A leafy green vegetable, chard is a staple in Mediterranean cooking. But if you’re not really into a diet that’s strictly plant-based, chances are that you will never even give consuming chard a thought.
That’s an utter let-down because chard is actually packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which means that consuming it on a regular basis is good for you. According to medical professionals, some of the impressive health benefits that you can obtain from this vegetable include:
Controlled blood sugar levels
Reduced diabetes risk
Normalized blood pressure
Lowered risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke
Strengthened bones and teeth
Boosted eye health and eyesight
Improved cognitive functioning
Beautified hair and skin
Indeed, there are so many perks that you are missing out if you are steering clear of chard because you’re not really into eating leafy greens on a regular basis.
However, there is no need to worry because it is very much possible for you to take advantage of all the benefits chard is known to offer even without serving a bowlful of this leafy green in front of you. You can turn chard into something that for sure you are not going to have a hard time raving about: chips!
Yup, you have read that right! You can incorporate more chard in your diet by turning it into chips — you can find the very easy to follow recipe later on in this article.
But wait. It’s not just ordinary chard chips that you will learn to make, but salt and vinegar chard chips! The perfect blend of saltiness and sourness makes these healthy and crunchy chips perfect at any given time or day. No matter if you’re having a movie marathon with a bunch of your friends or spending time at the park with your family, salt and vinegar chard chips — especially the kinds that you can make with your own hands — are the perfect snacks to have!
Making salt and vinegar chard chips should not give you a headache. In fact, even if you have the worst set of baking skills on the face of the planet, you will still be able to whip up the perfect chard chips. And get this: from preparation to serving, it will only take you about 15 to 20 minutes!
Read on to see for yourself how trouble-free it is to make salt and vinegar chard chips at home.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of chard (it yields 8 to 10 chips)
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt (finely ground)
Directions:
-Get the oven preheated to 325°F.
-Thoroughly wash the bunch of chard under running water. Shake off the excess.
-Remove the stems and throw away.
-Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and put on a plate.
-Grab a small mixing bowl. Combine apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Mix very well.
-Dump the chard leaves into the bowl. Dig in — use your hands to massage the mixture onto the leaves.
-Reach for a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
-Neatly arrange your chard chips on the lined baking sheet.
-Bake for about 5 minutes. Afterwards, flip the chard chips over and bake for another 5 minutes.
-Allow to cool a bit by placing the tray on a wire rack.
-Transfer the chard chips on a serving plate, season with finely ground sea salt, and serve.
Now do you believe that making salt and vinegar chard chips is an easy, easy culinary undertaking? After trying out your healthy masterpieces, come back and share your experience in the comments section below.
