WHAT'S THE RAGE OVER MICROGREENS

 

 

One of the new buzzwords lately is microgreens. Also known as micro herbs or vegetable confetti, they have been around for a while, having been introduced in California restaurants in the 1980’s. Even so, many of us are just now learning what they really are and how to use them.

Simply, they are young vegetable greens that are one to three inches tall, have an aromatic flavor with a concentrated nutrient content and come in a variety of colors and textures. Besides their rich flavor, they add splashes of color to many dishes.

Microgreens are considered baby plants, somewhere between a sprout and a baby green. Sprouts don’t have leaves and their growing cycle is in between two and seven days whereas microgreens’ cycle is seven to twenty-one days after germination and once they have their first leaves. They are similar to baby greens but only their leaves and stems are edible. Also, unlike baby greens, they are smaller in size and are sold before they are harvested.

 

VARIETIES. The term “microgreens” encompasses many different varieties and are grown using seeds from different plant families like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, radish, lettuce, endive, dill, carrot, celery, garlic, onion, beet, spinach, melon, cucumber and squash.

Microgreens are not limited solely to vegetables. Cereals such as rice, oats, wheat, corn, barley and legumes like chickpeas, beans and lentils can be grown into them also.

In most cases, they taste like more concentrated versions of the full-sized plants that they would normally become. Thus, taste varies widely from neutral to spicy, sour or bitter. It all depends on the variety, but the one thing that they all have in common is that the taste is usually strong and concentrated.

 

NUTRITION AND HEALTH BENEFITS.

Their nutrient content is concentrated so they tend to have higher levels than their mature counterparts, sometimes up to a whopping nine times higher. Microgreens also have wider varieties of polyphenols and other antioxidants. Most tend to be rich in potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper.

Many studies have been conducted to measure the vitamin and antioxidant concentration in commercially available microgreens. Compared to levels recorded in the USDA National Nutrient Database for mature leaves, studies have shown that the levels in microgreens are 40 times higher than in their more mature counterparts.

Eating vegetables has long been linked to lowering the risk of many diseases. Since they contain such high concentrations of nutrients, they may reduce the risk for:

*heart disease because of the polyphenols, compounds that are packed with antioxidants and other healthy nutrients, that lower the risk of heart disease by lowering triglycerides and bad cholesterol.

*Alzheimers, polyphenols help keep this at bay also.

*diabetes, antioxidants help reduce the amount of stress that can prevent sugar from properly entering cells. Fenugreek microgreens enhanced cellular sugar uptake by 25 to 44 percent.

*certain cancers are directly affected by some of microgreens’ nutrients.

 

WAYS TO EAT. Microgreens are so versatile in ways to consume them. They can be incorporated into wraps, sandwiches and salads like you would their mature plants. They also work well in smoothies and in juices. Added to soups and omelets, they add flavor as well as nutrition. They are also popular as garnishes on pizza.

 

They are amazing at adding to the flavor profile of your favorite foods, not enough to take away from the original flavor but adding just a little more “punch” to your favorites. By choosing the variety, you can add a touch of savory or sweetness.

 

HOW TO GROW. Besides being bought at the supermarket, they are easy to grow at home, whether outside in a green house or inside on a windowsill. The good thing is that they can be grown year around, providing a steady supply of fresh produce without needing much effort or time.

The supplies are fairly simple too. Perhaps the most important detail is to start with quality seeds. Their seeds are no different than the seeds you would put in your garden, it’s just how they are grown and harvested. You also need a good soil or growing medium and either enough sunlight or ultraviolet light provided to them from 12 to 16 hours per day.

Microgreens can be grown in a container or on a grow mat. Grow mats can be as sophisticated as purchasing a regular grow mat or using a moistened paper towel or other natural fiber such as jute or coconut. Whichever method you choose, simply sprinkle the seeds on top, mist them and cover with a plastic lid. Check them daily and mist to keep them moist.

A couple of days after germination, remove the lid to expose them to light and water once a day while they grow and gain color. After seven to ten days, they are ready for harvest.

 

SAFETY. There are generally no safety issues with eating them if you take a couple precautions. Buy seeds from a reputable company and use a growing medium that is free of contaminants. Harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli can live in contaminated soil. Peat, perlite and vermiculite are popular growing mediums. If you use growing mats, make sure you only use them once and start with a new one for each planting.

Microgreens are much safer to consume than sprouts. For one thing, only the leaves and stems are consumed and not the root and seed. They are also grown in less warm and humid conditions.

Microgreens offer a little twist on taste and texture when compared to regular vegetables. For picky eaters, it may be easier for them to go for these instead of the mature vegetables that they have a disdain for. They also offer an extra flavor punch and add splashes of color to sometimes ordinary dishes. 

On top of that, it’s always nice to see greenery growing, especially in long winter months. They will add a bit of color to your windowsill and there is nothing easier than snipping off a few pieces when cooking. They are quick, easy and fun…what more could we ask from them!

SEARCHING FOR THAT PERFECT LOAF

 

It’s winter and we bakers are baking. Lately, for us, it’s been bread. There is something about kneading the dough, watching it rise and anticipating that aroma when it comes out of the oven. Bread definitely feeds the body and the soul.

There is a knack to baking that perfect loaf. There is nothing quite like the success of seeing that golden brown, mounded loaf cooling…or the frustration of a fallen, crumby loaf after you have put so much effort into it.

Baking bread is a learned art and perfection comes with time. There are many things that affect how crumby (literally) a loaf is or how high it rises. It requires the right proportions of flour, yeast, measuring, kneading, proofing and right temperatures for the different stages.

 

LOAVES ARE TOO CRUMBY.

 

Bread is supposed to have crumbs, but sometimes homemade loaves have way too many. Bread baking is a science and there are many reasons for excess crumbs such as:

 

*Not enough gluten. Gluten is a combination of two different proteins found in grains. They are essential in traditional breads, giving bread its elasticity, helps maintain its shape and produces the crumb or texture. If there is not enough gluten, the crumb will not come out as expected.

Different flours have different amounts of gluten, with white having considerably more than whole wheat. Bread flour is designed to have the right amount for producing a quality loaf of bread. All-purpose flour will yield more crumbs if the gluten content is not adjusted. It is best to use recipes designed for the particular flour you are using or add gluten at a rate of one tablespoon for each cup of flour.

*Bread has too much flour. Always remember that flour measurements in recipes include what is needed for kneading the bread. Adding the extra flour when kneading can add up quite quickly, especially when the dough is sticky to work with. The goal is to have enough elasticity in the dough but not have it too wet or too dry and…you guessed it…this only comes with practice.

*Too much yeast. The general thought is that more is better, it will provide a bigger and lighter loaf. Yeast is a living organism and it needs the right balance of gluten, carbon dioxide and steam to produce a great crumb. If excess yeast is used, it will rise too high with bigger air pockets that makes the bread go flat when they burst. For most breads, one packet of dry yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoons of bulk yeast is the right amount.

*Not enough salt or fat. Yeast feeds off sugar and fats and salt slow it down. Usually, the amount of salt called for in a loaf of bread is minimal so don’t cut it down since the salt is crucial to keeping the yeast in check. Fats like oil, butter and lard retard the yeast’s growth and keep the loaf less crumby and moist. Add a little extra to improve the crumb, but too much will affect the rise. When adjusting the salt, yeast and fat amounts in bread, they all have to be adjusted to keep the right balance.

*Not kneaded enough. Kneading is an important part of the process. It mixes the ingredients and creates good gluten and structure. Most recipes call for the first knead to be 10 minutes and the second one to be two to five minutes. It’s easy to skimp on the first one because 10 minutes is a long time when kneading. However, if you cut it short, your loaf will have more crumbs. It’s tricky to get it just right, again, practice makes perfect.

*Bread was over-proofed. Proofing is letting the dough rise undisturbed, usually for 45 minutes to one hour or until it has doubled in bulk. The fallacy here is that if you let it rise longer, it will get bigger and make a lighter loaf. The problem here is that the more active the yeast is, if it goes too long it relaxes too much and the bread will go flat when baked. A simple test to tell when it has raised just enough is to poke your finger into it. If the hole doesn’t close, it is ready to punch down and work but if it closes completely it needs to rise longer.

*Dough is sensitive to temperature. Yeast is pretty persnickety when it comes to hot and cold. The ideal temperature for the liquid used with yeast is between 105*F and 115*F. If the temperature is too high, the yeast will begin to die and if it is too cool it won’t be activated. It is also sensitive to room temperature. Ideally, the kitchen should be between 70*F to 80*F. Sometimes setting the dough on a warm cooktop or in a slightly warm oven will provide the right temp.

*Baked at the wrong temperature. Always pre-heat your oven before putting the loaf in to bake so it bakes at a consistent temperature for the right amount of time. If it is baked too long, it will be dry and crumbly.

*Not cooled enough before sliced. This is my culprit…after all, who can resist slicing into that fresh-baked loaf with the heavenly aroma? Well, the crust traps steam inside so it is still baking even when you take it out of the oven. If you cut it, it will let it cool too fast. White bread should cool at least an hour and whole wheat even longer. When cutting, use a serrated knife to reduce the crumbs.

*Not stored properly. Do not put loaves in the refrigerator. Either leave them at room temperature or freeze them.

 

LOAVES DON’T RISE PROPERLY.

 

There is nothing more disappointing than to watch dough set and not rise. There are a few common reasons for this:

 

*Old yeast. This is probably the most common mistake. Remember, yeast is a living organism and if kept at the right temperature, it is good for years. However, yeast cakes left in a pantry probably won’t last very long.

*Yeast is too hot or cold. Again, like Goldilocks who searched for the perfect bowl of porridge, yeast likes its temperature to be “just right.”

*Kitchen is too cold. If the yeast sets too long in a cold room, it will die.

*Not enough time to rise. A slow rise will yield a more flavorful loaf. There is not a “golden” standard for rise time. It all depends on what kind of flour is used, temperature of the room and water used and the yeast itself.

*Wrong size pan. Sometimes it just looks like it didn’t rise because the pan is too large for the amount of dough. A good guideline is to use an 8 ½ inch by 4 ½ inch pan for recipes that call for three cups of flour and a 9 inch by 5 inch pan for those that call for four cups.

If, after all these guidelines, your bread falls in the middle while cooling it is probably due to too much rise, not enough gluten development or dough is not kneaded enough.

When the dough just doesn’t rise, all is not lost. You can make it into flatbreads or crackers, stretch it thin and cook it in a skillet and add a little sugar and cinnamon or be real creative and wrap it around a stick and cook it over an open fire!

Baking bread is an art in itself, learned by trial and error. With so many variables, it is a challenge to get that perfect loaf…but when you do, the reward is worth the effort!

 

MEDICINE WHEELS PROMOTE BALANCE

 

These are trying, hectic times. Even before the pandemic hit, our fast-paced world often created more stress than the new, faster gadgets relieved. I have seen so many posts, articles, blogs and news clips about how to find peace and sanity in this insane world.

Psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, religious leaders and many others are promoting self-awareness and tuning into personal thoughts to find the peace and calm that we are all seeking. But, how are we supposed to do that, especially in today’s world? True, many of us have more time to reflect on our lives and what is truly important. Conversely, many of us need a little guidance along the way to find how we get to that point of pure peace and, ironically, many of the resources like doctors and pastors are now physically untouchable right when they are needed most.

By complete accident, I have stumbled across something that just may help bring balance into our lives, surprisingly, it has helped me to find some calm. It is certainly nothing new, by contrast it is centuries old. I am talking about the medicine wheel.

At first, I was intrigued because I had never heard of it before. A little bit of research piqued my interest even more as I realized that this was an ancient tool that could bring balance to our lives.

Sacred hoops, another name for medicine wheels, are found in the northwestern United States and southern Canada. They are stone monuments that were constructed by laying rocks on the ground in a particular pattern that orient to the four directions; north, south, east and west. They all have a basic pattern of a center stone with an outer ring of stones with spokes or lines of rocks that radiate from the center to the four directions. Many are aligned to celestial bodies.

There are 70 documented ones across the northern plains. The oldest and biggest one is found near Sheridan, Wyoming. It is made of limestone slabs and boulders, has a diameter of 75 feet and was constructed in the early 1400’s. Medicine wheels are also found in Africa and Australia.

  

THEMES

There are seven common themes associated with medicine wheels that are relevant to modern life. Among these themes are the changing of seasons, timekeeping, use and respect for animals, plants and the elements.

 

The circle or wheel represents the connectedness of everything in life and is divided into four color quadrants. The wheel moves in a clockwise direction and starts with the east or yellow quarter. Red is south, black is west and white is north.

 

The four seasons are also represented in the four colors. Yellow symbolizes spring, making it very fitting to start the wheel here. It is a time of rebirth and planting. Red is summer, a time of abundance when produce is picked and preserved. Fall is represented with black, when plants mature and harvest takes place. Finally, winter is white, when there is death and completion of the life cycle.

The next association are the four elements, fire, earth, water and wind. All are needed for life, one alone cannot sustain it. Yellow represents fire, since from fire we receive warmth and light, the very elements that wakes the world in spring. Red is our lifeblood, the earth. It is from this that we receive nourishment for our bodies and the medicine to live. Black is the water, flowing to all the plants and animals of the earth. Wind is associated with white, the life-giving force we cannot see but which we all need to breathe.

Animals associated with the wheel vary although there are four main ones that are usually always present. The eagle is often shown in the yellow section and reminds us of its power, ability and vision to see the bigger picture of the world from above. The red quadrant often shows us the buffalo who is a provider and a creature of courage and endurance. Intelligence, strong instincts and sense of freedom is represented by the wolf in the black quarter. White, often a symbol of healing is characterized by the bear which, besides being a symbol of physical and emotional healing, represents confidence and strength.

Medicinal plants are also associated with the wheel. Many times, they are planted in the quadrants inside of the rock perimeters. Tobacco was the first medicinal plant given to the people and is represented in yellow. Too bad it is known today for its bad qualities. Sage is in the southern section and is used to cleanse the mind. Sweetgrass dominates the western section and is used for calming and purification. Cedar is our guardian and is in the north.

The alignment of the medicine wheel on the ground is placed in relation to the heavenly bodies and how they move through our lives. Naturally, the sun which rises in the east and signals a new day and new beginnings is in the east or yellow. The earth, our sacred home, is in the south directly below the stars. The moon is represented by the blackness of night in the west. It helps to guide times of planting and is a way to record time and events. The stars are in the north, mirroring what is below and providing us ways to navigate at night using constellations. 

 

 FOUR SECTIONS OF LIVES

Lastly, the four sections of the medicine wheel symbolize the four stages of our lives. The east represents new life, birth, a time of innocence and where we come from. The southern section is our youth and adolescence, a time of learning and becoming our own selves. The west is adulthood and parenthood, a time when we not only nurture our young, but also finding our own meaning and place. Finally, the northern section are our elders and grandparents, with the white being the white hair. It is a place of wisdom learned from a lifetime of living and a time of reflection and rest.

 

So, what does something that was created centuries ago have to do with our lives today? We can use it to ground us, remind us to come back to nature in this crazy world we live in. It reminds us that everything happens in a circle just like the saying, “What goes around, comes around.” We all come full circle sooner or later.

 

The wheel’s symbolism parallels our lives. In the center of the circle there is usually a pillar which stands for truth and purity. Everything extends from the center and everything comes together in the center. As we grow, we change like the seasons, passing through the sections of the wheel, learning from each as we go.

For years, these wheels have been used for finding direction in life, aligning the physical, emotional, spiritual and emotional forces in all of us. Basically, it grounds us back to nature, reminding us that medicine and our well-being is not always a pill or procedure and every aspect of our lives is interconnected. Modern western medicine is slowly beginning to acknowledge that this is yet one more piece of staying healthy.

So, did our most early ancestors discover a secret that we should be adhering to today that will give us greater physical, emotional and spiritual health? It’s all about finding balance in our lives and the lessons that the indigenous peoples of long ago learned and passed on in the medicine wheel is a free gift of life for us, free just for the taking.