I couldn’t help but want to post something about the amazing Super Food spinach after I got done talking about the smoothies. The smoothies are definitely the best way to get kids to eat spinach, but I like it it several different forms.
Here are a couple of ideas to get more spinach into your diet:
- Use spinach for lettuce on your sandwiches. Don’t use iceberg, which has hardly any nutritional content, use spinach to power pack the sandwich.
- Spinach Quesadillasare another favorite of mine. You can wilt your spinach by putting a little olive oil (and chopped garlic if you’d like) into a skillet and pile on the spinach.
It reduces A LOT, so you can put a lot into your pan. Just turn it constantly until it reduces to small wilted leaves. It only takes a minute or so, so keep your eye on it.
Then chop your spinach and put into a delicious quesadilla with yummy cheeses & black beans. I love to dip it in guacamole & salsa for flavor as well. You can also throw wilted spinach in with your spaghetti sauce for dinner. Play with it and see how many ways you can use it.
- Freeze your spinach so it easily crumbles to add to your eggs or omelet in the morning! Get some fresh leaves (preferably the kind already washed in bags or boxes, not the kind in a tiny box on the freezer aisle. When the spinach is starting to wilt or looking old, I put it in my freezer in bags or even the big plastic container it came in, if you have the space, and just use it from there)
- Crack your eggs into a pan, season them with some salt & lemon pepper, take a handful of the frozen leaves and crush them in your hand until they break into tiny pieces, throw them in your eggs & cook them all together. I like to add salsa on top of my eggs for some flavor or use some Rotel tomatoes in your egg mixture also. When the eggs are almost done, add a little cheese, if desired. My kids love that! If your husband is into extra protein, throw in some bacon bits or sausage crumbles for him. If I want extra protein, I will add some black beans or a couple more egg whites.
EVERYONE’S FAVORITE SPINACH SALAD RECIPE
- Large bowl of spinach (or add romaine for a mix)
- Any fruit (My favorite combos are in Winter-apples & craisins, Summer-strawberries & kiwi’s)
- Blue cheese or feta cheese
- Candied almonds, pecans or walnuts
Sweet Apple Cider Dressing:
- 1 large shallot (appx. 1-2 Tbls.)
- 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 t. pepper
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1/2 t. salt
- 3/4 c. canola oil (preferably expeller pressed Canola Oil)
Put all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a blender and blend for at least 30 seconds. This dressing will stay good in your refrigerator for at least a couple weeks.
I hope you’ll start experimenting with spinach because it is SO good for you! The benefits will definitely pay off in the end and I know you’ll find yourself loving spinach. Give yourself time for the taste buds to adjust if you are use to eating a lot of fast foods, salts, and fats. It might take a while, but stick with it!! Start with the smoothies and go from there!
