Traveling has kept me from the kitchen this summer. I embarked on my 30s, traveled to Haiti, the pacific northwest, Alaska and I don't want to forget to mention the magical week of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Mumford and Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, Abigail Washburn - to name just a few - rocked my socks off. I'm still tappin' my toe.
In Seattle, I got to check out a restaurant called Delancey. The writer of one of my favorite blogs, Orangette, created this chic gourmet pizza shop with her husband. It's definitely worth a visit if you're in Seattle. Her blog site is worth a visit as well. She is an inspiration.
Alaska! Enough said.
Traveling aside, I do want to share one of my favorite summer treats: spinach. I like spinach. I eat it raw, boiled or sauteed; its all yummy to me. I'm pretty sure that I'm healthier just looking at the deep rich green color - full of vitamin A,K, and little C along with some other health benefiting vitamins and minerals. Sometimes (well, all of the time) I wish my backyard wasn't a concrete parking lot just so I could have a garden full of succulent, scrumptious, savory spinach. I'd stroll up and down the rows of spinach singing sonnets while picking spinach leaves and chewing on their sweetness. One day I'll get my garden.
This spinach dish goes great as a side item with anything from a burger to salmon. Its sauteed with onion and topped with bacon and any blue-veined cheese preferred. And for an added bonus, because spinach is so healthy, it omits all the calories that plague bacon and cheese. (I've successfully convinced myself of this last part, so please let me remain in this bliss.) Be mindful, if buying raw un-packaged spinach remember to wash it thoroughly. Dirt and sand can remain nestled between the leaves.
This recipe does work with either large leaf spinach or packaged baby spinach. It's your choice. If it's large leaves, just chop them up a little.
Sauteed Spinach
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10 ounces fresh spinach, stems removed
2 strips bacon
2-3 tablespoons blue cheese (Gorgonzola works well too)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Heat bacon in a large skillet on medium-high heat until browned. Set bacon aside to cool and then drain grease from skillet. (May use clean skillet here with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil if you prefer not to cook in bacon grease.) In same skillet, at medium-high heat add onion and stir until it begins to soften, apx. 1 min. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Next, add spinach stirring until just wilted, apx. 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, crumble the 2 strips of bacon and then stir the crumble into the saute. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve while still warm.
modified from Eating Well in Season
