbage than you really think you will eat. You are going to want to pile it on high and probably even have more than one sandwich per person. Cabbage cooks down a lot and it's really just that tasty. I ate the leftovers the next day in a cold spinach salad and it was really yummy. Just a touch of ranch dressing to add that creaminess and I was a happy girl. I hope you'll give this one a try and report back to me on what you thought. Next time, I think I am going to make a bit of coleslaw and try that on top to see how it works. I love cold, crunchy coleslaw on my BBQ.

BBQ Cabbage Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 bags ready cut coleslaw mix or 1 full head of green cabbage, shredded

Method:

1: In a large sauce pan over medium heat saute the carrot in a tablespoon or two of water until it begins to wilt.

2: Add cabbage and onion to the carrot and continue to "stir fry" until the cabbage is limp and tender but not mushy. Do not over cook, you still want a little texture to your veggies. Add in another tablespoon of water if needed to prevent sticking. Let the water cook out during this step, or your BBQ will end up watery. I didn't need to in the times I have made this, but drain off the excess water, should you need to.

3: Turn heat to low. Add in BBQ slowly, mixing as you go until the cabbage mixture is saucy but not sloppy. I used maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup total. Remove from heat once heated through.

4: Add liquid smoke in small amounts until you reach the desired amount of smokiness.

5: Pile onto toasted buns and chow down like a champ!

Serves 4-6 (2 sandwiches per person, depending on how much you pile on that bun)