Spinach Recipes ♥ Alphabet of Vegetables

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Spinach 101: THE BASICS
Pronounced [SPIN-itch]. Spinach is a "leafy green" and also a bitter green.

The Origins of Spinach. Spinach is thought to have originated in the Middle East. It was grown in Spain as early as the the 8th century and the Spaniards brought it to the New World. Spinach contains oxalic acid, providing the slightly bitter taste prized by some and despised by others. Spinach's dark green leaves may be either curled or smooth.
The Season. Spinach is a "cool season" crop, its growing season is "late winter" through "late spring." In climates with long summers, a second crop is planted in "late summer" for harvest before winter. Luckily for those of us who aren't gardeners (or in our off-seasons), fresh spinach is a year-round staple in modern grocery stores.
Fresh Baby Spinach. I love-love-love bags of already-washed fresh baby spinach from the grocery store. Both the leaves and stems are small and tender, perfect for salads. Baby spinach is best eaten raw, it just "melts" into a gooey mess with only a touch of heat. Who's tried the red spinach from Trader Joe's? So pretty! It's less convenient, of course, but do rinse even pre-washed spinach and other salad greens just before serving, they'll be so much fresher! Do dry the leaves, either by patting with paper towels or running through a salad spinner.
Fresh "Mature" Spinach. Grocery stores also carry bags and bundles of spinach with larger leaves. For simplicity, let's call it "mature" spinach, shall we? Some times even mature spinach is quite tender, it can also be eaten raw though you might want to cut the leaves into easier-to-manage ribbons. But mature spinach is the right spinach for cooking. In fact, it will cook in just a minute or two if you drop it into something hot like soup or hot pasta. Some mature spinach has quite-thick, almost collard-thick and chewy leaves, choose this form of spinach for slow-cooking spinach or long-cooked southern-style greens. Cooked spinach, at its best, is dark and velvety.

Chop Off Those Stems? Spinach stems can be a little tough. Three ways to handle this. First, I suppose is to just accept the tough texture and (when cooked) some times stringy appearance. Second, you can just cut off the stems and put them into the compost bowl. Trouble is, the stems can account for as much as half the weight; this means that even after accounting for shrinkage, you need to buy twice as much as you think – yikes! The third option is to cut off the stems, chop them up, them cook them by themselves first or with a little onion, say, then add the spinach leaves and finish cooking.
Frozen Spinach. Frozen spinach comes in small boxes and larger bags. I'm a big fan of frozen spinach but the quality does really vary. I have better luck (fewer stems, higher quality) with the bags. Be aware that frozen spinach is frozen but does need cooking, not just heating. I keep thawed and squeezed frozen spinach in the fridge, that means it's always on hand to throw into a stir-fry, an omelet, etc. Also know that a 16-ounce bag of frozen spinach, once thawed and squeezed, yields only nine or ten ounces of useable spinach. I haven't done the math but it sure makes me question the "value" of frozen spinach.
Florentine = Spinach. For my fellow Word Dancers! Did you know that when a recipe includes the word "Florentine" it means it contains spinach?! Cool, eh?! The story goes that Catherine de Medici, the Italian-born queen of France in the 1500s was crazy for spinach and in queenly fashion, insisted on spinach at every meal. She was born in the city of Florence, so spinach dishes came to be known as "Florentine".
Spinach = Super Food. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse. It's a great source of antioxidants, Vitamin A, folic acid and even plant-based protein. Catherine might have been onto something! And Popeye too!
Greens = Financial Success It's an old tradition in the American South to cook greens at New Year's. Do that, the old-timers say, to guarantee financial success in the year ahead.
The Incredible Shrinking Spinach. A pound of raw spinach makes for one big pile of spinach leaves! But once trimmed of stems and tough ribs and cooked, even briefly and whether sautéed or steamed or microwaved, it cooks down to almost nothing, maybe two servings. Shrinkage is also the reason to add a large amount of spinach to a soup or stew, say, in batches.
Growing Spinach. We are growing spinach for the first time this year! This page is a great resource. More later!
Special Diets. Spinach is gluten-free, paleo approved, South Beach friendly, Weight Watchers friendly and Whole30 approved. (Naturally, specific preparations matter to each of these eating regimens.)
Natural Pairings. Spinach is so versatile! But I especially love spinach paired with eggs, you'll find several recipes below. It's also a natural match with cream and soy sauce.
Sources. Personal experience and accumulated learning, also the most-wonderful On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee and Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka.

OTHER FAVORITE FORMS of SPINACH
Spinach is spinach (there are, of course, different varieties) but it's just one form of the healthy food we generically call "leafy greens". See leafy greens for a list of the many forms of often-interchangeable greens.

SPINACH NUTRITION INFORMATION

Per 1/4 pound raw spinach: 26 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 90mg Sodium; 4g Carb; 2g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 3g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 0 & WW PointsPlus 0 & WW SmartPoints 0 & WW Freestyle 0 More Vegetable Nutrition

What's your favorite spinach recipe? or what spinach recipe did you hope to find here? I'm always looking for new ones, especially healthy spinach recipes. Leave me a quick note in the comments or via recipes@kitchen-parade.com! ~Alanna

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HEY SPINACH LOVERS! WHAT SOUNDS GOOD?
~ A Few Highlights ~

SPINACH: BASIC HOW-TO TIPS & TECHNIQUES
How to make creamed spinach without causing a heart attack
How to make pesto with spinach instead of basil
How to flash cook spinach to eat later

NOT ALL SPINACH IS EQUAL: CHOOSE THE RIGHT COOKING TECHNIQUE
Baby Spinach – Small, tender leaves too tender for cooking, best eaten raw.
"Mature" Spinach – Cook larger, just slightly less tender spinach leaves very briefly by steaming; sautéing; even just by tossing into other hot ingredients (e.g., hot pasta or hot eggs or hot soup).
Heavy-leaved Spinach – Heavy leaves can withstand long-cooking like southern-style greens.
Frozen Spinach – Thaw and squeeze first, needs actual cooking not just heating.

HOW TO WASH SPINACH
Bags of prewashed spinach – Refresh the spinach with a quick rinse in a salad spinner, especially if eating raw
Loose spinach – Often can be used as-is or quickly refreshed in a salad spinner
Spinach bundles – Must be washed well, lots of grit attaches to the leaves! Soak the spinach in warm (not hot) water for a few minutes to loosen the dirt. For extra-dirty leaves from the farmers market, especially curly spinach, rinse each leaf under running water and then soak and drain again. For small bundles, I use the basket and base of the salad spinner, soaking the spinach and draining the water two or three or some times even four times until the water is clear. For large bundles, I use a large colander inside a large stainless steel bowl.

FAVORITE RECIPE COLLECTION
No collection yet, this is my reminder!

NEW to Spinach? TRY THESE FIRST
Kitchen Parade recipes
Spinach Salad with Fruity Vinaigrette, Fresh Fruit & Maple-Glazed Pecans ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Easy Spinach Nests ♥
Lasagna Soup with Fresh Spinach ♥
Orzo with Spinach ♥
Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach ♥

CLASSIC RECIPES for Spinach
Kitchen Parade recipes
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing ♥
Spinach Soup with Perfect Hard-Cooked Eggs ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Healthy Creamed Spinach ♥
Spinach Casserole ♥
Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce ♥

READER FAVORITES!
Kitchen Parade recipes
Chicken Burgers with Fresh Spinach, Feta and Garden Tzatziki Sauce ♥
Shrimp with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asian Greens ♥
Creamy Spinach with Artichokes ♥
Crustless Quiche with Greens & Garden Vegetables ♥
Easy Spinach Nests ♥
Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) ♥
Green Smoothies ♥

PERSONAL FAVORITES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asian Chicken Salad ♥
Shrimp with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta ♥
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
How to Make a Spinach Omelet ♥
Lentil, Pepper & Spinach Supper ♥
Orzo with Spinach ♥
Spin Dip Baked Eggs ♥

FAVORITE SIMPLE SEASONAL SUPPERS
Winter Chickpeas with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta ♥
Spring Chicken Burgers with Fresh Spinach, Feta and Garden Tzatziki Sauce ♥
Summer Asian Chicken Salad ♥
Fall Turkey Florentine ♥

BEST Spinach Recipes for THANKSGIVING
A Veggie Venture & Kitchen Parade recipes
Leafy Greens for Thanksgiving

BEST Spinach Recipes for MEATLESS MONDAY
Kitchen Parade recipes
Greens & Grits ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
African Pepper, Tomato & Spinach Stew ♥
Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach ♥

BEST Spinach Recipes for WEIGHT WATCHERS
Kitchen Parade recipes
Chicken Greek Salad ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Healthy Creamed Spinach ♥
How to Make a Spinach Omelet ♥
Satisfying Lunch in One Point ♥
Spinach with Roasted Pepper ♥
Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach ♥

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SPINACH SPECIALTIES

Spinach CASSEROLES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Bacon & Egg Breakfast Bake ♥
Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole ♥
Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Creamy Spinach with Artichokes 30min/75min – WW2 – PP2 – NetCarb4 ♥
Gratin of Greens 20min/2hrs – WW3 – PP3 – NetCarb3 ♥
Greek Spinach-Asparagus-Potato Gratin (Spinaki me Sparaggia Orgraten) 2hrs/3hrs – WW5 – PP6 – NetCarb6 ♥
Noodles with Sour Cream 15min/50-75min – WW10 – PP11 – NetCarb37 ♥
Spinach & Artichoke Gratin 45min/65min – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb3 ♥
Spinach Casserole 15min/60min – WW6/WW7 – PP6/PP8 – NetCarb7 ♥

FRIED Spinach Recipes
No recipes yet, this is my reminder!

PICKLED Spinach Recipes
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RAW Spinach Recipes
Please see Spinach in SMOOTHIES & Spinach in SALADS, just scroll down

ROASTED Spinach Recipes
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PRESERVING Spinach for LATER
A Veggie Venture recipes
Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) 15min/20min ♥

MAGICAL MARRIAGES: Spinach with EGGS, a FAVORITE COMBINATION
A Veggie Venture recipes
Baked Eggs in Cream with Spinach 15min/45min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb2 ♥
Creamed Eggs with Spinach 20min/20min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb8 ♥
Easy Spinach Nests 10min/25min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb5 ♥
How to Make a Spinach Omelet 15min/15min – WW4 – PP4 – SP5 – NetCarb2 ♥
Spin Dip Baked Eggs 20min/30min – WW4 – PP5 – SP6 – FS4 – NetCarb5 ♥

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SPINACH in EVERY COURSE
~ Even Breakfast! Even Dessert! (Um.Sorry.Not.Dessert.YET.) ~

Spinach for BREAKFAST
Kitchen Parade recipes
Bacon & Egg Breakfast Bake ♥
Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Baked Eggs in Cream with Spinach 15min/45min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb2 ♥
Easy Spinach Nests 10min/25min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb5 ♥
How to Cook Eggs in a Coffee Cup in the Microwave 10min/10min – WW6 – PP6 – NetCarb10 ♥
How to Make a Spinach Omelet 15min/15min – WW4 – PP4 – SP5 – NetCarb2 ♥
Spin Dip Baked Eggs 20min/30min – WW4 – PP5 – SP6 – FS4 – NetCarb5 ♥
Spinach Pancakes 20min/20min – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb11 ♥

Spinach in SMOOTHIES
A Veggie Venture recipes
Green Smoothies 10min/10min – WW2/WW3 – PP3/PP4/PP5 – NetCarb21/26/33/36 ♥
Make-Ahead Smoothies 10min/10min – WW3 – PP2 – NetCarb16 ♥

Spinach in APPETIZERS
Kitchen Parade recipes
Herbed Goat Cheese ♥
Spinach Dip ♥
Spinach Puffs ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Spinach, Artichoke & Bacon Dip 20min/1hr – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb2 ♥
Spinach Dip with Standing Veggies 15min/1day – WW1 – PP1 – NetCarb1 ♥
Spinach Pinwheels with Pears & Dried Cranberries 55min/24hrs – WW1 – PP1 – NetCarb5 ♥
Weight Watchers Spinach Dip 15min/2hrs – WW2 – PP2 – NetCarb2 ♥

Spinach in BREADS
A Veggie Venture recipes
Spinach Pancakes 20min/20min – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb11 ♥
Spinach "Jelly Roll" Pancake 10-20min/40-50min – WW3 – PP3 – NetCarb16 ♥

Spinach in SALADS
Kitchen Parade recipes
Spinach Salad with Fruity Vinaigrette, Fresh Fruit & Maple-Glazed Pecans ♥
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing ♥
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Red & Green Warm Spinach Salad 40min/40min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb4 ♥
Satisfying Lunch in One Point 5min/5min – WW1 ♥
Spinach with Cottage Cheese and Canned Beets ♥
Tuscan Bean Salad 15min/15min – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb13

Spinach in SIMPLE SIDE DISHES (HOT)
Kitchen Parade recipes
Ontario Greens ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Asian Greens 15min/30min – WW0 – PP1 – NetCarb2 ♥
Cabbage with Winter Pesto 5min/20min – WW2 – PP4 – NetCarb15 ♥
Creamy Spinach or Beet Greens with Roasted Beets 10min/15min – WW3 – PP3 – NetCarb11 ♥
Greek Greens (Flash Cook to Eat Later) 15min/20min ♥
Greens & Stems with Mustard 15min/20min – WW0 – PP1 – NetCarb2 ♥
Greens with Sour Cream 25min/25min – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb9 ♥
Healthy Creamed Spinach 15min/15min – WW2 – PP2 – NetCarb5 ♥
Lemon & Honey Glazed Spinach 20min/20min – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb6
Lemon Spinach 10min/20min – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb3 ♥
Lime Spinach 10min/20min – WW1 – PP1 – NetCarb3
Orzo with Spinach 10min/30min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb14 ♥
Quick Spinach with Currants & Pine Nuts 10min/10min – WW2 – PP2 – NetCarb2 ♥
Spinach Curry 15min/15min – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb10 ♥
Spinach with Nutmeg 5min/15min – WW0 – PP2 – NetCarb6 ♥
Spinach with Roasted Pepper 10min/15min – WW1 – PP1 – NetCarb4 ♥

Spinach in SOUPS
Kitchen Parade recipes
Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup ♥
Meatball Soup with Broccoli Rabe ♥
Salmon Chowder ♥
Sausage & Kale Split Pea Soup ♥
Spinach Soup with Perfect Hard-Cooked Eggs ♥
Turkey Orzo Soup with Lemon & Spinach ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Curried Red Lentil Soup 30min/24hrs – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb26 ♥
Homemade Minestrone Soup 35min/1hr – WW2 – PP3 – NetCarb18 ♥
Lasagna Soup with Fresh Spinach 30min/45min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb13 ♥
Spring Garden Vegetable Soup with Asparagus, Artichokes, Peas & Spinach 20min/24hrs – WW1 – PP2 – SP3 – NetCarb6 ♥
Yellow Squash Soup with Spinach: Early Autumn Leaves in Soup 25min/40min – WW1 – PP2 – SP2 – NetCarb8 ♥

Spinach in SANDWICHES, WRAPS & MORE
Kitchen Parade recipes
Chicken Veggie Quesadillas ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Spinach Burgers 15min/90min – WW4 – PP5 – SP4 – NetCarb1 ♥
Veggie Burritos with Cilantro Sauce 30min/30min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb19 ♥

Spinach in MAIN DISHES (SALAD SUPPERS)
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asian Chicken Salad ♥
Chicken Greek Salad ♥
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing ♥
Tropical Salad Supper with Tropical Pork Tenderloin ♥

Spinach in MAIN DISHES (VEGETARIAN)
Kitchen Parade recipes
Crockpot Lasagna ♥
Greens & Grits ♥
Personal Pan Lasagna ♥
Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole ♥
Winter Pesto with Pasta ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
African Pepper, Tomato & Spinach Stew 10min/15min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb11 ♥
Chickpeas with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta 25min/45min – WW4 – PP6 – NetCarb25 ♥
Creamed Eggs with Spinach 20min/20min – WW5 – PP5 – NetCarb8 ♥
Crustless Quiche with Greens & Garden Vegetables 35min/60min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb6 ♥
Lentil, Pepper & Spinach Supper 20min/50min – WW3 – PP3 – NetCarb13 ♥
Low-Carb Skillet Supper 10min/25min – WW5 – PP2 – NetCarb8 ♥
One-Pot Pasta with Greens, Olives & Feta 20min/30min – WW6 – PP5 – NetCarb7 ♥
Spinach & Feta Quiche 55min/2hrs – WW7 – PP8 – NetCarb22 ♥
Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce 60min/4hrs – WW5 – PP6 – NetCarb13 ♥
Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach 30min/1/4/8hrs – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb31 ♥
Veggie Burritos with Cilantro Sauce 30min/30min – WW3 – PP4 – NetCarb19 ♥

Spinach in MAIN DISHES (WITH MEAT)
Kitchen Parade recipes
Asian Chicken Salad ♥
Chicken Burgers with Fresh Spinach, Feta and Garden Tzatziki Sauce ♥
Chicken Greek Salad ♥
Chicken Veggie Quesadillas ♥
Italian Sausage with Grapes & Greens ♥
Shrimp with Tomatoes, Spinach & Feta ♥
Tropical Salad Supper with Tropical Pork Tenderloin ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Spinach Burgers 15min/90min – WW4 – PP5 – SP4 – NetCarb1 ♥
Swagman Stew 25min/4hrs – WW6 – PP6 – NetCarb10 ♥
Turkey Florentine 25min/60min – WW8 – PP9 – NetCarb9 ♥

Spinach in SAUCES
Kitchen Parade recipes
Green Mayonnaise ♥
Winter Pesto with Pasta ♥

Spinach in SWEETS & BAKING
No recipes yet, this is my reminder! Who knows?! I have my eye on a spinach cake!

RECIPES using CANNED or FROZEN Spinach
Kitchen Parade recipes
Bacon & Egg Breakfast Bake ♥
Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole ♥
Spinach Puffs ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Healthy Creamed Spinach 15min/15min – WW2 – PP2 – NetCarb5 ♥
Spinach Casserole 15min/60min – WW6/WW7 – PP6/PP8 – NetCarb7 ♥
Spinach, Artichoke & Bacon Dip 20min/1hr – WW1 – PP2 – NetCarb2 ♥
Turkey Florentine 25min/60min – WW8 – PP9 – NetCarb9 ♥

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MOVING BEYOND THE STOVE & OVEN

Spinach on the GRILL
A Veggie Venture recipes
Grilled Beets, Greens & Beans ♥

Spinach in the MICROWAVE
No recipes yet, this is my reminder!

Spinach in the SLOW COOKER
Kitchen Parade recipes
Crockpot Lasagna ♥

A Veggie Venture recipes
Sweet Potato Curry with Red Lentils, Roasted Peppers & Spinach 30min/1/4/8hrs – WW4 – PP5 – NetCarb31 ♥

Spinach in the STOVETOP SMOKER
No recipes yet, this is my reminder!

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A Veggie Venture is home of spinach lover fiend and 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
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