SPINACH

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SPINACH

• NOT ONLY POPEYES FAVORITE!!!
• By Kara Choy

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• Spinach (noun) a vegetable which has wide dark
  green leaves that can be eaten cooked or raw.
• Spinach is of Persian origin and was introduced
  in Europe in the 15th century.
• Spinach became a widely consumed vegetable in the
  United States since the early 19th century.

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Spinach is

• RICH IN
• Vitamins and Minerals
• Folate (folic acid)
• Vitamin K
• Magnesium
• Maganese
• Carotenoids
• Beta-carotene
• Lutein
• Quercetin

• CONTAINS
• More protein then most vegetables
• 3grams per serving
• Low calories
• Iron
• Fiber
• High nutrition
• Low amounts of amino acid methionine

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Selections

• Fresh
• Select leaves that are green and crisp with a
  fresh fragrance and avoid limp, damaged or
  spotted leaves
• Frozen
• Deliver taste and ease, and offer true
  time-saving help Bagged
• Check the contents, it should be resilient when
  you squeeze the bag
• Canned
• Always an option however in my opinion it does
  not taste as good as the others

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3 Varieties of Fresh Spinach

• Flat or Smooth Leaf
• Unwrinkled, Spade-shaped leaves
• Mild Taste
• Commonly used for soups, baby food and processed
  food

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Varieties continued

• 2. Savory
• Crinkly, dark green curly leaves
• Taste equally good as Flat Leaf
• Springy and Crisp
• Look for fresh bunches at the grocery store

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Cant Forget

• 3. Semi-Savory
• Increasing Popularity
• Slightly curly leaves
• Easiest to clean
• Found fresh or in processed foods

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Ways to prepare SPINACH

• BLANCHING- used to quick cook spinach, boil
  leaves drain/squeeze excess moisture usually
  takes 2-5 minutes.
• MICROWAVING-wash spinach, loosely cover and
  microwave anywhere from 2-7 minutes

• SAUTEING- wash spinach, use a small amount of oil
  and stir and toss the leaves constantly
• STEAMING-Wash leaves but do not dry cook over
  boiling water for 5-10 minutes.

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The best way to eat vegetables is

• RAW
• Dry spinach completely by using a salad spinner
  or after washing dry with a paper towel.

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Availability and Storage

• Available all year round!!!
• Major spinach suppliers are California and Texas.
  
• Grows best during mild winter months
• Fresh spinach should be dried and packed in
  cellophane or a plastic bag and stored in the
  refrigerator. It should last 3 to 4 days.

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5 ways to make spinach part of your day

• Make a salad, add colorful fruits or vegetables
  along with a low-fat salad dressing.
• Add chopped spinach to soups or casseroles.
• Stir yogurt into chopped spinach for a low-fat
  creamed spinach.
• Stir-fry spinach with garlic, onion, peppers or
  brown sugar (Dr. Osmans recommendation), or
  vinegar for a healthy colorful side dish.
• Buy it bagged and be creative.

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Nutrition Label

• Nutrition Chart
• Spinach 2 cups raw chopped
• Calories 13
• Total fat (g) 0.2
• Saturated fat (g) 0
• Monounsaturated fat (g) 0
• Polyunsaturated fat (g) 0.1
• Dietary fiber (g) 1.6
• Protein (g) 2
• Carbohydrate (g) 2
• Cholesterol (mg) 0
• Sodium (mg) 47
• Beta-carotene (mg) 2.4
• Vitamin C (mg) 17
• Folate (mcg) 116
• Manganese (mg) 0.5

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Recipe

• Spinach Salad with Creamy Carrot Dressing
• Shallots give a subtle onion bite to the creamy
  lemon and cumin flavored dressing made colorful
  (and rich with beta-carotene) by the addition of
  carrot juice.
• 2 slices (1 ounce each) whole wheat bread, cut
  into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup carrot juice
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large shallot, quartered
• Half a small garlic clove, peeled
• 6 cups (loosely packed) stemmed spinach
• 1 can (16 ounces) chick-peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups mixed yellow and red cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

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Directions for recipe

• 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place bread in a pie
  plate or baking pan and bake 10 minutes, stirring
  several times, until bread is very lightly
  toasted and crisp. Remove from oven and let cubes
  cool. 2. Meanwhile, in food processor, combine
  carrot juice, sour cream, lemon juice, cumin,
  pepper, and salt. With machine running, drop
  shallot and garlic through feed tube and process
  until pureed. 3. Place spinach, chick-peas, and
  tomatoes in a salad bowl. Add croutons and
  dressing, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with walnuts
  and serve.
• Nutritional InformationPer serving 227 calories,
  6.7g total fat, 1.9g saturated fat, 1.3g
  monounsaturated fat, 2.5g polyunsaturated fat,
  8.1g dietary fiber, 11g protein, 34g
  carbohydrate, 7mg cholesterol, 478mg sodium.Good
  source of beta-carotene, fiber, folate, iron,
  potassium, quercetin, vitamin C.  
• Servings 4
• Prep Time 30 minutes

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References

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002
  Dec, 2) Vegetable of the Month Spinach.
  Retrieved Feb 24, 2005 from www.cdc.gov
• Ehler, J. T. (1990) Food Facts Trivia-Food
  Reference, Spinach.
• Retrieved Feb 26, 2005 from www.foodreference.co
  m
• Stone, F. (2003 July, 24) Spinach Packs a Healthy
  Punch. Retrieved
• Feb 24, 2005 from www.healthcentral .com
• Whole Health MD. (2002) Spinach. Retrieved Feb
  24, 2005 from www.wholehealthmd.com