Eating spinach is no longer the painful process that your parents subjected you to when you were young. With Foodism on the rise, there are a ton of delightful recipes that incorporate spinach that will satisfy the most sensitive palates. Not to mention, spinach has a ton of wonderful health benefits that makes consuming it so worth it!
According to Fitness Magazine, spinach is rich in antioxidants and loaded with lutein, “which keeps your eyes healthy and sparkling”. Spinach is also an awesome source for vitamins B, C, and E, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. So in celebration of National Spinach Day, let’s swap out lettuce for spinach and try some of our favorite spinach recipes below… Popeye would be so proud!
Tropical Spinach Smoothie (pictured above)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 half of avocado
3/4 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 banana
8 strawberries
2 cups spinach
1 1/4 cups ice
Directions: Place all the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
Spinach Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tbsp oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Directions: In a blender, combine the spinach, buttermilk, egg, and oil and blend until smooth. Combine the other ingredients with the mixture. Heat a large pan & drizzle a small amount of oil on it. Pour about 1 tablespoon of the pancake mixture onto the pan. Flip the pancakes and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Strawberry Fields Salad
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh spinach
1 cup strawberries
1 avocado
1/4 cup of red onion
2 tbsp of walnuts
1/4 cup of gorgonzola or blue cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Directions: Wash spinach and strawberries thoroughly and combine in a large bowl. Chop onions and dice avocado into cubes. Toss all ingredients together and add desired amount of dressing.
