Sauteed Spinach:

Popeye always told us to eat our spinach if we wanted to be strong.  He was right.  Those leafy greens are packed with a bushel of minerals - potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and manganese.  You can’t argue with Popeye.  And while we most often include spinach in a smoothie or a salad or a dip, we need to add cooked spinach to our diets as heat aids in the absorption of the calcium and iron.

I sometimes find spinach to be bitter but have learned that the younger, baby variety is tastier and more tender than the mature leaves.  Our spinach crop at the Farm is about to be harvested so will let you know if that theory holds true.  The addition of camelized onions and fruit like dried cranberries add a nice sweetness to enhance the flavor of the spinach.

Try this quick and easy recipe and you’ll soon be pumping iron - just like Popeye.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh spinach (baby leaves preferred)

2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 small onion - sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Goat cheese

Fig balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Rinse spinach, remove the stems and discard brown or blemished leaves.  Dry leaves with paper towels to remove excess water.

2. Heat oil in large skillet until oil “shimmers” or separates in the pan.

3. Add onions and heat on medium flame for a minute stirring constantly until onion begins to soften.  Add pine nuts and cranberries and toast stirring constantly for one minute.

4. Add spinach to pan and turn heat to high.  Stir all ingredients lifting nuts/cranberries/onions to top of spinach.  Stir continuously, about two minutes or until spinach leaves are wilted.

5. Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl.  Add crumbled goat cheese.  Drizzle with fig balsamic vinegar.

6. Enjoy and grow strong!

Servings:

4