I no longer care what I look like in public or use makeup regularly (not that this was ever my strong point.) Our candy bowls are filled with nuts and dried fruits and I pour chia and flax in everyone's cereal. I make our yogurt, admit to wearing what Darren calls "ninja shoes" on occasion and I smell like a walking coconut.
While not all of these things may be considered positive I certainly am making us all pretty darn healthy. Perhaps it's less of a "grandma" thing and more of a "granola" thing? (Researching the how-tos and benefits of dehydrating, encapsulating and consuming my own placenta after birth certainly is...) But I digress. Onto the point of this post: SPROUTING.
Does anyone else sprout?
Do you have any idea how easy and nutritious it is?
(Are you laughing at these questions because 2 posts ago we ate Lucky Charms for dinner??)
Here are some fun facts:
- sprouted seeds/grains/nuts are whole foods full of living enzymes
- vitamin content of some sprouted seeds increases 100% - 2000% in just days (!!!)
- grown quick, year-round, indoors, without sun/soil, in limited space, generating no waste
- sprouting breaks proteins into amino acids and starches into simple sugars allowing vitamins/minerals to be absorbed/digested twice as easily/quickly with less carbs than dry grains
- sprouts are considered life generating, Bio-genic superfoods
- a powerful source of antioxidants (minerals, vitamins and enzymes), fibre & fatty acids
- assist in protecting our cells against damage from free radicals
- can protect against disease/cancer, lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar & slow effects of aging
- easy to store and just pennies per serving (think emergency food storage...)
- rivals meat, veggies and fruits in nutritional quantity
- a garden in your kitchen: virtually free, very fast and super easy!
I snapped a few photos lately that can give you the idea, but really all you need to do is purchase a sprouter (the old nylon over a tilted jar technique always fermented my sprouts, don't put yourself through it!) and check out a couple websites. Many garden/health stores have sprouters for about $20 or plenty online. And my favorite site for ALL things sprouting related: Sproutpeople
All it takes is a few tries and you'll be a pro. As long as they haven't been "treated" for planting, you can sprout virtually any seed or grain, just look up its specifics at Sproutpeople and give it a go. Here are some of the ones we do...
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| nuts, lentils, soy/black/adzuki/mung beans, buckwheat, chick peas, barley, quinoa, wheat, peas, sunflower/alfalfa/mustard/pumpkin seeds, brown rice, etc. |
Generally, you start out with a good soaking, usually overnight, to unlock the enzyme inhibitors and make them come "alive."
Then you rinse and throw them in your sprouter, individually or in a funky awesome "mix" for kicks.
Most seeds/grains like to be rinsed once or twice a day, (even though with this "Sproutamo" sprouter design, rinsing is less imperative.) If you've got a bunch of smallish seeds or are doing a big batch, 10 swings in an old oranges net uses centrifugal force to keep them from being waterlogged.
You can see the sprouts starting to bud out the very next day.This stackable sprouter makes rinsing/draining a breeze...
Taste 'em each time you rinse, but generally their nutrition/taste peaks at just a cm or two long.
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| Here's my mix at days 2 and 3... |
Okay, so you successfully sprouted a couple cups of goodness - now what?
They're so versatile.
Throw them in or atop pretty much anything and you've got yourself a brand new fresh taste. Obviously, raw will maintain their amazing power punch of nutrition, but still great stirred into stirfries, soups, stews, etc. Some people dry/dehydrate them and grind them for breads. Sprinkle them on your sandwiches, salads, wraps, burritos. Blend them into dips or smoothies. Sprouted chick peas make your hummus immeasurably healthier. Sprouted beans/grains cook faster. Sprouts add crunch to your baked potato, scrambled eggs, quesadillas or curry... Get my point? Our weirdest favorite: on peanut butter toast with honey drizzle. Don't knock it til you try it - DEElish!
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| liked it on poached egg on toast |
* Warning: kidney beans will sprout, just don't eat them raw - make sure to cook them once sprouted due to a potentially dangerous chemical found within.
These are actually some samples I brought home from a raw foods demo, but you could certainly make crackers from sprouted grains or this "eggless" cashew based dip with sprouted nuts. I made a cream cheese sunflower seed ball version of this raw chocolate dessert that was an awesome snack.
Look up some recipes online and experiment - just get them into your diet. They're fast, easy, super healthy and think of the great skill you'd have if you ever find yourself in an emergency without access to fresh produce. No digging, no planting, just fresh greens in 2 days! Do it.
(Here's a quick reference/good visual CHART for soaking and sprouting.)
