Sweet Kasha Cabbage Rolls

I got this recipe from here, but I guess it originated from here..
I feel like I'm really cooking with this recipe.. it's not just pouring ingredients into my food processor and pressing on. I'll write the recipe down (the only change I made was substituting honey for brown sugar). But before I write the recipe, I'll write the time-line you'd need to know in advance.. because you can't really whip this one up quickly. BUT, it's SOO good.. so if you make a bunch of leftovers - it's worth all the planning.
day 1: Put head of cabbage in the freezer. (2 days)
day 2: Soak the buckwheat groats in water with an acidic medium (12-24 hours).. because soaking your grains will give you more nutrients and make it easier to digest!
day 3: Take the cabbage out of the freezer in the morning, and give it all day to thaw - I put mine in a colander in the sink. Rinse the buckwheat and make it with sauteed onions. Make the sauce. Wrap the buckwheat/onion dish (once cooled enough to handle) in the now mailable cabbage leaves and pour the sauce all over.. Then leave time to bake for about 3 hours!! (2 hours covered, 45 minutes uncovered)

Here's the recipe: serves 8 -10 , 10 -14 rolls

Change to: rolls US Metric

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for the cabbage roll:
1 large head of cabbage
1/4 olive oil
1 onion diced
2 cups dried kasha (but after 12-24 hours of soaking.. it turns into more than 2 cups.. so use less water than the recipe calls for)
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups water

for the sauce:
2 cups of diced tomatoes
12 oz tomato paste
6 tbsp honey (use a different sweetener for vegan recipe - brown rice syrup, maple syrup, date sugar.. etc)
6 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 orange worth of zest
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh basil
freshly ground pepper

directions!

If you have the time, freeze the cabbage head for two days.
For the cabbage:

1. Thaw it overnight in a colander in the sink. The leaves will come apart easily and be pliable. Otherwise, cook whole head of cabbage in boiling water about 5 minutes to soften the leaves. Drain and set aside.
2. Saute onion in oil in a heavy 2 to 3 quart pot. Add the kasha and turn it in the oil to coat all the grains. Add salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover.
   
3. Simmer for 15 minutes, it will cook fast because of the pre-soak. When only a small amount of water remains in the bottom of the pot, remove from heat. Let sit a few minutes until the kasha absorbs the water. Stir to fluff and to separate the grains
4. Oven! 350.
5. Separate the cabbage leaves. On each leaf, place 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of kasha. Fold one edge of the leaf over the filling, tuck in the sides, and roll.
6. Cut up any leftover cabbage and place in an oiled baking dish or casserole. Place rolls seam side down. Pour in sauce almost to cover. Cover with foil or lid and bake for 2 hours.
7. Uncover for the last 45 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Baste occasionally and adjust seasoning according to your taste

For the sauce:

1. Drain some of the liquid from the tomatoes into a heavy 3 quart pot. Stir in the tomato paste and stir until smooth.
2. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer about 10 minutes. Stir and add to baking pan as called for in above recipe.