spinach is dumb

[SparklyUnicorn]

I love spinach, but every time I make something with spinach I have to prep a 10,000 foot mound to have it cook down to an amount I could fit into a ladle.  :cursing:

 

 

[regentrude]

eat it raw?

[SparklyUnicorn]

LOL...yes I sometimes do.

 

I was making quiche. 

 

 

[Guest]

That is an apt description.

[kiana]

Haha I actually like that. It means that I can add a monstrous amount of veggies to a frittata and still have it hold together. 

[Farrar]

If I'm cooking anything spinach heavy, I use frozen for that reason. It's much easier to drain the water out of it. And much more manageable. Fresh goes into things like pasta dishes and soups and so forth that don't need an entire barrel of spinach - where just a few handfuls are enough.

[Matryoshka]

I use frozen spinach for everything but salads. Grab some out of the bag, toss it in. No washing, no chopping, no worrying that it will turn to slime in my crisper drawer if I don't get to it on time. Plus, frozen retains more nutrients, and it's cheaper!

[SparklyUnicorn]

If I'm cooking anything spinach heavy, I use frozen for that reason. It's much easier to drain the water out of it. And much more manageable. Fresh goes into things like pasta dishes and soups and so forth that don't need an entire barrel of spinach - where just a few handfuls are enough.

 

Ah yes.  Then my husband will complain about the stems.  He's got a major aversion to stems.  Of course it doesn't help that his mother pounded into him that it's a mortal sin to leave stems.  I could care less.  I could eat a bowl of stems.  But yep that's why I end up doing it myself.

[Lady Florida.]

I love spinach, but every time I make something with spinach I have to prep a 10,000 foot mound to have it cook down to an amount I could fit into a ladle.  :cursing:

 

Dh and I always joke about this.

[Matryoshka]

Ah yes. Then my husband will complain about the stems. He's got a major aversion to stems. Of course it doesn't help that his mother pounded into him that it's a mortal sin to leave stems. I could care less. I could eat a bowl of stems. But yep that's why I end up doing it myself.

I don't understand? You don't use frozen spinach because stems? I use chopped frozen spinach - if there are stems at all, they've been chopped too small for me to be aware of their existence. ..

[bettyandbob]

Use frozen spinach. Defrost and squeeze out.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't understand? You don't use frozen spinach because stems? I use chopped frozen spinach - if there are stems at all, they've been chopped too small for me to be aware of their existence. ..

 

Nope.  Not the frozen spinach I've bought.  It's had big honking pieces of stem.  Even if not big and honking, if he gets a little piece of stem he gets upset.  Which is weird.  Since he isn't in general like this about stuff I just deal, but it is annoying.

 

He never gets onion so maybe this is payback.  LOL

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh and I also MUST peal asparagus.  Another fun task.  :glare:

 

I admit it is better pealed.  That's something I agree with him on.  But if it was just me I'd probably not do it.

 

 

 

 

[Matryoshka]

Nope. Not the frozen spinach I've bought. It's had big honking pieces of stem. Even if not big and honking, if he gets a little piece of stem he gets upset. Which is weird. Since he isn't in general like this about stuff I just deal, but it is annoying.

 

He never gets onion so maybe this is payback. LOL

Try TJ'S chopped spinach. No stems, at least that I've ever noticed. ..

 

ETA... Wait, does this mean you have to individually chop all the stems off your fresh spinach before chopping it proper? :svengo: I think if my dh were that picky, he'd be chopping himself or doing without...

Edited March 14, 2017 by Matryoshka

[SparklyUnicorn]

Try TJ'S chopped spinach. No stems, at least that I've ever noticed. ..

 

Thanks.  I will look for it.

 

I don't go there often because it's well out of my way, but I was so thrilled to find riced cauliflower because it was quite a bit less expensive than what I usually pay for it!

[Matryoshka]

Thanks. I will look for it.

 

I don't go there often because it's well out of my way, but I was so thrilled to find riced cauliflower because it was quite a bit less expensive than what I usually pay for it!

They used to all be far away and I'd go with a cooler. They finally came closer.

 

They have two kinds of riced cauliflower - both fresh and frozen. You can guess which kind I buy. ;)

[SparklyUnicorn]

They used to all be far away and I'd go with a cooler. They finally came closer.

 

They have two kinds of riced cauliflower - both fresh and frozen. You can guess which kind I buy. ;)

 

I like frozen so I don't have to worry about when I get to it!

[Peach]

I agree Sparkly. I gripe about this all the time :)

 

Love the thread title - made me laugh!

[eternalsummer]

The day I got a complaint about stems on the spinach would be the last day I ever cooked spinach.  Good lord that sounds like a lot of trouble.

[slackermom]

I use baby spinach, so the stems are negligible. I start with the extra large package that takes up a whole shelf in the frig, and after I steam it I end up with enough to fill a small deli container.

[Farrar]

Oh and I also MUST peal asparagus.  Another fun task.  :glare:

 

I admit it is better pealed.  That's something I agree with him on.  But if it was just me I'd probably not do it.

 

What?  :huh: How in the world does one peel asparagus? What are you peeling? I'm so confused.

[mommaduck]

If I'm cooking anything spinach heavy, I use frozen for that reason. It's much easier to drain the water out of it. And much more manageable. Fresh goes into things like pasta dishes and soups and so forth that don't need an entire barrel of spinach - where just a few handfuls are enough.

 

Ditto. I use frozen for spanikopita for that very reason. It would kill my prep time to have to deal with mounds of spinach. 

[mathnerd]

Use Baby Spinach - they have stems that are as tender as the leaves and your husband cannot find the stem in the chopped and cooked baby spinach, I guarantee!

 

If you can only find regular spinach, I suggest that you steam the spinach and puree it and add it to your dishes - that way, no one can object to stems! Life is too short to cut out stems from each spinach leaf ;)

[SparklyUnicorn]

The day I got a complaint about stems on the spinach would be the last day I ever cooked spinach.  Good lord that sounds like a lot of trouble.

 

Yeah....I really don't cook it often.  I'd like to eat it more often, but that's basically why I don't.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Use Baby Spinach - they have stems that are as tender as the leaves and your husband cannot find the stem in the chopped and cooked baby spinach, I guarantee!

 

If you can only find regular spinach, I suggest that you steam the spinach and puree it and add it to your dishes - that way, no one can object to stems! Life is too short to cut out stems from each spinach leaf ;)

 

That's what I use.

[SparklyUnicorn]

What?  :huh: How in the world does one peel asparagus? What are you peeling? I'm so confused.

 

I have a special peeler. 

 

Another one of his mother's mortal sins.  Unpeeled asparagus.

 

Did I ever tell you about my mean MIL? 

 

At least I cured him of the need for ironed clothing. 

[jewellsmommy]

Ah yes.  Then my husband will complain about the stems.  He's got a major aversion to stems.  Of course it doesn't help that his mother pounded into him that it's a mortal sin to leave stems.  I could care less.  I could eat a bowl of stems.  But yep that's why I end up doing it myself.

 

 

My dd must somehow be related to your dh  :lol: . She is so weird about some foods. I will make a beautiful salad full of spinach and other yummies. She will eat it but leaves behind a pile of stems in her bowl (along with anything purple). She digs out all the spinach leaves and pinches off the stems. It's a good thing she doesn't like any dressing or that would get messy. If I chop it for eggs, i try to at least chop off the bigger stems (but no promises).

Edited March 14, 2017 by jewellsmommy

[SparklyUnicorn]

My dd must somehow be related to your dh  :lol: . She is so weird about some foods. I will make a beautiful salad full of spinach and other yummies. She will eat it but leaves behind a pile of stems in her bowl (along with anything purple). She digs out all the spinach leaves and pinches off the stems. It's a good thing she doesn't like any dressing or that would get messy. If I chop it for eggs, i try to at least chop off the bigger stems (but no promises).

 

Well in that case at least she is just handling it herself. 

 

I tried not taking off the stems with baby spinach thinking hey they are more tender and surely this won't be a problem.  He made gagging and sputtering noises.  Didn't say a word because he won't complain in that way, but I knew he was upset about it. 

 

I'm kind of a weirdo about food (and lots of other things) so I guess he gets to be weird about some stuff.  LOL

[jewellsmommy]

Well in that case at least she is just handling it herself. 

 

I tried not taking off the stems with baby spinach thinking hey they are more tender and surely this won't be a problem.  He made gagging and sputtering noises.  Didn't say a word because he won't complain in that way, but I knew he was upset about it. 

 

I'm kind of a weirdo about food (and lots of other things) so I guess he gets to be weird about some stuff.  LOL

 

:lol:

 

We all have something, right?

I used to catch a lot of crap :001_rolleyes:  from a "friend" because I would used my stick blender to puree salsa before using it in a recipe because dd and dh don't like the chunks. But that takes like 10 seconds, and it's better than hearing gagging noises at the table, right?  :lol: .

[SparklyUnicorn]

:lol:

 

We all have something, right?

I used to catch a lot of crap :001_rolleyes:  from a "friend" because I would used my stick blender to puree salsa before using it in a recipe because dd and dh don't like the chunks. But that takes like 10 seconds, and it's better than hearing gagging noises at the table, right?  :lol: .

 

Yup

 

Onions make me gag.  My mother would cut them super huge in everything (even pasta sauce) because I always picked them out.  She wasn't willing to cook without them, but she was willing to make it easier for me. 

[Seasider]

Nope. Not the frozen spinach I've bought. It's had big honking pieces of stem. Even if not big and honking, if he gets a little piece of stem he gets upset. Which is weird. Since he isn't in general like this about stuff I just deal, but it is annoying.

 

He never gets onion so maybe this is payback. LOL

DH needs to do his turn on spinach prep duty.

[barnwife]

Thanks to the Hive, I have once again learned something new.

There are people who peel asparagus. 

As for the OP, Add me to the list of frozen spinach users if it's getting cooked. 

[Spy Car]

Ah yes. Then my husband will complain about the stems. He's got a major aversion to stems. Of course it doesn't help that his mother pounded into him that it's a mortal sin to leave stems. I could care less. I could eat a bowl of stems. But yep that's why I end up doing it myself.

I'll tell you what makes a very cool little side dish, if you cut the stems 2-3 inches from the bottom part (and leave them attached) and then clean them carefully to work out any sand or grit, and then steam then (really good steamed in Nigiri Sake) very briefly. Good alone or with a little miso dressing and sesame seeds.

 

It makes a very good and unusual dish from a part that most often gets thrown away.

 

Bill

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'll tell you what makes a very cool little side dish, if you cut the stems 2-3 inches from the bottom part (and leave them attached) and then clean them carefully to work out any sand or grit, and then steam then (really good steamed in Nigiri Sake) very briefly. Good alone or with a little miso dressing and sesame seeds.

 

It makes a very good and unusual dish from a part that most often gets thrown away.

 

Bill

 

Yeah, I don't live in a place that has access to produce like that.  :laugh:

[Spy Car]

Yeah, I don't live in a place that has access to produce like that. :laugh:

Wadda you mean, you don't have spinach in bunches?

 

Bill

[Catwoman]

Well in that case at least she is just handling it herself.

 

I tried not taking off the stems with baby spinach thinking hey they are more tender and surely this won't be a problem. He made gagging and sputtering noises. Didn't say a word because he won't complain in that way, but I knew he was upset about it.

 

Perhaps it's a good time to use that classic phrase, "Suck it up and deal with it, or next time you can cook your own spinach."

 

Just a thought... ;)

[SparklyUnicorn]

Wadda you mean, you don't have spinach in bunches?

 

Bill

 

absolutely not

[SparklyUnicorn]

Perhaps it's a good time to use that classic phrase, "Suck it up and deal with it, or next time you can cook your own spinach."

 

Just a thought... ;)

 

LOL

 

yeah...I hear you

 

He just has it in his mind that this is the way it supposed to be.  So weird....

[Catwoman]

LOL

 

yeah...I hear you

 

He just has it in his mind that this is the way it supposed to be. So weird....

Tell him the voices in his mind are lying to him. :)

[SparklyUnicorn]

:laugh:

[athomeontheprairie]

:lol:

 

We all have something, right?

I used to catch a lot of crap :001_rolleyes: from a "friend" because I would used my stick blender to puree salsa before using it in a recipe because dd and dh don't like the chunks. But that takes like 10 seconds, and it's better than hearing gagging noises at the table, right? :lol: .

Ugh! I hate chunks. Hats them. I can't handle it. All salsa is blended, if it isnt smooth to start with. Every time. I'll empty a jar, blend it then pour it back into the jar.

You aren't alone

[foxbridgeacademy]

I have food texture issues the only frozen veggies I can do are corn, peas/beans/ and broccoli.  Only canned food I will eat is beans or tomatoes. Frozen spinach is just... no (unless I'm pregnant then I eat it straight out of the can).

 

 What I do to keep spinach from becoming tiny bits of green slime is under-cook it.  I put it into whatever I'm cooking in the last couple minutes that way it still has a lot of it's bulk.

 

Oh, another weird one, potato eyes. I can not eat a potato I haven't completely blinded.  I don't know why, I could eat the eye by itself but not on the potato.

Edited March 15, 2017 by foxbridgeacademy

[MercyA]

nm  :blush:

Edited March 15, 2017 by MercyA