Monday, January 9, 2012

Popeye Powered Green Rice


I'm sure it was just subliminal brainwashing that I love spinach because of watching Popeye cartoons as a kid because it certainly wasn't because of the first way I learned to eat it.  My mother used to serve very well cooked leaf spinach from a frozen block.  It was sprinkled with vinegar and garnished with hard-cooked eggs.  I liked it okay, but that was the only way I knew it.

"It's full of iron," she'd say.  It's good for you."  My first super-food, because Mom said so and because it performed miracles for Popeye. (My mom even managed to find Popeye shaped spinach noodles at the store!)

                                                           
If you think Popeye is just the name for a restaurant chain, let me give you the real lowdown:

Popeye was a skinny, seemingly hapless sailor with a corn cob pipe who was in love with an also skinny girl named Olive Oyl.  The object of his affection was relentlessly pursued by Bluto, a burly bully of a villain.  When put into all kinds of fanciful situations, our hopeless hero becomes magnificent  -- smart, strong and fast -- after downing a can of spinach!  His biceps tripled in size, his chest puffed out and he sped away like a locomotive to save Olive Oyl from some traumatic fate, usually involving the conniving Bluto. Popeye could do anything, overcome any obstacle, all because he was empowered by that spinach.

Since my Popeye days, I've had spinach a hundred or more different ways.  My first spinach salad, a wilted salad with bacon dressing, was a real eye opener. Then there were quiches, and lasagne filling and souffles, frittata, omelets, pizzas.  That's one versatile green!

I wish I could say I had the same love for rice.  Rice has to pretty well dressed up for me.  Naked won't do.  Rice is just a bed for something else.

But when I marry rice and spinach?  Now that's something.  And when you add coconut milk, well that's almost risotto!  Creamy and nutty and speckled with green punches of power!

Spinach and rice sounds prettier in Spanish -- Arroz Verde -- and usually is jazzed up with cilantro and onion, among a few other additions. But I liked my coconut milk addition; I used a light version so still got the richness without too many extra calories.

I thought I was clever by not adding too much moisture to the pan as the rice cooked, thinking that the frozen spinach would add what was needed besides the milk, but it needed a little more moisture and I wrote up the recipe to reflect that.

And if you do decide to make some kind of green rice you just might join me in singing the Popeye refrain:

I'm strong to the finich,
cuz I eats me spinach,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!

Green Rice
makes 6 to 8 servings
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or 4-5 scrapes of a nutmeg with a grater

Place rice, coconut milk, water and salt in a pan with the frozen block of spinach.  Bring to a boil.  Break up the spinach with a wooden spoon.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cover until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 25 minutes.  Add the nutmeg, stir again, and serve.

26 comments:

  1. Yes, the idea of plan rice these days just does not have enough appeal. When I first saw the title I was thinking of little rice vs big chunk of spinach, but I am delighted to find that the mix is in equal proportions. The dish does look colorful with that healthy spinach in it. Great post.

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  2. Love spinach. Love rice. Love Popeye. You can see where I'm going with this...

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  3. I always watched Popeye as a kid but I didn't like spinach. Maybe it was because my mom only had one way to cook it - boiled! Now I love spinach and like you, have cooked it a hundred ways, but never with a coconut rice. This sounds so good! Definitely will be giving this a try.

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  4. It's funny - as a kid I never cared for spinach. Then I tried it fresh and raw. LOVE it! Now I'll eat it all the time. I guess we change as we get older...and hopefully wiser!

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  5. As a child I used to enjoy popeye show a lot. The two male character fight over the same lady .... This rice dish looks so healthy

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  6. I love spinach! Your rice looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Yum! I LOVE all these ingredients and really love rice with veggies.

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  10. The rice with spinach looks so delicious!

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  11. What a great combination; a must try!
    Rita

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  12. I make coconut rice all the time and have only ever added red beans and scallions. I love spinach so shall have to give this a try!

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  13. Mmmmmmm....this looks marvelous!!! And I love the addition of coconut milk! My oldest and his buddy went through their Popeye spinach phase in kindergarten. They'd ask me to make them spinach, then they'd load it up with butter and salt :)

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  14. I loved your post today and your dish looks wonderful.I'll have to give your recipe a try. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary.

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  15. There was a time when I never thought of spinach without seeing Popeye the sailor man! My mom cooked up that same block of frozen spinach, lol! I can still remember like it was yesterday! Your recipe is a big time improvement !
    I like the light coconut milk and your dish looks very healthy and yummy, probably makes you stronger too;-)

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  16. Yum this sounds delightful. As a kid, my family called me Popeye because I could never get enough spinach. I loved it then and now. I can't wait to try this recipe and with the coconut milk added it's sure to be heavenly.

    Thank you for sharing and I'm thrilled to have stopped by to visit you for the first time. I'll be back.

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  17. Unlike my husband, I don't adore rice. But if it is doctored up like this? Yum! Thank you for sharing your green creation with me! From first word to last, I was glad I visited you and your site today. I hope this finds you happy and well. Much love.

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  18. This is seriously an awesome recipe. My son is going to love it, I will make it tonight! thank you :) Claudia

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  19. This looks absolutely delish!! I love the coconut milk addition. My kind of recipe :)

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  20. Really great - delicious, healthy and quick - that's a win, win, win!
    mary x

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  21. For some strange reason, I've always loved spinach, especially creamed spinach, even when I was a kid. Never made it with rice...such a great idea! Love it, and love your recipe. Yumm:DDD

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  22. I love popeye! so nice that you have this one.. spinach!

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  23. I never thought anything of eating a helping of spinach growing up, but I never associated it with my watching Popeye in the afternoons. You might be on to something! Your rice dish sounds wonderful with the nutmeg and coconut milk, too.

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  24. Your dish sounds delicious! Spinach always reminded me of Popeye and Olive Oyl. I'm new to your blog and following to see what's next. I will be looking around now!

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  25. Yep, I need rice dressed up too but Dan LOVES it plain with butter salt and pepper.

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