Looking to eat organic and local this winter? Start Sprouting!
Posted on Dec 4th, 2008 by 
indubitablymeibe
~* A glimpse into a jar of green lentils all sprouted out and delicious looking *~
So I feel like a little kid right now, for a week now I've been sprouting beans and seeds and it is the coolest most rewarding activity I've done in awhile. We came across a book called 'Sprout For the Love of Every Body' a few weeks ago, it was written 30 years ago and is a basic how to for sprouting and indoor gardening. I've read it more than once now and roughly a week ago jumped right into growing them. It's been amazing.
Root veggies make incredibly nutritious sprouted greens, hooray c
My wife Chrissy and I have been eating primarily organic for some time now and most of the summer and fall we ate as locally as possible. This winter we knew our options for nutritious fruits and vegetables was going to be limited and when we learned about sprouting the answer was quite clear that we needed to get into it. Think about it, you cannot get any more local than growing your own organic food in your house. And of course another amazing attribute to eating sprouts every day (and ideally with every meal or juiced) is that you are eating a living food. The nutritional benefits of sprouts is truly mind boggling. Between sprouted beans, seeds, and grasses you virtually need little else in your diet. They have it all, complete protein, all the essential amino acids, the good fats, and once again they're freakin' alive!
Quinoa sprouting this morning from 1/2 inch of soil in a backing
Did I mention this is really fun to do and I feel like a little kid every day seeing these things grow before my very eyes? We have been graciously reaping the harvest of a couple of different sprouted goodies already and I can tell you it truly feels good to eat food that I lovingly helped to grow. We can all be indoor gardeners this winter and when you consider the economical benefit of sprouting beans and seeds, your paying for bulk organic seeds and you will harvest several times your original purchase as you sprout 'em up.
Mung sprouts 4 days in (the classic bean sprout in asian dishes)
The steps and process to sprout is mighty simple, you can grow them in a closet or cupboard if you'd like. All you need is wide mouth glass jars, water, a screen of some sort (cheese cloth works well), and if you soak them and drain them twice a day you will be rewarded with living, organic, super foods that you grew right in your own home. Doesn't that sound wonderful?
Beet and carrot tops I started growing a week ago.
With root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes if you cut 1/4 inch or so from the leaf end and place that in some water in a dish a little below the top in about 7 to 10 days you get to clip the greens and the whole process starts right back over. You add the greens to salads or just eat them right then and there, the chlorophyll (among many nutritional goodies) is incredibly healthy for you in these, it is after all one of the primary building blocks of all life on this blessed planet. It is similar to hemoglobin so it is essentially helping your body regenerate blood cells and keep you young.
I could go on for days about how much I'm loving sprouting right now, I won't though. What I will do is lovingly encourage you to look into it yourself, go on-line and research about it or get a book on it and get right into it. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you for doing so. Remember, sprouts, like all living things responds to your energy and attitude so it is always beneficial to keep your growing environment warm, positive, and full of love.
Happy sprouting!
~Joe
~*~ Oh yeah, one more enlightening note to end on, if you sprout your beans (any and all can be sprouted) before cooking them in chili or any dish for that matter you will be delighted to know you will not have the flatulence usually accompanied with eating these foods. By sprouting your beans the gas agent is eliminated!
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Tagged with: sprouts, living food, eat local, organic, grow, fun, seeds, beans, yes
