Absolutely Delicious Spinach

Spinach is a funny vegetable. Kids and adults can claim to love it or loathe it, but for me, almost anyone will love it if it’s prepared in a tasty way.

When my son’s girlfriend, Sabrina, a self-proclaimed disliker of the green stuff, ordered and then devoured yummy, warm and cheesy spinach appetizer at a local restaurant, I put my mind to creating a spinach dish that would be just as tasty, but healthier.

Not every mom is as lucky as I am when it comes to kids and vegetables, especially spinach.
William eats just about anything, but when he was little, I didn’t know if this would hold when it came to something like spinach. So I would prepare what we simply called “green noodles” as my way of adding this healthy vegetable to his diet.

The recipe below blends my “green noodles” idea with the comfort of the creamy, warm and cheesy restaurant dip.  So it’s not just for kids.
It’s super as a side dish but also filling enough to eat on its own.
The bonus is that it serves up the warm comfort feeling of something like Mac & Cheese, but definitely healthier!

Here is how I prepare spinach for even the most finicky guest or visiting child.

Oh! And if you like gooey, creamy, hot spinach dips, you and your guests will devour this comforting and tasty side dish.

PREPARATION

Finely mince, and I do mean mince,  two cups of lovely, tender baby spinach (or one cup per person) until the leaves are teeny tiny. Do not cook. Just set the pile aside on the chopping board.

1. Boil the right amount of tiny pasta until done. I measure out about 1/2 a cup, dry, per person.
   For the pasta here, I used Orzo, but you can also use little stars, or other really small pastas. I do not recommend larger noodles and wouldn’t suggest any thing bigger than an elbow macaroni.
2. Drain pasta and return to the hot pan it was boiled in.
3. Immediately add 3 tablespoons of good butter so it will melt into the pasta.
4. Toss in all the uncooked, minced spinach.
5. Add 1/4 fresh, grated parmesan cheese.
6. Add 1/4 sour cream or creme fraische.
7. Salt & pepper to taste.
8. Stir until the butter, parmesan and sour cream are well combined.
9. Top with fresh, grated parmesan.

TIP: If you eat gluten-free, simply substitute wheat pasta for a Quinoa or Rice pasta.