Copycat Calhoun's Spinach Maria Recipe | CDKitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

How many carbs are in Calhoun's spinach Maria? ›

You might not want to use frozen spinach in dishes that rely on the texture of fresh spinach, such as spinach salads, but you can use it in place of fresh spinach in dishes like soups and baked goods.

Defrosted frozen spinach can be added to any recipe that calls for leafy greens. "Once defrosted, squeeze out excess water, and add to fritter batters, smoothies, soups, stew, a pot of creamy beans, or my favorite, as a lasagna layer," Bruning says.

Most of the carbohydrates in spinach are from fiber, making it a very filling vegetable. Along with other leafy greens, it may be considered a "free" food on a low-carbohydrate diet because it provides fiber while being low in calories.

Frozen spinach is mechanically chopped, boiled or blanched, and then flash frozen. A single ten ounce package of frozen spinach usually equals one cup of greens once it's thawed and drained. To get that same cup with fresh spinach, you'd have to cook down about a full pound.

One package (10 ounces) of frozen spinach leaves yields about 1-1/2 cups after cooking. Therefore, you can substitute 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach leaves for 1-1/2 pounds of fresh spinach.

Frozen Spinach

A good rule of thumb is fresh spinach cooked down equals about a cup and a half, which is roughly the equivalent of a 10 oz frozen package.

And if the greens are already cooked, do you need to thaw them at all? In the case of soup, no. A little extra water never hurt a broth. But when it comes to pretty much everything else—be it eggs, quesadillas, or skillet pizza—moisture is the enemy, so you're going to want to let the spinach thaw.

So when you defrost your frozen spinach, it has already been wilted down and cooked to some degree. The best way to defrost frozen spinach is to warm it in the microwave for a few minutes or warm it over low heat on the stove in pot and strain excess water with a mesh sieve or colander.

What happens if you freeze spinach without blanching? ›

Frozen spinach also works well in dips, quiche, and pasta dishes. It brings flavorful nutrition to homemade egg rolls, meatballs, and marinara sauce. If you know you'll use your frozen spinach within six months, you can freeze it without blanching. This method yields more of a slimy product upon thawing.

Macro Vegetarian Spinach Noodle (1 serving) contains 50g total carbs, 47g net carbs, 5g fat, 10g protein, and 280 calories.

Spinach, raw (2 cup) contains 2.2g total carbs, 0.8g net carbs, 0.2g fat, 1.7g protein, and 14 calories.

Cooked Spinach Spaghetti Without Salt (1 cup) contains 36.6g total carbs, 36.6g net carbs, 0.9g fat, 6.4g protein, and 182 calories.