15 Feb Mon 2010
Get to know your veggies--Spinach
When I was a kid we had never heard of "fresh, raw spinach"; all we were ever offered was slimy canned stuff that mom had put some sort of meat (fat usually) to give it some kind of flavor. I can remember choking it down just so I could get up from the table to continue playing barbie dolls or whatever I was doing when I was so "rudely interrupted" to eat supper at the table, with the family. (imagine that!)
In my early twenties I was introduced to fresh spinach--it's WONDERFUL! It's got texture, a rich flavor, easy to grow, easy to prepare and it's one of the most nutritious veggies we can eat. Here goes..... (USDA guidelines)
In a 3.5 oz serving, you will get
23 kcal of energy, .4 g of Sugars, 2.2 g of dietary fiber, .4g of fat, 2.2 g of protein, and the following percentages of the minimum recommended daily allowance of these nutrients:
Vitamin A- 52%
beta-carotene
lutein and zexanthin
Folate (Vit. B9) - 49%
Vitamin C - 47%
Vitamin E - 13%
Vitamin K - 460%
Calcium - 10%
Iron - 22%
(No wonder Popeye didn't need a can opener)
The best way to prepare spinach is to simply wash the leaves and spin them dry in your handy-dandy salad spinner (or pat with paper towels). Spinach mixes well with most "usual" salad ingredients; tomatoes, cucmbers, onions, and.......bacon bits! Blue cheese crumbles are tasty and honey mustard dressing complements the nutty-like flavor of the leaves. It's also great on sandwiches instead of lettuce. Sorry, but if you like it cooked you're on your own :)
Eat More Spinach!