I was recently in Burlington, Vermont for my step-daughter Elinor's college graduation and made a trip to the Burlington Farmers Market. It's a fabulous market with loads of vendors ranging from vegetables and proteins to plants, soap and objects d'art. I got a couple of bags of just-picked spinach and decided to write about it for you.
What is it about spinach? We all know it's good for us. Chock full of Iron, Calcium and Vitamins A & C. No fat, no cholesterol and the teeniest amount of carbs. Yet it draws the widest range of opinions from people from love to hate to indifference. Of course I would venture a guess that it's all about the preparation.
Spinach ranks up there as one of the most versatile ingredients to cook with: you can eat it raw in salads, sautéed or creamed as a side dish, or added to just about any kind of burger, to name just a few. This week I have a few easy ideas for you.
First up, I decided to make the ubiquitous Spinach Salad - but with my twist. After a quick 'fridge check I found a couple of things to mix things up: leftover roasted peppers, a little bacon and some hard boiled eggs. Add a little garlic, oil and some toast and you have a perfect lunch dish that won't weigh you down!
I saved some leftover grilled some bell peppers the night before, thinking I would used them in scrambled eggs for breakfast. (My husband Larry loves grilled peppers in just about any dish.) We both ended up skipping breakfast and moved right on to brunch, so my salad idea was born!
I took the grilled peppers and gave them a little boost with some additional olive oil and a crushed garlic clove. I also wanted to get them warmed up a bit. You're not looking to cook them anymore, just take the chill off from the 'fridge. After about 2 minutes I tossed in the spinach and let it wilt slightly. Here is an important note: the spinach was mature and had some body. Baby spinach in this case will completely wilt down and while still tasty, won't hold up in a pretty warm salad.
To read more about this spinach post and see my easy recipe using them click here.
