Nutritional powerhouse

One of the best greens to buy at a farmers market is spinach because fresh spinach is best eaten within a few days of harvest for optimal nutritional benefit.

That benefit includes lots of vitamins A, C, K, folate and trace metals like magnesium, manganese and potassium. Spinach does contain lots of calcium and iron, but it also contains oxalic acid (the substance that gives the vegetable its slightly bitter taste), which inhibits the absorption of calcium and iron. Still, it’s a nutritional powerhouse among leafy greens.

Spinach is easy to eat, raw or cooked. In a salad it can be rather bland. But when paired with goodies such as bacon, cranberries, nuts and mushrooms, spinach salads can be terrific. The leaves are especially friendly for pocket breads or sandwiches, as they’re easy to tuck.

The flavor of spinach comes through best when it’s cooked. Steamed spinach lightly coated in butter is still a classic preparation. Spinach stir-fried in a wok over high heat with just a little garlic is undeniably good, and the oil used for cooking helps the body absorb the plant’s nutrients. Plus, it takes just seconds to cook.

Ninety percent of spinach is water that leaches out quickly when cooked. I like to cook my weekly bag of spinach, drain it and squeeze out the excess water. I end up with just a handful of the veggie, but it’s ready for any preparation: scrambled with eggs, underlying cheese on a tortilla for a quesadilla or added to a bowl of noodles.

When shopping for spinach, be sure leaves are green without traces of yellow. There should be no musty odor when you open a bag.

Take advantage of benefits of spinach 

One of my new favorite ways to eat spinach is with a little coconut milk and salt to taste. It’s a takeoff on creamed spinach or squid luau, with lots more flavor.

CREAMED COCONUT SPINACH

4 cups spinach
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Rinse spinach and place in large saucepan over high heat. Wilt, turning the spinach as it cooks. Remove from heat and transfer to colander; cool. 

Squeeze out the water by the handful, removing as much liquid as possible. At this point you can store the spinach in refrigerator for later use.

Chop spinach. 

Place in small saucepan over medium heat, add coconut milk and mix well. Season with salt and continue to cook until hot. 

Serve as a side dish with meats, fish or poultry, or as a warm pupu with crackers. Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 70 calories, 6 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, no sugar, 2 g protein

Make up a batch of this pesto and keep it in the refrigerator to dollop into scrambled eggs, spread on toast for a quick open-faced sandwich or on crackers for a snack or pupu. Add pine nuts if you wish.

SPINACH PESTO 

4 cups baby spinach
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Makes about 1 cup. 

Approximate nutritional information, per 1/4-cup serving: 160 calories, 15 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, no sugar, 7 g protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., a nutritionist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Science, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa.