Simply in Season: Swiss Chard

So this is what I'm going to do: Three outfit posts and two food posts.

Now I neither claim to be a fashionista nor a chef, I just thoroughly enjoy both so take it as you may.

Since moving out to LA, I've really enjoyed getting a grasp on the food culture here. Living in Santa Monica, I'm surrounded by fresh and progressive american cuisine. Fresh being the key word. I've adopted the farmer's market as a weekly go-to, and do my best to support local grocers. And through it all, I'm learning some really cool things along the way.

I mentioned before that I had read "French Women Don't Get Fat" (See the post here). One of the main philosophies that Mirielle Guiliano stresses is eating food that is in season and with the market just a short bike ride away, I'm quickly learning what is and isn't available at any given moment. Like, did you know that limes were a winter citrus? I definitely didn't.

I've decided to challenge myself and buy something at the market that I've never tried before, (or tried to cook before) every time I go. The farmers are usually very friendly and give me tips on how to cook the week's foreign food of choice, which is a definite plus. A couple weeks ago I came across this recipe in my Food Network Magazine and decided to give Swiss chard a try.

Swiss chard has a very interesting flavor. It's a leafy green vegetable that combines the flavors of spinach and beet greens and can be a bit bitter in taste. Once cooked, it becomes lighter in flavor and quite delicious. The flavor reminded me of some of the Polish food I have grown up with, perhaps because of its relation to beets, a staple for the Polish cook. Chard is also incredibly healthy. One cup's worth has over 300% of your daily Vitamin K value, which is excellent for your bones, not to mention all its other goodness. You can learn more about it on one of my go-to websites, World's Healthiest Foods.

Let me know if you attempt the soup recipe or any other Swiss Chard recipe and send it my way via the comments section. I'd love to hear from readers. Meanwhile, I need to come up with a cool sign off, but for now I'll borrow from Alton Brown and bid you good eating.