Our vegetable of the month for October is spinach. When I was a kid, spinach came in a can, and we had Popeye to thank for that in my house. And my dad of course. He liked his vegetables well-cooked because he had problems with his teeth.

Spinach still comes in cans, but usually not in my house. Sometimes I use frozen spinach, but usually I choose fresh spinach because it’s so versatile. You can serve it raw, add it to smoothies or dips, steam it, boil it, make spinach chips in the air fryer, or add it to soups and sauces. It even makes delicious pasta. Spinach is a super vegetable in my house and deciding on the best recipes to share was hard because there are so few bad spinach recipes.

Raw spinach is 91% water and has only 23 calories per 3.5 ounce serving. A serving has 2.9 grams of protein, 2.2 grams of fiber, and it’s low in sugar and fat. It’s high in insoluble fiber and low in carbs.

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K1. It’s a great source of iron, calcium, and folic acid (B9). Spinach contains several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, and E. It also contains important plant compounds such as lutein and Zeaxanthin (eye health), quercetin (may ward off infection and inflammation), nitrates (blood pressure and heart health), and Kaempferol (may reduce cancer and chronic disease risks).

Because spinach is rich in calcium, oxalates, and vitamin K, people at risk for kidney stones should limit their intake of spinach and people prone to blood clots who take certain blood thinners such as Warfarin or Coumadin must be also limit their consumption of spinach.

After looking at dozens of recipes, I settled on two great ones, a flatbread pizza, and a spinach salad.

Here is the link for Cheesy Spinach Pesto Flatbread, https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53449/cheesy-spinach-pesto-flatbread-recipe/

Naan bread is a stable in my kitchen, so this is a quick and easy recipe that can be adapted to fit the ingredients you have on hand. Instead of pesto, I used artichoke bruschetta, and I added mushrooms as an extra topping. It was delicious! The red pepper flakes gave the pizza a little heat. I also used vegan mozzarella. I have to admit the consistency is a little different, but I’m starting to get used to it. For anyone not following a meatless diet, cooked chicken would be a delicious topping.

The directions were great. I had to cook and extra four or five minutes to get the cheese to melt properly. I will definitely be making this when I have pesto on hand, and yes, I will add mushrooms again.

Here is the link for the salad I made: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chinese-spinach-almond-salad/

Chinese spinach-almond salad is super simple, and you can substitute ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Instead of bean sprouts, I used white kidney beans and instead of cooked pork, I used savory diced sweet potatoes I made in the air fryer with Asian seasoning. Make sure you toast the almonds because the added flavor is worth the five minutes or so it takes to toast them in the oven. I also added fresh mandarin orange slices. I made my own sesame ginger dressing using sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, coarsely ground black pepper, and reduced sodium soy sauce. I didn’t measure anything, but it was perfect. Next time I might add a drop of lemon juice. By using white kidney beans, I was able to up the protein and fiber of this salad and elevate it to a main dish.

I was pleased with both recipes, and I will be making them again.

Our vegetable of the month for November will be corn.

The Twelve Months of Vegetables

January         Cabbage             Mahi Mahi Soft Tacos

February       Zucchini               Chocolate Zucchini Bread

March           Leeks                    Colcannon

April               Carrots                 Gingered Carrots & Kale Ribbons and Carrot

                                                        Cake

May              Beets                    Quinoa Burgers & Vegan Poke Bowl with

                                                        Beets

June              Kale                       Tuscan White Bean Soup & Sweet Potato

                                                        Noodles & Garlic with Kale

July               Broccoli                Roasted Broccoli & Tofu w/Creamy Miso

                                                        Dressing and Chicken Broccoli Shells

August         Potatoes               Special Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes with

                                                        Chickpeas & Broccoli Pesto

September  Green Beans      Special Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes with

                                                       Chickpeas & Broccoli Pesto

October         Spinach               Cheesy Spinach Pesto Flatbread & Chinese

Spinach-Almond Salad

November    Corn

December    Asparagus     

Sources for this article:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/spinach#nutrients