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Are you looking for food that helps you feel better with more energy? What if I told you that there is a whole group of foods you can grow in your own kitchen any time of the year, that can change the way you look at your diet. I am talking about sprouts. They are easy to grow (rinse one time morning and evening), are a super-food, and whenever I add them to my meals, I am full for a long time. Think about the difference when you eat processed or fast food and food that is nutrient dense. Not only do you feel better with more energy, you don’t need to eat as much.
Food Deserts
Have you ever watched documentaries about food deserts, and began to think of ways to solve this problem. While in nursing school, we had projects in communities that had fast food restaurants and convenient stores galore, but no true grocery stores. In some of those areas, organizations would come in and teach residents how to plant community gardens so that they could harvest their own produce. This is a wonderful skill to learn, and a great project to get kids involved in. Some kids are much more likely to eat food they helped grow, or helped prepare. Growing your own sprouts is an even better way to get fresh produce in areas where it is rare, and couldn’t be easier to grow.
Why is sprouting good for those who live in a food desert? Sprouting is inexpensive, simple to learn, no green thumb or sun required, and the end product is delicious and easy to add to any meal. They are also very healthy. According to a John Hopkins University study, broccoli sprouts contain 10-100 times more cancer protective chemicals than mature broccoli.
If you don’t have wide mouth mason jars at home, I would recommend purchasing some for food storage. This is what I use for growing sprouts. With the purchase of screens for the jars, as well as stands, this is all the equipment you need. With an investment of $1 per screen and $2 per stand, and using jars I already had at home, I purchased my seeds. To be the most successful in my sprouting journey, I decided to purchase seeds specifically for sprouting. After reading The Sprout Book, by Doug Evans, I chose Sproutman, and True Leaf Market to purchase my seeds. Depending on the size of the seed, some packages of seeds you purchase for $10 may produce 7-10 quarts of sprouts or more. At the store, sprouts cost between $3-5 per pint.
How Easy is Sprouting?
Once you have your sprouting seeds, the process from seed to sprout includes just a few steps.
- Add the seeds to a jar topped with a screen and rinse the seeds a couple times.
- Soak in water for the amount of time specific to your seeds (4-12 hours).
- Empty the water and invert the jar on the stand, using a plate and paper towel to catch any residual water.
- Rinse the seeds twice a day and watch them grow.
- Once the sprouts have grown to the desired length, replace the screen with a lid and put in the refrigerator. The sprouts last for about a week.
Are Sprouts Healthy?
The Sprout Book has a wonderful bibliography with research articles covering each type of sprout as well as different nutrients and health benefits of sprouts. Each sprout is packed with different nutrients. When you grow different varieties at the same time, it’s easy to combine them on your plate to add to your nutrient dense meal.
An advantage of sprouting at home is that you can have fresh produce year round. Think about going to the grocery store in the winter, and seeing that the fresh produce comes from miles away. Because you grow sprouts at home, you can be assured of their freshness if eaten within a week. When I purchase them from the store, I examine them carefully to make sure they are fresh.
According to an article in the The Journal of Functional Foods, the sprouting process increases the digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates and also improves the availability of vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds for our bodies to absorb. Phenolic compounds are antioxidants that neutralize free radicals, reducing oxidative stress. The sprouting process also reduces the anti-nutrients that many nuts, seeds and vegetables have such as phytates, tannins, and oxalates, making the nutrients more available for absorption. Sprouts also improve the richness of the gut microbiome.
Undeniably Delicious Sprout Wraps
As you look at this recipe, I invite you to look in your refrigerator at the things you enjoy that could also be included in this wrap. Don’t limit yourself to my ingredients. Do you have smoked salmon, chicken or beef in your refrigerator? Add it to the wrap. Do you love beets and mushrooms? Add them to the wrap. Consider adding a variety of summer greens when making your wrap. The most nutritious and flavorful produce changes every season. Not only will seasonal produce taste the best, they may also be more economical. Better yet, learn to grow your own seasonal produce.
Serves 2 people
Ingredients
Wrap of choice – Butter, bib, Boston lettuce, collard leaves, medium tortilla shells
1 mango cut in thin slices
1 medium carrot, shredded
4 slices of prosciutto, cut in slices
1 cup mixed sprouts
2 green onions, sliced
3 radishes cut into matchsticks
Juice from ½ lemon, zest removed
Flaky salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Green Pea Avocado Cream (recipe follows)
Instructions
If using collard leaves, blanch in boiling salted water for 30-60 seconds. Remove and place in ice water. This helps retain the color and make them more pliable for wrapping. Lay the leaf flat on a cutting board and remove the thick stem.
On your wrap of choice, layer mango, carrot, prosciutto, mixed sprouts, green onions and radishes. Add the avocado cream, and drizzle with lemon juice, lemon zest and flaky salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.
Green Pea Avocado Cream
Makes about 1 ½ cups
1 large ripe avocado, chopped
½ cup (about 2 ounces) green pea sprouts
1 small zucchini (about 4 ounces) chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
In a high speed blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. (I added filtered water as needed until I got a cream texture). Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Recipes adapted from The Sprout Book, Tap into the Power of the Planet’s Most Nutritious Food, by Doug Evans
Lisa’s other recipe blogs:
Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Herb Pesto
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Yogurt & Savory Sesame Topping
About the Author: Lisa Schumacher is a graduate of NTI’s Certified Natural Food Chef program, a Registered Nurse and Holistic Practitioner. She is the owner of Lisa’s Vibrant Kitchen. She is passionate about helping people learn how to nourish themselves. Whether it’s one-on-one, or in a class setting, inspiring and teaching others how to create delicious, nutritious food is her happy place. She loves to introduce people to foods they never expected to eat. To find out more about Lisa, please send questions to Li*****************@***il.com.
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