9 healthy recipes with spinach
Thanks to Popeye, the sailor who knocked down a can of spinach during difficult moments, this leafy vegetable has the image of making you super strong. Unfortunately, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Still, it’s always handy to have a box in your freezer. For example, to make these ten healthy recipes.
Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that originates from Asia. It is available all year round: in the spring and summer from Dutch soil, in the other months from Spain. The vegetable is rich in iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium and in vitamin A, vitamin E and folic acid.
Buy and keep
If you buy fresh spinach, make sure that the leaves are firm, tender and fresh green. If necessary, remove the thick stems before use, wash the leaves thoroughly until all the sand has been removed and preferably eat the fresh spinach on the day of purchase. Vegetables keep well in the fridge for one to two days. Because spinach shrinks a lot during preparation, you need 400-450 grams per person to get a portion of 250 grams.
Frozen spinach, a jar or can contains almost as many nutrients as the fresh variety, so those are healthy options too. Salt is often added to cans and jars. If you buy frozen spinach, preferably do not take the à la crème version: because of the fat, it is a less healthy choice than natural leaf spinach. You just need to warm up spinach from the freezer, a can or jar.
What can you make with spinach?
- Soup: Spinach lends itself well to a tasty soup, such as this light spinach soup. The boiled egg that you add to the soup prevents your teeth from becoming rough from the oxalic acid present in the vegetables.
- Frittata: A frittata is a kind of well-filled omelette in which you can use all kinds of vegetables. This spinach and chorizo frittata is ideal if you don’t have much time to cook. Pair the frittata with cherry tomatoes and whole wheat bread for a full meal.
- Smoothies: Fresh spinach works great in a green smoothie. As in this combination with bananas and pear.
- Salad: Why should you always make salad with lettuce? Spinach is also a great green filling for a salad, like this spinach salad with goat cheese croutons.
- Pasta: Spinach pairs well with pasta. Add it to tagliatelle. Or if you feel like cooking extensively, make your own ravioli with a spinach filling.
- Oven dishes: Of course you can make quiche with spinach. But try another oven dish, such as this gratin or an oven dish with vegetarian strips for a day without meat.
- Wraps: Fill tortillas with frozen spinach for a healthy wrap.
Sources):
