The Sprouting Thread

[Bowwowmeow]

Sprouting Pumpkin Seeds:

I like to sprout in a simple wide-mouth glass quart jar. I have some plastic mesh used for covering the drainage holes in Bonsai pots. I cut that into circles, and use the ring part of the canning lid to secure it to the jar. You can get special tops to fit the jars, too. I like my plastic mesh better than aluminum or nylon screen. I feel that it is less toxic than the other two materials.

I take about a quarter cup of hulled, raw pumpkin seeds, put them in the jar, fill with water, and let stand over night. Drain, and rinse as many times as you can until 24 hours have elapsed since you first set the seeds to soak. Your seeds will be ready to eat, so eat them up, or put them in the fridge to stop the sprouting process.

Try reading Ann Wigmore's "The Sprouting Book". There is another one by someone called "The Sproutman", but I forget his real name.

[Oracl]

I use two commercial plastic sprouter kits. :)

I sprout mung beans, chick peas, adzuki beans, brown lentils, fenugreek seeds, radish seeds and alfalfa seeds. :hungry: I also grow wheat, for wheatgrass, to juice. :drunk:

I haven't tried sprouting pumpkin seeds, they sound yummy. We always have plenty on hand which we eat raw. :eat:

[terra]

This is awesome!

Can you use cheesecloth to cover instead of plastic mesh?

Also, I have a hard time finding raw seeds... if you buy a package of dried chickpeas (the kind that you boil to eat) is that considered raw? I have NO clue!:rolleyes:

[Oracl]

This is awesome!

Can you use cheesecloth to cover instead of plastic mesh?

Also, I have a hard time finding raw seeds... if you buy a package of dried chickpeas (the kind that you boil to eat) is that considered raw? I have NO clue!:rolleyes:
As far as I know it's 'Yes' to the cheesecloth question! :agree:

And it's 'Yes' to the dried chick peas question. :agree: The best ones for sprouting are the tiny, dark brown, organic chick peas, I have mould problems with the bigger paler ones, they seem to take too long to grow. :confused: Also chick peas need 24 hours soaking prior to sprouting compared with about 12 hours for other seeds. :dizzy: A bit of trial and error works wonders!! ;)

[Bowwowmeow]

Cheesecloth works, but I find it messy, and the plactic is more practical for me on the boat with my limited space (no room to hang wet cheesecloth to dry!). Whatever method you become comfortable with is the best way for you!

I have no trouble with larger garbanzo beans, but again, they do not grow tails and leaves. They can, but they should be eaten before they do. They are great when made into hummus. I also like to sprout sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds, all sprouts that are eaten before they get green and leafy. Sprouting any kind of bean before cooking is even better than soaking them to remove their gassy qualities. I never get gas from home-cooked beans! Also, sprouting increases the vitamin content drastically! It will also remove phytochemicals that prevent proper digestion. Lots of people who have trouble digesting nuts or beans are able to eat them sprouted without any discomfort. Sprouted nuts can then be dried in a dehydrator for storage. They become crunchy again, and are better than roasted nuts, becasue they retain more of their nutrients, and the sprouting has made them easier to digest.
Warning: if you are allergic to any nuts or seeds soaking them will make no difference to your allergy. Also, soybeans should never be eaten raw. Cook them after you sprout them.

I like to sprout grains like wheat, rye, and barley. Sprouted wheat grains can be processed with a Champion juicer, for example, and made into bread dough. Hulled buckwheat is good to sprout too, and makes a tasty salad. Any sprouted grains will need less time to cook, if you want to cook them, but they are tasty, sweet, and chewy when eaten as they are.
All of the above grains, beans, and seeds are sprouted without being allowed to grow leaves. Leafy green sprouts are good too, but usually are sprouted from different kinds of seeds. Getting sunflower seeds, for example, to leafy green stages is more complicated, and requires unhulled seeds.

You can sprout any dried beans you can get in the grocery store. If you have a Wholefoods market near you, you can get all kinds of bulk raw nuts and seeds, both hulled and unhulled. Otherwise, you can get them online. I don't have any links, because where I live I can get anything I want to sprout at markets nearby. Sprouting is such a good way to have inexpensive, fresh, nutritious food. It takes a little practice to get familiar with, but it is worth it to learn how! :eat:

[Oracl]

Sprouting is such a good way to have inexpensive, fresh, nutritious food. It takes a little practice to get familiar with, but it is worth it to learn how!
:agree: Definitely.

I like my sprouts best when they are just sprouted, not left to grow too long. We have them each day for lunch as part of a salad. :hungry: :eat:

[Rainbow]

I've got a sprouting book to but after the initial enthusiasm, I've become a little lack lustre, since I do all the watering etc and the other two do most of the chomping - but never start growing any themselves!

[thevegantwins]

Wish me luck. I bought a sprouting jar at the health food store the other day (only $3.45 for a large one) and I'm now attempting to sprout chickpeas (garbanzos). If they sprout, I'm going to make hummus from them as I sometimes treat myself to a raw hummus from the health food store that I love. Unforunately, my tahini isn't raw but at least the beans will be! :yea: If it works, I'm going to buy a few more of those jars since I never see them and I'll be one, fine, sprouting mama!

[Oracl]

Good luck, TVT. :blackcat: (That's a lucky black cat for you!) ;)

[thevegantwins]

Awww, I have baby chickpea sprouts now. They're so cute.

Stupid Sprouting Question of the Day:

I know the sprout part is edible but do you eat the bean as well?

[Delicious]

Yes! Eat the whole thing :) I'm so happy you were able to sprout them! (Chickpeas can be challenging!).

[thevegantwins]

:tantrum:
My chickpea sprouts were rotten. I went to make sprouted chickpea hummus last night and the sprouts smelled like Port Newark (New Jersey is a very polluted state and has some malodorous areas :grouch:). I had to throw the batch out and had to bag the trash because the apartment started stinking.
:blecch:

:( I really wanted to sprout chickpeas. I soaked them for 24 hours then rinsed them twice a day for 4 days. Maybe that was too long?

[Oracl]

I too have had this problem, TVT. :blecch: I only have success with one particular type of chickpea, all the others go smelly! I buy a variety that is really tiny, dark brown and organic and get good results that way. I do a 24 hour soak and let the sprout get about 1-2 cm long. It is very warm here so it takes very little time for sprouts to grow but the extreme humidity in summer is bad for sprouting and I give up on alfalfa and radish growing then! :sigh:

[thevegantwins]

I only buy organic beans but we don't have any selection when it comes to a particular variety. I've never seen dark brown chickpeas, the organic ones I buy are very light. I think I'll try mung beans next or maybe lentils. I'm not giving up!

[Oracl]

II think I'll try mung beans next or maybe lentils. I'm not giving up!
Mung beans are very easy to sprout and are ideal for those people with their sprouting "L plates"!! :infant: ;) :)

[Bowwowmeow]

I spoiled my first batch of garbanzo sprouts too vegantwins. It only takes a day or two after soaking, and I found that if I tasted one whenever I rinsed them, I was able to use them before they went bad. I have spoiled pumpkin and sesame seed sprouts too. The pumpkin seeds went all slimy and sour, and the sesame seeds went bitter. Its definitely a learn as you go process, but keep trying! :yea:

[thevegantwins]

Question about sprouting mung beans:

How do you get the green outer membrane separated from the sprout once the sprouts are ready to eat?

[Oracl]

Question about sprouting mung beans:

How do you get the green outer membrane separated from the sprout once the sprouts are ready to eat?
You don't, you eat the whole lot! :eat: :yum: (Well we do anyway! :hungry: )

[Bowwowmeow]

Try submerging the whole batch in water. The skins might float to the top, leaving the sprouts at the bottom. If the sprouts float too, then it is more difficult, but a vigorous rinsing might help.

[thevegantwins]

Here's a photo of last week's mung bean sprouts :yea:

[Bowwowmeow]

:yum: They look so nice and fresh. :hungry:

[Oracl]

Brilliant, vegantwins! :yea: I knew you could do it! ;) :D

[paul]

ive had beans etc go mould or smell nasty, i found out it was the draining them after rinsing them was the problem, ( i use a 3 tier plastic tray method) i know rinse and drain them in a sieve, takes more time but worth it.:hungry: :eat: :yum:

[thevegantwins]

I'm sprouting wheat berries right now, they should be ready tomorrow. I'm either making Essene bread or a pilaf. The recipe for Essene seems really easy, just puree the sprouted berries with a date then bake in an oven at 325F.

[Gliondrach]

What are wheat berries? The grains of wheat?

I am going to try sprouting on tissue paper. No bother with trying to drain tiny seeds.

[thevegantwins]

This (http://www.cuesforhealth.com/wheat.htm) is what a wheat berry looks like pre and post sprouted. I'm so glad I tried this. The sprouts were ready this morning so I put them in the food processor with 2 dates, a handful of pumpkin seeds and about 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and pureed the mixture until it balled up. Then I spread it out on a non-stick sheet and baked it for 20 minutes at 325F and then for an hour on 125F, flipped it then baked it again for 20 minutes at 325. Then I broke the pieces up into crackers. It is the best tasting cracker, I can't believe I made it myself without even following a recipe. I'm going to make Mock Chopped Liver (a lentil/walnut pate) to spread on it. :yum:

[paul]

looks good to me TVT( Moody Moderator):D

martin let us know if it works with tissue paper

[Gliondrach]

Good work, TVT.

Tissue paper should work. I'm sure that I grew mustard cress on some years ago.

[Fauxmage]

Yum, I love sprouted wheat! I love to just sprinkle them in salads, they are so sweet and chewy. :yum:

Those jars look just like mine! Only I make sure to use stainless steel screen in my jar tops, because aluminum is toxic, and is linked with Alzheimer's disease. I don't like using nylon screen either. If you can't find stainless steel easily, do like I did, and buy a few inexpensive strainer-baskets, and cut the screen from those.

[Oracl]

Sprouted wheat is very sweet. :agree: :yum: We also grow it longer, in trays, on soil, as wheatgrass for juicing. :drinkin:

We have just started sprouting buckwheat again. (Used to grow it ages ago.) It is rather yummy also. :agree:

[Gliondrach]

I'm sprouting some coconuts. I will sprinkle them on salads.

[Charmagne]

You are growing coconuts? Don't they only grow on trees?:confused:

[Gliondrach]

So do other seeds and nuts. I will have to be careful not to sprinkle them from too high or they might break the plate.

[paul]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Bowwowmeow]

My Step-Mom brought home a coconut sprout from Hawaii once. It was supposed to turn into a tree, but she's got a brown thumb.

[my3labs]

I can't find a sprouting jar. I've been on the phone for the last half hour and nobody carries them. I can't believe that the entire city of Seattle is without sprouting jars.
Anyway, the local health food store has the plastic lids and the gal told me that they would probably just screw onto a mason jar.
Should I try that or just buy a full set online somewhere?
I'm totally frustrated because I went to the store and bought mung beans, sunflower seeds and wheat berries.

[Fauxmage]

That's what I've got, my3labs, and I couldn't even find the plastic lids, so I cut circles out of stainless steel mesh, because I was anxious to start sprouting and didn't want to look online for "official" sprouting equipment. I keep a tray mounted on runners that slides in and out of the cabinet under the sink, a roasting rack to keep my sprouting jars draining at the proper angle, some rags underneath the rack to absorb the draining water, and I can sprout anything I want with this set up. I have half-pint, pint, and quart sized jars, because I have found that some things are better sprouted in smaller quantities for me, since I'm only sprouting for one.

[thevegantwins]

I do have an 'official' sprouting jar ($2.50 at a health food store) and I use a plastic bowl to drain it in.

I'm sprouting wheatberries again right now, I loved those last week. :yum: I wish we had more counter space so I could sprout more but it's too tight for the 4 of us in our teeny galley kitchen as is.

[my3labs]

I found one!!!! I have some wheat berries soaking right now. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and I'm excited to see how this works.

I have a question: I also purchased some mixed sandwich seeds (I think they have alfalfa, and three or four additional seeds). In the instructions of my new jar, it says to sprout the seeds overnight then to start the rinse/re-soak process for a few days. However, later in the brochure, it gives a table with seed measurements, sprout yield, growing time, etc., and in the table for the sandwich seed mix, it says the soak time is 3-4 hours. So, I'm not sure how long I'm supposed to soak those? Is it overnight or do I rinse them every 3-4 hours?

[Fauxmage]

Seed mixes can be problematic, and so I have never tried to sprout them. Find out the seed with the shortest soaking time, and follow that, to prevent them from soaking too long and going bad before the other seeds have a chance to sprout, and then do the rinsing two or three times a day.

[my3labs]

It's strange. The sprouting table lists the soak time for all of the seeds as anywhere from 3 to 8 hours.
Is the soak time the time between rinses?

[Fauxmage]

No, the soak time is the time when you put the dry seeds into the jar with water at the beginning of the sprouting process. You soak for the time indicated, then you drain, and start rinsing. In between rinses, the jars should be turned upside down, and at an angle, to allow drainage. The sprouts need air as well as water, or they will rot. They should also be kept in the dark, until they are ready to be "greened" if you are sprouting them into the leafy stage.

Ann Wigmore has a good book about sprouting, and I also like a book written by the "Sproutman", but its in storage, and I can't remember the title, or the Sproutman's real name. I do a search on it and see. :bhead: It was really helpful to me to read these books before I started sprouting.

[Fauxmage]

Here (http://www.sproutman.com/) he is. :)

[Gliondrach]

I don't have any posh equipment. I use jam jars. I soak everything for 10-12 hours. Sometimes I forget and leave things soaking for longer. I'm a rebel.

[my3labs]

My wheatberries have sprouts!!!!! They must have sprouted overnight.

Fauxmage, I can't find the book locally but I bet they'll have it at vegfest next weekend.

[my3labs]

My wheat berries have a tail that's about 1/4" in length (I started them on Friday night). From what I've been reading, they're probably done.
I also read that they need to be cooked for a bit at a very low heat.

My salad mix seems to be sprouting as well. This really doesn't take long does it.

[my3labs]

Man, these things really grow fast. They now have a tail that's about 1/2" long with the ends starting to turn green. I assume that they're about to leaf?
I ate a few tonight and they tasted good but the berries themselves seemed a bit too crunchy. I'm not sure if that's how the texture should be?
Here's what the look like:

[Fauxmage]

Mine are usually chewy and sweet. Maybe yours have gotten past that stage. They look good, though! If you are going to lightly cook them, maybe it doesn't matter that they are crunchy.

[my3labs]

I think they're done sprouting. To store them, I just make sure they're dry and store them in the fridge?

[Fauxmage]

Yes, but use them up quickly, or they'll get moldy.

[Gliondrach]

They look good. I've never tried sprouting wheat. I'll buy some at the weekend. I might even let a few stalks grow in a pot so I can have my own cornfield. Then I can make my own corn dollies.

[Charmagne]

They look good. I've never tried sprouting wheat. I'll buy some at the weekend. I might even let a few stalks grow in a pot so I can have my own cornfield. Then I can make my own corn dollies.

You can grow them right alongside the coconuts you are sprouting!:whistle:

[my3labs]

We're having stir fry for dinner so I will sprinkle them on top just before serving.
:agree:

[Bowwowmeow]

Yay!!! After a wait of several months, I finally have avocado sprouts!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/AvocadoSprout015.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/lauralb/AvocadoSprout013.jpg

:whistle: ;)

[Oracl]

Now you can grow an avocado tree! :thumbsup:

[thevegantwins]

I have a weird question. I made tabbouleh with sprouted quinoa. I've been eating it for a few days and since the tabbouleh is marinating in a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil, the quinoa keeps sprouting. I prefer it with little tails but I can't stop it. It's like a science fiction movie, the sprouts keep sprouting! :dark:

Is there anyway to stop or slow the sprouting process once you begin?

[paul]

I would have thought a fridge should slow down the process, Quinoe only takes 24 hours to sprout.

[Oracl]

Is there anyway to stop or slow the sprouting process once you begin?
I find that, after "harvesting", my sprouts keep growing in their containers in the fridge. They grow much more slowly but they definitely keep growing. The trick is to eat them all within few days and grow fresh ones. :eat: :yum:

[paul]

Hows your avocado
Bowwowmeow (http://www.thenakedvegan.net/member.php?u=2)

[thevegantwins]

I sprouted green lentils for the first time. I'm going to eat some today at lunch sprinkled on my kale, zucchini, carrot salad with raw dressing (pureed cherry tomatoes, miso, garlic, parsley, macademia nuts and pine nuts). I hope they are tasty. I might make a salad with the remaining sprouts tomorrow. I'm thinking chopped carrot, chopped zucchini, sprouts, red onion and a garlic, ume plum vinegar, olive oil dressing.

[Gliondrach]

What were they like?

[thevegantwins]

Not bad. Crunchy and very mild-tasting. I soaked them overnight on Saturday night and let them sprout until today, rinsing them twice a day.

[Oracl]

I love sprouted lentils! :) They are one of my favourite sprouts. :yum:

[thevegantwins]

I love sprouted lentils! :) They are one of my favourite sprouts. :yum:

They must taste better :updn:. I didn't particularly care for them. I prefer mung bean or soybean sprouts. Lentil sprouts had a particular taste I didn't care for. I tried making a raw lentil soup using 1/2 avocado, bunch of sprouts, garlic, carrot, lemon juice and olive oil. It was okay, not great. :s:igh:

[Gliondrach]

Has anyone had wheatgrass? Anyone tried growing it? Can you eat the grass or does it have to be juiced?

[Bowwowmeow]

Yes I've grown wheatgrass. You need a special juicer for it. You can also just chew the blades to get out the juice, and spit out the fiber.

[Gliondrach]

I might grow some. Along with my other crops.