Spinach is for everyone, not just Popeye. 

Spinach is a vegetable and one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there. I remember going with my mom and aunts to forage for wild greens along the countryside on Lesvos island. We would find wild dandelions, chicory, purslane, and even wild spinach along the river banks. 

We would make Spinach pies, spinach with cuttlefish, spinach with rice on fasting days, and steamed spinach. So not only is spinach delicious, but it is a nutritious powerhouse. 

If you start any diet, you will probably hear the word “spinach” tossed around; no pun intended. But spinach is so much more than just Popeye’s snack of choice. 

Fresh spinach leaves

Healthy facts about spinach

• Did you know that spinach contains more iron than beef? One cup of cooked spinach contains 3.6 mg of iron, about 10% of an adult’s recommended daily intake. There is more iron in spinach than in beef. 
• This leafy green also contains calcium, vitamins A, C, K, and B6, and antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect against cancer and chronic diseases. The nutrients in spinach help detoxify your body and can help regulate your blood sugar levels. 
• Studies suggest that consuming one cup of cooked spinach every day may help to promote a healthy heart. Spinach also contains high amounts of magnesium, which helps relax blood vessels. This can improve blood flow and reduce oxygen stress on the heart—the primary factor for heart attacks and strokes.
• Spinach is an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants, which also support eye health. 
• For women, it’s also rich in folate, which aids in the proper development of a fetus during pregnancy. Folate is a B vitamin that is imperative to healthy infant development.
• High in flavonoids, spinach can also help to reduce inflammation in the body. 
• Considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, spinach can also help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of diabetes. 

In addition to being packed with vitamins, spinach has a high nutritional value for its low-calorie content. The benefits of spinach are countless! 

But there are plenty of other reasons to love this leafy green: it is also delicious! 

Tasty dishes that include spinach

There are endless ways to cook and eat spinach, making it ideal for people on weight loss diets. Spinach is available year-round, although its peak season is April to June.

Spinach is best when it grows on small farms, near fields that grow just a couple of spinach varieties. I like to get my spinach from the farmers’ market early in spring. It’s always fresher and sweeter than what I can find in the supermarket.

Spinach is easy to cook with because it doesn’t require any special prep or cooking methods. You can prepare salads, side dishes, quiches, omelets, and even seafood. Any way you prepare it will be delicious. 

Spinach can be eaten both raw or cooked. Many people cook it, whether steamed or sauteed, but spinach salads have taken off in recent years. 

Some people like to add spinach to their morning smoothies or juice blends. Others like to add it to their wraps instead of lettuce. And still, others like to stir-fry or steam it with other vegetables and serve it as a side dish at dinner time. 

Use spinach to make delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! You can add spinach to eggs in the morning, serve it alongside chicken at lunchtime, and use it as a wrap for dinner—or all three! Spinach is often used as a side dish or salad additive. 

Mix spinach in these recipes. Use these steps to incorporate spinach into your meals for better health.

Try my Spinach mushroom goat-cheese baked omelet or my Spinach Egg Nests.

Spinach Egg Nests 

For a lunch try my mixed Iceberg and Spinach Salad, or for a dinner side dish, try sauteed Spinach with shallots and Feta cheese. 

You can buy spinach bagged, and triple washed from almost any grocery store. Or, you can buy it fresh in bunches found in the produce section. If you buy fresh spinach, triple wash it, as there could be lots of mud and dirt mixed in, especially if you find the kind that still has the root intact.

I fill my sink with water and completely submerge the spinach underwater. I do this three times until the water runs clear. 

When you buy the fresh kind in a bunch and wash it, you should also consider getting a salad spinner so you can dry the leaves.

I will be sharing a post that combines spinach, leeks, and cuttlefish soon. Cuttlefish is not fish; it’s a cousin of the squid (Calamari). Both are cephalopods; however, they do differ. Squid have sleek, torpedo-shaped bodies, whereas cuttlefish have stout bodies. 

I sometimes feel “squid steaks” are nothing more than the giant squid. Look for this cuttlefish and spinach recipe coming soon. 

Of course, the famous Greek Spinach Pie, Spanakopita, is found at almost every home, a Greek restaurant, and a Greek festival. 

I make delicious roasted garlic, spinach, and goat cheese omelet that is out of this world delicious. If you like spinach and goat cheese as much as I do, you will get addicted to this omelet. I tend to be a creature of habit on the keto diet, so if I find something delicious, I’ll make it over and over again. 

Takeaway

When it comes to cooking with spinach, there are plenty of things that you can do. Not only is this leafy green very versatile in terms of how you can prepare it, but it also goes great in some different meals you didn’t think of before. 

I hope that those of you who read this blog post will now feel confident enough to purchase and use spinach in a wide variety of dishes.

Bottom line: Spinach is an excellent food for your health, try it and find out how much better you feel.