We know how tasty and nutritious microgreens are – but what do I do with them? Find recipes? How should they be stored to maintain freshness as long as possible? As it turns out, the answers are simple and easy to implement.
Recipes Aren’t Needed
You can find recipes online but you don’t need them to enjoy microgreens on a daily basis. Sprinkled in sandwiches, over cooked dishes, into soups, almost anything. Not too much, as determined by your flavor preferences. Enough to add fresh flavors that elevate the dish to the next level. Pick the microgreen flavors you know and like and try them. Sprinkling Radish, Cilantro, Cauliflower, Basil, or any of a dozen other greens onto your sandwich can add taste unachievable any other way.
Soup – The Natural Pairing
As for soups, whether it’s a complex creation or out of a can, adding a touch of greens gives you something nobody else has. The other night I prepared a bowl of Ramen, simple chicken-flavored Ramen you buy packaged at any store. I added the boiling water to the bowl of noodles, the flavor packet, and waited a few minutes. Then I sprinkled in some Bok Choi greens. Not too many, just a few pinches, plus a few pinches of Cilantro. I stirred it up and when the noodles were ready, I enjoyed a bowl of Ramen elevated to a spectacular level. That one dollar bowl of Ramen was something I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Could I have used any other microgreen flavors? Of course! Your imagination is your only limit.
Just Throw Them Into Stuff
One afternoon I made up a chicken salad and spread it on bread slices. Over the open faces I sprinkled some Thai Basil greens. Put it together, and there was another sandwich that was a delightful one-of-a-kind creation. Not too many greens to take over the flavor…enough to add a unique blend into the flavor mix. Cooked meals? Add greens on to almost anything after cooking. The greens will readily match the consistency of the cooked food and yield their flavor. How much to add? Again, to your preference. You can easily experiment and find what you like best.
Storage and Preservation
How do you store and preserve microgreens? Fresh greens should be kept in the refrigerator, like all produce, at about 43 degrees Farenheit. It varies by variety, but if they have been stored and cared for properly they should last for a week to 10 days, some longer.
Ok, you might be thinking: “But what if I want to use some in only small amounts, and over a longer time?” The answer is freeze-dried greens. Freeze-dried greens will keep for very long periods when kept in their closed storage bag, while maintaining the original structure, color, flavor, and nutrition as when they were fresh. When you add them to food they simply rehydrate by absorbing moisture and are ready to go. This way you can have greens available whenever you want them and even if you purchased them weeks or months ago.There are many good sources online for details about handling, storing, and cooking with microgreens.
Here is a helpful guide to cooking Microgreens:
Mastering the Art of Microgreens: A Comprehensive Guide to Preparing, Cooking, and Savoring Nature’s Tiny Powerhouses