LifeFood Gardens

Spotlight on Lifefood Gardens

Posted on by Mission Community Market in Blog, LifeFood Gardens, Vendor of the Week, Vendors | Leave a comment

Microgreens: A shot of vitamins

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As you approach the market from Valencia and down 22nd street, you may see what appears to be a stall full of lush grass and a happy smiling man. This is one of Mission Community Markets newest vendors, Lifefood Gardens, and the smiling man you see there each Thursday is Loren. He represents his girlfriend Katy’s business of growing and selling a variety of microgreens. They began growing microgreens in a sprout machine, and eventually moved to growing these baby plants in their bathroom, kitchen, and various other places in their small SF apartment for personal consumption. Katy, who has been a raw foodist for 13 years, developed an innate passion for growing microgreens within her home. When Katie got fed up with working in the software world, she decided to begin a garden. After success with their small personal microgreen operation, they purchased land up north in Lake County and built a large greenhouse to begin their dream garden. They originally planned to grow off-season tomatoes, but found that microgreens provided them with a financially viable and consistent harvest, as well as nutritious and delicious food. One and a half years later, they’ve grown their business to reach across the entire Bay Area, serving ten different farmer’s markets (six here in SF alone).

SF Markets
Thursdays: Crocker Galleria, Mission Community Market (!!)
Sundays: Fort Mason, Divisadero, Clement, and Sunset markets

Outside SF
Saturdays: Oakland Grand Lake, Berkeley, College of San Mateo, and the Saratoga markets

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Microgreens are just what they sound like –baby versions of many of the greens you know and love. Many studies show that microgreens may house more nutrients and vitamins than their adult forms, making microgreens an affordable option to get your daily dose of vitamin C, E, and beta carotene to name a few.

Stop by MCM each week on Thursday from 4-8pm to pick up a tray of microgreens to improve your health, boost your immunities, support a local business, and make a friend. Some of the different varieties include sunflower, garlic, onion, broccoli, mixed greens, radish, wheatgrass, and more. Not sure what to do with these fresh greens? Check out this week’s recipe highlighting sunflower microgreens in a healthy salad!

Mercado Kitchen: Mediterranean Microgreen Salad

Posted on by Mission Community Market in Achadinha Cheese Company, Blog, LifeFood Gardens, Mercado Kitchen, Recipes, Twin Girls Farm, Vendors | 1 Comment

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Mediterranean Microgreen Salad

Microgreens are a new way to get your daily dose of vitamins, whether they are juiced, added atop salads, or upon a toasted baguette. This week, we’ve highlighted the microgreens in their very own salad. The greens are accompanied with some of our favorite vegetables and fruits, drenched in healthy Omegas, and topped with fresh feta cheese if you like! This salad is best enjoyed outside under the thick sunlight we San Franciscan’s have been enjoying this year! The subtle flavor of the tomatoes and cucumber help add a bit of moisture to the salad, while allowing the full flavor of the microgreens and sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens to come alive in your mouth. Stop by the market this week from 4-8pm to pick up your own tray of microgreens and jump on the healthy bandwagon.

Ingredients:
Tray of Sunflower microgreens from Lifefood Gardens
1/2 bag of Sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens
1 Tomato, chopped
1/2 Cucumber, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon from Twin Girls Farm
Salt, Peppper
Healthy pour of olive oil
Crumbled feta from Achadinha Cheese Co. (Optional, but highly recommended)

Directions:
Acquire either a whole tray or a handful of sunflower microgreens from Lifefood Gardens. Lightly wash the greens and place in a large salad bowl.
Add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, half a bag of any sprouted beans from Lifefood Gardens, the juice of one lemon, generous amounts of salt and pepper, and a healthy pour of olive oil (we used an olive oil that has been infused with garlic and fresh chilli for a light kick).

We chose to highlight the microgreens in a vegan salad for this recipe, but we think that adding a handful or two of fresh crumbled feta from Achadinha Cheese Co. would be a GREAT addition, helping balance the sweet and tangy flavors of the veggies with a salty, creamy bite of cheese.
Serve immediately or after a few hours when the flavors have infused (even after being coated with olive oil the microgreens hold their firmness for a day or two!).