Sauteed Spinach with Peanuts

Sometimes I spend days planning out the perfect meal. Sometimes I have 15 minutes to get some form of dinner on the table and extra points if it is healthy. For rushed nights – or even those rare leisurely ones – it’s good to have a couple of exceptionally speedy, healthy, and tasty recipes on hand. And folks, today’s recipe couldn’t be faster. Being chock-full of dark leafy greens, it’s also a nutritional powerhouse. And the taste? Cooked spinach never had it so good.

Imagine, if you will, fresh spinach stir-fried in a wok with salty soy sauce, spicy red pepper flakes, and rich, crunchy peanuts. Did I mention this whole process take 2 minutes or less? Perhaps you can see why I enjoy this dish so much. Not only is it delicious, but the entire recipe can be on the table in under 10 minutes – and that’s including the time it takes to wash the spinach. While I love me some slow cooking, I also really love something that only takes 2 minutes to cook – and only leaves one dish to wash!

Sautéed Spinach with Peanuts
Adapted from Gourmet

Ingredients:
1 T. vegetable or canola oil
1 lb. fresh spinach, tough stems discard, washed and spun dry *
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
A pinch dried red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

* It is very important that the spinach be completely dry or nearly so before cooking it. If it is still wet, the dish will be watery and lacking in flavor. If you don’t have a salad spinner (which I don’t), pat the leaves dry with a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels.

Directions:
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the spinach, peanuts, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Cook, tossing frequently, until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2.