As a child, I didn't eat many vegetables. If it wasn't smothered in ranch dressing (my palette was yet to understand blue cheese), it might as well been inedible. I'm sure this left me in quite the nutritional deficit, but luckily I'm making up for my losses as an adult. If I see a vegetable or fruit at the farmer's market or grocery store that I've never tried before, I'll happily find a place for it in my fridge until I figure out what to do with it.

Up until a few years ago, swiss chard fell into this bucket. (Understandably, my mother thought better than to try to conceal this bitter vegetable behind a white blob of ranch dressing.) But one day, I spotted its beautifully deep green leaves and brightly rainbow colored stems and I couldn't pass it up.

Unfortunately, my first bunch wilted faster than Ollie taking off after spying a rabbit. What I didn't realize was that chard is highly perishable and should be cooked within a day or two of buying. To stretch its last "fresh" days, you shouldn't wash it until ready to cook and should store it in the vegetable container of your fridge. Luckily, winter was here and so all month long, there would be swiss chard waiting for me.

If you think an IPA is bitter, you'll be in shock when trying raw chard. The green leafs are certainly bitter and the stems take the cake. To help with the bitterness, most recipes call for the stems to be removed/discarded and for the leaves to be boiled. Boiling not only helps calm down the flavors but also helps remove some of the naturally occurring acid. In fact, swiss chard is one of the few vegetables nutritionist recommend boiling (the sh*t out of).

Paired with garlic and balsamic vinegar, swiss chard comes alive with flavors. It makes a perfect side dish to steak or chicken and is also one of the healthiest foods on the planet!

Braised Swiss Chard with Garlic Chips & Balsamic Vinegar
Serves 4

You will need:
~ 2 lbs swiss or rainbow chard
~ 1 tbsp olive oil
~ 6 medium sized garlic gloves, sliced
~ 3 tbsp "good" balsamic vinegar
~ Salt and pepper

First, wash chard. Use a pairing knife to remove the center stem by cutting along the center stem on both sides. Discard stems and tear leaves into medium sized pieces.

In a sauté pan, add enough water to cover chard half way. Sprinkle salt into water and bring to a boil. Let simmer (uncovered) for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté garlic chips for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Remove and set aside.