meet our vegetable friend, spinach

making it rain with NUTRIENT-RICHNESS

First I would like to address some hater concerns (that I overheard) that we could have picked a better vegetable for our operation.

Scoff. 

Let's call him- I don't know- Maurice, suggested that there were better nutritional options for our mission. I finally opened my giant nutrition book and #Spinach has the highest score out of all vegetables&salads for nutrient-richness.

There are giant 5 pages dedicated to our spinach greatness so I will just summarize the highlights in this post. If you really want to get into it I'd recommend getting the book (referenced at the bottom)

Highlights

availability: year-round
shelf life: 5 days refrigerated
preparation: clean it (it's a complicated one)
best way to cook: "quick boil" in one minute

History

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (Iran) and was introduced into China in the 7th century when the king of Nepal sent it as a gift to the emperor.

It is a Mediterranean favorite that has been recognized as a distinctive vegetable since the Golden Age of the Renaissance back in the 16th century. When Catherine de Medici left her home in Florence, Italy (must be nice..) to marry the King of France (even nicer...) she brought cooks with her who knew how to prepare Spinach in the special way she loved best (cause obviously doing it herself was out of the question)- and the dish came to be known as Spinach a la Florentine. 

Since most people nowadays don't get the luxury of having Spinach-cooking peasant slaves, there is a doable alternative. Doing it yourself! You can bring out the best flavor from Spinach and maximize nutritional value by cooking it the al-dente way. But you can also hide it in a smoothie- so many choices.

Other advantages of Spinach is that it's an excellent plant-based source of iron that, in comparison to meat sources is low in calories and virtually fat-free. It protects against damage to cell structures, has antioxidants, enjoyed both cooked and raw, and it is really low in calories. Check check check.

There are many kinds of Spinach, but since most things are dumbed-down for the general public to understand we usually don't get to see that this aisle Spinach is curly and the one over there is flat leaf, New Zealand, or frozen (though even the most special can figure that one out on their own).

Spinach's flavor is at its peak during the cold months because the frost helps to develop a sweet flavor/ crisp texture (but again this varies on the kind of Spinach).

I am still stunned that Spinach is a vegetable. Go figure.

More tips

• When selecting it- go for bright green color. Don't pick the yellowing bruised flowers
• Place it in a plastic bag before refrigerating. It's best to wrap the bag tightly around the Spinach squeezing as much air as possible
• Don't wash it before refrigeration. Water encourages spoilage
• Eat the stems! They're super good for you (but if you cook them- do it separately since they need more cooking love)
• Quick boiling spinach is the healthiest way because it frees up some of the unwanted acids and allows them to leach out into the water (common sense tip- don't drink this water/don't use it as stock)
• Don't overcook. 1 minute is fine
• Steaming, sautéing, cooking with oil is not recommended :(
• It is also one of the top 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found so definitely give it an extra wash... :( 

Let's get cultural

In Italy, they serve Spinach with pine nuts and raisins or anchovies

In Greece, it is cooked with rice, feta cheese and mint 

In Spain, it is cooked with garlic, onion, paprika, olive oil, vinegar and cinnamon 

In North Africa, Spinach is made spicy with the addition of chili peppers, black pepper, cumin and garlic. They also add eggs, olive oil, tomato paste and lemon juice.

In France, it is served with pine nuts, garlic and nutmeg

In Turkey, it is made into an appetizer called burek- a filled pastry

In my household, it is taken out of a trader joe's bag and put into my mouth

Few Health benefits because THERE ARE SO MANY

• Promotes Energy and Vitality (anticancer properties!)
• Health Health
• Brain Health
• Vision Health

 info from World's healthiest foods by George Mateljan

And there you go. More than you ever wanted/needed to know about Spinach :)