From Mrs. Cog's Corner

Microgreens are a brilliant concept. Having swept the scene of upscale restaurants and finer cuisine in recent years, the idea is now hitting creative kitchens everywhere. You might be hard pressed to find an easier way to naturally produce a more tasteful and nutritional addition to your diet.

Harvested less than two weeks after germinating, these young vegetable and herb plants are cut in order to consume just the stems and leaves. They have been shown in studies to contain as much as 40 times the nutritional benefits of their mature fruit or leaves. Studies have proven that microgreens are a wonderful source of Vitamins C, E and K and some are loaded with beta-carotene. This equates to the nutrition in a small helping of microgreens exceeding that consumed in multiple portions of salad.

Easy, inexpensive and abundant, there is no better time to become proficient in producing your own organic greens no matter where you live. Prices are rising, weather for growing is undependable and sources of food are often questionable. There is an immense satisfaction in producing something so healthy on your own windowsill. I encourage everyone to give it a try.

There are hundreds of good websites and videos out there with instructions on the many ways to go about growing your own at home. Everyone seems to have a slightly different method and makes use of various supplies, so there is no one right way to go about this. Here is a video that shows and explains an easy method to grow your own.

The recipes that use microgreens are endless. They can be used as salad greens, on sandwiches, in or atop omelets, on pizzas, in salsas, topped with seafood, and the list goes on. Yummly's recipes for microgreens can be found here along with delicious pictures. More recipes and serving suggestions can be found at the bottom of the page.

Read much more about different techniques and concepts to grow and serve your own microgreens:

They are bursting with freshness, intense flavor and are so vibrant and beautiful. They're also a wonderful and economical way to get lots of nutrition yet without requiring as much time and space as full grown veggies. http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-grow-microgreens.html

Their flavors, which are amazingly diverse, evolve as their leaves begin the process of photosynthesis. Carrot microgreens taste just like the vegetable. Beet microgreens are earthy, while radish and mustard greens are spicy. Kale microgreens are sweet, and cauliflower microgreens have a mild pepperiness that’s appealing. Sunflower microgreens are nutty, and clover ranges from sweet to spicy. Teensy cress microgreens can range from mild to pungent. One great favorite of pastry chefs is “popcorn shoots”—that is, microgreens grown from popcorn kernels. They are very sweet, and their eye-catching yellow color is achieved by cultivating them out of the sunlight, to prevent photosynthesis and the production of chlorophyll. http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/02/24/growing-microgreens

Microgreens won hands down (leaves down?), possessing significantly higher nutrient densities than mature leaves. For example, red cabbage microgreens have a 6-fold higher vitamin C concentration than mature red cabbage and 69 times the vitamin K. http://nutritionfacts.org/2013/05/02/are-microgreens-healthier/ 

Scientific research now proves that these tiny seedlings harvested and eaten when they are just a few inches tall are a real superfood packed with antioxidants and other health-promoting nutrients. HealWithFood.org combed through recently published scientific research – as well as some older studies – to uncover nutrition facts for these young edible seedlings harvested at the cotyledon leaf stage, and is happy to provide you with this overview of the nutritional value and health benefits of microgreens. http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/microgreens-nutrition.php

Crops that germinate easily and grow quickly include cabbage, beet, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, mustard, radish, swiss chard, and amaranth. As many as 80–100 crops and crop varieties have reportedly been used as microgreens. Others that have been used include carrot, cress, arugula, basil, onion, chive, broccoli, fennel, lemongrass, popcorn, buckwheat, spinach, sweet pea, and celery. http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/cute-microgreens-are-more-nutritious-mature-greens.html

I’m so excited to share with you Scott’s latest hobby – actually my FAVORITE hobby of his (the other being Single Malt Scotch – bleh). We’ve converted an entire room that’s located right next to his greenhouse into his Mad Scientist Studio. http://www.steamykitchen.com/31718-grow-the-microgreens-mad-scientist.html

Regardless of their size, microgreens sure pack a punch concerning nutritional and medicinal benefits: Broccoli Microgreens, for instance, are full of vitamin C and Sulforaphane,  which contains anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-microbial properties. Sunflower Shoots  have Vitamin D, chlorophyll,  complete Proteins, and Amino Acids. Wheatgrass Juice offers several nutritional and medicinal benefits listed here. For example, wheatgrass juice can help increase red blood cell count, lower blood pressure, stimulate the thyroid gland, detoxify the liver, and so much more. Pea Shoots offer fiber, Vitamin C, Iron, and folic acid.  http://www.thehomesteadgarden.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-microgreens/

No garden, No problem! If you've got a windowsill, you've got the space and light necessary to grow a variety of nutrient-rich micro greens. For those who haven't heard the term, micro greens are plants and lettuces that are harvested to eat when they reach about one to two inches high—well before they've grown to full size. To read more about why I always have a batch of micro greens growing and to learn how incredibly easy it is to grow your own, read my article on micro greens in the April issue of Alive magazine. http://www.muffintinmania.com/2012/04/microgreens.html

Spiced Butternut Squash Tacos with Microgreens http://www.theheartskitchen.com/recipes/dinner-2/spiced-butternut-squash-tacos-with-microgreens/

Three Cheese Microgreen Arugula and Spinach Pesto: https://sites.google.com/site/dashandbellarecipes/three-cheese-arugula-and-spinach-pesto

Baby Greens with Roasted Beets and Potatoes: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Baby-Greens-with-Roasted-Beets-and-Potatoes-109744

Steak Salad with Microgreens: https://food52.com/recipes/28251-steak-salad-with-micro-greens

Microgreens Chicken Tower Salad:  http://urbanpaleochef.com/2014/04/19/micro-greens-chicken-tower-salad/

Quinoa, Pancetta and Pomegranate Microgreen Salad: http://garlicgirl.com/2011/07/23/micro-greens-salad-quinoa-pancetta-pomegranate/

More video links on different ways people grow indoor greens in their homes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KnF6J1cd60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h1ADMsKQTg

...and this video had us in stitches lol

From Mrs. Cog's Corner

In case you haven't heard, I love to can. Cog says I am a compulsive canner, but I swear I can stop any time.

I use this simple "dry canning" method to vacuum seal some of our dry goods. It works for dehydrated food, brown sugar and even spices. We get fresh spices in bulk as we are fortunate enough to have a family member work for a large spice company. Although it can be done with an electric Food Saver device, I have opted to get a hand pump (as shown below).

Here is a quick video that shows how easy it is to vacuum seal your jars.

As you may know, successfully storing food, especially dry goods, is a matter of regulating the moisture, oxygen, temperature and light. Storing things such as spices in a cool dark place after being vacuum sealed can greatly extend their shelf life. The longest I have yet tested is 5 year old Cayenne Pepper which still packed a punch.

With respect to spices, one of the nice things about packaging them this way is that I can choose the size of jars. As prices continue to rise rapidly for flavors I have always taken for granted, this is a wonderful way to share and give gifts. If you are not growing your own spices to dry and can, many are available at bulk goods stores such as Sam's Club, BJ's or Costco for a fraction of the regular grocery store prices.

Please note: I am not referring to the method of "dry canning" that involves heating in an oven.

It would be wonderful to hear from any of you below with experiences in this arena.

Read More:

Many people tell me they are curious about making Salad in a Jar (vacuum-packed chopped lettuce) but don’t have or can’t afford a vacuum-pack machine.  A few months ago, I was elated to learn it can be done with a portable vacuum-pack machine costing around $20. But now I’ve discovered something even cheaper, thanks to my blogger friend Vicki. http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/family-recipes/how-to-vacuum-pack-salad-in-a-jar-for-less-than-6-plus-a-video

Other methods: Dry Pack Canning is the process used to  store foods that have less than 10% moisture and are low in oil content. When properly done, these items will last a long time – maybe even 30 years under certain conditions. http://preparednessmama.com/dry-pack-canning/

I use my FoodSaver to dry can/vacuum pack the herbs and spices. (I know dry canning implies adding heat but since there should be no moisture and it’s not enough heat to kill anything essentially it does the same thing. Although I would argue vacuum packing is actually better because heat will help the contents of the jar deteriorate.) In this picture I’m vacuum packing parsley. http://arewecrazyorwhat.net/food-storage-storing-herbs-and-spices-for-long-term-storage/

My friends and I get together for a repackaging party. We use my Vac sealer to the package the herbs and spices into small 1 to 2 oz. packets. The packets are labeled and placed into clean #10 cans with a lid.   To really insure protection, you can remove the air from your canning jars by using your Vac sealer again.  You can also put your packets into clean mismatched jars that has a tight lid. http://canningandpreserving.net/preserving-bulk-dried-herbs-spices-and-baking-ingredients-long-term-food-storage/html

From Mrs. Cog's Corner

The idea of producing our own healthy food has never been so appealing, so easy or so smart. Wherever you are, I recommend you begin growing a few things, even if it is on a balcony, a patio or indoors.

Access to fresh, wholesome foods can be precarious and time consuming to source. Often people live in the city or a home with little or no room to garden. Perhaps there are zoning rules or physical constraints preventing a garden in the yard. Maybe some are just not physically able to work the land available. In some places, there is not enough of an outdoor growing season even if the space is available.

Food costs are rising globally. The sky is the limit. In addition, one never knows when geo-political or weather conditions will cause periodic shortages or an interruption of services.

The quality of food is increasingly questionable. Much of our fresh produce might come from genetically modified or hybrid seeds, some of which our bodies recognize as not natural food. Even if it is grown from heirloom quality seeds, the standards to label it "organic" are ever changing and regulated by government agencies with corporate interests front and center.

One potential and fruitful answer to all of the above is indoor gardening. Every place sun shines through can potentially grow something useful. There are even indoor growing systems that require little or no sunlight and range from the inexpensive to the ornate.

What I am learning is one doesn't need to be an expert to dive in and have some success. Now is the time while basic supplies and seeds are available and affordable. From window boxes with microgreens, upside-down tomato plants, sprouts, hydroponics, grow lights and small indoor green houses, there is much territory to explore.

(Paging the Urban Pepper, please pick up the courtesy phone in the lobby.)

Read More:

The benefits to health and wellbeing of having plants and greenery around an office are well documented. This project by Ingameoffice is more than just a few pot plants, though. Its TYJ Office Building refurbishment uses a vertical planting system in which plants can be moved around. http://www.gizmag.com/ingameoffice-modular-vertical-garden-indoor-plants/31580/

Few things are more satisfying than growing your own food. Few things are more frustrating than being a garden lover trapped in a teeny-tiny apartment. What to do? Here are some gardening projects that will work on even the smallest patio or balcony...plus tips for growing citrus indoors if you don't have a balcony at all. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/gardening-without-a-garden-10-ideas-for-your-patio-or-balcony-renters-solutions-167221

Conservatories and windowsills are good sites for growing vegetables. Put heavy containers on the floor or a firm support. Some vegetable plants, including trailing species, are suitable for growing in hanging baskets fitted with integral drip trays. Mushrooms are straightforward if you have space in a dark cupboard. Some plants such as chicory and rhubarb can be forced to produce their crop earlier than normal. http://www.rd.com/slideshows/9-vegetables-to-grow-indoors/

As it turns out, with pretty minimal effort, anyone can be a gardener. My boyfriend and I are essentially first-timers this season and so far have the beginnings of strawberries peeking out, tomatoes are on their way, the basil's about ready for a big batch of pesto, and once the last frost hits, the peppers, kale, spinach, chard, and mesclun will be on their way, too. All on a tiiiny little terrace (with the help of a little DIY carpentry). http://home.howstuffworks.com/green-living/sixtysixthings-growhome-containers-withoutgarden.htm

Don't worry if you haven't got a garden or allotment! For a surprising amount of food can be produced indoors, vegan organically, either on your windowsill or on a well-lit kitchen surface. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10529.cfm

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean you have to stop growing food. While it might be cold and blustery outside, there are a number of edible plants you can grow indoors. Some of my favorites are herbs. Growing herbs indoors successfully is all about selecting the right varieties and having the right conditions to grow them. https://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=indoor-herb

And then there is this: