CHARD and KALE

For those of you blog readers that are part of the CSA, you have been getting swiss chard and kale every week.  For anyone reading the blog that does not participate in our CSA, here is a chance for you to learn a  little bit about 2 very awesome vegetables.

Swiss chard isn't native to Switzerland. Its actual homeland of chard lies further south, in the Mediterranean region; in fact, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle wrote about chard in the fourth century B.C. This is not surprising given the fact that the ancient Greeks, and later the Romans, honored chard for its medicinal properties. Chard got its common name from another Mediterranean vegetable, cardoon, a celery-like plant with thick stalks that resemble those of chard.
Chard is a tall leafy green vegetable; scientifically known as Beta vulgaris. Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste with a flavor that is bitter, pungent, and slightly salty. Swiss chard is truly one of the most incredible vegetables with its exceptionally impressive list of health-promoting nutrients.
Chard is really high in Vitamin C, K, and A; as well as 13 different antioxidants.  The amazing variety of phytonutrients in chard is apparent in its vibrant colors, including the rich, dark greens in its leaves and the rainbow of reds, purples, and yellows in its stalks and veins.  New studies have shown that chard has anti-inflammatory and detoxifing properties. Due to its high levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K it also supports good bone health.  Needless to say this vegetable is awesome and you should eat as much as you can.

Here is a fun way to use your chard...

Ingredients:

1 lb. fingerling or other small potatoes (red or yellow), scrubbed but not peeled
6 slices of bacon (look for center-cut and nitrate free)
1 bunch of Swiss Chard, washed
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar, divided
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. plain, Greek-style yogurt (preferably whole milk)
1 Tbs. German style mustard (or really any style mustard, but I like the grainy German style)
1 Tbs. real maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill it with just enough water to cover all of the potatoes.  Cover, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced by a knife (20ish minutes).
2. Drain the potatoes, then cut the potatoes (still warm) into quarters (you can do this by putting them onto a plate and cutting them there, holding them steady as you cut with a spoon or a fork).  Put them into a large bowl and sprinkle them with 2 Tbs. of the vinegar.
3. In a large frying pan, fry the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy.  Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel or brown paper bag.
4. While the bacon is frying, cut the bottom portions of the stems off of the Swiss chard.  Chop the chard into 3 strips, lengthwise, then across into about 2 inch strips.  (This should give you pieces of chard that are around 2X2 inches.)
5. Pour off all but about 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan.  Then, add the Swiss chard to the frying pan, and cook over medium high heat until it is totally wilted, about 5-8 minutes.  Add the cooked chard to the potatoes.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining red wine vinegar, the olive oil, yogurt, mustard, and maple syrup, taste and add salt and pepper to taste (don’t forget that the bacon in the salad will add some saltiness).  Toss the dressing with the potatoes and chard.
7. Finally, chop the bacon into small pieces, and toss this into the potato salad.  Serve warm

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around.  Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their numerous health benefits. Kale has ruffled or flat leaves and a fibrous stalk and is usually deep green in color. It has a lively pungent flavor with delicious bitter peppery qualities.  Kale is a descendent of the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in Asia Minor and to have been brought to Europe around 600 B.C. by groups of Celtic wanderers. Curly kale played an important role in early European foodways, having been a significant crop during ancient Roman times and a popular vegetable eaten by peasants in the Middle Ages. English settlers brought kale to the United States in the 17th century.  Kale's risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently been extended to at least five different types of cancer. These types include cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these risk-lowering benefits.  Kale is now recognized as providing comprehensive support for the body's detoxification system. New research has shown that the ITCs made from kale's glucosinolates can help regulate detox at a genetic level.  Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

Here is a creative way to use your kale...

Kale and Bacon Muffins:

Ingredients: 

6 leaves of fresh Kale cut very thinly 
1 lb of bacon cut into small pieces 
3 eggs 
100 ml Low fat milk 
100 ml vegetable oil 
1½ cups of all- purpose flour 
1¼ cup grated Cheddar cheese 
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp baking powder 
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a medium 12 muffins tray. Cut the Kale thinly and the bacon and small peaces. Saute the bacon until crispy, spoon the bacon out and reserve. Sautee lightly the kale in the bacon fat, season with salt and pepper. Reserve and let it cool.
Meanwhile combine the eggs, milk and oil in a large mixing bowl and beat together. Add the flour, cheeses, kale, and bacon, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine (don’t over mix it) Gently fold the baking powder. Transfer to the muffin tray with an ice cream scoop. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden.