Hamburger Cabbage Casserole

If you’ve spent some time browsing Whole Intentions or reading about us, you’ll quickly learn that Travis and I deal with a health issue called candida.

To put it very simply, candida is a yeast-like organism everyone has in their body. It’s generally harmless unless your immune system becomes weakened by things like antibiotics and foods high in sugars and starches. These things feed candida until it overruns your system, causing severe health issues. Candida isn’t something you can ‘get rid’ of, because, as I mentioned, everyone has it in their systems. Instead, you want to maintain it, or keep it ‘under control’.

The most effective way to control candida is with an anti-candida diet.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that being on such a strict diet isn’t easy.Your first thought is usually along the lines of – “What. Am. I. Going. To. Eat! In the beginning I wasn’t all that enthusiastic about eating this way, cooking this way, or trying out candida-diet recipes. In fact, on more than one occasion I tried to convince Travis that it wasn’t worth it and that we should look for other alternatives.

I’m so glad he convinced me to stick it out – after eating this way for a year, I’ll now happily admit that it is sooo worth it. Travis, who had many more symptoms than me, noticed a big change after about nine months on the diet. It was a little discouraging to go the first eight months without seeing much improvement, but somewhere along the nine month mark I remember him coming home and saying he felt as if he’d made a break through. From that point on his ‘bad’ days became fewer and fewer. Now instead of a week of bad days and maybe one good day, he has weeks of good days and one bad day.

While this diet certainly takes some getting used to, let me assure you that there are plenty of delicious candida-diet recipes out there you can enjoy – and you can enjoy them knowing that every bite is bringing you that much closer to healing.

Currently Travis and I are maintaining the candida as we feel we’ve got it under control, so we’re a little less strict – but one of the recipes we often relied on while on the full diet is still one of our absolute favorites. It’s quick and easy, dirties only one pan, and contains only three ingredients. Tell me, how can you go wrong?

Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce to you (for lack of a better name) . . .

Hamburger Cabbage Casserole (casein-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free, anti-candida, low-carb)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 head of red or green cabbage
14 oz. diced tomatoes (with juices)

Directions:
1. Brown ground beef in skillet.
2. Add tomatoes and all their juices. I used to use canned tomatoes, but since reading about BPA I dice and freeze my summer garden tomatoes to use all winter long. Either way, canned or frozen, works well.

3. Wash cabbage and cut lengthwise. Then, giving it half a turn, chop lengthwise again so your cutting them into ‘squares’.

4. Add the cabbage to the skillet and then cover with a lid and let simmer on low for about 20-25 min. until cabbage is tender yet still a tad crispy.

Of course you can add onions, green peppers, or whatever vegetable you’d like to it. We regularly add homemade sausage seasoning to give it a different twist too. This is the basic recipe – play with it and knock yourself out!

Makes 4 servings. Each serving has 8.51g net carbs.

P.S. What vegetables would you add to it?

Shared With: Monday Mania, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mix It Up Monday, Homestead Barn Hop, Make Your Own Monday, The Modest Mom Blog, Traditional Tuesdays, Talent Tuesdays, Titus 2sdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Teach Me Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Women Living Well, Homemaking Wednesdays, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Encourage One Another, Healthy 2day Wednesdays, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Hearts 4 Home, Fight Back Fridays, Fresh Bites Fridays, Freaky Friday, Kids in the Kitchen, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Natural Living Link-Up, Weekend Whatever, Your Green Resource

Tagged as: candida diet, casein-free, egg-free, gluten-free, low-carb, main dish, nut-free, sugar-free, yeast-free