Name: Spinach Frittata with Mushrooms
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 medium leeks, (use the light green and white parts only) washed and sliced into 1/4" pieces; 2 cups of plump white mushrooms, sliced; 6 ounces of baby spinach; 2 cloves of garlic, minced; 6 eggs, lightly beaten; 2 tbsp coconut milk; 2 tsp fresh thyme; 2 tsp fresh basil; 2 tsp fresh oregano; 1/4 tsp red pepper; sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste; Chives to garnish

March 26 is celebrated each year as National Spinach Day. I’ll be sharing some fun facts and recipes and tell you why spinach is so good for you.

Popeye was a smart guy to love spinach so much. Not only is it tasty, but it is healthy too. This leafy green can be adapted into many different recipes.

Don’t forget to check out my recipe for a homemade spinach frittata at the bottom of the post!

We all remember the old cartoon and Popeye’s song about how spinach helped to keep his muscles in tip top shape, but is there a reason for this to be true?

Song lyrics:

“I’m Popeye the sailor man. I’m Popeye the sailor man.
I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach.
I’m Popeye the sailor man.”

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What is so healthy about spinach?

Spinach is a powerhouse superfood. It is loaded with lots of nutrients but also super low in calories.

There are only 7 calories in a cup of spinach but the vegetable also has protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamin A and folate. No wonder Popeye ate it everyday!

The dark leafy greens of spinach are important for your skin and hair and also for bone health.

Spinach is one of the best sources of iron and is loaded with antioxidants.

Fun facts about spinach for National Spinach Day

Brush up on your knowledge of spinach with these fun facts.

Spinach is a native plant of central and southwest Asia.
Traders from Arabia brought spinach into India, and who then introduced it to China.
The Chinese refer to spinach Persian vegetable.
Catherine de Medici of France was so fond of spinach that she ate it at every meal.
Spinach is a popular ingredient in green juice recipes.
There are three main types of Spinach: Savoy spinach with curly leaves, flat (or smooth) leafed spinach and semi savoy spinach with crinkled leaves.
The US is the second largest producer of spinach. China logs in as number one.
The top spinach producing states in the US are California, New Jersey and Arizona.
Spinach is a cool weather crop, so it produces best in spring and early summer.
Spinach reduces in size when it is cooked, so be sure to add a lot to the pan!

How to observe National Spinach Day

There are lots of obvious ways to celebrate National Spinach Day. Here are a few other creative ideas to help honor this day.

Plant some spinach seeds to enjoy later in the year.
Try one of the recipes below to enjoy spinach in a new way.
Read the book Popeye or watch the movie Popeye with your child. It’s a fun way to introduce them to spinach.
Wear a spinach apron while cooking up a batch of the superfood.
Do the word search puzzle for March to see if you can find Spinach Day in it.
Use the hashtag #NationalSpinachDay to spread the word about the day on social media. Here is a tweet to get you started:

It is no wonder that Popeye loved spinach so much. It is a powerhouse superfood that is good for your bone health, skin and hair.🌿🍃🦾 Share on X

What is a national day?

National days of the year are a fun way to celebrate odd and unusual foods, animals and items that you come into contact with.

Be sure to check out my national day’s guide for more fun days to celebrate.

There are close to 2000 national days in the year and over 150 of them are celebrated in February. To see them all, have a look at this post to discover more about the national days in March.

Is food your thing? Each day of the month has a food or drink associated with it, too. You’ll find all the March food holidays here.

Be sure to also check out these other foodie national days this month:

Pin these recipes for National Spinach Day for later

Would you like a reminder of these recipes for National Spinach Day? Just pin this image to one of your food boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

Make sure to watch our YouTube video to learn about more March national food days.

Spinach recipes to try

If you are looking for new spinach recipes, give one of these a try. From dips to main courses, spinach is the perfect addition to any meal!

Spinach fettuccine with sausage
Sauteed Spinach with mushrooms and garlic
Pecan crusted spinach salad with grapefruit
Ham and spinach pinwheel appetizer
Spinach and onion quiche with Gouda cheese
Supersize egg muffins with spinach
Chicken breasts stuffed with spinach, feta and pine nuts.
Hot spinach artichoke dip
Easy shrimp Alfredo with spinach and tomatoes

My favorite way to celebrate National Spinach Day is a breakfast with this spinach frittata. You can print it out below.

Yield: 3 servings

Spinach Frittata with Mushrooms

Mushrooms and leeks add a ton of flavor to this spinach frittata. It's easy to make and ready in just 20 minutes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks, (use the light green and white parts only) washed and sliced into 1/4" pieces
2 cups of plump white mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces of baby spinach
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp coconut milk
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp fresh basil
2 tsp fresh oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Chives to garnish

Instructions

Trim the roots and wash the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch pieces.
Rinse well. drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 500 º F.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, coconut milk, fresh herbs, salt pepper and red pepper. Whisk well and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in an oven proof skillet and cook the leeks and mushrooms until soft, about 5-8 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and garlic and allow the spinach to wilt.
Pour the egg mixture over the cooked vegetables and cook over medium heat.
As the eggs start to set, use a spatula around the edges, lifting the egg mixture to allow it to flow under.
Cook until the eggs are beginning to set. (the top will still be moist.)
Move the pan to the oven and bake for 1-3 minutes until the top is set and starting to brown. (you can also put it under the broiler if you wish)
Top with chopped chives and serve hot.

Notes

This recipe is just with permission of The Gardening Cook. You can view a step by step cooking tutorial here.

National Spinach Day – March 26 – Fun Facts and Recipes to Celebrate