Last week we talked about broccoli — it does a great job of keeping the blood sugar stable. Well, spinach is another veggie that can make the same claim. It is a good source of iron and calcium, but watch out for the oxalic acid — it may prohibit the absorption of this calcium—so don’t over-eat it.

There are three main types of the vegetable: Savoy, smooth leaf and semi-savoy. Savoy has dark green, crinkly and curly leaves and is the most common type available in supermarkets. Smooth leaf has smooth, broad leaves that make it easier to clean than the savoy variety. This type is usually grown for use in canned and frozen spinach and soups. Semi-savoy is a hybrid with slightly crinkled leaves and the same texture as savoy, but it is not so tricky to clean.

Here are some wonderful recipes you’ll enjoy trying that we found on SpinachRecipes.org:

Spinach & Chicken Soup
Serves 2

6 oz of chicken breasts
6 oz of fresh spinach
4 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of spring onions, chopped finely
2 teaspoons of sugar

Remove the spinach stems and wash the spinach. Blanch the leaves for a few seconds in boiling water, until they are just wilted. Pour cold water over the spinach leaves. Slice the breasts chicken fairly thinly.

In another pot of boiling water, cook the chicken slices for about 2 minutes, until they are white and have gone slightly firm. Drain both the spinach and the chicken. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer; add soy sauce and sugar. Add cooked spinach and chicken. Bring the soup back to a simmer; then add the spring onions. Serve hot.