Cooler weather means many garden harvests are through, but sturdier plants like swiss chard are still holding their own! These green leafy vegetables are a little tougher than delicate lettuces, so they’ll grow outside a little bit later in the cold Utah autumn, and they taste great! Red stemmed chard is pretty common, but it grows with a rainbow of stem colors and dark green leaves.
It does a lot for your body too; Swiss chard contains high levels of iron, calcium, Vitamin A,, Vitamin K and Vitamin C, plus insoluble fiber to keep your guts working like they should
If you’ve never had swiss chard, now is a great time to try it! The stems and leaves are edible, but they cook at different times, so they are usually separated after you wash the leaves. The bright color of the stems can be preserved by cooking them right after you cut them in water with lemon juice. The acidic lemon juice keeps the color from fading to brown, just like apple slices
Try this Italian style recipe and see if swiss chard can be added to your new favorites list. The recipe below can be served alongside roasted chicken, fish, or porchops. Others have added onions and bacon and served it as an entree. There are no rules; Create what you like!
