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 Spinach, probably the most talked about vegetable in recent months, is one of the most nutritious leafy greens and it is so versatile and tasty, I just felt it should be this month's choice. With the e. coli scare, spinach has gotten a bad rap lately and needs to be redeemed. The problems were not with the spinach itself but in the farming practices in that particular area. The best solution for spinach is to find a local farmers market which should have beautiful bunches in stock right now, grown locally and very fresh.
High in iron, but not as high as Popeye would make us think, and high in calcium content make it a vegetable that we definitely want to eat more of in our diets. It is very popular in salads which are lightly wilted by the warm dressing added just before serving or mixed with crisp lettuce greens and other crunchy vegetables in a tossed salad. My favorite way to eat spinach is in lasagna with béchamel sauce and light ricotta cheese or chopped into a frittata with eggs and herbs. Spinach has so much flavor that adding herbs is usually not needed but a nice herb creamy vinaigrette would be fantastic drizzled over the top of torn leaves. Here is my favorite spinach salad recipe and a Sautéed Spinach that is a great way to enjoy spinach season! Wilted Spinach Salad- Fresh Spinach leaves, well washed and stems removed
- Slice or two of thickly sliced smoked bacon or pancetta
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 bunch of Chives, chopped coarsely
- 3-4 tbsp Red Wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
- freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
- hard boiled egg slices, if desired
Cook bacon slowly until crisp but still chewy. Remove bacon, drain and break into bite sized pieces. Add vinegar to drippings in the pan on low heat. Add sugar and salt and pepper stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add onion slices and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Toss in chives and spinach leaves and turn over gently to coat the leaves with dressing. Remove from heat and serve immediately with bacon sprinkled on top. Add hard boiled egg slices if desired. Sautéed Spinach with Garlic & Lemon- 1 large bunch spinach leaves, cleaned well
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt & freshly ground pepper
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Rinse greens in a large bowl of cold water. Drain and cut off any tough stems. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add half of the spinach and cook, stirring for about 1 minute, until it begins to soften. Add the remaining spinach and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until tender. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a few drops of hot pepper sauce, if desired. About the Gardener The Tasteful Garden grows over 45 varieties of culinary herbs and over 45 types of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes as well as other gourmet vegetable and pepper varieties all of which are sold through their on-line and retail stores. They enjoy growing their our own food and hope to teach other beginner gardeners how to do the same. The Tasteful Garden greenhouses and retail store are located on a 16 acre property in Chulafinnee, Alabama which is directly between Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. At their store they have organic fertilizers, natural worm castings, gift baskets, herbal scented soaps and candles, garden tools and kitchen gadgets as well as cooking and gardening books to provide more information about growing and using fresh herbs and vegetables.
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