I have helped a lot of clients transition to veganism using either a cleanse, or a transitional diet to get away from the junk food and the dairy. One of the best tools that you can use as you are cleaning out your system is microgreen salads or added as a topper to your meal.
One of the big benefits when it comes to growing your own greens is that you can pick and eat them right away. This preserves the most nutrients, no matter when you harvest your greens but is particularly beneficial when it comes to microgreens. You’ve probably heard about these power houses of the vegetable family and may even grab them on occasion at your local health food store or grocer.
When you get into growing your own greens in salad bowls, harvesting microgreens is another option. They make a great addition to all your salads. But what exactly are microgreens?
What Are Microgreens
Green leafy plants are considered microgreens in the stage between sprout and seedling. They are usually harvested after they’ve had their first few regular leaves. If you’ve watched a plant grow from seed you notice that a sprout appears first, then the plant develops its first two leaves. Those first leaves look different from the regular leaves of the plan. After that the next three to five leaves pop out that look like those of the grown plant. It is during this stage when the first few leaves appear that microgreens are harvested.
You can use a variety of different plants to grow micro greens including lettuce, kale, arugula, chard, watercress, beet and radish greens, parsley, chives, basil, and cilantro.
How You Can Benefit From Microgreens
Microgreens are nutritional powerhouses that are full of vitamins. The exact nutrition will depend on the types of greens you consume. To get the most out of your microgreens, mix and match the plants you use. Nutrients include beta-carotene, iron, calcium, and lutein.
Since microgreens are grown in soil (or in your urban garden using natural minerals) as opposed to sprouts which are usually grown in water, they are able to absorb a lot more minerals and nutrients from the soil they are grown in. A good, rich potting soil will result in the healthiest greens.
How To Grow Microgreens
Growing your very own microgreens is surprisingly simple. Since the plants are small, they don’t require a lot of light, making it the perfect superfood to grow on your kitchen counter. You’re also harvesting the plants when they are still small and don’t have long roots, so it doesn’t take a lot of soil to grow them either.
Get a shallow container and fill it with quality organic potting soil. Sprinkle in the seeds for your favorite greens and herbs and lightly cover them with soil. Carefully mist or lightly water them, so the seeds don’t get washed away.
Keep them well watered and in a fairly warm place, and after a few days you will start to see little sprouts appear. Keep growing them until they are large enough to harvest. Reseed and repeat.
Another way to Grow Microgreens
I love using my HOME to grow food all year long in my house, and not just my FLEX system that I have had for four years. HOME is this amazing all-in-one system that delivers a year-round supply of health, homegrown herbs and veggies with a fraction of the time and work of a regular garden. Similar to my FLEX (the original unit you may have seen me talk about, and post pictures of) HOME is a vertical, aeroponic growing system that relies solely on water and nutrients to grow its produce (so yes!! it is soil-free). This method of growing plants has been proven to help plants and flowers grow faster and more efficiently than traditional gardens. The unit comes with LED grow lights, built-in wheels, a water level monitor and everything you need to get started with your urban garden in any room of your home, school, or office, and it will be available for you on November 1st and you can have microgreens or baby greens by the holidays. Best part, you can spread the cost over 12 months and you'll still find that you have more money savings from growing your own greens, and no fear of a recall.
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