Please give me the beginner guide to spinach

[Anonymous]

Most spinach from the grocery store comes pre-washed. I don't usually wash it again ... but if it has thick stems, I do take the time to pinch those off. I just like the leaves. If you buy spinach in a bunch rather than a bag or plastic box, or from a farmers market, you need to wash it.

If you are going to cook the spinach, like in a stir fry for example, two things to be aware of. One, it cooks REALLY fast. Like, seconds. Maybe a minute. Two, it cooks way down into a much smaller portion than you could possibly imagine. One of those bags or clamshells of raw spinach will cook into maybe two small servings. That's why it is such a nutrient powerhouse - three bites gets you the equivalent of a pint of raw greens. It's super easy, though - once your shrimp is warm, add in your handful or two of spinach, and stir until it looks wilted.

For eating raw in salads: baby spinach I like to drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and let it sit for a few minutes. It softens the leaves a little. Mature spinach, which is thicker, is where you hear of 'massaging' - not really necessary in my opinion, but it does help soften the leaves if you rub the olive oil / salt mixture in. This is more of a thing with even thicker greens like mature kale. Anyway - after drizzling, you can toss the spinach leaves with the rest of the salad. I like strawberries, goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never eaten spinach before, and would like to try it, but don't know how. Please do not say "it's so easy!" because it's not easy for me. I googled and read and researched and there's no information on the basic level I need. I always see videos of people taking a handful out of a bag and dumping it into a frying pan with eggs. Are they nuts, or it's okay not to wash it first? Do I tear/cut it up into small pieces? I vaguely recall people talking about massaging it - is that a real thing?

I want to try it with eggs, and also a shrimp and pasta stir fry thing I make. Do I put the spinach in the pan before or after the shrimp? (If it matters, I buy pre-cooked shrimp so really am just warming and seasoning it in the pan.) I'd also like to put it in baked pasta dishes, like stuffed shells - do I cook it in a frying pan first or just toss it in the shell with the cheese and then it cooks in the oven?

Be careful with the canned version. If you squeeze that into.your mouth, you may find yourself mindlessly beating a bunch of people up while this crazy music plays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Number one: Don't be an idiot. I'm honestly not sure you are mentally fit to handle spinach.

Too late - I'm already an idiot. For years I wasn't mentally fit enough to make a baked potato. I knew all the steps, did them and yet couldn't get one to come out fully cooked. I once left it in the oven for an hour and 45 minutes. (Yes, I poked holes - everyone seems to think that'll magically cook it. It doesn't.)

Look, not everyone is experimental with food and not everyone has always had access to all foods or to people they can ask stupid questions of. So, an anonymous forum is ideal for me.

Don’t let the grumpy naysayers get to you. I agree that DCUM is a great place to come for advice with something. We all have “stupid” questions about something, but the smart thing to do is to ask for help.

FWIW, I find baked potatoes a little intimidating, too, but I’ve had better luck with them in the microwave.
Spinach is actually one of the easier vegetables to cook (at least for me).

Happy cooking and good luck on your spinach adventure!

P.S. You might want to try a baked onion in the oven. No foil or holes are needed (keep the skins on). You just put the onion in a pan and bake it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These spinach virgins are hard to believe!

I've also never had avocado.

Go to a restaurant and order something with avocado on it. Choosing one and peeling it at home is trickier than eating spinach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These spinach virgins are hard to believe!

I've also never had avocado.

Go to a restaurant and order something with avocado on it. Choosing one and peeling it at home is trickier than eating spinach.

You can buy frozen avocado chunks. Just thaw the desired quantity and use. If you like things spicy, you can also get premade refrigerated guacamole (look in produce section or near dips/spreads like hummus).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These spinach virgins are hard to believe!

I've also never had avocado.

I had avocado for the first time in late twenties. I was surprised how much I liked it. The flavor is much more neutral than I expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never eaten spinach before, and would like to try it, but don't know how. Please do not say "it's so easy!" because it's not easy for me. I googled and read and researched and there's no information on the basic level I need. I always see videos of people taking a handful out of a bag and dumping it into a frying pan with eggs. Are they nuts, or it's okay not to wash it first? Do I tear/cut it up into small pieces? I vaguely recall people talking about massaging it - is that a real thing?

I want to try it with eggs, and also a shrimp and pasta stir fry thing I make. Do I put the spinach in the pan before or after the shrimp? (If it matters, I buy pre-cooked shrimp so really am just warming and seasoning it in the pan.) I'd also like to put it in baked pasta dishes, like stuffed shells - do I cook it in a frying pan first or just toss it in the shell with the cheese and then it cooks in the oven?

Be careful with the canned version. If you squeeze that into.your mouth, you may find yourself mindlessly beating a bunch of people up while this crazy music plays.

This calls for a dose of the dearly departed Robin Williams:

[Anonymous]

I mix it with salads, do spinach feta pies, I chop it and put it on egg salad sandwiches, and I do a spinach/cream sauce with garlic for tagliatelle that's very good.

[Anonymous]

I've been adding frozen spinach to some dishes lately. I think frozen is as nutritious as fresh but I'm interested in opinions on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been adding frozen spinach to some dishes lately. I think frozen is as nutritious as fresh but I'm interested in opinions on this.

I find chopped frozen very convenient to keep in the freezer and use in small quantities like with scrambled eggs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been adding frozen spinach to some dishes lately. I think frozen is as nutritious as fresh but I'm interested in opinions on this.

I find chopped frozen very convenient to keep in the freezer and use in small quantities like with scrambled eggs.

+1

I’ve mostly switched to frozen. I add it to all kinds of things (including scrambled eggs - I heat the spinach and then pour in eggs.)

From what I understand, frozen vegetables tend to be more nutritious than fresh. The nutrients in fresh can degrade over the time it takes to ship to the store, wait in the store for purchase, and wait in your fridge for consumption. On the other hand, frozen are sent directly to processing plants and once frozen, the nutrient content remains stable.

[Anonymous]

I'm an idiot, too. With both cooked spinach and avacados! I hate guacamole. I've put some chunks of frozen avocados in my smoothies; but find it icky if a little chunk didn't get fully blended. It also makes the smoothie "creamier" in a slightly greasy way; but at least it's tolerable this way to me.

Back to spinach, I'm skeptical of cooked spinach unless it's in an egg muffin or quiche type of thing; but glad for your post because I do want to try sauteed greens. Anyway, I started eating spinach by eating it raw: spinach salad, mixed in with other lettuces in a salad, and eventually adding it to sandwiches with lettuce.

Cooked spinach tastes very different to me than raw spinach. Be sure to try it different ways.

[Anonymous]

This is a great recipe for spinach newbies: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/garlic-sauteed-spinach-recipe-1944598

If you use the bagged, prewashed spinach, this can be ready in just a couple of minutes.

[Anonymous]

I eat 1-2 bags a week by myself! I add it to my omelets , sautee it with garlic and add olive oil and lemon for a dinner side, boil it and then add soy sauce, chili oil, and garlic and eat that cold, banchan style. Add it to any pasta or soup to wilt in at the end, sub it for half the lettuce of a salad, add it to your wraps or sandwiches . It’s such a versatile green.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I appreciate everyone chiming in with ideas and trying to help, but this seems to have gone off the rails completely. I had very specific questions and I couldn't get answers to those. I am not sure why people were telling me to bake onions and curry and soups and such, and make completely different dishes than the ones I mentioned. I'm not looking to make new recipes, but to add spinach to things I already know how to cook. If I could get the following questions answered about spinach I would greatly appreciate it.

Is it okay not to wash spinach first?
Do I tear/cut it up into small pieces or just take it straight out of the bag and use it at the size it comes in?
I vaguely recall people talking about massaging it - is that a real thing?

I want to try it with eggs, and also a shrimp and pasta stir fry thing I make. Do I put the spinach in the pan before or after the shrimp? (If it matters, I buy pre-cooked shrimp so really am just warming and seasoning it in the pan.) *I think one person said it cooks quickly and to put the spinach in at the end but I got overwhelmed at all the information that was beyond what I'd asked and my brain shut down, so please correct me if I misunderstood that.

I'd also like to put it in baked pasta dishes, like stuffed shells - do I cook it in a frying pan first or just toss it in the shell with the cheese and then it cooks in the oven?