8 Simple Ways With Spinach

Here is a few simple ways with spinach - frozen or fresh! They are really easy and some of the ideas you can really cheat and people will think you've slaved the day in front of the stove.

Cheesy Vegetable Bake:

Preheat oven to 180C. Slice potatoes, butternut, mushrooms, a red onion, and spinach. Make a quick cheese sauce or cheat and use a ready made one. However homemade cheese sauce is so much better. Season with salt and pepper add some freshly chopped thyme. Spoon in a ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake for 30-45min until nice and golden brown.

Spinach and Bacon Baked Pasta:

Fry chopped onion with bacon. Add a spoon of crushed garlic. Add in a cheese sauce, cooked pasta, defrosted spinached and chopped parsley. Spoon into an ovenproof dish and bake until golden and cooked through.

Roasted Butternut with Pesto Creamed Spinach:

Slice a butternut in half and simmer in stock until half cooked. Drain and discard excess liquid from frozen spinached and mix in a spoonful of basil pesto or even better coriander pesto with a dash of cream. Spoon mixture into the hollw, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and freshly milled black pepper. Roast until soft and tender.

Spicy Spinachos:

Fry some chopped up onions, crushed garlic, and a chilli. Add mince and saute until the lumps in the mince break up. Season with salt, pepper, and a bit of cumin. Stir in a can of chopped tomatoes, a dash of vinegar. Simmer until cook through until the sauce is thickened. Add some spinach, a can of corn, and red kidney bean. Serve with nachos, guacamole, sour cream or yoghurt and grated cheese. (Watch this space for my famous chilli con carne recipe)

Spanakopita:

Preheat oven to 180C. Saute chopped onion and crushed garlic in a pan. Add the chopped spinached. Mix in a whisked egg, crumbled feta, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Line a greased ovenproof dish with a couple of sheets of phyllo pastry. Fill with spinach mixture and top off with more phyllo. Brush with butter and bake in the oven until golden brown.

Spinach, Bilton and Parmesan Muffins:

Buy a packet of ready mix savoury muffins. Drain and discard excess liquid form the frozen spinach. Mix through batter with a couple of spoonfuls of biltong powder and grated parmesan. Spoon into muffin trays and bake according to instructions.

Spinach, Baby Marrow and Potato Rosti:

Defrost spinach, remove excess water. Mix spinach grated potatoes and baby marrow together with a couple of spoonfuls of flour. Season and mix. Fry in a hot pan with butter until cooked through and golden brown.

Smoked Salmon Kedegree:

Boil a couple of eggs until cooked. Fry some onions, the spinach and a spoonful of curry powder, a dash of lemon juice and zest. Stir in cooked rice (of your choice) chopped eggs and flaked smoked salmon.