Spinach is one of my favourite foods. It is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, it freezes well and, without defrosting, it can be stirred into soups, stews and pasta dishes to add loads of nutrients, colour and a wonderful flavour.

In the first of this week's recipes, I use a small amount of fresh spinach in a butternut squash and chickpea stew that I discovered on my recent trip to Spain. But I suggest that you wash and de-stalk the whole 1.25kg of spinach on the shopping list, cook what you don't use in the stew and freeze it for the two other recipes. I like to lace the stew with a picada, a mixture of ground-up nuts and herbs that the Spanish stir in at the end of cooking. The picada not only thickens the stew but it also adds extra flavour.

I am trying to cut down on my meat consumption, as I read more and more about how damaging it is to the environment; so even though I love meat when I eat it, I have decided not to include any in this week's recipes.

My spinach and potato soup, the second recipe, echoes the chickpea stew as flavour is woven in at the end with mustard seeds and shallots. And the last of the spinach goes in a penne Florentine, with eggs and cheese; perfect for a cosy supper in front of the telly.

Spinach and butternut squash stew with almond and thyme picada

Preparation time: 10 mins; cook time: 25 mins; serves 4

Sautée one chopped onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil with 600g squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1in chunks, 1 clove chopped garlic, a teaspoon of fennel seeds, a good pinch of saffron and a teaspoon of pimenton picante (smoked paprika). After sautéeing for 5-10 minutes, add boiling water to cover to a depth of in (1cm). Simmer for 10 mins. Meanwhile, grind 25 toasted almonds, 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts, two cloves of garlic, 1 tsp salt, a small handful parsley, the leaves from a bunch of thyme and a teaspoon of peppercorns to a rough paste in a pestle and mortar. Splash in a few tablespoons of good extra-virgin olive oil to loosen. This is your Spanish picada.

Add a drained tin of chickpeas to the stew and 250g of de-stalked, washed spinach. Then stir in to wilt the spinach (two minutes). Just before serving stir through the picada, allow to simmer for a few minutes to thicken the stew and serve with wedges of bread and more olive oil.

For the remaining spinach Wash and de-stalk and shake off excess water. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a very large pan, add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and cook until it wilts down. It takes a few minutes. Cool, squeeze dry and freeze in two batches.

Spinach and potato soup

Serves 4

Sweat a chopped onion,1 tbsp of coriander seeds,1 tsp of cumin seeds, 2 sliced cloves of garlic and 3 large potatoes, diced, in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Cover with water, add a bay leaf and simmer until the potato is tender. Drop in one batch of the frozen spinach and bring to simmering point. Blend in a food processor, then season with salt and black pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small skillet and add a teaspoon of mustard seeds. When they start to sputter, add two chopped shallots and 4-5 frozen curry leaves. Fry until the shallots are brown and stir the mixture through the soup with a swirl of yoghurt.

Florentine pasta

Serves 4

Heat 1 tbsp oil and add 6 anchovy fillets, heating gently until they melt. Add the frozen spinach and heat through. Cook 300g pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Beat two eggs with two tablespoons grated Parmesan and a good pinch of ground allspice. When the pasta is cooked, toss with 2 tbsp of the cooking water, a handful of toasted walnuts, the anchovy sauce and the eggs. Serve at once on hot plates.

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