Recently, while visiting my local health food grocer, I stumbled across a box full of bagged microgreens. I had never used them before so I decided to purchase them, as they were just too darn cute and colourful to pass up. Perfect as a garnish I thought to myself! Little, delicate edible gardens.

When I sprinkled the microgreens on my supper that evening, I was surprised by how flavourful they were. I took at closer look at the label to find that the mix comprised of baby sunflower shoots, pea shoots, radishes, beets, mustard, and kale.

According to freshorigins.com, “microgreens are a tiny form of young edible greens produced from vegetable, herb or other plants. They range in size from one to one and a half inches long, including the stem and leaves. A microgreen has a single central stem which has been cut just above the soil line during harvesting. Microgreens are not the same as sprouts.”

While these tiny greens may be dominating the conversation here, I must bring attention to the tofu croutons. They are crispy and have been marinated in gluten-free tamari overnight making them absolutely delicious and addictive! The crispy tofu and the dressing for this recipe was inspired by and adapted from an amazing vegan restaurant in Toronto called Fresh.

If you would like to learn more about microgreens, visit www.freshorigins.com

I hope you enjoy this salad and microgreens as much as I do!

Milk & Marigolds

 Microgreens Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Prep Time:  20 minutes (plus marinating time)        Author: Milk & Marigolds (Adapted from Fresh restaurants)

Ingredients:
184g (10oz.) of organic spring mix salad
2 avocados, sliced or cubed
½ cup of sunflower seeds, husked
142g (5oz.) of organic mixed micro-greens (I used a mixture of sunflower, pea shoots, radish, kohlrabi, beet, amaranth, mustard & kale)
1 large English cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 dry pint (550 ml) of grape or cherry tomatoes, whole or sliced

 Tofu Croutons:
350g package of extra firm tofu, cubed and marinated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander powder
½ cup of gluten-free Tamari sauce
2 cups of water

Dressing:
¼ cup water
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ honey or vegan sugar
1½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon tamari sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Cube the tofu and then place the it in a marinade bath for at least one hour. Overnight is best. In a container, add two cups of water, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, 1 tablespoon ground coriander powder, ½ cup of gluten-free Tamari sauce and the cubed tofu. Place in the fridge for at least at hour.

2. While the tofu is marinating, prepare the dressing. The dressing can also be made ahead of time. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and blast for about 10 seconds. Place in a sealable container.

3. Wash and prepare salad ingredients. Strain the excess liquid off the tofu.

4. In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Once oil is warmed, add the tofu and fry until crispy. You may need to add a little more oil as you flip the tofu. You want all sides to be nice and crisp.

5. Plate salad and generously drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

Tips:
Microgreens can be found at speciality grocery or health food markets.

* The dressing & tofu marinade recipe has been adapted from Fresh restaurants.

Copyright © 2014. Milk & Marigolds