I always thought home germination requires expensive equipment and a lot of effort. After reading ” Part – time Paleo” I decided to give it a try and guess what? Germination is really easy and cheap! With minimal effort and with just a jar you can provide your family with an ultimate vitamin boost. You can grow them year round but they are just amazing during winter. Sprouts are packed with nutrients and provide more vitamins and minerals than actual vegetables.
Why sprouts are so great?
Germination rapidly increases the levels of vitamins and enzymes. Sprouts are more nutritious than mature plants. Broccoli sprouts for instance have 100 times higher levels of cancer fighting compounds than broccoli heads! You can read more here.
Allergies to grains and legumes.
Dr. Paul Pitchford claims that people allergic to grains or legumes generally can eat sprouts. Germination pre- digest nutrients in seeds, which makes them easier to metabolize further. Sprouts are no longer grains or legumes, they are plants like lettuce so they are safe for those with allergies. They are also paleo friendly. I have successfully grown buckwheat, green lentils and chickpeas. I could not germinate white beans and millet but will be experimenting with mung beans because it supposed to be the yummiest of all sprouts! I want to grow sunflower and almond sprouts too.
Let’s do it!
Step1
Soak seeds to wake them up. Cover the seeds completely with plenty of fresh, cool water and leave from 6h (grains) to 12h (legumes).
Step 2
After soaking, drain water but keep moist and place seeds in a clean jar (they should be laying on one side for more even distribution). Rinse and drain 2-3 times a day.
Step 3
After your seeds have sprouted, continue to rinse and drain regularly so at least in the morning and in the evening. Depending on what you are germinating it can take from 3 to 5 days for sprouts to reach the desired length.
Step 4
Store in the fridge for 5-7 days. Remember to drain them and pat with a towel so they won’t go bad. I keep mine in a ceramic bowl covered with a plate or in a jar.
Tips
Rinse or pick off seed skins to prevent rotting. I never had problems with lentils or buckwheat but I think that my failure with white beans could have something to do with the skins not being removed. Place your sprouting seeds in a bowl and cover with plenty of water. Move them with your hand so the skins will fall off and you can easily take them out. Place the drained seeds back in the jar.
Serving sprouts to kids
According to Dr Paul Pitchford sprouts should be cooked before eaten. This is especially true for those who tend to get cold and are of a fragile built. Those who are seldom cold, energetic and of strong built can enjoy raw sprouts.
You can serve sprouts in soups, sauces with plenty vegetables, omelets or in a bread! I make a buckwheat bread and will share recipe soon! It’s best to add sprouts 10 minutes before the soup or sauce is ready and just before you add eggs to the pan. It’s a common practice in China and they rarely eat raw sprouts.
Hope I convinced you to sprout at home!
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