Chapter Five

Chapter 5

How Do I Sprout Super Foods?

 

Sprouts are foods for living cells. Nourishment at this height of regeneration is only available through sprouting.

 

 

Anything that can grow can be sprouted. There are many sproutable nuts, seeds and grains from around the world. When you travel, try different seeds and discover new flavors. The sprouting process is just the same. Take your sprouting trays with you. There are unlimited possibilities and varieties of sprouts that you can add to your diet.

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There are as many ways to sprout seeds as there are people who sprout! Here is a simple process that uses inexpensive equipment. You will need glass quart jars to soak the seeds overnight; a sink with a sprayer or faucet; simple-stackable sprouting trays; and a counter or table to set them on. That’s it!

 

How to Sprout

1. Fill a glass quart jar about half full of seeds, nuts or grains. Fill the rest of the jar with water. (You can use your purified water or you can use tap water if it isn’t too polluted.)

2. Let the jar sit on the counter, uncovered, overnight, or for 8-10 hours.

3. Pour the glass jar of soaked seeds into a sprouting tray over the sink. Use the sprayer or faucet to rinse the seeds thoroughly then distribute the seeds evenly. Let them drain.

4. Cover the trays and stack them. Let them sit on the counter all day.

5. Rinse and drain the seeds again in the evening. They only need to be watered twice each day. More watering could create an environment for salmonella.

6. Repeat the process everyday, depending on how much sprouting time each grain or seed needs. 

 

I have found that sprouting trays with lids keep the sprouts drained well enough to prevent the sprouts from developing bacteria, as opposed to sprouting in jars upside-down with a screened lid, where water can get trapped and mold can grow.  If you have a choice, covered stackable-sprouting trays are better investments, and you can use them over and over for a very long time.

 

Seeds, Grains and Legumes to Sprout in Trays 1-3 days

Follow this process for green lentils, garbanzo beans, whole peas, adzuki beans, mung beans, and any type of bean.  Also alfalfa, fenugreek, wheat, rye, buckwheat, and any kind of grain

You will notice little tails beginning to emerge from the seed within the first 24 hours. Taste them often to determine at which stage of growth is most delicious for you. They should taste sweet and desirable. Most sprouts are eaten before the tail gets the size of the seed or grain. To get optimum nutrition from that grain, you don’t need to wait for the tail to begin to turn green. When the tail of the sprout starts to turn green, it has entered the stage to grow a stem and become a plant. This stage ultimately produces ‘greens’ or a grass. The time to use these sprouts is before the stem turns green while they are at their peak enzyme and antioxidant stage. Also, they now will be the sweetest and easiest to use in raw-food gourmet recipes.

 

Seeds and Legumes that Soak Overnight

These are seeds that are exceptions to the basic sprouting process above: Sunflower (hulled), pumpkin (hulled), brown sesame seeds, red lentils, flax seeds (will thicken), and any small seeds and nuts, need only to be soaked overnight. Drain and use these the next day. Here are instructions for these seeds:

1. Fill a glass jar about half full of seeds or nuts. Fill the rest of the jar with water--purified or tap water.

2. Let the jar sit on the counter, uncovered, overnight about 8-10 hours.

3. Pour the soaked seeds through a strainer over the sink, then use the sprayer or faucet to rinse them thoroughly. If you need to dry them, drain them on a paper towel.

4. Use the seeds that day in your salads and recipes. If you have left over seeds, store them in an airtight bag or container in the fridge to be used within the next three days, or dehydrate any leftovers.

 

Seeds and Nuts that soak 4-6 hours

Here are more exceptions and instructions: pine nuts, tiny red lentils, flax seeds (not too thick), etc.  The soaking time for these is substantially less. 

1. Fill a glass jar about half full of seeds or nuts. Fill the rest of the jar with water--purified or tap water.

2. Let the jar sit on the counter, uncovered, overnight about 4-6 hours.

3. Pour the soaked seeds through a strainer, over the sink then use the sprayer or faucet to rinse them thoroughly. If you need to dry them, drain them on a paper towel.

4. Use the seeds immediately in your salads and recipes, or use them to dehydrate. These seeds are time sensitive. Try to use only what you need now so you don’t have leftovers. They don’t store well because of their delicate nature.

 

Soaking Larger Nuts

Yet more exceptions and instructions: almonds, Brazil nuts, filberts, walnuts, pecans, all large raw nuts need 48 hours soaking time to germinate and sprout. You may not see any outward tail, but you will notice the outward growth and swelling of the nut as the germination process is going on inside. 

1. Fill a glass quart jar about half full of seeds or nuts. Fill the rest of the jar with water--purified or tap water.

2. Let the jar sit on the counter, uncovered, overnight.

3. Pour the glass jar of soaked seeds through a strainer, over the sink and use the sprayer or faucet to rinse them thoroughly. Fill the jar again with fresh water and the nuts, and once more let it sit uncovered on the counter all day.

4. Every morning and every evening repeat the same process for up to 48 hours.  These nuts germinate in the water and not in the trays.

 

Opened nuts like walnuts and pecans will be ready in 24 hours. All other large nuts like almonds, need 48 hours to germinate. Make sure to thoroughly rinse the nuts before refilling the jar with water and allowing it to sit on the counter.  You will notice a dark residual coming off the sides of the nuts, combined with the phytic acid coating and accumulating on the bottom of the jar. This residual needs to be rinsed thoroughly twice a day, for the successful germination of the nut. If you don’t rinse twice a day, you may notice a rotten smell coming from the jar and the nuts will begin to go bad.

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Note: Do not eat a sprouted nut, seed or grain that smells rotten or that is slimy. Throw it away and start over.

As you practice, remember to properly rinse your sprouts. If sprouts are left unattended for too long, they will spoil. Don’t try to save the spoiling sprouts; you might get food poisoning.  Just start over.  The more you practice, the more you get used to caring for your sprouts.

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Sprouts have taken a bad rap because the process of commercially germinating, growing, and getting sprouts to market on a timely schedule is almost impossible. As a result of too much time in hot trucks or refrigerated transportation, and mild refrigeration in stores, store-bought sprouts can have salmonella. You are better off growing your sprouts at home. There you can watch every stage, taste them often, and monitor their freshness. Start by adding them to some of the meals you make. This step alone will provide added nutrition and enzymes to any cooked, enzyme-deficient meal.

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Sprouts are wonderful when added to your favorite sandwich.  There are many kinds of breads you can use.  Sprouted yeast breads are light and fluffy like the breads that are traditionally eaten.  Sprouted Manna Breads are just ground-up wheat sprouts cooked at lower temperatures with no yeast and are dense and moist and usually eaten as open faced sandwiches.  There are sprouted wheat tortillas, pita pocket breads, and all sorts of breads made with flours, but one of the healthiest breads for your body system is the Manna bread that you can make out of your own sprouted grains, right in your own kitchens.  (See Chapter 8)

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Whatever bread you choose, sprouts balance out acidity that the yeast breads create.  You can make a healthy sandwich and pack it full of vegetables, avocados if you like, lots of sprouts and season them with any of the dressings in Chapter 13.  You will love these sandwiches.

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Most of us have spent a lot of money and time making sure we store plenty of grains, seeds and beans for a rainy day. So why wait? Let’s start using what we have on hand and integrate these super foods into our day-to-day life. As we rotate and use older grains, seeds and nuts, we bring added life to our meals. 

Bring these foods you have stored to life, and bring life to your cells--today!

 

Recipes

 

Fast Sprouted Pocket Sandwiches 

Open 1- whole wheat pita bread (or any bread you like)

Smear the sides with your favorite mustard and/or Veganaise (available in the fridge section of the Health Food Store)

Fill pocket with lentil sprouts or other sprouts

Add 1 sliced tomato (optional)

Avocado slices (optional)

Sprinkle with “Spike Seasoning” and use one of “Vicki’s Dressings”

Eat with a large “greens” salad

Enjoy with a napkin!

 

 

Vegan Potato Salad with Sprouts

Baking potatoes, baked, cooled and chopped, with the skins on.

Add:

1 small onion, chopped (optional)

7-8 sweet or dill pickles, chopped (or ½ C sweet relish)

Moisten with Veganaise 

Favorite Mustard (to taste)

1-2 cup of favorite sprouts, such as: lentils, garbanzo beans, peas, mung beans, etc.

Season with “Real Salt” and pepper (to taste)

Mix and let sit in refrigerator to season.

Serve over a bed of alfalfa sprouts and a large ‘greens’ salad.

 

4-Bean Salad (Cooked Version)

2 cans each green beans, yellow wax beans, garbanzo beans, and kidney beans (you can fresh cook the green and yellow beans if you like, use about 2 cups each fresh beans)

1 large red onion, sliced

1 green pepper and 1 red pepper, sliced thin (optional)

2 cups sprouted lentils, peas, garbanzo beans, adzuki beans, mung beans, etc.

Marinade Sauce:

1 cup cold pressed oil

¾ cup raw apple cider vinegar

¾ cup raw honey 

Spike, “Real Salt” and pepper (to taste)

Marinate 8 hours in the fridge.

 

Sprouted Bean Salad (Raw Version)

Follow marinade sauce recipe for 4 Bean Salad.  

Add:

Sprouted green and red lentils, garbanzo beans, sprouted or fresh peas, adzuki beans, mung beans, etc.

2 cups each of fresh raw uncooked green beans and yellow wax beans, thinly French-cut sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 red and green pepper, thinly sliced 

Mix. Marinate for at least 3 hours. This recipe can also be made with the sprouted beans and the Marinade Sauce without the veggies.

Remember marinating breaks down foods to either tenderize them or blend flavors.  Marinated salads will only last 2-3 days before the vinegar starts to break them down.  Try to manage your leftovers to be eaten within 2-3 days.  Remember to always eat these marinated salads over a big bed of ‘greens’, for the utmost nutrition being carried to the body.  (See Chapter 13)

 

Creamy French Sprouted Dressing

In blender add:

1 cup of cold pressed oil

½ cup of apple cider vinegar

¼ cup of Kikkoman Soy Sauce or Nama Shoyu (raw soy sauce)

a 6 second squirt of ketchup

a 2 second squirt of mustard

2 Tb. raw honey

3 stalks celery

½ red Pepper

¼ small onion

1 sprig Rosemary (optional)

1 clove fresh garlic

1-2 cups red lentil sprouts

Juice of 1 lemon

Blend until smooth. Keeps in the fridge for about a week.

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You can add any kind of sprout to this recipe.  Because the sprouts are full of assimilable protein, this dressing is more protein packed than others.  Weight lifters, athletes, pregnant and nursing mothers, children, and older persons will find this dressing satisfying as well as sufficient in fulfilling some of the protein needs you may have.  It is delicious when the Lemon Tahini Dressing (See Chapter 13) is used with it.  Mixing and matching flavors is what brings variety and passion to the salad meals.