I have spent a bit of time on the road the last couple weeks. Two trips to Ohio, one to Chicago and lots of bouncing around Indiana has racked up quite a few miles on my car.
Fortunately for me, these drives have actually been pretty enjoyable. There’s just something about the great colors in the Midwest this time of year.
The leaves are still a week or two away from really changing, so their greens dance along the bright blues of the clear sky. The crops have just changed to a yellow gold. And, the sunsets have been beyond amazing. Only those in the Midwest know the spectacular, yet underrated, beauty of a harvest sunset.
But, it’s not just on the road where the colors have been breathtaking. At home, plenty vibrant colors are found the garden.
Great tomatoes that hang like bright Christmas ornaments are still coming in… even though my canning motivation has majorly slowed.
Purple and white eggplants still hang from their plants like costume earrings.
The carrot’s, beet’s and sweet potatoes pinks, purples and oranges are like finding buried treasures when pulled from the ground.
Peppers are changing from green to deep reds.
Yellow spaghetti squash and creamy butternut squash dot the ground and their fire-orange blossoms still bloom.
But, my favorite?
The Swiss Chard.
I wrote about Swiss Chard this time last year with a little disappointment. I was hoping for rainbow Swiss Chard but had planted just plain, old green. Nothing was wrong with it. And, it made for great side dishes and additions to fall soups. I was just hoping for the fun element of the bright colors.
This year, I did my due diligence and made sure I had the right seeds. I have been obsessed with my symphony of almost highlighter-bright pink, yellow, red, and orange chard.
Thanks to their long growing season, we will get to enjoy their beauty- and flavor- well into the fall.
I recently read in a culinary magazine that Swiss Chard “is like the vodka of vegetables;” It pairs well with just about anything.
… I love a good cocktail analogy just as much as I love versatile garden veggies.
Swiss Chard can be used as a substitute to kale, spinach or other leafy greens. It works in a variety of dishes be it salads, slaws, soups, sides, or sandwiches.
Because of it’s convenience in my backyard, I rely on it often for lunch.
Also conveniently located in my backyard these days are fresh, colorful eggs from the now laying spring hens.
Together they make a nutritious, easy and, thanks to the bring chard and bold egg yolks, colorful lunch.
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 pound of fresh chard
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced (shiitake if possible)
- salt and pepper
- 2 large eggs
- Remove ribs from the chard. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add the unions and mushrooms to the bowl.
- Slice the chard leaves into one inch ribbons using a chiffonade technique. (See notes)
- Heat olive oil in a large pan (with cover) on medium high heat. Add the ribs, onions and mushrooms. Saute for about five minutes or until the onions are tender and translucent.
- Add the chard leaves to the pan and combine well so that the leaves are coated with the olive oil and the mushrooms and onions are mixed in.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Spread the mixture evenly throughout the pan. Crack the two eggs over the chard. Lower the head and cover. Cook for about three minutes.
- When the egg whites are cooks, remove the pan from the stove top.
- Use a spatula to remove the eggs and chard gently and serve right away.
- Cut the runny yolks so that they serve almost like a sauce.
- Chiffonade is a French cutting technique when herbs or leafy greens are cut into thin, long strips. To do this, stack the leafy greens and then roll them up (similar to a cigar) and slice in desired width.
