Starbucks Likes Spinach, Too

Caught Starbucks in the act of spinach loving. 

#NoShame

Spinach on,

~D

Tip Tuesday: We're Not the Only Spinach Lovers

If you're spending time on Spinach Blog, then my guess is you enjoy spinach.

If you enjoy spinach, then my other guess is you're an intelligent individual...who may already be aware of this Tip Tuesday tidbit. Though...it's a pretty cute one. So be warned.

We humans aren't the only ones who enjoy this tastey leafy green! It just so happens, that guinea pigs also love spinach and other veggies. This here is Eugene. The one guinea pig who, perhaps, loves spinach as much as we do. 

So next time you're eating a plate of fresh green spinach in front of one these cute critters...don't be a hog...instead, be a guinea pig, and share some with your fuzzy friend!

Spinach on,

~D

Spinach Blog T-Shirts to Celebrate Spinach Day 2015! Order Yours Today for $20

Spinach on!

A GINORMOUS THANK YOU TO THE TALENTED, ARTFUL, SAVVY (AND SPINACH LOVING) GIRAFFIC-DESIGNER SHIRA KRESCH FOR MAKING THESE SHIRTS SO SPINACHERIFIC. 

Tip Tuesday: Build Your Salad-on-the-Go...Upside Down

My friends, take everything you know and love about your salad lunches that you pack everyday for work -- and flip them on their head.

This may seem backwards to you...but that is the point. When making your salad in it's tupperware, put the toppings on the bottom. Salad (preferable spinach) at the top. That way, when you dump your salad into your bowl at work, you don't have toppings topped with salad, you have salad topped with toppings.t

Start with the wet ingredients first. Dressing, rice, beans, fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds...and then the leaves. This way, your spinach won't get wilted or soggy.

Demonstration: 

#Genius

Enjoy!

-D

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Shell Pasta with Bacon Bits and Parmesan Cheese

If you like pasta, cheese, and/or bacon (I'm not going to even ponder whether or not you like spinach...), then you'll like this pasta. Like all spinach recipes, there are no precise measurements. Because the only measurement that matters is 'lots'. As in, lots of spinach, lots of pasta and lots of cheese. Everything else is secondary and will come naturally.

Cheese recipes can never be vegan. But this recipe can easily be vegetarian if you substitute bacon bits with toasted pine nuts. Or toasted bread crumbs. Anything crumbly and delicious will do.

You will need:

Pasta shells

Few handfuls of spinach

Couple tbs. butter

Broth (chicken or veggie)

Milk

Fresh garlic

Artichoke hearts

Monterey Jack Cheese

Half red onion

Parmesan Cheese

Cayenne Pepper

Salt & Pepper

Flour

Prep the things that need to be prepped -- dice up the half onion and a couple cloves of garlic. 

Brown the garlic in a pan with some butter along with the onions. 

Stir in the spinach and artichokes. Now's a good time to boil the pasta, too. If you need, add a bit more butter and then sprinkle in a pinch or two of flour. Maybe a tsp. or two. Mix until blended with the butter.

When the spinach wilts a bit and you have room in your pan, pour in about equal parts of broth and milk. If you prefer more creamy, than more milk. (Or use cream rather than milk). If you prefer more saucy, then less milk. Mix in the cheeses (About one part cheese, one part milk). You can of course add as much cheese as you want...but sharp parmesan goes a long way.

Fold in salt, pepper, and some cayenne for a little spicy kick. If you don't like spicy, stay away from cayenne. 

Let the cheese sauce simmer and mix until the pasta is done. Drain your noodles.

When the cheese is all melted and you have a cheesy, spinachy sauce, then pour the sauce over the pasta and mix. It's kind of like sophisticated mac and cheese. 

Ta da. 

To serve...scoop a hefty helping on a plate, sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and some bacon bits. Butterfly plate optional. Then enjoy!

-D

5 Ways with Spinach the Mighty Flu Fighter

Photo courtesy of Aloha

5 Ways to Eat More Spinach to Boost Immunity and Fight the Flu

So if you haven't heard - spinach is pretty darn good for you. (Don't believe me? Just watch.) The problem with spinach is sometimes it's not ALWAYS there for us. Maybe we eat it so fast that Sunday comes and we realize...there is no more spinach in the fridge. Or sometimes, maybe you'd like to make a fresh spinach salad and realize all you have left in your spinachery (like a winery, but with spinach) is a cube of frozen chopped. Or perhaps, you accidentally quadrupled the ingredients and have subsequently been eating the same Spinach Tuna Noodle Casserole leftovers for too many days to count and the thought of eating spinach again is just too much to bear.

Whatever your case, sometimes we forget - or simply don't have the means - to eat as much spinach as we would like. The caveat? That spinach is great for you and your immunity, and the winter is a great time to catch colds and unwanted germs when your immunity is weak. And spinach is a great tool for all around bodyhealth boosting. Immunity included.

If you're not convinced, check out these Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Spinach here.

Bottom line is - if you aren't already - consider doing the following to eat as much spinach as you possibly can! Because every time you don't eat spinach (in any of its great spinach forms) you're missing out on a health boosting, flu fighting opportunity. And that is a shame.

1 // Add Spinach to Your Favorite Smoothie

If the thought of drinking green things is appalling to you - you likely have a Sam-I-Am complex (think Green Eggs and Ham). Just because a smoothie is green doesn't mean it tastes bad. Stick to a smaller ratio at first, maybe 4 parts your favorite fruits and yogurt to one part spinach. Then work your way up. You'll still get your fruity sweet fill, while downing a few good spoonfuls of spinach. If you'd rather not throw in hand fulls of spinach into your smoothie blender (as my uncle has done in the image above) then try, perhaps, a powder. A coworker of mine has been using Aloha lately and loves it...I'm waiting for mine to come in the mail! It's a green powder infused with spinach and a long list of fortifying botanicals, herbs, and veggies (I recommend signing up for the free trial here).

2 // Toss a Handful of Spinach into Your Favorite Pasta + Sauce

Think about this one. There is a simple trick to transforming pasta (everybody loves pasta) into a slightly healthier bite. Add vegetables to it. Like this creamy cheese ravioli with shrimp and spinach. Then you're eating pasta...and vegetables. Preferably spinach. If you're feeling even sneakier...then indulge in some green spinach pasta, with pasta dough made and colored with real spinach. Your insides will be delighted. And so will your pasta craving.

3 // Sprinkle Spinach Powder Into Desserts

Replace up to 1/4 cup of flour with spinach powder (or...even your favorite green powder) in bread + baked good recipes. The same goes for CHOCOLATE (spinach brownies anyone?). Similarly to pasta, one great way to make chocolatey desserts a little less unhealthy, and therefore, more healthy, is to infuse them with spinach powder. Bet it will taste just as great...and no one will ever suspect.

4 // Spinach + Soup = Match Made in (Veggie) Heaven

Making soup? Turn that into making spinach (insert name of original soup you were going to make here) soup. Add in a few handfuls of fresh spinach, dried spinach, spinach powder, frozen spinach, adult spinach, baby spinach - any kind of spinach - into your soup pot. You'll get more flavor, more superfood boosting properties, and as a result, more bang for your soup. I suggest this Broccoli Cheddar Spinach Soup.

Photo courtesy of aloha.com

5 // Eat Warm Salads

Plain old spinach (or mixed greens - perhaps spinach and arugula?) is the obvious answer here. If you're all about salad lunch breaks at work, or salad for dinner (or salad for breakfast? Why not...), then this is a no brainer...add spinach to your salad. However, the number one complaint I ever hear about salads in the winter is that they are cold. And winter is cold. And it is so much easier to opt for the warm creamy (and fatty) pasta or, I don't know...maybe the rich Lobster Bisque from Hilton Road Cafe that I've had too many times because it's too good to resist.......where was I? Oh yes, sometimes it is hard to opt for the healthy cold salad when it is so cold outside. However, my friends, cold salads are not the only salads and not all salads are created...cold.

Let me introduce you to the warm salad. Chock full of veggies (like spinach) but warm! Perhaps with warm wilted greens or even dressed with warm vinagrette or a hot dijon dressing. Or, simmered in a warm simple mix of coconut oil, garlic, and onions like this Green and Lean Superfood Saute.  Eat more warm salads. Eat more warm spinach. And reap the superfood, immunity and health boosting benefits of my favorite leafy green. Whether you add whole spinach leaves, or spinach powder, to your winter recipes (speaking of Aloha, they have some other great healthy spinach recipe ideas) - it makes for a great health boost in harsh winters.

What are your favorite ways to eat spinach in the winter? I pretty much like anyway. As long as it involved spinach.

Spinach on,

-D