Steaming Spinach: A Quick, Healthy, And Delicious Side Dish

Spinach is a nutrient-rich food loaded with vitamins and minerals, making it an excellent choice for babies. It is, however, not the most appetising on its own, so it is best to mix it with other purees. In this article, we will discuss how to cook steamed baby spinach and provide a step-by-step guide to preparing this nutritious dish for your little one.

Choosing and storing spinach

Choosing Spinach:

• Look for spinach with vibrant green leaves: Avoid leaves that are yellowing, wilting, bruised, or slimy. Go for crisp, tender, and undamaged leaves.
• Check the stems: Stems may be fibrous or thin. Fibrous stems indicate mature spinach with tougher leaves, while thin stems suggest younger, more tender spinach.
• Consider the intended use: Young, tender spinach is best for raw preparations like salads. Mature spinach with thicker stems is more suitable for cooked recipes as it stands up to heat better.

Storing Spinach:

• Keep it dry: Moisture accelerates the deterioration of spinach. Avoid washing the spinach before storing it unless necessary. If you do wash it, ensure it is thoroughly dried before storing.
• Use paper towels: Line a storage container or bag with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Place the dry spinach leaves on top of the paper towels.
• Container and storage: Use a large container with a lid or a plastic bag. If using a bag, gently wrap the spinach in the paper towel and seal the bag. Store the container or bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
• Remove bad leaves: Inspect the spinach and remove any leaves that are starting to rot. This will help prevent the spread of rot to the rest of the spinach.
• Timing: Fresh spinach can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-10 days, depending on its initial freshness. Check your spinach regularly and change the paper towels if they become wet.
• Separate from ethylene-producing fruits: Do not store spinach next to fruits like bananas and apples, as exposure to ethylene gas will cause it to spoil faster.

Steaming spinach

Step 1: Prepare the Spinach

Wash the spinach thoroughly, removing any damaged leaves. Spinach tends to be quite dirty, so be sure to rinse it well under cold water. You can also add a splash of vinegar to the water to help remove any residue. Shake off any excess water.

Step 2: Set Up Your Steamer

Fill a pot with enough water so that it does not touch the steamer basket when placed inside. Bring the water to a boil.

Step 3: Steam the Spinach

Place the washed spinach into the steamer basket and put it into the pot. Cover the pot and allow the spinach to steam for around 3-5 minutes, until the leaves are tender and wilted.

Step 4: Stop the Cooking Process

Remove the steamer basket from the pot and run cold water over the spinach to stop it from overcooking. Drain the spinach well.

Step 5: Blend the Spinach (Optional)

If you are making spinach puree for babies, transfer the cooked spinach to a blender or food processor. Add a small amount of water or breast milk to achieve the desired consistency, and blend until smooth.

Storage:

Steamed spinach can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays and stored in freezer bags for up to 2-3 months.

Blending spinach

To blend spinach, you will need:

• Fresh or frozen spinach leaves
• A blender or food processor
• Liquid such as water, baby milk, or fruit juice
• Optional ingredients for taste and texture, such as fruit, yogurt, or ice

• Remove the stems from the spinach leaves and discard them.
• Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and shake off any excess water.
• If you are using fresh spinach, steam or blanch the leaves until they are tender and wilted, which usually takes about 3-5 minutes. You can also use frozen spinach, which has already been blanched.
• Transfer the cooked spinach leaves to a blender or food processor. If you are using frozen spinach, you can add it directly to the blender.
• Add a small amount of liquid, such as water or baby milk, to help the blending process and achieve the desired consistency.
• Blend the spinach until it reaches a smooth consistency. You may need to use a tamper to push the spinach into the blades of the blender.
• For a green smoothie, add other ingredients such as fruit, yogurt, and ice to the blender. Experiment with different combinations and amounts to find your preferred taste and texture.
• Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
• You can serve the blended spinach as a smoothie or use it as an ingredient in other dishes, such as curries, pasta sauces, or baked goods.

Blended spinach is a versatile and nutritious addition to your diet, whether enjoyed on its own or as part of a recipe.

Serving spinach to babies

Spinach is a fantastic food to introduce to your baby, as it is packed with vitamins and minerals, and is a great way to add more antioxidants to your baby's diet. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, folate, and calcium. Spinach also contains lutein, an antioxidant that can help protect against age-related eye diseases and improve thinking skills.

Spinach can be offered to babies as soon as they are ready to start solids, usually around 6 months. However, it is important to ensure that your baby is developmentally ready to start solids, rather than going by the calendar.

How to prepare spinach for babies:

When preparing spinach for your baby, it is important to choose fresh, crisp, dark green leaves and avoid any that are yellowing or limp. Wash the spinach thoroughly before cooking. Here are some simple ways to prepare spinach for your baby:

• Steam the spinach: Add water to a pot and insert a steamer basket, making sure the water level is below the basket. Bring the water to a boil, add the spinach, cover, and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the leaves are tender and wilted.
• Sauté the spinach: Heat some oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about a minute until fragrant. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
• Blend the cooked spinach: Transfer the cooked spinach to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding a small amount of water or baby milk to achieve the desired consistency.

How to serve spinach to babies:

Spinach can be served to babies in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas:

• Spinach puree: Blend cooked spinach until smooth and serve it as a puree. If your baby doesn't like the taste, try mixing it with other purees, such as chicken or fish puree.
• Mix with other foods: Add finely chopped cooked or raw spinach to foods such as homemade baby oatmeal, overnight oats/quinoa, toast (combined with mashed avocado, sweet potatoes, or yogurt), or vegetable French toast.
• Family-friendly recipes: Include spinach in family meals such as pumpkin seed spinach hummus, chicken quinoa casserole, or savory baked oatmeal. Remember to finely chop the spinach before serving to babies.

Storing and freezing spinach:

Fresh spinach should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a few days. To store cooked spinach puree, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 2 months.

Storing spinach puree

To store spinach puree, you can follow these steps:

Firstly, it is important to note that you should not wash spinach before storing it in the refrigerator, as moisture leads to faster deterioration. Instead, you should only wash the spinach just prior to using it.

If you want to store spinach puree in the refrigerator, you should transfer the puree to an airtight container and store it for up to 24 hours.

For longer-term storage, you can freeze the spinach puree. To do this, you can use ice-cube trays. Once the puree is frozen, pop the cubes out and place them into a freezer bag or container. Return the container to the freezer, where it can be stored for up to 2 months. This method allows you to take out small portions as needed.

If you are freezing spinach leaves, rather than puree, you can follow these steps:

• Wash your greens, pat or spin them dry in a salad spinner.
• Place the leaves in flat layers inside freezer bags and press down.
• When the bags are full, squeeze out all the air, tie the bags up and place them in the freezer.

You can also freeze spinach using the blanching technique, which helps preserve the colour and taste for longer. To blanch spinach, follow these steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Add pre-washed spinach leaves to the boiling water and cook for two minutes.
• Transfer the leaves to a basin of iced water for two minutes to halt the cooking process.
• Dry the spinach in a salad spinner.
• Pack the spinach into freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing and freezing.

Frequently asked questions