More than one way to cook a cabbage

They say that breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day. Or, rather, that you're supposed to eat an additional 500 calories per day if you're breastfeeding. It depends on who's saying it and their motivation. The Lactation Mafia will say anything to encourage new mothers to breastfeed.

I'm not entirely sure that's true. I think the more likely case is that if you're breastfeeding, you simply don't have time to eat, so it's easy to lose weight. Particularly with a newborn. "Baby Eats" is an appropriate moniker as this kid wants to eat just about every two hours and it'll take 30 minutes for each feeding. Factor in diaper changes and other care and that leaves about 30 minutes of free time between feedings. Not really enough time to prepare and eat a meal. I have rarely had a warm dinner in the last four weeks. The upside is that she is growing like a weed and is now the size of a normal newborn. She's happy and healthy.

Another thing "they" say is that cabbage is good for engorged or sore breasts--an inevitability of breastfeeding. Not eating cabbage; putting cabbage on your boobs. Essentially, you get a good, clean leaf of cabbage, stick it in your bra and when it's cooked, you should be relieved of engorgement and/or pain. "They" never say what you're supposed to do with that now-cooked leaf of cabbage. I tossed mine out.

The cabbage didn't really help me, so I was left with a head of cabbage. I am not one to waste food (even cabbage), so I made a nice side dish with the un-boob-cooked head.

Fried Cabbage
(makes 2 servings)
1 half a head of cabbage, washed and cut into thin wedges
2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 clove (or equivalent) of minced or chopped garlic
1/2 a small onion, cut into thin strips (optional)
dash of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Liquid Smoke
apple cider vinegar

Over medium high heat, saute the garlic and onion in a large pan until browned (don't burn the garlic; also, it will pop so be careful). Add the cabbage, sugar, salt, pepper, and a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke and fry until the cabbage is done. I like mine rather al dente, so that would be about 5-7 minutes at most. After it's cooked, add a splash or two of the vinegar.

I served this as a side to potato soup that Grammy Eats made while she was visiting over the weekend. I'd share her recipe with you, but I refuse to make potato soup. I will tell you that it does NOT contain bacon or any baked potato accoutrements that a certain "Irish"-themed restaurant based in Nashville puts in their very inauthentic potato soup. Potatoes, milk, butter, flour, salt--that's it. I think. There's some trick to the soup part with the flour. Mom's cornbread and potato soup are two things that I'll just let her continue to cook for me. Some things should remain sacred, y'know.