01 Aug 8 Microgreen Dishes to Celebrate the Best of Summer
We hate to admit it, but summer is almost over. (Don’t worry—we’re mourning, too.) It’s one of the best times of the year with its abundance of amazingly fresh produce like plump tomatoes and juicy strawberries, but alas, it’s coming to a close.
So, to celebrate what this wonderful season has gifted us so far, we’ve gathered some delicious recipes that highlight the best of summer, featuring microgreens.
Cheers to you, summer.
Microgreens Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 pkg microgreens
6 radishes, halved or sliced
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/8 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp olive oil
coarse sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
Method
Place the microgreens and radishes into a serving bowl and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Whisk together the remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
At the last moment before serving, dress the salad lightly with dressing, sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
End of Summer Salad
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups micro arugula
1 cup blackberries (ripe and sweet!)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 ear red corn, cut off the cob
1/2 bunch white asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons chopped caper berries (stems removed)
1 1/2 tablespoons of mint, finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper
Method
1. Rinse and dry microgreens. Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, mint, garlic, chopped caper berries and a pinch of salt. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
3. Trim ends off of asparagus (I trimmed a good 1 1/2- 2 inches off of mine to get to the softest part). Lightly coat spears with olive oil and cook on medium heat over a grill pan or on your grill until seared to your preference. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
4. Assemble the salad by combining microgreens, corn, asparagus, blackberries and pine nuts in a large bowl. Add salad dressing (recipe makes enough for some leftovers, depending on preference). Toss well and serve immediately!
Parmesan and Ricotta Pizza with Pistachios, Bacon, and Micros
Ingredients
Honey Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe
1/2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon Pepper, Fresh Ground
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Pistachios, Chopped
4 Strips Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sliced into 1-2″ strips
1/2 Cup Micro Greens
Method
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare the dough and sprinkle a small amount of corn meal on a pizza stone or baking pizza pan to prevent the pizza from sticking. In a bowl combine together the Ricotta, Parmesan, Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Pepper, mix well then place the mixture atop of the prepared pizza dough. Then layer with the Bacon and half of the Pistachios.
Bake the Pizza for 14-18 minutes until the dough is browned and the bacon is crispy.
Before serving garnish with the remaining Pistachios and the Micro Greens.
Strawberry Microgreen Salad
Ingredients
3 cups organic microgreens
1 cup sliced strawberry
Strawberry dressing (6 strawberries, 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon raw honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, dash of salt and pepper — blended)
¼ cup chopped candied walnuts
Method
Toss the microgreens with strawberries and dressing. Sprinkle with walnuts.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup heirloom tomatoes halved
1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted
2 1/2 tbsp green onion sliced thinly
1 ounce small can cooked black beans Rinsed 14
1/2 avocado cut into small squares
2 cups micro greens
For The Dressing:
2 cloves large garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Method
Combine the red wine vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper in a food processor.
Pulse on high speed while adding the oil in a slow stream until emulsified.
Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Cook the quinoa as per the instructions on the pack, once it’s ready let it cool.
When cool, add the rest of the ingredients.
Add two tablespoons of dressing to the mixture and toss gently. Add more dressing if preferred.
Place on plates and serve at once, or store in the fridge until ready to use.
Charred Rainbow Beet and Pistachio Salad
Via Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
2 small bunches rainbow beets, trimmed & washed – larger beets cut in half (about 8 small-medium beets)
Canola oil for beets
Basil Lemon Olive Oil:
2 cups loosely packed basil- I used purple & regular basil
scant 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 juice of lemon
pinch of kosher salt
1 tbsp chopped Pistachios
1 cup of Micro Greens
Citrus Herb Salt – optional
Method
scrub & trim beets, toss with about 1 – 2 teaspoons of canola oil until lightly coated. Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil and roast on the grill for about 30-45 minutes until beets are a little charred and soft (grill thermostat should be between 350-400*, if roasting in the oven roast at 350*)
Remove beets from grill, keep cover and allow to cool until beets can easily be handled. Peel skin off the beets & discard the skins. Quarter or half the roasted beets, set aside.
To make the basil olive oil, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combine.
On two small plates, drizzle a bit of the basil olive oil on the bottom of each plate. Place a small amount of micro greens on each plate, arrange half of the beets on each plate, sprinkle with citrus herb salt & pistachios, top each plate with the remaining micro greens.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Sumac and Thyme Salmon Burgers
(makes 3 1/3 pound salmon burgers)
Ingredients
1 pound [Sockeye] salmon, skinned, pin bones removed
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons sumac
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for pan frying
Method
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Cook 4 minutes on the first side, flip and cook another 2 minutes, or until the salmon has just as hint of pinkness in the middle.
Note: To determine if the salmon burger is seasoned to your liking, I recommend cooking off a small piece first.
Tzatziki:
2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
1 large (seedless) cucumber
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, smashed to a paste
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, more if you like
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice, to taste
sea salt to taste
Grate the cucumber (most recipes call to peel, but I usually grate with the peel). Squeeze out any excess moisture. Smash the garlic to a paste with a little sea salt with the side of a chef’s knife or in a mortar and pestle.
Combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, and olive oil. Add lemon juice to taste. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.
Note: Add fresh mint if you like, along with the fresh dill.
… And last but not least, dessert! Sure, it’s not a salad per se, but aren’t salads really just greens mixed with other things?
Mini Strawberry Chocolate Tarts with Whipped Goat Cheese and Basil Micros
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
For the filling:
1.5 ounces of goat cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
About 1 1/2 cups strawberries
handful of basil micro greens (or regular basil if you can’t find micro greens)
Method
To make the crust: Whisk together the almond flour and salt. Add in the maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk until a crumbly dough forms. Divide the dough in half and press the dough into two miniature pie pans (or a regular size pie pan if you doubled the recipe). Use a fork and pierce the dough all over. Stick in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 15 minutes or until it starts to brown. Remove from oven and let cool before adding toppings.
In a blender or food processor, combine the goat cheese, yogurt, and maple syrup. Spread into an even layer on the tart crusts.
Top with strawberries and basil micro greens.
With an Urban Cultivator, you can benefit from growing your own microgreens all year ’round, no matter the season. From wheatgrass to fresh basil, all is fair game and easy to grow, too.
What’s your favorite thing to make in the summertime? Let us know in the comments section!