EAT YOUR SPINACH!

My parents always urged me to eat my spinach, but I don't think even they knew what a perfect food it was. Few people do. The green, mushy mess seemed incredibly unappealing to most. I had no idea the many possibilities of ways to eat it. I'm not sure it would have made a difference, though.  I did have a sneaking suspicion that it was good for me, which was probably part of the reason why I avoided it. I shunned it for years until I learned of spinach dip.

I watched Popeye down his many cans of spinach, which supposedly were his source of strength and large muscles. (Interestingly enough, this was the result of the iron content being largely overstated back in those days. It was mistakenly reported to be 10 times the actual amount in the 1930s.) But I certainly didn't want muscles like that.

Although Popeye was probably the leading proponent of spinach back in the day, here are some interesting facts that I'll bet even he didn't know. Spinach originally grew
in the sandy soils of Persia, [modern day Iran] . This is ironic since spinach doesn't grow well in hot or arid temperatures. They had fancy irrigation systems to appease the climate. It was brought to Spain in 1200 AD. It was then brought to China, where it is called the "Persian green." It wasn't brought to the U.S. until 1806 where it's popularity remains strong today. Currently, it is produced mainly in Texas and California.

Spinach embodies convenience, thrift and deliciousness. Few other vegetables are in season all year round, available fresh [not just processed] in all regions of the world, is very affordable and easy to grow at home. It is so versatile; there are very few dishes that wouldn't benefit from spinach.

Cooking & Recipes

Spinach cake is a French favorite for le brunch. www.davidlebovitz.com
Spinach obviously makes a good substitution for lettuce. [Use younger spinach, which is smaller and more tender.] There really is nothing better than a good spinach salad, much much healthier than iceberg lettuce. But it also substitutes well for turnip greens, beet greens, kale, Mexican spinach or New Zealand spinach. www.foodreference.com

It is important to keep in mind that spinach adds a more acidic flavor to your dish. This can be counteracted by adding butter or cream.
Another thing to consider is that when spinach is cooked, it shrinks by 90%. .

Here are some easy ways to load up on spinach from foodreference.com

*  Make Spinach Part of Your 5 A Day Plan EAT 5 TO 9 A DAY

    * Use fresh spinach to make a tasty, healthy salad.

    * Add chopped spinach to lasagna and soup.

    * Stir yogurt into chopped or puréed spinach for a low-fat version of creamed spinach.

    * Try stir-frying spinach with garlic, onion, and chopped red bell peppers for a colorful tasty side dish.

•    Buy it bagged and ready to use for quicker meals.

No party is complete without spinach dip. Here are some tasty recipes to iron-clad your festivities.

HYPERLINK "http://esurience.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/spinach-and-artichoke-dip/"http://esurience.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/spinach-and-artichoke-dip/

HYPERLINK "http://www.spinachrecipes.org/spinach-dip.html"http://www.spinachrecipes.org/spinach-dip.html

HYPERLINK "http://www.spinachrecipes.org/easy-hot-spinach-dip.html"http://www.spinachrecipes.org/easy-hot-spinach-dip.html

HYPERLINK "http://www.bfeedme.com/luscious-spinach-artichoke-dip/"http://www.bfeedme.com/luscious-spinach-artichoke-dip/




Benefits
Not only does spinach increase your muscle mass, a la Popeye. Legend has it that increases your wallet, for spinach has been linked to prosperity.

Seriously though, it does protect against osteoporosis, heart disease, many types of cancer and arthritis, simultaneously.
Obviously, it is a great source of iron, but it is also a great source of vitamins A and C; as well as calcium.

Author and Culinary Humorist, Burgandy Oliver is so fond of spinach that she owns her own "Spinach-mobile." Check it out. HYPERLINK "http://www.ilovespinach.com/Spinach_Mobile.html"http://www.ilovespinach.com/Spinach_Mobile.html

The benefits of the vegetable are far reaching indeed.  Futuristic spinach may one day be powering our laptops and cell phones. MIT researchers are working on this right now.

Architects, Matthew Coates and Tim Meldrum designed an actual house of spinach. "Not only does the building have a photosynthetic and phototropic skin made with spinach protein, but it also produces more energy than a single family's needs, allowing the excess to be distributed to neighbors. This radical shift, from centralized energy systems today, fosters community interdependence as neighbors benefit from the resources of others." A truly "green" building.
  HYPERLINK "http://futurefeeder.com/index.php/archives/2005/08/24/sustainable-house-of-the-future-runs-on-spinach/"http://futurefeeder.com/index.php/archives/2005/08/24/sustainable-house-of-the-future-runs-on-spinach/

Of course, spinach isn't for everyone. Writer, Clarence Darrow famously said, "I don't like spinach, and I'm glad I don't, because if I liked it I'd eat it, and I just hate it."

Dan Rather, though not necessarily opposed to it, advises to "Never eat spinach just before going on the air."

[I can't listen to this quote without getting an image of Rather in spinach-toothed glory.]

So, in spite a few naysayers, do you really need any more reasons to EAT YOUR SPINACH?

c. 2009