Sautéed spinach: simple, healthy and delicious

While Popeye may have consumed all that spinach to become super strong, he may also have been trying to protect himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and a host of other disease.

Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach – with its delicate texture and jade green color – provide more nutrients than any other food. You can take your multivitamin daily – which is certainly suggested – but eating your greens is the most bio-available way to get the nourishment you need.

BestFoodsToEat.com, one of my favorite Web sites, gives you all sorts of storage tips for spinach – and some of its health benefits too.

According to the site, Spinach is a rich source of many important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, calcium and beta-carotene.

Sautéing spinach is a simple formula that lets spinach shine. This recipe is so easy and tastes so good, so get in the kitchen and give it a try! I love to pair sautéed spinach with a grilled meat and a simple grain. l

Kirk Pfeiffer is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice on University Avenue at Richmond Street in Hillcrest. He can be reached at 619-339-9980 or online at www.uptownacupuncture.net.

Simple Sautéed Spinach

Recipe by Eatingwell.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

20 ounces fresh spinach (see note)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

Heat oil in a pan with lid over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until beginning to brown, one to two minutes. Add spinach and toss to coat. Cover and cook until wilted, three to five minutes. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice, salt and crushed red pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Note: Baby spinach is immature or young spinach; it’s harvested earlier than large-leaved mature spinach. We like the sturdy texture of mature spinach in cooked dishes, and serve tender, mild-flavored baby spinach raw or lightly wilted. Baby and mature spinach can be used interchangeably in these recipes (yields may vary slightly); be sure to remove the tough stems from mature spinach before using.