Don’t stop be-leaf’in
Don’t stop be-leaf’in
Mizuna is a highly nutritious green leafy cruciferous vegetable in the Brassica family, related to its cousins cabbage and broccoli. Low in calories, high in several important vitamins and minerals such as A, C, K & lutein, it is also an excellent source of antioxidants and flavonoids that are healthy for the body. Mizuna is… Read More »
Mizuna is a highly nutritious green leafy cruciferous vegetable in the Brassica family, related to its cousins cabbage and broccoli. Low in calories, high in several important vitamins and minerals such as A, C, K & lutein, it is also an excellent source of antioxidants and flavonoids that are healthy for the body.
Mizuna is often described as tasting slightly peppery like arugula and mustard greens with a subtle tang that enhances raw and cooked dishes. It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked by adding it to stir fries, pasta dishes, baked casseroles, wilted in soups and added to sandwiches, wraps and as toppings for pizza. We like to serve mizuna in a salad or wilted into a sauce with a little olive oil and garlic. It needs only a light seasoning of fresh squeezed lemon or soy sauce to brighten the flavors and have your mouth watering. Typically eaten raw in the United States, it is not eaten raw in Japan where it is most often pickled or used in stir fries or simmered in hot pots.
Mizuna is easy to use and store. Remove the rubber bands that we use to band together the leafy bunch and rinse in cool water. Allow to drain or use a salad spinner to dry completely. Wrap the greens in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag or a reusable container. The paper towel will absorb extra moisture that might otherwise allow your greens to spoil. Store in your refrigerator for up to five days, but why wait?
Our culinary and educational specialist, Miss Jenn, has prepared Mizuna three ways in this week’s recipe. She introduces a quick and easy
Greek salad board, a simple antipasto garnish salad, and a yummy mizuna and mixed green salad with apples. Try one or all of her recipes to start enjoying mizuna today! Get these fabulous recipes here.
We grow both purple and green mizuna on our farm both in our greenhouses, high tunnels, and in our fields. One plant can produce up to 200 thin serrated leaves! Mizuna is a hearty green and can easily grow in many conditions and it grows quickly allowing us to harvest it often and fast. We grow mizuna from seed indoors in the early spring. You may find mizuna in our farm store now even though it’s cold outside as we have planted and are now harvesting mizuna and other greens in our farm market greenhouse. Our farm market greenhouse is open to the public and is a great place to learn how mizuna is grown. So stop in today to learn more about the nutritious and delicious mizuna green!
Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours! xo
