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Learning Leaf University
Welcome to your ultimate blog for all things small but mighty! Dive into the technical side of growing with our Microgreens 101 guides. Or, explore lifestyle tips, recipes, and fun facts over in The Micro Life. We break down the essential "whys" and "hows" of eating them. At the same time, we highlight the incredible health benefits packed into every tray. From cultivation secrets to quick culinary inspiration, discover how these tiny greens make a massive impact on your daily wellness.
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Fall Harvest & Comfort Foods: Elevating Warm Soups and Bowls with Microgreens
Hearty fall comfort food meets fresh living greens: savory butternut squash breakfast casserole topped with crisp, nutrient-packed broccoli microgreens. Now that we are in November and the temperatures cannot make up their mind if it is fall or still summer, we can finally start thinking about comfort food. Even here in Northeast Florida, when that first crisp breeze rolls through, nothing hits the spot quite like hearty soups, warm grain bowls, and savory casseroles like the
Dawn Halter
2 days ago2 min read
Flora Family: Kale Microgreens for Osteoporosis & Bone Health
Itsy's Science Corner Itsy Cella Flora (right) introduces her cousin, Kalea Flora (left) Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk about Vitamin K and Calcium 🔬 When someone mentions bone health or osteoporosis prevention, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Giant horse-pill calcium supplements that taste like sidewalk chalk?💊🤢 Let’s trade those for two tablespoons of fresh, crisp green confetti that actually taste good. 🥗✨ Broccoli might get all the hype for su
Dawn Halter
Nov 53 min read
Behind the Clamshell: What Day 3 of Your Grow-on-Demand Microgreens Order Looks Like
Day 3 of germination: Healthy white root hairs growing on a clean hydroponic mesh tray. When you buy grocery store microgreens, you’re getting produce that was harvested days (sometimes a full week) ago, transported in trucks, and left sitting under fluorescent lights waiting for a buyer. When you place your order with Tasty Little Leaves Microgreens, your greens don't even exist yet. Because we operate on a strict grow-on-demand model, we don't sow a single seed until your o
Dawn Halter
Oct 292 min read
Flora Family: The Power of Anthocyanins in Red Cabbage Microgreens
Itsy's Science Corner Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk Anthocyanins in microgreens. You: "Wait... antho-WHAT-ins? Why are we talking about fancy big words?🤔" Itsy: "Anthocyanins are a type of water-soluble antioxidant. They are what give many microgreens their striking red, purple, and blue hues." You: "So what is so important about the color? 🤷♀️ I mean it isn't green, so the colorful mix is nice, but what else makes them so special that they have a class all of thei
Dawn Halter
Oct 222 min read
Lighting & Lumens: Understanding Microgreens Light Requirements
They Say It Is Darkest Just Before Dawn 🌅🌱 4:30 AM: "0 dark 30" as my dad used to say. Sunrise or dawn is typically between 6:00 AM and 7:30 AM depending on where you call home. So when the microgreens start their workday here at Tasty Little Leaves Microgreens at 5:00 AM, it is still pitch black dark outside. As you may or may not know, plants work by converting sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy-rich sugars. This process is called photosynthesi
Dawn Halter
Oct 153 min read
Flora Family: Purple Radish Microgreens - A Natural Way to a Healthy Gut Biome
Itsy's Science Corner Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk about chemistry and how it affects the body's gut health or microbiome. You: "Hey there Itsy. What does chemistry have to do with the body?" Itsy: "Good question. The body is a huge chemical factory🧪🏭. It is all a balancing act. One chemical affects another, then another one down the line is affected. Those chemicals are what make the body's organs function. How well they function is based on that balance." Yo
Dawn Halter
Oct 84 min read
"But Mom, Do I Gotta?" The 2 Tablespoons of Microgreens Hack
"But Mom, Do I Gotta?" Sound familiar? Or is that your voice still playing in your head from when you were a kid? It probably goes something like this: Mom: "Go wash up. It's time for dinner. We're having your favorite. Chicken Nuggets!" Kid: "Yeah!" while excitedly running to the table after washing up. You sit at the table and then look at the plate. All excitement falls from your face. You look up and moan, "but Mooommmm, do I gotta have broccoli?" Mom: With an indul
Dawn Halter
Oct 13 min read
Flora Family: How Microgreens Are A Superfood
Itsy's Science Corner Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk superfoods: Itsy: "What do you think the definition of superfood is?" Audience: (Silence... more silence, .....) "Ummm, I guess a food that is chock-full of all the good stuff our bodies need?" Itsy: "That would be proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The human body needs all of them. Try again. What do you think of?" Audience: "Chia seed pudding and blueberries are all over my social media feeds. Them and cottage c
Dawn Halter
Sep 243 min read
Microgreens Water Chemistry: The Science of Precision Hydroponic Growing
Itsy's Science Corner Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk water. Have you ever been dehydrated or completely waterlogged? Going without water for very long (2-5 days, depending on the circumstances), can be detrimental to your health. And believe it or not, too much water in a short amount of time can be as well. Oh, and by the way, that means you can die from too little or too much water. Audience: "What? Come on now, Itsy, that's crazy talk. It is common knowledge th
Dawn Halter
Sep 173 min read
Flora Family: How Broccoli Microgreens Quiet Chronic Inflammation
Itsy Cella Flora (right) introduces her cousin, Floretta Flora (left) Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk about how inflammation affects the body. Have you ever twisted an ankle or cut your finger? Most of us have at one point or another. Our bodies are wonderfully complex and have the ability to heal themselves. That's a good thing since I tend to be very clumsy. When you cut your finger or twist your ankle, your body's natural response to the pain from the injury is to
Dawn Halter
Sep 104 min read
Functional Medicine & Microgreens | Itsy Cella Flora Explains Food as Medicine
Itsy Cella Flora here! 🌱 Let’s talk about why so many people are turning to functional medicine—and how microgreens fit into the big picture. Physician: "So why are you here today?" You: "I just feel off. You know. I have the blahs." Physician: "How are you sleeping? How long has this been going on?" You: "Umm, I guess I sleep ok? That is when I sleep. How long? I don't know. For a while now." Physician: (They type on the computer for a moment, then grab their tablet, ta
Dawn Halter
Sep 34 min read
Microgreens Farming: Tools of the Trade (No Tiny Tractors)
Unless you’re actually in a specific trade, it’s hard to imagine what the daily grind looks like. Play a quick visualization game with me: Picture This The Carpenter: You picture a person wearing a heavy toolbelt who drives a truck filled with hammers, levels, and power tools. They can work with whatever wood or building materials presented to them. They have quick access to the exact right tool for the job. They have to adapt to the conditions of the work site on the fly.
Dawn Halter
Aug 273 min read
How to Use Microgreens: Beyond the Restaurant Garnish
A stunning appetizer with microgreens Chef or Foodie, or Somewhere In Between I am not a classically trained chef. However, I have been known to throw together a meal with what I have on hand. Pulling different ingredients from the pantry, freezer and fridge then adding a dash of this spice or that spice to come up with something to eat. Sometimes those "throw together meals," as a friend of mine calls them, are fantabulous. Followed by a "You have got to give me this rec
Dawn Halter
Aug 203 min read
Microgreens Health Benefits & Modern Science Explored
Our Official Spokesperson Regarding Health and Nutrition Say hello to Itsy Cella Flora —our wonderfully quirky, leafy resident teaching scientist and official spokesperson for exploring the ins and outs of where medical issues meet microgreens research! None of us here at Tasty Little Leaves Microgreens are doctors or hold any medical degrees. However, we’ve learned plenty in life’s classroom through the medical school of hard knocks—not just with family and friends, but fir
Dawn Halter
Aug 132 min read
Soil vs Hydroponic Microgreens: Why We Grow the Way We Do
Our hydroponic setup: perfectly clean, lightweight, and completely soil-free. Even though microgreens are relatively new to the farming industry, there is a plethora of grow mediums to choose from. Originally, it all started with trays of soil. Then came coco coir, flood systems, and the Kratky method—the list goes on. To keep this short and sweet, let's dive straight into the great debate: soil vs. hydroponics. How The Microgreens Industry Came About Have you wondered how th
Dawn Halter
Aug 65 min read
A Beginner's Flavor Guide: Which Microgreens Are Right for You?
A close-up view of our hydroponically grown microgreen tray—packed with flavor and nutrients. “I have such a hard time finding a vegetable I like and will eat. And my kids? It is a battle at the dinner table every night!” Does this sound familiar? For you or a friend? Most veggies have strong flavors. And unless they are floating in butter or cheese sauces, finding different satisfying ways to fix them is exasperating. Plus to eat a full cup of them? Uh, yah, no thank
Dawn Halter
Jul 303 min read
Microgreens vs Sprouts: Let's Clear Up the Confusion
A side-by-side look at Broccoli microgreens (left) versus Broccoli sprouts (right) If I've heard it once, I've heard it 100 times since becoming an Urban Microgreens Farmer: "Are these just the same thing?" The debate of microgreens vs sprouts comes down to understanding that while they start from the same seed, they are vastly different in how they grow, look, and taste. Let's clear up the confusion by comparing them in 4 different ways. How Microgreens vs Sprouts Are Grown
Dawn Halter
Jul 234 min read
Are Microgreens Just Tiny Lettuce Leaves?
Traditional side salad with chopped lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes, topped with a mix of microgreens Are Microgreens just tiny lettuce leaves? Believe it or not, the question is more complex than you may think. Depending on who is answering the question will depend on their answer. So let's ask 3 different people: The Master Chef: Unequivocally No! A microgreen is a complex flavor profile with a delicate texture. It can be used as an elevated garnish—not a salad base. �
Dawn Halter
Jul 163 min read
Grow On-Demand Microgreens: The Method Behind Our Madness
So, what does "grow on-demand" microgreens really mean? Simply put, it’s how we do business. Tasty Little Leaves Microgreens, LLC doesn't have a brick-and-mortar storefront—we are a completely web-based service. Because of this, our service includes cultivating, harvesting, and delivering pesticide-free, nutrient-dense living food directly to you. (And if we get technical about it, they aren't "chemical-free" because even pure water is a chemical! Plus, I add a clean, mineral
Dawn Halter
Jul 112 min read
Why is there a Paper Towel In My Microgreens? (How to Store Microgreens)
Your microgreens order has just been delivered. Aren't they beautiful? Time to get them in the fridge so that they will not wilt. Make sure they have air flow. We don't want these babies to freeze! I know you can't wait to add them to dinner tomorrow. Life has been life-ing! You haven't cooked; been eating on the run and haven't opened the fridge since they were delivered- when was that? Wednesday? Wait it's Thursday-over a week later! Cringing inside you go to the f
Dawn Halter
Jul 42 min read
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