Alaska Rainbow Chard

What could be more delicious than locally-grown vegetables, especially green leafies that are available even in the heart of the Alaska winter? We’re not sure, but we sure love the taste of nutrient-rich chard.

A member of the beet family, chard has a certain sweetness to it while rich in iron, calcium, magnesium and those powerhouse antioxidants vitamin C and carotenoids and alpha-lipoic acid. Chard should always be cooked since it also has high amounts of oxalic acid, a substance that may irritate the mouth and intestinal tract. Avoid buying non-organically-grown chard; when grown with commercial fertilizers chard tends to be high in nitrates.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large bunch (6 or more large leaves) fresh, organic chard–Rainbow chard usually has stems ranging from yellow to red in color.

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2-3 Tbs pasture butter

Preparation:

1. Remove any wilted parts of the chard leaves and snip off the ends of the stalk.
2. Tear or chop the chard into pieces and wash well. Drain but don’t dry the chard.
3. Place the butter in a heavy pan and melt over medium flame.
4. Add the garlic and saute for a minute.
5. Add the chard and reduce the heat, simmer a minute or so until wilted.

Toss with additional butter if desired and serve.