Fresh Chopped Spinach

"I am strong to the finish....cause I eat my spinach!" 

- Popeye 

Happy Friday everyone! Love how a short week can really fly by! 

Every year I garden but sometimes because of Ryan's lack of enthusiasm for veggies, makes it hard to eat everything up. Sometimes, I'll admit.....things have gone to waste! 

It was last year during the Sunday school picnic that Elizabeth (Hi Lizzy!) suggested to me that I make my own chopped spinach with all the extra spinach I couldn't eat in the garden! 

This year, I vowed to make a more conscious effort in not wasting the beautiful food that I was able to grow at home. 

Spinach is one of the easiest foods to grow from seed! It takes no time at all and you get a lot of spinach from just a few plants! This year, I only had 1 row of about 6 spinach plants! I enjoyed some fresh in my salad's but as the plant got older, I knew I had to harvest it before it was too late. 

I liked to work with a large handful at a time. That way it is properly chopped and then frozen in little balls for ease of use. 

Simply put the spinach in a pot of boiling water. 

Let it boil for 1-2 minutes. The leaves will be a vibrant green color and tender. 

Immediately, remove the spinach and run cold water over it until completely cooled. This stops the cooking process. 

I find that spinach can REALLY hold the moisture so before chopping it up, I dry it with a clean dishtowel. 

That BIG handful of spinach makes a little ball! It really wilts down. 

Chop, chop, chop! I chop it up into very small pieces! Much easier for me to throw into soups or sauces to disguise this way. But to each their own. 

There you have it! Either throw it in the freezer like that or use it right away in your favorite recipe! 

And that is it! A super easy way to take this super food from our garden and use it all year long! I like to have some for soups and to throw in a spaghetti sauce. 

Hope you have a great weekend! 

xo