“Popeye, help me!” “Here I come, Olive.” And we all know what follows. A can of spinach followed by a muscle bump on Popeye’s arm and out goes Bluto. And the day is saved again! The instantaneous effect of spinach on Popeye may be difficult for us to grasp, but that doesn’t undermine the fact that spinach is an extremely healthy and rich source of various nutrients. Its iron content is phenomenal and the high vitamin content makes it the obvious choice for healthy food. But since when have health food been in demand? Even after knowing all the perils of junk, we still prefer a burger over a spinach soup. As for kids, the idea of health is not a part of their daily subcriptions. So what can you do to make sure that your entire family, kids included, not only consume the powerhouse of nutrients called spinach, but also crave for it? Simple, work your way in the kitchen to prepare the following salad recipes, each of which is healthy, tasty and filling! These will make your family keep asking for more and more of that loaded nutrition.
Warm Spinach Salad Recipes
Wilted Spinach Salad
Ingredients
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1 oz. Fresh Spinach, washed, dried & chilled
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8 slices Bacon, diced
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1 tbsp Brown Sugar
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1/3 cup sliced Green Onions
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3 tbsp Vinegar
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¼ tsp Dry Mustard
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Salt to Taste
Method
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Fry the bacon till crisp.
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Lower the flame and add sugar, onions, salt, vinegar and mustard.
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Bring the mixture to boil.
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Place spinach in a large shallow pan and pour the hot vinegar mixture over it.
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Toss lightly and serve.
Spinach Salad With Roasted Chicken & Warm Dressing
Ingredients
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8 cups Fresh Spinach, torn into bite size
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6 slices Bacon
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1 cup cubed Roasted Chicken
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2 medium Zucchini, cut into julienne strips
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1/3 cup Green Onions, chopped
Dressing
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½ cup Water
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¼ cup Cider Vinegar
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1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
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1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
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1 tsp Dijon Mustard
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½ tsp Celery Seed
Method
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Place spinach in large serving bowl.
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Fry the bacon in a heavy skillet till crisp and then crumble.
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Now cook chicken, zucchini and green onions in a skillet for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, till the onions are crisp tender.
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Now add bacon and chicken mixture to spinach.
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For dressing, bring water and vinegar to boil. Then, stir in remaining ingredients.
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Cook 1 minute stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Next, pour over salad and toss gently.
Warm Wilted Spinach Salad With Nuts & Cheese
Ingredients
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1 tbsp Pine Nuts
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8 cups Baby Spinach, washed and dried
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1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Lemon Juice to taste
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2 tbsp Feta Cheese, crumbled
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2 tbsp Golden Raisins or Cranberries, dried
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2 tbsp minced Red Onions
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1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
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Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
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Heat the pine nuts, stirring occasionally, till they are golden brown.
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Microwave spinach for about a minute or until it is wilted, with a plastic wrap on the tray.
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Mix olive oil, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl. Add cheese, raisins and red onions to this mixture.
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Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Pour this dressing over the wilted spinach and garnish it with the pine nuts.