Preparing Spinach

Quick and Healthy Spinach Recipes

• Winter Fruit and Spinach Salad
• Spinach, Mushroom, and Feta Cheese Pizza
• Spinach Salad with Beets
• Chickpea, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta
• Spinach Salad with Beets
• Quick Spinach, Sausage, and White Bean Stew
• Smothered Chicken
• Tortellini and Bean Soup
• Crustless Spinach Quiche
• Green Smoothie

Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Spinach

Use fresh spinach leaves in salads, smoothies and on top of sandwiches instead of lettuce. Chop fresh spinach and add to lasagna or pastas, casseroles, egg dishes and soups. Stir fry or Sautee with garlic, onion and other favorite vegetables. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving size, 1 cup, raw

• Calories 7
• Protein .9 grams
• Carbohydrates 1.1 grams
• Dietary Fiber .7 grams
• Vitamin D 0 mcg
• Calcium 30 mg
• Iron .8 mg
• Potassium 167 mg
   

Preparation & Serving

For bunches, select spinach with crisp, dark leaves.

• Stems should have a sweet smell, never sour or musty.  
• Avoid limp bunches with yellowing leaves or insect damage.  
• Coarse thick stems indicate overgrown and will result in tough or leathery texture.  

For loose spinach, choose small fresh green leaves.  

• Avoid leaves that are dull green in color, limp, damaged, or spotted.  

Home Preservation

Canning

Can only freshly harvested greens. Spinach is a "low acid" vegetable so a pressure canner should be used (hot pack recommended). For safe home canning of spinach, please refer to this step-by-step recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Freezing

Select young, tender green leaves.

• Wash thoroughly and cut off woody stems.
• Water blanch collards 3 minutes and all other greens 2 minutes.
• Cool, drain and package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

How to Wash Leafy Greens