I love chard. Sometimes even more than I love kale. I know. Blasphemy.
There is something about the unique flavor (and seriously beautiful stalks of the rainbow variety) that make it a lot of fun to cook with. And look at. And eat.
In the spirit of working in more greens each day, this easy side dish is a delicious way to meet your green quota, spice up dinner, and save some time in the kitchen. Most recently, I used this as a bed for a mix-up of chickpeas and navy beans, perfect for an evening where I was feeling uninspired by grains. (Do you ever have those?) This would be great paired with any protein you're digging, or perhaps with any of these dishes:
Coconut Curry Lentils with Squash Medallions
Roasted Tomato Garlic Quinoa
Black-eyed Pea Mashup
I added some gomasio this time around: it's my other newest obsession. Gomasio is a traditional Japanese condiment made by combining sesame seeds and sea salt. The sesame to salt ratio can be anywhere from 4:1 to 7:1, depending on your taste. Most commercial brands are somewhere in the middle. This particular one is the 'black and tan' variety, combining both golden and black sesame seeds. I love the extra texture they bring to the dish (to any dish, really), and as an added bonus, sesame seeds are a terrific source of calcium. (In addition to these greens, I've also been adding gomasio to quinoa + black beans with a little bit of avocado oil. Try it. Really.)
But for now, I know you're here for the garlicky chard, and I don't blame you.
Grab your chard, your leeks, your garlic, and your coconut oil. Let's make this nutritious goodness happen.
- 4 loosely packed cups rainbow chard, chopped (including stalks)
- 2 leeks, washed well and sliced into thin strips
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp gomasio (a blend of sesame seeds and sea salt)
- salt + pepper to taste
- 1. Place a cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Add oil and heat until melted.
- 2. Add leeks and garlic, sauteeing until fragrant and softened - about 2 minutes.
- 3. Add chard. Stir to coat with oil, garlic, and leeks. Continue to sautee for another minute.
- 4. Cover pot with a lid and let sit about 2 minutes longer, until chard is wilted.
- 5. Transfer to serving dishes, flavor with gomasio/salt/pepper, and serve.
- Remove the last 1/2" of stem from each chard stalk.
[…] (you well-prepared home cook, you!), kale, coconut oil, garlic, and gomasio (learn about how to make your own here, or pick up from any health food […]