Eggs and Breakfasts

• Eggs and spinach go together like peanut butter and jelly. Add fresh spinach, shredded cheese and chopped tomatoes to your scrambled eggs in the last minute of cooking. Bake a quiche loaded with spinach, asparagus, mushrooms and bacon, or use a combination of spinach, caramelized onion and Swiss cheese. A serving of filling spinach casserole gives you the energy to start your day, though it's just as tasty enjoyed as a midnight snack. Use spinach in a strata made of day-old bread and eggs, or add spinach and broccoli to a potato casserole. You'll find recipes for such casseroles that use eggs or sour cream to hold the dish together.

Pasta Dishes

• Every home chef has a go-to pasta dish for busy nights. Jazz up your favorite with fresh or frozen spinach. Pack handfuls of fresh leaves between lasagna layers or mix defrosted frozen greens into your cheese or sauce mixture. Pump up the nutrition in your usual pesto pasta dish by using spinach in place of, or in addition to, basil. ChooseMyPlate.gov suggests using frozen spinach, but you may just as easily substitute fresh spinach for fresh basil in your favorite recipe. Your options go on: Toss wilted spinach with tomato sauce, stir fresh spinach into a bowl of linguine with garlic and clams or incorporate the greens into a batch of fresh pasta dough.

Soups and Salads

• A fresh spinach salad is on many a restaurant menu, but serving raw leaves isn't the only way to incorporate spinach into a meal starter. Try your hand at making warm spinach salads on cold evenings. Heat some minced garlic in olive oil, toss in washed spinach and cook it for just 30 seconds or so, until it wilts but remains bright green. Use the wilted spinach as a base for sliced steak or chicken, or opt for a protein-packed veggie meal by topping the greens with hard-boiled egg, chopped nuts, roasted peppers and a drizzle of lemon vinaigrette. On the side, serve bowls of hearty soup swirled with spinach leaves. Add handfuls of the fresh leaves in the last few minutes of cooking white bean, chicken noodle, tomato, lentil or Italian sausage soup. Even a hearty meat chili is improved by a helping of nutritious spinach.

More Dips, Sides and Entrees to Try

• Cheesy spinach dip with gooey cheese is a crowd-pleasing appetizer option. Serve it with pretzels or tortilla chips. As a side dish, spinach can stand alone. Saute it with lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle the finished dish with toasted sesame seeds or pine nuts. Use the ingredient in place of kale or basil in any entree that calls for them, or use it in dishes that might not typically include spinach. Spoon wilted spinach into tacos with grilled vegetables, black beans and fresh Mexican cheese; use it as a pizza topping; or scoop it into loaded baked potatoes. This green is a tasty complement to delicate fish dishes, too; MayoClinic.org suggests rolling sauteed spinach into fillets of sole and baking them for a dinner that's light on calories but packed with flavor.