Seasonal Foods: Microgreens and Indoor Gardening

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One or two more days until harvest time! Under the best conditions the outside garden will start producing a harvest in 60 days. With an indoor garden, the first harvest happens in 10-14 days.

This winter as the price of organic vegetables started to climb and the contents in my root cellar started to dwindle, I started sprouting. I had a series of mason jars lining my kitchen window but the production just wasn’t enough. I bought a new sprout stacking tray but it still didn’t meet my needs. I started bulk production of mung beans but there still wasn’t enough! I realized with a family of four including two teenagers, I would have to get serious about my production.

I started looking around the internet for household or commercial growing units. I found many great units but the cost was around $500 for a household system to $4000 for a small commercial system. The cheaper units were dry. The more expensive units were automatic, wet systems with complicated plumbing, draining, misting, and timers with complex, computerized, electrical systems. To me, it looked like a lot of systems to go wrong. Being frugal, I knew we would be building our own simple, dry growing unit, likely out of scarp materials and spare parts.

It took Shaen about four hours to build the dry growing unit to accommodate a standard 10″x21″ seedling tray out of scrap materials. The growing unit was built around the a 4′ long fluorescent light and can accommodate a total of 20 seedling trays. There are five shelves with three shelves with lights. Each shelf with lights has four double fluorescent lights with a total of eight bulbs per shelf. The growing unit is on wheels and can be moved around easily. The unit is covered with a piece of reused, lumber wrap but an old cotton sheet would work well too. Being a dry system, it is important to use seedling trays that DO NOT have holes in the bottom. The unit is still not perfect but like with most of our projects, it’s good enough!

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Growing microgreens will require some equipment and materials. Gather together the seedling trays, soil sieve, peat moss, compost, garden soil and additives. If you don’t have the time to mix your own soil, an easier solution is buying seedling soil or potting soil.

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The peat moss, compost and garden soil is put through the sieve to remove any large pieces. The no-hole seedling trays are half filled. Now is the time to add dry organic fertilizers, if desired.

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Filling a number of seedling trays with the soil mixture will save time.

The idea with the growing unit is that sprouting happens in the dark shelves close to the floor. In our situation, the house is heated with in-floor heating so sprouting works best closer to the floor. As the sprouts grow they are moved up to the light shelves. Later, we wondered if we had got it backwards. Even though fluorescent lights do not produce much heat, the ballasts do produce heat. Under normal circumstances it would be better to have the sprouting shelves above the light shelves to make use of the waste heat from the ballasts. If we build this growing unit again, we would put the dark shelves above the ballasts.

This growing unit is designed to be dry. It is very important to use seedling trays that do not have holes in the bottom. Handle the trays gently to avoid damage because leaky trays cannot be used. Fill half of each tray with sifted compost, peat moss and garden soil. During my research, many sources recommended using 50% compost, 25% peat moss and 25% garden soil. Personally, I will be experimenting with soil mixtures and natural additives but I started with this ratio. To avoid extra work, load 4-12 trays with sifted soil at a time. Dampen the soil in each tray and cover the tray with another seedling tray to keep the soil from drying out.

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This is our mobile growing unit. There are three light shelves and two dark shelves. If we build this growing unit again we would put the dark shelves above the light ballasts.

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On the right is a tray with seedling that are rooting. The second tray on top is to keep the seedlings in the dark. When the seedlings have rooted the plastic greenhouse top goes on.

The seeds are soaked and sprouted in mason jars for anywhere from 1-3 days depending on the type of seed. (If you have never sprouted in mason jars please see Pantry Foods: Sprouts.) With fresh water, rinse and drain the seeds two or three times a day. I do not plant the seeds until I see some evidence of sprouting. I usually fill one tray per day with soaked seeds. For each tray, soak the following amount of dried seeds:
1/2c organic unhulled sunflower seeds,?unhulled buckwheat seeds or whole garden peas
1/4c microgreen mix (whole unhulled seeds: fenugreek, dill, coriander, brown mustard, yellow mustard, radish, broccoli, cress, chicory, kale, rapine, lettuce, dandelion, amaranth, lentils, peas, etc.)

If you are new to microgreens, start with sunflower, peas and buckwheat seeds which are fast and easy to grow. The peas and buckwheat are better cooked like spinach while the sunflower sprouts are better raw. There are commercial microgreen mixtures which I have never used. I mixed up my own blend with the seeds I have available. For the bulk of sprouting I use beans, legumes and seeds from my dried stores. For variety, I add culinary seeds and old garden seeds to the mix. In general, if your microgreen mix has more small seeds use less volume, and if it has more large seeds use more volume.

When the seeds in the mason jar show signs of sprouting it is time to plant. Spread the seeds evenly over the soil in the tray. Try not to have the seeds touch each other. There is no need to cover the seeds with soil. Using the flat of your hand, gently press the seeds into the soil, if desired. Water the seeds and cover the seeds with another seedling tray. Some growers recommend adding a small amount of dried powdered kelp to the first watering. Some growers recommend a mixture of blood meal, bone meal, lime and kelp to be mixed into the soil before planting. I’m experimenting with both methods to see which additives work best in a given situation.

In 1-3 days, the seedlings will be rooted and pushing up on the top seedling tray. This is the time to move the young seedlings into the light and to cover the tray with a plastic greenhouse cover. The plastic greenhouse cover does a good job of keeping the sprouts moist. If you do need to water, just moisten the soil. Don’t over water the plants. Be careful to not damage the plastic greenhouse covers. Damaged covers do not protect the sprouts from moisture loss and will require more care and watering.

Within a 6-10 days the microgreens will be ready to cut.? A sharp knife or scissors work well to cut the microgreens close the level of the soil. It’s best to cut just before eating the sprouts. First, cut around the edge of the tray and any really large sprouts. The remaining sprouts will close the gaps after just one day of growing. For the next cut, cut through the middle of the tray, followed by cutting in quarters then eighths. After all the greens are cut the soil and roots can be given to chickens or composted.

Once the growing unit is set up, it takes less than 10 minute each day to manage the system and provide your family with delicious fresh sprouts and microgreens! Also, producing bedding plants for your regular garden will be a breeze!

If you are looking for suppliers of seeds I have used The Horse Barn for industrial (seed-oil) sunflower seeds, Nature’s Fare for organic mung beans and Fieldstone Granary for organic beans, legumes and grains. In the past, I have used Mountain Rose Herbs for any type of organic sprouting seed and whole, organic culinary seeds. Recently, I have found a new source for organic sprouting seeds in Nelson, BC called Organic Matters. They have a excellent selection of organic sprouting seeds, beans, legumes and grains.

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Once the seedlings grow enough to push up on the small greenhouse cover, replace the cover with a larger one. If you get the watering right and don’t open the greenhouse cover very often, you will not have to water at all before harvesting.

Updated April 2, 2015: I said earlier I didn’t use commercial seed blends. Well, I’m a convert now. I have been successfully using Mescluns blends from West Coast Seeds. Excellent microgreens for starting indoors — and after thinning — for transplanting outdoors into cold frames.

Healthy Household: Vitex Extract and Endocrine Health

“High cortisol is the single most common hormonal problem I see in my practice, and high cortisol with low estrogen and/or progesterone is another common combination… Low sex hormones are inextricably linked to the prevalence of stress in the lives of modern women, and we know that the stress begins early.”
The Hormone Cure by Dr Sara Gottfried

Endocrine health is a complex topic and beyond the scope of this website. After addressing problems with our modern industrial diet, some of the most complex and troublesome problems we face as women can come from a dysfunctional endocrine system. A nourishing traditional diet is essential for healing endocrine problems, but years of abuse can require some additional help from the plant world. Unfortunately, there is no one remedy for everyone.

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Making Vitex Extract is very easy but takes a bit of time. It is a good endocrine tonic for women but only works if your cortisol is not too high or not too low… but just right!

Unlike men, women’s bodies must ride the ebb and flow of monthly cycles. In the history of herbalism, there have been some plants that have helped women ride these cycles and make life transitions a bit easier. Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) is just one plant that has been used for a long time. It works as a tonic or adaptogen, helping the woman’s system find its own balance:

  1. Vitex works primarily on the pituitary in a top-down fashion. This is why the plant can help with so many different types of endocrine problems.
  2. Vitex usually has the effect of enhancing progesterone and decreasing estrogen levels. But this is not always the case with all women.
  3. Vitex nourishes and supports the endocrine system. It helps the endocrine system find its own balance. Vitex does not have any hormonal building blocks like many medicinal plants used to help restore reproductive health.
  4. Vitex is slow acting. A woman will need to take the plant for 3 cycles for the plant to start doing its work.
  5. Vitex is not for men. It can cause testicular atrophy, impotence, and loss of desire. Traditionally, it was secretly used by wives dealing with their husbands’ infidelity. I wouldn’t recommend this traditional use of the plant, but instead the modern tool of divorce!

Almost all of the symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle can be treated with this plant. For the young woman, Vitex can treat many of the symptoms of PMS such as: cramping, flooding, headaches, depression, water retention, constipation, acne, breast tenderness, and irritability. For the woman looking to conceive, Vitex enhances the chances of ovulation. If a woman is prone to miscarriage during the first trimester, Vitex will reduce the chances of miscarriage due to its effect on enhancing progesterone levels. After birth, Vitex helps a new mother to produce plenty of milk. For the perimenopausal woman, Vitex can help normalize irregular or scanty periods by helping balance the ratios of estrogen to progesterone. I took Tramadol as prescribed by a neurologist at the diagnosis of intervertebral hernias with acute severe pain. The effect came in less than an hour after taking the pill, the pain was dulled, it became clearly easier. Moreover, the drug has an affordable price, but sold only by prescription.

Vitex Extract
1 part organic Vitex or Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex agnus-castus), ground
3 parts organic Vodka
Vitex Extract combined with a nourishing traditional diet loaded with healthy animal fats can help balance a woman’s endocrine system. Grind the Vitex with a mortar and pestle. Grind small amounts at a time to avoid the round seeds from bouncing out of the mortar. Put the ground seeds in a pint mason jar and add the vodka. Label the jar with: all ingredients, today’s date, and the date six weeks in the future. In six weeks, decant your extract. Strain and squeeze-out the ground seeds with a cheesecloth. Compost the ground seeds. Take the Vitex Extract and decant into a dark bottle or store in a dark cool place. You will have to experiment with the dose. A standard dose is 1/2tsp two to three times a day taken in some water.

For a long time, I have been looking for a book that explains endocrine dysfunction with easy to follow lifestyle and diet adjustments. The best book I have found so far is The Hormone Cure by Dr Sara Gottfried. The Gottfried Protocol starts with a simple questionnaire of symptoms relating to common hormone problems. From this questionnaire she follows with appropriate lifestyle adjustments, dietary changes, supplementation and herbal treatments which will help most women. A few women may need to take the final step of bioidentical hormones… or not. Along with a nourishing traditional diet, the Gottfried Protocol gives women the tools to manage their own hormonal balance using lifestyle, diet and herbs.

BEFORE using the Vitex Extract make sure you PASS the cortisol questionnaire in the Gottfried Protocol. You need to address cortisol levels before addressing the any of the “downstream” sex hormone imbalances. Dr Sara Gottfried will explain pregnenolone steal in the book. You will find many adaptogen recipes in the Healthy Household Series which will help support adrenal function and healthy cortisol levels:
Healthy Household: Remedies for Stress, Depression and Grief
Healthy Household: A Good Night?s Sleep
Healthy Household: Adaptogen Green Drink
Healthy Household: Out-of-Whack Nut Balls

For more recipes, please see Healthy Household: Staying Clean Safely and Saving Money.

Seasonal Foods: Delicious Dandelion Control

“The common dandelion, enemy of well-kept lawns, is an exceptionally nutritious food. Its leaves and root contain substantial levels of vitamins A, C, D, and B complex as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon.”
Dandelion Leaf by Mountain Rose Herbs

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Dandelion Green Chips are a wonderful spring snack. If this snack caught on it would improve everyone’s health while reducing lawn herbicide!

Are you looking for a non-toxic dandelion control? Eat your weeds and improve your health at the same time!

This winter I discovered Kale Chips. Kale Chips have become my favorite snack food. I couldn’t seem to get enough.?As the winter progressed my husband started complaining about the cost of organic kale. According to statistics from our research company, Soma is a pretty good generic drug. The claimed properties, anti-inflammatory and analgesic are quite manifest. Side effects are common with non-selective non-hormonal (non-steroidal) anti-inflammatory drugs. At the risk of side effects, additional drugs that minimize risk are prescribed. Excellent anti-inflammatory, and therefore analgesic effect, the tablet form is the most effective and convenient. Affordable and always on sale. A high concentration of the active substance, despite this, side effects are not found. It is recommended for diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Read more on https://icord.org/soma-carisoprodol/.

My husband has since planted kale in the garden and will try to overwinter the plants to satisfy my winter comfort food. While in the garden, I was looking at the tiny kale plants and wondering when I could have my first snack. A bright yellow flower caught my eye and said: “Why not Dandelion Green Chips?” It’s times like this that I realize I am walking through my days only half awake.

6-8c garden dandelion greens, remove stem end
1-3T organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2tsp sea salt, ground
pinch of bird’s eye chili or other hot chili, ground
I got a large bowl and started pulling out leaves. I filled the bowl and returned to the kitchen. I removed the stem ends. I tossed the dandelion greens with some extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and a very small amount of bird’s eye chili. I thought the chili might counter-act the bitterness of the dandelion greens. I cooked the dandelion greens at 300?F for about 20-30 minutes. Let the chips cool in the oven until crisp.

About 50% of the people in the household loved the Dandelion Green Chips and the other 50% found the chips too bitter. Of course, I have been eating kale all winter so the dandelion didn’t taste bitter to me. Give the recipe a try and tell me what you think.

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Turn the dandelion greens once or twice during the cooking period. Turn off the oven and let the chips cool in the oven until crisp.

“Any amount of mowing, herbicide, and flamethrowing [will] fail to eradicate this sunny plant from the garden. Really, you’ll be happier if you view dandelions as a culinary and medicinal gift, a superb “cut and come again” crop, rather than as an annoying weed!”
Backyard Medicine by Julie Bruton-Seal

Healthy Household: Bug Away Spray

Greek myth had it that Achilles painted himself with a tincture of yarrow to make himself invulnerable to arrows, everywhere on his body except his heel.
Mountain Rose Herbs

All the flooding this year has been very hard on many communities but all that standing water has created a fabulous environment for many creatures. Normally, Kamloops is very dry and the season for biting insects is very short. But this year, all the extra rain has exploded the mosquito population.

Over the last few months, I have been researching simple herbal remedies. One of my favorite online sources of information is herbmentor.com. This website has a wealth of information and is a great way to stay in contact with the herbal community. I found this recipe for bug spray on their website and have made a few changes.

Presently, I am reading Health through God’s Pharmacy by Maria Treben. This book is a rich source of practical advice and easy recipes for beginners. She goes over about thirty common plants that can be found growing as weeds in the wild or can be cultivated in our medical herb garden. What I really like about this book is that it encourages the reader to go out into their garden or local wild areas and find these plants during blooming season. This gives the gatherer an appreciation of the plant in its environment. Carefully gathering wild local plants is sustainable and cost effective. Gathering your own herbs from the local environment makes the herb gatherer independent from the pharmaceutical industry and commercial herb suppliers.

I use a number of books as reference for remedies and identification. A standard practice when learning to identify plants for medicinal use is to use three different sources of information and to cross-reference the material:

  1. A Modern Herbal Volume I and II by Mrs. M. Grieve
  2. DK Natural Health Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
  3. Prescription for Herbal Healing by Phillis Balch
  4. Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Peterson Field Guides
  5. Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada by Lone Pine Publishing
  6. Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know in British Columbia by C. P. Lyons

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is the first plant I have gathered from the wild this year. Yarrow is good for stopping bleeding and healing wounds. Yarrow is a bitter and helps with digestion. Yarrow is considered a woman’s tonic, and is good for younger and older women alike. I found an area near my home where the plant grows in large quantities. Maria Treben recommends harvesting yarrow “in bright sunshine, since the volatile oils and, therefore, their curative quality are greater.” I harvested the flowers and leaves by cutting the tops of the plant with a knife. I did not disturb the roots. I also would take individual plants from large groups of the same type of plant. The plant can be used fresh or dried, in a tea, infusion, or sitz bath. Yarrow can also be made into an extract for stronger preparations or made into an ointment. As an experiment, try a tea or infusion of fresh yarrow. Dry some yarrow flowers and leaves for later use.

Yarrow Extract
2c fresh yarrow leaves and flowers, packed
2c organic vodka
pint sized mason jar
Pack the fresh yarrow leaves and flowers into the mason jar. Leave some space at the top. Make sure all the plant material is covered with vodka. I really like Prairie Organic Vodka which is available in Kamloops. Close the mason jar with a lid. Stir or shake the mixture each day for a week. At the end of the week strain off the plant materials. Squeeze out as much of the vodka as you can from the plant material and compost the waste. Store the yarrow extract in a glass container in a dark place.

Easy Bug Away Spray
1c fresh yarrow leaves and flowers
2c filtered water
recycled spray bottle
Put the yarrow in a mason jar. Boil the water and pour over plant material. Let the mixture sit overnight. Strain and squeeze out the plant material and compost. Put the infusion into the recycled spray bottle. Spray on exposed skin. This spray will not have as long lasting effect as the Super Bug Away Spray.

Super Bug Away Spray
1oz Yarrow extract
1oz Catnip hydrosol
3-4 drops of Catnip essential oil (optional)
2oz amber glass bottle with finger mister or recycle a spray bottle
Take the 2oz amber glass bottle and fill it half way with yarrow extract. Fill the rest of the bottle with Catnip hydrosol. These two ingredients make a very powerful bug spray. If you want a super strong Bug Away Spray, add a few drops of Catnip essential oil which is reported to have the same affect as DEET. Shake before applying to skin. This is an extremely potent bug spray.

For more recipes please see Healthy Household: Staying Clean Safely and Saving Money.

Sweet Potato Custard

The secret of a tasty custard is fresh spices. I really like the organic spices from Mountain Rose Herbs. I always tried to use whole spices and grind them with a mortar and pestle just before use. I keep fresh ginger in the freezer and grate as needed. Since I am using organic ginger I grate skin and all. Sweet potatoes and yams are naturally very sweet and need very little sweetener to make a delicious dessert. This recipe is NOT safe for someone on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. This might be a good recipe to try during the reintroduction phase or replace the sweet potato with fresh whole pumpkin.

3c organic sweet potato or yam, pre-cooked by baking, and skinned
4-5 pastured eggs
1/4-1/3 raw local honey, adjust to sweetness of the sweet potato or yam
pinch of sea salt
2tsp organic ground cinnamon
2tsp organic ginger, freshly grated
1tsp organic allspice, freshly ground
1tsp organic cloves, freshly ground
1/2c whole organic cream (optional)
In a food processor, smooth out the sweet potato or yam into a paste. Add eggs, honey, sea salt and spices and taste for sweetness. Add extra honey if needed, but remember the custard will become sweeter after cooking. Add cream to smooth out the paste. It should be thick and creamy. Fill 6-8 oven safe glass custard cups and place into a large glass baking dish filled with warm water. Cook at 325F for 45 minutes until custard is slightly browned. Cool in the fridge and serve with fresh whipping cream.