Recipe alert: Braised cabbage with beet and apple

And no, I'm afraid this post isn't about borscht.:)

Last night, I had a dinner party. It was great fun: my parents brought a beautiful, fresh green salad -- complete with crisp escarole lettuce from Santa Barbara Market -- and my mom's matchless home-made French dressing. My good friends Daniel and Lizzie brought a lovely, light Merlot from their most recent batch, courtesy of Neighbourhood Winemakers on Davie St.

My guests were nice enough to rate me well in the delicious and nutritious departments yesterday night, and ask me to share my braised cabbage recipe. Here, both for the cabbage converts and the veggie skeptics among you, is a new sweet-savoury contender...

Braised cabbage
a.k.a. delicious, low-GI, mostly veggie side
Serves: 5+
Inspiration: Fresh Juice's fall recipe for honey-mustard roast pork tenderloin with braised cabbage

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil (I used extra-virgin coconut oil because I felt I had to try my newest oleic acquisition:))
1 red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 apple of any variety you choose, except Granny Smith (too tart), peeled and thinly sliced
1 beet, peeled, halved and julienned
1/2 red cabbage, halved again and thinly sliced
2 tsp apple cider or red-wine vinegar
1-2 T maple syrup
1 C water
1 T miso paste, mild
salt, pepper, fennel seeds, caraway seeds and dill, to taste
sprinkling of whole peppercorns (optional)

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven, large pot or saucepan.
2. Add onion, apple and beet slices. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens (5 to 10 mins).
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Put lid on pot or saucepan.
5. Bring mixture to boil.
6. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all ingredients are tender (20 mins to a half-hour.)
7. Taste and alter seasoning as your taste buds and creativity suggest.
8. Guten appetit!