HOW TO Eat SPINACH 3 Times a Day Without Even Liking It

Hey friends!!

[I acknowledge that this makes two posts in a row about food, and I promise that won't continue to be the case!]

If you follow me on instagram (which of course you do) you might have noticed that I've gotten a little OCD about what I eat. I am by no means anywhere near an expert, but the more I read and research, the more it kind of freaks me out how much junk I've put into my body!! No wonder the "freshman 15" is so real!

So, my grocery list has included mostly fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats- and I'm loving it!

Now lets get to the actual point of this post: Spinach. You know... makes you strong and stuff.

Men's Health (OK OK I know, MEN's Health is for....men, BUT they author "Eat This Not That" which is awesome) says:

"Popeye, it turns out, was onto something.

While wolfing down a can of spinach might not give you insta-muscles or superhuman strength, eating two or three servings of this nutrient-rich leafy green each week could help you power up in other ways. Some preliminary researchshows it might make your muscles more efficient during a workout (cool, huh?). Plus, it has a load of other nutrients that keep all systems running smoothly:

• It’s full of lutein, which promotes healthy eyesight by preventing cataracts and macular degeneration.
• One cup of fresh spinach provides almost 200 percent of the daily value of vitamin K, which is essential for bone health.
• Spinach contains twice the amount of iron as most other greens and can act as a substitute for men who are not eating as much meat, according to New York City nutritionist Stephanie Middleberg, R.D. (Getting enough iron, among other things, will keep your energy levels up.)

But perhaps the best thing about spinach is this: It’s extremely versatile, so you can keep it on hand and toss it into any meal."

So, I bought myself a tub of spinach (yes, a tub...not those wimpy bags that provide super droopy salads in a bag after 3 days) and was determined to get through it in a week!

Here are a few examples of how I did it:

Breakfast Scramble!

sauteed spinach and ham (torn up lunch meat in a frying pan with spinach and olive oil)

egg/eggs

topped with diced tomato and avocado!

Spinach Tuna Open Face

(Ok, I know I featured this particular meal already, but come ON guys- so simple and delicious!)

Half a whole grain (low sodium) english muffin, toasted

handful of fresh spinach

tuna

(how do you rotate images?! oh well)

I don't know what to call this, but I made it up and I'm super proud because it has not one, but TWO things that I don't like in it! And it was good!!

finely chopped mushrooms sauteed with spinach

brown rice

grilled chicken

So, I urge you to go out and try new things!!! After a whole week, you might even like it ;)

*Disclaimer: I love Mexican food. I love pizza. I love cheesy pasta and garlic bread. I love bbq wings. I love seasoned fries...you get the point. SO this post isn't me saying "I will never eat fried chicken again ever in my life!!!", it's about choices that I've been making lately that make ME feel better and a lifestyle change I plan on abiding by (pretty closely...wink wink)