The World's Healthiest Food, Are You Eating It?

Clients often mention in their sessions that they need “new foods”. I’m the first to suggest a new recipe, or interesting combination but remind them there aren’t necessarily new fruits and vegetables. Except when there are. Six months ago I didn’t know about microgreens, they were new to me and I was hearing about them everywhere. On one hand, I  was excited and wanted to try them immediately but then there's always that inner cynic wondering could they live up to the hype? Turns out they do.

Microgreens are harvested less than two weeks after germination. When it comes to greens, immaturity is a virtue as research (yes actual research, in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, take that)  has shown they are four to forty times more nutritious than mature greens.  Do not insult microgreens confusing them with sprouts, they are grown differently and taste differently. My CSA, Rustic Roots, started offering microgreens from Good Water Farms.  Good Water Farms is in East Hampton and is and operated by Brendan Davison, and Marsha and Nick LaTessa. I asked Emer from Rustic Root if she’d answer a few burning microgreen questions for me.

Where did micro greens come from/why are we suddenly hearing about them? 

Microgreeens are quickly becoming a go to food for many health conscious people. Because of the intense process of farming them, they are expensive but many higher-end food outlets have begun supplying them. The reason you are hearing about them is because they are a powerful source of nutrients with a tremendous amount of flavor.

Do all greens come "micro"?

You can grow all greens micro but some have more flavor than others. We are loving the Kale, Arugula, Purple Basil, Sunflower, Pea Tendril, Radish and Broccoli micros.

My son asked, "can you do a whole salad micro"? I had salmon burger with micro kale and avocado; the boys used them as their burger topping. They loved that they were the healthiest vegetable to eat.

Lauren, I let Brendan from Good Water Farms answer this question. He said “of course you can do a whole salad of micros, we do every night. You hardly need dressing, a little balsamic and a touch of feta makes an awesome salad that is tasty and super nutritious. Your boys using them on burgers is great. Try to see if they will take to them being added to their sandwiches too. Kids love them, and think they are "cool".  My daughter is like a little cow, she just grazes all day on them. Microgreens are the answer to get your kids to eat their veggies, period!"

Is it worth it to juice microgreens?

Some NYC juicing stores are using radish and kale in their microgreen elixirs.  They can also used best in smoothies.

Do they spoil faster/are they more perishable?

They have a solid 10-day shelf life once they are cut. Surprisingly, a small 4oz container will last you a few meals too.

Thank you Emer, other "micro" ideas I found, a microgreen pesto, a micro salad with a curry vinaigrette, I can see adding some microgreens to soup at the end of cooking or since the flavor is mild even baking with them. I'm excited to tell my clients about this new superfood. 
Have you heard of microgreens? Seen them in stores? Or on menus? If these are new to you are you excited to try or skeptical? What is your favorite "new" food or food you're enjoying more lately?

So You Think You Can Steam Vegetables?

There are two things steamed vegetables need to contend with. First, there’s the misconception that they’re banal and tasteless. Second, not everyone knows how to properly steam vegetables thus perpetuating the humdrum reputation. I learned with the So You Think You Can Hard Boil Egg post's popularity that it’s dangerous to assume aptitude when it comes to cooking. Since we’re often alone, when cooking, it’s easy to do things in an inefficient or incorrect way for years. Every time I take a cooking class I realize this. So if you’re ending up with tasteless mush, you may be over steaming or under seasoning. Don't jump ship, the benefits of steaming vegetables are higher nutrient retention than many other cooking methods and a very versatile product.

Equipment

I steam my vegetables in an All Clad steamer basket with a perforated bottom and lid.

realize that the lid isn't shown,  my lid is steel clear would be better

You can also use a bamboo steamer, here the vegetables are stacked. It's sort of the cooking equivalent of apartment living. I would suggest lining these baskets with parchment to avoid sticking.

Another option is the collapsible basket, they key here is to make sure the vegetables are above the water level and that the basket can be easily removed from the pot.

And you can steam in a pan with very little water, I do this with asparagus.

Despite my appliance addiction (Vitamix, juicer, Nespresso) I don’t see the need for a stand-alone steamed and while it’s also possible to microwave steam but I haven’t experimented with that method

Liquid

Fill the pot with one to two inches of water. You don’t want the water to evaporate while steaming and burn your pot (good to check if steaming longer-cooking veggies). I start with filtered tap water. It's fun to experiment adding herbs such as thyme, rosemary to the water or throw in a chunk of peeled ginger, pickle juice, wine, citrus and citrus zest though not necessarily all at once. Let the water come to a boil at medium high heat before starting to steam the vegetables.

  

Vegetables

Fill the steamer with vegetables, you can stack even in a single basket but don’t over pack it.   Spring vegetables are so good right now you don’t need to sauté or roast them, steaming is perfect

Artichokes take 30 minutes or a few more.  Wash, slice off the top half-inch and use a kitchen scissors to snip any sharp points on the outer leaves.

Carrots, again I  am not a fan of baby carrots  12 minutes

Broccoli 5 to 7 minutes, for some reason cauliflower a drop longer

Sweet potatoes 7 minutes

String beans and sugar snap peas are pretty quick and take less than 5 minutes

Steam greens kale takes 5 to 7 minutes, softer greens like spinach are done in a few minutes.

If steaming more than 1 vegetable add carrots or artichokes or the ones that take longer first and quicker cookers later.

Vegetables are cooked when they are fork tender. Sprinkle vegetables with Himalayan salt  and if you’re eating right away toss with coconut oil, a sliver of pastured butter or chili oil. Otherwise, store extra vegetables and use in omelets, grain dishes, salads, purees or soups. Firmer vegetables like broccoli and snap peas are great for a snack.  With so many foods out there that are processed or  “too exciting”, sometimes basic, unadulterated ingredients are best. It's sort of the food equivalent of the white button down shirt. Even if you haven't worn a white button down in a while, it's always good to own one.
Do you steam vegetables at home? What method do you use? What are your favorite vegetables to steam? Ever tried an artichoke? Delicious.