Healthy Eating – Creamy Chard Pasta

This was my first time cooking with chard…and talk about simple!  I find it to be similar to greens and spinach.  Chard can be eaten raw in salads or cooked for 2-3 minutes as the following recipe.

Preparing the ingredients and cooking the pasta took less than a half hour.

Ingredients: 1lb of chard (I used the ribs of the chard as well for a celery like consistency; this was enough for roughly 4 servings), vegetable oil, garlic, onions, milk, sour cream, smoked gouda, noodles, and seasonings. I added the smoked gouda because I like the taste.  The recipe called for parmesan & tomatoes but I didn’t have any. I did however add turnips. YUM!

Measure at your own risk (or check out whole foods website for several variations of the recipe).

Over a medium heat, I added the oil, garlic, and onions.  It took less than 5 minutes to brown the garlic and onions. Then I added the milk, sour cream, smoked gouda, chard, and seasonings.  I cooked the turnips and noodles separately and tossed them in after all ingredients were added.  That’s it!!!

Be sure to let me know if you try this (or a variation). You will not be disappointed!

Benefits of swiss chard:

*Swiss chard is packed with  nutrition.  It is an excellent  source of vitamins C, E, and K,  carotenes, chlorophyll, and fiber.  It is also an excellent source of  several minerals including  potassium, magnesium, iron, and  manganese.  Swiss chard is also a good source of many other  nutrients including vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine,  selenium, zinc, niacin, and folic acid.  Swiss chard is one of the most powerful anti-cancer foods due to its combination of traditional nutrients; phytochemicals, chlorophyll, other plant pigments, and soluble fiber. The generous amount of vitamin K that is contained in Swiss chard, is especially beneficial in the maintenance of bone health.  [source]

*Chard is very low in calories (19 kcal per 100 g fresh, raw leaves) and fats, recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.  Chard leaves are an excellent source of anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-C. Its fresh leaves provide about 33% of recommended levels per 100 g. [source]

*Biotin is a water soluble B vitamin that is essential for bodily health. It helps the body to process fat and sugars, and it helps form a critical process in fat production in the body. Since biotin is so involved with creating the building blocks for basic body functions at a cellular level, it’s very important to have a sufficient supply of this nutritional element. [Swiss chard is a top choice] for a regular intake of biotin.  This green plant is a top producer of biotin. It’s also a great part of a healthy salad choice that will provide antioxidants and help balance a diet. [source]