With apologies to Paul Klee for misquoting his famous definition of drawing (that it is … taking a line for a walk).
This is a red line that’s been taken for a walk. Well, … more like a spin. A meandering sort of walk, yet clearly in spiral form, a labyrinthine walk.
These images are scans of slices of one of this year’s allotment crop of red cabbages.
Red cabbage is a Brassica. Its leaves vary from dark red to purple. The tone depends on the acidity of the soil in which it’s cultivated. I’m surprised my cabbages are so red – indicating a soil more acid that alkaline – as I added a generous quantity of lime to my Brassica bed to reduce the acidity of the soil a couple of weeks before planting out the young cabbages.
After I scanned the slices, I ate them. Waste not, want not. I washed them first, of course. Forgot to wipe the scanner. I steamed the cabbage, together with an apple. 
There is no vegetable more delicious than red cabbage slices steamed with apple, till the apple is stewed but the cabbage tender but still holding its shape.
And a 90g portion of red cabbage contains only about 20 calories, which is great news for weight watchers. 
The calorific content of an eating apple is roughly 45, so a mound of the delicious combo, which is filling because of the bulk of the cabbage, will come only to about 65 calories.
And more good news: red cabbage has 10 times more vitamin A and twice as much iron as green cabbage. And if you take the cabbage for a brisk walk you’ll burn those calories off (yourself, not the cabbage) meaning you can add a sprinkling of walnuts and that’s your protein sorted, too. Walnuts provide omega-3 fatty acids (an anti-inflammatory), are high in copper, manganese, molybdenum and biotin. If you want to know what these all are and why they’re good for you, google it.
Also, research indicated that walnuts lower the risk of prostate and breast cancers and they’re good for the heart and liver. Be stingy with the walnuts though, one walnut contains 26 calories.
Red cabbage offers up an infinite number artistic possibilities. You can use a slice as a stamp, of course (and I will); but did you know (I didn’t) that red cabbage water will turn vaious shades of pink when mixed with vinegar or lemon juice (acids) and you’ll get blue/blue-green from the same water mixed with detergent or baking soda (alkalines).
Don’t eat the stamps though, children, or drink red cabbage water to which you’ve added detergent. It won’t kill you but I don’t suppose it’ll taste nice diluted with baking soda, either.
I do love those spiral lines, my spiral walks. I can’t help believing that any veggie that grows spiral fashion must be healthy, too, at the metaphysical level of being.
What do you think?
Ann
The slices are awesome! Terrific art…and thanks for the yummy tip on how to use them after using them for creative inspiration.
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Well, it’s probably not the BEST idea to eat them after having sandwiched them between scanner glass and the scanner lid, despite washing, then steaming them. I should have put those slices on the compost heap. Or even used them as stamps, to make more art. Now there’s another idea. I am down to my last red cabbage (from the allotment) so I’ll have a go at that with a few slices, see if I can transer that lovely spiral design. I won’t eat those slices though! Thanks for reading.
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I am definitely buying red cabbage this week…enjoying the beauty of it, then having a wonderful, healthy meal made of it. Thanks.
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Ann, I would never thought to take photos of cabbage. These are beautiful. I like cabbage, I often use it in place of rice, but it’s usually green, although I do like purple, too. I like to try new things therefore, I’m going to try your steamed apple idea. Phyllis
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I used eating apples, but Bramley would have had more of a ‘tang’. And I’d recommend the addition of cardamom – apple and cardamom is spectacular. Let me know what you think. 🙂
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My plan was to go shopping today, but there’s a blizzard out, so I’m staying in. I’ll let you know how it goes.
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Hope you post some photos. You’re a great photographer. Blizzard, eh? Snow? I can’t work out from your blog where you’re from. It is raining here today. Quite cold now but still harvesting some tomatoes from the veranda at our allotment.
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Sorry I’m late in replying. I did survive the blizzard. I assume you survived the rain. I didn’t take pictures. Snow didn’t stick, but it will so photos are coming. Thanks for the compliment. Fresh tomatoes, yum! ;0) Enjoy, Phyllis
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I really love these wonderful spiral shapes you’ve captured here. Brilliant to mix beauty with nutrition and a delicious taste. Did you chop the apple up? Eating apples don’t always cook down that well in my experience….I guess that a Bramley would also work? When I googled cabbage for health it came up saying that cabbage is good for just about everything you can think of health wise! Thank you for these lovely offerings.
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Yes, I peeled and chopped the apple. A couple of eating apples. I just sat them on top of the cabbage circles. Bramley would probably be better, more tang. I hope I thanked you for your lovely cards, by the way.
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I think it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen! They’re mandalas! Love the info – as a vegetarian I’ll now eat more of it – plant some first I suppose. Lovely post!
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Nice to hear from you Petru. Hope all goes well in your corner of the world. 🙂
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I’ll email … all is well – i hope!
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So pleased to know that. I’ll look out for an email.
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