Fresh Greens

No, I didn’t cheat and run into town for lettuce.  And no, we don’t have a heated greenhouse (oh how I wish we did).  We have sprouts! 

Paul started Mung bean and alfalfa sprouts several days ago.  I’d like to look into getting some other type of seeds for sprouting, but now that I think about it, wheat can be sprouted & we’ve got plenty of that.  Guess I’ll do that today.

I wish I could remember to make sprouts more often; I really need to just keep a running note on my calendar saying “Make Sprouts”.  Not only are they a good source of fresh greens, they are easy!  Just stick ‘em in a jar, cover them with water for a day.  The second day you drain the water, rinse & drain & put them on the countertop.  Keep rinsing / draining at least once a day until they look yummy, usually about 5 – 6 days.  Nice & technical, hugh? 

Sprouted Mung Beans

Here’s a list of some of the seeds / beans you can sprout:

Alfalfa, Amaranth, Barley, Broccoli, Caulifower, Celery, Corn, Dill, Fenugreek, Lentils, Lettuce, Millet, Mung beans, Oats, Onion, Parsley, Peanut, Pumpkin, Radish, Rice, Rye, Sesame, Squash, Wheat.

You won’t be able to sprout your typical white rice from the store as it’s been processed & really isn’t a “seed” anymore.  Same thing goes for peas & lentils that are usually split.  Other seeds made for planting may also have pesticides or herbicides sprayed on them.  You’re better off buying seeds specifically grown for sprouting and eating.

There are some seeds that you should not sprout as they can be poisonous or just downright bad for your inner workings.  Anything from the Nightshade family is a no-no.  This includes tomatoes, potatoes and peppers.  Slips, sprouts, leaves & vines are toxic. Please do some research of your own as I’m definitely not a horticulturist or culinary wizard.

Once my sprouts are ready, I rinse them to get some of the seed/bean hulls off, drain them & store them in the fridge.  They will keep anywhere from a few days to up to a week.  I use the sprouts in my scrambled eggs, breads, salads, stir-fry, and on sandwiches in lieu of lettuce leaves.  Or Rhainnon just eats them "as is".

Mmmmm.....Crunchy!