Did you know that each year on March 26 foodies celebrate National Spinach Day? Now, your kids may not want to break out the balloons and streamers for this one, but you can use it as a chance to try to get your kids to embrace this nutrition-packed veggie. Plus, each of these kid-friendly recipes is quick and easy to make. If your kids like flour tortillas, go for the spinach quesadillas. For quick, light meals make egg muffins with sausage, spinach and cheese – or the spinach pasta toss. For something special, turn on the oven and make a big dish of the baked spinach and ricotta stuffed shells. All these recipes prove there’s more to do with spinach than just putting it in a salad, although the spinach and strawberry salad is excellent.
Spinach Quesadillas
Stir together chopped spinach in with green onions, tomato, lemon juice, cumin, and garlic powder as the base for these spinach quesadillas from Taste of Home. Layer the mixture with cheese to tuck between two flour tortillas and heat on a skillet until crisp. Divide into six pieces using a pizza cutter.
Egg Muffins with Sausage, Spinach and Cheese
These light and airy egg muffins with sausage, spinach and cheese from Two Peas & Their Pod are sure to be kid pleasers! They’re easy to whip up for a quick dinner. Let your kids pick their favorite veggies to mix in like peas or chopped up broccoli.
Baked Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta
Spinach melds into cheese, especially ricotta. Cook the pasta shells and then fill with a mixture of ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, mozzarella cheese and chopped fresh basil. Arrange in the baking dish and top with marinara. That’s it to make this baked spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta from Whole Foods.
Creamy Spinach Dip
Kids are dippers. Tap into their mad dipping skills by making this creamy spinach dip from Eating Well. Baby spinach is mixed with shallots, water chestnuts, cream cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, plain yogurt and lemon juice. Offer your kiddos pita chips with the spinach dip.
Spinach Pasta Toss
25 minutes. That’s all the time it takes to make this spinach pasta toss from Kraft. In a large bowl, mix together one can of Italian-style diced tomatoes with multigrain penne pasta, baby spinach leaves and plenty of Italian blended cheeses. Grab some bowls, fill and dinner is done!
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Fruit adds a sweet, bright flavor to spinach. This spinach and strawberry salad from Southern Living also includes crumbles of blue cheese, toasted almonds and red onion. To make this a meal, add grilled chicken on top.
