Healthy Recipe, Chard Salad

Swiss chard is a nutrient-packed green member of the beet family. Its ruffly leaves are sturdier than spinach but more tender and sweeter than kale, and its stems are juicy and crunchy like celery. Though typically sautéed, chard is also delicious raw, as proven by a hearty salad recipe lightly adapted from Joe Yonan’s new tome, “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking: Vegan Recipes, Tips, and Techniques.”

Ingredients

• 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas
• 1 (7-ounce) piece of crusty bread, cut into ½-inch cubes (3 or 4 cups)
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 ¼ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• small garlic clove, peeled but whole
• bunch (about 12 ounces) Swiss or rainbow chard, washed and dried
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid (aquafaba) for other uses if desired. Rinse, drain, and spin the chickpeas in a salad spinner or shake off the water vigorously in a colander. 
2. Lay a clean kitchen towel on a large sheet pan, pour the chickpeas on the towel, and gently roll them around the towel to dry completely. 
3. Scatter the dried chickpeas and bread pieces on the sheet pan and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread into an even layer and bake, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crisp, 22 to 25 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle with the paprika and toss to coat thoroughly. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the vinegar in a large salad bowl. Finely grate the garlic clove with a microplane and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Stack a few leaves of the chard, then roll them up into a cylinder from the long side like a cigar. Then thinly slice in ribbons right through the stems and ribs (chiffonade). Repeat with the remaining leaves.
7. Place the chard ribbons and sliced stems in the bowl with the dressing, along with the sesame seeds, baked chickpeas, and croutons. Toss to coat and serve immediately.