Whether in a lasagna, salad or quiche, with the following recipes you will not get tired of chard, one of the healthiest and most colorful vegetables.
Swiss chard is found in our country in two seasons, one from February to June and another from September to December and is particularly versatile in the kitchen.
IS SWISS CHARD HEALTHY?
Swiss chard is visually reminiscent of spinach and is often used as its substitute due to its mild aroma. Swiss chard provides calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin A, vitamin C, various B vitamins and vitamin K.
However, it also contains oxalic acid, which can affect mineral absorption. Excessive consumption can promote the development of kidney stones, so people with kidney problems should avoid them
For healthy people, on the other hand, the positive effects associated with the consumption of chard predominate. In addition, the negative effects of oxalic acid can be reduced by boiling them and throwing away cooking water.
4 BASIC RECIPES WITH SWISS CHARD
SAUTÉED WITH GARLIC AND ONION
The easiest way to prepare Swiss chard is as a classic vegetable, which combines perfectly with boiled potatoes and a vegetable burger.
Ingredients (for one serving):
- 250 g Swiss chard
- 1 small onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 drizzle of vegetable milk with calcium
- Salt
- Pepper
Elaboration:
- Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.
- Clean the chard, cut the stems into small pieces and chop the leaves into large pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot. Poach the onion and garlic until transparent. Add the chard stalks and some vegetable milk first and let the stems simmer for about five minutes.
- Finally, add the chopped leaves and sauté for a minute or two. Season everything with salt and pepper.
SWISS CHARD QUICHE
Quiche is a specialty of French cuisine and is an excellent way to consume Swiss chard that gives it a fine aroma.
Ingredients (for the dough):
- 250 g wheat flour (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 150 g margarine without hydrogenated fats, preferably organic, or butter
- 1 pinch salt
Ingredients (for coverage):
- 200 g sour cream
- 3 eggs
- Nutmeg
- Pepper
- Salt
Ingredients (for filling):
- 500 grams of the vegetables prepared in the previous recipe.
Elaboration:
- Make a dough with the ingredients and line a quiche mold with it. Prick the dough with the fork, cut the remains of the edge and let it rest 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Mix the ingredients of the topping and let them sit for 10 minutes
- Pour the vegetable mixture over the dough and then spread the raw coating evenly over it.
- Bake the quiche at 180 ° C for 30 to 35 minutes.
SWISS CHARD SALAD
You can also prepare a refreshing and light salad with tender chard leaves.
Ingredients (for two servings):
- 200 g Swiss chard
- 100 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 handful of walnuts
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 handful of Parmesan chips or a vegan Parmesan substitute (optional)
- 30-50 ml of your favorite salad dressing.
Elaboration:
- Clean the chard leaves and cut the tomatoes into quarters. Peel the onion and cut it into strips.
- Put the chard leaves in a bowl, place the tomato pieces and onion strips on top and pour the dressing on top.
SWISS CHARD LASAGNA
If you already have a favorite recipe for spinach lasagna, simply replace spinach with chard. Or prepare it according to the following recipe.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
- 500 g of Swiss chard (prepared according to the first recipe)
- 500 ml crushed tomato
- 200 g vegan feta or feta cheese (or fermented tofu)
- 30 g butter or olive oil
- 9-12 plates of pasta for lasagna (depending on the size of the dish)
- 30 g white flour
- 250 ml cow’s or vegetable milk
- 250 ml vegetable broth
- 50 g sunflower seeds
- 200 g cheese for gratin or a vegan alternative
- Aromatic such as basil, oregano, thyme (fresh or dried)
- Pepper
- Salt
Elaboration:
- Make a béchamel with butter (or oil) and flour and deglaze with milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a short boil until the resulting béchamel sauce begins to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and add the aromatic ones to taste.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in an oil-free saucepan until golden brown and add to the chard. Cut feta cheese into small cubes.
- Place the tomato, feta cheese, chard, béchamel sauce, and lasagna leaves (in this order) in a baking dish. Finish with a layer of béchamel sauce.
- Sprinkle the surface with cheese or an alternative and bake the lasagna at 200°C with upper and lower heat (convection at 180°C) for about 30 minutes. After the time, turn off the oven and let the lasagna rest for about 5 minutes.
