Long known for its healthful attributes, this nutrient-rich leafy green contains no less than four Foundation Supplements. Thanks to its high levels of magnesium, manganese, silicon, and Vitamin K, spinach is a bone-smart alkalizing powerhouse. (You only need to worry about its oxalate content if you’ve had kidney stones in the past.)
The list of additional valuable nutrients is long – from vitamin C to several B vitamins, vitamin A, iron and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. But let’s face it, spinach can get boring, so I set out to explore new ideas so you can enjoy it with a creative twist.
Here are the 6 tastiest and easiest ways to use spinach any time of the day – or night – and they are all pH balanced as well.
Tip: I recommend you use organic spinach, especially since it’s included in the EWG’s “dirty dozen” list.
Note: all recipes are for individual servings.
Now let’s get started!
#1 – Salad Haters Salad
In a bowl, toss 2 handfuls of baby spinach with 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas and one large cubed pear (or apple, if you prefer). Mix in one cup of cooked quinoa, sprinkle some walnuts and a little fresh ground pepper. Enjoy with your favorite dressing.
#2 – Green Dream Smoothie
Blend one banana with 1 cup of spinach leaves and 1 cup of almond milk (or your favorite alkalizing milk substitute).
#3 – Quick Quesadilla
Make your own spinach quesadilla wrap in a jiffy!
Ingredients
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 small onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups spinach
1 8-inch corn or gluten-free tortilla
1 egg
1 tablespoon plain unsweetened yogurt
Oregano, sea salt, and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. In a medium-sized pan heat the oil to medium heat and cook the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic, cooking a minute or two more until soft.
2. Mix in the spinach and cook until wilted, more or less for 2 minutes. Drain well and place in a bowl to cool a little.
3. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg and the yogurt. Add to the cooled spinach and mix until combined.
4. Heat the wrap or tortilla in the pan over low heat, so it softens a little. Turn the heat to medium and pour the egg-spinach mixture over half of the wrap, fold the other half over and cook on one side until the egg begins to firm up, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes, until the egg is fully cooked. Cut into wedges and enjoy.
#4 – Strawberry Fields Salad
In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, 1/2 cup arugula, 3/4 cup cooked chicken (cubed or sliced thin) and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries. Throw in some sliced almonds for crunch and pour your favorite dressing.
#5 – Fast n’ Flavorful
Use a large pan for this easy dish.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1/2 cup of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup of spinach
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 handful of toasted almonds, chopped up a bit
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil to medium heat and add the asparagus, onion, ginger, sea salt and pepper and stir fry for about a minute.
2. Add the garlic and spinach. Stir-fry for another minute, or until the spinach wilts.
3. Pour in the lime zest and juice and. Cook for another 10-20 seconds, stirring all the while.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the basil and sprinkle with almonds.
#6 – Easy Detox Soup
Feel free to adjust the amount of water you use in this recipe. This soup tastes delicious, thick or thin.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli, cut up
1 cup spinach leaves
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped (if fresh)
Water, as needed to achieve desired consistency
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
Lemon or lime juice
Directions
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil to medium heat and stir in the garlic.
2. Add the spinach, broccoli, celery, and parsley, and stir until the spinach wilts.
3. Add enough water to cover the vegetables, and bring to a high simmer. Cover the pot and reduce heat.
4. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables soften.
5. Use a blender to puree the soup, and add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
Do you have other creative ways to use spinach? I'd love to hear them! Share them with the community by leaving a comment below.
Enjoy in good health!
Comments on this article are closed.
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Saute some garlic in enough olive oil to coat the pan, add your fresh spinach with a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper and grated cheese. Cover for a few minutes until it wilts and that’s it. Simple and delicious!
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We drink our greens. We blend baby kale, spinach, parsley with carrots, celery, turmeric, ginger, apple and that counts for our vegetables. So, a meat/meat substitute plus the drink is our dinner. If you want, add another vegetable like baked potatoes (I often do because I am Irish & will eat potatoes in any form), baked sweet potatoes, or beets (pressure cooker or baked). Homebaked bread using ground up flax seed is another treat!
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when spinach is cooked, even slightly it becomes oxalic acid which is very dangerous for bone health and for health in general. It causes Gout, etc.
I am therefore surprised at all your recipes. Only raw spinach as a salad is of benefit. -
I heat a little butter or olive oil in a skillet, add some diced onions, and when the onions are almost tender, add a handful of fresh spinach. When the spinach cooks until tender, I add some eggs and feta cheese. This is a great breakfast or brunch idea, and diced tomatoes might also be good in it. Another way I use spinach is, i heat a can of spinach with some diced onion, add one or more eggs, and cook until the eggs are done. This can be done on the stove or in the microwave. When the eggs have been thoroughly cooked, I add some Parmesan cheese on top, and pepper to tast. This is similar to a spinach souffle.
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Your spinach recipes sound delicious. I plan to try all of them!
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I have recently purchased the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. And recently I have been reading about the concept of soaking grains and beans and nuts to help break down the phytic acid, making it less acidic and more alkaline. Would using soaked grains and the products made from soaked grains be more alkalizing to the body? Is sourdough bread alkalizing to the body when eaten?
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Thanks Vivian. I ate alot organic spinish, olmost every day. The problem is that with lupus medicine I don’t want to ate, If kyou don’t have hungre, you don’t want to cook, so I take insure, or some thing like that. some days I go aut to buy some things, maybe is not good for me. I don’t ate red meat, most chiken, some time, . It’s es better no ate any kind of meat, for lupus, The best is fruts and Salads, but I agot tirer of that. They said, don’t ate any kind of meat, Not dairy products, not egs. etc etc. I am ating nuts…. Some time I go three times at weck to acuatic arobis, It’ was to cool here and I have asma broquil… Sti I’m sick. Mjm.
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One of my favourite dips (or topping for pasta) is to put an avocado (or two) into a blender – add a few large handfuls of baby spinach, olive oil, lemon, 2-3 garlic cloves & salt, plus some basil leaves. Whizz until smooth. Yum!
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thank you so much for all the recipes
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Thanks Vivian, for the recip. I love Spinich, Some time I made smothies, I made salads with letters, aple, tomatos, etc.et I love salads, Some days I don’t ate to much, becase the Medicine for lupus, made me sick. I joint now to arthritis Fundation, and I hope this New Year I will feeling Better. Thanks. Thankyou honney. You are very nice. Maria J.Mckenney
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Thanks, nice recipes.
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Detox fantastic good nutrients.Thank you for the huge amount of work you do.
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Hi, We quite often layer spinach with the pasta when we make lasagne
Best wishes Micky
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If you cook the spinach, the oxalates will not prevent the uptake of calcium. Raw spinach is not a good idea.
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HI.
I’m confused.
I’ve heard for years that raw anything is good and raw spinach is fabulous. You’re saying that’s not the case?
Please confirm and clarify.
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Thank you once again to you Vivienne others in the community.
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Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful information
I always look forward to all your great recipes. -
Popeye’s Ice Cream
¾ cup half and half or coconut milk
2/3 cup powdered milk
2 cups spinache
1 ½ tbsp vanilla
2 ½ cups ice cubes
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend medium speed for 20 seconds, then high speed for 25 seconds until smooth
Makes 3 ¾ cups-
Donna, that’s a unique way to eat spinach! Thanks for the neat recipe. This might be a great way to get kids to eat their spinach…:)
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Here is an easy way to prepare spinach. Steam or boil spinach for a couple of minutes. Drain and when reasonably cool squeeze out the water and cut into 1 to2 inches pieces. Arrange neatly on a dish and add soy sauce to taste and sprinkle on top with toasted sesame seeds or dried bonito flakes. These are dried tuna that is shaved. This is a very common Japanese dish.
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Thanks you very much.I have got creative idea for healthy food.
Monira -
These are both old tricks but still delicious…use spinach in omelets
and/or fritatas….in almost any combination. Thanks for all you do! -
Would love to know about the 15 min. bellybulge trick. I can’t see the video. Is it available in printed form. I could use it to lose the belly fat I am stuck with.
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Thanks I like green of all kinds and I do like spinach and thanks for all the recipes
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Vivian always seems to send some advice just when I need it and find the
ideas so helpful. Cant wait to try some of those spinach recipes to help
with my alkiline need to improve. Thank you so much for all this Vivian. -
I love spinach, Vivian! Fantastic recipes with this veggie!!! Thank you!
“Mickey”
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I steam spinach with sweet basil and have it with other veges. Beautiful flavor.
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Thanks por the spinich, I ate a lot of this…..
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Thanks
Shula
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Whenever we want pizza (which isn’t very often)we top a basic cheese pizza with fresh spinach and mushrooms. Thanks for the 6 savvy ways, Vivian. And thanks to Roxanne also. All nice ideas.
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I have been avoiding spinach because I thought the oxalates interfere with or prevent calcium absorption. I read that spinach is rich in calcium but that the oxalates prevent you from getting any of it!
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Hi PM,
I understand your concerns, which is why I mentioned oxalates in the first paragraph of the post. 🙂 “You only need to worry about its oxalate content if you’ve had kidney stones in the past.”It is true that oxalates bind to calcium and diminish its bioavailability. That’s where a varied diet and taking the right calcium supplements play an important role. 🙂
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Vivian,
I have been avoiding having spinach in my lunch at work as well as other vegetables that have oxalates as I take one dose of my calcium supplement with lunch. I also use sprouted grains such as quinoa to avoid the phytic acid problem. I want as much of my calcium supplement to be absorbed as possible.
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what are your takes on black rice…good or bad?
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After sauteing spinach in a little olive oil (or lightly steaming it), you can add it on top of many dishes such as brown rice with vegetables cooked in the same olive oil before cooking the spinach or merely steaming them. Or perhaps the base starch could be rice pasta with vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, cauliflower, asparagus, brussel sprouts etc.(no mushy ones like potatoes, zuccini or squash). It works best for me when I choose vegetables in 3 or 4 colors (white, yellow, red or green). Then add the seasonings you enjoy. I happen to like salt, black pepper, dill weed, curry and turmeric. You may need a few more drops of olive oil to finish.
If you are making spaghetti as the base, add lightly sauted (in olive oil) fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic on top of the sauted spinach.
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I enjoy lots of spinach! For breakfast saute it in non-stick pan in a little olive oil until wilted, then push it aside and break an egg or two into the pan and cook. Dish the spinach up and put the egg on top. You may put a little grated cheese on top, too. Or for a change, saute onions, mushrooms, red peppers first.
Drop fresh spinach in soups as they finish cooking. An Asian soup with chicken broth, soy sauce, ginger, sliced green onions, bits of shrimp, chicken and/or ham topped with spinach. Enjoy!
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Thank you for those suggestions, Roxanne!
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thank you,Ita.
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Dear Vivian,
Years ago before I had a problem, I remember hearing that spinach is a no go food as it leaches calcium and that it should be replaces by chard. Any idea where this came from or do you think its an “old wife’s tale”? -
Thank you so much.
It’s nice to have some more creative ways to use spinach apart from just putting it in salads. Julie
Hi Vivian,
l have brought your e book which l am busy reading. Just reading your article on spinach would like to ask what effect having a kidney stone many years ago would spinach do. secondly l have been unfortunate to have been on Osteoporosis drugs for 2 years after reading your book have stopped. l am worried as l am taking now Calcium supplements along with Vit D3 plus K2 in the hope of repairing my bones am l on the right road. i am a Vegetarian eat eggs cheese but do have high cholesteral. Best Regards Jeanie