12 Best Foods: Spinach
Everybody knows spinach is packed with power. It’s loaded with antioxidants and folates, and may also help in maintaining memory and reducing the risk of stroke, according to Dana Jacobi, author of the 12 Best Foods Cookbook.
Spinach his high concentrations of Vitamins C, K, beta-carotene, thiamine and riboflavin. In addition, it has plenty of iron, calcium, potassium and zinc. Phytonutrients include lutein, zeaxanthin, polyphenols, and alpha lipoic acid. And on top of all that, it’s high in fiber.
You should eat at least 1 cup of cooked spinach or dark leafy greens a day, or 2 cups raw.
Curly or Savoy spinach has thick, crinkly, very dark leaves and fibrous stems. Flat-leaf spinach has more tender leaves and stems . . . baby spinach, picked 1 to 2 weeks sooner than mature spinach, is one of the true convenience foods - all it needs is a quick rinse before using. Consider buying organic spinach whenever possible, since conventionally grown spinach is one of the most heavily sprayed commercial crops, according to the Environmental Working Group.
- from 12 Best Foods Cookbook
Jalapeno spinach is a fresh new way to serve an old standby. The peppers brighten up the flavor, but it’s subtle enough to go with just about anything.
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
16 oz. fresh curly or flat-leaf spinach, stemmed
In a blender, whirl the jalapeno, garlic, and salt with 1/2 cup cold water until the mixture resembles green water, 1 minute. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach in 2 or 3 batches, stirring after each addition to coat the leaves with the oil. When all the spinach is wilted, 2 minutes, pour in the chile water. Cook until the spinach is dark green and half the liquid has evaporated, 3 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a serving bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.
from 12 Best Foods Cookbook, by Dana Jacobi (Rodale, 2005)
Per serving: 42 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 2 g protein, 4 g
carbohydrates, 2 g fiber
