Spanish originally came from Persia (now Iran), and was called
"aspanakh". Spinach made its way to China in the 7th century
when the king of Nepal sent it as a gift to the country. The
Moors then introduced spinach to Spain after they conquered
them in the 10th century (spinach is pretty good, but
somehow I just don't think it makes up for taking over their
country). In the 11th century, spinach was brought to Europe
and it quickly grew in popularity, especially in Italy and
England. Religious communities all through Europe found
spinach particularly fascinating - and grew it in gay abandon
(one assumes they consumed it that way too).
Today, spinach's popularity is greater than ever, with the
United States and the Netherlands among the largest
commercial producers.
Spinach is in the same family as chard and beets. They all have
a bitter taste and both chard and spinach are slightly salty
(talk about an unfortunate family resemblance). There are
four different types of spinach commonly available:
Savoy - If you were forced to eat spinach as a child, this was
probably it. Savoy has crinkly, dark green curly leaves with a
springy texture and a bitter taste. Unless you were that one kid
who actually liked their spinach, it's much better to cook this
particular kind before eating.
Flat-Leaf - The name says it all - this spinach is flat with spade-
shaped leaves and has a milder taste than savoy. This type of
spinach is perfect for salads.
Semi-Savoy - A mix of savoy and flat-leaf, it has slightly curly
leaves. Its taste, just like its appearance, falls in the middle of
savoy and flat-leaf - milder than the former, more bitter than
latter.
Baby - This variety of spinach actually comes from the smallest
leaves of flat-leaf spinach. It has a mild, almost sweet taste and
is most often used for salads.
In the 16th century, Catherine de Medici left her home of
Florence, Italy, to marry the king of France. She brought her
own cooks, who could prepare spinach the way she liked -
since then, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to
as "a la Florentine".
Okay, so you probably won't sprout bulging biceps if you eat a
can of spinach, but it does contain a variety of different
nutrients that everyone needs.
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is important
in maintaining bone health. It is also a notable source of many
antioxidants, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and
selenium, which are important in fighting free-radicals.
If you're already impressed, you haven't read anything yet.
Spinach is an excellent source of fiber, providing great
roughage for your digestive system. Spinach is also a good
source of many important minerals, such as manganese,
magnesium, potassium, copper, and phosphorus - and these
help to protect you against heart attack, stroke, heart disease
and hypertension.
Spinach can also help to protect and promote eye health. It is
very high in vitamin A and carotenoids, in particular Lutein,
which is protective against eye disease such as cataracts (see
the links section for an article on spinach's role in preventing
cataracts). However, like carrots, spinach must be cooked to
optimize the absorption of carotenoids.
Sadly, the one area in which spinach doesn't live up to its
healthy reputation is in its iron and calcium content. Although
it does have a respectable amount of both these very
important nutrients, they are just not properly absorbed by
the body - whether it's eaten raw or cooked. This is because
spinach contains a chemical called oxalic acid, which binds
with iron and calcium and reduces absorption of both these
minerals. To improve the iron absorption from your spinach,
try to eat it with vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit and
tomatoes.
Here's an easy and delicious recipe that will help you get the
most from your spinach:
Spinach Salad with Garlic-Infused Dressing
1 bag of baby or flat-leaf spinach, washed and torn
1 red large onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced or quartered
2-3 mandarins, sectioned
1-2 handfuls alfalfa sprouts
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 handful almonds (to taste)
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
1. In a sealable container, combine the olive oil and garlic, stir,
seal and refrigerate (at least 2 hours).
2. In a large bowl, add the spinach, onion, tomatoes,
mandarins, eggs, sprouts and almonds. Drizzle with the garlic-
infused oil(strain the garlic pieces if you would prefer) and
serve immediately.
Spinach juice is said to be the most potent of the vegetable
juices for the prevention of cancer cell formation. Research
has actually shown that those who eat spinach daily are less
likely to develop lung cancer.
Plants have the unique ability to convert sunlight to energy
through a process called photosynthesis. While this may be
great for the plants, it hasn't been of much value to us until
recently. MIT researchers have been working hard to take this
photosynthetic process and turn it into the world's first solid-
state photosynthetic solar cell, which would be small enough -
and strong enough - to one day power cell phones and laptops.
Spinach is an extremely efficient plant, producing a lot of
energy relative to its weight and size, but they had an obstacle
to overcome before they could reap the benefits of their
revolutionary idea. Plants (as with all biological material)
require water and salt to survive - and anyone who has
accidentally spilled a glass of water on their keyboard knows -
electronics need to be in a salt- and water-free environment.
The solution? Something MIT researchers are referring to as a
"Spinach Sandwich". This device has no water, and is made
with a bottom layer of conductive material, a thin layer of
gold, then the special protein complexes, an organic
semiconductor and finally, a layer of metal to top off the
sandwich (I don't know about you, but that's not very
appetizing). Although they are currently only converting
around 12% of the energy to charge, they hope to reach 20%
or more - which would provide an extremely efficient power
source.
If you're interested in the specifics of this new technology,
please read the full article at: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2004/spinach-0915.html
The spinach growers credited Popeye with a 33 percent
increase in U.S. spinach consumption — and saving the
spinach industry in the 1930s.
Spinach makes a delicious addition to any dish, so the
possibilities really are endless. The real trick is knowing how
to prepare your spinach for the tastiest results, whether it's
steamed, creamed, boiled, sauteed or raw - so each recipe
below is an example of a different way to prepare this yummy
and healthy food.
**Quick side note - a pound of raw spinach equals
approximately 1 cup of cooked spinach.**
Outrageously Good Tomato Florentine Soup
Serve 4
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 serve-4 pouch O.G. Instant Tomato Soup Mix
4 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup cheese tortellini, al dente
4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1. In a stock pot, heat oil over medium heat and cook the
onion, celery and carrots, until they begin to soften (3-4
minutes). Add the water and bring to a boil.
2. Add the tomato soup mix, spinach, tortellini and basil and
simmer until the tortellini is tender. Serve immediately.
*You can also spice it up by adding a single-serve envelope of
our instant Tortilla soup mix.
4 English muffins, split
8 pieces Canadian bacon or ham
1 pound raw spinach, washed and de-stemmed
2 cup Hollandaise sauce (1 pouch O.G. Hollandaise, prepared)
8 poached eggs*
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach,
and bring back to a boil. Cook until the spinach wilts
completely (about 1 minute). Remove, rinse with cold water
through a colander and squeeze out any excess water. Divide
into 8 portions.
2. Fry the bacon or ham in a skillet, about 3 minutes on each
side.
3. Toast or broil the English muffins and place 2 on each plate.
4. Top each English muffin with a portion of spinach, a piece
of bacon/ham, and a poached egg. Drizzle (or drown,
depending on your love of hollandaise :-) with hollandaise
sauce and serve immediately.
*Not sure how to poach an egg? I found a site that has step-by-
step instructions (for beginners) to poach the perfect egg. www.sallys-place.com
Recipe Variations:
- Add some sauteed mushrooms and onions with the spinach
- Use smoked salmon instead of bacon or ham
Grilled Salmon
1 1/2 lb salmon fillets
2 cloves garlic, minced
Lemon pepper and salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
Crispy Spinach
4 cups olive oil for frying
1 cup fresh spinach, washed and destemmed
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper and salt (you can
also spice it up - and lock in moisture - by rubbing about 1 tsp
of O.G. BBQ rub into each fillet)
2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water,
garlic, and olive oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large
resealable plastic bag with soy sauce mixture, seal and turn to
coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Place fillets on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 45
minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5. In a deep-fryer heat oil to 375 degrees (or on high in a deep
skillet). Place a large handful of fresh spinach in the
fryer/skillet and submerge to cook for about 30 seconds (you
will need to hold the spinach down with tongs if you are using
a skillet - otherwise it won't fry properly). Drain spinach on
paper towels and repeat with remaining batches. Add a little
salt and pepper to taste.
5 Tbsp butter, divided (3 and 2 respectively)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 cup half and half cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1 small onion - minced
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach - thawed
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tbsp
butter. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Slowly whisk in
cream and then stir in cream cheese.
2. Increase heat to medium, whisking mixture constantly until
thick and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, saute onions in
remaining 2 tbsp butter until transparent. Stir spinach and
water into pan.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring
occasionally, for 8 minutes.
5. Stir spinach mixture into creamy mixture and return to
medium heat. Heat, stirring often, until warmed throughout.
6. Remove from heat and fold in Parmesan. Serve.
12 jumbo pasta shells, prepared according to directions and
drained
1 jar (can/package) of your favorite Marinara sauce
8 ounces baby spinach
1 cup (packed) argula leaves
1/2 cup (packed) basil leaves
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 scallions (green tops too!)
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1. Add an inch of water to a large pot. Add the spinach and
argulua leaves to a steamer basket and place in the pot. Bring
the water to a boil and cook until the greens are wilted (about
2 minutes). Transfer greens to a sieve and let cool.
2. Puree the basil, parsley and scallions in a food processor
until smooth. Transfer the puree to a large bowl.
3. Squeeze out all the remaining moisture in the wilted greens
and puree them in the food processor. Add the egg, ricotta,
parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg and herb puree and pulse to
blend the mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon out a thin layer of
marinara sauce on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Stuff each shell evenly with the spinach mixture, placing on
the baking sheet. Pour remaining sauce over the shells. Bake
for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
6. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for an
additional 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
This site is called 'the World's Healthiest Foods', and it's
exactly that - a list of nutritionally healthy foods and
everything you could want to know about all of them.
I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the '5-a-Day' campaign that
is currently going on (5 fruits and veggies a day, in case you
haven't). Dole has a great section on their site with lots of
information on different fruits and vegetables and a fun kids
section too. (You can print out a coloring page, and soon
they'll be coloring in characters such as Peter Peach, Kurt &
Casey Collard Greens (yup, they really cover them all) and of
course, Steward Spinach) They also have a kids cookbook,
reference center and trivia section.
This isn't a site, but rather search results for spinach recipes.
There really are so many things you can do with spinach, so I
thought I'd make it even easier for you to find a variety of
delicious spinach ideas.
Spinach capital Crystal City, Texas, erected a statue in 1937 to
honor E.C. Segar and Popeye for their influence on America's
eating habits, making Popeye the first cartoon character ever
immortalized in public sculpture (Mickey Mouse must have
been furious!)
"I've been purchasing your soups for some time and am always
highly satisfied with them. They are so versatile, I can make
numerous different meals by adding a variety of ingredients.
Your cheese vegetable soup is the best we have ever eaten.
Your sauces are also excellent. I constantly recommend your
website to all my friends."
Nancy Olp, KY
"I made your chicken noodle soup and it was exceptional! Very
easy to cook, and the taste was awesome - lots of noodles and
chicken. Even my picky 3 years-old ate it all! I can't wait to try
all of your soups. Thanks!"
Pascual Matos, PR
"I tried your potato soup, and it was the best I ever had. I look
forward to trying it again and taking it to a church function. It
was easy to make and my family thought I worked all day on it!
Keep up the good work."
Suzie Thompson, OH
"I've tried several different soups and loved them. They were
easy to prepare and had great flavor plus texture. My children
(who don't care for soup) even commented on how good they
were! Thanks!"
Davina Kostiuk, MB
"I love to cook and with your sauces, I love it even more!
Thank you, thank you!"
Amy Walker, OK
"I just tried the first of the 3 sauces that were included in the
free sample. The Rosee Sauce Mix with Parmesan was
EXCELLENT!!!!"
Juanita Sommerfeld, MI
"My husband and I have tried your soups and your pasta
sauces, and we're very impressed with everything we've
sampled so far. We especially love the Creamy Garlic pasta
sauce. Keep up the good work. CHEERS!"
Teri Burroughs, WA
Share your latest creations or favorite recipes with us - it could be featured in our next newsletter, and might even appear in our Customers Recipe section. Click Here to send us your recipe.
BBQ Rub Chicken and Potatoes
"Put some rub on the chicken. Peel and slice some potatoes,
rub them in olive oil and sprinkle with the BBQ rub. Put the
chicken and potatoes in a clay pot cooker and roast until
done. It was wonderful!"
Michelle Proctor, CA
Silky Smooth Creamy Potato Soup Recipes
"I use the Silky Smooth Creamy Potato Soup (serve 17 bag) for
a base for all sorts of soups and stews. I just toss in a bag of
frozen broccoli or mixed vegetables, or maybe some diced
chicken. Its great!
Melanie Daman, MI
"I made Silky Potato soup and added a can of crab. Got the
idea from your recipe insert advising to add a can of clams to
make clam chowder using the potato soup. (But hey, I didn't
have clams, I had crab. It was still really good.) Thanks for the
added recipes; they are a great idea. I will probably use them
with all 3 of the soup varieties I purchased."
Kathi Hess, OH
Frito Chili
"I just added my own hot sauce and some cheese and fritos
and I was ready to eat."
Monika Iszard, NV
"I ordered one of free sample packs and was surprised at the taste of the soups. I don't like soup as part of a meal and rarely have soup at all, but after eating one of your soups, I
started planning soup into every meal. Even as a dehydrated
product, the regular soups in the store are inferior to your
brand"
Robert Evans, MI
If you have an email address or internet access, chances are
you've come across a list of 'I've Learned...' sayings. There are
so many out there that I couldn't possibly squeeze them all in
here - If you'd like to read more, all you have to do is look up
"I've Learned" in your favorite search engine and you'll find
plenty of sites.
I've learned that opportunities are never lost; someone will
take the ones you miss.
I've learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted
with a smile.
I've learned that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I've learned that you can get by on charm for about 15
minutes. After that, you better know something.
I've learned that you should never tell a child their dreams are
unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and
what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.
I've learned that money doesn't buy class.
I've learned it takes years to build up trust and only seconds to
destroy it.
I've learned that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your
looks.
I've learned that one should keep his words both soft and
tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned that under everyone's hard shell is someone who
wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will
dock elsewhere
I've learned that even when you think you have no more to
give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength
to help.
