Spinach Pesto with Spaghetti –I yam what I yam

Apparently if you eat spinach often you’re going to be pretty darn healthy and live until you’re 110, your skin will turn green, and you’ll start speaking like Popeye, but who cares you’ll be alive! ALIVE!   –Praise spinach!

Okay, Popeye wanna-be’s, let’s look at all the good spinach does your body: Spinach is high in iron and aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating, it has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It has tons of vitamin A, C, E, K, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium. Spinach protects and strengthens “entry points” into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts, and is also a key component of lymphocytes (or white blood cells) that fight infection. Spinach promotes healthy skin by allowing for proper moisture retention in the epidermis, thus fighting psoriasis, keratinization, acne and even wrinkles. Spinach can prevent excess activation of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bones), as well as promote the synthesis of osteocalcin, the protein that is essential for maintaining the strength and density of our bones. Eating one cup of spinach fights atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Spinach contributes greatly to a healthy nervous system and brain function by providing an essential part for the synthesis of sphingolipids, the important fat that makes up the Myelin sheath around our nerves.   –I have no idea what half those things are, but I’m sold on it! .

I’ve been meaning to make Spinach Pesto for quite some time and it was truly as good as I was told and simple to make.

Here is how I did it,

I bought a bag of cleaned baby spinach and steamed it quickly, and drained and squeezed all the liquid out of it, some people don’t cook the spinach first when they make spinach pesto, but I’m not some people. After you squeeze the liquid out of the steamed spinach it will look like you have a small fist of spinach, don’t fret, it is a powerful fist full of green. Place it in a food processor with a tablespoon of pine nuts, two tablespoons of parmesan cheese, 1 garlic clove, ½ cup olive oil, a pinch of nutmeg, and then let it rip (you may need to use more olive oil)  –Within 30 to 40 seconds you’ll have a brilliant green pesto ready to be tossed over cooked pasta. I used thick spaghetti and that’s the way it is…I yam what I yam…