Breakfast Set #1
In the cup is a tea from Sichuan. On the plate from clockwise, Raw almonds, raw walnuts, kiwi and baby vitamin greens. It is a bitter sweet breakfast. But actually quite nutritious and I am always full after eating this combo. LOL. Probably because the vitamin greens are so bitter, it wipes away any desire for anything else. A rich nutritious breakfast.
Breakfast set #1
The tea is very bitter and has flowers that float on the surface. As far as it's name I do not know. It was a gift from a classmate. It is most likely a Jasmine tea. At least that is what it reminds me of, except not quite like the kind I buy locally in a tin.
Breakfast Set #1
I grow these vitamin greens at home, and just walk up to the garden whenever the need arises. They are very bitter even when two weeks old, as shown in the photograph. They are not called vitamin greens for nothing! Think about chewing on a multiple vitamin and that is how they taste. These are no larger than an inch each, and the roots are eaten too.
By Yatouhi 5 years ago
Well, I guess from about the middle of May until the beginning of October I eat them everyday. That is the only time they will grow outside, because there is snow here beginning in November and it does not melt until the middle of April. Once the snow has melted the seeds can be planted in the ground. If I plant a handful of seeds every week, it is enough to harvest them at anytime throughout the growing season. The plants in the pictured were planted about three weeks ago, and have been growing above the ground for about two weeks. I planted another handful of seeds this morning, and those seeds will be the same size as the ones in the picture around the second week of June. They are very easy to grow, and can be grown inside the house in a small pot placed on a sunny windowsill even in the winter.
The interesting thing about the vitamin greens is they can still grow when there is a frost outside that kills most other vegetables, fruits and herbs. A frost is when the dew(settled moisture) freezes on ground into ice. The vitamin green is what is called a "cold hardy" plant. Similar to all cabbages, brusell sprouts and broccoli. Since, it is cold hardy, it can grow even when there is a frost! It's a pretty amazing plant!
I eat them once a day at least. Just not with every meal. They are good in stir-fry, cooked with garlic, steamed, raw and juiced. The juice is extremely bitter. But if you add sweet things like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or melon it actually takes away some of the bitter flavor. But just like the bitter melon you can still taste it.
Even in small dosages it seems to be very healthy. You know how some people drink wheat grass juice? I do not have the facts, but I suspect the vitamin green juice is much healthier, especially when it's small.
Once you get past the bitterness it does have a decent flavor, although very bitter. It really does taste like chewing on a vitamin. At first when I tried it it gave me a stomach ache, but after a while I was able to handle eating more of it. It gives me a lot of energy and I eat some each day when it is in season.
Originally it was grown in China, and the seeds are from there. I forget which Province, but I suspect it is a northern province where there is snow part of the year. I could very well be wrong though. Locally I have not seen it on the shelves in the grocery stores or markets.
You could also add it for a light bitter flavor in soups, wraps, dumplings...etc. A little goes a long way. It is more of an herb than a vegetable. Similar to how cilantro has a unique flavor to it and is an herb. When the plants get larger they almost look like a bok choy. The difference is there is not any white color to it, instead it is mostly green. Right before the plant makes flowers, or goes to seed it is so bitter, it is almost impossible to eat. But the flowers are very tasty, and the fully grown plant might even be able to be made into something similar to kimchi.
Your response:
Add Your Comment