Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

Several years ago, I opted to grow Swiss chard instead of spinach in my garden.  I have to say, that my results have been exceptional year after year.  Swiss chard seems much easier to grow and I have actually been harvesting it from the garden since early spring right on up until last weekend.  As you can see my sink is full of Swiss chard.  This last harvest came in a just under 5 lbs.!

Here’s why I really like Swiss chard…First, it tastes so similar to spinach that when I prepare and serve it as a spinach replacement, no one knows the difference.  Second, Swiss chard is a nutrient dense food, meaning there is superior nutritional value comparative to the caloric value.  1 cup of cooked Swiss Chard contains just 35 calories, with high amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, iron, and a host of other vitamins and minerals.  A serving provides 4 grams of fiber.

I have had so much Swiss chard this past growing season, that I had to come up with a number of ways to use it.  The obvious is to steam it just as you would with fresh spinach.  I have found other uses in soups, lasagna, mixed green salad, and with this latest batch from the garden, I made Swiss chard pie.  After a quick search on the internet, I settled on Martha Stewart’s recipe for Swiss Chard Pie. 

With all of the Swiss chard I had on hand I made 2 pies, baking one for dinner and putting the other unbaked pie in the freezer.  This recipe was very good and I would likely make it again.  I made the pie recipe exactly as written, except I switched out half of the white flour with white whole wheat flour.  Very good indeed!

Tags: swiss chard