Cooler temperatures connect me with my kitchen and all the delights I tend to experience during these harvesting months. Vegetables are so readily available and the kaleidoscopical transformation of the trees inspires me to use spices in some very irreverent ways. Cumin mayo, mustard seeds dressings, paprika syrup, and the conspicuous cinnamon with pretty much any vegetable- what a decadent experience for the senses.
Just the other night I concocted a very simple and delightful recipe using cinnamon. I am calling it, well, Cinnamon Spinach. It is a perfect side dish, but be aware that it will be the main attraction on your plate. Below see the recipe and right after I am listing ten + one benefits of cinnamon. Enjoy…
This is what you need (serves 2)
1 Lb of washed spinach
1 Tbl. spoon of olive oil
½ Tea spoon of Cinnamon
Salt
This is what you do
This recipe doesn’t take a lot of time so prepare when you are ready to serve dinner. To begin, add the olive oil to a medium size skillet and heat for one minute. Add all the spinach to the skillet and begin to stir it with a fork. Add the cinnamon and salt to taste. If you are new to cooking spinach, don’t panic looking at the overflow of spinach in the skillet, when cooked it will shrink considerably. I love the earthy and voluptuous flavors that the cinnamon brings out in this simple side dish.
When it comes to food, I am a believer that when you listen to your senses and your body’s reaction, you can tell a lot about the benefits of food, but for those that need more information these are at least ten benefits I found listed for cinnamon:
- Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.
- Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.
- In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.\
- In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
- It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.
- In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.
- When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative
- One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.
- Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.
- It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.
- Delicious!!!!!
