Chard | Eating Out of the Local Box

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Get Keen with Local Leafy Greens

By Aspen on February 22, 2012 in Greenling DFW, My Greenling

We are up to our elbows in green goodness here at Greenling DFW, and we couldn’t be happier! It’s a popular sentiment around here that dark leafy greens season is the best season (though once local blueberries and peaches start coming in, you might hear the same crew changing their tune) Either way, local leafy greens are in peak season right now, and they have so much more flavor than their non-local counterparts- which really cuts the groundwork out of convincing your family to eat ‘em.

Trying to choose just one favorite green is arduous, so we’re celebrating all of them. They are often interchangeable in recipes, but they do have unique qualities all their own too:

Collard greens, have thick, yet supple leaves and a propensity to taste amazing sauteed with bacon.
Mustard greens, their peppery cousin and Southern cooking staple, are perfect sauteed with just a little oil, chopped onion, and salt & pepper (Alright, they’re pretty good with bacon too)
Kale, with it’s chewy, curly leaves that soften delicately when cooked, is a great way to “sneak” nutrition into a non-veggie-centric meal like Shells & Cheese. It’s great raw in a salad too, just give it a little massage!
Swiss Chard, probably the green with the largest, most bountiful leaves, is soft, tender, and very versatile - saute the leaves and then use the ribs in a creamy pasta, or even use it as a pizza topping.
Spinach, the most widely accepted leafy green, can really be added into anything you can think of- stuff some local portabellas with it, make a warm salad, or use it in a lasagna- the possibilities are endless.

Whichever green you choose, you know you’ll be doing your body (and your brain) good- all of them are an absolute goldmine of nutrition, chock full of the most naturally occuring vitamins you’ll find in a food. So get your local greens on and please, share with us on Facebook if you discover an amazing recipe with your greens!

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Pasta with Chard and Chickpeas

By Stephanie on May 9, 2011 in Uncategorized

This recipe is for starch lovers. In case you were wondering, I am definitely a starch lover. If I could figure out a way to make it work, I’d combine potatoes and pasta. If you have an athletic event coming up, this would be an awesome source of pre (as in, the day before) -workout fuel.

But anyway, this is another one of those versatile recipes to which you could add any combo of greens and/or veggies. I had chard and mushrooms, so I added those, but I could see this working with spinach or arugula as well. If you have leftovers, toss them with a little marinara sauce before reheating to keep them from being too dry.

Pasta with Chard and Chickpeas (adapted from Fat-Free Vegan)

1 pound whole wheat rotini
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 can), rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown. Add garlic and mushrooms and reduce heat. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms soften. Add tomato paste and water and stir to combine. Add chickpeas and simmer for five minutes.

Add reserved cooking liquid to chickpea mixture. Stir in the chard and cover. Cook until chard is just wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pasta and add salt and pepper to taste.

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Local Box Meal Plan: April 25-29

By Stephanie on April 26, 2011 in Uncategorized

Well, hello heirloom tomatoes. So nice to see you again! If you’ve been sweltering in the 90-degree days we’ve been having lately, at least take heart in the fact that the heat is helping local tomato crops.

Spring Lettuce Mix – Tecolote Farm
Chard – Bradshaw Farm
Brussels Sprouts OR Green Beans – Hillside Farm OR Naegelin Farm
Summer Squash – Acadian Family Farm
New Potatoes – Green Gate Farms
Flat Leaf Parsley – Tecolote Farm
Heirloom Tomatoes – Bluebonnet Hydroponic
Mango – G&S Groves
Crisp Green Leaf Lettuce – Lund Produce Company

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPH8Ol1glOM&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

Tangy herbed lettuce soup – I told you last week I’d find you a lettuce soup recipe! This one even uses up some of the potatoes you’ll get this week. Use the green leaf lettuce you get for this recipe, and stick with using the spring mix in salads. Also, use parsley instead of basil (unless you happen to have basil on hand, in which case I’d use both).

Tomato-squash skillet – I usually don’t cook heirloom tomatoes because they have such an amazing raw flavor, but if you’re tired of salads and don’t feel like eating them raw this week, try this recipe. I might add a few chickpeas to round out the protein here and make it a vegan main course, or mix in some diced, cooked chicken if you eat meat.

Chard-mango smoothie – What? Chard in a smoothie? I know! Sounds weird, but I’m a fan of spinach in smoothies and this isn’t far off. Just give it a shot if you’re skeptical – I think you’ll be surprised at how non-chardy it tastes. I would add about a cup of a liquid to this recipe, maybe some almond milk or orange juice.

For the brussels sprouts and green beans, I’m thinking a nice turn on the grill would work for both – I’m loving grilled veggies these days. Grease a grill wok and add the veggies tossed in some olive oil and your favorite seasonings (I’ve been using lemon pepper lately). Grill over medium-high heat until tender, around 10 minutes, stirring often to keep the ones on the bottom from burning. Make sure to trim the green beans or halve the brussels sprouts before cooking. If you don’t have a grill wok, just put the veggies on a big piece of aluminum foil on the grill, or use your broiler instead.

- Stephanie

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Local Box Meal Plan: April 11-15

By Stephanie on April 12, 2011 in Uncategorized

Are you excited about the mint plant you’re getting this week? It’ll do great planted in a flower bed or garden, but be warned that it can be invasive. A good solution is to plant it in a large pot.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eeves5naYv8&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

Sugar Snap Peas – Animal Farm
Red Chard – Acadian Family Farm
Baby Summer Squash – Fruitful Farm
Spinach – Tecolote Farm
Heirloom Green Garlic – Green Gate Farms
Mint Plant – My Father’s Farm
Escarole – Tecolote Farm
Mango – G&S Groves
Kale – Texas Natural
Oranges – G&S Groves

Orange-mango chicken – Juice your oranges to make the tasty sauce for this chicken.

Ribollita – This soup is a favorite of mine, not only because it’s good but because it’s versatile. Use your kale and chard here, and toss in diced summer squash to replace the carrots. I’m leaving out the olives, but if you’re an olive lover I’m sure they’ll be great in this recipe.

Sauteed snap peas and green garlic – A simple side dish.

Sausage, escarole, and white bean ragout – Use a mix of escarole and spinach (the spinach balances out the escarole’s somewhat bitter flavor), and use veggie sausage for a vegetarian version.

- Stephanie

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Local Box Meal Plan: April 4-8

By Stephanie on April 5, 2011 in Uncategorized

We’re getting lovely Easter egg radishes this week! Not only are they mildly flavored, the aptly-named radishes come in shades of red, pink, purple, and white. Here’s your entire list, video, and meal plan.

Pea Shoots – Acadian Family Farm
Green or Red Leaf Lettuce – Acadian Family Farm
Strawberries – Oak Hill Farm
Green Chard – Naegelin
Spring Onions – Gundermann Acres
Multicolored Beets – Animal Farm
Heirloom Garlic – Lund Produce
Romaine Lettuce – Tecolote
Easter Egg Radish – Animal Farm
Turnip Greens – Revolution Gardens

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_3jOtwgHo&w=448&h=252&hd=1]

Braised radishes and spring onions – The original calls for icicle radishes, but just thickly slice the ones you get and cook until tender. Toss in some sliced spring onion bulbs to add flavor to this simple side dish.

Salads with roasted beets, pea shoots, romaine lettuce, toasted walnuts, and this strawberry vinaigrette – Just use regular balsamic vinaigrette if you can resist how tasty this dressing looks.

Fresh strawberry bread – I’m thinking I’m going to toast thick slices of this baby for breakfast. Yum.

Turnip greens and chard with green garlic – This recipe calls for prosciutto, which may be my favorite of the salted, cured meats. Leave it out if you’re anti-pork.

- Stephanie