Greetings! If you are like me, with our season changing from summer to fall, you might be looking for a way to better support your immune system.
If so, today you are in for a treat! I am shining the spotlight on one of the most popular and beneficial microgreens: Black Oil Sunflower Shoots. These tiny greens pack a big nutritional punch!
As we begin, don't forget to like this post, add your comments, and share! Also, don't miss our recipe at the end.
Why We're Obsessed - A Nutritional Delight
So why are Black Oil Sunflower Shoots so popular? Many know them for their immune-boosting properties, thanks to their rich content of zinc and selenium. Compared to their more common striped sunflower counterparts, these seeds offer a thicker texture, higher oil content, and superior nutritional value. They are a complete food, bursting with fiber, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin B-complex, Vitamin E, potassium, iron, and protein.
These microgreens are particularly popular among vegans and vegetarians. They are excellent in supporting healthy weight loss, improving skin health, and aid in wound healing. Current studies are also exploring their potential benefits in the treatment of cancer and diabetes.
Feast for Eyes and Taste Buds!
Visually, Black Oil Sunflower microgreens display vibrant green leaves with a slight yellowing at the tips. They have sturdy stems that stand upright, and the leaves are typically broad and slightly serrated. The overall appearance is lush and healthy, with a dense growth that creates an appealing texture. Their bright color and robust structure make them visually striking, perfect for garnishing dishes or adding to salads.
Sunflower microgreens have a sweet, mildly nutty flavor with a firm texture and a satisfying crunch. They offer minimal bitterness, making them a versatile addition to salads, sandwiches, and various dishes. Their pleasant taste enhances both savory and sweet recipes, adding a delightful dimension to your meals.
How to Unleash the Flavor
These versatile shoots can be a delightful substitute for lettuce in salads, sandwiches, or wraps. They also are a home run when looking for a munchie snack! Here are a few more ideas:
Avocado Toast: Often pictured in culinary magazines, Black Oil Sunflower shoots make a flawless addition to avocado toast. Simply toast your bread of choice, spread with fresh avocado, then top with your Black Oil Sunflower shoots.
Sunflower Salad: For a fresh new salad combination, simply drizzle with olive oil, add a squeeze of lemon or lime, sprinkle with salt, and top with a few shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano for a refreshing salad.
Garnish with Green: They also work wonders in scrambled eggs, boosting both fiber and protein content.
Power-Packed Smoothie: Toss them in any smoothie for added sweetness, fiber, and a vitamin boost.
Farmer's Harvest Stir-fry: And our favorite is to add them right at the end of cooking our stir-fry. Just toss your shoots in the pan at the end of cooking your favorite stir-fry and watch the color on the leaves to flash a vibrant green. When this happens you are ready to plate. Don't have a favorite recipe? Give ours a try - our recipe is posted below.
Brighten your Plate and Immunity
In summary, if you’re on the hunt for a culinary experience that blends flavor, nutrition, and creativity, our soil-grown Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens are the perfect choice. These little shoots are not only a treat for your senses but also packed with essential nutrients that your body will appreciate.
Embracing fresh ingredients like Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens is crucial for a vibrant and healthy lifestyle. So, don’t hesitate to sprinkle, mix, and enjoy the delightful essence of these tiny greens—your taste buds and body will be grateful!
Farmer's Harvest Stir Fry
This recipe has been perfected by Joel, who keeps it simple in foundation and enjoys new variations each time he creates it.
Always full of flavor, warm and satisfying, our take on the Asian stir-fry is a crowd pleaser.
This recipe will take you about 30-40 minutes to create. It can be made to serve one or twenty easily by adjusting the amount of each ingredient.
Here are the basics:
Prep Work First:
Cut your protein of choice and all vegetables into bite-sized pieces of a similar size for even cooking. Prep your sauce now too if you're making it (see below). We place the protein in one bowl, the veggies in another, and garlic off to the side so they can each be added when called for.
In a large pan, or skillet, heat your oil over medium-high heat.
Time to Fry:
Once heated, add the protein* to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes for chicken or shrimp, longer for beef. If using tofu, cook until golden on all sides.
Next, toss your vegetables* into the mix and stir-fry for another 3-5 minutes, until they are tender but still crisp. We like ours a little softer so we cook them a few minutes longer.
Finally, add your garlic* near the end to help preserve its fresh flavor and keep it from burning. At this point toss in your Black Oil Sunflower Shoots* in and gently incorporate them into the mix and cook for just a minute. Watch for the leaves to brighten in color and the stems to soften in texture as both are a sign that your dish is complete.
In the final addition, stir in your sauce* of choice. Once everything has been coated, plate your dish and enjoy! With all the flavor in this dish, I like to allow each guest to salt & pepper to taste.
We love making this dish! During the summer months, Joel has created it often, different each time, as different vegetables have sun-ripened in our garden. I love how quick this dish can come together. It is never the same as we change up the vegetables and proteins, which keeps this dish eternally fresh and new. Joel has even taught his mom, Carol, to make this dish and it's one of her favorites now! We love sharing it with you!!
***Here are a few variations we use to make this recipe versatile include:
Try using protein such as chicken, beef, shrimp, and even tofu.
Favorite vegetables can include any of the following: all varieties of peppers and onions, sliced zucchini, vine ripe tomatoes chopped, broccoli, snap peas, pea shoot microgreens, shredded carrots and cabbage . Joel says that chopped green tomatoes make the dish- and he is right!
For Oil, we love heart healthy avocado oil but have enjoyed using butter or sesame oil too.
In creating a memorable sauce, try mixing 1 tsp. corn starch, 3 tbsps. soy sauce, and 1 tbsp. sweet chili sauce together in the prep step. Add it to the pan in the final step and it will thicken into an amazing sauce.
We love our stir-fry over brown rice with quinoa, but try them over noodles or a bed of our soil-grown Peppy Salad Mix. Yep... they are so good.
Garnish your plate with our Sweet Onion Microgreens or chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
My wish to you: Màn màn chī, xiǎng shòu ba! - which in Chinese means "Eat Slowly and Enjoy! "
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