November is Spinach and Squash Month. Last week we shared butternut squash recipes, so this week we are sharing some tasty spinach dishes! Popeye, everyone’s favorite sailor, taught children for decades that spinach was healthy. And that wasn’t just good marketing!
100 grams of uncooked spinach has just 23 calories, 2.9 grams of protein, 3.6 grams of carbs and 2.2 grams of fiber. It has high levels of chlorophyll — that’s what makes it so green. That gives it anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties and makes it good for eyesight, protecting you from cataracts and macular degeneration. While it is a good source of iron, it’s not as high as many people believe. It’s also a good source of calcium. Because it is high in vitamin K1, people on blood thinners should speak to their doctors about whether to eat spinach or other leafy greens.
These delicious cheesy balls are great for entertaining. While most of us won’t be having large family gatherings this year, you don’t have to make a massive batch of this dish. Enjoy them with just your immediate family as a tasty appetizer/side/treat! There are adapted from a higher-carb recipe by swapping out the regular breadcrumbs for healthier flour! They are oven-baked and great with any dip or as a side dish to a saucy main course. One ball has 49 calories, 1.8 grams of carbs and 0.8 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
Sautéing spinach is easy, fast and delicious. Many recipes just call for a little olive oil and garlic. We like this one more because it has a lot more flavor! With onions and soy sauce, this recipe isn’t just a side dish that helps you eat enough veggies: it makes you crave those veggies! Often recipes for sauteing spinach don’t cook the garlic long enough before adding in the spinach: let it caramelize! A serving has 85 calories, five grams of carbs and one gram of fiber. Get the recipe.
If we were titling this dish, we would call it a crustless quiche. Whatever you name it, it’s a tasty breakfast! You cook your meat and veggies before adding them into the egg and milk mixture and then pour the mix into muffin liners. Or, if you’re using a non-stick tray, you can skip the liners altogether! Cooking the meat and veggies means they only bake until the egg is firm, and they don’t end up hard as rocks! A serving has 430 calories, seven grams of carbs and three grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We’ve said it before, we’re saying it now, we will say it again: we don’t like the word superfood. But, we do like everything in this soup. You can serve it warm or chilled, and it is packed full of nutrients. It’s made of spinach, cauliflower, watercress, garlic, white onion, cream and broth. It is wonderfully warming on a cold day! We love its creamy texture. The instructions immersion blender, but you can also just pour it into a regular blender and then back into your soup pot. That’s what we do when a dish needs an immersion blender because no one on our team has one! A serving has 393 calories and 6.8 net grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
These four options will have you enjoying spinach as more than just a “mix-in” vegetable! With its wealth of health properties, it can help you stay healthy this winter, so try these out soon!
