SERVES 4
Important to the Chinese for thousands of years, shiitakes are tastier than button mushrooms and have an impressive nutritional profile. The fourteenth-century Chinese physician Wu-Rui described the shiitake as a food that accelerated “spirit” energy and warded off hunger. Just look at all the nutrients in this dish: lutein and zeaxanthin, not to mention the vitamins A, C, D, and E.
2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced (3 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Rinse the spinach and leave it in the colander.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over mediumhigh heat and add shiitakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until they are seared and beginning to sweat, about 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, continuing to stir until the mushrooms are tender, about 1 minute. Add damp spinach and stir until it’s wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
| Nutritional Profile | |
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
|---|---|
| Calories: | 139 |
| Protein: | 8 g |
| Fiber: | 7 g |
| Fat: | 8 g |
| Saturated fat: | 1 g |
| Sodium: | 535 mg |
| Vitamin A: | 21,273 IU |
| Vitamin C: | 65 mg |
| Vitamin D: | 10 IU |
| Vitamin E: | 8 IU |
| Zinc: | 2 mg |
| Beta-carotene: | 12,763 µg |
| Lutein and zeaxanthin: | 27,666 µg |