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Lino and Jane Stanchich, Licensed Nutritionists
Sprouting is easy, nutritious and fun!
The proof that grains, beans, and seeds are alive with vital energy is that they sprout! 2000-year-old seeds have germinated and grown. So strong is a plant’s quest for reproduction that they burst with new life when given the chance. Sprout! Each day you will have new growth to watch and soon...delicious, nutritious veggies to eat, making this a fun Kitchen Garden for the whole family.
Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than in cooked fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are special proteins that act as catalysts, which spark all your body
functions. Sprouting greatly improves the absorption of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids/proteins and makes beans very easy to digest. (No gas!)
Our recipe for bean sprouting is easy and fun for the entire family. All ages will delight when they see the little sprout “tails” appear. Sampling the crunchy, moist sprouts will be delightful!
BELOW ARE THE SIMPLE STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
BEAN SPROUT POWER FOOD
• 1/4 cup organic aduki beans, mung beans, or chickpeas, rinsed twice.
• Sort (remove broken or discolored beans) and rinse.
• Drain beans using a strainer.
• Clean a quart glass jar in the dishwasher or with boiling water.
• Place beans in the clean glass quart jar.
• Cover beans with warm (not hot) filtered or spring water.
• LID: Cover the jar with cheesecloth secured with a rubber band or a sprout lid.
• Leave for 12 hours, open lid and carefully strain off water using a strainer.
• Rinse beans with fresh good water; do not soak.
• Carefully drain the rinse water into the sink.
• Replace lid. Place jar upside down in a saucer on your kitchen counter out of direct sun. Empty saucer if it fills with water.
• Twice a day, in the morning and at night, open the jar and rinse the sprouts with fresh water and drain.
• Return lid.
• Gently flip the sprout jar once or twice daily to separate and air out sprouts.
• Then place jar upside down on the saucer. Repeat daily.
• Sprouts will begin to form.
• In two or three days, the beans will grow little “tails.”
• With a fork, remove and taste one bean and see if it is tender. (Avoid putting hands in the jar.)
• If the bean is tender, the sprouts are ready to eat. Continue rinsing daily until most beans are sprouted.
• Open lid. Drain. Shake gently. Add no more water.
• Set sprouts in a sunny place for an hour to bring out the chlorophyll and green color.
• Cover sprouts with an air-tight lid and refrigerate in the same jar.
• Shake daily to separate and air sprouts.
• Use fork or chopsticks when removing sprouts to keep them sanitary. Eat within 3-5 days.
Enjoy sprouts on salads, sandwiches, wraps and as snacks.
Eco-idea: Save any draining water and use on your garden.
THE BENEFITS OF SPROUTING
1. The vitamin content of some grains and beans multiplies dramatically up to 20 times the original value within only a few days of sprouting.
2. The quality of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when they are sprouted.
3. The fiber content of the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains increases substantially during sprouting.
4. Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than cooked fruits and vegetables.
5. The essential fatty acid content grows during the sprouting process.
6. During sprouting, minerals bind to the proteins in the seed, grain, nut, or bean, making them more useable in the body.
7. Sprouts are the ultimate locally-grown food because you grow them in your own kitchen!
8. Sprouts are an alkalizing influence to the body helping us avoid many diseases that are linked to excess acidity.
9. Sprouts are an inexpensive and delicious addition to your diet.
10. Sprouting is a fun and educational family experience.
NOTE: In a future batch, you may want to increase the quantity of beans that you sprout, after you see how this recipe fills the jar with sprouts. However, avoid over-filling and crowding the sprouts.
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