22 Jan 17 Healthy and Delicious Spinach Recipes
Popeye was onto something. Spinach has some pretty remarkable potential health benefits. From improving bone health to anti-cancer properties, this leafy green deserves a spot in your kitchen.
Spinach is one of the most nutrient-rich plant foods, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that each provide their own unique benefits. The vegetable is a good source of vitamin K, known for improving bone health, and the National Osteoporosis Foundation cites spinach as one of its top “good-for-your-bones” foods.
It’s also a great source of vitamin A, which supports your immune system, vision, and cell growth. Spinach can also play a valuable role in diabetes management. Because of the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid, spinach may increase insulin sensitivity and reduce pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. The antioxidants in spinach are also credited with numerous potential health benefits, including cancer prevention.
But that isn’t all: High iron content makes spinach a good choice for people with or at risk of anemia, according to the national Office on Women’s Health, and the vegetable can help regulate digestion, lower blood pressure, and promote healthy hair and skin.
So, how do you get more spinach in your life? By finding delicious and healthy recipes that include this powerhouse vegetable.
Black bean and spinach enchiladas
These black bean and spinach enchiladas from Fit Living Eats are a flavorful and healthy dish that would go great with some homemade guacamole and blue corn chips. And they’re vegetarian-friendly, too!
Tomato spinach chicken spaghetti
Ditch that jar of ready-made (and sodium heavy) spaghetti sauce! Using fresh ingredients, like the spinach, tomatoes and herbs in this recipe, your pasta won’t just taste better, but also be better for you. This would make a great, quick weeknight meal.
Spanish chickpea and spinach stew
Perfect for a cold, hungry night, this hearty Spanish stew is certain to satisfy any appetite. Loaded with savory spices like cumin and paprika, this recipe from Lazy Cat Kitchen is a perfect way to branch out from your typical vegetable stew.
Sautéed spinach
Simple is good, and this recipe from Skinny Kitchen is a pretty easy one. Fresh spinach is sautéed with olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper, to make the perfect side dish. Serve it with roasted chicken or pan-seared fish.
Blackberry spinach salad with light balsamic vinaigrette
The options are really endless when it comes to spinach salads. But this one is a great place to start. It has plenty of veggies, along with walnuts, blackberries, and feta cheese.
Spinach, coconut, and zucchini soup
This may very well be the prettiest soup you’ve ever seen. From Supergolden Bakes, this recipe combines flavorful ingredients into a meal sure to impress your guests or indulge yourself with. Garnish with freshly baked croutons and crispy spinach leaves to finish the visual feast.
Baked spinach provolone chicken breasts
This recipe from Tasteful Adventure is a quick and easy way to jazz up your chicken breasts. While it may look indulgent, with just one slice of provolone per serving, it won’t break your diet bank.
Sweet potato, chickpea, and spinach coconut curry
If you’ve never made curry before, now’s the time to start. The ingredients in this curry are traditional, but easy to find. As with most curries, it calls for many spices, but all the measuring will be worth it once you take the first bite!
Baked spaghetti squash with cheddar and spinach
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta, and this particular recipe adds cheese and spinach to craft some healthy comfort food. If you’re watching your fat intake, cut the cheese by half. Even then, this dish from Vegetarian Gastronomy will hit the spot.
Spinach chips
Move over, kale chips. If you’re craving a salty, crunchy snack, but potato chips are out of the question, these spinach chips are a great solution. Keep a close eye on them while in the oven; they can go from crispy to burnt pretty quickly.
Soft tacos with spinach taco shells
Folks who follow a low-carb diet have to get creative sometimes, and this recipe is nothing if not creative. The shells for these tacos are made with spinach, creating flavorful and pretty packets for all of your healthy taco ingredients.
Palak mushroom
Indian cuisine makes great use of palak, or spinach, and this is just one of its many spinach-heavy dishes. Loaded with spices, it’s the perfect way to try something new and adventurous while getting plenty of spinach in your day.
Spinach burgers
Burgers don’t have to contain meat. As a matter of fact, there really shouldn’t be rules when it comes to burgers or patties. This recipe from The Village Cook uses spinach and a variety of spices to create gorgeous burgers that would be great on a bun or in a wrap.
Baked turkey meatballs with spinach
It’s a time-honored trick of moms everywhere – sneak vegetables into your recipes and your kids will be healthier and none-the-wiser. These meatballs from Home Cooking Memories is a great example. Watch them devour the yummy baked balls and know you’re encouraging healthy eating habits.
Spinach and white bean soup
Pair spinach with beans in a rich broth, and you have a great meal for any weeknight. The best part about making a big pot of soup like this one from Damn Delicious is the way your kitchen will smell afterwards (added bonus: you’ll have leftovers to take to work the next day).
Spinach and mozzarella egg bake
Egg bakes make a great breakfast when you have a houseful of guests. If you never have the time for a good breakfast, try whipping up this dish from Kalyn’s Kitchen, portioning it into plastic bags, and heating up a serving before you make it out the door every morning.
Spinach pesto
Want to supercharge your pesto? This recipe adds spinach to the traditional sauce. Bake it on chicken or stir it into your pasta – you’ll get all of the flavors of a traditional pesto with the added benefits of spinach.
The above article is courtesy of My EZ Health Guide and is intended for informational purposes only.
Article resources
- Anemia fact sheet. (n.d.)
gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/anemia.html - Basic report: 11457, Spinach, raw. (n.d.)
nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3167?manu=&fgcd=&ds - Di Noia, J. (2014, June 5). Defining powerhouse fruits and vegetables: A nutrient density approach. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11
gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm - Food and your bones – osteoporosis nutrition guidelines. (n.d.)
org/patients/treatment/nutrition/ - Roberts, J.L. & Moreau, R. (2016, August). Functional properties of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) phytochemicals and bioactives. Food & Function, 7(8), 3337-3353
nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27353735 - Vitamin A. (n.d.)
od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/
SUSAN OGATO
Posted at 15:49h, 17 JuneWill try good news
Jim Cosby
Posted at 11:00h, 13 MarchGood.
Ruste Harvell
Posted at 14:58h, 02 MarchWho knew the recipes sounds good