The Secret to Spinach Salad

 

I have finally discovered the Secret to Spinach Salad.  As an adult woman who has to watch her calorie intake as my metabolism is forever slowing down, salads are ideal.  But I feel as though I am on a salad rollercoaster.  In theory, I should be eating salads, and only salads, for lunch and for dinner every single day.  Some days I am just not in the mood however - either that or I cannot decide on WHAT type of salad to dine on.  There are oh-so many.  To top that, even as I eat these salads, I am constantly analyzing them in regards to their net worth to me.   Some days I just want to enjoy the fresh, crisp crunch of iceberg lettuce, but the nutrient nazi in my head is saying, 'What nutrition are you getting out of this? Eating this is simply a waste of time.'  

Having said all this, I am well aware that dark, leafy greens are the way to go.  Spinach being at the top of that list - full of vitamins and minerals - some of the most vital ones, folate, iron, and vitamin A.  But depending on how it is prepared, spinach can hold a certain bitterness that simply turns me off.  In addition, if you cook it too long, well then, you might as well just eat iceberg lettuce since all those vitamins and minerals have pretty much evaporated.  And I hate the old trick chefs use to 'make spinach taste good' by creaming it or cooking it with loads of butter, oil, cream and/or cheese.  What's the point of consuming it then if you also take down two days worth of calories and saturated fat?

While creating my weekly shopping list this week I decided I was in the mood for goat cheese.  And what does goat cheese pair well with?  Spinach salad of course!  But I was determined to NOT be subject to the bitterness of the spinach this week.  Seriously, I do not want to dine on bitter spinach.  Ever.  Again.  It just so happened that this week I was attending a cooking class at Sur La Table with a high school friend in the driver's seat.  And in her cooking class we were making: spinach salad.  She shed some light on what was necessary - what I had been missing.   Typically I create all-vegetable salads, and what she reminded me of was that foods need balance and that balance is created by contrast.  The bitterness of the spinach was of course balanced by the sweet tang of the goat cheese - but just one more element was enough to tip the scales completely in my favor - fruit.  

Be it strawberries, raspberries, sliced apples or orange wedges - the addition of fruit with your bitter green salads will open up a whole new world.  As always, I am dedicated to eating healthy, but I want to really enjoy the healthy food I am consuming to continually remind myself it is worth it.  So in this entry photo, you are looking at a delicious spinach salad complete with spinach, goat cheese, a sprinkling of walnuts and strawberries.  I am now at peace with the leafy green known as spinach - and off to pursue more good foods, making them taste great. 

Hearty, Fall Chili. Round One.

 

The weather has cooled enough for chili.  I am so excited - it is finally time to cozy up with hearty bowls of homemade deliciousness, just they way we like it.  I prefer to make my own chili from scratch (versus 'from the can') because I am not always a fan of all the ingredients or seasonings included.  I like to choose my own meats, veggies, beans and spices; and blend them in proportions to my liking.  This November Chili is Round One - the chili at our house is like snowflakes, we never make the same batch twice.  For a lead-off batter, this one scored.  

Meat selection was a pound of each - bison and turkey sausage.  I have heard more and more about bison lately, especially how lean it is.  A little nervous about a new meat - I picked up a pound from Whole Foods, pleasantly eyeing the '90% lean' signage it displayed.  When I got it home and put in the pot to brown up, I found the aroma very mild and light.  I browned the sausage simultaneously - two meats offer more flavor than just one, right?  The meats got the first blast of seasonings: chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, s&p, all to taste.  Then out came the meats and in went the veggies - two yellow onions minced, four cloves of garlic, a large bunch of spinach cut into thin ribbons, and an equally large bunch of kale, also in ribbons.  At this point, I took a slight tangent.  After adding the meat back in to the nicely sauteed veggies, I chose to deglaze the pan with one beer (brand is your choosing).  The beer reduced for about 4-5 minutes and later on this concentrated flavor really added a distinct note to the dish.  Back on track, in went one can of roasted tomatoes, one cup of stock, and one can of pinto beans.  As the chili started to boil, the broth was sampled and seasoned accordingly, with more of the spices mentioned previously.  The only new addition was the tiniest dash of cinnamon, which I find adds a warm to meaty dishes that is undeniably delicious.   From here on out, this pot of goodness simmered until the ingredients were married into wedded bliss (about a good hour).  And we always make sure to serve it up with classic condiments: avocado chunks, light sour cream and shredded cheddar. 

Make it again?  Yes, of course.  Same players, perhaps a slight variation.  But we certainly achieved hearty satisfaction with this one. 

Improvements? Well, I wouldn't be able to call anything added next time an improvement until we taste it.  This chili was damn good.  Potentials currently are - a different combination of meats, more beans, and definitely more greens.  I loved the green element because they easily assimilated into a dish that typically does not feature veggies.  I can't wait to up the ante next time.

Baked Potatoes with Sauteed Spinach, Leeks & Sour Cream

 

This is my prized creation of the week.  Unbelievably delicious!  Here's what happened: I was feeling a little under the weather, a little chilled due to the rain and the admittance that fall is in fact here.  In my box, I found four Russet potatoes and began to get that reminiscent feeling of how comforting a baked potato can be.  But baked potatoes can be dry.  I am determined to banish my kitchen of dry tasting foods.  I peeked into my fridge and remembered that I had purchased my favorite condiment earlier in the week: sour cream.  I knew I couldn't use sour cream alone though; my baked potato would be delicious, but not that nutritious.  So I dug further into my box and came up with this: I would attempt an alternative spinach dip to top my potato.  I started by sauteing leeks, one of my very favorite fall vegetables.  As they began to brown, I washed a giant bunch of spinach and tossed it on top.  Spinach always amazes me - the amount you start with hardly compares to what you end up with.  Nevertheless, I wilted the spinach down, seasoned them both with s&p and brought them off the stove to cool.  When my potatoes finished baking, that is when the magic began.  I cut the steaming potato open and in a bowl I quickly whipped a couple tablespoons of sour cream with two heaping scoops of spinach and leeks.  It resembled spinach dip and I dolloped it straight into the potato.  Absolute heaven.  Creamy, delicious, nutritious and ......comforting. 

Make it again?  Ha ha...I had the remaining potatoes with topping for breakfast and dinner the next day.  Do I still need to say yes?  This goes straight to the top of my fall rotation.  

Improvements?  Possible addition of artichoke hearts into the saute mixture.  Any other leafy green could most likely be substituted for the spinach as well.