The Cardiologist's Wife
The Cardiologist's Wife is a blog dedicated to better health by sharing recipes, fitness tips and health information in an easy to understand format.
Farmer’s Market, Swiss Chard
[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on June 19, 2012 ][ In For new Mom's, Vegetables and Fruits ]
I hope you’ve found time to visit a local farmer’s market lately. I am very fond of the ASU Farmer’s Market in my community. Arkansas State University has made a commitment to local farmers and built a lovely shed for them to set up in several times a week. Over the last couple of years, the farmer’s market has really grown and the crowds are getting bigger. There is everything from produce to crafts to baked goods to eggs and grass fed beef. I love the local honey with cinnamon and the ladies of 3 Birds Baking. Going to the farmer’s market is like going to the candy store for me. I want one of everything!
The farmer’s market is a great place to take your children. Spend some time letting them pick out some fresh vegetables to try or have them guess what each vegetable or fruit is. Take home something you’ve never eaten and find a recipe. They will have fun and never realize they are learning at the same time. Children will be more likely to try a vegetable if they have a hand in picking it out and preparing it. The produce is at the peak of freshness and the colors are inviting. The farmers are all friendly and willing to talk about their farms so children can learn where their food really comes from, not just from a can or bag. Truly, it is a wonderful experience and you can grab some coffee and a sweet treat for breakfast!
On my last visit, not only did I buy some beautiful flowers for the table, I bought some gorgeous Swiss chard to try. My Dad grew and cooked a lot of greens for our dinners but Swiss Chard was not one of them. Swiss chard has lovely red stems that contrast nicely with the dark green leaf. The taste is a little stronger than spinach, which I consider to be the mildest of the greens family. I simply washed the chard thoroughly, trimmed off the tough part of the stem and chopped it coarsely. I heated some olive oil in a large skillet and added the chard and some chopped garlic. I sautéed the greens for no more than 10 minutes until just wilted but still nicely green. Note: you may want to sauté the stems a bit before adding the leafy parts. I seasoned it with salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Barry and I both enjoyed the chard, though I did get too much salt and red pepper on it!
My regular readers may remember my longing to grow my own vegetables. I guess I have some of my Dad in me; he was a wonderful gardener. However, I just have the longing part, not the skill. My efforts at growing tomatoes have been terribly unsuccessful. I would really like to grow some heirloom tomatoes but I’ve given up for now. This year though I decided to try herbs and I must say I’ve been wildly successful so far! For me, anyway. I planted two types of basil and last night, I made pesto with my own homegrown basil. It was wonderful! If you haven’t much space or have a black thumb like me, try growing herbs in a pot. They are full of antioxidants and other things good for you not to mention the flavor they add to your meals. If I can do it, you can too! I have a recipe for pesto under pasta and it whips up in about 10 minutes while the pasta cooks. It can also be used on sandwiches, fish, salads, poultry; use your imagination! Check out the Italian Fish recipe under Fish, another fast and easy dish.
Whatever you do this week, make a point to go to a farmer’s market!
Upadated on June 19, 2012
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