This year I decided to grow an organic garden in my backyard. Having zero gardening experience previously, I really learned everything as I went. Lucky for me, my boyfriend had lots of previous gardening experience, so he was able to coach me through the process. A major tip I learned this summer was to be proactive. Don’t wait until your plants have a disease or infestation – look up all possible problems at the start, and then take preventative measures to insure they don’t occur. Unfortunately for me, I did none of that, so I found myself constantly chasing to catch up.
As a first time gardener, one of the things I found easiest to grow was swiss chard. Although I had a slight hurdle to overcome in the process (who knew swiss chard is supposed to be netted?), my swiss chard crop has turned out to be one of the most abundant. It seems you can continuously harvest the leaves and they grow back quickly just as delicious.
So, what have I done with my swiss chard all summer? I’ve made Moroccan Swiss Chard Salad.
This is a cold salad that I’ve become accustomed to enjoying at family get togethers, as it’s usually made by my Moroccan family members. When I tried it myself, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make and how adaptable it can be. There really is a lot of room for adding different ingredients along the way. I choose to limit the oil quantity significantly, but it does also taste delicious with more oil! To each their own. I’ve also tasted it with paprika added, which can be really delicious as well.
If you decide to make this recipe, I’d love to see how it turns out! Please tag me in your photos and use #theveganjetsetter.
- 35 Swiss chard leaves (including stems)
- 2 Heads of Garlic
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp cumin
- 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Cut stems off of the swiss chard and rinse stems and leaves well, removing any dirt or residue. It might take a few rinses to fully clean them.
- Chop stems into 1 cm pieces and place in an extra large pot with 1 inch of water. Boil on medium for approximately 20 minutes, until very soft.
- While the stems are cooking, cut the swiss chard leaves into 1 inch slices.
- Once stems are soft, combine the leaves in the large pot and steam until soft - approximately 15 min.
- In the meanwhile, chop the garlic into small pieces and sauté in the oil on medium, until brown. Add a bit of water (1 tbsp at a time), if needed.
- Drain the leaves and stems once they are cooked through, and add to the pan with the sautéed garlic.
- Add cumin, salt (to taste) and mix well. Cover and let it steam on medium for approximately 15 minutes, stirring when needed.
- Best enjoyed cold. Let it sit overnight in the fridge for the best results.
- Approximately 55 calories per portion, 2.1 grams of fat per portion.
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