FRIDAY FARE: Super Foods - Spinach

I was gone to a breast cancer retreat this last weekend, so I didn't get to update the blog. But, I didn't really want to skip the Friday Fare, so here is the healthy recipe for last week... on the way home, I had a really yummy salad at Kneaders, that was made with SPINACH - so, that's the super food for this week.

For the information on spinach, I went to a website called Superfoodsrx.com. Here's what they have to say about this super food:

"Spinach and it’s green, leafy sidekicks, are among the most nutritious foods on earth. Calorie for calorie, spinach provides more nutrients than any other food. Low in calories and jam-packed with nutrients, spinach should be a regular part of your daily menu. Overwhelming research has demonstrated an inverse relationship between spinach consumption and the following:

Cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary artery disease
Cancer, including colon, lung, skin, oral, stomach, ovarian, prostate and breast
Age related macular degeneration (AMD)
Cataracts

In addition, preliminary research suggests that spinach may help prevent or delay age-related cognitive decline."

What is so powerful about spinach?

"The list of compounds that have been discovered in spinach is truly impressive. Beyond the iron that Popeye was yearning for, spinach contains carotenoids, antioxidants, vitamin K, coenzyme Q10, B vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, polyphenols, betaine and, interestingly, plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids."

Here's a recipe for a salad very much like the one I had yesterday - it was SO yummy!

Grilled Chicken, Spinach, and Strawberry Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette


Ingredients

1 package of baby spinach
2 cups of sliced strawberries
2 chicken breast (I would cut into pieces and then cook in a little bit of olive oil and whatever seasoning if your favorite - that way, the chicken will have wonderful flavor on every part of each piece!) Try it without the chicken, if you don't want the meat.
crumbled Feta cheese
Candied nuts (you can use whatever nuts you like - I love the pecans with this salad.)

Directions

After cooking the chicken, toss everything together. It's really good when the chicken is warm, or you can try it cold, as well.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
(found on Myrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar (you can use something healthier here)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients, and then add olive oil.

Another dressing recipe - this one is super easy!
(This one came from allrecipes.com.)

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 (10 ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam

Directions

Whisk everything together. If you are watching your sugar intake, use a sugar-free jam.

ENJOY!!