High in Dietary Fibre and very high in Vitamin A.
Widely grown in northern Europe as well as the United States, spinach can be purchased fresh year round.
Selection and Storage
When selecting spinach, look for crisp, tender, dark green leaves. Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag for 3-5 days.
Preparation and Cooking
To clean fresh spinach, discard any wilted, yellow¬ish or brownish leaves.
Wash by plunging spinach up and down into a sink filled with cold water, then lift out and drain well.
Trim and discard tough stems and ribs. Leave whole or tear into bite-sized pieces.
Spinach can be boiled, steamed, micro-waved or stir-fried. It has finished cooking when the leaves have wilted. This takes about 3-5 minutes when boiling or steaming, and about 3 minutes when stir-frying.
Spinach makes a colourful and nutritious addition to any meal, whether in a soup, souffle, mousse, stuffing or rice dish. It can also serve as a bed for your meat, poultry or seafood entrees.
SPINACH AND RICE CASSEROLE -35 minutes
2 cups fresh spinach, cooked and
drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium red pepper, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chicken broth
2 egg whites
1 /3 cup skim milk
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon basil
1 cup cooked rice
Saute the onion, red pepper and garlic in chicken broth until lightly browned. Set aside. Combine egg whites, milk, pepper and basil, and stir well.
To this mixture, add the spinach, rice and sauteed vegetables.
Mix well.
Spoon mixture into a baking dish that has been coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake at 350°F uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
Serves 4.
Nutrient Analysis per serving:
Calories-117
Protein-2 g
Fat- 0 g
Carbohydrates-23 g
Dietary Fibre-4 g
Sodium-277 mg
