Colour chard

Though many aren't sure of the difference between silverbeet, kale and spinach, there's no mistaking rainbow chard

- Chloe Thomson

Rainbow chard, Swiss chard or rainbow silverbeet are all common names for the popular leafy veg with multihued stems that keep their colours even when cooked.

It's a great way to get kids to eat their "greens" because everything's more fun when it's rainbow coloured!

References to this vibrant veg go back a few centuries and it's actually native to Sicily, not Switzerland. Beautiful both in the patch and on the plate, chard is now considered an essential heirloom vegetable around the world.

The small young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or lightly wilted while the older leaves can be cooked up and used as spinach or kale substitutes in many dishes.

I love using the stems in recipes where you can see the colour - in quiches, for instance, or simply as a pan-fried side dish with garlic.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE