Veggies

I am determined to eat more vegetables! I am planning on shopping at farmer markets this summer. This sounds really hard but I know I can do it! I think. I was able to look up all the markets close to me and it looks like at least 2 days a week I can buy veggies.

The only problem is that I need to learn how to make delicious vegetables with little ingredients. I want to still know I'm eating them; no hiding broccoli in brownies or stuff like that. I would like Rob, Lucas and myself to fall in love with each vegetable.

I'm going to come up with a collection of delicious vegetable recipes we eat.

We really should be eating more vegetables than meat, but it never seems to work out that way.

1st Vegetable Spotlight: Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E and dietary fiber. It is a very good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and protein. In addition, Swiss chard is a good source of phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid.

Although Swiss chard is available throughout the year, its season runs from June through August when it is at its best and in the greatest abundance at your local supermarket. I think we all know that they Chard should be crisp not limp. A little note on the color of stems; white is the least bitter of all the colors.

You can read more about Swiss Chard here:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=16#nutritionalprofile

Well I researched recipes and came up with this very simple one:

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000965swiss_chard.php

After reading reviews I did add a step: Blanch the Swiss Chard before cooking on the stove. Also kept out the crushed pepper.

Swiss Chard Recipe
Ingredients
1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard

1 small clove garlic sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp water

Pinch of dried crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon buttersalt

Method
1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe (such as this Swiss chard ribs with cream and pasta). Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves.

Cover.

Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top.

Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it).

Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter.

Eat it up

If you have tried to prepare Swiss Chard before and found it to be bitter try this- buy it fresh and when it is in season or plant some and eat it as you cut it.

It is so delicious when fresh not bitter at all. I mean this was really really good.

If you buy fresh and want to attempt to keep some- blanch it and then freeze it.