Spinach has been popular in cooking for hundreds of years and can be traced back to the 16th Century and most likely originated from India.

Why is Spinach so popular?

1. It's a good source of: iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium.

Eating spinach is essential to maintaining good bone health since it is high in vitamin K. As we age, our bones become brittle, it's just part of the natural aging process. You can slow down this process by incorporating foods that are high in vitamin k, vitamin D and calcium into your daily diet.

2. Spinach is readily available out in the market place and it's easily grown at home.

Spinach can be found: canned, frozen or fresh and in a variety of package sizes.

Now that we know that spinach is good for us, what can you make with spinach?

Here are a few of my favorite spinach recipes.

Party Dip

1 packet Ranch salad dressing mix
1 (10 ounce) bag frozen spinach
1 c. mayonnaise
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. chopped green onions

Let spinach thaw. Remove cream cheese from refrigerator and let it set at room temperature for 20 minutes to soften. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well blended. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. You can serve this dip with crackers, raw vegetables, chips or party breads.

Healthy Fresh Salad

1 lb. fresh spinach
1 sm. red onion, sliced into rings
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Remove stems from spinach, wash leaves and pat dry. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces. Combine fresh spinach with sliced onions, eggs and crumbled bacon. Top with the following dressing.

Dressing:

1 sm. onion, chopped
1 c. olive oil
1/3 c. white vinegar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Mix until well blended. Use this dressing on top of your spinach salad.

Creamy Soup

1 (10 ounce) bag frozen spinach
1 c. milk (I use 2% milk)
1 can cream of chicken soup
optional: shredded cheddar cheese

Thaw out your frozen spinach by letting it sit in a colander so that the liquid drains. In a large saucepan combine your milk, cream of chicken soup and your drained frozen spinach. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring often and then serve. Do not use high heat or you will scorch the milk. If you like cheese, you can sprinkle a little cheese on top.