Spinach, the Superfood
Recipe
M-J's Superfood Spinach Salad
M-J's Superfood Spinach Salad
Wash a pound of spinach; baby leaves are preferable. Dry them with a towel or a salad-spinning device. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces with a French chef's knife. Knife-tip: if you use your knife to clear spinach off of cutting board, turn it to the dull side, or, like I did long ago before I realized what I was doing, you will dull the blade.
Shred a cup of Parmesan cheese.
Cut a few red, ripe plum tomatoes into quarters. Alternatively, cut sun-dried tomatoes into quarters--the ones packed in oil are already soft enough to eat, but the completely dry ones are best reconstituted in boiling water.
Sauté a cup of walnuts in a half-cup of olive oil. Crush the walnuts with a potato masher to break them up into smaller bits and bring out their flavor. Salt and pepper the nuts and oil to your taste. I use Himalayan salt and cayenne pepper, both of which are health-promoting elements. After the walnuts, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are toasted to your liking, keep the olive oil/walnut mixture hot.
Pour the hot olive oil/walnuts into the spinach and toss. Throw-in the tomatoes. Add the Parmesan cheese. Dress with balsamic vinegar and more olive oil if necessary. The hot olive oil and walnuts have already done their job of wilting the spinach leaves slightly.
Spinach, walnuts, and tomatoes are on the popular lists of "superfoods". Be sure to click on the link up above to read about the wonders of spinach, in case you're wondering why anyone would bother to eat the vegetable! My husband didn't like spinach until he had my Superfood Spinach Salad.
~~Article copyright M-J de Mesterton, June 3rd, 2008
Shred a cup of Parmesan cheese.
Cut a few red, ripe plum tomatoes into quarters. Alternatively, cut sun-dried tomatoes into quarters--the ones packed in oil are already soft enough to eat, but the completely dry ones are best reconstituted in boiling water.
Sauté a cup of walnuts in a half-cup of olive oil. Crush the walnuts with a potato masher to break them up into smaller bits and bring out their flavor. Salt and pepper the nuts and oil to your taste. I use Himalayan salt and cayenne pepper, both of which are health-promoting elements. After the walnuts, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are toasted to your liking, keep the olive oil/walnut mixture hot.
Pour the hot olive oil/walnuts into the spinach and toss. Throw-in the tomatoes. Add the Parmesan cheese. Dress with balsamic vinegar and more olive oil if necessary. The hot olive oil and walnuts have already done their job of wilting the spinach leaves slightly.
Spinach, walnuts, and tomatoes are on the popular lists of "superfoods". Be sure to click on the link up above to read about the wonders of spinach, in case you're wondering why anyone would bother to eat the vegetable! My husband didn't like spinach until he had my Superfood Spinach Salad.
~~Article copyright M-J de Mesterton, June 3rd, 2008