Chard (Beta vulgaris), characteristics and cultivation of the crop. Stocking chard: preparations for the winter Freezing chard leaves for the winter
A useful and beautiful vegetable should find a place in your beds Few vegetable plants can match the beauty of exotic chard. The unique beauty of its lush and bright leaves will probably not be overshadowed even by ornamental cabbage. Alas, this plant, which is very popular in the West, is still in the position of a “poor relative”. At the same time, leaf beet with a loud name "chard" it is rich in vitamins and very pleasant to the taste, and in terms of productivity, chard is a leader among other green crops - one plant can produce more than 1 kilogram of selected petioles and leaves.
In addition, in some cases (in early spring, winter and late autumn), its young leaves are very convenient to replace the usual lettuce before it has yet grown or has already “died.” Both leaves and juicy, fleshy petioles, which are considered a delicacy in Europe, are used as food. The leaves are added to salads, borscht, cabbage soup, soups, they replace cabbage in cabbage rolls, and the petioles are boiled or fried with breadcrumbs (much like cauliflower) and eaten as a side dish. Chard is also added to a variety of vegetable stews. After a quick boil (for 2 minutes), pieces of stems or leaves can be frozen for the winter (same as cauliflower).
However, it is not only the extraordinary productivity, unpretentiousness and good taste that attract people in chard. This plant is also useful - it contains a lot of ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, PP, protein, mineral salts (potassium, calcium, sodium, iron, phosphorus), biologically active substances. Therefore, chard beets are used in folk medicine as a vitamin and tonic, as well as to lower blood pressure. Chard has a diuretic, mild laxative, antiscorbutic and analgesic effect, and is also considered very useful for sclerosis. Chard juice, mixed half and half with honey, is used for colds.
Moreover, chard is very beautiful and can decorate the garden from spring until late autumn. The variety of colors and leaf shapes of different varieties of this crop is literally amazing. The petioles of petiole chard can be green, silver, yellow, orange, dark red with a purple tint, and red-crimson. In turn, the leaves of leafy varieties are wavy and curly in dark green, light green and violet-green tones.
Chard Preferences
Chard is a real record holder for yield among green crops. However, a large and high-quality harvest can only be obtained with proper agricultural technology.
1. Chard is a more cold-resistant crop than beets - its seeds begin to germinate already at a temperature of 4-5°C, but the most favorable conditions for plant growth are at a temperature of 18...20°C. Chard can even tolerate light frosts (up to -1...-2°C), but in this case, flower stalks may appear, which is undesirable, since it reduces the yield of leaves and petioles.
2. Chard is very demanding on soil fertility and prefers to grow on neutral soils, well-filled with organic fertilizers in previous years. It is very responsive to feeding, especially mullein solution. However, such fertilizing should be done carefully, since chard is predisposed to the accumulation of nitrates. It is advisable to feed the plants after each active cutting of leaves and petioles, but it is better to use complex mineral fertilizers and humus, rather than mullein or urea.
3. Theoretically, chard can grow in partial shade, but with a lack of light, its growth is somewhat delayed, and nitrates accumulate in the leaves. To avoid this, it is better (unless, of course, chard is not planted as an ornamental crop) to plant it only in areas that are well lit during the day.
4. Chard is a very moisture-loving plant, but at the same time it does not tolerate waterlogged soils. If it is over-watered, it can suffer from powdery mildew, and a lack of moisture sharply reduces the yield.
Chard - summer and winter
It is primarily beneficial to use chard in those periods when other salad greens are more difficult to obtain - in early spring, late autumn and winter, although no one is stopping you from consuming chard throughout the summer.
How to Harvest Chard in Early Spring
This is possible only through the seedling growing method. Don’t be alarmed, it’s not at all as troublesome as growing cabbage seedlings and especially tomatoes, and at first you will need very little space. In early April, you can safely start sowing the first batch of seeds. As containers for planting, it is better to choose fairly deep bowls, for example, large Rama margarine bowls. Fill the bowls 2/3 full with wet sawdust, distribute the seeds evenly (you can do so quite thickly, since you will be planting the seedlings later), and then sprinkle with a thin layer of fertile soil. That's all - now you just need to water it in a timely manner, and when shoots appear, put the bowl on the windowsill or take it out to the glazed balcony for a day. Around April 20, you can prepare the next batch of seeds by soaking them in flat containers with sawdust.
At the end of April, seedlings of the first sowing and sprouted seeds of the second sowing should be planted in greenhouse soil. It is not difficult to plant seedlings grown on sawdust soil; you just need to thoroughly water the containers with seedlings first, and then remove and plant the seedlings, first carefully separating them from one another. It is advisable to immediately mulch the soil between plants with suitable material, for example, old sawdust. It’s even easier with sprouted seeds - you just need to scatter them around the greenhouse, trying to sow them fairly freely. The planted seeds should be sprinkled with soil, and then also mulched with wet sawdust. After this, all plantings are covered with covering material, on top of which it is better to install arcs, and then throw an additional layer of film or covering material over them. It is important to cover chard, despite its cold resistance, since frost exposure of the plants can lead to early bolting.
Plants sown in early spring are harvested selectively, as needed, trying to adhere to the thinning principle, and used entirely as salad greens.
Summer and early autumn harvest
Some of the seedlings grown in the greenhouse should be planted in open ground, as well as beets, when the threat of severe frosts has passed (around the end of May), be sure to cover the plants with covering material. Planting density depends on the type of chard. For petiole varieties, plants are planted at a distance of approximately 40 cm from each other, and for leaf varieties - at 25 cm; Row spacing for both is usually done in the range of 35-40 cm.
If the plants are exposed to frost, they may bloom, which will negatively affect the harvest. It is better to avoid such situations and take care of the shelter in a timely manner. If this fails and the plants bloom, then you should definitely break off the flower stalks.
Harvest in late autumn and winter
In late autumn, you can achieve additional yield in the greenhouse, naturally, if there are mini-shelters inside it. To do this, you need to very carefully drag some of the plants into the greenhouse with a large lump of earth, plant them, water them and cover them well. Then, before the ground freezes, you will be guaranteed a harvest of fresh leaves.
If you want to have fresh chard greens in winter, then this is also easy to organize, if the space allows. Of course, you shouldn’t count on petioles, but the harvest of leaves for salads can be quite good. To do this, you need to dig up the chard plant along with a lump of earth in the fall, before frost (around the end of September - beginning of October), transplant it into a large pot or even a bucket (if we are talking about petiole chard) and send it to the windowsill.
Just keep in mind that one plant will not provide you with a harvest for the whole winter, since its growing season is limited. Therefore, it is safer to carefully dig up several plants, remove the wilted leaves on them, put the plants in boxes and move them to the cellar. In winter, after it becomes obvious that the strength of your next pet on the windowsill is running out, you can take the next contender out of the cellar, plant it in a suitable container and expose it to the light. Planted chard plants do not require any special care during the winter. It is only important to provide enough light and timely watering. However, you should be careful with watering, as plants in pots can easily rot from waterlogging.
Especially about nitrates
Like all leafy vegetables, chard can accumulate nitrates. Moreover, chard is one of the crops that can accumulate nitrates in significant quantities if improper agricultural practices are used.
At the same time, compliance with the following agrotechnical rules will allow you to grow a truly healthy and tasty vegetable:
- you need not to thicken the plantings - each chard plant should be well lit by the sun throughout the day;
- limit the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied - for intensive plant development, it is better to prepare fertile soil well before planting, rather than then try to stimulate weakened chard with urea.
Harvesting
It is officially believed that chard is ready for harvesting two months after sowing, and petiole - after three. However, plants at any stage of development can be used for salad. As for the petioles, they begin to be broken off when the plant has formed a sufficiently large rosette of leaves. When breaking out leaves from adult plants, you should adhere to a number of rules:
1. The more often you cut the leaves, the more abundantly they grow.
2. The leaves must be cut along with the petioles along the outer edge of the rosette, without leaving columns, otherwise the remaining part of the petioles will begin to rot.
3. The leaves of chard should be collected while they are young, as the taste of older (overgrown) leaves noticeably deteriorates. From petiole chard, you need to collect the outer leaves with petioles without waiting for them to outgrow - to do this, just bend them outward. At the same time, only the petioles of petiolate varieties are usually used for food, although their young leaves also taste good.
Culinary subtleties
Young chard leaves are used as salad greens - they can be added to any salad in place of the usual lettuce and spinach. There are no tricks to preparing them - just wash and cut.
It’s more difficult with petiole chard. Theoretically, not only petioles, but also young leaves can be used. So the leaves and petioles require different culinary treatments. The leaves are most often stewed, and the petioles are pre-boiled in salted water. The water is brought to a boil, and then the petioles cut into pieces are lowered and boiled for 15-20 minutes. Then they place the petioles in a colander and allow the water to drain, sometimes drying them slightly. In addition, overgrown chard stalks can be tough because they contain coarse fibers. Therefore, it is better to trim off the rough parts of the petioles or remove the fibers and skin from these parts before cooking.
Chard salad
500 g petioles, 1-2 tomatoes, 1 sweet pepper, 2 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise, parsley and dill, salt to taste.
Cut the chard stalks into pieces and boil in salted water until tender. Then drain in a colander and cool. Add tomato slices, small pieces of sweet pepper and season with mayonnaise. Sprinkle the salad with finely chopped parsley and dill. Add salt if necessary.
Fried petioles
Cut the petioles and boil in salted water, and then fry in butter. Before serving, sprinkle with grated breadcrumbs.
Chard with creamy crumbs
500 g petioles, 1 onion, 4 tbsp. l. butter, 5 tbsp. breadcrumbs. Separate the chard leaves from the petioles. Boil the petioles as usual and dry well. Cut the onion into cubes. Coarsely chop the chard to make about two handfuls. Melt 1 tbsp. butter and fry the onion cubes in it until transparent. Add chard and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Dissolve the remaining butter and fry the breadcrumbs in it until golden brown. Mix dried chard with stewed herbs and fried breadcrumbs (butter crumbs).Risotto with chard and cheese (Italian dish)
300 g chard, 400 g rice, 1 liter meat broth, 2 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, a handful of grated cheese, 1 clove of garlic, a handful of green onions, green parsley, ground pepper and salt to taste.
Chop the chard and green onions, blanch and drain in a colander. Then make a puree from the blanched greens, adding chopped parsley to it. Chop the garlic and sauté in vegetable oil. Add rice to garlic and simmer for 3 minutes. Then pour in the broth and let it absorb, keeping the rice on low heat under the lid for 20 minutes. After this, mix the rice with butter, cheese and pureed greens.
Svetlana Shlyakhtina, Ekaterinburg
Photo by the author
What is chard, calorie content and chemical composition. Beneficial properties and possible harm when consumed. How to eat chard, what dishes can be prepared from it. Interesting facts about vegetables and the ability to grow them on your own plot.
The content of the article:
Chard (chard) is a crop that can be classified more as a green than a vegetable. The Latin name of the biennial herbaceous plant is Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris. Family Amaranthaceae, subspecies of common beet. There are two forms of chard - stem (veined) and chives or chive, the second name is Roman cabbage. The stem is consumed together with the stems; it is more aromatic. In Roman cabbage, only the leaves are eaten, the growth of which resumes after cutting. The plant looks like a regular beet. Chard leaves are large, wavy, the basal ones are smaller, the central ones are larger, with different colors - from green to reddish. The flowers are small and light. But the root-root vegetable is unexpressed, elongated. The fruits are seed-pods and are not eaten. Planted together with other vegetables, it grows in open ground in temperate and continental climates. It is not yet popular in the CIS.
Composition and calorie content of chard
In terms of nutritional value, beets and chard differ significantly. The leafy plant can be safely included in the most strict diet for weight loss.
Calorie content of chard is 19 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 1.8 g;
- Fats - 0.2 g;
- Carbohydrates - 3.74 g;
- Dietary fiber - 1.6 g;
- Ash - 1.6 g;
- Water - 92.66 g.
- Vitamin A, RE - 306 mcg;
- Alpha Carotene - 45 mcg;
- Beta Carotene - 3.647 mg;
- Lutein + Zeaxanthin - 11 mg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.04 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.09 mg;
- Vitamin B4, choline - 18 mg;
- Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid - 0.172 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.099 mg;
- Vitamin B9, folate - 14 mcg;
- Vitamin C, ascorbic acid - 30 mg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol - 1.89 mg;
- Vitamin K, phylloquinone - 830 mcg;
- Vitamin PP - 0.4 mg;
- Betaine - 0.3 mg.
- Potassium, K - 379 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 51 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 81 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 213 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 46 mg.
- Iron, Fe - 1.8 mg;
- Manganese, Mn - 0.366 mg;
- Copper, Cu - 179 μg;
- Selenium, Se - 0.9 μg;
- Zinc, Zn - 0.36 mg.
Essential amino acids per 100 g:
- Arginine - 0.117 g;
- Valine - 0.11 g;
- Histidine - 0.036 g;
- Isoleucine - 0.147 g;
- Leucine - 0.13 g;
- Lysine - 0.099 g;
- Methionine - 0.019 g;
- Threonine - 0.083 g;
- Tryptophan - 0.017 g;
- Phenylalanine - 0.11 g.
- Omega-3 - 0.007 g;
- Omega-6 - 0.063 g.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g:
- Linoleic acid - 0.063 g;
- Linolenic - 0.007 g.
- Choline prevents the deposition of stones in the gallbladder and prevents fatty liver.
- Vitamin C is involved in redox processes, stimulates hematopoietic function, prevents malignancy of tumors, significantly increases blood clotting and can destroy tooth enamel.
- Phosphorus is the main component of protein metabolism, participates in enzymatic processes, and transfers energy throughout the body.
- Potassium normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system and prevents the formation of edema.
- Magnesium is responsible for the functions of muscle fibers and thermoregulation, but accumulates in the joints, stimulating the formation of stones.
- Sodium supports the body's vital functions, constricts blood vessels, prevents dehydration, but can cause edema and increases blood pressure.
- Calcium is the main building material for organic tissues, but its excess negatively affects the condition of the kidneys.
Beneficial properties of Swiss chard
It can be safely introduced into the diet of those losing weight - it has low nutritional value. In addition, it increases the speed of peristalsis and helps get rid of the accumulation of waste and toxins.
Benefits of chard:
- Normalizes blood sugar levels, suppresses the activity of alpha-glucosidase enzymes, which break down complex carbohydrates;
- It has an antioxidant effect, prevents the malignancy of existing tumors, and prevents the formation of new tumors;
- Strengthens the structure of bone tissue and increases the strength of the walls of blood vessels;
- Improves thinking abilities and increases memory function, allows you to quickly assimilate new information;
- Normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and coronary disease;
- Increases the speed of blood flow, which helps saturate all tissues, organs and systems with oxygen and nutrients, and prevents the development of anemia;
- Improves vision function, reduces the likelihood of glaucoma and cataracts, increases twilight vision;
- Strengthens hair roots and stimulates growth;
- Eliminates swelling, helps the body get rid of toxins;
- Helps restore pancreatic and liver cells.
Contraindications and harm of chard
There are contraindications for regularly introducing the plant into the daily menu.
You should limit your consumption of chard:
- For gout, urolithiasis or cholelithiasis. Chard contains a high amount of oxalates; when metabolic processes are disrupted, they crystallize and accumulate.
- In case of individual intolerance to all types of beets, so that allergic reactions do not occur.
- For varicose veins and thrombophlebitis due to the high amount of vitamin K in the composition, which increases blood clotting.
- With elevated cholesterol levels and obesity of 2-3 degrees.
You should not drink fresh chard juice. It contains too much concentration of chemicals, volatile compounds and organic acids. You can provoke the development of esophageal erosion, peptic ulcer, acid-base balance in the oral cavity, bronchospasm.
Vegetable dishes are introduced into the diet of children and pregnant women with caution. If this product is new for pregnant women, then “acquaintance” should be postponed.
How to eat Swiss chard
Before you eat chard, you need to learn how to choose it correctly. The leaves should be fresh, crisp, with a surface free of dots, spots, and whitish areas.
The plant is cut from the garden bed with a sharp knife and washed under running water. Cutting and cooking depends on the method of consumption. Roman cabbage is often added to salads and cut into strips. Stem varieties are first blanched or boiled for 1-2 minutes, the first water is drained and cooked until tender.
The chard is not soaked before cooking. This significantly reduces taste. In addition, water leaches beneficial substances from chard.
You can store the greens in the refrigerator on a shelf for 5 days, tightly wrapped in cellophane to limit air entry. After storage, the salad will no longer be tasty; it is advisable to use the product only in boiled form.
Chard recipes
There are many ways to prepare chard. It is used as an ingredient for salads, added to soups and hot dishes, the leaves are fermented like white cabbage, and pickled like tomatoes or cucumbers. In the morning, you can please your loved ones with an omelet with vegetables, and for dinner, prepare cabbage rolls, using romaine lettuce instead of cabbage.
Chard Recipes:
- Spring salad. A mixture of lettuce leaves - chard, spinach, arugula - is washed and laid out on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut a head of Mozzarella into even pieces - approximately 100-120 g, wash several strawberries and cut into 2 parts. All ingredients are mixed, the salad is seasoned with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
- Chard Pie. Ingredients for the dough: 3 tablespoons of flour, it is better to mix in equal quantities to make a little more than a glass, 2 varieties, coarse and regular wheat, ice water - 3 tablespoons, butter, a little more than half a pack, 100 ml of Parmesan. For taste, it is advisable to add 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped sage to the dough. The dough is kneaded until completely smooth and wrapped in cellophane. Place in the refrigerator to “rest” before baking. To prepare the filling, blanch 0.5 kg of chard in boiling water for 2 minutes and allow excess liquid to drain. Chop 2 heads of red onion, fry in a frying pan in sunflower oil, add 3 cloves of chopped garlic, chard, white wine - a third of a glass, simmer until tender, adding salt and pepper. Roll out the dough, grease the frying pan with sunflower oil, put a layer there, press it tightly and prick it often with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven at 225°C. While the dough is baking, prepare the filling by beating 3 eggs, 200 ml of cream, a pinch of nutmeg, a little red and black pepper. It's better to use a blender. Stewed vegetables are placed in the base of the pie, then pieces of soft feta cheese (150 g), 80 g of crushed walnuts, and a mixture of eggs and cream is poured on top. The pie is baked in a preheated oven for half an hour. Remove from the mold when it has cooled down.
- Cannelloni. Prepare salsa sauce: mix chopped onions, a couple of crushed garlic cloves with a 0.5-liter jar of tomatoes in their own juice. Mash the tomatoes thoroughly and beat everything in a blender. Chard cuttings are blanched, cut into smaller pieces, mixed with 200 g of cottage cheese (it is better to take ricotta). Wrap the curd filling in blanched Roman cabbage leaves. Fill the leaf envelopes with salsa and bake in the oven at 180°C, after sprinkling the dish with mozzarella cheese. Once the cheese has melted, you can turn it off.
- Vegetable casserole. Boil 4 eggs, peel. Finely chop all the vegetables: 100 g of carrots and kohlrabi, 1 root of celery, 1-2 green onions, 1 clove of garlic, 150 g of chard. Vegetables are sautéed in a deep frying pan in vegetable oil for approximately 15 minutes. About 2 tablespoons of flour are separately fried with a small piece of butter, a glass of milk is poured in, boiled for 5-7 minutes, pepper and salt. Pour the sauce into the mold, lay out the eggs and vegetables, mix everything, sprinkle with a layer of grated cheese and nutmeg powder. Bake in an oven preheated to 220°C.
Pickling leaves differs only in the way the product is laid out in the jar. The leaves are rolled into rolls, 10-15 pieces each, carefully inserted into a container so as not to wrinkle, and only then the marinade is poured. The leaves can later be used to season soups or make cabbage rolls.
You should not include chard dishes on the menu more than 3 times a week. This may have a negative impact on your health.
Chard is called Roman cabbage because in Ancient Rome it was eaten everywhere by patricians and plebeians. At that time, the vegetable was called sea rutabaga.
The ancient Greek healer Hippocrates used the plant in the treatment of fever, dermatological and infectious diseases, to cleanse the blood, and the Swiss alchemist and physician Paracelsus used preparations with chard to eliminate intoxication.
But in Rus' this garden crop appeared late - only in the 11th century. It was then that the fairy tale about “tops and roots” arose. For beets, the roots were used, for chard, respectively, the tops.
200 g of greens contain 60% of the daily value of magnesium. But you can’t eat so much chard, you can get gastritis and erosive damage to the mucous membrane.
Chard is currently gaining popularity. It does not require special growing conditions; the sprouts hatch at a temperature of +4-5°C. The most favorable conditions are +18-20°C and regular watering.
To grow chard, you need to know that this plant is capable of accumulating harmful compounds from the soil - nitrates and salts of heavy metals. If you plant vegetables in direct sunlight, less harmful substances will accumulate.
The plant can overwinter in the garden, but they prefer to grow it from seeds annually, completely weeding it out. In this case, the concentration of nitrogen compounds in the cuttings decreases.
Chard should be fed and watered regularly, but if the humidity is too high, it will begin to rot.
You should not sow romaine cabbage in the garden after white cabbage, spinach and regular beets. This will negatively affect the beneficial properties of the plant.
Watch a video about chard:
Having planted a new crop on your site, you can start looking for recipes for chard dishes. After all, it can even be included in exotic culinary masterpieces.
Greenery
Description
Freezing chard for the winter at home - this is the only way you can keep greens in a condition close to fresh. It is very important to follow all the recommendations correctly, otherwise nothing good will come of it.
Easily frozen chard for the winter can be added to salads and main courses, decorated with food and used in the same way as fresh herbs. It is noteworthy that chard almost does not lose its taste, and the vitamins it contains are mostly preserved.
You can store chard frozen for the winter for ten months, but it is not recommended to defrost it completely, since with each subsequent freezing its beneficial properties will be lost, and the greens themselves will begin to fade. It's best if you use chard in small quantities frequently - freeze it in several small bags.
The recipe for freezing such greens for the winter is incredibly simple, however, as mentioned above, the sequence of actions must be followed. We bring to your attention a recipe with step-by-step photos, thanks to which you will certainly not make any mistakes.
Ingredients
Steps
If you intend to collect chard in your dacha or garden, then it is best to do it early in the morning. This little trick will help preserve the largest number of useful elements.
After you collect the greens, they should be thoroughly washed by placing them in a colander. You can also put all the chard in a deep bowl and fill it with water, in which you can wash the greens one leaf at a time.
It is better to cut off the stems of greenery, as they have virtually no benefit and only take up space. You need to trim in the place where the chard begins to taper at the leaf itself.
Now you need to cut the chard leaves in a way that suits your needs. You can chop them as finely as possible to add to salads or soups, or you can cut the leaf into four or five pieces to freeze in large enough pieces.
Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil to blanch the chard leaves before freezing.
Place a deep bowl of cold running water next to the pan. You can also add a few ice cubes to the bowl, as the water should be as cold as possible.
You can add chopped chard into boiling water in small batches so that the water completely covers the greens.
The greens should be in boiling water for exactly two minutes, no more. After blanching, it must be removed from the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
Immediately after you remove the chard leaves from the boiling water, they must be immediately placed in a bowl of ice water, in which the greens must also lie for at least two minutes.
Place the greens from the bowl on a wooden surface to dry them and remove any moisture. You can use a paper towel and press it against the chard to absorb the moisture from the leaves much faster.
After that, place all the greens on several paper towels and roll loosely to remove any remaining moisture.
Place the chard in convenient glasses or bowls to make it easier to package the greens.
Chard is not nearly as popular as its closest relative, the table beet, and this is a big omission, because it is no less rich in vitamins and minerals. Only the greens and petioles of the plant are eaten. The root, even after cooking, remains tough and tasteless. It is used only as a vitamin supplement in livestock feed.
What is chard and how do you eat it?
Even experienced housewives ask a similar question, since chard, despite its outstanding nutritional qualities, is still a little-known product.
Chard is a two-year garden crop from the amaranth family. The closest relative of sugar beet, fodder beet and common beet.
There are two types:
- stem
- chard or chard
The valuable vegetable is harvested from the end of June until the lasting frosts, which usually occur in November. The more often the leaves are cut, the more abundant the harvest will be. In mild winters, the roots do not need to be dug out of the ground. Then in the second year, the first vitamin-rich chard will appear in early spring.
Stem chard has fleshy (up to 5 cm in diameter) petioles that taste like asparagus. Breeders have developed several varieties of the plant with different colors, making dishes from it not only tasty, but also very beautiful. 
The stems are not consumed raw. Most often they are boiled, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in butter. They also put the petioles in vegetable stews or first courses.
Schnitt chard (Roman cabbage) is a lush rosette of leaves, smooth or with a clearly defined texture. If the stem variety has small greens, then in this case some specimens reach a length of 45 cm. The color of the leaves varies from light green to dark green, with red edges and veins.
It is recommended to eat chard fresh as it contains many vitamins and valuable nutrients. If the leaves are cooked, this should be done as quickly as possible so that they do not lose their taste and shape.
For the winter, leaf and petiole chard should be frozen. This method helps to best preserve the nutritional quality of the product. In addition, the plant is pickled, salted and fermented like cabbage.
Benefits and harms
Summer residents are in no hurry to grow chard on their plots, mistakenly believing that it can be replaced with young tops of ordinary beets. However, it is not. Even if you do not take into account the difference in taste - beet tops are bitter and not as tender as chard, the beneficial properties of the two types of leafy greens are absolutely incomparable.
Let's start with vitamins. Chard contains:
- Vitamin K, which supports metabolic processes in bone and connective tissues, as well as proper kidney function. Lack of this substance leads to skeletal deformation, salt deposits on the walls of blood vessels and internal hemorrhages.
Attention!
Chard is able to provide our body with a triple daily requirement of vitamin K. However, an excess in this case is no less dangerous to health than a deficiency: blood viscosity increases, and blood clots may occur. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat chard in large quantities - everything is good in moderation.
- There is no less vitamin C in chard than in green onions - 33% of the daily value. Therefore, by regularly consuming this product fresh, we increase immunity, improve the condition of skin and hair, and cleanse the blood.
- Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant that keeps our body healthy, is also present in chard, which makes it indispensable for poor vision, frequent bronchial diseases, and problems with the “female” organs.
- In addition, chard contains, but in smaller doses, B vitamins, including thiamine, which supports the functioning of the nervous system and pantothenic acid, which is involved in important metabolic processes.
The leafy vegetable is rich in minerals; it contains almost the entire “periodic table”. Salts of iron, potassium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, manganese and sodium are known to promote the normal functioning of the main body systems and prolong youth.
In addition to the above, the following were found in chard:
- 19 polyphenolic antioxidants
- cardioprotective flavonoid
- syringic acid, which normalizes blood sugar levels
- phytonutrients responsible for the timely removal of waste and toxins.
With regular consumption of chard, the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases is reduced, vision improves, the body is cleansed, and bones and teeth are strengthened. This is a good prevention of diabetes, anemia and atherosclerosis. 
Chard is recommended:
- During the recovery period after serious illnesses, including those associated with surgery.
- For problems with the pancreas.
- People suffering from diabetes or obesity.
- Women who have reached menopause.
- For the treatment of depression, insomnia and other nervous disorders.
- Externally for burns, abscesses and conjunctivitis. It is considered a good cosmetic product, rejuvenates and whitens the skin, reduces hair loss.
- To improve immunity, as a general strengthening product if there are inflammatory processes in the body.
- As a digestive stimulant.
Swiss chard should definitely be included in your diet for people who are trying to lose excess weight. The healing plant will not only help you successfully lose unnecessary pounds, but will also cleanse the body of toxins that provoke overeating and cravings for “forbidden” foods, such as fast food or sweets.
Contraindications
Chard contains oxalates - salts and ester compounds of oxalic acid, which interfere with the absorption of calcium and lead to the growth of kidney stones or gall bladder. Therefore, for those who already have formations in these organs, it is better to refrain from eating green vegetables or do so with great caution.
Attention!
Freshly squeezed chard juice is not recommended for adding to smoothies and fresh juices, as it can cause dizziness, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, nausea or vomiting. The reason for this is special volatile compounds that continue to be released some time after the plant has been treated. To protect yourself from unpleasant sensations, the juice is allowed to settle and only then consumed.
Cooking recipes
Here are some options for preparing this useful crop.
Pickled chard stalks
The stems can be pickled, similar to.
We will need
- 500 g stem chard
- 2 – 3 tbsp. l. salt without a slide
- 1 – 1.5 tbsp. l sugar
- 1 tbsp. l. vinegar essence
- 1 liter of water
- dill umbrellas (preferably with seeds)
- garlic cloves
- horseradish leaves, currants, cherries to taste and desire
- spices: mustard powder, several peas of allspice, sesame
Cooking method
- Let's prepare the chard petioles: remove the leaves, rinse thoroughly and place in a colander to drain.
- Cut the stems into pieces of approximately the same length, focusing on the height of the jar (it is recommended to take half-liter containers). In order for the chard to be completely immersed in the marinade, it should be about 1.5 cm short of the neck.
- The pouring solution is prepared as follows: vinegar essence is poured into boiling water, stirred thoroughly, then sugar and salt are added and brought to a boil again.
- At the bottom of pre-sterilized and dried jars we place a large umbrella of dill, 2 - 3 garlic cloves, some spices (2-3 allspice peas, 1/3 tsp mustard powder) and leaves for aroma. We lightly press all these “flavoring additives” so that they do not take up much space.
- Fill the container with chard petioles, placing them vertically. Pour hot marinade, sterilize and immediately roll up.
- We cool our preparations by turning the jars upside down, and then store them in a dry, cool place.
How can you easily check the sealing tightness and be sure that the preservation will not “explode” during storage? Just look at the lid. If it is slightly “pulled in”, you don’t have to worry about the quality of the workpiece.
Swiss chard cabbage rolls
For this dish, large overgrown leaves are selected. The filling can be anything you like. 
We will need
- 400 g minced chicken
- 100 g rice
- 3 medium sized onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- bunch of dill
- 12 large chard leaves
Preparation
Quick layer cake Torta Pasqualina (Italian cuisine)
This traditional holiday pastry is made for Easter in Italy with spinach leaves. But what stops us from using beet salad crop? It won't turn out any worse. 
We will need
- 2 sheets of prepared yeast puff pastry
- large bunch of chard
- 5 – 6 eggs
- 200 g hard cheese
Preparation
- Blanch the chard leaves or steam them for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Chop the greens, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place a thinly rolled out layer of dough into a greased baking pan. We distribute the filling from the leaves, then at some distance from each other we make “nests” in it, where we put a small piece of butter and carefully pour in one egg at a time.
- Sprinkle the entire surface of the pie with grated cheese and cover with a second sheet of dough. Pinch the edges and brush with egg yolk.
- Bake until done in an oven preheated to 200ºC.
Spicy chard salad
In general, there are a lot of salads with this crop. These leaves will garnish any appetizer of various fresh vegetables. I’ll give you a version of a healthy green salad. 
We will need
- small bunch of Swiss chard
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 50 ml of any vegetable oil (ideally olive)
- equal parts cilantro, dill and parsley
- 5 shelled walnuts
- 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice
- salt and sugar to taste
Preparation
- Wash the chard leaves well, blanch, and drain.
- Tear it with your hands, quite coarsely, you can crush it slightly if the greens are hard.
- Add finely chopped cilantro, parsley and dill, as well as crushed nuts.
- Make a dressing from butter, salt, sugar and garlic pressed through a press.
- Pour over the salad, add lemon juice, let it brew for half an hour.
Omelette
For an omelette you need to take a lot of leaves. When cooked, they decrease significantly in volume. 
Ingredients
- 500 g chard
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- grated parmesan – 2 tablespoons
- freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Preparation
- Rinse the chard thoroughly. Separate the stems from the leaves. Boil the petioles until soft in salted water, drain in a colander and let the liquid drain.
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add finely chopped garlic cloves. As soon as the garlic turns golden, add the boiled stems and sauté until the moisture evaporates.
- Add the leaves cut into strips. Continue sautéing. The leaves will greatly decrease in volume.
- Beat the eggs with a whisk, add salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the chard.
- Fry the omelette over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally. When the omelet is almost cooked, sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Remove the finished omelette from the heat and serve.
Also check out where you can also use the leaves of this crop collected from the garden.
Chard dishes are distinguished by their speed of preparation and delicate, refined taste. Those who are still unfamiliar with this variety of beets should definitely try it - there is no doubt that it will decorate the family table.
Let's eat not only tasty, but also healthy!
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From mid-April until the first frost, lush chard bushes provide me with vitamin-rich greens. Beet tops are simply a storehouse of vitamins and minerals (carotene, phosphorus, iron and many others). So, with regular consumption of juicy leaves and petioles, you will forget what high blood pressure and diabetes are.
The multi-colored leaves of this crop can be used in fresh salads, botvinya, borscht, and the petioles make a simply gorgeous side dish for fish and meat dishes. To do this, just cut them into small pieces and boil them by steaming or boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Before serving, do not forget to season the chard with butter.
Salad with chard
Ingredients for 2 servings: 2 large carrots, green onions, a bunch of parsley and dill and 2-3 large young chard leaves, 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream, salt to taste.
Method of preparation: Cut all ingredients into small pieces, mix well and season with low-fat sour cream (if on a diet) or mayonnaise.
Chard soup
Ingredients for 2 servings: 2-3 medium potatoes, 1 carrot, ½ onion, 2-3 large chard leaves, some young sorrel leaves, parsley or dill, 1 boiled egg, sour cream, melted or vegetable oil, meat or vegetable broth, salt to taste
Method of preparation: Fry grated carrots and chopped onions together for 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into cubes and boil one chicken egg. Add the potatoes to the boiling broth and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Then add the roast, chopped sorrel and chard leaves, salt and cook for another 5 minutes. Before serving, garnish the soup with herbs, put half an egg in each plate and a little sour cream.
Stuffed cabbage rolls with chard
Ingredients for 2 servings: 8-12 large chard leaves, minced meat, boiled rice, onions, sour cream, tomato paste, pepper and salt to taste
Cooking method: I estimate the amount of minced meat and rice by eye, as it depends on the size of the chard leaves. They should be washed thoroughly, hard petioles removed, and blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Next, the leaves are placed in a colander and allowed to cool completely. During this time, you need to fry the minced meat with chopped onions until half cooked and at the end add boiled rice to it. Once the minced meat has cooled a little, form 4 lumps from it and wrap each of them in 2-3 chard leaves. Place the resulting cabbage rolls close to each other in a deep frying pan, add finely chopped petioles (this will be a side dish) and pour the whole thing with a sauce of sour cream, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Simmer covered until done.
Braised chard with leeks and stalked celery
Ingredients for 2 servings: 3-4 chard leaves, 2-3 celery stalks, 1-2 white leeks, salt to taste
Method of preparation: Grind all products into small pieces. Heat a frying pan with melted butter and simmer the celery and leeks for 5-8 minutes over low heat. Then add chard leaves to the contents of the pan and keep everything covered, stirring constantly until soft (another 5-10 minutes). Finally, add salt to taste.
The last recipe is my favorite - this vegetable dish not only has an exquisite spicy taste, but also perfectly ignites the fire of digestion. I often use it as a side dish for heavy meat dishes.
You can learn everything about growing chard in the garden and on your home windowsill from.
