Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Chard, Schmard!

One of the veggies that I'll be receiving from my CSA in May is Swiss Chard. I am clueless about this veggie so I Googled it and found out that it is a pretty, leafy green that has a slight peppery taste and is also bitter and pungent. ICK! So, my challenge begins right away!! I've already written my check to pay for my shared half-share in this CSA and I am NOT going to throw any unused, wilted veggies into my compost bin!! We are going to eat them and we are going to ENJOY them!! Hear that, husband and son?!?! Okay, so maybe we won't enjoy all of them, but I'm gonna give it the 'ole school try and search out easy (that's my key word for cooking: EASY) recipes that are tasty. (By the way, my research about Swiss Chard also revealed that a one cup serving has more than the daily recommended amount of vitamins K, A, and C. It also has lots of iron and fiber, like all leafy greens -- and who can't use some extra fiber as we age, huh?)

Here's the first Swiss Chard recipe that I found that looks simple, easy and tasty. I love vinegar, so that's the kicker for me! Also, all of ingrediants (except the SC) are things I always have on hand. Bang! Cook it up and call it a side dish!

I found this recipe on www.Allrecipes.com.



Simple Swiss Chard
(Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks discarded, leaves cut into wide ribbons
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and balsamic vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 172 | Total Fat: 13.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Saturday, March 27, 2010

My First Post

Well, I guess I'm joining the world of bloggers! I read somewhere that if you are starting a new, challenging venture that it helps to blog about it, to put it out there for the world to see in order to keep you honest! I'll give it a try! In our family, we love to eat but don't always love to eat veggies. My in-laws bought a half-share in a local organic CSA (community support agriculture) farm last year and I saw some of her weekly boxes of veggies and was amazed! I love the idea of eating more organically and locally, so I thought we'd give it a try this year. My main fear was that I'd have all these beautiful fresh veggies in my fridge spoiling because I didn't eat them all. I talked with a friend and she said that they would split a half-share with us to give it a try this year! The season is 22 weeks and starts in May. Here are the items on Blackbird Farms harvest calendar for May:

May Vegetables

Mesculin Mix, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Spring Onions, Beets with tops, Turnips, Radishes, Broccoli, Asian Greens, Cabbages,Seasonal Herbs

This should be interesting! I'm slowly learning to be a better cook (inspired by the mother-in-law who is a true foodie and an amazing cook AND a sommolier!! She ROCKS a meal!!). I cannot IMAGINE what I'm going to do with turnips or Swiss Chard (I don't even know what Swiss Chard is -- it's a leafy green, right?). I'm hoping my CSA sharing partner, Beth will help me along with some recipes! Between Beth, the rockin' MIL, allrecipes.com, and this big-ole Cook's Illustrated Cookbook the MIL gave me, I'm determined to NOT let any fresh veggies spoil in my fridge! Join me as we begin our adventure in May! Between now and then, I'll be posting recipe ideas I find in preparation for delivery of our first box 'o veggies!



Here's the website for the CSA we are supporting:
http://www.blackbirdcsa.com/index.html