Shebang shebang to the 2nd day of the Vegan challenge. If you want to follow along on my 5 Day Vegan Twitter coaching, all you have to do is follow me and/or search #5DaysVegan
While we’re on the topic of vegan sources of protein (we weren’t on the topic actually but it always comes up), I thought I would dig back into my archives to talk about sprouts. Sprouts are super powered foods. SUPER! And one of the many benefits is that when we sprout seeds and beans into sprouts, we are beginning the germinating process- getting her ready to grow into a mighty plant all on its own. This means that a whole heap of nutrition get concentrated into the little itty bitty sprout. In addition to loads of enzymes and minerals we also get P-R-O-T-E-I-N. Protein! And protein in the form of amino acids which essentially means the goods are already broken down into their simplest form already, thus increasing our absorption and usage.
Hello? Can you say vegan protein winner!
What can you do with sprouts? Why do people still ask me this. The answer, of course, is eat them! Eat them in wraps, eat them on salads, eat them as a snack, cook them into soups or mix in raw, eat, eat, eat.
I know you love this sprouting video, mainly because I use the word ‘spermy’ so I will offer it again, and down below I have offered an even easier sprouting method that I recently discovered.
The Easy Sprouting Method For Beans, Lentils and Peas
- Soak bean/seed of choice overnight (I like lentils, chickpeas, mung beans)
- Rinse thoroughly in a sieve
- Leave bean of choice in the sieve over a bowl
- Rinse beans/seeds twice per day, once in the morning, once in the evening
- Watch them sprout away!
If you have a fine enough sieve you can use regular sprouting seeds too, like broccoli, alfala or my fave sandwich booster. Chances are you have a sieve in your kitchen so that makes this method easy peezy.
For more on the other method and further health benefits, check out this past post of mine.
And if you are looking for some mail order sprouting seeds, check out these goodies!
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I’ve got my little sprouter going all winter long. My husband thinks I’m nuts for grabbing a huge handful of sprouts to much on but really, isn’t that better than a cracker? Love my sprouts!
Can you buy bulk dried beans and sprout them or do you have to buy those mixes that are specifically meant for sprouting?
Make sure they’re organic and you’re good.
Great timing! Last week I started a jar of sprouts – a protein mix from cultures for health. I soaked them overnight in a mason jar with a sprouting lid. And twice a day I’ve been rinsing and draining. But they don’t look right. They look at bit slimy and ‘old’. Did I keep them too wet? I haven’t tried them yet. Yesterday I took them out of the mason jar and just into a little colander. What do you think?
When in doubt- toss them out. You have to make sure they drain well. And if you want to check- smell them. You’ll know if they’re off.
Hi Meghan, can you tell (show) us how to grow pea shoots. I find them really hard to find in stores.
Hi Dori, I just planted sunflower sprouts but have yet to venture to pea shoots only because I haven’t found the seeds. So for sunflower sprouts, I plant them in soil, spritz them with water twice a day, keep them covered in plastic to create a little greenhouse environment and out pop the sprouts. Will do a vid soon!
Those are gorgeous. I grow sprouts all winter too. I especially like broccoli and clover sprouts, but they are all good!
Hi Meghan,
This video is how I found you. I was looking for info about sprouting and there you were! I’ve been sprouting seeds and following you since then. (Wow, that makes me sound like a stalker, doesn’t it?) How cool that you posted your video again.
Laurie
PS Will be trying pea shoots soon. Will try to let your know how it goes.
Those is by far the easiest sprouting instructions i’ve ever seen! I know hat I’ll be buying tomorrow, lentils for sprouting! i can’t believe how much i’ve been enjoying being a vegan so far (writing about it tomorrow)!
Dear Meghan,
I’ve just recently discovered your website and it’s COOL!.. I’ve tried the garlic cure. It was pretty interesting, my breath did smell bad for a little while, but luckily no one mentioned anything in the office.. :p Anyway, I have a question, I am trying to sprout chia seeds. Can I still use the same method you mentioned with the sieve? I’ve just soaked them overnight yesterday, rinsed them today, but they are really sticky to each other. Would the seeds sprout?
Thanks!! Keep up your great posts and it’s great to have such a good resource on eating healthy. Thank you!
Chia seeds have a mucilage property to them- which is what makes the slime. Soaking them increases the digestibility but they won’t sprout a tail like lentils or alfalfa
I just adore sprouts, but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to actually sprouting things myself. Never tried beans though- Perhaps that could shake off my ambivalence towards the process!
I absolutely LOVE your site! You make it easy for anyone to begin a life-long process of healthy living… Keep it coming!
[...] Punk Kitchen and RecipeZaar), broccoli sprouts (sprouted on my own from seed, using the method in this great video from ‘Making Love in the Kitchen’), chopped cucumbers and [...]
[...] pulp to make the most amazing raw crackers. Then, in our minds, we see ourselves munching on our home grown sprouts, while our liver sings us love songs and our intestines wave their celebratory fibre flags of [...]
Sprouting is so easy to do. I try to convert everyone I meet to the joys of sprouting!
Love that! And hope all is well with you- haven’t heard from you in a while!