Featured Spring Food: Spinach
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Featured Spring Food: Spinach
| Sat, 05-03-2008 - 8:56am |
Featured Spring Food: Spinach
Though not guaranteed to give you super strength, spinach is rich in many nutrients, including beta-carotene, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamin K. Spinach is abundantly available year-round but is at its peak in the spring. Enjoy spinach on all Phases of the South Beach Diet. Try it raw and tossed with chopped egg, crumbled turkey bacon, and vinaigrette; steamed or sauted with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil as a side dish; or as part of a stir-fry made with skinless chicken breast or lean beef.
Buying: Fresh spinach can be purchased either loose or in bags. It's easier to judge the quality of loose spinach, but the bags are a boon when it comes to convenience. Look for green, undamaged leaves and avoid those with yellow spots, wilted parts, or a sour smell. Leaves with thinner stems will typically be sweeter tasting and more tender.
Storing: Spinach can be stored in its original bag in the refrigerator for three to four days. To prevent wilting, spinach should not be washed before storing.
Preparing: Before cooking, wash spinach carefully — the leaves tend to gather grit. Some bags come prewashed, but rinse them again. To clean properly, drop spinach leaves in a colander and rinse with cool water, stirring gently with your hands. Then spin the leaves in a salad spinner or dry them with a paper towel. While spinach makes a delicious salad base, some of the nutrients are better absorbed when cooked. Therefore, you should try preparing it both raw and cooked.
Though not guaranteed to give you super strength, spinach is rich in many nutrients, including beta-carotene, folic acid, magnesium, and vitamin K. Spinach is abundantly available year-round but is at its peak in the spring. Enjoy spinach on all Phases of the South Beach Diet. Try it raw and tossed with chopped egg, crumbled turkey bacon, and vinaigrette; steamed or sauted with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil as a side dish; or as part of a stir-fry made with skinless chicken breast or lean beef.
Buying: Fresh spinach can be purchased either loose or in bags. It's easier to judge the quality of loose spinach, but the bags are a boon when it comes to convenience. Look for green, undamaged leaves and avoid those with yellow spots, wilted parts, or a sour smell. Leaves with thinner stems will typically be sweeter tasting and more tender.
Storing: Spinach can be stored in its original bag in the refrigerator for three to four days. To prevent wilting, spinach should not be washed before storing.
Preparing: Before cooking, wash spinach carefully — the leaves tend to gather grit. Some bags come prewashed, but rinse them again. To clean properly, drop spinach leaves in a colander and rinse with cool water, stirring gently with your hands. Then spin the leaves in a salad spinner or dry them with a paper towel. While spinach makes a delicious salad base, some of the nutrients are better absorbed when cooked. Therefore, you should try preparing it both raw and cooked.


