Nutrient-Rich Swiss Chard Rice Wraps for Spring Picnics
Make Your Spring Outing Even Better with Delicious Swiss Chard Rice Wraps for Your Picnic Lunch
No spring outing is complete without a delicious picnic lunch! Today, we’ll make simple, beautiful, and incredibly tasty Swiss Chard Rice Wraps using fresh chard. This is a healthy and satisfying menu that everyone from kids to adults will love.
Rice Wrap Ingredients- 20 tender Swiss chard leaves
- 1/3 medium onion
- 1/4 carrot
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1/3 cucumber
- 1.5 bowls warm cooked rice
Side Salad Ingredients- 1/2 cucumber for salad
- 1/3 carrot
- 1/2 fresh apple
- About 20 dried cranberries
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 cucumber for salad
- 1/3 carrot
- 1/2 fresh apple
- About 20 dried cranberries
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the Swiss chard. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Briefly blanch the chard leaves for about 10-20 seconds – be careful not to overcook them, as they can become mushy! Immediately rinse the blanched chard under cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, trim off the tough stems and set the leaves aside.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the filling for the rice wraps. Finely mince the onion, then soak it in cold water for about 5 minutes to remove any harshness. Squeeze out the excess water. Heat a little cooking oil in a pan and sauté the minced onion until it becomes translucent. Add the minced carrot and stir-fry, then add the minced zucchini and cucumber. Continue to sauté until all the vegetables are tender. Season lightly with salt. Spread the sautéed vegetables on a plate and let them cool completely.
Step 3
Let’s make some colorful and flavorful rice! While you can use any cooked rice, this recipe uses rice cooked with foxtail millet and proso millet for a lovely texture and appearance. In a bowl, combine the cooked rice with all the sautéed and cooled vegetables. Gently mix everything together with a spatula until well combined. Season with salt if needed, tasting as you go to ensure it’s not too salty.
Step 4
It’s time to wrap the rice with the Swiss chard! Lay a prepared Swiss chard leaf flat. Place about half a bowl of the seasoned rice mixture in the center and form it into a compact ball. Carefully wrap the Swiss chard leaf around the rice ball to create a neat parcel. Once wrapped, cut each parcel in half for easy eating and arrange them attractively in your bento box compartments. This ensures the rice stays tidy and doesn’t fall apart.
Step 5
Let’s also make a refreshing side salad to accompany the wraps. Dice the salad cucumber, carrot, and apple into bite-sized pieces, similar in size to the chard wrap filling. In a bowl, combine the diced vegetables, apple, and dried cranberries. Add the mayonnaise, black pepper, and a pinch of salt, then gently toss everything together until well coated. For an extra crisp texture, you can lightly salt the cucumber beforehand. (I used it fresh for simplicity.)
