Olive and Sun-dried Tomato Chard

So, I like to eat healthy, or so I like to think... Give me tofu, brown rice, and veggies any day over burgers and fries. But there is one place where my healthy eating has hit a wall: Greens.

Everything I read says that they are one of the healthiest things for you. Now, I like the standard spinach in pretty much everything, but I've had some pretty intense cooking battles with the more bitter ones like chard and kale. I know that I just need to figure out how to cook it right and so I keep trying.

Tonight I decided to save the rapidly wilting red chard in my fridge from the trash can fate that many of my other bunches have had. I decided that if I combined it with three things that I love - olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheese, it would have to taste at least mildly good. As it turns out, I really liked it. The tanginess of all three covered the bitter taste of the chard and made for a great way to get my greens!

Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Chard

1 bunch red chard
2 tbsp pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

The first task is to the tackle the chard, which I'm outlining here because I know that I've alwayas had a lot of questions about how to do this. Lay one leaf of chard flat on cutting board and slice the leaves off by running your knife right next to each side of the rib. Repeat with the rest of the bunch. Then pile up leaves and chop into bite size pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet with high sides over medium heat. Add garlic and sautee for 30 seconds, stirring to keep from burning. The add chard, olives, and tomatoes. (My tomatoes are the kind that stay soft, if yours aren't place them in a cup of hot water before starting to chop the chard. Then remove them when you're ready and slice into smaller pieces before adding to the pan). Stir mixture for 1-2 minutes while chard starts to wilt.

Add 1/4 cup water to pan and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes until water is evaporated and chard is cooked through. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and serve.