Creamy Spinach

Winter comfort foods are often high calorie with lots of added fat - okay for an occasional treat but it’s easy to overdo and end up with a few extra pounds when spring finally arrives. Fortunately, here at AICR we have plenty of recipes based on traditional comfort foods, but they’ve gone through a healthy makeover. This creamy spinach contains fiber and a wide range of carotenoids, both of which help protect against cancer.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 96 calories, 7 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate, 
4 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 242 mg sodium.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut off top of garlic head crosswise, exposing tips of cloves. Place garlic in center of square of foil. Drizzle on 1/2 teaspoon of oil and rub to coat garlic. Seal garlic in foil. Bake until garlic yields to gentle squeeze, about 45 minutes. Open foil and set garlic aside.
3. In skillet or pot large enough to hold spinach, add 1/2-inch of water and bring to boil. Add spinach, cover tightly, and steam over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until spinach is wilted, still bright green and tender. Immediately drain in colander. To preserve color, run cold water over spinach until cool. A handful at a time, squeeze out water, and make cigar-shaped rolls. On cutting board, cut spinach rolls crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Rotate spinach 90 degrees and chop slices coarsely. There will be about 1½ cups chopped spinach.
4. Squeeze out roasted garlic cloves onto cutting board. Sprinkle with salt. Alternate chopping and smearing garlic using side of large knife to turn garlic into paste, about 2 minutes.
5. In medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm remaining oil. Add spinach, using wooden spoon to break up clumps and heat until warmed. Add garlic paste and mix to combine. Take skillet off heat and mix in sour cream. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Serve warm.