Cooking Challenge: Spinach

bump until I can make my recipe

NAME OF RECIPE: Mirii's Really Simple Spinach and Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS: 2c. spinach, 15g light feta cheese, 50g raspberries, 15g walnuts, 15ml Litehouse Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette (30ml if you like), and 150g of chicken breast, fully cooked, but weigh it before cooking. For those who are metrically challenged, 15g or 15ml is 1 tbsp (or about 1/2 oz.). If you prefer, a no fat raspberry yogurt can be substituted for the dressing and you might even be able to use more because it's no fat -- use a good probiotic.

DIRECTIONS: Start with the spinach in a salad bowl, then layer raspberries, walnuts, feta and chicken breast, topping off with the dressing. A very colourful salad and so very good for you.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 389-439
Spinach - 14
Raspberries - 25
Feta - 45
Walnuts - 105
Chicken - 150
Dressing - 50 - 100

HOW MANY IT SERVES: 1 (make it per person), but it's a big single serving

OPINIONS ON HOW IT TASTED, ETC: Well I think it's divine, but I'm a bit partial. As a variation, try tinned mandarin oranges, slivered almonds and orange sesame dressing.

Saw that it was spinach and I just had to enter- I've had the worst craving for my family's Italian spinach so I've made it twice within the past week! lol!


NAME OF RECIPE: Sauteed Spinach, Italian Style (aka, Mom's Spinach)

INGREDIENTS: fresh spinach, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the spinach VERY well!!!! (Let it drain/dry a little bit, but don't pat it dry or anything like you would for a salad. Some moisture is required for it to cook properly.)

Cut the stems off the spinach!!!!

For each bundle of spinach, you need 3 garlic cloves and one tablespoon of EVOO. Remember, the spinach cooks down to practically nothing, so use a LOT more than you think you need. The first time I made it, I used two bundles for my husband and I and it was NOT enough. The next time, I made 4 total (2 each) and it was perfect.

Slice the garlic cloves into small thin slices. Add EVOO to a large frying pan and heat over low heat. Add garlic and saute until garlic softens and begins to be a golden brown (NOT brown though, it will be too done!). Add spinach to the pan. Sprinkle with salt (to taste) and then cover. Turn the pan up to about medium heat. As it begins to cook down, use tongs to "flip" the spinach so that the top layers of spinach get cooked and the garlic and olive oil gets evenly distributed. It will take about 5 minutes to cook. You'll know it is done when all of the spinach has cooked down and is dark green in color (but still obviously green... too done and it will be so dark it almost looks black!). There may be some water left in the pan; it won't all cook off. DO NOT DRAIN IT.

Generally, in my house, my mother served this as a side. I made it into a meal. Just cook some pasta, drain it, and throw it into the pan with the spinach when it is just about done cooking. Mix together so the pasta is coated (in this case, the extra water in the pan is definitely needed).

Enjoy!! :flowerforyou:

CALORIES PER SERVING: 2 bundles w/ 2 tbsp EVOO & 6 garlic cloves: 346 (if you use pasta you'd add that amount, of course)

HOW MANY IT SERVES: 4 bundles serves 2 people

OPINIONS ON HOW IT TASTED, ETC: Absolutely amazing. First thing I ever made that actually came out *exactly* like mom makes it! lol. It was so good, my husband begged me to make it again the next day! And I did

Such a simple recipe but it packs a lot of flavor, and is filling and good for you! The one thing is that it does have a lot of fat because of the EVOO... you can use less if you want, but I haven't experimented with it myself (through I probably will next time). But at least it is a GOOD fat, right?

I hope you guys try it, and enjoy it! Do let me know!

NAME: Year Round Spinach Dip (from The Best of The Best cookbook , Best of Bridge Series)

WHAT I THOUGHT: I make this for every family function and love it. All my friends want the recipe and have started making it for their friends and families. I modified with light mayo and light sour cream to help the calories and fat a little bit.

RECIPE / INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (250 mL) light mayonnaise
1 cup (250 mL) light sour cream
10 oz (283g) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well squeezed)
8 oz (236 mL) can of water chestnuts, chopped
1.5 oz (40 g) package Knorrs vegetable soup mix (1 package)
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped green onion

Bread or crackers of choice.

DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients, except bread, and mix well. Best if chilled overnight at least. Keeps for about 1 week in fridge, but rarely lasts that long! :laugh:

I usually serve with whole wheat baguettes cut into finger size pieces. This is the best recipe for spinach dip I have ever had, and I never buy store bought any more.

SERVING SIZE: Dip itself serves about 8 people, and made with my ingredients, was 159 calories per serving. Bread or crackers adds more calories that have to be taken into account separately. I just weigh the total dip once it is made and know how many grams go into a serving by what number I choose to divide it by.

NUTRITION: (based on 8 servings)

(Calories, Carbs, Fat, Protein, Iron, Calcium)
Total: 1269 89 88 33 44 73
Per Serving: 159 11 11 4 6 9

Hope you enjoy it!

bumping, the only thing I know to make with spinach is wedding soup...so boring....I will look forward to other recipies

I love spinach, but I can never finish it before it goes bad (have to buy it at least 10 oz at a time!) Hoping to use it all up this week - I hate wasted food!

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My favorite salad of all time. I got this at one of my favorite diners and created my own version. I eyeball this so I am not sure of the exact measurements but I will try to put some so you get the idea. I have a picture of it but I am not sure how to upload it on here.

Marilyn Monroe Salad (thats what it is called at the place)
- baby spinach about 2-3 cups (depending on how hungry I am)
- mango (cut up a few pieces if you measure probably about 1/4 cup)
- strawberries (same as above cut up and slice about 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
- cucumbers (I love cucumbers so I do half cut cup)
- low fat moz. string cheese (cut up into pieces)
- grilled chicken breast (standard 4oz)
- balsmic vinegar (about 2-3 tbsp)
- olive oil (I dont use olive oil because I love vinegar but some people need the oil taste)

Mix it all together. They serve theirs with a half of pita cut up. I used a thomas everything bagel thin to save on calories. You dont really need the bread though, I just like it. Thats just one serving.

Hope that makes sense, if I remember later when I get home I'll add the picture to my profile because I know how to do that lol.

I love spinach. I eat it almost everyday. Usually I get raw spinach and spray it with olive oil, microwave for 30 seconds, fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh parmesan... its delish!!!!!

ok i put the picture for the marilyn monroe salad in my profile

Spinach Lentil Soup (from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Lentil-Soup-2/Detail.aspx)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shredded carrots
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups water
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 1/4 cups dried lentils, rinsed
3/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted the salt and it was still great!)
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute carrots and onion in oil until tender. Add the water, salsa, lentils and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach; simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

This was great! It was easy prep and just required a bit of time at home while it was cooking. I am sure it could be easily adapted to the crockpot as well. (I have another lentil soup recipe which calls for cooking on low for 6 hours or so). It was very filling as well.

NI for original recipe (calculated by allrecipes):
Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/2 cups equals 208 calories, 3 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 696 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 20 g fiber, 18 g protein.

Here are some pics. The first is just the soup and the second is after I topped my serving with a TBSP of shredded parmesan and a TBSP of shredded mozarella (which was great by the way!) We served with "cheesy bread" -- whole wheat bread topped with parmesan/mozarella as well and broiled until the cheese was melted.



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Props to Cytherea for her recipe

hehehe thanks! Yeah, I love it

Just wanted to add to mine... the bundles that I bought were pretty big. Saw some at another store today and they were tiny. So if you get small bundles, you may want to buy more than I suggested.

ok i put the picture for the marilyn monroe salad in my profile

thank you!!!!

NAME OF RECIPE: Sweet Spinach Side

INGREDIENTS: Spinach x 2, Red Onion 1 Large, 3 x Philidelpha Extra Light (I used the mini-tubs), Fry Light (a cooking spray)

DIRECTIONS: Chop red onion into rings-looks fancier!...Spray x 10-20 of fry light into a frying pan on a medium heat...add onion and cook til it sofens, then add the spinach...wilt according to perferrence, reduce heat to low to maintian heat and then add your Philidelpha mini-tubs, dash of lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste...have on its own or serve alongside chicken, tuna, salmon, quorn etc and enjoy!

CALORIES PER SERVING:
Each spray of fry light is 1 calorie

Total of the recipe is:
Calories: 257
Carbs: 28
Protein: 23
Fat: 8
Sodium: 274
(all from My FitnessPal Database)

HOW MANY IT SERVES: 2

OPINIONS ON HOW IT TASTED, ETC: It is a creamy healthy dish witha zingy kick. I personally love it..but I am biased!

Enjoy x