Roasted Cabbage Wedge Salad

Last Summer I was invited to participate in a Freaky Friday Blog Hop, and it was so much fun I jumped on the opportunity to participate again.  It's been so hard to keep this recipe a secret, not only from the other bloggers participating in the fun, but from all of you!  Each person in the group was assigned a blog to choose a recipe from.  And today #FreakyFriday just happens to be the day of the big reveal.  It's so much fun to see what recipes everyone has chosen.  Here we go:

I was lucky enough to be assigned to the Full Belly Sisters blog.  Justine and Flannery are sisters who share a passion for women's health.  Not only is their blog super informative for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, it has tons of great advice for anyone striving for balance in their lives.  These lovely ladies provide everything from breastfeeding instruction and support, private childbirth education classes, to one-on-one nutrition and wellness coaching.  Now I think you all know it's been a while since I was a new mom.  Without giving away my age, let's just say my Little Devil is not so little anymore.  But that doesn't limit the information available at Full Belly Sisters.  You don't have to be a new mom to enjoy all the wonderful recipes they share!  I was torn between a delicious smoothie like their Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt Smoothie, or since this was the SPRING edition of #FreakyFriday, I really considered preparing their Broccoli Deviled Eggs for Easter.  But with Easter being early this year, I knew there was no way I could keep those yummy deviled eggs a secret until #FreakyFriday.  Now you know we are cabbage fans here at The Devilish Dish.  We love everything from good 'ol sauerkraut to crisp, creamy coleslaw.  When I stumbled upon Justine and Flannery's Roasted Cabbage Wedge Salad with Yogurt Gorgonzola Dressing, I just had to try it!  It's all the elegance of a classic steakhouse wedge salad, with a lighter, healthier twist.  We all know those steakhouse wedge salads taste great, but they're basically an nutritionally-vacant wedge of iceberg lettuce swimming in a fatty blue cheese dressing.  Of course it tastes good, but if we all take a page from Justine and Flannery we can come up with something that not only tastes better, but is better for us.

The best part of a wedge salad is that creamy blue cheese dressing.  But smothering (as we all want to do) our salad with a traditional dressing isn't going to get us #FreakyFriday swim suit ready.  Justine and Flannery's solution to this problem was creating a tangy, full-of-flavor dressing using Greek yogurt as the base.  Not only are you getting the health benefits of calcium, protein and probiotics, but with fewer calories that a mayo-based dressing you don't have to skimp!  Substituting the wedge of cabbage not only gives you a good portion of your daily recommended Vitamins K and C, but you get a depth of flavor from roasting the cabbage that you just don't find with iceberg lettuce.  You still get to garnish with bacon, because face it, we all need a little bacon (in moderation) in our lives.  Rounding out the garnish with grape tomatoes and chopped scallions gives the salad that classic wedge salad look.

It may not be the typical steakhouse version of a wedge salad, but I promise you aren't missing out.  Roasting the cabbage helps bring out its natural sweetness, essentially it's caramelized and that equals yummy awesomeness.  Don't skimp on the tangy, chunky dressing either.  You can't beat that flavor of a great quality blue cheese.  Especially when it's complimented by crisp, salty bacon.  Be sure and give this updated twist on the old classic a try.  Your belly, your taste buds and your waistline will thank you!

Roasted Cabbage Wedge Salad with Yogurt Gorgonzola Dressing
by: Full Belly Sisters
Yields: 4 servings

1 head green cabbage, with tough outer leaves removed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 strips bacon (I may or may not have used more.  Don't tell the Full Belly Sisters :)
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped or sliced grape tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons chopped scallions

For the dressing:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola (or other good quality blue cheese)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Leaving core intact so it doesn't fall apart, cut the cabbage into 4 wedges.  Brush both sides of each wedge with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.  Cut the two bacon strips in half and lay one strip on each cabbage wedge.  Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, flipping half way through.  (Place bacon aside, flip wedge and place bacon back on.) Continue baking until the cabbage is roasted and the edges are caramelized and the bacon is crisp. 

While the cabbage is roasting, prepare the dressing.  In a bowl combine the yogurt, blue cheese, lemon juice, garlic, and scallions.  Season with salt and pepper.  (Keep in mind the cabbage and bacon are already seasoned.) 

Once you have removed the cabbage and bacon from the oven, crumble the bacon and set aside.  Place each wedge onto a serving plate and top the warm wedge with a big dollop of the yogurt dressing.  Garnish with the reserved crumbled bacon, grape tomatoes and chopped scallions. 

Prep Time: Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 30 minutes

#FreakyFriday Participating Bloggers:

An Affair from the Heart – http://www.anaffairfromtheheart.com/
A Dish of Daily Life – http://www.adishofdailylife.com/
Aunt Bee’s Recipes – http://www.auntbeesrecipes.com/
The Devilish Dish – http://thedevilishdish.blogspot.com/
Full Belly Sisters – http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.com/
Cooking on a Budget – http://pattyandersonsblog.blogspot.com/
A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures – http://www.akitchenhoorsadventures.com/
LeMoine Family Kitchen – http://www.lemoinefamilykitchen.com/
Life Currents – http://lifecurrents.dw2.net/
The Flavor Blender – http://www.theflavorbender.com/
The Foodie Affair – http://www.thefoodieaffair.com/
Wildflours Cottage Kitchen – http://wildflourskitchen.com/
Take Two Tapas – http://taketwotapas.com/
Belle of the Kitchen – http://belleofthekitchen.com/
Who Needs a Cape? – http://whoneedsacape.com/
Big Rigs ‘n lil Cookies – http://www.bigrigsnlilcookies.com/
Pic Nic – http://picnicnz.blogspot.com/

I hope you'll give this wonderful wedge salad a try.  It's a terrific twist on the traditional.  Be sure and visit the Full Belly Sisters.  And recommend them to new and expecting moms too.  I know Justine and Flannery would love to hear from you!

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