Spinach is one of those fabulous dark green leafy veggies that is full of great nutrients. It’s an easy vegetable to cook and easy to grow too. I have a long history with this plant, I wrote my personal spinach story in Speaking Fondly of Spinach a few weeks ago.
KIDS LOVE IT! I know this first hand thanks to my own kids and many kids that I’ve grown and cooked spinach with over the years. Your kids will love spinach too. Try these ideas for spinach success.
1. Add some cous cous, the jumbo Israeli cous cous is always a big hit with kids. Over at the FeedMeFresh Gardening Blog, you’ll find this great recipe for Spinach with Cous Cous. Kids of all ages love this recipe.
2. Make a yummy spinach salad. With hardboiled eggs, some pieces of bacon, carrots, croutons and a great dressing like this one: 
Mustard Balsamic Dressing
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Whisk together, adjust to taste.
3. Add spinach to a sandwich. Its not as crunchy as romaine or other lettuces, it has a slightly higher nutrient profile than paler leafy greens.
4. Add it to a recipe. Spinach cooks up in nothing flat. You can add it at the last minute to a soup. Or try my famous recipe for Chicken Pot Pie
5. Grow your own. Spinach is easy to grow in spring or fall. You’ll go from seed to harvest in just 3-4 weeks. It doesn’t need a super sunny spot.
This spinach was started just 3 weeks ago in a shady garden bed at the Mount Kisco Child Care Center.
When harvesting, if you cut about an inch above the base of the plant, the plant will send out a new flush of leaves and you’ll get a second crop!
Spinach can tolerate very cool temps and can even survive a winter buried under snow. Here’s a shot of some spinach I grew a few years ago.
Get your kids growing eating and loving spinach. You’ll be glad you did!
