Sweeeeet Summertime!!

We've definitely been enduring some intense heat this summer, but ya gotta love summertime! This summer has been especially "sweet" for me because (due to our new, sunny backyard), my husband Randy has become a vegetable gardener! He has closely followed the science of Square Foot Gardening  By Mel Bartholomew. Even though he is a veggie growing novice, his garden has produced some pretty impressive results! Lately, he has harvested quite a bit of Swiss Chard. This posed a challenge for me as it is not a vegetable I was familiar with. But after learning that Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A, K and C, as well as rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein, I was motivated to find a quick and easy way to prepare it as a healthy side dish. This easy recipe has gotten rave reviews from everyone I've served it to. Its vibrant red and green coloring makes for an attractive presentation. And don't fret if you don't have a vegetable garden, because Swiss Chard is readily available in the fresh vegetable section of your local grocery store!

What you need: A large bunch of Swiss Chard (it shrinks during cooking- kinda like spinach), 1/4 cup light olive oil, 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, 1/4 cup wine (red or white, whichever is handy) and salt.

1. First you need to cut all the red stems and separate them from the leaves as shown in the photo below.

2. Finely chop the garlic. Pour olive oil into a large skillet and add the garlic, let simmer on medium heat for a minute or two. Then, add the red stems and the wine. Saute' until tender, about 7 minutes. You can use a cover to speed up the cooking.

3. Then add the beautiful green leaves and mix in well. Cover and stir every minute or so. The leaves will become tender in 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the salt to your taste. I like to add freshly ground Mediterranean Sea Salt. You can even add a few red pepper flakes if you want some heat. Wah-lah! You have a delicious and nutritious side dish.