Creamed spinach is hard to resist, but the healthful benefits of spinach, such as iron and vitamin K, are canceled out by the butter and cream. Seeking a healthier route, we were pleased to find the tanginess of yogurt paired even better with spinach’s earthy flavor. To emphasize the yogurt’s tang, we added lemon zest and juice and drizzled it over our garlicky spinach. To elevate the flavor, we sprinkled on dukkah, a power-packed Middle Eastern blend of ground roasted chickpeas, nuts, and seeds, which lent a nice textural contrast. Two pounds of flat-leaf spinach (about three bunches) can be substituted for the curly-leaf spinach; do not substitute baby spinach. We prefer to use our homemade dukkah, but you can substitute store-bought dukkah if you wish.
Ingredients
- ½ cup organic plain low-fat yogurt
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 ounces curly-leaf spinach, stemmed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup Dukkah
- Combine yogurt and lemon zest and juice in bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside for serving. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add spinach, 1 handful at a time, and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer spinach to colander and squeeze between tongs to release excess liquid.
- Wipe pot dry with paper towels. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and garlic to now-empty pot and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spinach and toss to coat, gently separating leaves to evenly coat with garlic oil. Off heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer spinach to serving platter, drizzle with yogurt sauce, and sprinkle with dukkah. Serve. Dukkah
- Dukkah is traditionally sprinkled on olive oil to use as a dip for bread, but it also makes a crunchy garnish for soup, salads, and vegetables.
Makes: 2 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- ⅓ cup black sesame seeds, toasted
- 2½ tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted
- 1½ teaspoons pepper
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss chickpeas with oil and spread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until browned and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes; let cool completely.
- Process chickpeas in food processor until coarsely ground, about 10 seconds; transfer to bowl. Pulse pistachios and sesame seeds in now-empty food processor until coarsely ground, about 15 pulses; transfer to bowl with chickpeas. Process coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds in again-empty food processor until finely ground, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to bowl with chickpeas. Add pepper and salt and toss until well combined. (Dukkah can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.)
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 180 kcal Calories from Fat: 117 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 13 g 37% |
Saturated Fat 2 g 10% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
Sodium 250 mg 4% |
carbohydrates 10 g 8% |
Dietary Fiber 4 g 11% |
Sugars 2 g 2% |
Protein 6 g 12% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |