These lean stuffed cabbage rolls are filled with Italian flavored ground turkey, spinach and cheese, then topped with a tomato-y marinara.
Well, that was "fun". Monday afternoon was our first major Mississippi tornado experience. We've had many warnings and watches in the 2 ½ years we've lived here, but never anything serious. I actually caught one of our tornados on video. Scary stuff. NEVER want to see that again.
Also on Monday, we were discussing prepping for a 5K race. The same time I started running in the mornings, I also started tracking my calories using an app on my phone called My Fitness Pal. I use another app, Map My Run, to track my work-outs and the two integrate together.
I love both apps! The My Fitness Pal app is amazing. I cannot believe how easy it is to look up the calories of almost everything I eat. It did take a few days to get used to it and figure everything out, but now I am obsessed. Anything I eat, I log it in my daily food diary.
After I downloaded the app and signed up for my free account, it asked me my goals and then calculated how many calories I should eat a day in order to reach my goals. Then, when I run, the Map My Run app automatically records the calories I burned and subtracts it from my daily calories in the My Fitness Pal app.
Maybe I'll start posting my progress here so you can follow along, and help keep me accountable. So far, after gaining 1 lb during the first week (what!?), I lost 3 lbs during the second week (yes!).
Because I'm so aware of how many calories I'm consuming now, I have been trying to come up with new healthy recipes so I can attain my goals. I'm able to put my recipe into the My Fitness Pal app and it will calculate the calories for me. These cabbage rolls are a great healthy dinner!
I've made a version of this turkey florentine as a meatloaf before, but thought it'd be fun to stuff the meat into some cabbage leaves. Totally how we'll eat it for now on!
Recipe Card
Turkey Florentine Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 2-3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided
- 2 small cloves garlic , pressed
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- Half of a yellow onion , finely chopped
- 1 medium green cabbage
- 1 ¼ lb ground turkey
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup shredded Mozzarella
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13- by 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the pressed garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the fresh spinach and allow to cook for 1 minute, then use tongs to toss and cook for another minute. Cook for a total of 2 minutes, until the spinach is welted and cover with the garlic oil. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Set aside to cool.
- Wipe out the skillet and heat another 1-2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a small sharp knife, cut a circle all around the stem of the cabbage and remove the bottom core. Place the cabbage head into the boiling water. After about 2 minutes, and outside leaf will come loose -- pull it off and out of the water using tongs. After another minute, the next leaf will come loose. Remove and repeat until you have 8 to 10 leaves. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Cut out (in a "V"-shape) the thick part of the rib from the bottom of each leaf, but don't cut more than a third of the way into the leaf.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, cooled spinach and onion, Parmesan, mozzarella, Italian seasoning and ½ cup of the marinara. Use your hands to make sure it is thoroughly mixed.
- With the stem side of the cabbage leaf facing you, place about ⅓ cup of the turkey mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom edge of the leaf over the mixture and then fold the sides over and roll into a tidy packet. Place each roll, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the remaining 1 ½ cups marinara sauce evenly over top of the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is cooked through.
maya says
Left over cabbage is very tasty if you saute it shredded with onions, carrots, tomato sauce plus salt and pepper. At first onions need to be caramelized and next add shredded carrots and cabbage, sause, salt and pepper. You can add cooked pulled chicken or beef to it as well. Now you have a complete meal with leftover cabbage 🙂
Jennifer says
You could always fry the extra cabbage with some onion and bacon. 🙂
Cory says
LOVE these! My whole family thought they were delicious, even my 2 year old! Any suggestions for what to do with the left over cabbage?
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Cory, So glad your family loved the cabbage rolls! I haven't done anything with the leftover cabbage, but others have made suggestions on past recipe posts (I think on the "Stuffed Cabbage" recipe). Maybe the comments there can give you some ideas. 🙂 Thanks for the awesome feedback!
leslie says
YIKES! Glad you are safe!
These look amazing and bursting with flavor
Susan W says
These sound fantastic! I would pad the recipe out with some rice I think just to go a little easier on the meat. Definitely on the list to try!
On another note I've used one of those calorie tracking apps (My Fitness Pal) and with it lost over a hundred pounds. They really work, as long as you are being honest and logging things accurately. I started running as well, with a beginner 5k program a year and a half ago and just completed my first half marathon this past weekend. It's really been fun! I hope you enjoy your 5k race. Make sure you drink plenty of water the day before and day of, and don't wear cotton!! Good luck 🙂
Nikki Gladd says
Thank you Susan! And WOW, great job on losing over 100 lbs! So far, from last week to this week, I lost 3 lbs and very excited! It DOES work! Yay! 🙂