We’re all familiar with Popeye and his spinach-snacking ways, eating can after can of spinach to help build his muscles – but is spinach as good for us as it is for Popeye and will it help us on our weight loss plans?
Well – yes! It contains loads of nutrients, including protein, fibre, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium and more, but what makes it so good for weight loss is the high fibre content. This fibre means that a weight loss recipe that includes spinach will keep you fuller for longer – plus, spinach is very low in fat and calories making it an excellent ingredient for bulking out meals. Here’s five ways with spinach.
Spinach & Squash Curry
Ingredients:
- 1 onion
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes, most of the juice drained
- 2 tbsp. curry paste of your choice
- 200ml water
- 1 butternut squash
- 200g baby spinach
- Oil spray
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method of Preparation:
- Thinly slice the onion. Peel the butternut squash and remove any seeds, then chop into small dice.
- Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5-8 minutes until softened and slightly browned. Add the curry paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, squash and water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the squash is tender.
- Add the spinach and simmer for another couple of minutes until wilted, then season to taste.
Use whatever veggies you have to hand to plump this curry out a bit. Serve with steamed rice or low fat naan bread. Recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 145.
Thick & Creamy Spinach Soup
Ingredients:
- Oil spray
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 500g baby spinach leaves
- 1 potato
- 450ml chicken stock
- 550ml skim milk
- ½ tsp. grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method of Preparation:
- Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Peel the potato and chop into cubes.
- Put oil spray into a pan and add chopped onion and garlic. Cook gently, so the garlic doesn’t burn, until the onion is soft. Add the potato and cook for a minute or so, then add the stock and simmer for ten minutes.
- Add the milk and half the spinach then cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the potato and spinach are tender. Put into a blender and blitz until smooth, then add the rest of the spinach, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, then blitz once more.
Add more garlic or even a chopped green chilli to this soup for extra flavour. Recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 180.
Spicy Chickpeas with Spinach
Ingredients:
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained
- ½ 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 250g spinach leaves
- 1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 red chilli
- 1 tsp. each ground turmeric and cumin
- 1 tbsp. tomato puree
- Oil spray
- 200ml water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method of Preparation:
- Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic clove. Slice the chilli in half and remove the seeds with the back of your knife, then thinly slice.
- Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft. Add garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for another 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add tomato puree and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, ground turmeric and cumin. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the water and the chickpeas then simmer for another ten minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook for just a minute or two to wilt and then serve.
Feel free to add more veggies to this – baby corn and sugar snap peas would be a good addition. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 159
Spinach, Tomato & Ricotta Frittata
Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 300g cherry tomatoes
- 150g baby spinach leaves
- 50g basil leaves
- 100g low fat ricotta cheese, crumbled
- 1 onion
- Oil spray
- Salt and pepper
Method of Preparation:
- Thinly slice the onion and halve the tomatoes. Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft, then add the tomatoes.
- Cook for a couple of minutes then add the spinach and the basil. Toss together for a minute or so until wilted.
- Spread the veggies in the bottom of a non-stick roasting tin or oven dish. Dot the ricotta over the veg.
- Beat the eggs with salt and pepper then pour over the veggies. Cook in a 200C oven for 20-25 minutes or until set. Leave to cool and then slice into squares.
Add a red pepper to the frittata for extra flavour. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 236.
Italian-inspired Spinach Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin removed
- 100g spinach
- 75g low fat feta cheese, crumbled
- Black pepper
- Oil spray
- 2 tbsp. pine nuts
Method of Preparation:
- Blanch the spinach until tender then drain, pressing out as much water as possible. Mix with the ricotta and black pepper and salt if desired.
- Put the chicken breasts between two layers of cling film. Use a rolling pin to flatten out. Spoon ¼ of the spinach and feta mixture onto one half of the chicken breast then fold back over so the filling is covered with chicken. Secure with cocktail sticks.
- Heat oil spray in a frying pan then fry the chicken on both sides until browned. Put into a baking tray and then into an 180C oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the pine nuts for the last few minutes of cooking just to toast them.
Serve this chicken with a big green salad, homemade butternut squash wedges, or even kale leaves baked in the oven. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 280.
Preview our 28 Day Breastfeeding Friendly Diet & Exercise Plan here which is full of tasty and easy recipes
