Cabbage Gratin Recipe

The weather has been so cold and windy in the Bay Area that this gratin dish received a warm welcome from the family at dinnertime. Little cottage cheese filled cabbage dumplings are cooked in a hearty mache sauce, then finished with a bit of cheese. Cabbage gratin, or "gratin de chou" in French, has comfort food written all over it.  

I tried to make this gratin as healthy as possible. This casserole dish is packed with greens and is high in protein, since 14 ounces of cottage cheese has at least 50 grams of protein (compared to a 6-ounce steak with 42 grams). Not that you should consider eating the whole thing by yourself! 

How to Make Fried Pot Stickers (Vegetarian Potsticker Recipe)

I made vegetarian fried pot stickers today. I filled them with fresh water chestnuts, mung bean paste, shiitake mushrooms and fresh soy bean paste (packed with protein). Folding pot stickers is a little tricky, and I think it's the biggest challenge the first time you try. The key is to ensure that it is well sealed so the filling doesn't leak while frying. With a little practice it gets really easy.

I usually serve them as appetizers. Even the meat eaters like them because soy bean paste has a similar texture to ground chicken. Also, who doesn't like fried food?