Recipe - Strawberry Banana Yogurt Pops

Beat the heat this summer with this tasty frozen treat the kids will love! Sweet bananas and strawberries mixed with yogurt offers a healthy alternative to ice cream and sugary ice pops - it'll keep them from getting hungry but without hyping them up on sugar.

These are great to take in the cooler for short trips or picnics as well. Just pack ice around them to keep them frozen until ready to eat.

 (Photo credit: Growing a Green Family)

Banana Strawberry Yogurt Pops
(Yields 6 pops.)

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
1 banana
1 cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup milk (whole milk has more nutrients, is easier to digest, and will keep them full longer)
1 tbsp honey

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into the popsicle molds and freeze until firm.

Recipe: Fresh Garden Corn Souffle

If you've got a lot of corn from your garden this summer, here's a new and tasty way to use some of it up. The sweetness of fresh corn gets a flavorful kick with peppers and onions, and the smooth richness of milk and eggs gives it a luxurious edge perfect for a summer dinner party. Check this one out, and it may become one of your new summer favorites!

Garden Corn Souffle
(Serves 4-6 as a side dish.)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

2 cups corn, fresh cut from cob
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cups milk, scalded
1 small red, yellow or green bell pepper, finely diced
2 Tbsp grated sweet onion
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Set a larger baking dish out (that the casserole will fit in).  You will be baking the casserole in a water bath in the larger dish.
• With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cob (stand corn cob on its tip, holding by large stem end, and run knife blade from top to bottom, removing kernels. If you want to cut the tip off so that it stands flat, this may make the task easier.)
• In a cold mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy, then whisk in milk and melted butter until blended.
• Put corn, bell pepper, onion, salt, and black pepper in bowl with egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour the mixture into the casserole and set it in the larger baking dish and set in oven, then fill a pitcher with hot water from faucet and pour carefully into larger baking dish so casserole is sitting in a water bath inside the oven.  Slide all the way into the preheated oven and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes.
• Test to see if done by inserting a thin knife blade into center; it should come out clean if the eggs are set.
• Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Corn: The Summer Veggie We All Love

I'm a huge vegetable lover, but few can compete with corn in my affections - it's really one of my favorites and I can't ever have too much of it! I am always so excited for corn season to start - and as it started early this year, I've already been enjoying it for several weeks now. No other vegetable brings up the memory of summer and warm weather fun like corn. An ear of corn buttered and seasoned to your liking is just the right thing to get you in the mood for a picnic. But, there is more to corn than that summer favorite. Let's take a closer look at some of corn's better qualities and characteristics.

(Photo credit: IITA Image Library)

Corn is the well-recognized product of stalks growing tall in vast fields that reach the horizon.  The layers of broad leaves are the germinating environment for the ears themselves, and as the corn grows inside this cocoon, male and female flowers mature and release pollen as the entire plant matures.

In the United States, corn is the leading field crop by a two-to-one margin.  We know what corn on the cob looks like. But, this summer picnic staple has a bigger audience than that. Corn is used to produce everything from fuel alcohol for a cleaner burning gasoline, to butters, cereals, soft drinks, and snack foods. It is also grown as feed for livestock.

History

Corn or “maize” has been grown since prehistoric times by some of the earliest civilizations in our world's history. Mayan and Olmec cultures were among the first to cultivate corn in the southern part of Mexico, and the crop began to spread through the Americas by the year 1700 B.C. 

When Europeans began to travel to and settle in the Americas, they traded corn with their mother country, and corn began to be a well-known staple of diets around the world. Today, corn is produced on every continent in the world except Antarctica.

Health Benefits
Although there something to be said for limiting your consumption of corn sugars, corn itself does have a healthy side too. Corn's most significant contributions for our health is as a source of vitamins B1, B5, and C, as well as folate, manganese, phosphorus, and dietary fiber. Folate helps reduce the risk of birth defects, heart attack and colon cancer. The B vitamins support memory function which can reduce the onset of Alzheimer's Disease.

A diet rich in whole grains, such as the grain processed from dried corn, (cornmeal for instance) is also generally known to contain phytonutrients that may help ward off disease to our organs and vital tissues. Research has also shown that eating fresh sweet corn can support the growth of friendly bacteria in the large intestine which can help lower the risk of colon cancer.  Eating corn has been long believed to add much needed fiber to our diet.  That fiber can come from eating sweet corn or cornmeal.

Genetic diversity of corn. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fun Facts

You can get creative with corn.  Of course, dried cornstalks are often bundled and used to decorate homes and businesses during the fall.  Also, a corncob can be treated and hollowed out to make pipes for smoking.

Scientifically speaking, the name for corn is “zea mays” which leads us to the word “maize,” the traditional name by which the Native Americans called this crop.  However, many cultures throughout the world have cultivated corn and called it by a variation of the word.  The colors of corn may surprise you. We normally see sweet corn on the table in shades of yellow, but corn is grown in a variety of colors which include red, purple, blue, and even pink.  Some of this corn is strictly ornamental, but some is edible, too.

How to Eat

Choosing a fresh ear of corn means choosing ears that have green husks that are not dried out. You can check the freshness of individual kernels by pressing on them with a fingernail. The freshest corn will emit a milky, white fluid that indicates the corn is at its peak of sweetness and flavor. The husks protect the corn and keep it fresh, so they should only be removed when you're ready to eat the ears you've purchased.  I know many stores husk the corn, trim it, and wrap it in plastic. Try to avoid this unless it's your only option - instead look for corn that is still in the husk for optimum freshness and sweetness.

Fresh sweet corn in husk. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The most common variety of corn is either yellow sweet corn or the white and yellow combination colored sweet corn.  But you may find a variety of colors in your region, including black, blue, and violet. These darker varieties generally contain more antioxidants and protein levels and less starch than lighter color specimens.  If you can't find fresh ears of dark colored corn, check out the blue corn chips which are common in many markets nowadays. These are increasingly popular and make a beautiful, and nutritious, snack.

Frozen whole kernel sweet corn is your next best choice after corn on the cob.  The corn is picked ripe, then quickly removed from the cob, blanched and flash frozen.  The quality may often surpass fresh corn toward the end of the season.  

There are a number of delicious cold salads you can make with corn. You'll also find corn adds a wonderful filling taste and texture to many soups, chili, and casseroles. And don't forget the corn products, like cornmeal, cornflour, and other dried corn ingredients we can cook with.

If you are a grilling fanatic, you'll surely want to add corn to your menu.  Just remove the silk, keep the husks wrapped tightly and soak in cold water.  Remove and place on low grill on indirect heat until you can smell the sweet corn aroma.  Remove and baste with seasoned butter for even more savory goodness.

Be sure to check back later this week for more tasty ideas for preparing fresh corn this summer!

Recipe: California Style Gazpacho

The quintessential summer soup, gazpacho has gained popularity in many gourmet restaurants across the country. But you don't have to fork up the big bucks to enjoy this cool summer treat. Check out the recipe below and learn how to make your own fresh, flavorful, and veggie-packed gazpacho right at home from fresh healthy ingredients from your own garden - or a local farm stand.

California Style Gazpacho

Ingredients:

Gazpacho. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 cups tomato juice, chilled
1/2 of a whole chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, including 1/2 tsp of the sauce
2 cups fresh, ripe, diced tomatoes
1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
1 small sweet onion, diced fine
2 small cucumbers, scrubbed and diced fine
2 green onions, chopped fine
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic flakes, chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce (more or less to taste)
4 to 6 ripe avocados
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Sour cream or Greek yogurt to garnish

Directions:

1. Put the tomato juice, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce in your food processor and process on puree until smooth.
2. Add diced tomato and pulse until chopped slightly and combined well; pour into a large bowl.
3. Add to the bowl the remaining ingredients - except avocado and cilantro - cover with a glass plate or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, peel the avocado and dice small.
5. Stir the avocado pieces and cilantro into the cold soup and serve immediately.
6. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.

Recipe: 21st Century Green Bean Casserole

Always a favorite for potlucks, this year-round classic gets a modern-day update with fresh green beans, home-made onion rings, and almond milk. Low in carbs and heavy fats, this dish is full of vegetables, protein, and flavor. Try it out at your next potluck or office party - they won't even know how healthy it is!

21st Century Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

Green bean casserole (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

16 oz. fresh green beans, washed and cut into 2" pieces
1 large onion
drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup almond meal
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp cooking oil (or butter, or mix of both)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp almond meal or flour
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk plus 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Start by making your own oven-fried onions. Cut the onion into thin rings and put in bowl, drizzle olive oil over and toss to separate the onions and to coat with the oil.
• Add 1/4 cup almond meal (or a bit more if desired) to onions and toss to coat, then dump onto a baking sheet, spreading out to a single layer.  Put in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring around once or twice; remove when they are golden brown. Set aside.

• Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
• Put the mushrooms in a large skillet with the oil or butter over medium heat and cook until soft and starting to brown, then add the salt, pepper, and thyme, stir to combine.
• Sprinkle in the almond meal or flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. 
• Continue stirring and slowly pour in the milk, then the cream, and simmer gently for another 2 to 3 minutes until mixture thickens. (Cook until sauce reaches the thickness you like.)
• Put beans in casserole dish, pour in creamy mushroom mix, 1/2 of the oven-fried onions, stir together.
• Cover casserole and put in 350 degree oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until mixture is hot and bubbly.
• Uncover casserole dish, spread the remaining oven-fried onions on top and cook, uncovered, another 5 to 10 or until the top and edges start to get brown.

    

Why Low Carb Is Better Than No Carb

In today’s world, people will try all kinds of diet fads in an effort to lose weight. Everyone has a different opinion about what works, and truth be told, depending on your body type and metabolism, different things can work differently for different people. However, it troubles me when I see people going to extremes - in either direction - which just aren't healthy. That's why, while I do advocate lower-carb diets - our society as a whole eats WAY too many highly processed, high-carb foods - I would also steer clear of a diet where carbohydrates are cut out in their entirety. A healthy eating plan should include fats, carbohydrates, and protein. To follow a diet without any of these essentials would be to endanger your health.

America's carbohydrate addiction (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Carbohydrates are the most plentiful of all nutrients. Carbohydrates (or "carbs" for short) can be found in most foods that we eat. Carbohydrates are made of simple and complex sugars that are metabolized by the body for energy OR stored as fat when no more energy is needed. (Yes, many people for some reason cling to the outdated idea that FAT is stored in the body as fat, when in fact, CARBS are much more likely to be making you fat.) Examples of simple carbohydrates include sugar, white flour, and many processed foods such as pastas, breads, and other grains. Complex carbohydrates are include vegetables, whole grains including all their natural fiber, and some fruits. Eating less of the simple and more of the complex types may be a good way for some people to lose weight.

Diets that advocate no carbohydrates force the body to obtain all of its energy from protein and fats. When protein from food is no longer available to meet the body’s energy needs, the body begins siphoning it from the muscle tissue of the body. In essence, the body begins eating itself for fuel. No one wants that! The body needs glucose (sugar) to function. Interestingly enough, the glucose needed by the brain must come from carbohydrates and not protein sources.

Now, carbohydrates have been classified by their glycemic index (GI) number. This method of rating carbohydrates helps people make wiser choices about what they include in their diets. Foods with high GI’s (greater than fifty) cause the body to store fat (simple carbs). Foods with a low GI number (less than fifty); cause the body to burn fat (complex carbs).

Several foods containing complex carbohydrates. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On a diet that features low GI carbohydrates, the insulin level in the body is maintained at a steady level. These carbohydrates are processed at a slower rate by the body. The other hormone, glucagon, can work to burn the sugars for energy in the cells. You don’t feel hungry all the time when the insulin hormone level in the body has no major fluctuations. When you expend energy during physical activity, the body starts releasing fat stores to use for energy metabolism. Low carbohydrate diets provide the body with energy without going into crisis mode.

Eat the right carbohydrates. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits. Whole grain or seven grain breads and pastas are preferred to those made with white flour. Beans and nuts are good for a low carbohydrate diet. If you must have potatoes, try sweet potatoes. The GI number is lower and they are great with a dab of real  butter - the fat in the butter actually helps your body process the vitamins and nutrients in the sweet potatoes.

Don’t try to cut out all of your carbohydrates. Reducing them can be a great help for many people trying to lose weight - and can offer other health benefits if you lower your consumption of processed foods, but choosing the right types is more important than how much you consume.

Keep an eye on this blog, as we do share low-carb recipes here fairly frequently - and we'll have a couple for you later this week!

Recipe - Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

This is a great summer stuffed tomato recipe that is also popular with the low-carb crowd due to the lack of added bread crumbs, rice, or packaged stuffing mix. 

Tomatoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plum tomatoes are the ideal choice for this recipe due to the fact they are less watery than other tomatoes which makes the pulp you scoop out firmer. The tomato itself has a more concentrated flavor than many varieties.  That's why sauces are often made from plum tomatoes. You can, if you choose however, make this recipe with regular slicing tomatoes as well.

In some areas tomatoes might not be ready yet, but I couldn't wait to share this one, after the homemade mozzarella recipe from Monday - it's just too tasty!  So if you don't have ripe tomatoes yet, you may want to bookmark this one for later....

Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
(Makes 4 servings.)

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn small
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out onto a work surface, setting the tomato shells on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Chop up the insides that you scooped out and put in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together until well blended.
5. Spoon this mixture into the tomato shells on the baking sheet.  Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
6. Put in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
7. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Recipe - Simply Elegant Cheesy Broccoli Quiche

Here's a tasty summer recipe - you can use fresh broccoli from your garden, and of course if you can find eggs from pastured hens these are the most nutritious and healthy.  If you checked out Monday's video on making your own mozzarella, it goes great in this simple and tasty dish. Quiches are great because they are pretty simple to make, but they are absolutely delicious, and you can pack them full of healthy veggies. Feel free to add or substitute vegetables in this one. Some other tasty additions could include spinach, asparagus, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and more. (Cook these in step 2 as directed below.)

Simply Elegant Cheesy Broccoli Quiche

Quiche. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust, 9 inch
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 small sweet onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, grated
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Gruyere cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; put unbaked pie crust into 9 inch pie pan and set aside.
2. In large saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter, add broccoli and onion, stirring occasionally and cooking until just starting to get tender. 
3. Add garlic and, stirring, cook 1 minute longer.
4. Turn the broccoli mixture into the crust, then top with both cheeses.
5. In separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and melted butter; pour evenly into pie pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges and center of pie feels slightly firm. (A clean butter knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean.)
7. Remove and cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm.

Video - How to Make Mozzarella Cheese

As a funny note on the synchronicity of life, I happened upon this video by accident this afternoon, after just this morning talking with a friend about making mozzarella!  (As we say at New Holistic Living - everything is connected....)  I got a book on cheesemaking last summer, but honestly haven't done much with it so far. Making your own cheese can be challenging, and, for some kinds, requires equipment and space I just don't have right now. I make a lot of yogurt, which I use mostly in my morning breakfast smoothies, but otherwise the only things I've made from the book are a Greek soft cheese, which was just okay, and ricotta, which was amazing, and I've made that one a couple of times since then as well.

I hadn't thought to try mozzarella - I thought it sounded complicated when I had looked at the recipe previously, but my friend this morning mentioned it was supposed to be an easy cheese to make, and judging from this video, it's really pretty simple. I actually have all of the ingredients already, so I will try this one soon for sure. Summer is a great time to make mozzarella, with all the fresh tomatoes and basil soon coming on.... Yum!  (If you need a few recipes for your fresh mozzarella, be sure to check back later this week for some tasty suggestions.)

Check out the video, and see how easy it can be to make your own fresh mozzarella from scratch. And see below the video for some other helpful resources on cheese-making, including the kit shown in the video.

 

Home Cheese-Making Resources:
   

Recipe - Quick Spinach Basil Stir-Fry With Pine Nuts

If you're looking for a quick and healthy recipe with gourmet appeal, check this one out and you won't be disappointed. It only takes a few minutes, but is packed with nutrients and fresh flavor. This easy recipe makes a great side-dish for a fancy dinner, or just adds a missing veggie to round out a quick meal.

Quick Spinach Basil Stir-Fry With Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

3 tsp high heat cooking oil, like safflower oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bags (12 oz total) fresh spinach
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash red pepper flakes
2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn
optional: fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. In a very large skillet, add cooking oil over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and cook, shaking skillet gently, until just starting to brown a little, about 2 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 1 more minute.
3. Turn heat up to medium and add spinach, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
4. Toss spinach around in skillet for about 3 minutes or until it just starts to wilt.
5. Add fresh basil leaves, tossing to combine, and continue cooking for 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
7. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top of each serving if desired.

Recipe - Tarragon Dressed Baby Spinach Salad

If you're looking for a tasty spinach recipe to use up some of that fresh spinach that's currently taking over your garden, here's a good one to add to your repertoire. A twist on the classic "Spinach & Bacon Salad," this one offers the aromatic sweetness of tarragon, combined with the tang of lemon juice and mustard. This one will also get rave reviews at your next potluck!

Tarragon Dressed Baby Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

8 to 10 cups fresh baby spinach
8 strips bacon, diced and fried crisp, drained
2 eggs, hard cooked, and chopped
4 green onions, chopped, including the tops
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp stone ground mustard
1 Tbsp tarragon vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 tsp honey
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Put spinach in salad bowl, top with bacon, egg crumbles, and green onions.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients until smooth.
3. Pour over salad and serve immediately.
4. Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Starring: Spinach - A Super Food That Steals The Show

You only have to take a look at Popeye to see why spinach is considered a super food. Sure, spinach may not give you the same super powers, but it is packed with enough nutrients to give your diet a healthy boost. Spinach is part of the chenopod super-food family, along with beets, chard, and quinoa.  Add spinach to your healthy diet and you are keeping some good company. Let's take a look at why spinach has gained super food status.

Making The Case For Spinach

Fresh Spinach (Photo credit: artizone)

Years ago, spinach was not considered a very kid-friendly green. Typically, either canned or frozen spinach was served. This processed spinach could have a bitter taste or an unpleasant texture, and no matter how parents tried to disguise it, there was no getting around the fact that it wasn't tasty.

However, with the increased availability of fresh spinach, the popularity has increased considerably in recent years.  Cooking fresh spinach properly, or serving it raw in salads, maintains the texture and flavor of the spinach making it much more palatable and, yes, tasty. These improved methods of serving spinach have made spinach a 'new' favorite super food.

Where Did Popeye Get the Power

The image of Popeye becoming super strong after eating a can of spinach is only a hint of what sorts of benefits spinach provides. The list of health benefits is very long, including off-the-chart amounts of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, riboflavin, calcium potassium, and vitamin B6. For a complete meal, all you would need to add is an omega-rich protein. That's what makes spinach a super food!

So what do all these nutrients do for you?  Vitamins A helps prevent cholesterol from oxidizing inside our bodies. Spinach contains good levels of antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc, and selenium. These antioxidants help lower the risk of several blood vessel related problems, such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Antioxidants are also your first defense against the free-radicals roaming around your body trying to damage your healthy cells.

If you eat one cup of fresh spinach leaves, your body is provided with almost 200% of the daily recommended value of vitamin K. This is a remarkable amount of vitamin K which will ensure you are receiving the ultimate nutrition for your bone health.

Spinach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Magnesium is a nutrient that our body just loves, considering it is the fourth most abundant mineral in our body. Magnesium protects against heart disease and helps lower blood pressure. Another important mineral found in spinach is potassium, which maintains proper pH levels in our body fluids and regulates the kidneys, heart, and adrenal glands.

The nutrients in spinach have been shown to do everything from fighting cancer to lowering the risk of diabetes. Because spinach helps build strong bones, we know it helps minimize the incidence of osteoporosis. Even skin conditions ranging from acne to psoriasis to cancer can benefit from adding a healthy dose of spinach to your diet. There is also evidence that spinach can reduce the incidence of migraines, cataracts, and memory loss.

When cooked, spinach provides the most benefit from its lutein and beta-carotene values. Cooking the spinach also neutralizes oxalic acid, which inhibits iron and calcium absorption and may add to the risk of developing kidney stones. If you are not at risk for kidney stones, raw spinach may be your preferred method for enjoying, but consider the health benefits of eating cooked fresh spinach, as well.

Choose Wisely

Popeye's canned spinach may have introduced us to the super food qualities of spinach, but the taste just couldn't sell it.  I believe that if canned spinach was our only option, spinach would not be making the super food splash it is today. However, frozen spinach is often a tasty alternative.

If you choose fresh spinach, you will receive the same super nutrition in both regular size spinach or  baby spinach. Be sure to choose spinach that is a rich, dark green, and not yellow in color.  If the spinach in the produce section looks slimy, avoid it. That is a sign of spoilage. Store your spinach without washing it first as moisture will cause the spinach leaves to decay quickly. You only have about a 4 or 5 day shelf life, so buy as close to serving as possible. When ready to serve, wash leaves and dry thoroughly. For the freshest spinach, shop at a farmer's market, or grow your own! Spinach is very easy to grow, and thrives in cool weather like spring and fall.

Endless Eating Choices

Begin your search for spinach dishes by going back in time to find classic menu fare. Let's start with the always popular Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing.  This is traditionally made with cold spinach on a plate topped with a hot sweet-sour dressing, red onions, crispy bacon, and slices of hard boiled egg. 

Salad of spinach, plum tomatoes, goat cheese and walnut oil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of course, another traditional dish that you'll find on any good steakhouse menu is Creamed Spinach.  This classic is made simply but elegantly by cooking the spinach until tender, then adding a few other ingredients which include garlic, heavy cream, a pinch of nutmeg, and sometimes a little Parmesan cheese.

Those two classic restaurant dishes are wonderful enough, but that's just the beginning.  Spinach goes well in a number of recipes including hot and cold pasta dishes, casseroles, and obviously a number of different salads. Spinach can form the basis for a dish, like spinach lasagna, spinach quiche, spinach soup, spinach salad, etc., or it can be a part of a dish like a ham and cheese filled omelet with spinach, pizza with spinach, fish and spinach wrap, shrimp stir fry with tangy spinach, or any number of recipes where spinach adds a nice element. (Check back here later this week for some tasty spinach recipes.)

All the leafy greens like kale, collards, Swiss chard, and spinach deserve our attention.  With spinach, we have the image of Popeye to help convince us that this is one super food we do not want to pass up. If you still haven't gotten past the spinach of your childhood memory, now is the time.  Fortify your nerve with a pile of great recipes, then go ahead and eat your spinach!

Recipe - Grilled Pineapple Banana Kabobs with Lemon Glaze

If you're looking to dress up a holiday picnic, or just add something a little special to a family dinner around the grill, here's a new one to try. Desserts from the grill can include more than just S'Mores. This one combines the sweetness of bananas and summery pineapple with the tangy zest of lemon for a tropical grilled treat!

Grilled Pineapple Banana Kabobs with Sweet Lemon Glaze

bananas (Photo credit: Fernando Stankuns)

Ingredients:

8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
4 ripe bananas, unpeeled, ends cut off, cut into 2-inch chunks, with 1 lengthwise slice in each peel
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
1/2 lemon zested and juiced

Directions:

1. Put the fruit on the skewers, alternating between the banana and pineapple chunks, and set aside.
2. Put the sugar in a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan and place over medium-high heat; cook stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar turns into liquid, about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue stirring and add the lemon zest and juice. Set aside.
3. Set your grill to medium-high heat.
4. Brush the skewered banana and pineapple with the glaze and put skewers on grill.
5. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, roll and cook 2 to 3 minutes, repeating until fruit is lightly browned on all sides.
6. Remove from grill and when cooled enough to handle, remove banana peels, then brush again with remaining glaze and serve.

More Great Grilling Recipes: