What are Microgreens?

Microgreens are tiny plants that are picked before they grow into their larger vegetable counterparts. Because of this, you can easily grow them in your kitchen, no matter if you have an outside garden or not. You wouldn’t believe it, but for as small as they are, they pack an insane amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. When it comes to food and nutrition, this is exactly what you’re looking for.

The largest benefit of Microgreens is that they are more nutrient dense than their full grown vegetable counterparts. You can find microgreens in any of these vegetable versions:

Broccoli

Chives

Radish

Beets

Kale

Chia

Watercress

Mustard Greens

Benefits of Microgreens

There are so many health benefits of vegetables in general. These microgreens have similar compounds as well.

In this article on broccoli microgreens, regardless of where they are grown, microgreens contained higher amounts of magnesium, copper, zinc and manganese than their full grown vegetable counterpart. These minerals are all healthy for skin health, nail health, cellular health and much more.

However, for microgreens that were compost-grown, microgreens were higher in Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, Iron, Calcium, Sodium and Copper than their full grown vegetable counterpart.

They are high in Polyphenols: these are excellent antioxidant compounds that the body needs in order to remove toxins from the body. When the body is exposed to a toxin, it gets filtered to the liver where the liver brings it through Phase 1 of the detoxification process. In this process it creates a free radical. If there is not have enough antioxidants from the diet to bind the free radical and help it to be eliminated from the body, free radicals will start to build up. This ultimately can cause damage to the cells of the surrounding organs and is one of the causes of inflammation, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Minerals: as mentioned above, there are many mineral components of microgreens. Many of these minerals, including magnesium, are utilized and often depleted by the body in times of stress, and also in athletes that have strenuous training schedules.

Precautions:

Microgreens come from many different types of vegetables and herbs. They can be safely consumed with no risks or side effects in most people. However, because they come from many different sources, allergies and allergic reactions could happen after consuming them. If you experience this, stop taking them immediately and talk to your doctor.

In addition, those taking warfarin or are concerned about blood-thinning may want to consult with their physician prior to consuming microgreens. They may be high in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting. It is highly recommended that before making any changes to your nutrition, diet or lifestyle, you speak with your physician.

Wrap Up:

1. It’s easy to grow microgreens in the kitchen.
2. Add microgreens to your next salad and try this salad dressing recipe for a great side dish!
3. Microgreens add another punch of nutrients to any post workout meal to help boost recovery.

Give Them A Try!

Have you tried microgreens? Are you growing them? Would you like to grow them? Let us know in the comments below or share with us on our social media!

The post Food Highlight: Microgreens first appeared on Dr. Kirstin Lauritzen.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Kale

A flavorful and healthy twist on the classic potato leek soup.

• 2 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (Peeled, Cut into 1/4 inch chunks)
• 1 Bunch Kale (Remove the stem, and chop into 1/4 inch peices)
• 3 Leeks (Chop, white and light green parts, make sure to rinse & clean of all sand!)
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup White Wine ((Optional))
• 8 Cups Bone Broth, Vegetable Stock or Chicken Stock
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream ((Optional))
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

   Place the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan either together or separate. Cover with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Make sure to toss them all together to coat.

   Roast for 40-45 minutes until very tender. You may need to turn them a few times using a spatula while cooking.

   When the potatoes and leeks are done, add the kale to a sheet pan and roast for 4-5 minutes. It will go quickly, so watch them. Make sure not to burn them, but you want the kale to be starting to brown.

   In a soup pot on medium high heat, add a little more olive oil, add the potatoes and leeks, broth or stock and white wine. Cook at a simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

   Add the kale. Use an immersion blender, vitamix, food processor or other blender to blend the soup together. You may need to do this in a few stages.

   Add the soup back to the pot, add the cream and whisk together until combined. The cream is optional, you do not need it in order for this soup to be delicious. It does add a nice depth to the soup, but if you have a dairy allergy/sensitivity it is perfectly okay to skip!

   Add the lemon juice and stir together.

   Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

   Optional toppings:

   Parmesan cheese, chives and/or crispy shallots

 

Comfort Food At Its’ Best

If you have looked at different veggies and been cautious to try them because you don’t know how you properly prepare them, I am the same way.

Unfortunately, you miss out on a lot of super healthy veggies this way. This recipe incorporates two super healthy vegetables into a soup that is loaded with flavor. You may even be able to get some greens past your kids.

Why Should You Eat Leeks and Kale?

Leeks:

The flavor of leeks is similar to an onion. They can be sandy, so it is recommended that you wash them off prior to preparing them.

Leeks are low in sodium and high in dietary fiber. They are also a good source of:

Vitamin B6

Iron

Vitamin A

Magnesium

Vitamin C

Vitamin K

Kale:

Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. It is also a low calorie food, which makes it a great food for those looking to lose weight. But that’s not the only reason to love Kale.

It is high in antioxidants, which means it is a food that would be ideal to consume almost every day. Foods high in antioxidants help fight free radicals which can damage our DNA and cause disease, illness and cancer. In addition, antioxidants are necessary for aging well.

Kale also has a little source of fat, surprisingly. To top it off, this fat is Alpha-Lineolic Acid, which is an Omega-3 fat. Omega-3 fats fight the inflammatory spectrum, promote healthy cell walls, healthy brain function and much more. Adding a little kale (along with fish, fish oil etc.), would be a great way to reduce your Omega-3:Omega-6 ratio.

Kale is high in:

Vitamin A

Manganese

Vitamin K

Calcium

Vitamin C

Vitamin B6

Copper

Potassium

Magnesium

If you’re looking to try a soup, try Kale, or try Leeks – give this a go! Let me know if you enjoyed it!

If you are looking for meal prep recipes, check out this breakfast idea!

The post Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Kale first appeared on Dr. Kirstin Lauritzen.