This is an easy way to serve spinach. Please note that it should be the last step before you serve your meal. Plan on having all the ingredients together so it just takes 5 minutes.  

• 1½ pounds fresh, baby spinach leaves (or 9 cups of leaves)
•   1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced, more if you like lots of garlic flavor
•   1 shallot, finely minced
•    ½ teaspoon salt
•   ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar
•   Pinch of red pepper flakes

Rinse off spinach and place in a salad spinner, removing most of the water on leaves.  In a large saucepan that has a cover, heat olive oil and sauté shallot with garlic for about 1-2 minutes. Add spinach, salt, and pepper and cover for 2 minutes. Remove cover and cook until most spinach leaves have wilted. You want spinach to be tender crisp so do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl and mix with lemon juice or vinegar, red pepper flakes, and taste for salt and pepper. Serve.

Hint:

Remember that fresh spinach cooks down so plan on more if you have more people to serve. 1½ pounds cooks down to approximately 4 cups.