50 Best Plants on the Planet (56 page)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
250

fat calories
130

total fat (g)
14

sat fat (g)
2.5

cholesterol (mg)
10

sodium (mg)
480

total carbohydrates (g)
23

fiber (g)
4

sugars (g)
4

protein (g)
15

vitamin A IUs
90
%

vitamin C
20
%

calcium
6
%

iron
10
%

¾
teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Six
⅜
-inch slices narrow whole-wheat baguette

4 ounces Canadian bacon

1 large shallot, minced

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice or tangerine juice

1 teaspoon finely minced orange or tangerine zest

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼
cup chopped fresh chives

4 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut in half crosswise

12 ounces mixed fresh wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, shiitake, and porcini, quartered lengthwise

6 cups bite-size pieces romaine lettuce, including thick outer leaves

¼
cup (packed) fresh basil leaves (if large, tear them in half)

¼
cup pine nuts, toasted (
see Cook's Note
)

1
.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; preheat the oven to
350
degrees F.

2
.
Make the crostini: Combine the rosemary and oil in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of the bread with the oil mixture and arrange it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until it is crisp and lightly browned, about
5
minutes.

3
.
Using the same brush and any remaining oil, lightly coat a skillet that is large enough to hold the bacon in a single layer. Brown the bacon on both sides on medium-high heat; cut it into narrow strips and set aside.

4
.
To make the dressing: In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup with a handle, stir together the shallot, vinegar, juice, and zest; season with salt and pepper. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Stir in the herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5
.
To make the salad: Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the peas and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to brown and soften and the peas are tender-crisp. Add the dressing and toss. Remove from the heat.

6
.
Put the lettuce and basil in a large bowl. Add the still-warm mushroom mixture and toss. Add the bacon and pine nuts; toss. Season with salt and/or pepper as needed. Divide the salad between six salad plates. Top each salad with a crostini and serve.

COOK'S NOTE
To toast pine nuts, place them in a small skillet on medium-high heat. Shake the skillet to redistribute the nuts so they won't overbrown on one side. Cook until lightly browned. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily.

Eaten raw, emerald-green spinach leaves are crisp and refreshing, a welcome addition to salads or sandwiches. They become creamy and delicious when cooked and are satisfying on their own or used as a tasty bed beneath protein-rich entrées. Cooking is quick and easy, once you get over the somewhat disappointing fact that what starts out as a mountain ends up as a hill.

There are loads of good things in spinach: an abundance of antioxidants (beta carotene and lutein), folic acid, and vitamins (C, K, and thiamine). A variety of minerals are also present: iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup, raw)

calories
7

fat calories
1

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
24

total carbohydrates (g)
1

fiber (g)
1

sugars (g)
0

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
56
%

vitamin C
14
%

calcium
3
%

iron
5
%

Spinach is well known as one of the richest plant sources of iron and calcium. One cup of cooked spinach has more than one-third of your daily iron needs and one-quarter of the calcium requirement. It was previously thought that a common plant constituent called oxalate prevented uptake of these crucial bone, blood, and heart minerals. A subsequent study, however, shows that more of the minerals are absorbed than originally believed.

Spinach contains a type of fat compound called glycoglycerolipids. While they help the plant convert light to food in photosynthesis, scientists recently discovered that these components protect the delicate cells lining the digestive system from the type of damage and inflammation that can lead to cancer.

Spinach has plenty of the derivatives of the antioxidant carotenoid, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health and lycopene for skin health and prostate protection. Spinach also is a great plant source of omega-
3
oils, with each cup carrying
166
milligrams of the health powerhouse. And when it comes to vitamin K, crucial to blood and bone health and nerve protection, a
1
-cup serving has more than
1,100
percent of your daily needs.

Year-round

Spinach leaves should smell fresh and be bright green and free of wilting, soft spots, or discoloration. Loose spinach can be refrigerated up to
2
days, dry and unwashed, in a plastic bag. Or, for longer storage, wash it just before refrigeration. If the leaves are large, break off the stems by pinching them at the base of the leaf before washing. Swish leaves in a large bowl or tub of cold water. Repeat if necessary until the water is clean and free of grit. Drain in a colander. Wrap the spinach in a clean towel or paper towels and place it in a partially closed plastic bag. Refrigerate it in the crisper drawer for up to
3
days. If buying washed baby spinach leaves in a sealed cellophane or plastic bag, refrigerate them for up to
2
days.

If stored unwashed, wash as directed in Keep It Fresh.

Put
4
to
5
cups baby spinach leaves in a microwave-safe bowl. If they are dry, sprinkle a tiny bit of water over the surface. Cover with a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high power for
2
to
3
minutes, or until the leaves are hot and just barely wilted. Toss them with a little balsamic vinegar and soft-tub margarine or butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook
2
pounds peeled potatoes (such as Yukon Gold or russet) in boiling water until they are fork tender. Meanwhile heat
½
cup evaporated milk and
1
½
tablespoons butter or soft tub margarine in a medium saucepan to a simmer; cover and set aside. Drain the potatoes. Add
3
to
4
cups (about
4
ounces) baby spinach to the hot milk mixture; toss, cover, and let it sit for
1
minute. Add the mixture to the potatoes, reserving some of the liquid; mash, adding the reserved liquid until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook
½
onion (chopped) in
1
teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet on medium-high heat until it is starting to brown. Add
5
ounces baby spinach (coarsely chopped),
1
garlic clove (minced), and
1
tablespoon water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts. Drain the spinach mixture in a sieve, gently pressing down with the back of a large spoon. Add as an additional layer in your favorite lasagna recipe or as a filling in omelets.

Cook spinach as directed for an omelet filling, doubling the recipe. To make dressing, add
2
tablespoons toasted, cooled sesame seeds to a blender. Whirl until they are ground. Add
3
tablespoons peanut oil,
2
tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar,
1
½
tablespoons soy sauce,
1
teaspoon Asian (roasted) sesame oil, and
⅛
teaspoon salt. Whirl to combine. Spoon the dressing over the cooked spinach. If desired, sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds on each serving.

Southwest-themed ingredients give this salad a spicy edge. It's served alongside thin slices of pork tenderloin seasoned with a mixture of spices before it is roasted. Pork tenderloin is surprisingly lean; a
3
-ounce serving has about
130
calories (the same as skinless chicken breast) and only
3
grams of fat.

Yields
8
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
220

fat calories
70

total fat (g)
8

sat fat (g)
1.5

cholesterol (mg)
50

sodium (mg)
830

total carbohydrates (g)
19

fiber (g)
7

sugars (g)
3

protein (g)
21

vitamin A IUs
60
%

vitamin C
50
%

calcium
4
%

iron
20
%

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1
½
teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

½
teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1
¼
pounds well-trimmed pork tenderloin

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups baby spinach

5 cups mixed baby greens

1
½
cups canned black beans, drained, rinsed

1 red bell pepper, diced

 
12 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 avocado, diced

1 cup cubed jícama

¼
cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons fat-reduced mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon garlic salt

¼
teaspoon onion powder

1
.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to
425
degrees F.

2
.
To make the salad: Put the cumin seeds in a mini-processor and process until they are finely ground or place in a zipper-style plastic bag and pound with a mallet or pot. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, and pepper flakes, and process until everything is roughly ground. You will use about half this mixture for the tenderloins, the rest can be stored airtight (for
2
weeks if using fresh thyme, up to
3
months for dried thyme).