Strong to the Finish, When We Eats Our Spinach!

	Spinach
	Eaten avidly by Popeye, Spinach is delicious and can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be a side dish by itself or used to stuff (a summer squash, tomato or chicken breast, for example); it can be used fresh or warmed for a Spinach salad. Spinach doesn't need much cooking. A quick sauté ought to do it. It can be used as an appetizer (make a Spinach dip or Spanakopita (Spinach Triangles or Pie) Toss it in soups for texture, color and nutrition. Tip: I always buy at least two since they wilt down when cooking. (I can practically eat one bunch myself!) Don't chop off all the stems because that's the sweet flavor.
	Savoy Spinach is curly leaf spinach with a wonderful almost nutty undertone. Can be eaten raw as in a salad or cooked just a bit. Spinach actually has more nutritional value once cooked. Wash well, as with all spinach, but dry well before sautéing. The stems have the sugar so don't trim them too much and cook in very little water and you'll be rewarded with the most delicious spinach ever! This is an old heirloom variety.
	Sautéed Spinach is quick, easy, delicious and nutrition. Warm garlic and olive oil in pan and sauté (you can add onions too when you add the garlic and sauté until translucent.) Add washed spinach (drain it a little) and turn it around in the hot pan until it's all wilted. Add salt and fresh cracked black pepper, a shaving of fresh nutmeg, and maybe some Parmesan cheese. If your garlic browns by accident, take it out before you add your spinach so it doesn't burn and then add it back before serving.
	Creamed Spinach starts by sautéing onions in the garlic and olive oil until translucent. Add the Spinach. Once wilted, either add some cream or a white sauce to it. If you really want to make it creamed spinach, put it in the food processor before serving. Of course, salt, fresh cracked pepper and freshly grated nutmeg, just a smidge. You could add some Parmesan cheese too. (tip: Though fresh is better, I keep grated Parmesan cheese in my freezer so I have it on hand. Even frozen, it melts quickly if it's grated.)
	Spinach Pesto is more nutritious than a Basil Pesto and is easy and delicious. Add washed Spinach, no need to drain it, (you could also add an equal amount of Basil or Arugula), a couple cloves of garlic, handful of pine nuts (you could also use walnuts which would make it even more nutritious), Romano cheese, and a little olive oil to your food processor and puree. Use over pasta or as a dip.
	Spinach Dip normally uses frozen Spinach. Spinach can be used in an Indian Saag Panir. Try this crustless Spinach Pie (the crust actually forms as it cooks from the flour in the mix! I added a couple eggs to it and a scrape of nutmeg and just put the whole thing in a oiled casserole dish and it was yummy!
	Pair Spinach with Strawberries for a delicious Salad. Add thin slices of Red Onion, Spinach, and Strawberries. Dressing is the zest and juice of one Lemon, a gracious tablespoon of honey, teaspoon of raspberry vinegar, salt and pepper and then whisk in walnut oil until you have a nice emulsion. The strawberries will macerate and add to the dressing - it is delicious! Or make this salad with Spinach and Strawberries, or add toasted Pecans, or add Hearts of Palm!
	Spinach Facts:
	Nutritionally: Spinach has only 13 calories per serving and packs a punch for Vitamin A as well as folic Acid (especially important for pregnant women) and is rich in carotenoids and antioxidants. It is also rich in chlorophyll. Debate exists whether it is more beneficial to cook spinach or eat it raw (juice it). Spinach contains oxalic acid. While this cleans our intestinal tract, oxalic acid binds with calcium and diminishes the absorption of calcium in our bodies. Cooking turns the oxalic acid into crystals that could damage kidneys and limit the absorption of iron but cooking also breaks down cell walls and allow us to absorb more nutrients. The answer? Eat spinach in moderation, and eat it raw as well as cooked.

	How to choose: Dark and crisp leafy greens that smell good and look beautiful. Smaller leaves and thinner stems are more tender.
	How to store: Store unclean in an open plastic bag in your crisper. Spinach is fairly perishable (it will only keep about a week) so plan to and do eat it soon after purchase. If it gets a little soggy, wash it in cold water and put it in your freezer for a minute to perk it up. Don't forget about it, though, but if you do, you have frozen Spinach which can be cooked easily enough. I like to wash spinach by first cutting the bottoms (just under the tie) off with kitchen shears, then removing the tie and putting the bunches in a sink full of tepid/warm water. Move it around and let it sit there to get all the dirt out (there is nothing worse than a mouth full of dirt! Since spinach grows close to the ground, spinach is always full of dirt.) The Spinach will float on top and the dirt will drop to the bottom. Mix it around every once in a while. Use a salad spinner to get it dry if you're going to use it in a salad, otherwise, drain it just a bit before using. When cutting the stems from the ends, be sure to use a good bit of the stems and not just the leaves. The stems have all the sugar that make spinach taste so good! Don't overcook spinach, a dry (meaning no water) sauté in a little olive oil is all it needs to be cooked deliciously!