dish! One hundred calories of cauli lower will give you a whopping 12 grams of iber. Bye-bye constipation and bloat. And cauli lower is a member of the nutrient-packed cruciferous family that includes other nutritional rock stars like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, and kale. This family is known for helping ight cancer because of its anti-in lammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying nutrients. Cauli lower is loaded with phytonutrients like immune-boosting vitamin C and bone-healthy manganese and vitamin K. Plus, cauli lower is a great way to get folate, vitamin B5, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. The last two will work to help relieve your body from the stress of your fast-paced lifestyle. Add cauli lower’s power to ight heart disease and ward off or ease in lammation-related health problems like Crohn’s disease, in lammatory bowel disease, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis, and you’ve got yourself one sweet deal that can be made in a dash.
Spotlight on Spinach Recipes with spinach (17 of our recipes feature spinach; here’s a handful): Berry Yogurt Detox Smoothie, page 106; Creamy Spinach Dip, page 134; Easy Spinach Pomodoro, page 214; Fruity Green Smoothie, page 108; Green Minted Cocoa Detox Smoothie; page 110; Minted Mango Melon Detox Smoothie, page 111; Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach, and Feta Portobello Burger, page 196; Spinach Squares, page 154; Veggie Yard Dash Salad, page 183 When we were growing up, our mom had two sure- ire hit dishes that she would make when she entertained. One was her spinach lasagna and the other was her meat lasagna. The spinach one was our favorite, and we’d often help her make it. When we went to college, we’d crave Mom’s lasagna but didn’t have the time to make it. So we invented our own version that took all of ive minutes to prepare. We’d simply heat frozen spinach in a pot (often we’d let it defrost overnight in the fridge), then add our favorite low-sodium marinara sauce, lots of basil and oregano, and a sprinkle of pepper and low-fat mozzarella cheese. Lastly, we’d top it with a teaspoon of grated Parmesan. It was heaven! This dish was something we could really sink our teeth into (and whip up easily in a dorm room!), and we made it several times a week. We always felt good about eating it—we’d get lots of nutrients while enjoying a no-fuss dish. When you’re in a rush, it’s fantastic to know you can ind spinach washed and bagged, frozen, and canned. At a moment’s notice you can have the base of a salad, a delicious green as part of a wrap or to stuff in your sandwiches or as a side dish (Herb and Garlic Creamed Spinach, page 220), or a wonderful lavor and texture to add to a soup or stew (ciao, Herbed Pea Soup with Spinach, page 165)! Want pasta? Coarsely chop spinach leaves and toss them into a cold pasta salad or a hot pasta dish; the heat from the pasta is just enough to slightly wilt the leaves. Drinking a green smoothie? Include spinach for the perfect, invigoratingly fresh lavor. We promise—you won’t even taste the greens!