Fresh Spinach Saute

This Fresh Spinach Saute is super simple, super tasty, super healthy.

Fresh Spinach Saute

The making of Fresh Spinach Saute

A printer-friendly recipe card is available at the bottom of this post

Popeye used to eat his straight from the can. And that can always showed up just when he needed it so he could knock Blutto out of the world and save Olive Oil from his evil advances!

Bam…

With its healthy components, Popeye was smart to make spinach his veggie of choice. Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron,vitamin B₂, calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.

See, it’s a real powerhouse.

I just spent a week with girlfriends in North Carolina, and they were telling me how much they love eating spinach, right from the can.  Maybe when I was a kid, but now I prefer my spinach fresh.

Fresh in a salad, or in a light sauté.  Like this Fresh Spinach Saute.

Which uses Olive Oil, but not Blutto.

Spinach Choices

I love the convenience of buying spinach already cleaned in a bag.

You can also buy bunches of fresh spinach to make this recipe. Fresh spinach bought in bunches usually has a lot of dirt in the stems and leaves, so they need to be washed multiple times until no more grit and dirt is in the water. (We don’t like dirt in our spinach, not good at all). The best way to thoroughly wash fresh spinach is in copious amounts of water, gently swishing the spinach around with your hands and then “lifting” the spinach from the water into a colander.  Once it is cleaned, remove the large stems and then proceed with the recipe.

Spinach is also very easy to grow if you have a garden.  And there is nothing better than the freshness of the freshest spinach you can eat!

Header Photo Credit: Anton Ignatenco/123RF

Yield: 4 servings

Fresh Spinach Saute

Print

This Fresh Spinach Saute is super simple, super tasty, super healthy.

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag whole-leaf baby spinach (can substitute baby swiss chard)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Dash red wine or balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and saute until soft but not brown. Add the red pepper flakes and the spinach, a handful at a time until it wilts. As each batch wilts, add the next one using tongs to toss. Add the vinegar and adjust seasonings with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot or warm.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 57Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 3gProtein: 3g

Nutritional values may not be 100% accurate

You Might Also Enjoy...

Polenta Muffins

Baked Swordfish with Olive Relish

Sweet Cherry Upside Down Cake

Homemade Chili Colorado