SUSTAINABLEYOU SUSTAINABLE One thing you can do...
ADD MICROGREENS TO YOUR PLATE BY KAREN LANGSTON
T
he signs of spring are evident on the grocer’s shelves. Look past the big, luscious organic green leaves and focus on the teeny-tiny ones looking like they just sprouted. Yup, those are the ones—they’re better known as microgreens. The term “microgreens” is the novel clever marketing buzz referring to teeny-tiny edible greens grown in soil from the seeds of vegetables and herbs. This is not new, but sometimes we just need a sexy name to reinvigorate an old concept. Whatever you call them, consider adding microgreens to your plate. What is the difference between microgreens, baby greens
12
greenliving | March 2020
and sprouts? Microgreens are grown in soil and harvested 7-14 days after germination. If you were to let them grow longer, they would become baby greens, which are also yummy. If you continue to let them grow, you would have a mature vegetable or herb. The difference between sprouts and microgreens? Sprouts are germinated seeds, soaked in water then sprouted using the humidity in the jar with no soil. Microgreens are gaining popularity over sprouts because they are easier to grow and safer to eat. Raw sprouts have been associated with foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, Listeria and Escherichia coli (E. coli). This happens when the humidity is not properly monitored, leading to pathogen overgrowth. greenlivingaz.com
