Driving home from a little family staycation that featured lots of golf and many fish tacos... we were all just craving healthy soul food! Creamed Spinach always sounds like something I'd like, but in reality I find it a little bland and underwhelming.
( this would be an amazing Thanksgiving side!)
One hour long drive was more than enough time for me to think through how to 'dress up' Creamed Spinach.
This is what I came up with:
Cashew based cream sauce, a few simple ingredients, locked in flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup raw Cashews
1 lb bag washed baby Spinach (about 6 large handfuls), roughly chopped
1/2 red Onion, diced
3 cloves Garlic, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Sea Salt ( I like Jennifer Fisher's Universal Sea Salt )
1/4 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Chilli Flakes
Method:
In a small bowl cover the Cashews with freshly boiled water and soak for 15 mins.
In a large skillet (such as a Cast-Iron Skillet) heat the Olive Oil on medium and sauté the diced Onions and Garlic until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add in the chopped Spinach in batches, it will shrink quickly as it cooks. Everything will fit, don't worry.
Season the Spinach mixture with Salt, Nutmeg, and Chili.
Transfer the Spinach mixture to a casserole dish.
Drain the Cashews and place in the Vita-mix with 3/4 cup fresh water. Blend on high until totally smooth. It will have a constancy like a cheese sauce, totally smooth.
Pour the Cashew sauce into the casserole dish, adding to the Spinach Mixture and top with 1 cup of cheese. Stir it all together then top with the final 1/2 cup of cheese.
Bake for 20 mins at 375, finishing with a couple mins under the
broiler to get everything fully browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 mins before serving.
xo Beth