If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.
Sautéed spinach (or any greens) with garlic and a squeeze of lemon (or vinegar) is a simple formula that lets spinach shine and will never go out of favor.
Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling—ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese—and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.
Here we take basic lasagna ingredients—ricotta cheese, pasta and tomatoes—and skip the layering and long baking time to make a super-quick and satisfying meal for the whole family. To cut down on prep time, look for presliced mushrooms. For meat lovers, brown some crumbled turkey sausage along with the onions and garlic. Serve with: Steamed broccoli and whole-grain baguette.
The flavors of coriander and tangerine complement the sweet scallops in this easy-to-make dinner salad. Frisée has a big flavor and a sturdy texture, which stands up to the warm scallops. If you can’t find frisée, make your own mix of greens; escarole and curly endive are great ones to include.
» Spinach & Frisée Salad with Tangerines & Coriander-Crusted Scallops
For this light, brothy stew, use the vegetables of late spring and early summer from your CSA share: leeks, potatoes, garlic and spinach. Vary what’s in the stew according to the weekly bounty. Serve with: Crusty whole-wheat baguette spread with goat cheese.
This stuffed pizza is filled with crumbled tofu, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese and fresh basil. It’s easy to make stuffed pizza at home. Just roll the crust thin, spread filling over half and fold closed. To use fresh spinach, cook 10 ounces until just wilted; finely chop and squeeze dry. Serve with: Marinara sauce for dipping and mixed green salad.
Tender, fresh spinach is delicious in salads, pasta, soups and dips and is an easy, healthy addition to many meals. Plus it's versatile—spinach is equally tasty raw or cooked. And spinach teems with important nutrients, such as folate, vitamin E and lutein, to keep your body strong.
Folate is necessary for the production of new cells, including red blood cells. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, particularly in protecting cell membranes from damage, and scientists hypothesize that it has a role in immune function, DNA repair, the formation of red blood cells and vitamin K absorption. Lutein may be able to reverse some of the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration.
Eat well and stay strong with these delicious, healthy spinach recipes.