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Our favorite way to eat Swiss Chard

I love to grow swiss chard.  My favorite variety is called ‘bright lights’ or ‘tri-color chard’. As you can see – it is visually stunning – a beautiful addition to any garden, and very easy to grow. It will last through a frost – so the chard in my garden is  a great fall go-to veggie, after the tomatoes, cucumber and squash are gone. Sometimes I pick a big bunch and keep it on the table as a centerpiece for a day before eating it, it’s just that pretty!

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We like to sneak it into fruit smoothies (a much milder taste than kale) and it’s packed full of phytonutrients.  Read here why it’s one of the world’s healthiest foods!

How-To on the Toasted Pumpkin seeds:

For healthier nuts/seeds, and easier digestion – I like to soak my seeds overnight in a mason jar.  I add 2 tablespoons salt to filtered water and soak them in the brine on the counter, then transfer to fridge the next day.  Seeds will continue to mildly ferment in the fridge – and will keep fresh a long time this way. When I’m ready to toast, I drain them from the brine, pat dry on a paper towel and add them to a frying pan with a little grapeseed oil. Once toasted, add a light sprinkle of sea salt. These taste great all by themselves!

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Add to Plan to Eat

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Cranberries & Toasted Seeds

Course: Side Dishes

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1-2 large bunches fresh swiss chard
  • 3-4 cloves fresh garlic chopped
  • Grapeseed oil for sauteeing (healthier than olive oil for high heat)
  • Dried Cranberries (we like the apple-juice sweetened kind)
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds, or toasted pine nuts)
  • Sea salt (or kosher)
  • Balsamic vinegar

Directions

  1. Rinse chard, and chop into 1-inch size chunks. Leaves can be sliced into 1-inch pieces. Separate stems from leaf tops. Chop garlic.
  2. In a large sauce pan or wok, heat grapeseed oil on medium high. Add garlic and stems at the same time and sprinkle with salt. Cook for approx. 3-4 minutes, then add leaf tops (there will be a lot of greens at first, but they will cook down. This is why a wok is helpful.)
  3. Sprinkle with salt again and cover to steam, turning heat down to medium. Add a splash of water if chard begins to stick to the bottom. Once stems are tender, remove contents onto a platter.
  4. Chop dried cranberries into smaller bits. Add toasted pumpkin seeds (pine nuts are wonderful, but so expensive!) and drizzle with a little Balsamic vinegar – DELICIOUS! My kiddos always go back for seconds on this dish!

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