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As you explore your leafy green options, chard is one that may pop up.If you’re not sure whether you’ll like it or not, keep reading because we’re tackling all your questions: what chard tastes like, what parts of chard to eat, how to cook with it and beyond.
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Let’s dive right in…
What Does Chard Taste Like?
If you’ve eaten spinach and kale, you know how widely greens can vary in taste.Swiss chard is similar to spinach with a mild, subtly vegetal and almost sweet flavor.
Though the flavor of chard is far from the bitterness of kale, it does have a very slight bitterness to it.However, people tend to find it enjoyable.
Chard Texture
Chard is not only similar to spinach in flavor, but also in the texture.The leaves are fine and tender, quickly wilting when heat is applied in the cooking process.
Whereas kale (especially mature kale) can be tough unless you cook it well to break down the plant fibers, chard is so tender, it’s very easy to chew without heavy cooking.
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Do You Eat the Stems of Chard?
You don’t have to eat the chard stems, but you’d be missing out.The stems add a moist crunch to your meal not unlike water chestnuts, even when cooked.
There’s no need to eat chard stems separately from the leaves.Just chop it all up and saute it together, adding it as you would spinach or any other leafy green to your meals.
Can You Eat Chard Raw?
If you prefer, you can eat Swiss chard raw.Some people enjoy it better this way because cooking can enhance the bitter flavor in chard, though not excessively.
As an alternative, you can massage raw chard to give it a “cooked” appearance and feel.This method will reduce your chard in size the way cooking does, but the leaves will take on more of a chewy texture.
Do you like raw food diets? Check out our list of the best raw food cookbooks for vegans.
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What is Chard Used for?
The better question is: what isn’t chard used for?Salads, soups and vegan quiches, to name a few dishes.To boost the flavor and nutritional value of your breakfast, you can add it to your tofu scramble, or you can feature it in its own savory pie.
The only things you probably won’t want to eat Swiss chard in are sweet foods, though we’re not ruling it out.There are some innovative ways of eating your greens out there!
How Do You Eat Swiss Chard?
There are tons of different ways you can eat chard, as you’ll see in the videos below.Did you know you can use chard as a wrap?
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It’s time to make raw vegan burritos using Swiss chard as the tortillas.Instead of tofu-based fake meats, you’ll use a mouthwatering blend of walnuts and sun-dried tomatoes.Check it out.
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Explore the world of chard with this vegan potato, chard and avocado bowl recipe.You’ll need Swiss chard, any kind of potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, curry powder and gorgeous avocado to top it all off.
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Wrap Up
Swiss chard, or simply chard, is a tender, mild-tasting green like spinach.Enjoy both the stalks and leaves raw or cooked.While you can throw chard in anything savory that you’re making, feel free to experiment with swapping out wraps for chard and even making vegan spanakopita with a lovely bunch of chard.There’s no wrong way to do it.
You can also incorporate tofu to the recipe for added protein. Don’t forget to press the tofu first to remove excess moisture and make it tastier. If you’re looking for the best tofu press read out article for a list of our top picks.
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Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
