The Great Veggie Experiment – Swiss Chard!

One of my goals this month was to try 2 new veggies.  Well, the month has been getting on and I needed to get to it!  I was at the farmer’s market on Saturday and  saw all these pretty fresh greens.

I know I am in the great internet minority, but kale does not do it for me.  I just don’t like it (sorry Roz!).  I talked with one of the farm ladies about the swiss chard.  It was so colorful that I wanted to give it a try.  She said it would be less bitter than the kale and less tough.

Recommendations were to chop the stems up small and  cook lightly with olive oil and garlic.  Sounds simple.

According to wikipedia, chard is one of the healthiest veggies chock full of vitamins A and C, plus iron (which is why the stems are red – pretty cool).

My recipe:

Serves 1. (John was not interested in the chard)

  • 5 to 6 stems of swiss chard
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (I used macadamia nut oil)
  • 1/2 clove minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

I chopped up the stems small and did ribbons of the leafy tops.

I am not a huge fan of the garlic, but I don’t mind roasted garlic.  So, we bought a jar of that to use.

You can use fresh if you like.  I like the milder taste of this stuff.  I used 1/4 teaspoon, but use as much as you like – especially if you are not meeting with anyone after eating it 😀

In a large pan, heat the oil and add the garlic over medium to medium high heat.  Cook for a couple minutes and then toss in all the greens.

Cook for several minutes folding the greens around with tongs until they are lightly wilted.  I removed the leafy parts first, which just picked right up with the tongs, and left the stem parts in for another couple minutes to soften them up a bit.

Then onto a plate.

I love how these kept their color!  Sometimes I wish that I actually liked eating veggies as much as I like the idea of eating veggies because they are pretty.

The verdict?  Not bad.  They were not really bitter (yay!) and seemed to have a milder flavor than sauteed spinach, plus they did not get as slimy as sauteed spinach.  The texture is somewhat chewy, but less chewy than kale.  I probably will not add chard to my veggie rotation very often, but I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at it if offered to me.

16 thoughts on “The Great Veggie Experiment – Swiss Chard!

  1. Tish

    Thanks for the review, Lori, chard is one I haven’t tried yet. I like collard greens, so maybe chard will pass our review. We’re having great biking weather. And, your anti chafing tip (commando) did the trick! Don’t tell my mom!

  2. Lori Lynn

    It kind of reminds me of something that my Mom used to make when I was younger, called Wilted Lettuce. This is probably a lot more healthy version- b/c it had spinach and bacon (and the bacon grease)!

  3. Grace @ Grace Dishes

    I love the challenge of trying out new vegetables! Everything tastes great with garlic (in my opinion!) The only vegetable that I couldn’t stand was Chinese Mustard Greens… THEY WERE SO BITTER omgosh.

    Hope you have a wonderful week. The dish looks delicious!

  4. Sharon

    We call that silverbeet here. I have some growing in my garden at the moment. We love it just steamed and eaten with a little salt.

  5. Sharon

    One thing I miss about traveling is not being at my local farmers market. We are mostly moving on Saturdays, so I’m even missing the ones that are open here in the northeast. Many haven’t begun yet. Have not tried the chard, but have seen several recipes. I bet I’ll like it – not many vegetables I don’t like.

  6. debby

    Good for you for giving it a try. As much as I like most vegetables, I will not eat swiss chard. I hated it as a kid, and I refuse to give it another try. I like beets though… ;))

  7. Fran

    Never had it but it looks like pak choi which I love. If I see this in my supermarket I might give it a try too. Think I will like it.

  8. Helen

    “Sometimes I wish that I actually liked eating veggies as much as I like the idea of eating veggies because they are pretty.”

    That describes perfectly how I feel about most fruit! I really, really want to like it a lot more than I do. Sigh.

    Good for you for trying it though – most adults just won’t even try new things. Can’t wait to see what your next choice is!

  9. Andra

    Chard is one of my favorites. I LOVE the stems! They remind me very much of beet greens which are also delicious. I’m off to the farmer’s market now. I hope the poye is ready.

  10. Jennifer

    I love swiss chard. Actually, we grow tons and tons of it in the summer and freeze it for the winter. Usually, I chop the leaves and stems and then give it a quick boil. Afterwards I either season it with EVO and vinegar or sautee it with tomato and garlic! Delish!!!

  11. Ali @ Peaches and Football

    I haven’t tried chard either but I agree it’s so pretty. I’m with you on veggies, I definitely know I need to eat them and I always feel good about myself when I do, but it’s hard for me to eat them (or at least a variety anyway)

  12. Nivedita

    Chards are now available at our local farmers market and they are organic too. I cook them up with lentils and tomato with a pinch of turmeric and some Thai peppers. They are very flavorful.

  13. Tami @Nutmeg Notebook

    Looks so good Lori! I actually love kale and chard. One way to get the health benefits is to toss a handful or two of greens into a smoothie – if you have berries, apple or banana in the smoothie you never taste the greens.

  14. Sandy B

    I’m with you — I don’t like kale!

    But I adore Swiss Chard. I lightly steam mine and eat it with a couple of dollops of real butter and splashes of white vinegar. It is divine! Really!

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