Alison Crane, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Garland County Extension Service
I admit that I was not a fan of spinach when I was a kid. No amount of threatening or making me sit at the table long after everyone else was gone was going to convince me to eat it. I did not care that Popeye could defeat Brutus every time he ate his spinach.
I was willing to miss out on any special powers because I was not going to eat it. Then in college, I tried my first mini spinach quiche, and the door was opened to the possibilities.
As an adult, I really enjoy spinach and typically include it several times a week when I prepare meals for my family. With over 14 vital nutrients in one cup and low in calories, spinach is truly a superfood that has been grown for consumption for over 2,000 years. It just took me a little while to develop a taste for it.
One cup of fresh, raw spinach can provide over half of the recommended intake of vitamin A. Raw spinach also serves as a great source of vitamins B6, C, E and K, plus manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium phosphorus, protein, iron, niacin, zinc, riboflavin, folate, and dietary fiber. Because spinach is a good source of antioxidants, it can protect against the effects of aging and also helps protect against heart disease and some types of cancer.
Spinach is a great cool weather plant that can be grown in your home garden early spring or fall. You can also find it year-round at the grocery store in the fresh produce section and canned or frozen. This makes it easy to keep on hand to add salad, quiches, omelets, smoothies or even pizza. Spinach is great for adding extra flavor and nutrition to casseroles and soups, too.
When buying fresh spinach, select small leaves with good green color and a crisp, springy texture. The stems should be fairly thin and fresh spinach should smell sweet. If purchasing bagged spinach, check the best by date and avoid bags or containers with excess moisture.
Fresh spinach should be kept in the refrigerator and can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days. When ready to use, be sure to wash well before use. If you are preparing frozen spinach, thaw and then strain out the excess water before adding it to your dish.
When introducing spinach to children, remember that cooked spinach has a strong flavor and most children's taste receptors are sensitive to bitter flavors until adolescence. Try adding small amounts into dishes with marinara sauces or soups to mask the flavor at first. Offer fresh spinach or frozen spinach instead of canned which can have a stronger tang. Add fresh spinach to fun foods like smoothies and include bananas which help to mask the bitter flavor. Finally, keep offering it. If this spinach hater can become a spinach craver, there is hope for anyone.
Adding spinach to your meal planning can be a great way to add some green to your spring. Have comments or feedback on this article or recipes? Email Alison at [email protected].
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Garland County Extension Service.
Try these recipes for adding green and red to your diet and you do not even have to wait until Christmas!
Lemon Chicken with Spinach and Red Bell Pepper
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 ½ teaspoon dried minced garlic or 3-4 cloves, minced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
10 cups fresh baby spinach
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bell pepper, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Whisk balsamic vinegar and cornstarch together and add to the pan along with the lemon juice and zest, stir and bring to a simmer.
4. Add spinach by the handful; cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Serve over brown rice or whole-wheat pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition facts: Serving equals 1 cup. Per serving: 317 calories; protein 25.9g; carbohydrates 11.1g; dietary fiber 4.3g; sugars 2.1g; fat 16.1g; cholesterol 78.4mg; sodium 526mg.
Source: recipe modified from MyPlate.gov and Eating Well
Zucchini, Cabbage and Bell Pepper Sauté
Ingredients:
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
3 ½ cups zucchini, unpeeled, thinly sliced
3 cups cabbage, chopped (I used a package of coleslaw cabbage as a time saver.)
¾ cup green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil when hot.
2. Add zucchini, cabbage, bell pepper, salt, black pepper, oregano, and thyme. Toss to mix.
3. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
4. Add vinegar. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Nutrition facts: Serving equals about 3/4 cup. Calories 40; carbohydrate 7g; protein 2 g; total fat 1 g; fiber 2g; total sugars 2g; sodium 220mg.
Source: Arkansas SNAPEd
Cream Cheese Strawberries
Ingredients:
24 large, fresh strawberries (1-1 ½ pounds), stems removed
1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
Directions:
1. Place strawberries cut side down, where stems were removed.
2. With a knife, cut a deep "X" from the tip down, being careful not to cut all the way down.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy.
4. Place the cream cheese filling into a plastic baggie, cut off one bottom corner of the bag.
5. Gently open up each strawberry and squeeze the filling inside each strawberry.
6. Top each filled strawberry with a blueberry.
7. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Serve cold.
Nutrition information: Serving size, three each. Calories 60; carbohydrate 8g; protein 4; total fat; fiber 1 g; total sugars 5g; sodium 160mg.
Source: Arkansas SNAPEd
