Sauteed Swiss Chard with Fruit and Nuts

What to do with Swiss chard that hasn’t been done before?  Everyone loves to saute it with a little garlic and onion and that’s delicious but it’s time to change it up – add some colour,  crunch and citrus!

I just love rainbow chard because colour is as important as flavour and texture.  I firmly believe that your kids are going to be more attracted to their vegetables when they’re so inviting with their bright hues.  No need to toss away those beautiful stems, just chop them up and saute them for a few minutes before adding the leaves.

I’ve included some orange juice and zest,  dried cranberries and golden raisins, bell pepper and walnuts and almonds.  Oh, and there’s the old reliable garlic and onion in here, too!

Swiss chard is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables out there. It packs an impressive amount of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and copper. And with high levels of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and many trace minerals, you’re pretty much covered, I’d say!

If you haven’t had Swiss chard before, the leaves are tender and have a taste similar to spinach.  The crunchy stems are slightly sweet and have a taste like bok choy stems.  It’s very easy to cook with and you’ll find it goes well in soups, stews, and with pasta.

If you love Swiss chard as much as I do, you’ll want to check out this easy stir fry recipe at Omnivore’s Cookbook.  It’s both beautiful and delicious!

I used the rest of the chard for a penne dish that I will share in my Fall ebook.  You can see a shot of it on Instagram today.  It was so delicious and can you believe I have found a pasta that is made up of only two ingredients? Yes!  Lentils and chickpeas!!  It was awesome and it’s gluten-free, vegan, allergen-free, organic, non-gmo, kosher – you name it, they’ve got it covered!  Can’t wait to share and I hope to have a giveaway with it as well!

Until then – eat your fresh veggies while you can- it’s already *gasp* August.  Cheers!