Storage: 
Refrigerate chard in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer. Paper towel can help to absorb excess moisture. Can also be stored in a mesh greens bag.
Freeze: steps to freezing greens
Best uses: Small leaves can be cooked with the stems attached or eaten raw in salads. Larger leaves have tougher stems, so separate them and give the stems a few minutes head start when cooking. Stir chard into stews and soups, or blanch or sauté it, like spinach. Leaves can be cut in small ribbons and added to rice/quinoa/pilaf/egg dishes or salads
500g / 1 pound Swiss Chard = RAW 4 cups stems + 5-6 Cups leaves / COOKED 1 1/2 Cups cooked stems + 1 Cup cooked leaves
Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard rainbow: The thick stalks are red, white, yellow, or green. All have a mildly bitter taste.
Pesto – Yes, you can pesto just about anything – having trouble eating your greens?…. Pesto – take a look at this pesto basics guide and Pesto Basics 101. Most pesto can be frozen after preparing into serving size cubes to use throughout the year.
Swiss chard has expansive, pocketed leaves with stems in a spectrum of colors: red, white, green, yellow. It is actually in the beet family but doesn’t develop a bulb. Its leaves are more tender and delicate than other greens. Eat small leaves raw in salads and blanch or steam larger leaves. You can freeze chard for recipes later To store: Keep dry, unwashed greens in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. To prep: Wash leaves in basin of lukewarm water to remove grit. Remove the thicker stems by folding the leaves down the center and cutting out the stem. Stack several leaves on top of each other and slice into 1-inch wide ribbons. To use: Add uncooked greens to a mixed green salad. Steam stem pieces 8-10 minutes, and leaves 4-6 minutes. Or sauté greens until tender in a large sauté pan with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and garlic or onion. Watch for color to brighten as this signals they are done. Serve cooked chard alone as a side dish or use them in soup or with pasta, beans, rice, or potatoes. Chard also goes great in stir-fries or in any recipe calling for spinach. To freeze: Blanch washed greens for 2-3 minutes. Rinse in cold ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and freeze.
RECIPES
Sautéed Swiss Chard 1 bunch Swiss chard, take the leaves off of stems. Rough chop leaves. small dice the stems 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice Method: In a medium high heat place with a sauté pan. Add the oil add the stems cook for about 2 minutes. Next add the Swiss chard leaves, salt, pepper and lemon juice cook and stir occasionally for about 4 minutes or till leave wilt. Serve and enjoy.
Here are two recipes to use the leaves and the stalks 🙂
Chard Stalk Hummus - makes 1 Cup 2 C. chopped card stalks 2 garlic cloves 1/4 C. tahini 1/2 tsp. salt Juice of 1 Lemon (2 Tbsp) Bring small pot of water to a boil. Add the chard stalks and boil for 5-10 minutes(depending on how thick they are)until the stalks are very soft. Drain well, squeezing out any excess water, and add the stalks to a food processor, along with the garlic, tahini, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse continuously until the dip is slightly chunky and still has some bite to it, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Serve with a generous swirl of oil on top and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Lye, Linda (2015) The CSA Cookbook. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press
Foolproof Pesto Ly, Linda (2015) The CSA Cookbook. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press 2 C. packed herbs or greens 1/2 C.grated hard cheese 1/3 C. toasted nuts or seeds 1/4 to 1/2 C oil salt to taste everything goes in the food processor or blender pulse until smooth Serving ideas: with bread, crackers, veggies, over pasta...... Pesto Vinaigrette - start with a thin pesto, whisk together 1/4 C. pesto and 2 Tbsp vine vinegar, taste and add more if desired
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