Sauteed Greens, Beets & Chickpeas

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Last Sunday night I was expounding (as I am prone to do) to an enthralled audience (I'm sure...) on the difference between beets and chard, when someone stated that they are nothing alike, from a nutrition standpoint.

Well. She was just plain wrong.

And, of course, exactly right.

Beets and chard are not much alike - nutritionally.

One is a sugary root and the other is a leaf for heavens sake.

But I was talking about beet greens.

Which are nutritionally quite similar to chard, only a bit of a different color and texture...because chard is just a variety of beet in which the root is not overly developed.

In other words (and much like this post) I wasn't clear about what I was talking about. Since I was talking about beet greens.

And to think, I used to work in "communications." The irony is not lost on me. (And I do hope that is the proper use of that word.)

The good news is, I have this space to clarify (or not, depending on if this is clear to you.) and to post a nutritional power-house recipe for chard and chick peas.

A quick side-dish. It is perfect with brown rice or as a filling for tacos. I also like to use the left-overs in a fritatta.

So try this my peaches, and taste the joy.

1 bunch chard, sliced thin
1 bunch beet greens, sliced thin
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice and zest of one small tangerine
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 large beet, cooked and diced
1 cup chick peas (boiled or canned, whichever)

Rinse the greens and set aside. Do not dry.

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the shallot and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens and fruit juice and zest. Saute until wilted. Add the beets and chick peas and stir to heat through.

Serves four.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.comIf you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

Chard - n. - Long succulent whitish stalks with large green leaves; Beet lacking swollen root.

The beet (Beta vulgaris) is a plant in the amaranth family. It is best known its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is probably the red root vegetable known as the garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leaf vegetables chard and spinach beet, as well as the root vegetables sugar beet, which is important in the production of table sugar. - Wiki

Misshapen fruit and vegetables won a reprieve on Wed from th EU as it scrapped rules banning overly curved, extra knobbly or oddly shaped produce from markets. Ending regulations on the size and shape of 26 types of fruit and vegetables, authorities killed off restrictions that had become synonymous with bureaucratic meddling. In July, these standards for the 26 products, as varied as peas and plums, will disappear. For 10 other types of fruit and vegetables, including apples, citrus, peaches, pears, strawberries and tomatoes, shape standards will remain. – NY TIMES