Super Sauteed Spinach with Chicken and Eggplant
Spinach your way to healthy success!
While there are only 3.5 mg of iron in a 100-gram serving of spinach (and not 35 mg as Popeye would have us think), it has a ton of other healthy benefits.
Spinach is a good source of beta-carotene, plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins C and E, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, B6, folate), minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc, polyphenols, betaine, and coenzyme Q10, according to Dr. Steven Pratt's book "Super Health".
Spinach helps to act as an anti-inflammatory, preserves our muscles, protects our brain, strengthens our immune system, lowers our risk to certain cancers, reduces our risk to cataracts and macular degeneration, and plays a big role in preventing cardiovascular disease in our bodies.
With so many benefits we wonder why spinach is not a favorite vegetable served in our everyday meals.
The reason maybe is in how it is being prepared -- many do not like the feel of the leaves on their tongue when cooked much more when eaten raw.
The key is to use only the freshest spinach in preparing your salads - choose the best, unmarked and unblemished leaves alone. Do not include the leaves that are dry, yellowing, or old. When cooking spinach allow only 2-3 minutes for it to cook then remove from heat right away to maintain the sweetness and crunchiness.
Here is a simple yet super healthy recipe that you can prepare for your family:
1 bunch of fresh spinach leaves removed from their stalk/stems, can fill 2-3 cups or 1 medium bowl
2 to 3 pcs eggplant, sliced to approximately 3/8" to 1/2" thickness
1 pc chicken breast fillet around 100 -200 grams, sliced 3/8" to 1/2" thickness
1 pc small red bell pepper
1 pc small long green pepper
garlic and onion
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a pan. Sautee garlic and onion.
2. Add chicken breast fillet strips.
3. When chicken is half-way cooked, add a red bell and long green pepper and eggplant slices.
4. Add salt, pepper to taste just before all the ingredients are done.
5. Lastly, add the spinach leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes while thoroughly mixing everything until all the softened leaves nicely coat all the other ingredients. Then remove from heat right away.
Enjoy your spinach and be healthy!
