Cooking with Spinach:

Tasty recipes and preparation tips using spinach.

Why Eat It?

It is exceptionally rich in carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lutein, and also contains quercetin, a phytochemical with antioxidant properties. Spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly folate (folic acid), vitamin K, magnesium, and manganese; it also contains more protein than most vegetables. (Although the protein is incomplete--spinach and other leafy green vegetables are low in the amino acid methionine--it is complemented by the protein in rice and other grains.) Raw spinach is a healthy addition to salads, but to get the full benefit from this leafy green, eat it cooked at least some of the time. Cooking makes the antioxidant carotenoids responsible for much of spinach's nutritional potency easier for the body to absorb.

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Varieties:

There are three basic types of spinach:

Savoy: Savoy has crinkly, curly leaves with a dark green color; it is the type sold in fresh bunches at most markets. Springy and crisp, it's particularly good in salads.

Flat or smooth-leaf: Flat or smooth-leaf spinach has unwrinkled, spade-shaped leaves that are easier to clean than savoy; this is the type generally used for canned and frozen spinach as well as soups, baby foods, and other processed foods.

Semi-savoy: Increasingly popular are semi-savoy varieties, which have slightly crinkled leaves. These offer some of the texture of savoy, but are not as difficult to clean; they are cultivated for both the fresh market and for processing.

Availability:

Fresh spinach is readily available all year. The major suppliers are California and Texas, where spinach grows best during the mild winter months.

Shopping:

Fresh spinach is sold both loose and in bags, which usually hold about 10 ounces. Loose spinach is easier to evaluate for quality, since you can examine each leaf individually. Select small spinach leaves with good green color and a crisp, springy texture; reject wilted, crushed, or bruised leaves, and those with yellow spots or insect damage.

Fresh spinach should smell sweet, never sour or musty. Look for stems that are fairly thin; coarse, thick ones indicate overgrown spinach, which may be leathery and bitter. If only bagged spinach is available where you shop, check whether the contents seem resilient when you squeeze the bag.

Storage:

Leave packaged spinach in its cellophane bag, or pack it loosely in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator crisper. Fresh spinach will keep for three to four days.

Preparation:

Your first priority is to get rid of the grit. Fresh spinach--especially the curly savoy type--often has sand trapped in the leaves and stems, and spinach always requires careful washing. (Don't, however, wash spinach before storing it for any length of time: After a day or so, it will begin to wilt and decay.) Trim off any roots, separate the leaves, and drop them into a large bowl of lukewarm water; agitate them gently with your hands. Lift out the leaves, letting the sand and grit settle, then empty and refill the bowl and repeat the process until the leaves are clean. And although bagged spinach is often labeled "pre-washed," it still must be carefully rinsed to clean away sand and grit.

Loose spinach usually has more stem on it than bagged spinach, but both need to be stemmed if the stems are not very thin and tender. Pinch off the stems and also the midribs (the part of the stem that extends into the leaf), if they are thick and tough. You can easily stem spinach by folding each leaf in half, vein-side out, and pulling up on the stem as you hold the folded leaf closed. To crisp spinach for salad, wash the leaves, then dry in a salad spinner or shake dry in a colander. Wrap the spinach in paper towels, place in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for no longer than a few hours. Spinach that is to be cooked need not be dried; in fact, there is usually just enough water clinging to freshly washed leaves so that they can be steamed without additional cooking liquid.

Sauteing:

Washed, with some water still clinging to it, spinach can saute quickly in a small amount of oil. If you use a nonstick pan, 1 teaspoon of oil should be sufficient for 3 cups of chopped spinach. In addition, spinach can be sauteed in stock, if you are careful to stir and toss the leaves constantly; be prepared to add more stock to the pan as it evaporates. Steaming: Cook in a steamer over boiling water for five to 10 minutes.

Microwaving:

This method is a good substitute for steaming. It's also one of the most healthful ways to cook spinach, because almost none of the nutrients are lost. Place 1/2 pound of spinach (washed but not dried) in a microwaveable dish; cover loosely and cook until tender, four to seven minutes.

Usage:

Salads, sandwiches, cooked with vinegar & bacon.

Selection:

Good-quality spinach will have broad, thick and crisp dark green leaves. The stems will be unblemished and free of mud.

Avoid:

Avoid product with thin, limp leaves that are pale-green or yellow. Also avoid mud-caked product, or bunches with extremely large or blemished stalks.

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--SPINACH RECIPES--

Here are some great recipes that you can make cooking with spinach that are both tasty and good for you. Happy cooking.

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Turkish Spinach Salad

This garlicky salad is a nice way to eat spinach and a great way to get a nutritional boost. Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford. Serve it with our lentil soup for a simple, delicious meal.

This garlicky salad is a nice way to eat spinach and a great way to get a nutritional boost. Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford. Serve it with our lentil soup for a simple, delicious supper.

1 pound fresh spinach, washed, stems removed

2 fresh tomatoes, sliced

6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

5 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Dry the spinach, tear it into large pieces, and combine it with the tomatoes and scallions in a bowl.

2. Combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic and thyme, adding salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add the yogurt mixture to the vegetables and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Cooking Tip:

Produce - especially spinach - is very nutritious, providing minerals, vitamins, fiber and protective compounds. However, it can also harbor toxins and contaminants. Try to eat organic produce whenever possible, and always wash your spinach (organic or not) in cold running water. A good rule of thumb to follow is three thorough rinsings.

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Pasta-less Spinach Lasagna (low carb)

1/2 bag Raw spinach

1 1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound Italian sausage

8 ounces large curd cottage

8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded cheese

1 large onion chopped

1 egg

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 tomato paste can water

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 tablespoon basil

1 tablespoon parsley

1 green pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 (8 oz) can mushrooms

Garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste.

Brown ground beef, sausage, onion and green pepper together. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce, paste, water, parsley, basil, oregano, mushrooms. Simmer 45 min (or longer if desired) stirring occasionally. Add garlic, salt and pepper during this time.

Mix cottage cheese and egg together. Line bottom of 13 x 9 baking pan with spinach. Be sure to cover bottom. Spread 1/2 of meat mix and 1/2 cottage cheese. Sprinkle with 1/2 mozzarella. Do another layer of each. Bake uncovered 350 for 40-45 minutes - until cheese starts to brown. Let set for 15 minutes before serving.

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Chicken with Spinach & Cheese

4 thin chicken breast cutlets (3/4 pound total)

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup chicken broth, canned or homemade

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 pound spinach, stemmed

3 ounces part-skim mozzarella, shredded

1. Lightly dredge chicken in flour; reserve excess. Preheat broiler.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about six minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely.

3. Add scallions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of broth to skillet, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Sprinkle on reserved flour and cook, stirring, until flour is no longer visible, about 30 seconds. Add remaining broth, oregano, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

4. Add mushrooms and spinach, then cover and cook for 30 seconds. Uncover and stir until spinach is just wilted, about one minute. Pour in any juices that have collected under chicken on plate.

5. Place chicken on broiler pan. Dividing evenly, spread spinach-mushroom mixture on top. Sprinkle cheese on top and broil 4 inches from heat for three minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 232 calories, 9.7g total fat, 3.2g saturated fat, 4.7g monounsaturated fat, 1g polyunsaturated fat, 3.6g dietary fiber, 29g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 62mg cholesterol, 468mg sodium.

Good source of: beta-carotene, folate, lutein & zeaxanthin, magnesium, manganese, niacin, potassium, quercetin, selenium, vitamin B6.

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Cooking with spinach is a great way to gain important minerals and vitamins to enhance your cycling lifestyle as well as your overall health. Enjoy cooking with spinach and happy eating!

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