Ok, how many of you said "Round"? How many of you said, "Sweet"? or "Apple" or "Pizza"?

Depending on the country you live in.. the word "Pie" will evoke a variety of images or adjectives. But no matter what the particular response is, it probably includes a smile and a yearning.

Pierogi (Polish), Kulebyaka (Russian), Steak and kidney pie (British), Zwiebelkuchen (German), Tourtière (French Canadian), Banitza (Bulgarian), Kreatopita (Greek), Fatayir (Lebanese), Torta de frango (Brazilian), Bunuelos (Mexican).

Pies are comfort food...especially the ones you can hold in your hand, warm from the oven, whisps of steam rising from the flavorful filling.

I think there is something very earthy about Pies...to me they're usually all about the crust... and then about the filling. And if they're about the filling, I love them even more because it's encased in a buttery crust. True?

Pies can be round, square, rectangles, triangles, crescents and shapes that defy description!

On my Cancer Prevention diet, I have to be very careful about the amount of Carbs I eat, since we all know they cause our blood glucose levels to spike, and Cancer feeds on Glucose (those pesky rat finks).

But I don't believe in depriving oneself of comfort foods, because they nourish your soul, and healing and staying healthy means taking care of ourselves in a holistic way... body, mind and spirit. If one is off, you're out of synch and susceptible to illness.

I've successfully experimented with spelt and barley flour crusts that use coconut or olive oil instead of butter (depending on the type of crust or dough I need), and if I throw in some freshly ground flax seeds, I've upped the fiber so I"m well within our Good Carb Form ula.

When I think of Pie... the image that comes to mind depends on how hungry I am! If I've just had lunch or dinner, then it conjures up an image of a slice of apple pie.

If I'm hungry, then I think of the Crescent-shaped Beef, Onion, and Pine nut pies Mom used to make, or the lemony Spinach Triangles I love so much.

What's your favorite pie...sweet or savory?

~ Cheers! ♥

The creamy texture of steamed/boiled cabbage is very comforting to me. The subtle flavor that is melts into your mouth is an invitation to experiment with fillings, spices and herbs. Mom used to make the best stuffed cabbage and cabbage stew recipes ever! No, I'm not biased...after all she published a 500-page cookbook at the behest of friends for a reason. :)

She created a 'whole stuffed cabbage' dish that made us swoon, and that I will share here at a later date. The following recipe is based on one of hers too, with a little tweak to lower the fat content. (She used clarified butter in much of her creations.)

If you venture to try this, please let me know how you liked it!

Minted Cabbage with Garbanzo Beans

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil or Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Savoy cabbage, chopped into bite size chunks
1/4 c. organic Onion, chopped
3 med. cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 c. organic fresh Mint, minced
1 c. hot Water
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Sea Salt (to taste)
1/2 c. organic Garbanzo beans

Combine garlic and mint in a bowl and press down with back of wooden spoon to blend together.

Place a deep pot over medium heat. Wait 1 minute and add coconut oil. Wait another minute and toss in garlic/mint. After 2 minutes, add cabbage chunks. Stir occasionally until cabbage starts to wilt.

Pour the hot water over the cabbage, cover and let simmer over med-low heat for 15 minutes.

Add lemon, allspice, salt and garbanzo beans, stir and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve over brown Basmati and wild rice, or whole wheat Bulgur Pilaf. Can add more fresh mint as garnish.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥