...see? I did come back again sooner! :)
Today's post is about a sort-of new type of harvest, the microgreen! I've only recently learned what they are, and love the idea!
Microgreens...
...are basically just entire plants harvested as seedlings, mostly used to add flavor to dishes and salads, garnish plates and soups, and mix in with spreads and dips!
Microgreens are comprised of either a single variety of vegetable planted densely together, or a mixture of varieties, such as the microgreen packet I bought that consisted of red beets, radishes, cabbage, kohlrabi, pak choi, and swiss chard. Depending which greens you use, the mix can be quite spicy and full of flavor, and differentiate themselves from sprouts in that they are harvested larger and need light and soil to grow rather than just water.
Microgreens are great for indoor or balcony gardeners since they take up little space!! They are also ready to eat within 1-2 weeks, allowing for multiple harvests in your average outdoor season. They are harvested after the first leaves have developed, so at about 1-3 inch length - just cut them all off, wash, and add to your salad or sandwich!
Microgreens are also very nutritious! They can contain up to 40 times higher levels of important nutrients than the mature vegetables, says realfarmacy. Think stem cells - these buggers are concentrated!
NPR also agrees that microgreens are way more packed with nutrients than the full versions and are not only safer than sprouts but offer a burst of taste to top off your dishes. I have used my microgreens in place of sprouts several times and love it!
If you can't find a package of microgreens at your local garden center (mine didn't even know what microgreens were!), don't despair - you can just make it yourself! Toss equal amounts of various vegetable seeds over your pot or plot of soil and cover with a light dusting of dirt. Don't be afraid to fill the surface more than you would with normal seedlings since you won't have to thin them out - they'll be harvested small. Or just try a single variety and enjoy the flavors individually first.
Have fun experimenting and eat up those phytonutrients!
Today's post is about a sort-of new type of harvest, the microgreen! I've only recently learned what they are, and love the idea!
Microgreens...
...are basically just entire plants harvested as seedlings, mostly used to add flavor to dishes and salads, garnish plates and soups, and mix in with spreads and dips!
Microgreens are comprised of either a single variety of vegetable planted densely together, or a mixture of varieties, such as the microgreen packet I bought that consisted of red beets, radishes, cabbage, kohlrabi, pak choi, and swiss chard. Depending which greens you use, the mix can be quite spicy and full of flavor, and differentiate themselves from sprouts in that they are harvested larger and need light and soil to grow rather than just water.
Microgreens are great for indoor or balcony gardeners since they take up little space!! They are also ready to eat within 1-2 weeks, allowing for multiple harvests in your average outdoor season. They are harvested after the first leaves have developed, so at about 1-3 inch length - just cut them all off, wash, and add to your salad or sandwich!
 |
| my microgreens (before the construction dust got to them)! |
NPR also agrees that microgreens are way more packed with nutrients than the full versions and are not only safer than sprouts but offer a burst of taste to top off your dishes. I have used my microgreens in place of sprouts several times and love it!
If you can't find a package of microgreens at your local garden center (mine didn't even know what microgreens were!), don't despair - you can just make it yourself! Toss equal amounts of various vegetable seeds over your pot or plot of soil and cover with a light dusting of dirt. Don't be afraid to fill the surface more than you would with normal seedlings since you won't have to thin them out - they'll be harvested small. Or just try a single variety and enjoy the flavors individually first.
Have fun experimenting and eat up those phytonutrients!
 |
| top view of a patch of my microgreens - planted too thinly though, it was my first time! |
No comments:
Post a Comment