I have this post that I’m not sure quite how to write without sounding like I’m a stones throw away to being a cliched analogy of standing on a soapbox or preaching to the choir. So, I’m going to try.
I’ve been reading quite a few books about our food system as of recent and the one thing that always strikes me is amount of advertising revenue goes into peddling products to busy moms or to little kids that really have no ability to comprehend the marketing. I think about all the banners of companies that are promoted in schools and the large billboard everywhere we turn. Companies have even turned to bloggers, realizing the power of the internet. Advertising is everywhere.
I then think about veggies. I do not believe that veggies should have to fight so much for marketing. We shouldn’t have to add “extra vitamins” or “more fiber” to our veggies to get people excited. Veggies shouldn’t need to get pop culture to promote them and we shouldn’t have to worry about the sex appeal of veggies.
And yet here I am, with a post titled “sexy cabbage.”
My friends and I often get together to do dinners where everyone brings something. I was trying to clean out my refrigerator when I realized about the only thing I had going was 3/4 head of cabbage and a few carrots.
“How exciting!” I said sarcastically to myself. I thought about some sort of cabbage casserole (smothered with cheese) or simply just roasting the two together. Neither idea moved me enough start cooking. I shut the door and walked away to brainstorm different ideas and a potential trip to the store.
I took a few steps away from the refrigerator and and stopped myself. I couldn’t help but think that the poor cabbage always gets the shaft. There are so many veggies out there that have a “public image” that isn’t so exciting. In this case of the cabbage, it’s usually $.79/lb at the grocery store, it has faint ties to random and somewhat odd meals, and it’s this strange green color.
So I thought to myself, “No, that cabbage, it’s sexy.”
I know, that sounds silly but I find beauty in all veggies. Even when I wasn’t eating as well as I should have been, I’d always float though the produce aisle staring at the beautiful, natural color. I didn’t know how to cook squat with anything, but I couldn’t help admire it. I didn’t get that from the other 90% of the store.
There is this stigmatism that has played out through advertising and pop culture. When I think veggies and culture, I think about kids pushing broccoli around their plate and possibly feeding it to the dog. I think of all the cartoon characters that have been created to push sugar-laden cereal as great for you. And I think about all the marketing focus groups and scientific research labs that millions of dollars go into coming up with the best ways to reach consumers.
What chance do veggies have against all of that? I mean, a head of cabbage is a head of cabbage. Yet, I think the more people get excited about the food being cooked, the more that excitement carries through, past the marketing, past the fluff.
So after all of this, I grabbed the cabbage and the carrots and rummaged through to find a lime, a few green onions, and a bit of cilantro. I did my best to make two seemingly unsexy veggies, sexy.
I whipped up these spring rolls (rice papers are ALWAYS a staple in my house) and called my friend who hoards a peanut sauce she’ll make in large batches and freeze until needed. I walked into my friend’s house and promptly stated, “these spring rolls are awesome.”
And you know what? We ate through the majority of the giant batch of these spring rolls and not once did anyone negatively question the fact that the majority of what they were eating was raw cabbage and carrots.
I get a lot of comments and emails back from people that usually go to the tune of, “I wasn’t sure that ____________ was going to like this, but _________ LOVED it!”
Too often the people who love veggies or the people who are really excited about trying more veggies get concerned about everyone else’s reaction. I did it to M all the time. I’d whip up a dish and be hesitant because I wasn’t sure he was going to like it, when in reality, I probably already created a negative force around the dish with my attitude.
So I think the moral of the story is: we, the veggie lovers, are the marketing for the veggies we love and the dishes we make. We have to be excited about what we’re making and we need to realize that veggies are actually very, very sexy, even if marketing isn’t tell us that.
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Description
This recipe is loose and I can never really predict how many spring rolls it’s going to make, so just have a few extra on hand.
Ingredients
- 1/2 head green cabbage, approximately 4-5 cups shredded
- 6-8 carrots
- 1 bunch green onions
- Juice from 1 large lime
- 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
- 10-12 rice paper wrappers
Instructions
- Using a veggie peeler, shave carrots into fine strips. Dice green onions halfway through the green part and chop cilantro. In a large bowl combine the carrot strips, green onions, and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over everything and toss until everything is coated and mixed together.
- Set up a rolling station with shredded cabbage, carrots, rice papers, a dish of hot water larger enough to hold the spring rolls, and a cutting board.
- Soak the rice paper for 10-15 seconds (you don’t want it too soft when taking it out of the water but pliable enough to roll.) Place rice paper on a cutting board and load with cabbage and carrot mixture. Roll, tuck, and fold in sides as you go. Continue with remaining ingredients.
- Once done slice in half and serve. These are great on their own or dunked in a peanut sauce..
Prep Time:
Yield:
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I guess you’re reading “Salt Sugar Fat” too? I didn’t expect to learn much from the book—-but what I am learning is so disheartening. The stories of how the industry just consistently pulls the wool over people’s eyes, replaces one bad thing for another knowingly, and just generally is more evil than I wanted to believe. Ah, well. Love this post, chica. Keep on fighting the good fight 🙂 —S
Good guess! I expected the book to be a “yeah, I know that” but I feel like I did not realize to what extent it was all happening. I look back at my childhood and can’t believe how much influence marketing and big business played into my food. Thanks, Sarah!
These sounds so healthy!! I can not wait to try them, carrots are my favorite!
I love it! We are the veggie marketers!!! 🙂
These sound great!
This looks incredible! Pinning this for sure! 🙂
The only thing that would make these sexier is watching Justin Timberlake eat one. Can you arrange that please?
Damn, I knew I missed a step. I’ll get that one figured out 🙂
HAHAHA!!
Veggies are so very humble, in that they need nothing but their natural beauty to entice anyone. I know what you mean about gazing down the produce aisle; I work in a grocery store, and it’s my favorite place to be, for the colors, textures and all that natural goodness. I love slicing through a red cabbage. Inside that head is a tight matrix of weaves and lines, and it’s gorgeous. Everyone needs to read these words. Veggie lovers unite!!
That cabbage looks absolutely sexy!
So, no rice papers. I am going to make a chunky peanut sauce and use cabbage leaves to wrap instead. Maybe too cabbagy but you never know!
Such an awesome post!!!!!! If you dont already (which you likely do) you should follow Weighty Matters, a blog that covers a lot of the stuff you may be thinking about!
Hooray for the veggies! I personally adore vegetables and try not to be hesitant about cooking them for my husband. Here’s list of veggies he now eats unconditionally (i.e. sans cheese sauce or bacon): Brussels sprouts, kale, roasted red cabbage, broccoli. Next to tackle: cauliflower.
I love so many things about this post! First of all, last night I opened my fridge to prepare lunch for the next few days, and I created a (surprisingly tasty) salad from the random mish-mosh of veggies I had–a small head of cabbage, 2 carrots, half an onion, celery, plus chickpeas and a grapefruit. Cabbage is a veggie I often forget about, but it definitely deserves some love! I love that you “market” veggies by showing how to use them in delicious, creative recipes.
Hey, cabbage and carrots are absolutely sexy! I tend to make mine into stir-fries with peanut oil, sriracha, and some toasted cashews or sesame seeds, and then top the whole shebang with a fried egg. Perfect lunch! These spring rolls sounds great as well–I love the idea of a spicy peanut sauce here. Yay!
What a fantastic post! You are so right. Kids have it engrained in their heads from an early age that vegetables are gross, eat more sugar! Luckily, my mom and dad never forced us to eat veggies, they just always made them and put them on the plate for us. We ate them without even thinking twice. My husband has an issue with veggies, but once he tries them, he says, “Oh, that wasn’t that bad!” Duh, I am not going to feed you bad food or poison you! You are so right, us veggie lovers need to spread the word. To me nothing sexier than a grapefruit cut in half and a head of red cabbage. Beautiful!
Love this! The produce section is always my favorite aisle to wander, too. And yes, when I try new dishes for our family I am always hesitant, certain my husband will cringe. I need to change my vibes. 🙂
Sexy indeed! Produce is even more exciting when it’s at a farmer’s market! I’m usually so lame with cabbage and make either sauerkraut, or use it in a salad. This is so much more exotic!
I LOVE cabbage & I can’t wait to eat this. Seriously.
That post really just hit home for me, thankyou for letting me see the veggie situation in a brand new light 🙂 I always make all-veggie, or mostly veggie dishes, only to get all nervous and hesitant when serving it up to my bf (even if i know it tates fine), just because im worried he wont like it, or the fact that its all just veggies. Positive Veggie Power! *pumps fist full of shredded cabbage in air*
These look so freaking delicious. Love that cabbage and carrot mix!
They look delicious, will definitely be making these! Lovely images as well 🙂
The “the marketing for the veggies we love” attitude is great, but I also can see where all the hesitation comes from. Sometimes you just don’t want to overhype the dish you’re making of you’re just afraid of the negative reaction and try to prepare yourself for it. It’s not a good thing really, but I can understand it. Whenever I cook for someone I’m quite anxious about their reaction.
When I used the rice paper everything was falling out and sticky still good but any suggestions
Sounds wonderful!
Not to continue your soapbox but it’s SO sad the amount of money, marketing, and public policy that healthy food is up against. Not sure what book you are reading but I highly recommend Food Polictics by Marion Nestle. It’s a little heavy at times but an excellent resource and eye-opening book. I love spring rolls- it’s my summer time stir-fry! An easy way to clean out the produce drawer and stuff into rice paper. A yummy dip and you are good to go!
Read it and love it! I’m actually just finished Sugar, Fat, Salt- it’s crazy scary!
wow great post! gonna have to make these soon, but sadly the supermarket I shop at is having some sort of carrot shortage! haha can’t wait to try these though!
great post & recipe… inspired me to make spring rolls. had everything but cabbage on hand so i bought that and left out the onions since I’m not a huge union fan. used a garlic/sesame dip and voila, delicious spring rolls. thanks for getting me hooked!
Lovely recipe, I added some finely chopped toasted peanuts too. For a dipping sauce, I had light soy sauce, white rice vinegar and water mixed in equal quantities, with chopped red chilli and garlic added. Make the sauce first so it has a chance to infuse!