Chicken Fried Rice with Swiss Chard

I first made this recipe with bok choy out of my Misfits Market box and it was divine!  So, I googled "substitute for bok choy" and discovered that Swiss chard is a good substitute since the greens hold up well in sautéing, and the stems are a similar texture.  I definitely prefer the flavor and texture of the bok choy in this recipe (chard has kind of a strong, earthy flavor), but the chard version was still yummy, and I was thrilled to be able to find another use for Swiss chard from my garden!  

source: adapted from marthastewart.com

2 T. vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

sea salt and ground pepper

1 lb. bok choy, cored and coarsely chopped (or Swiss chard)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 c. cooked brown rice

2 c. roasted chicken, shredded

1 T. grated peeled fresh ginger (I didn't have any on hand, so I used ginger powder)

2 T. rice vinegar (I simply used Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, my fav)

2 T. soy sauce

In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 T. oil over medium heat.  Add eggs; season with salt and pepper; cook until set, 1-3 minutes.  Transfer cooked eggs to cutting board (reserve skillet); let cool.  Roll up, and thinly slice eggs crosswise; set aside.

In skillet, heat remaining 1 T. oil over medium-high heat.  Add bok choy or Swiss chard, onion, and garlic; season with salt and pepper (skillet will be very full).  Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add rice, chicken, sliced eggs, ginger, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Cook, tossing, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Shredded Swiss Chard Salad

I made this yummy salad to share last night with the recently-christened "Flavors" Food Group that I'm a part of.  I like chard, but not so much when it's the star ingredient.  This salad, however, was surprisingly good!  It was fun sharing it with some other local, in-season food enthusiasts, and it was even more enjoyable knowing that all the produce came straight from my garden!

Source:   adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, August 2012

1 large bunch of rainbow chard (12 oz.)

1 clove garlic

2 T. olive oil

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. finely chopped shallot*

1 fresh hot chile pepper, very thinly sliced**

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

5 oz. mozzarella cheese, coarsely shredded

Wash and dry the chard leaves.  Removed the stems.  Stack the leaves in a pile, roll up tightly like a cigar, and thinly slice crosswise into very fine strands.

For the vinaigrette, mash the garlic with a pinch of salt to a paste.  In a large bowl, whisk garlic past with the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, chile pepper, sea salt and pepper.  Toss the chard in the vinaigrette.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Yields:  6 (1-cup) servings

*Note - I never have shallots on hand and haven't had any success growing them in the past, so I usually substitute a combination of onion and garlic for the shallot.

** I used a red jalapeno in place of the chile pepper.

Enjoy!

Pasta Fagioli

"Pasta Fagioli" simply means pasta and beans.  My garden is getting ready to say "farewell" for the season, but there was still plenty of celery and kale out there, waiting to be added to this yummy soup - perfect for a cool, fall evening.

Source:  adapted from recipe on the (AICR) American Institute for Cancer Research website

1 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium stalks celery, chopped into 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 t. sea salt

1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (8 oz.) can tomatoes, chopped

1 c. uncooked whole-wheat rotini pasta

2 c. fresh spinach, Swiss chard or kale, chopped*

1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (or 2 t. dried)

2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan. Cook onion, garlic, celery, Italian seasoning, red pepper and salt until onions are tender. Stir in broth, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 20 minutes.

Add pasta and cook until tender according to package directions. Add spinach, beans and parsley. Stir gently for a few minutes until spinach wilts and mixture is heated through. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Makes 6 servings.

*Note - if using kale, you may want to cook it a bit longer.

Fried Eggs with Greens and Mushrooms

OK, not the easiest recipe to get a good photo of since the cast iron skillet and the greens are both dark, but it was actually quite beautiful.  Maybe I was swayed by the fact that I was using my mom's skillet; for some reason, I find using it very comforting - always makes me think of those yummy potato cakes out of leftover mashed potatoes that I simply cannot figure out how to make like she did.  (This recipe actually calls for a cast iron skillet!)  Anyway, this is a nice main dish recipe if you're trying to incorporate more cooked greens in your diet and you like one-dish meals.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine

Sage-Chile Butter:

4 T. unsalted butter

1 T. small sage leaves

1/4 t. crushed red-pepper flakes

Eggs and Greens:

2 T. olive oil

10 oz. mushrooms, sliced

coarse sea salt

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

6 c. cooking greens (I used Swiss chard), cut into 3/4"-wide ribbons

2 T. water

2 T. unsalted butter

4 large eggs

finely grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Sage-Chile Butter:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add sage and red-pepper flakes.  Simmer until sage is crisp, about 3 min.

Eggs and Greens:

Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat.  Swirl in oil.  Cook mushrooms with 1/2 t. salt until golden and tender, 4-5 min.  Stir in garlic, then greens and water.  Cook, stirring, until greens wilt.  Add butter, stir until melted.

Push greens to make 4 wells.  Crack 1 egg into each.  Season with salt.  Cook for 4 min.  Let stand until whites are set, but yolks are still runny, about 4 min.  Drizzle with sage-chile butter.  Garnish with cheese.

Hearty Minestrone

Adapted from Taste of Home Magazine

 I have had more requests for this recipe than any other recipe in my collection. It is delicious! I often make a number of large batches when tomatoes and zucchini are plentiful from my garden, then freeze it for quick entertaining in the winter. 

1 lb. bulk Sweet Italian sausage*
2 c. sliced celery
1 c. chopped onion
6 c. chopped zucchini
1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1½ c. chopped green pepper
1½ t. Italian seasoning
1½ t. salt
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. sugar
½ t. dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced or ¼ t. garlic powder
2 c. chopped Swiss chard (optional)
1 (16-oz.) can chicken broth (optional)

In a large saucepan, brown the sausage. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain, reserving 1 T. of drippings. Sauté celery and onion in drippings for 5 min. Add sausage and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 min. or until the vegetables are tender. Add Swiss chard, if desired and heat.  Add 1 16-oz. can of chicken broth if a less hearty soup is desired.

*Note: I use sweet Italian sausage. Do not substitute – this is the secret to the great flavor in this recipe!!
Yield: 9 servings

Warm Spinach Salad with Fried Egg & Potatoes

I love breakfast salads - probably because it's often closer to lunch by the time I get around to eating breakfast on a weekend morning!  I have just a little bit of Swiss chard left in the garden - perfect for this recipe.  The soft-cooked egg yolk makes a yummy "sauce" for the salad.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine

4 T. olive oil

2 baking potatoes (about 1 pound total), scrubbed and cut into 1/2" cubes

sea salt and pepper

2 T. red-wine vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

2 lbs. flat-leaf spinach, torn

2 oz. Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

4 large eggs

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. oil over medium heat.  Add potatoes; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browned, 12-14 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining 2 T. oil with vinegar, mustard, and shallot; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.  Add spinach and Parmesan (do not toss); set aside.

When potatoes are done cooking, immediately transfer to bowl with spinach and dressing (reserve skillet).  Toss salad until spinach is slightly wilted, and divide among four plates.

Heat skillet over medium heat, and gently crack eggs into skillet without breaking yolks; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until whites are almost set, about 1 minute.  Cover, turn off heat, and let stand until whites are just set but yolks are still soft, about 2 minutes more.  Top each salad with a fried egg, and serve immediately.

Update 12/11/10
This is excellent with sweet potatoes in place of the white potatoes!

Swiss Chard with Carmelized Onions and Walnuts

I'm not 100% sure I love this recipe, but I'm determined to come up with a good sauteed Swiss chard recipe, and this is getting close.  I like the fact that it uses the chard stems in addition to the leaves.  It is an odd combination of sweet and savory, but it works for some reason.  I prefer the addition of the chick peas - it keeps the chard flavor from being too overpowering.

Source:  Adapted from chowhound.chow.com

2 T. walnuts

1 T. olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1 lb. or 10 large stalks), washed

2 T. golden raisins

2 T. balsamic vinegar

1/2 t. sea salt

ground black pepper to taste

Toast the pine nuts in skillet until golden brown; set aside to cool.

In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat; add onions and cook until golden brown and very soft, stirring from time to time, about 10 minutes.

While onions are cooking, prepare chard:  pull leaves off stalks by folding leaf together along stalk and pull the stalk away like pulling a zipper.  Cut the stalks into 3/4" pieces; set aside.  Cut or tear leaves into 2" pieces.

Add chard stalks and raisins to onions and cook until stalks are tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Stir occasionally while stalks are cooking.  Once tender, add chard leaves and balsamic vinegar.  Toss to coat the leaves with oil, and cook for about 5 minutes or until leaves are wilted and tender.  Season with salt and pepper; transfer to serving dish and top with pine nuts.

Note: if you would like to turn this from a side dish into a main dish, add 1 15-oz. can of chickpeas (drained) that have been sauteed in olive oil and 1 clove minced garlic, and seasoned with sea salt and pepper.

Just a warning: This may not be dish you will want to serve for company, to a picky eater, or to anyone who's not committed to the virtues of Swiss chard. But it's a great recipe to introduce you to chard and its magical qualities. You may need to tweak this recipe to suit your own palate, just as I did. However, hopefully it will inspire you to continue on the chard journey, just as it did me!

Rustic Swiss Chard and Mozzarella Tart

Source:  Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Magazine

Pastry:

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour*

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. cold butter

1/4  c. cold ice water

1/4 c. sour cream*

2 t. fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.  Cut up butter; cut into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Combine water, sour cream and lemon juice.  Add half the sour cream mixture to flour mixture; toss with a fork.  Add remaining sour cream mixture; toss with a fork until mixture is moistened.  Form into a ball.  Wrap and refrigerate (up to an hour) while preparing filling.

Filling:

1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and chopped (about 5 c.)

1 c. chopped leeks*

4 gloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. dried thyme, crushed

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1 T. olive oil

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley

Preheat oven to 400 deg.

In a large skillet, cook chard, leeks, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in hot oil over medium heat for 4 minutes or until chard wilts and leeks are tender.  Cool slightly.  Stir in cheese, set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry to a 12" circle.  Transfer to a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet.  Spoon filling into center of pastry circle, leaving a 2" border.  Fold dough over filling, leaver center open and pleating edges of dough.  Bake for 30-40 min., or until golden.  Sprinkle with parsley. 

Serve hot.

Makes 4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings.

*My substitutions:
whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour,
 my homemade yogurt for the sour cream,
 and onions plus 2 extra cloves of garlic for the leeks.

Salmon Nicoise Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

(FYI, Nicoise is pronounced "nee-swahs".)

This is a perfect salad for hot summer days and makes wonderful use of new potatoes and fresh green beans.  It's even better when tomatoes are in season.  My dad was kind enough to share some new potatoes from his garden with me; I happily accepted.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients:

12 oz. red new potatoes

8 oz. green beans, trimmed

2 (8-oz.) skinless salmon fillets

3 hard-cooked eggs

lettuce

4 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c. black olives

Directions:

In medium pot, bring 1/2" water to a boil; potatoes and a pinch of sea salt.  Cover and cook until tender.

Transfer potatoes to a bowl; set aside to cool.  Add green beans to pot of boiling water.  Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.  Drain in colander and rinse under cool water; set aside.

Bake salmon in 425 deg. oven until flaky, 12-15 min.  Transfer to a plate; flake with fork and let cool.

While salmon is cooking, peel and quarter eggs.  Quarter potatoes.

Arrange salmon, green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, and onion on individual beds of lettuce or Swiss chard.  Serve with vinaigrette (recipe below).

Dijon Vinaigrette:

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. sea salt

fresh ground pepper

1/4 c. olive oil

In medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, mustard, salt and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream; whisk until thickened and creamy.  Or, shake all ingredients in a small jar.

Serves 4

Trouchia

Trouchia is simply a Swiss chard frittata flavored with Parmesan cheese, a classic French egg dish.  It was featured on the Martha Stewart show today.  It sounded so simple and wonderful, I knew I had to try it.  And it was just that! 

For one serving, simply divide the ingredients by 4.

Ingredients:

8 large eggs

8 c. thinly sliced Swiss chard leaves

1 1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. plus 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 t. sea salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs.  Add chard, cheese, 1/4 c. olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper; season with black pepper, and stir to combine.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add egg mixture and reduce heat to low.  Cover and let cook until eggs are set, 10-12 min.  Holding the lid tightly to cover skillet, invert and turn trouchia onto lid.  Gently slide trouchia into pan and cook until bottom is golden, 2-3 min.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Berry Green Smoothie

I've been eagerly anticipating making a smoothie ever since I planted my Swiss chard 2 months ago.

Don't let the color scare you - be brave and give it a try!! 

It's so refreshing, especially if you use frozen fruit.  The secret is the banana - it cuts the taste of the greens.  It's a wonderful way to get in your daily quota of fruits and veggies!

3 leaves Swiss chard (my fav) or 2 handfuls of spinach

1 very ripe banana, frozen

a handful of  fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries or red raspberries

enough water to thin to your liking

Simply blend the above ingredients in your blender.  Add additional water to thin if necessary. 

Zesty Greek Salad

Source: Rose C.

Combine in big bowl:

2 1/2 c. dry rice, cooked

4 c. fresh spinach or Swiss chard, chopped

2 c. frozen peas

1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

1 15 oz. can black olives

Grilled chicken, sliced and marinated in dressing (optional)

Dressing:

3/4 cup olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

1 T. Bragg's Amino Acid or soy sauce

1 T.  finely chopped fresh oregano

1 T. finely chopped fresh basil

2 garlic cloves

2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

Add dressing and toss.

Corn & Black Bean Salad

Too simple!

Lettuce or Swiss Chard, torn

Green onion, sliced

Canned or frozen corn

Canned, seasoned black beans

Cilantro, chopped

Tortilla chips, crumbled (optional)

Dressing:

Salsa

Taco Salad

Don't forget to make this salad while fresh lettuce is in season!

assorted leaf lettuces, spinach and Swiss chard

cilantro, snipped with scissors

green onions, sliced

1 lb. ground beef, seasoned with taco seasoning mix (follow directions on packet)

shredded cheese (optional)

taco chips (optional)

Dressing:

home-canned salsa mixed with Greek yogurt