I went through the better part of my years without ever making a swiss chard recipe. I would pass by the leafy greens section of my grocery store with hardly a glance in that direction -- although admittedly I always felt a little tinge of "if only I could muster up the courage to try that stuff!".
But then I started to learn just how important it is to add leafy greens to your diet. So I grudgingly began some taste tests. Swiss chard certainly led the way in the taste department, outdistancing other greens such as collard, mustard and kale (to my taste buds, that is).
Back then, I had no clue what I was looking for when selecting "chard".
Now I have a better idea...
How To Select Swiss Chard
Look for those that are firm and not wilting at all. The leaves should look pretty and "at attention". There are usually a few varieties to choose from, including those with white stalks, red stalks, and other colors! They all pretty much taste the same, but the color comes in when you have a desire to dress up your plate.
How To Clean and Prep Swiss Chard
Fill a large bowl with fresh water and 1-2 Tbsp. of lemon juice (or other foodie acid like vinegar) and soak for 5-10 minutes. Rinse. Your veggie is now ready for you to create your very own Swiss chard recipe.
Create your very own Swiss chard recipes with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with Swiss chard.
Bragg Liquid Aminos, or Tamari Chiles Garlic Lemon Nutritional Yeast Peppers, especially hot Saffron Tarragon Tomatoes Vinegar
Swiss Chard Helpful Hints
For years I only ate the leaves, throwing the stalks away. Big mistake! One day my husband Jeff said "How come we never eat the stalks?" So I steamed them up, along with the leaves. Crunchy and delicious, and VERY good for you. So give those stalks a try. ;o)
To freeze for a long period, blanch until the color turns bright in hot boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the top. Remove any excess water from the surface (setting it out to dry works great) and place in freezer bags, or containers. Then when needed, thaw to room temperature, removing only as much veggie as you require to create your swiss chard recipe.
Discover Vegan Collard, Mustard and Turnip Greens!
Visit the Vegan Cooking Guide to discover how EASY vegan cooking can be!
Discover the Vegan Food Pyramid!
Take a Vegan Nutrition Test to pinpoint your PERSONAL nutritional needs;
Take a peek at the Vegan Coach Sitemap to see all the information VeganCoach.com has to offer you.
Go to the Vegan Coach Homepage
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