Last summer I cooked a huge pile of spinach and froze it, with the express purpose of making spinach pie with it in December - well, here it is December, so it's time to make the pie :-) I mixed in a free range egg, feta & some fresh oregano - on the plate are beets and arugula from the garden, and home grown sprouts

What to do when you have spinach about to bolt and need a quick recipe? Goma Ae! I like this recipe from Andrew Weil: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP02313/Spinach-Goma-Ae.html

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

When I found this recipe, I ran out to the garden and picked fresh spinach, cilantro, and arugula and whipped it up - it's so easy, and really good! When I take it for lunch, I'll bring the avacado and tomatoes and add them later. The lemon, cumin and cilantro are fantastic together. yum. Just pulse the greens with onion and garlic in the food processor (or chop finely by hand), add beans, cooked quinoa,, pour on the dressing, add tomato and avacado. 1 C. dry quinoa 2 C. vegetable broth 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) 1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half 2 avocados diced 2 C. spinach 1 bunch cilantro and arugula 1/4 C. onion 2 small cloves garlic For the dressing: Juice of 2 lemons zest of 1 lemon 2 tsp. dijon mustard 2 tsp. olive oil 1 tsp. agave nectar 1/2 tsp. cumin dash of salt and pepper

whole grain rice salad with cherries, fresh basil and spinach

I was reading "Super Natural Every Day" by Heidi Swanson, ( who also has the great blog 101 Cookbooks: http://www.101cookbooks.com/ - and came across this recipe using fresh garden spinach and cherries ~ the earthy spinach, toasted walnuts, salty feta, and sweet juicy cherries go well together and make a beautifully coloured salad with the dark purple thai black rice: cook the rice to make 3 cups, and while still hot, pour over 3 cups torn spinach leaves and toss to wilt a little. Make a cherry vinaigrette in the blender: 1/2 cups of pitted cherries, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt. Pour about 1/2 of this over the rice and spinach mixture. Add another 1/2 cup of pitted cherries and 1/2 cup toasted walnut halves to the salad and stir in. Turn the salad out onto a platter and finish with some feta, fresh basil leaves and a few more walnuts. I've never cooked this beautiful black rice before - it is sticky, and normally used in sweet desserts such as pudding in Thailand, but it worked very well for this salad which has an element of complimentary sweetness with the cherries.

it's what's for lunch

what's for lunch? freshly picked spinach stirred into quinoa & sweet potatoes and tropical lime tofu! RECIPES: press the tofu! it browns easier if very firm - then heat some oil in a skillet, add 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds and lots of chopped garlic; cook one minute, then add the tofu - cook until it is nice and brown - meanwhile juice one lime, add 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 2 Tb. tamari, black pepper, a pinch of cayenne and pour over the browned tofu - allow all liquid to cook off, stirring - then make your quinoa with sweet potatoes: cut up an onion and saute until translucent; add a bit of salt; add 2 peeled and diced yams (or sweet potatoes - I prefer the orange yams); add 3/4 cup rinsed quinoa and 1 2/3 cups water or veg broth. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed and yam is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste - just before the quinoa is cooked, add 2 cups finely shredded spinach, 1 Tb. green onions minced, 1 Tb. lemon juice, salt and pepper, 2 Tb. toasted pinenuts, and a few currants - I like to sprinkle a bit of feta on top, too- make lots, it is good for leftovers. Recipes are from my new current favourite cookbook: "Moosewood Cooks for Health"

popeye lives here

Spinach! grew overnight into a wild, green jungle that we have to eat a trail through ~ we've had spinach and rice soup, spinach pie, spinach salad, spinach quiche, even put spinach in smoothies! cooking mountains of glorious spinach to freeze. One can never have, or eat, too much spinach - Popeye would be proud. Press your tofu and squeeze moisture out of the spinach before making your pie, you can add some feta and fresh dill if you have any.