Swiss Chard is a wonderful plant to grow in the garden. Not only does it taste good, it’s pretty as well. At Wild Things there are several different varieties of Swiss Chard in the garden; Lucullus, Bright Lights, and Sea Foam are the three main varieties grown. Lucullus is a very hardy plant, withstanding summer heat better than the other varieties, but Bright Lights is colorful and happy and “they” say that colorful veggies are the best choices for more nutrients.
Swiss chard is one of the most nutritious veggies around. It contains anthocyanins and fiber, which prevent colon and digestive cancers; iron, supporting the body’s ability to utilize oxygen; vitamin A to protect your lungs and prevent heart disease; vitamin C to boost your immune function and protect against heart disease; vitamin K to keep bones strong and allow blood to clot. (whew!)
My favorite way to prepare Swiss Chard is to wash it, remove the stems, tear the leaves up, and eat them in a salad. If you like fresh spinach salads, you’ll like Swiss Chard salads. It’s thicker and meatier than spinach, and is great accompanied by the same things that like to go with spinach salads.
Swiss Chard is also good sauteed lightly and added to recipes. Many of the chefs on Food Network have been using Swiss Chard in their recipes, so I would suggest checking out their website for specific recipes.
Swiss Chard is one of those veggies that “they” recommend be eaten as soon as it’s picked for maximum nutritional benefit, but if you must store it for a couple of days, do so in a plastic bag in the crisper of your frig. Don’t wash it until you are ready to use it.
The vegucation info in this blog was gleaned from Organic Gardening magazine.
Wild Things Farm 