This week’s Vegie on View is silverbeet. This great vegie is easy to grow, is super healthy and comes in some really interesting colours.  Here are some cool facts about silverbeet:

1. Silverbeet is also known as chard, Swiss chard and perpetual spinach.
2. It comes in a range of colours including pink, red, yellow, green and white.
3. It can grow in just about any type of soil but it prefers fertile soil that drains easily.
4. It comes from the same family as beetroot.
5. It is grown in many countries and is especially popular in the Mediterranean.
6. It is very high in vitamins A, K and C and is a great source of folate and fibre.
7. It can be eaten raw in a salad or cooked in a number of different recipes.
8. Sometimes the stalk can taste a little bitter. If you don’t like this flavour, simply cut it out when you are preparing it.
9. To pick silverbeet grab a leaf on the outside of the plant and gently twist it off.
10. Silverbeet leaves don’t survive well after picking so it is best to prepare them as soon as possible after picking.

Silverbeet and Rosemary Pasta and Spanaokipta are both simple and delicious silverbeet recipes you can try at home or at school.
Happy gardening!