Creamed Spinach by Paula Dean

As I open my palate to new and exciting vegetables, some of my previous favorites are losing their appeal. Broccoli, spinach and peppers were my "favorite vegetables" if you can even call them that. But before paleo, I didn't enjoy eating them, and I really only tolerated them to add variety to my meals. However, spinach is very easy to cook (sauteing spinach takes less than 3 minutes), so this was a vegetable I was able to enjoy with very little effort.

Now, I really enjoy brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, beets (the list goes on and on), and cooking spinach was getting boring for me. I typically saute spinach in butter for three minutes, add salt and pepper, and it's done. It's just not satisfying anymore now that I have experienced vegetables with much more character (rainbow chard anyone?). So, I decided to find a way to prepare spinach that I hadn't tried before. This creamed spinach recipe comes from OMG... Paula Dean.

Creamed Spinach by Paula Dean

The Good

• Nice depth of textures
• Not the same boring sauteed spinach
• Packed full of vitamins

The Bad

• Onion/Spinach ratio was off (too much onion)

Overall - 4/5 Stars


This was a mighty tasty way to prepare spinach. Sometimes spinach can be plain by itself, but adding garlic, onions, and a little cream really adds depth. Especially, since the chewy spinach is contrasted with al dente onions. I will definitely look into some more creamed spinach recipes, and a casserole.

ps. I almost forgot to mention the substitution I made for the recipe. We didn't have any heavy cream (what a sin), so I added about a 1/3 of a cup of cream cheese, and I was surprised at how well it worked. The cream cheese gave it a slightly sour flavor but a richly creamy texture. I would use it again in a heartbeat.