Q. If Dr. Who were a vegetarian, what kind of transport would he use?
A. He would travel in a chard-is.
O.K., Leno and Letterman won't be quaking in their boots worrying about me taking their jobs anytime soon(although Jimmy Kimmel might). But you can't blame a guy for trying a less than standard intro for a brief blurb about a less than well known veggie. And it's really too bad that most people aren't familiar with Beta vulgaris because if vegetables were graded for their nutrients alone, Swiss chard would be a vegetable valedictorian. This green, leafy nutrition treasure trove contains vitamins K, A and C as well as, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. But wait, there's more. It's also a good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
Even if you're not a Dr. Who fan, you're most certainly a fan of good health. So pick some of this up at your nearby farmer's market. Or better yet, grow your own. Like most vegetables, chard is best when it's super fresh.
