Chard Salad | Attractive and Appetizing
Are you skeptical about eating chard in its raw state? Once you taste this delicious chard salad, you will fall in love with chard’s earthy, salty and tangy flavor. Our Chard Salad with Carrots, Beets and Sunflower Seeds isn’t just pretty, but it has a juicy crunch that is exploding with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Filled with colorful vegetables, crunchy sunflower seeds and a flavorful dressing, this salad is so healthy, you will want to make it all year round. Perfect for an easy take-to-work lunch, a quick dinner option, or a fun party dish, this chard salad is even sturdy enough for leftovers the next day. Move over kale, there is a new super green that packs a sweet, vibrant and crisp bite of health in every velvety green bite!
Nutrient Booster: Swiss Chard
This salad may be pretty to look at, but it also packs a big nutritional punch! Thanks to the swiss chard in this recipe, our vibrant Chard Salad is teeming with properties that help enhance and prolong our health. This leafy green vegetable is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron and dietary fiber. It also contains inorganic nitrates, which may lead to lowered blood pressure and improved endothelial function. As we age, the health of the inner lining of our blood vessels is especially important, making chard an ideal addition to any diet. Consuming foods like swiss chard will help keep our bodies running at optimal levels and is powerful at fighting free radical damage, inflammation and disease development.
Make it a Side!
While our Chard Salad with Carrots, Beets and Sunflower Seeds is delicious on its own, it can also be served as a side. For further inspiration, try pairing this beautiful salad with our mouth-watering Grilled Cheese with Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomatoes for an overall heartier meal! With so much flavor and nutritional qualities, this recipe is the perfect go-to all year round.
Chard Salad with Carrots, Beets and Sunflower Seeds
Ingredients
- 6 cups swiss chard, raw (about 2 bunches), chopped and rinsed
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and spiralized or grated
- 1 beet (approx. 1/2 cup), peeled and spiralized or grated
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp honey, or sorghum syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add chard, carrots, beet, and red onion, and toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt until emulsified. Pour dressing over the vegetables, and toss together until combined.
- Let vegetables marinate at room temperature for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour to soften the chard and beets.
- Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve.
Notes
Serving size: 1 1/4 cup Calories: 130 calories, Fat: 10 grams, Saturated fat: 1 gram,Carbohydrates: 5 grams, Sugar: 3 grams, Sodium: 100 milligrams, Fiber: 2 grams,Protein: 1.5 grams, Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Disclaimer: Triad to Wellness is a nutrition consultant for the Sorghum Checkoff. We were notcompensated for this post; all opinions are our own. (1) Ahluwalia A, Ashor AW, Lara J, et al. Effects of inorganic nitrate and beetroot supplementation on endothelial function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Nutrition. 2016 Mar;55(2):451-459. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25764393.