Swiss Chard

Make up your favorite lentil soup recipe, before puree-ing toss in some roughly chopped chard (I use the entire bunch), let it wilt, blend and serve - yum! There's an actual recipe in one of the WW cookbooks, but I think any lentil soup will do.

Fold the leaves in half and take the leaves off the stems. Chop and reserve stems. Chop leaves. Chop onion, mushrooms (any kind, but crimini rock in this) and several cloves of garlic and sautee in OO and butter 'til onions are translucent. Add salt now if you need the mushrooms to release their liquid. Add in chopped stems. Continue to sautee for a few minutes. Now toss in your leaves. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of freshly grated (only fresh!) nutmeg, and romano or parmesan cheese and heavy cream. Heat til warm and serve over fettucine noodles or whatever kind of noodles you have. This is absolutely amazing!!!

I really like adding it to soups, but often i'll eat it as a side dish. I cook some garlic in olive oil and then just toss in the swiss chard, add a tiny bit of salt and that is it. I like it simple.

We love it for an italian-style beans and greens - cook some onions, garlic, chopped tomato, herbs, and white beans in olive oil for awhile. Then add your chopped chard for the last 5 or so minutes.

They're great in soups too I'll agree, and you can use them for a dish like stuffed cabbage - say with a rice/veggie mix wrapped in steamed chard leaves.

I actually love swiss chard in a raw salad. I cut the chard into thin strips by rolling each leaf and cutting, then toss with lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar, onions thinly sliced, garlic, and a shot of braggs. I also grate carrot and add a teaspoon or so honey (or agave if you prefer). My kids even like this.

It is especilly good marinated for a few hours.

We love steam swiss chard, and just serve it as a side with a meal.

Our favorite swiss chard method is the greens (not the stems) in fruit smoothies. You have no idea the greens are there and the kiddos get the goodness of raw greens.

I slice the greens into ribbons, and thinly slice the stem. Then I heat up some olive oil (sometimes with garlic, sometimes with onions, sometimes without), and saute them until tender and bright colored. Add salt and a little white wine or white white vinegar (this sometimes ruins the color, but tastes great) to taste. yummy.

I wrap them around rice (think dolmas) and boil/steam them. it's a kurdish recipe. I parboil my rice, jasmine usually, then add the scooped out innards of some tomatoes, finelly chopped fresh parsley and dill, salt, pomagranite powder (anardana), (or the easier to find mango powder- amchur). Wash chard leaves, roll rice mixture up inside the leaves nice n tight. Roll remaining rice mix in tomato outers, onion slices, etc. Pack everything into deep pot, tightly. Lay heavy plate over top, fill with water and more lemon juice. Boil til water is gone. mmm mmm mmm

I love swiss chard soo much.