Who doesn’t love a huge helping of spinach? Although I am not a big fan of completely wilted spinach, I do love spinach-flavored anything, and will gladly eat fistfuls of raw spinach (and usually do!)
Now, although kale and arugula have recently become my go-to green, spinach is a tried and true leafy green that is happening NOW. Spring is a great season to capitalize on the spinach that will fill your stomach and give you many of the vitamins and nutrients you need.
Did you know that spinach originated in ancient Persia? It then traveled to India, and China, and then Sicily, then the rest of Europe. By the fourteenth century, it was a popular vegetable in a slow produce season (spring left much to be desired!) Nowadays, the United States dominates the production of spinach, and California leads the charge.
Spinach has a lot of nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, etc. For this it is seen as a good vegetable choice for your dinners –thank goodness, since Jeff and I like it so much! It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help lower risk of certain types of cancer.
Spinach has been seen on the blog as an ingredient in pasta, soufflé, pizza, as a side, and in salads. This month, we aim to investigate into other ways to incorporate spinach: as an ingredient in Indian food, in Greek food, as a complement to fish, perhaps, and maybe we’ll revisit soufflé or tart.
What is your favorite use for spinach? Do you like it crunchy, or fully cooked? Do you like it in your baked goods, or as a side to a weeknight dinner?
[addtoany] Yum