What are chives?
Scrambled eggs with chives and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice is a delicious way to start the day. This versatile herb infuses a mild aroma of garlic or onion to dishes as diverse as omelettes, soups and salads. Chives also complement tarragon, dill and oregano – a favourite combination used extensively in French cuisine.

Chives are native to Europe, Asia and North America and were used up to 5,000 years ago. The Ancient Romans used chives for medicinal purposes. The herb was widely cultivated in Europe during the Middle Ages.

Nutritional value
Chives are a good source of vitamins A (important for growth and development and the maintenance of your immune system) and C (needed for the growth and repair of tissues in the body) and contain vitamin K (important for helping your blood to clot).
They also contain minerals such as potassium (which helps to regulate blood pressure), manganese (involved in the regulation of brain and nerve function), magnesium (involved in the regulation of muscle, heart and nerve function and keeping bones strong) and calcium.
Chives contain dietary fibre, which is important for a healthy bowel.
Energy – 100 g of chives supplies 110 kJ.

Applications
Add a punch of flavour to potatoes – bake potatoes with some butter until soft, crush so they are chunky, then add minced garlic, chopped chives, a little butter, salt and pepper and toss before serving.
Make a delicious pesto – mix chopped garlic, slivered almonds and lemon zest with ground, toasted coriander seeds, then blend in a food processor with chopped basil, rocket and oregano leaves and finally add parmesan cheese and chopped chives before serving on top of grilled beef or stirring through pasta.
Try baked, stuffed chicken – stuff a chicken breast with a mixture of chopped chives, cream cheese and minced garlic, then bake and serve with a green salad or vegetables.

Information from betterhealth.vic.gov.au