Every single year I plant too many greens. I have such good intentions for my family to eat super healthy when I am planning my garden, but every year reality hits and I am left with greens galore that need to be used up. So the search is constantly on for recipes that are nutritious and that my kids will also love. You can only make so many hulk muffins after all (get that recipe here).
Well, here it is! A first glance you wouldn't think this recipe would go over well with kids. It uses Swiss chard, which is definitely stronger than spinach and has a bit of a mineral flavour. And to make matters even less kid friendly, the greens are served raw in a salad. Besides all that, this dish is still one of my kids favorites. It has a sweetness from the dried cranberries and the acidic vinegar dressing that softens up the Swiss chard nicely. Perfect served with any grilled meats (Chorizo is absolutely perfect) or as part of a light lunch with toasted homemade bread. Yummy!
Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves very thinly sliced (chiffonade)
2 oz Manchego cheese, grated with extra for garnish
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, chili flakes and salt. Add cranberries and toss well. Set aside to let plump for at least 10 minutes.
Place sliced chard in large salad bowl. Add cheese and cranberry mixture.
Toss to combine. Then get your two hands in there and give the greens a good massage. The more you rub, the softer and more easily digestible the chard will be. Top with additional cheese if desired.
Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side.
Yummy gardening everyone!
Substitutions
You can easily use Parmesan instead of manchego, and kale instead of Swiss chard. And if you want to be super authentic, use sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
Recipe is taken from Gathered Table, a now defunct meal planning app (which I miss!). They modified this collard greens recipe from Whole Foods Market.