Wilted Rainbow Chard with Seared Eggplant and Parsley Vinaigrette

Wilted Rainbow Chard with Seared Eggplant and Parsley Vinaigrette

Rainbow chard is aptly named - long, hearty leaves with a rainbow of colours that brighten any meal. Treat these leaves as you would spinach a quick sauté or steam and they're ready to go. In this salad, the wilted yet vibrant leaves are nestled under baby eggplant caramelized with canola oil. The vegetables are then drizzled with a zesty green vinaigrette made with parsley. Recipe courtesy of canolainfo.org.

  • Ingredients

    Parsley Vinaigrette

    1 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves (250 mL)

    1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (75 mL)

    1/4 cup chopped shallots (60 mL)

    1 Tbsp cider vinegar (15 mL)

    2 tsp canola oil (10 mL)

    1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 mL)

    Salad

    2 tsp canola oil (10 mL)

    2 baby eggplant or 1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces (4 cups/1 L)

    1 bunch fresh rainbow chard, rinsed well and chopped (4 cups/1 L)

  • Directions

    1. In blender, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Purée until smooth. Set aside.

    2. In large skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook 3-5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Set aside.

    3. Add rainbow chard to same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 1-2 minutes or until chard wilts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and arrange chard on serving platter.

    4. Arrange eggplant over top of chard. Drizzle parsley vinaigrette over eggplant and chard and serve.

    Tips: The meatiness of the eggplant makes this an excellent vegetarian meal, but you may also add grilled tofu or roasted or grilled chicken breast for protein. For variety, substitute beet greens, collard greens or spinach for the rainbow chard.

Nutritional Analysis

Serving Size
3/4 cup (175 mL) eggplant mixture, 1/2 cup (125 mL) wilted chard
Servings
4
Calories
80
Total Fat
5 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
95 mg
Carbohydrates
9 g
Fiber
4 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
2 g
Potassium
445 mg