Did you know that Swiss Chard is one of THE most nutritious vegetables around, comparable to the likes of spinach and beetroot? Their leaves are brimming with phytonutrients and antioxidants.  Their nutritional properties are so exceptional, that researchers have lists of the various “….amines”, “….anthins”, and “….anins” as long as their arms, but we suspect that you’re mostly interested in knowing how to cook and prepare it and what to eat it with.

 

As a commonly overlooked vegetable, Swiss Chard resembles a giant piece of colourful celery (or Rhubarb) with a huge dark curly leafy top.  It comes in a variety of coloured stalks including red, yellow, orange and white, but it’s recommended you only eat the stalk of the white variety as the others can be tough. As part of the same family as beets and spinach, the leaves have an earthy, almost peppery flavour. 

 

When selecting your Chard, look for fresh, crispy leaves, free of brown discolouration or wilting.  Store them in an airtight plastic bag in the crisper for maximum freshness. Only wash the vegetable when you use it. The best way to prepare Chard is to slice the leaves (and white stalks) into 1-inch strips and boil in a big pot of water for around 3 minutes. Don’t over cook it in order to retain its maximum nutrition and avoid losing its water-soluble nutrients. Discard the cooking water after you have boiled Chard.