Mediterranean Swiss Chard Wraps

Touchdown! Score big with these delightfully fresh Mediterranean Swiss Chard Wraps on Super Bowl Sunday – a healthier option that everyone will love!

Mediterranean Swiss Chard Wraps

Ingredients for Wraps

½ cup goat cheese (low fat), crumbled (“Mom” prefers organic)
¼ cup black olives, pitted and halved
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
6 medium Bright Light Swiss chard leaves, blanched
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Pinch sea salt (optional)

Preparation

Remove Stems of Swiss chard and put aside for relish.
Cut Swiss chard leaves into six squares, approximately six inches squared.
In a shallow pot, bring two cups of water to a gentle boil. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, dip one square at a time in the boiling water for 15 seconds. In a medium bowl, place the freshly blanched Swiss chard into cold water to stop the cooking process. Repeat with other leaves. Let cool.

Place a leaf square on a work surface, tap dry with a paper towel and layer in ½ tablespoon of cheese, a few olives, 2 tbsp. of tomato, a sprinkle of pine nuts and one or two basil leaves on top. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of mixture. To create rolls, first fold in the sides of the chard, then roll the leaf up tight until sealed.

Ingredients for Relish

2 tbsp. olive oil
Swiss Chard Stems from above ¼ inch dice
1 garlic clove minced
½ cup finely chopped shallot
1 tbsp. honey
¼ cup chopped mint

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened.
Add the chard stems and onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion softens, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the raisins, vinegar, honey and half of the mint.
Cover and cook until the chard is crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then mix in the remaining mint.

*Recipe and image courtesy of Executive Chef Patrick Leibacher, 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel.*