Spinach Makes You Strong!

This is my second spinach harvest this summer from the garden.  We're lucky enough to have mild winters here in the northwest, so spinach can be planted year 'round.  This spinach was planted last fall and it's been trying to bolt for 2 weeks now.  Despite our pinching of flower buds and numerous spinach salads and pasta dishes, the spinach needs to be pulled and re-planted.  The only way I know how to preserve spinach is by blanching and freezing it.  It's a very simple process.

Here is the spinach I harvested from the garden.  This is from 6 plants. 

Wash the spinach and remove all stems and unhealthy leaves.  I leave my leaves in their original shape (no cutting).  This is the pile of spinach leaves with stems removed.

This is the overflowing compost bucket full of yellow/brown leaves and stems.  

Once the leaves have been washed and removed from their stems, add them to boiling water and boil them for 2 minutes.  After 2 minutes, transfer the spinach to cold water (I put a bowl of water in the fridge for a few hours).  This process is called blanching.  It helps preserve the nutrients, flavor, and color of your vegetable. 

Strain as much water off the spinach as possible and lay the spinach on a towel to dry.  Some people use a salad spinner (I don't have one).   

Once the spinach is somewhat dry, add them to your containers for freezing.  I use plastic freezer bags.  And to think that big pile only gave us 2 bags...

UPDATE July 15,2011

I completely forgot that I had this soup pot with a colander insert.  I used it today while blanching peas.  It works flawlessly because all I have to do is lift the strainer pot up when the timer is finished and all of the water drains into the pot below it.  After the water drains out, I pour the vegetables into the bowl full of cold water.  Simple----more efficient this way.