Garlic-Bacon Cabbage

Cabbage is humble and inexpensive and easy to walk past in the produce aisle, and that is exactly why it earns a place at this table. 5 ingredients, a few foil packets on the grill or in the oven, and you have a side dish that tastes far better than the little effort it asks. Simple, repeatable food like this is what makes a whole foods way of eating sustainable, day after day.

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and a real source of fiber and vitamin C, and the fiber feeds a healthier gut community while vitamin C supports immune function. Garlic and lemon brighten the wedges, and a little crumbled bacon brings savory depth and a touch of fat that helps the body use what the cabbage offers. Much of cabbage's reputation for bitterness is really a freshness problem, since crucifers fade fast after harvest, so buy it fresh and use it soon.

This is a plain head of cabbage turned into something worth slowing down for. When you open the packets, let the steam and the smell reach you before you plate them. Make the plate beautiful, take a breath, and be with the food. The state you eat in is part of how it serves you.

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage, quartered into wedges
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (choose a clean-label brand)
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

This recipe is AIP-compliant as the source writes it. The only thing to watch is the bacon, since many cured brands hide added sugar or seed-based additives, so choose a clean-label one. Nothing else needs swapping.

Method

• Heat the oven to 400 F.
• Set each cabbage wedge on its own sheet of foil. Top each one with an equal share of the lemon juice, minced garlic, crumbled bacon, and salt.
• Fold and seal each wedge into its own foil packet.
• Bake 25 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Open the packets carefully, watching for steam, and serve hot.

Air fryer variation

Skip the foil and air fry the seasoned wedges at 375 F for roughly 12 to 18 minutes, turning once, until the edges are tender and lightly browned. Add the crumbled cooked bacon in the last few minutes so it crisps without burning. This time is an untested conversion, so check for tenderness near the end.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*