Apple Walnut Rainbow Swiss Chard Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can Swiss chard be eaten raw in a salad? ›

Swiss chard can be enjoyed raw in salads or on sandwiches or wraps, braised, boiled, sautéed or added to soups and casseroles. Here are some tips to incorporate more Swiss chard (leaves and stems) into the daily routine: Add a handful of fresh Swiss chard leaves to an omelet or scrambled eggs.

All chard is Swiss chard; it's just stalk colors and names that vary! The stalks and leaf veins of Swiss chard vary in color from yellow to pink and deep red to white. Chard with red stalks is called Rhubarb, Red, or Ruby Chard. Chard with multicolored stalks grouped together is known as Rainbow Chard.

Chard can be steamed or sauteed, and it's great in soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas and quiches. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads.

Cooking bitter greens like chard and kale long and slow in animal fats, as in stews or soups, tends to get rid of the bitterness. The simple best way to get rid of the tanic acid in cooking chard greens only is the cut up the greens and bring them to a Rolling Boil and boil them for 3 min.

This should be avoided by people prone to kidney stones. It contains oxalates that can decrease the body's absorption of calcium leading to kidney stones.

Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage are among the most challenging to digest due to their complex fibers, which tend to ferment in the gut, causing gas and bloating. Alternative nutrient-rich foods that are easier on the gut include dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard.

You can enjoy chard raw like spinach, kale and lettuce. As with spinach and kale, chard is earthy, but its bitterness is less intense than kale's.

Spinach have significantly more Vitamins A than chard. Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron. Spinach is a great source of Thiamin, Niacin, Zinc, Phosphorus.

Swiss chard includes a high concentration of trace minerals, which are essential for a healthy endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels), healthy blood vessels, and cardiac regulation. Swiss chard helps improve blood vessel constriction, blood pressure, and nerve communication.

Chard will usually bolt in any extreme temperature conditions like freezing and in extremely dry hot weather.” Doyle noted that the plant might continue to produce the typical chard leaves, and that the smoother leaves are still flavorful but more bitter than others.

How to eat rainbow chard? ›

Add chopped raw chard to salads, especially with a lemon-juice vinaigrette. Raw chard can have an assertive taste, so start with a little and see what you think. Sauté chopped chard with diced onion, then use it as a filling in omelets or mixed into frittatas.

Fungal Trouble with Swiss Chard

In humid weather, the leaves may take on a fuzzy appearance due to the silvery gray spores. Downy mildew – Humid conditions or excess moisture may result in downy mildew, a fungal disease that is unsightly but usually not deadly.

You can eat these greens both raw or cooked. However, cooking chards improves not only the nutrient availability, but also the taste. Swiss chard is susceptible to foodborne pathogens, like other leafy greens, so be careful about washing this veggie thoroughly before preparing it.

If using chard raw just remember to first wash. All leafy greens, fruits and vegetables should always be washed (especially if you plan on eating them raw) prior to eating unless they come in a package labeled “triple-washed,” “washed” or “ready-to-eat”. The stalks of swiss chard are also edible.