Popeye was well known for eating spinach to make his muscles grow. The sailor man ate cans of the stuff. We’re lucky today we don’t have to rely on the canned variety – no wonder it put people off this delicious seasonal vegetable. May sees lots of homegrown spinach in shops and supermarkets. Try to buy the non washed variety – it has been picked straight from the ground and not rinsed several times in an ammonia solution before it hits the puffer pack. Natural unwashed fresh spinach needs a rinse to remove any soil or gritty bits. It has a rich iron taste. Contrary to popular belief, it does not need to be boiled to Popeye mush! A quick toss in melted butter is enough to wilt the leaves, while keeping the texture. This also retains nutrients. Dark coloured vegetables are full of anitoxidants which are professed by experts to be good for removing free radicals from the blood, and keeping the heart healthy. One of our favourite ways to eat spinach is underneath a soft poached free range egg. The perfect breakfast. You can take it one step further and make a smooth Irish farmhouse cheddar sauce to pour over – as in Eggs Florentine. This elevates it to lunch status. Even better for dinner – serve this one with chips for dipping into the soft egg yolk and sauce!