It’s All About Nutrition!

Spinach Facts and Recipes

Spinach is a native plant of Persia and was introduced to China in the 7th century.

Spinach is a member of the goose-foot family and is closely related to beets and chard.

Spinach is of the highest quality when eaten fresh. It loses nutritional properties every day after picking. Refrigeration can slow the deterioration but even doing that does not prevent half of the major nutrients from being lost by the eighth day after harvest.

There are advantages to both cooking spinach and eating it raw. While cooking spinach reduces Vitamin C and folate levels, it boosts beta-carotein and lutein bioavailability at the same time. Lightly steaming spinach will help preserve nutrients. Best option is to maybe alternate both cooked and raw.

There are many different varieties of spinach, these are some of the main types:

Savoy (Dark green, crinkly and curly leaves. Commonly found in supermarkets.)

Flat/smooth leaf spinach (Most commonly used for canned and processed spinach products.)

Semi-savoy (Hybrid variety with slightly crinkled leaves. It has the same texture as savoy, but is esier to clean.)

Baby spinach leaves are soft and tender in texture and are flat, spade-shaped . Unlike mature spinach varieties that generally require blanching to mellow the bitter taste, baby spinach has a very clean and mild flavor. Unlike other spinach varieties baby spinach is not gritty or sandy and the stems do not need to be removed.

Spinach Recipes

Spinach And Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients
9 ounce package linguine
7 ounce package pesto with basil
5 cups shredded fresh spinach leaves
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 cup halved thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1.Cook linguine according to package directions then rinse and drain.
2.Combine pasta, spinach, tomato, onion and pine nuts in large bowl.
3.Combine pesto, lemon juice and salt in small bowl then add to pasta and toss well.
4.Serve immediately or refrigerate.

grouprecipes.com

Spinach and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:
3 medium eggs, beaten.
20 oz of frozen chopped spinach.
4 oz of cheddar cheese, grated.
1 cup of cottage cheese.
¼ cup of butter, softened.
2 teaspoons of flour.
Salt and pepper.

Preparation Instructions:
Cook the spinach as directed on its packaging, then drain.
Mix the spinach, cottage cheese, cheddar, butter, eggs, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix throughly.
Spoon into a greased baking dish and Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes.

spinachrecipes.org

Spinach Dip Recipe

1 cup safflower mayonnaise
1 bunch freesh spinach, chopped
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 drops Tabasco auce
ground pepper to taste
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Put mayonnaise in a blender; add spinach and green onion.
Blend for 2-3 minutes.
Spoon into medium size bowl; fold in the yogurt and remaining ingredients, except parsley.
Chill
Just before serving, add parsley.

cooks.com

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Persian Cucumber Recipes

Garlic Cucumber Salad

8 ozs. Cucumber (1 large hothouse cucumber or 3 small Persian cucumbers)
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Cut the cucumbers into quarters lengthwise and slice off the center to remove the seeds. For large hothouse cucumbers you may want to further cut the quarters into eights lengthwise. Then cut into two-inch long pieces. Add the salt and garlic then mix well. Refrigerate the cucumbers for about 30 minutes.

When ready to serve drain the salt extracted juice from the cucumber pieces and arrange on a plate. Be sure to retain the garlic. Pour the sesame oil over the cucumber and serve chilled.

redcook.net

Cucumber Salad with Mint and Feta Recipe

Ingredients

Persian cucumbers, about 5 inches long

1 lb thin skinned, mild (non bitter) cucumbers, such as Persian, Armenian, or Japanese cucumbers, thinly sliced. You might also try it with English cucumbers.
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch long segments
2 or 3 red radishes, thinly sliced
10 mint leaves, thinly sliced
White vinegar
Olive oil
1/4 pound feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
In a medium sized bowl, gently toss together the sliced cucumbers, red onion, radishes, mint leaves with a little bit of white vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, sprinkle on crumbled bits of feta cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

simplyrecipes.com

Persian Cucumber Yogurt

Ingredients
1 (32 ounce) container plain yogurt
3 English cucumbers, peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 tablespoons dried dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and shallot. Season with dill, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

allrecipes.com

For more information about Persian cucumbers and cucumbers in general
please visit our previous post here

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Four Amazing Spinach Recipes

The following spinach recipes will give you some delicious options for using the harvest you worked so hard to produce.

Easy Spinach Salad

1 lg. bunch of spinach
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can mushrooms
1 hard-boiled egg
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. safflower oil
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar (cider)

Thoroughly wash spinach but do not soak. Remove stems and gently tear large leaves into bite-size pieces. Pat dry before tearing. In large bowl put spinach, mushrooms, chopped egg, Parmesan cheese and onion. Toss gently. Blend oil, sugar and vinegar. Beat with egg beater until mixture becomes thick and milky color. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Serve immediately.

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Dilled Spinach

1/2 tb xtra virgin olive oil
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 sm Onion, chopped, or
1 bn Green onions, chopped
1 Yellow crookneck squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound fresh rinsed spinach leaves, stems removed
1/2 bn fresh dill, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 Lemon

Heat xtra virgin olive oil in a skillet; saute garlic 15 seconds. Add onions and cook until wilted. Add squash and saute. Add spinach and dill and stir to mix well. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon over all before serving.

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Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Bean Sprouts

1 Bunch fresh spinach
1/2 lb Fresh mushrooms
1/2 lb Fresh bean sprouts

Dressing:
1/2 c xtra virgin olive oil
2 ts Soy sauce
1 Lemon; juice of
1 ts Prepared mustard
1/2 ts Paprika
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Pepper

Wash spinach, mushrooms & bean sprouts. Pat dry or allow to drain. Arrange on salad plate. Combine dressing ingredients & blend with a wire whip. Spoon dressing over each salad.

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Spinach Salad with Fruit and Honey

8 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
2 cups cantaloupe balls
1 1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons raspberry white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons xtra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Combine spinach, cantaloupe balls, and strawberry halves in a large bowl; toss gently.

Combine jam, raspberry white wine vinegar, honey and xtra virgin olive oil in a small bowl; stir with a wire whisk until blended.

Drizzle over spinach mixture, and toss well.

Sprinkle with nuts. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1-1/3 cups).

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Make sure to check out our other posts about spinach…

Picking (harvesting) Spinach

Spinach Has High Nutritional Value

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Four Amazing Beet Salad Recipes

The following beet salad recipes will give you some delicious options for using the harvest you worked so hard to produce.

Beet and Asian Pear Salad with Baby Greens

4 Trimmed beets (about 1 pound); scrubbed
1 Asian/Bartlett or Anjou pear
1 tb Apple jelly
2 ts Fresh lemon juice
1/2 ts Dijon mustard
1/4 lb Mixed baby greens; (about 4 cups loosely packed)
Garnish: chopped fresh chives

In a saucepan simmer beets in water to cover by 1 inch, covered, 40 minutes or until tender. Drain beets and cool. Beets may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Peel beets and cut into 3/4-inch wedges. Peel and core pear and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. In a small saucepan heat jelly, lemon juice, and mustard over low heat, stirring, until blended and jelly is melted. In a bowl combine beets and pear with warm dressing, tossing to coat.

Divide greens among 4 salad plates and spoon beet mixture over them. Sprinkle salads with chives.

Serves 4

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Apple Beet Salad

4 Granny Smith apples — peeled, cored, and sliced
16 ounces julienne beets — drained
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Dash hot sauce (optional)

In large bowl, combine apples, beets, radishes, and green onions. In small bowl, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, allspice, salt, pepper, and, if desired, hot sauce; pour over apple mixture and toss well.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving

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Baked Beet Salad

1 lb Beets (6)
1 sm Spanish onion (4 oz)

Vinaigrette:
3 tb Vegetable oil
2 tb Cider vinegar
1 tb Fresh mint, chopped
1 ts Dijon mustard
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Pepper

Remove stems and leaves from beets; wrap beets and onion separately in foil to make 2 packages. Bake in 350F 180C oven for about 1 hour or until vegetables are fork-tender.

Remove vegetables from foil; let stand for 15-20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Loosen skins from vegetables; slice onion into strips and cube beets.

Vinaigrette: Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mint, mustard, salt and pepper.

Toss vegetables with vinaigrette: let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Toss lightly before serving.

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Beet, Fennel and Watercress Salad

2 Beet bunches with tops
1/4 c Fresh lemon juice
1 tb Plus 1 teaspoon honey
1/2 c Olive oil
2 Watercress bunches; trimmed
2 Fennel bulbs; trimmed, cut into strips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut tops and root ends off beets. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Peel beets. Slice beets into rounds; stack rounds and cut into strips.

Combine fresh lemon juice and honey in small bowl. Gradually mix in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap beets tightly and refrigerate. Cover dressing and let stand at room temperature.)

Place watercress in bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat. Arrange on platter. Top with fennel and then beets. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

6 servings

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Make sure to check out our other posts about beets…

Picking (harvesting) Beets

Planting and Growing Beets Fact Sheet

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Turkey and Spinach Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

8 cups fresh spinach
8 ounces cooked turkey, cubed
2 grapefruit peeled and sectioned
2 oranges peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Preparation:

Place spinach, turkey, grapefruit and oranges into a large bowl.

Dressing:
Mixing the dressing requires using a screw top jar or other air tight container where you will combine orange juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, poppy seeds, salt and dry mustard.

Cover and shake well.

Pour dressing over salad and toss gently.

Sprinkle with almonds.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition facts per serving:
228 calories
10 grams total fat (2 gram saturated fat)
43 milligrams cholesterol
261 milligrams sodium
16 grams carbohydrates
8 grams dietary fiber
20 grams protein

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