Anyone try swiss chard?

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Amoravy
Amoravy Posts: 86 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Been trying to add more leafy greens besides spinach to my diet. I tried swiss chard tonight, it wasn't bad. Like a mix of spinach and collards.

I put them in my steamer (is 15 minutes too long?), then added olive oil, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper. Anyone else eat it a different way?

Replies

  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
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    Yeah, I eat swiss chard all the time in green smoothies.
  • the_great_unknown
    the_great_unknown Posts: 194 Member
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    I'm Middle Eastern and we stuff the leaves with ground beef mixed with spices and rice and then simmer the rolled up leaves in water with lemon, olive oil, and garlic. It is probably my favorite dish. Not a 30 minute meal, but fantastic if you like that kind of thing.
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
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    oh yes! I LOVE swiss chard! It's fantastic! I cook it lots of different ways, sauteed plain in olive or coconut oil, I put it in soups, I stirfry it. I just use it like I would spinach and I especially love rainbow chard because it's so beautiful :) You can even eat it raw if you like. My Husband prefers cooked chard over cooked spinach.
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
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    I'm Middle Eastern and we stuff the leaves with ground beef mixed with spices and rice and then simmer the rolled up leaves in water with lemon, olive oil, and garlic. It is probably my favorite dish. Not a 30 minute meal, but fantastic if you like that kind of thing.

    That sounds amazing!!! What kind of spices please? :)
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
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    Saute up some onion and minced garlic in olive oil. Remove the center stalk from the chard leaves, cut into 2-3 inch squares and clean (rinse and run through a salad spinner, leaving a little water). When the onion is soft, add the chard to the pan with pinch of kosher salt and pepper. At this point you can add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth for a more savory dish. As the chard wilts down and the broth evaporates (3-5 minutes) add a splash of rice wine vinegar and cook a minute or two longer. For something more tart, leave the broth out and just use more rice wine vinegar (my preferred option). I don't like it very soupy, so keep the added liquids to small amounts. Good and very simple.
  • MMW8444
    MMW8444 Posts: 13
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    I love chard! I saute it in a tad bit of olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar toward the end and a dash of red pepper flakes. Yummy!!
  • the_great_unknown
    the_great_unknown Posts: 194 Member
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    I'm Middle Eastern and we stuff the leaves with ground beef mixed with spices and rice and then simmer the rolled up leaves in water with lemon, olive oil, and garlic. It is probably my favorite dish. Not a 30 minute meal, but fantastic if you like that kind of thing.

    That sounds amazing!!! What kind of spices please? :)

    We use black pepper, salt, allspice and cinnamon. I would say start with 1/2 t. of each, except the cinnamon. Maybe 1/4 t. of cinnamon. Those get mixed into the meat. Start by soaking about 1/4 c. of long grain white rice in water while you cut the stems out of the leaves and then blanch the leaves. Set the stems aside. Drain the rice and mix it with the meat and spices, and then take a small amount of the meat/rice mixture, about the size of a thumb, depending on the size of your leaf. Roll the filling up in the leaf and make a pile of them. When all of the leaves are stuffed, you can make meatballs of the leftover filling. This will let you check later for the doneness of the rice. Took cook the leaves, slice a large potato so that the slices cover the bottom of a stock pot. Put the stuffed leaves on top of the potatoes, making sure they are close together. Top them with chopped garlic. I use 3-4 cloves for about 1/2 lb of meat, 1/4 rice and one bunch of chard. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt, maybe 1/2 tsp. and then put a dinner plate on top of the rolls and put a heavy can on top of the plate. Add the juice of one lemon and water around the edge of the plate to cover the rolls, and then simmer until the rice is cooked. It seems to take about half an hour, but this is a guess.

    Take the stems and cut them into 1/2" pieces (it doesn't have to be exact) and simmer them in water separately from the stuffed leaves. Once the stem pieces are tender, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with some chopped garlic - maybe one large clove? It is up to you. Add about 1 T. of tahini, salt, and a small amount of olive oil. You may need to add a little bit of water, but not a lot. Puree until you have a smooth sauce.

    When the rolls are cooked (check the meatballs to see if the rice is done), serve with the sauce and enjoy.
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
    Options
    I'm Middle Eastern and we stuff the leaves with ground beef mixed with spices and rice and then simmer the rolled up leaves in water with lemon, olive oil, and garlic. It is probably my favorite dish. Not a 30 minute meal, but fantastic if you like that kind of thing.

    That sounds amazing!!! What kind of spices please? :)

    We use black pepper, salt, allspice and cinnamon. I would say start with 1/2 t. of each, except the cinnamon. Maybe 1/4 t. of cinnamon. Those get mixed into the meat. Start by soaking about 1/4 c. of long grain white rice in water while you cut the stems out of the leaves and then blanch the leaves. Set the stems aside. Drain the rice and mix it with the meat and spices, and then take a small amount of the meat/rice mixture, about the size of a thumb, depending on the size of your leaf. Roll the filling up in the leaf and make a pile of them. When all of the leaves are stuffed, you can make meatballs of the leftover filling. This will let you check later for the doneness of the rice. Took cook the leaves, slice a large potato so that the slices cover the bottom of a stock pot. Put the stuffed leaves on top of the potatoes, making sure they are close together. Top them with chopped garlic. I use 3-4 cloves for about 1/2 lb of meat, 1/4 rice and one bunch of chard. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt, maybe 1/2 tsp. and then put a dinner plate on top of the rolls and put a heavy can on top of the plate. Add the juice of one lemon and water around the edge of the plate to cover the rolls, and then simmer until the rice is cooked. It seems to take about half an hour, but this is a guess.

    Take the stems and cut them into 1/2" pieces (it doesn't have to be exact) and simmer them in water separately from the stuffed leaves. Once the stem pieces are tender, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with some chopped garlic - maybe one large clove? It is up to you. Add about 1 T. of tahini, salt, and a small amount of olive oil. You may need to add a little bit of water, but not a lot. Puree until you have a smooth sauce.

    When the rolls are cooked (check the meatballs to see if the rice is done), serve with the sauce and enjoy.


    Oh my goodness... that sounds AMAZING :) I will have to try this sometime! Thank you!
  • kurenaikumo
    kurenaikumo Posts: 271 Member
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    I like it with mixed salad greens. It's very easy to grow yourself, too. My Dad gets so much he gives it away LOL
  • the_great_unknown
    the_great_unknown Posts: 194 Member
    Options
    I'm Middle Eastern and we stuff the leaves with ground beef mixed with spices and rice and then simmer the rolled up leaves in water with lemon, olive oil, and garlic. It is probably my favorite dish. Not a 30 minute meal, but fantastic if you like that kind of thing.

    That sounds amazing!!! What kind of spices please? :)

    We use black pepper, salt, allspice and cinnamon. I would say start with 1/2 t. of each, except the cinnamon. Maybe 1/4 t. of cinnamon. Those get mixed into the meat. Start by soaking about 1/4 c. of long grain white rice in water while you cut the stems out of the leaves and then blanch the leaves. Set the stems aside. Drain the rice and mix it with the meat and spices, and then take a small amount of the meat/rice mixture, about the size of a thumb, depending on the size of your leaf. Roll the filling up in the leaf and make a pile of them. When all of the leaves are stuffed, you can make meatballs of the leftover filling. This will let you check later for the doneness of the rice. Took cook the leaves, slice a large potato so that the slices cover the bottom of a stock pot. Put the stuffed leaves on top of the potatoes, making sure they are close together. Top them with chopped garlic. I use 3-4 cloves for about 1/2 lb of meat, 1/4 rice and one bunch of chard. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt, maybe 1/2 tsp. and then put a dinner plate on top of the rolls and put a heavy can on top of the plate. Add the juice of one lemon and water around the edge of the plate to cover the rolls, and then simmer until the rice is cooked. It seems to take about half an hour, but this is a guess.

    Take the stems and cut them into 1/2" pieces (it doesn't have to be exact) and simmer them in water separately from the stuffed leaves. Once the stem pieces are tender, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with some chopped garlic - maybe one large clove? It is up to you. Add about 1 T. of tahini, salt, and a small amount of olive oil. You may need to add a little bit of water, but not a lot. Puree until you have a smooth sauce.

    When the rolls are cooked (check the meatballs to see if the rice is done), serve with the sauce and enjoy.


    Oh my goodness... that sounds AMAZING :) I will have to try this sometime! Thank you!

    You're welcome. Enjoy!

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