Chard with Grapefruit Sections and Sea Salt

Have you chard-ed dinner yet?

I have always avoided Chard. I was raised by immigrant parents from India.  We don’t know what in the world chard is. At the grocery store, we skipped over a lot of the “American” vegetables like Kale, Rhubarb, and Turnips. We steered our grocery cart past anything that looked pretty, colorful, or remotely appetizing. Grocery shopping was like a drive-through zoo– no stopping, feeding, or petting.  “Yeah, mom, let’s buy something disgusting, like okra.”

A lot of people simply avoid the unfamiliar– not only food, but lots of things like Eastern medicines, exercise, and big words.

But vegetables are less intimidating, especially when they are local and organic, like what’s in your Greenling Local Box every week! Even if you don’t get the Local Box, be more adventurous with your food and try something new! You’re only a product of your upbringing, but it’s never too late to be the pioneer for your household. Get your kids involved too– because how else are the dishes going to get done?

Chopped Chard and Spring Onions with a large ba-donka-donk

I had prepared this as a starter salad for a meal one day, but it turned out so good I ate the entire portion before my husband returned from working out.  When you taste this Warm Chard with Grapefruit and Sea Salt, you’ll taste a mix of cold and warm and sweet and salty. Your mouth will be thoroughly confused, yet completely delighted.

I’m finally familiar with Chard. Not so familiar with the treadmill.

Black Sea Salt (any coarse salt will work but this is a chance to color outside the lines)

Warm Chard with Grapefruit and Sea Salt

The spring onion bulbs from the local box really give this dish a beautiful subtle sweetness!

Ingredients:

1 bunch Chard

1/2 teaspoon of olive oil

1 spring onion, thinly sliced – whites only

1/2 of a grapefruit, peeled, sliced into large circular sections (I know you like them round and juicy, Sir Mix-a-Lot)

pinch of black sea salt or coarse salt or any “fun” salt

Directions:

1. Rinse Chard and coarsely chop into 1″ sections.  If the thick stems seem very stiff, don’t discard them – chop them much finer, like a dice.

2. Heat olive oil in a  wide skillet over medium-high heat and then add sliced spring onion whites. Cook for one or two minutes until the onions look like they’ve softened a bit.  Add the diced thicker stem sections now, if applicable, and cook for 1 minute.

3. Then add the remaining chopped Chard and stir gently and quickly – (not a time to rearrange apps on your smart phone.  You can Instagram later). Cook just until the Chard is wilted but still bright green.

4. Remove from heat.  Arrange warm chard on a plate, top with grapefruit slices, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Nutrition Tip:

The Vitamin C in grapefruit assists in the absorption of iron from the chard.  It’s always a good idea to have some citrus with leafy greens!