Spinach: Not Just for Popeye!

Spinach reminds me of one of those vegetables that you were terrified of as a little tike in that same category as brussels sprouts and such.  But spinach really is one of the most diverse foods!  You can cook it, eat it raw, saute it, add it to hot or cold dishes, use it in dips; the possibilities are numerous.  Really though, the most fantastic thing about spinach is its outstanding, nutritional resume.  We all (well, some of us old geezers haha) grew up watching Popeye gain instant strength and muscles as soon as he swallowed a can of spinach; a little animated and exaggerated but not far from the truth.

Spinach, like the last star of my blog, quinoa, is commonly referred to as a superfood.  (Im quite fond of superfoods now these days...acai, maqui, jabuticaba)  Spinach is packed with Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, and K, calcium, folic acid, iron, fiber, carotenoids, magnesium, folate, betaine, potassium, protein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, flavonoids, and a ton of other healthy stuff your body needs.  Wow!  That is a mouthful (literally).  But what does any of that mean and do for you?

For starters, Calcium strengthens bones and teeth; but it also plays a very important part of keeping the entire body healthy, including muscles and nerves.  Lutein helps prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.  Speaking of age-related diseases, the flavonoids help protect against age-related memory loss.  Folate helps protect the arteries.  Folic acid is needed by the body to manufacture red blood cells; bodies that are deficient in folic acid can develop certain types of anemia.  Fiber is the thing to keep you regular, but in addition, fiber can lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.  These are just a few of the many nutritional benefits spinach has to offer.  There are also many more I did not get into that are listed above.

So enough with the technical stuff!  How can you make this superfood YUMMY?  There are many different ways you can enjoy spinach.  Experimenting and having fun with your food is the best way to come up with new recipes.  To get you started I have included a great new salad recipe I came up with and here are some other ideas:
-saute it with a little bit of olive oil, lemon, and garlic
-make a frittata with spinach in it (I have a good recipe, if you're interested let me know)
-use it in healthy tacos/burritos as the lettuce
-make salads with it
-use it in HEALTHY dips (not ones filled with mayo and sour cream)
-add some to a pasta sauce or saute some with fresh tomatoes for a light sauce
-add some to your morning smoothie (it will change color, but you will not even taste it)
If any of you have any good spinach recipes or ideas please share!

Spinach, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad

-about 4 cups fresh spinach
-1 1/2 pears chopped into cubes
-1 avocado chopped into cubes
-1/3 red onion chopped
-1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
-a sweet dijon or poppyseed dressing (pay attention to the nutrition label if buying a ready-made)

Add about 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a pan and let heat.  Then add the onion to the pan and saute until slightly browned and caramelized.  Mix the spinach, pear, avocado, goat cheese, and onion together.  Plate salad (makes about 3 large dinner size servings).  Dress each salad individually with a very small amount of dressing, letting each person add more if needed.

Enjoy,
LJ