From Popeye to modern nutritionists, you’ve probably heard plenty of positive things about spinach.
This vegetable is filled with healthy substances, that’s why it’s among the favorite ingredients in the keto diet.
Why is Spinach Healthy?
Spinach contains antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and few other substances linked to reducing inflammation, lowering the risk of cancer or heart disease, and improving your vitality and immune system.
On top of that, spinach is probably one of the most nutrient-packed foods available. It contains:
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B1, B2, and B6
- Copper
- Folate
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Potassium
Thanks to its versatility, it can be prepared in many ways. This particular recipe will take only 20 minutes of your time. In return, you’ll get an extremely healthy, creamy delight. So, let’s find out how to make it.
What Do You Need?
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 4oz of cream cheese (cut in small cubes)
- Half a cup of heavy whipping cream
- Half a cup of grated parmesan cheese
- One teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper
- 2 packs of 10oz drained and thawed frozen spinach
If you don’t want to use frozen spinach, you can use fresh, baby spinach instead. However, the frozen spinach may be a better choice – it reduces food waste and you can keep it refrigerated longer since it doesn’t rot.
Also, fresh spinach cooks down a lot, meaning a 10oz pack of frozen spinach is approximately a pound of fresh spinach.
Feel free to add different spices of your choice. Garlic or onion powder, nutmeg, red pepper are all viable additions to this dish.
How to Make
- Throw in minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of butter into a medium pan over medium heat.
- Sauté for around 2 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook it for around 5 minutes.
- Melt the cream and parmesan cheese, heavy whipping cream, salt, pepper, and one tablespoon of butter in a small pot over medium heat.
- Pour the melted sauce over the spinach and mix it.
- Serve the dish.
Extra Tips
If you want to add more density to the meal, you can combine creamed spinach with pureed cauliflower:
- Prepare two cups of cauliflower florets.
- Boil them until they are fork-tender.
- Drain them and blend them into a food processor.
- Pour it over the spinach.
To make it even creamier, you may use mozzarella. Shred a cup of mozzarella cheese and throw it in with other ingredients. Once it melts, you’ll be surprised by the increased density and texture of the dish.
Side Dish or Dinner – Your Choice
Now that you know how to prepare delicious keto creamed spinach, you can serve it in two ways – either as a side dish or as a full meal.
It can also be served as a dip for keto snacks such as low-carb substitutes for chips – cucumber or radish chips, and even cheese crisps.
In truth, there are no downsides to eating spinach. This nutrition bomb can only benefit your overall health and help you maintain your ketosis.
