SPROUTING 101

 

In the past I bought sprouts at the store/shop in the salad section and added them to my salads, randomly and when I felt like buying them. Since then I have tasted some really delicious take-out raw food dishes which seemed to contain A LOT of different  kinds of sprouts with all kinds of delicious patties and salads. While chatting my husband asked "why don't we sprout?" and from then on I was hooked on the idea....Why hadn't I considered it before?

I read advice online and started with 3 jars and some mesh/tuille fabric. I also drove my husband crazy because our drying-up rack for our dishes became the home for the jars of busy sprouting seeds thus causing chaos in the washing and drying of our dishes and trying to keep the kitchen clean.. (hehehe.) - causing chaos in the kitchen seems to be my special something.
So after several days of searching for a second drying rack - I wanted a fold away one, which is currently impossible to find in any stores where I live we went straight to the source and just bought a kind of expensive (but so worth it) sprouting rack. Its perfect and our sprouting journey continues full throttle.

WHY SPROUTS
The enzymes in sprouts is much higher than in other uncooked, raw foods because the sprouts are alive.

• The vitamin content in sprouts is higher - yay more vitamins!

• Sprouts can help improve your metabolism - can help with weight-loss

• When sprouted the seeds contain more protein - hello vegetarian source of protein :)

• Minerals bind to the protein making them more usable by the body.

• Sprouts are alkalizing to your body (alkaline foods help your body have less chance of disease)

There is so much more info out there, I could go on and on - take a look here if you would like to read more info.

But the best part is its like having a mini garden in your kitchen and the sprouts are the freshest food you're ever going to eat so the maximum amount of vitamins and enzymes your body can use straight away.
And its so easy too

WHAT IS NEEDED
1 x glass jar
1 x elastic or string or tie with
1 x piece of mesh fabric, or clean nylon pantyhose, cheese cloth etc...
1 - 3 tablespoons of seeds of your choice

1) ASSEMBLE
Place your seeds so they cover the base of the jar. Place over your piece of material and your method of closure (elastic etc).
You shouldn't need to take this off until you are ready to harvest your sprouts.
Rinse your seeds 2-3 times to get rid of dust and dirt.


2) SOAK
Stand your jar upright with the opening facing to the sky - we want to keep the water in the jar for now.
Soak your seeds for 6 - 8 hours in a glass jar with filtered water and a little (roughly 2 teaspoons) apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional). Make sure the water is double the amount of water to seeds.


3) DRAIN AND RINSE
Drain your seeds  and rinse 2 - 3 times. Prop your jar on its side with the open end of the jar facing slightly down so the water can run out of the jar. We always want the water to run away from the seeds so they can get air and only be damp to kind of dry.

4) RINSE 2 - 3 TIMES A DAY
After the initial 6-8 hour soak. You want to rinse your seeds 2 - 3 times a day.
I rinse mine once in the morning, once at lunch time, and once at dinner time. If you can't rinse yours in the middle of the day don't worry they will still grow. **


5) HARVEST
I harvest my sprouts at several stages....From as soon as they start to have a tail all they way up to when they have tiny leaves. At the tiny leaf stage I rinse them one final time and lay them spread out on a plate in the sun shining through my window to make them go more green and get infused with chlorophyll. Then place them in a closed jar or container in the fridge and use them up in the next 3 -4 days. But they usually don't get to be in my fridge very long.   


**BE PATIENT
All seeds take a different amount of time to sprout. Lentils for instance only take roughly 2 or 3 days to start sprouting but legumes/beans can take up to 5 days - so be patient.

RECIPE
*everything is explained above  - this is just a quick recipe recap - if you aren't sure on anything please read above for an explanation*

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons seeds (I suggest mung beans or lentils for your first time)
1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup or more of filter water (plus more for rinsing)
1 jar with fabric and enclosure item (elastic)

METHOD
Soak beans/lentils in water and lemon juice or vinegar for 6 - 8 hours (standing upright)
Rinse 2-3 times then place jar tilted at an angle with the mouth of the jar angled down
Rinse every morning and evening until your seeds have sprouted (can take up to 5 days)
When tiny leaves appear rinse one final time and lay out in the sun to dry and then place in a container in the fridge
Eat with in 3- 4 days of being in the fridge

Add to salads, stir fries, veggie patties, smoothies and all sorts of dishes