The Onion...A Superfood!?!

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Let me first say, after our weekend, we need to be eating a lot of onions!! We will post a race recap from Ironman St George 70.3 soon. It was a great weekend of completion for us and was a great day of racing. We will all share our individuals stories soon!! But here is my Monday Meal deal....I love onions. I like to eat them on lots of different things. A few years ago I discovered the health benefits of onions and wanted to share them with you!!

 Onions fall in a family of lesser known superfoods, called the allium family. These foods are often considered as flavorings rather then superfoods, such as garlic, onions, leeks, and chives. However, these foods have lots of health benefits. They enhance production of antioxidants and help eliminate toxins and carcinogens.

Onions are one of these superfoods in the allium family. Onions contain calcium, potassium, vitamin C and folate. They have anti-cancer benefits and immune-boosting properties. And it was interesting to me as I learned more about onions, that they contain a wider variety of health enhancing compounds when cooked. There are still many benefits of them when eaten raw, but it is also good news for those who prefer cooked onions. However, if you cook them longer than 30 minutes, you can destroy most of the benefits of the onion.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy an onion is by caramelizing them. Once you do this you can add them to salads, sandwiches, pizzas, sauces, on top of any meats, or combine them with any other vegetable to add flavor. They will be sure to add a sweetness and flavor to any recipe. If you tend to shy away from onions because you fear that eating them will give you bad breath, try caramelizing them...this could change your mind.

Here is one of my favorite salads and a good way to enjoy the benefits of the onion!!

Warm Strawberry Spinach Salad

 

 

2 Medium Onions

Spinach

Strawberries, sliced

Feta Cheese

Pecans or Sliced Almonds

 

1. Peel and slice two medium onions in thin slices. The pieces should all be about the same size

 

2. Over medium heat a little oil and add the onions. They should sizzle but not splatter.

Ensure you have enough oil to come in contact with all the onions.

 

3. Stir every 30 seconds or so. The onions will begin to lose water and will reduce in size while the liquid in your pan increases. As the onions start to brown, turn down the heat.

They should cook about 15-20 minutes.

 

4. Place warm onions over a large bowl of spinach, sliced strawberries, feta cheese and nuts.

 You can add a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste.

Mix and allow the greens to wilt slightly and enjoy!!

 

**You can also add grilled chicken to this to make a complete meal!

 

**Also, you can use red, white or yellow onions in this recipe. Green onions won't work.

In addition, the white portion of leeks will also caramelize well.

Leeks have equal benefits and have their own special flavor.

 

Do you like onions??

Do you have any special recipes to share with us?