Flavorful Spinach Recipes For Good Eating

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.
I'm strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach.
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

I'm one tough Gazookus
Which hates all Palookas
Wot ain't on the up and square.
I biffs 'em and buffs 'em
And always out roughs 'em
But none of 'em gets nowhere.

If anyone dares to risk my "Fisk",
It's "Boff" an' it's "Wham" un'erstan'?
So keep "Good Be-hav-or"
That's your one life saver
With Popeye the Sailor Man.

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.
I'm strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach.
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

 - Sammy Lerner, 1933

Spinach is a "Leafy Green" that is super strong in that it contains many vital nutrients. One of them is IRON, required by the body to produce red blood cells and transport oxygen to the body's tissues and organs. Iron is strong as a metal in tall buildings and oceangoing ships and is strong as a nutrient.

All this is why the leafy green vegetable spinach became a symbol of the popular comic hero Popeye the Sailor Man in 1929. Popeye encouraged children to eat their spinach so that they would grow up to be strong.

It contains calcium, copper, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, and the vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (Niacin), C, E, and K.

This leafy green is also a good source of lutein, a yellow pigment. Around the year 2001, the journal Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association published findings that showed that higher blood-levels of lutein are associated with lower levels of fat deposits in the blood vessels. Thus,increased consumption of lutein can increase heart and blood vessel health and function.

How about the green? The Ohio State University has shown that spinach contains massive amounts of chlorophyll, which likely produces health benefits when consumed.

Since the years in which Popeye was first envisioned, spinach has become stronger than the originators of the cartoon had ever imagined, in pop culture mythology and in our discovery of its healthy nutritional benefits.

Popeye has been strong and patriotic, his symbolism applied to teaching children during World War II to be strong in body and spirit, to eat their food, to avoid waste, and to stand for their convictions. His theme song tended toward agression in dealing with bullies, and likely references the Axis Powers building across the sea in the 1930s. At the same time, spinach was advertised in that era as having about 10 times the amount of iron it actually contained. Unfortunately, this type of ad campaign would be repeated with Kix brand cereal in the 1950s with "Kix, the cereal that makes kids fly."

I'll include three delicious spinach recipes here and follow up with a few additional recipes on another Hub.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium to large chicken breasts
• 8 oz fresh spinach, bulk or bagged. Wash thoroughly.
• 4 Cups chicken stock
• 2-3 Tbsp lite soy sauce, to taste
• 3 Tbsp scallions, chopped
• 2 tsp of sugar or honey

INSTRUCTIONS

• Remove stems from all spinach leaves.
• Blanch spinach leaves for 15 seconds in boiling water on the stove top, until just wilted.
• Pour cold water carefully over the spinach leaves in a large mixing bowl, swirl and let sit to stop the cooking process.
• Slice chicken into thin slices.
• In a pot of boiling water, quick-cook chicken slices for 2 minutes, until flesh is white and slightly firm (not rubbery).
• Drain spinach and the chicken.
• Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan.
• Add soy sauce and the sugar or honey and stir well.
• Add all the cooked spinach and chicken and stir.
• Heat this soup to simmering, add the scallions, mix briefly and serve.
• Garnish in bowls with additional chopped scallions.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Egg whites (save yolks for another recipe).
• 26 oz of your favorite spaghetti sauce (a jar from the store, or make your own).
• 24 oz ricotta cheese
• 10 oz cooked Lasagna noodles
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed, chopped, and gently squeezed dry.
• 2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese – separate out ½ Cup.
• ¾ Cup grated Parmesan cheese - separate out 2 Tablespoons of it.
• ½ tsp each salt and black pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°F [175°C].
• Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook lasagna noodles in salted boiling water, rinse, and drain. Drizzle EVOO over noodles to prevent sticking.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and egg whites with the salt and pepper.
• Pour ¼ cup of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread it evenly.
• Cover the sauce layer with a layer of lasagna noodles.
• Spread half the cheese mixture over the noodle layer.
• Make a layer of half of the spinach and half the shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with half of the remaining spaghetti sauce.
• Carefully place a second layer of noodles.
• Cover with remaining cheese mixture, spinach, and mozzarella cheese.
• Add a final layer of noodles and any remaining spaghetti sauce.
• Sprinkle the 2 Tbsp reserved Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Bake the dish for thirty minutes.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Pounds fresh spinach, de-stemmed and washed (do not dry)
• 1 Pound bay scallops
• 3 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• ¼ Cup of white wine
• 2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tsp each salt and grated lemon zest
• Fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat 1 tsp EVOO in a pot over medium heat.
• Add garlic and lemon zest; stir for 20 seconds.
• Add spinach; toss occasionally until wilted.
• Drain the pot and season the food with 1 tsp salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add scallops, sautéing 1 minute (do not overcook).
• Remove scallops from skillet and add lemon juice and wine for a sauce.
• Deglaze the skillet for 15-20 seconds, scraping up any bits from the bottom.
• Remove from heat, toss in the scallops, and season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste.
• Using individual serving plates, place a mound of spinach in the center and surround it with scallops and serve.