Serves: 4

1/2 pound fresh asparagus
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 garlic clove, halved
8 slices baguette

For dressing:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

• preparation

Clean and cut the tender part of asparagus into 2-inch pieces.
Boil for 5 minutes. Refresh under cold water.
Clean and spin dry spinach. Cut into bite size pieces.
Rub both sides of bread with garlic. Toast bread until golden. Cut into small squares.
Dressing:
In a medium bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together. Combine spinach and asparagus.
Toss with dressing. Sprinkle toasted bread over salad.

Serves: 6

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
3 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
6 sheets phyllo pastry
Vegetable cooking spray

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain spinach and remove excess moisture. Place ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined colander, and let drain 2 hours. Combine ricotta, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and cornstarch; stir well. Add drained spinach, green onions, basil, oregano, thyme, and salt; stir well.
Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-fourth of beaten egg white into spinach mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a damp towel (keep remaining phyllo covered); lightly coat phyllo with cooking spray. Repeat layers twice. Spoon half of spinach mixture along short side of phyllo, leaving 1-inch borders on outer edges and a 2-inch border at short end.
Fold short edge of phyllo over filling. Fold lengthwise edges in 1-inch, and roll up, jelly roll fashion. Lightly coat phyllo roll with cooking spray. Place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pierce top several times with tip of sharp knife, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of Parmesan.
Repeat procedure with remaining phyllo, spinach mixture and Parmesan. Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cut each strudel in slices and serve hot or room temperature.

Serves: 6

10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach
1 cup medium-thick cream sauce
6 toasted muffin halves
6 artichoke bottoms, cooked
1 cup Hollandaise
6 poached eggs

• preparation

Cook and drain spinach, pressing dry. Mix spinach with cream sauce. Spoon cream spinach over toasted muffins.
Place steamed artichoke bottoms on top of spinach. Top with the hot poached eggs. Spoon the warm hollandaise sauce over eggs.

Serves: 4

1/2 pound (230 grams) dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound (450 grams) spinach, washed
A 1-inch slice from a country loaf bread (2.5 ounces or 75 grams), crusts removed and cut inset small cubes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

• preparation

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top.

Serves: 8

For Strudel:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup water
12 sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For Filling:
2 pounds fresh spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg and pepper
12 ounces feta cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

• preparation

Filling:
Wash spinach; shake off excess water. Cook the spinach with just the water clinging to leaves, turning often, until wilted. Chill under cold running water. Press out water; chop and reserve. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions and garlic, stirring occasionally until tender.
In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in onion mixture, spinach, dill, nutmeg and pepper. Mix in feta, pine nuts and bread crumbs.
Strudel:
Place bread crumbs in bowl. In another bowl, stir butter with water. Place clean tea towel on work surface. Place one sheet of phyllo on towel, keeping remainder covered with plastic wrap and damp towel to prevent drying out.
Brush phyllo with butter mixture; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons bread crumbs. Repeat with 5 more layers to make 6 layers. Arrange half of the filling along one long side of phyllo, leaving about 1-inch uncovered at each end.
Using towel to help and starting at filling side, roll strudel once; brush with butter.
Fold in ends to enclose filling. Continue rolling and brushing with butter until to other side, using towel or spatulas to help. Gently transfer, seam side down, to parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling. Brush any remaining butter over tops. Slash each almost through to filling into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Serves: 6

Totaltime: 32 minutes 6 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from about 1 large squash)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups 2% or skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)
3 Tbsp tomato salsa
4 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups (about 4 oz) baby spinach, steamed for 3 minutes
1/4 cup grated parmesan

• preparation

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Separate the strands of squash with a fork and place in a medium bowl; discard shells. Maintain the oven temperature.

Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continually 3 - 4 minutes.
Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick, about 2 minutes stirring; season with salt and pepper.
Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked spaghetti squash and chopped baby spinach, pour into a baking dish and sprinkle with tomato salsa and Parmesan cheese on top. Bake until bubbly and golden 25 to 30 minutes.