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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Container Gardening With Herbs

Container Gardening with Herbs

Try growing an herb garden in your yard. It’s fun and easy and can really complement the landscape. We like to grow herbs in containers such as pots…this is done to keep the rabbits from eating them. In our yard, a specific area is allocated to just herbs. You can start off with a few herbs…the main ones I like to grow are basil, thyme, rosemary, and mint.

Herb Garden

Every year I like to add one or two more herbs to the garden. This year the herb garden has been expanded to twelve different varieties…two types of basil (Italian and purple), thyme, rosemary, three types of mint (spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate), oregano, parsley, tarragon, lavender, and lemon verbena.

Herbs are great to use in recipes…there’s nothing like picking your own fresh herbs from the garden and using them in the kitchen. Two of our newest additions are chocolate mint and lemon verbena. Chocolate mint can be used in tea or added to chocolate desserts; lemon verbena can be used in tea, added to lemon desserts and fruit salads, and used to flavor chicken and fish dishes.

Have fun cooking with herbs…they are great substitutes for using salt.

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Check out our other post about using containers to grow herbs

Lemon Recipe

Lemon Bulgur and Chickpea Pilaf
Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur, medium grind
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Place bulgur in a bowl. Bring stock to a boil, add half the cumin, and pour stock over bulgur. Stir once and let sit 10 to 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and bulgur is fluffy.

Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sautè onion, green pepper and half the garlic 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until onion is translucent.

Add remaining garlic and cumin. Sautè about 30 seconds. Stir in bulgur and chickpeas. Stir together a few minutes. Then add remaining ingredients, combine well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Lemon Nutrition information serving: Calories 309, Fat 6.2g, Calories from Fat 17%, Protein 21.9g, Carbohydrate 54.8g, Fiber 14.7g, Cholesterol 0g, Sodium 21mg.

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There are Two Different Types of Lemons

The lemon originated in China and was a favorite of the Chinese Emperors in the form of lemonade. Catholic Missionaries brought lemons to the United States where they were planted in Arizona and California? Today those 2 states produce virtually all of the lemons consumed in the United States as well as about one-third of those used throughout the world. Lemons are used in many ways including as flavoring in the food we eat, as a garnish, and for household purposes.

Lemon Nutrition

Serving size 1/2 cup, sectioned, peeled (106g)
Calories 30
Calories from Fat 5g Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Total Fat 0g 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 90%
Calcium 2%
Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Selecting Lemons:

Lemons should be firm and have a bright yellow color. Avoid soft, shriveled lemons with spots. The best lemons will be fine textured and heavy for their size. Thin skinned fruit tends to have more juice, while fruit that has a greenish cast is likely to be more acidic. One medium lemon has about 3 tablespoons of juice and 3 tablespoons of grated peel.

Storing Lemons:

You may store lemons at room temperature for about two weeks. They will keep for up to six weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use lemons as quickly as possible after cutting.

Lemon Varieties:

There are two different types of lemons — acid and sweet. The most common acid varieties include Eurekas and Lisbons. The acidic type is grown commercially and the sweet types are grown mainly by home gardeners. The trees bloom continuously all year and can produce up to 500 or 600 lemons a year.

Sources: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

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Melons are a Good Source of Vitamin C and Potassium

Melons are a Good Source of

Vitamin C and Potassium

Many variaties of melons originated in the Middle East and then gradually spread across much of Europe. It is a known fact that ancient Egyptians and Romans enjoyed cantaloupes or muskmelons. Columbus transported melon seeds to the United States where they were eventually cultivated by Spanish explorers in California.

Most people don’t know that melons are in the same gourd family as squashes and cucumbers. Most melons have similar structure to winter squash with thick flesh and inner seed-filled midsection. So what’s the difference between melons and squashes? It’s the way that they’re used. Squashes are considered vegetables, while melons are known as fruits with sweet and juicy flavor.

Melons are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. They have high water content are relatively low in calories, and also fat and cholesterol free.

Cantaloupe Nutrition
Serving size 1/2 cup, diced (78g)
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 25
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 50%
Vitamin C 50%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Honeydew Melon Nutrition
Serving size 1/2 cup, diced (85g)
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 30
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 7g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Melon Varieties:
Melon varieties are now endless! Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon are the most well known varieties. Lookout for more unusual melons at your local supermarket or farmer’s market for a different and tasty sweet treat!

Canteloupe

Actually called a muskmelon, this familiar fruit with orange flesh and khaki netted colored skin provides the most beta-carotene in the entire melon family. Select melons that are slightly golden with a light fragrant smell (an indication of its ripeness). Cantaloupe is typically available year-round, with a June through August peak season.

Casaba
Unlike the other melons, casaba melons do not have an aroma. This is a large melon that is pale yellow when ripe and has white flesh with a sweet taste. This melon peaks in the fall, but starts showing up in markets in July through December.

Crenshaw
These melons can weigh up to ten pounds and deliver a unique sweet and spicy flavor. They are a hybrid between the casaba and Persian melon with a yellowish skin and salmon colored flesh. Peak season for Crenshaw melons is August through September, with the fruit season beginning in July and ending in October.

The sweetest of all the melons and averaging five to six pounds, honeydew melons have a creamy yellow rind when ripe and pale green flesh. It’s best from June through October, but is available year round.

Persian
This melon is quite similar to the Cantaloupe, but it slightly larger in size, has a reener rind, and on the outside it has finer netting. Persian melons are peak in August and September with the season beginning in June and ending November.

Santa Claus
This melon is also known as the Christmas melon because it peaks during the month of December. This variety is similar to the watermelon with the green and gold stripes, but is about a foot long and isn’t as sweet as the other melons.

Sharlyn
This melon tastes like a cantaloupe and honeydew combined. Sharlyn melons are sweet with netted outer layer, greenish-orange rind, and white flesh. The availability varies, so check your local supermarkets and farmer’s market.

Melon Selection:
In general, melons should be shaped according to their variety. For example, cantaloupes should be round, etc. In addition, melons should not have cracks, soft spots, or dark bruises. You should look for a clean and smooth break at the stem and for most mature melons have a fruity fragrance (if not chilled).

Melon Storage:
Keep uncut melons at room temperature for two to four days or until fully ripe, then refrigerate for up to 5 days. Refrigerate cut up melon in a covered container up to 3 days. Remember that cut melons are aromatic and their smell will penetrate other foods.

Melon Preparation:
Melon preparation is easy! Always wash melons in warm soapy water before cutting to get rid of any impurity on the rind that might be carried from the knife blade to the flesh. Simply cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Melons can be cut into halves, quarters, wedges, cubes, or scooped into balls with a melon baller. Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.

Sources: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov MedicineNet.com

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If you found this post interesting or helpfull leaving me a comment would be much appreciated. Thanx Jeanne