Marinara With a Twist

This recipe is adapted from the "Unstuffed Cabbage" recipe in The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook. It's a bit spicy, but my preschool and kindergarten-aged kids loved it.

For a vegan version, you could add more Italian spices and some cooked (or canned) beans. If you can't tolerate or don't like tomatoes, just leave them out or add a cup of vegetable broth instead.

In a large skillet or wok, cook and stir until browned and broken into pieces:
1 lb. Italian sausage (I buy a safe uncured sausage made with just meat and fresh herbs at a local butcher shop [Butcher Boys' ground Italian or Breakfast sausage], or there are a few safe brands of chicken sausage available commercially)

Add and cook until tender:
1 medium to large onion, diced (I used a yellow onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press

If desired, spoon out the extra grease and discard it.

Stir in:
6 cups cabbage in bite-sized chunks (about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cabbage head--the normal round-headed green cabbage works well in this recipe)
4 medium carrots, shredded (2 cups loose or 1 cup packed)
1/2 teaspoon sage (I used about 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh snipped sage)

When the cabbage has shrunk enough to add something else to the pan, add:
1 can of Cento crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
Salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add either salt or pepper, but the original recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper)

Cover (I used aluminum foil) and cook for 10 to 20 minutes or until cabbage is just tender, stirring occasionally.

Serve over noodles or cooked grain. We had it with rice noodles, and it was quite tasty.