Favorite Ways to Use Pea Shoots

Pea shoots! Harvested at about two weeks of age, these tender shoots taste like fresh spring peas. They have a mild, fresh flavor and are packed with nutrition. Pea shoots can be used raw, or lightly cooked. Like microgreens they are super versatile!

With Eggs

If you have been following me for any given amount of time you've probably seen my post 800,000 pictures of eggs and greens. Zesty Micros are my first go-to, but pea shoots fill the bill too!! They are my preferred when dressing scrambled eggs, or adding a layer on a frittata.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Let's just dress those BLTs, wraps, burritos and tacos, shall we! Tender pea shoots are the perfect accompaniment.

Curry and Stir Fry

I know this is a pic of micros, but I haven't one of pea shoots. We love wilting pea shoots into hot curry, stir fried ramen and the like, or mixed in a bowl of korean beef! Always topping our bowl, or adding in just before serving.

With Salad

Of course the easiest thing would be to add to your existing lettuce salad! Pea shoots are light and tender enough that I will also use them as a salad base solo. 

Health Tip!

Aim for 1 cup of raw greens, or a 1/2 cup cooked each and every day - studies show it keeps our brains younger! Pea shoots are an easy way to keep greens in the diet, add flavor and nutrition...and feel a little fancy when you sprinkle them around. 

P.S. Pro tip...you could take this same advice for microgreens!! 

Why Homemade Dressing + ACV Dressing

Making homemade salad dressing is a simple act that can benefit you in multiple ways!

1. It saves you money. If you eat a few - or a lot - of salads this can really add up to big savings! Many ingredients you likely have on hand already, so it may not take much more investment. Items like olive oil, vinegars, yogurt, salt, pepper, hot sauce, honey, etc.

2. It keeps garbage out of the landfill. You can only keep and reuse so many salad dressing bottles. Reducing packaging use is a real act of environmentalism! Many glass bottles are tempered and can't even be recycled - just "wish cycled."

3. Making your own (of anything) is empowering. Even as simple as salad dressing. "If I can do this, what else can I accomplish?!"

4. It's a great way to involve the kiddos! We measure into a canning jar and shake! 

5. You know all the ingredients! This is of such importance. Even Organic dressings in the store add organic soy oils I don't want to consume, not to mention all the unreadable ingredients in most dressings.

6. Control your supply chain. Just another aspect of taking further control of your own supply chain. I keep commonly used dressing ingredients stocked in my pantry.

Of course I still need to pick up some Annie's Goddess Dressing or some thick blue cheese every once and a while, just cause, but once we committed to making the bulk of our own salad dressing and it became part of the routine we've never looked back!

Raw Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons raw honey, to preference

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Combine in a pint jar and shake it up! Shake before each use. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Tip: We freeze garlic blended with olive oil in tablespoon portions. I grab one of these for making dressings, making it even easier!

From the Detoxinista

Favorite Ways to Use Microgreens

Microgreens. Tiny little baby plants, which are full of flavor and nutrition. They're cute too. Typically used raw they are very, very versatile. 

With Eggs

If you have been following me for any given amount of time you've probably seen my post 800,000 pictures of eggs and microgreens. This is undoubtedly my favorite way to use them. My morning plate most often has a bed of Zesty Mix! microgreens, topped with 3 over-easy eggs and hot sauce. It's an easy way to start the day with veg. Top a frittata, toss in with scrambled eggs, tuck into a breakfast burrito - they are a perfect companion to eggs.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Tuck the tiny tasty micros into a taco, wrap or sandwich. Or top an open-faced sandwich, as I have pictured. We love micros with all variety of taco and burrito! You could make a wrap entirely of micros and it would be grand. Try layer in a BLT.

I'll just tuck this in with tacos...top all fashion of "bowls" that are so popular. We love atop our Korean Beef.

Meats and Seafood

A customer sent us this dinner pic (I don't know why they didn't have us over?!) and it is on point. A juicy steak or chop and a bed of micros pairs well. Some scallops or walleye can make a great companion too.

With Salad

Microgreens are fantastic on top of a salad, easy peasy. They could certainly serve a a small side salad too, as pictured above. Don't forget taco salad. Or sprinkled on a pasta salad.

All in all microgreens are SO very versatile, just try them with your particular favorite dishes and you are sure to find a good pairing. I've only added them to about one item where I thought they didn't really pair well, but it wasn't bad. We'll sprinkle on just about everything! 

Aim for 1 cup of raw greens, or a 1/2 cup cooked each and every day - studies show it keeps our brains younger! Microgreens are an easy way to keep greens in the diet, add flavor and nutrition...and feel a little fancy when you sprinkle them around. 

P.S. Pro tip...you could take this same advice for pea shoots!! 

What's In Store: Week of March 4

Come and grab your eggs!

Eggs! Eggs! Eggs! The ladies are really laying again, so we need a few folks to jump back on the egg bandwagon. We appreciate your support!

Another Month of Winter Greens

We have about another month of harvest from our winter greenhouse, before all that's left are bedding plants. 

It's the lean time of year, where there isn't an abundance, but where else can you get freshly harvested greens mid-winter?! We appreciate your patronage, just a few shoppers a week make all the difference!

Hours are Wednesday & Thursday 4-7, Friday and Saturday 9-12 OR by appointment. Make an appt. via email to info@alternativerootsfarm.com or via text to Brooke 507-412-7605. Special hours Saturday, March 14 9:00-4:00.

Freshly harvested

Salad greens!! (These don't happen every week!)
Zesty Mix Microgreens
Pea Shoots

Farm Staples

Applesauce - no added sugar, just cleaning eating goodness with apples and local honey
Apple Butter - no added sugar, apples, spices and local honey
Eggs - free-ranged, organic feed

What's in Store: Week of February 12

Come and grab your greens!

It's the lean time of year, where there isn't an abundance, but where else can you get freshly harvested greens mid-winter?! We appreciate your patronage, just a few shoppers a week make all the difference!

Weather, or no weather, we're keeping hours the same this week - Wednesday & Thursday 4-7, Friday and Saturday 9-12 OR by appointment. Make an appt. via email to info@alternativerootsfarm.com or via text to Brooke 507-412-7605. Be safe and warm!

Freshly harvested

Mild Mix Microgreens
Zesty Mix Microgreens
Pea Shoots

Farm Staples

Applesauce - no added sugar, just cleaning eating goodness with apples and local honey
Apple Butter - no added sugar, apples, spices and local honey
Baking Apples
Garlic - last container!
Eggs - free-ranged, organic feed

Deep Winter Greenhouse Kick Off!

Well our deep winter greenhouse (DWG) is up and growing! We had a fantastic turnout for our open house on October 29 and the first seeds were planted by DWG pioneer Carol Ford, Garden Goddess Greenhouse. Thank you so much to all our partners, supporters, contractors and members! This is thrilling and so important to our farm. We are full of gratitude.

Here is the open house and latest from the greenhouse in a photo update!

The greenhouse pre-landscaping around the exterior.

At the open house engineer Dan speaks about how the passive solar structure works. 

Here's a view of the air outtake at the front of the building, the circulation fan is in the middle, the intake (for hot air) is at the peak (black tiling).

We talk about how the DWG fits into our farm goals and what we plan to grow in it. Winter CSA here we come! Fresh greens during the winter - YuM!

Farmers John and Brooke.

Farmers John and Brooke, Greg from UMN RSDP.

Ribbon cutting time! Farmer John, bro-in-law Andy (construction helper, plus representing Carroll Distributing), Larry (construction helper supreme), farmer Brooke and CSA members Yvonne & Lee.

Thank you to the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership for making this program possible and helping us move into the future of our farm!

Thank you to our CSA members who have supported us on our journey! We were thrilled to have members Yvonne & Lee sharing the excitement of the day and cutting the ribbon with us!

Brooke, Yvonne and Lee.

Time to talk about planting and sow the first seeds! DWG pioneer/veteran Carol Ford, Garden Goddess Greenhouse, talked about how she plants in her greenhouse, the soil mix she uses and a little bit about growing. Then she planted the first planter with arugula seed! Video on facebook.

Thanks to all who shopped our mini market, came to enjoy the festivities and learn and celebrate with us! The event was very energizing and exciting. Live music was enjoyed by all, courtesy of Dick Kimmel and Stacey Watje. Live entertainment provided by farm cat Loki.

The first planting of arugula is up and off the germination mats! Seeding will occur about every other day until the greenhouse is filled up. Right now there are baby greens and microgreens growing, as we finish setting up the growing space in the greenhouse.

Gutter planters and plastic trays on the germination mats. We are working on setting up the inside structures, farm dog Odin likes to help (in comfort, of course).

The back room will be for storage and soil mixing, etc.

Below you can see some of the gutter planters underneath the germination/planting table.

Thanks go out to event organizers:
UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnership and the Sustainable Farming Association.

Shout out to our local contractors:
Cedar Hill Homes (Glenn Hauser, general construction); Darin Portner Trucking (excavation/grading work); Nosbush Glass Co. (plexiglass install); NU Current Electric; Pat Faerber Masonry (block work); Searles Well Drilling (water work, directional boring); Heiderscheidt Digging (tiling suppies for air circulation system); Carroll Distributing (construction supplies); Larry Knisley - what would we do without your construction help! Thank to Frandsen Bank for financing the project!

None of the big wigs came, but we got this nice letter from Senator Amy Klobuchar! :)

Cheers! We'll keep sending out updates on facebook and here, as we grow!

Where can you find us next?

Mankato Winter Farmers' Market
Saturday, November 11th 10:00-12:00am, at Drummers Garden Center