Quick & easy recipe
Place clean spinach in a pan with a little olive
oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cover
and simmer until it wilts—usually 2 to 4 minutes.
Spinach is usually very sandy and needs thorough washing. Trim the roots and then swish the
leaves in a large bowl of water. Place the spinach in a colander, change the water in the
bowl, and repeat. Do this several times until the water remains clear. If the spinach is being
used in a salad or is being sautéed, pat the leaves dry with paper towel or dry them in a
salad spinner.
Spinach can be consumed cooked or raw. Baby spinach leaves are especially good in salads
with bleu cheese, walnuts, red onions, and a vinaigrette dressing.
Spinach cooks very quickly, and doesn’t need added water. Just place it in a pan,
cover, and simmer for two to four minutes until it wilts; spinach is also excellent when
steamed, or it can be sautéed in olive
oil with garlic for three or four
minutes.
Spinach is a good addition to stews and to soups that contain beans,
pasta, or potatoes, or to any kind of
curry dish. Spinach can also be creamed. Cook the spinach, then purée in a food
processor, adding your choice of ricotta
cheese, cream sauce, or soft tofu. Add herbs, salt, and pepper, and use as a stuffing
for lasagna or pasta shells, or toss with pasta or rice. Creamed spinach can also be thinned with broth
or milk to make soup.
Spinach is available year-round, but is best in fall and spring, since it grows best in
cool weather. Spinach should be slightly crisp and bright green. Avoid yellowing leaves or
those that are wet and rotting. To store, wrap unwashed spinach in a paper towel and then
place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. If buying bagged spinach, open and sort out the
rotting leaves before putting the package in the refrigerator. Depending on how fresh it is at
purchase, spinach should be used within two to four days.
Varieties
Spinach can have either flat or slightly crinkled leaves. It is often available as baby
spinach, which is especially useful for salads. Spinach can be purchased fresh, frozen, or
canned. Fresh spinach is sold in bunches or already washed and sealed in plastic bags. A
number of other greens that are similar to spinach are often sold in specialty stores. These
include New Zealand spinach, which comes from a different plant family.
Nutrition Highlights
Spinach (raw), 1 cup (30g)
Calories: 7
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 1g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 1g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A
(2,813.10IU)
*Good source of: Manganese (0.27mg), Folic Acid (58.20mcg), and Vitamin C (8.43mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes
only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult
your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Information expires February 2010.
