Writing Pad Recipe: Creamy Spinach

by Andrea Ruth and Amy Robinson

Shorter days mean more time at night to write. Writing Pad has so many different classes to fit your writing goals, you'll be more excited than a trick-or-treating Ninja Turtle!  Click "Buy Now" at the bottom of each class description, call 323-333-2954, OR email marilyn@writingpad.com to sign up before the classes are full! 

November Classes:
•Mini Writing Pad Bootcamp . . . With Dessert (ONLINE)

•So You Want To Be A Writer?/Finishing School (ONLINE and In-Person)
•You In 1200 Words: Writing and Publishing The Personal Essay

•Short and Sweet: The Art of The Short Story

•Writing A Pilot That Can Fly
•Speedwriting: Getting It Down Fast and Clean
•Writing Reboot: Rescuing Your Crashed Creation
•Period Piece Power: Crafting A Historical Masterpiece
•Be A Troublemaker! Mastering The Art of Conflict

December Classes:
•Writing Pad Show and Tell
•I Would Never Do That: A Taboo Tales Workshop
•Get Your Foot In The Door: Develop Your Dream Script

Andrea says:
"Yay! It's Fall! My favorite season of eating. Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday! It is the only holiday where I will not try any new foods that anyone brings over because as I told one of my Mom's friends last year, 'The real estate in my stomach is just too valuable on this day.'

This is a recipe that I created for the Step-Up Women's Network Healthy Holiday Class. I wanted a recipe that would not suffer even a tiny bit from being made "healthy". And Creamed Spinach is it! Because it is made using a béchamel sauce, it is up to you whether you use 1%, 2% or whole milk.  If you don't mind the calories, you can even use half and half or cream. But go easy on the milk or cream--what you want to taste is the spinach."

Creamed Spinach

3-4 natural bunched spinach (greatly preferred- it really makes a difference) or two 10 oz bags pre washed.
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour or white flour (plus more if needed)
one shallot minced
2 gloves garlic minced
1/2 cup whole milk
whole nutmeg for grating

Wash spinach in one or two changes of water. Shake out or spin dry. Heat a large dry skillet. Add spinach and wilt quickly, turning frequently to avoid sticking or burning. Set aside to cool in a colander or strainer and press to release extra liquid. When cooled, chop roughly.

Wipe out skillet. Melt butter over medium heat, add shallot and sweat gently until translucent. Do not brown. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add flour and cook until soft bubbles form. Add milk and whisk quickly to incorporate. Simmer about 3 minutes until thickened. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and stir in spinach to coat evenly with sauce. Taste and adjust salt pepper and nutmeg.  Enjoy!