Learning to Enjoy Spinach
Spinach Was Not a Favorite Food of My Youth
Spinach has always had a reputation for being a great source of nutrition. It also has had a reputation for being disliked, especially by children.
Despite the best efforts of parents and the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor to convince children to eat spinach, the vegetable was near universally hated by children of my generation.
Back in the 1950s and 1960s when I was growing up the main source of spinach for most American families was the canned vegetable aisle in the grocery store.
A Tasteless Brown Green Blob on My Dinner Plate
Even Popeye the Sailor relied mainly on canned spinach. Whenever the wiry little sailor was in a tight spot and had to defend himself or his fickle girlfriend, Olive Oyl, in a fight with a much bigger and stronger character, usually his nemesis, the big thug Bluto, he would reach under his shirt, pull out a can of spinach and consume it on one gulp.
As I recall, canned spinach was a rather tasteless, brownish green blob that looked like a mixture of over boiled weeds. However, like bad tasting medicine, it was grudgingly consumed in the quest for good health (actually, my parents consumed it for good health, my siblings and I ate it because consuming it was a requirement for receiving desert at the end of the meal).
Chilled Spinach Soup - Perfect Hot Summer Entre
As and Adult I Learned to Like Spinach
Early in my adult life some friends introduced me to fresh spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. The salad consisted of fresh spinach leaves topped with a warm bacon dressing which consisted of crushed bacon in a mixture of warm bacon grease and vinegar. It was quite tasty and I liked it.
I also learned how to make a decent quiche and after some experimenting found that I could give the quiche more body and make it more of a meal by mixing in a package of frozen spinach. While the frozen spinach, having a deep green color, looked a little more appealing than the canned spinach of my youth it was still basically a somewhat tasteless blob when heated and served alone. However, when included in the quiche, it made for a healthy and tasty meal.
As a parent, I found that my children liked the spinach quiche and thus never had a problem getting them to eat their spinach when served in this manner.
My Wife Introduces Me to Cream of Spinach Soup
My new wife Bella, however, is not fond of quiche so we rarely have any type of quiche these days but we both like fresh spinach in salads.
Recently my wife, who is quite a cook, has begun making a very good cream of spinach soup using fresh spinach. This is a good tasting soup that can be served hot or chilled.
Coming home from work on a hot summer evening in Arizona, I have found that a bowel of chilled spinach soup with some crackers and a glass of ice tea make a refreshing supper.
Bowl of Cream of Spinach Soup
Making Spinach Soup
Ingredients For Cream of Spinach Soup
- 2 Lbs Fresh Spinach
- 4 Cups Broth (Chicken or Beef depending upon taste)
- 4 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Cup Cream (can substitute Half & Half, Half & Half is a blend of milk and cream
- Pinch Salt, Add salt to taste (NOTE: if you use canned broth check first to see if it contains salt
- Pinch Pepper, Freshly Ground Black Pepper is best
Cooking and Mixing Instructions
- Put the broth and spinach in a pan and simmer for about ten minutes.
- Pour the contents of the pan into a blender (or food processor) and set the blender on puree.
- Melt the butter or margarine in a large pot and then stir in the flour. Slowly stir the flour and butter/margarine mixture over low heat for several minutes.
- Pour a small amount of the pureed spinach and broth mixture into the flour and margarine/butter mixture. Once mixed, pour the remaining puree into the pan.
- Increase the heat some and continue to cook and stir until the soup starts to come to a boil. Stir in the lemon juice, cream (or Half & Half), salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat and either serve hot or pour into a sealed container and refrigerate for later use.
- This makes about 6 cups of soup which, depending upon the serving size, will serve from six to two people. Serving size will depend upon whether the soup will be served as a part of a larger dinner or used as a light meal alone
Cook Time
Rate Cream of Spinach Soup
Links to Some of My Other Recipe Hubs
- Strawberry Salad Desert
Here is an ideal recipe for holiday or everyday meals it is easy to make, looks great and is very tasty. While the red and white color of the dish make make this a festive looking dish, it can... - Add a Tasty Vegetable to Your Meal - Baked Pumpkin
Pumpkins are not just for jack-o-lanterns and pies. They are also a healthy vegetable that is very tasty to boot. Our colonial ancestors used to pour milk, honey and spices into a hollowed out pumpkin, then... - How to Make Wine
Wine making essentially involves the mixing of fruit juice and sugar and then adding yeast to convert the sugar to alcohol. While wine is generally made from grapes, other juices can be used as the... - Blueberries and Yogurt - An Easy to Make and Healthy Breakfast Treat
Yogurt is a great treat at any time of the day whether as a snack or part of a meal. While yogurt, especially the ones ready mixed with fruit or fruit flavors, is great straight out of the container, it... - Spice Up Your Oatmeal
A good breakfast is always a good way to start your day. In addition to energy and nutrition, there is the psychological or spiritual uplift that comes from an enjoyable morning ritual. In America we have... - Pan de Muertos - Bread of the Dead
Pan de Muertos are special loaves of sweet bread baked by Mexicans to celebrate Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead which is celebrated on November 2nd (All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic Church). Like... - Quick and Easy Recipe for Homemade Applesauce
Growing up in Western New York State, the onset of fall meant apples. Apples were abundant in food stores and farmer's markets around town. My great-Aunt and Uncle had two apple trees at their lake... - How to Make an Omelet with an Ostrich Egg
One of the joys of travel is discovering and trying new things and this includes new foods as well. For most, the new food experience is found in restaurants. When traveling one has to eat out unless they...
© 2010 Chuck Nugent