Sprouts? Sprouts!

I looked to see if there was a thread dedicated to sprouts, and couldn't find one. Now, I'm certain that I'm not the only person here growing sprouts this Winter.

Thanks to sprouts I can grow fresh veg 365 days a year, without resorting to grow lights and other such costly tech. Just spare glassware, seeds, and water. How neat is that?

As always, I advocate cooking sprouts for food safety reasons.

Here are some things I've been sprouting lately,

Buckwheat - Nice neutral flavor, not overpowering.

Corn - Semi sweet taste with a distinct corn flavor.

Radish - Spicy!

Fenugreek - Sprouting this now, have yet to taste.

So, what are you folks sprouting?

I'm not sprouting at the moment, but in the past I've sprouted:
- Lentils
- Mung beans (some didn't even soften and remained rock hard, which was unpleasant)
- Peas
- Fennel seeds
- Dill seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Radish seeds

One thing I learned was to sprout different things separately, not mixed, because they sprout and grow at different rates.

If you soak mung in hot water for half an hour they seem to germinate very evenly. The same for chickpeas, adzuki and lentils which we sprout as a mix. Half an hour hot water then up to 12 hours cold soaking before going under an automatic sprinkler.

Dylan, I thought I was the only one here who did much sprouting.  I have always wondered why there is not more discussion.  I usually sprout mine in the winter for making chow mein and having some "fresh produce".

There are several folks here that do microgreens

Here is a thread about sprouting:

https://permies.com/t/60049/kitchen/seeds-sprouting-grocery-store

There are some concerns about sprouting beans (pulses) as the sprouts must be cooked due to poisons.  There are several threads here about that concern,  I see that you advocate cooking sprouts for food safety reasons.

I like your list and everyone's as I see some I might try.  I usually do mung beans and pinto beans.  Corn, radish and dill sound like some I will have to try.

So what are some good ways to eat sprouts other than salad and chow mein?

I used to make a lot of sprouts, but have moved onto making microgreens instead. It's about the same amount of work (you do need sun or a grow light though), but I enjoy the flavor of microgreens more. I tend to favor the spicy ones — radish and mustard seeds — but aromatic herbs like basil can be really nice in the right meals. I like to use mine to add some greens to simple breakfasts and lunches. They do really well with potato & rice based dishes, adding a nice bright flavor to the meal.

I do mostly fenugreek and lentils and I always stir fry them. I think it is beacuse we all know that sprouts can be a bit yuck and I think it is better for our tummies.
Sally FAllon mentions that alfaalfa sprouts are not good but she does not give a reason, do you know why?

" If you have a strong, healthy immune system, eating raw sprouts shouldn’t be a problem.  If you’re worried or have a compromised immune system, be sure to eat thoroughly-cooked sprouts and avoid raw or slightly-cooked ones. When dining out, hold the sprouts and be wary pre-made salads and sandwiches which contain them ."

"The FDA categorizes sprouts as a potentially hazardous food, which means they can carry illness-causing food bugs. Does this mean you should steer clear of them? Not necessarily."

" Good?  Raw sprouts like alfalfa, clover, radish, onion and mung bean add color, texture and flavor to dishes. They can be enjoyed cold in sandwiches and salads or warm in stir-fries.
Sprouts are also a nutrient-dense food. One cup of alfalfa sprouts has a mere 8 calories and is a good source of vitamin K. It also provides a slew of other nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, folate, copper and manganese."


"Bad? Over the past 16 years, there have been at least 30 reported illness outbreaks associated with raw or lightly cooked sprouts. Most of the outbreaks were caused by E. Coli or salmonella. In these outbreaks, the seed was typically the source of the bacteria. Although there are various approved treatments to destroy harmful bacteria on seeds and testing is done during sprouting, there’s no guarantee that all the bacteria will be destroyed."

"Think homegrown is safer? Not necessarily. Even if the sprouts are grown under sanitary conditions in your own home, the source of the bacteria is in the seed itself. The bacteria will happily multiply while the seed is sprouting."

http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/2012/05/raw-sprouts-good-or-bad

Anne Miller wrote:

So what are some good ways to eat sprouts other than salad and chow mein?

I've enjoyed sprouts as an addition in omelettes. Pan fried until soft, they are also a nice addition to hot sandwiches and as a topping for hamburgers.

There's an open faced sandwich, where a piece of bread is toasted, smeared with lard, and pan fried sprouts are added as a topping. Sprouts are a nice addition to many soups. I find them especially good in soups where there aren't a large number of other vegetables present in the soup. Pair them with other fine flavored and low fiber herbs and vegetables, such as chives, in a thin broth to create a delicate noodle soup. Use them as a topping for pasta dishes, where chewier and more fibrous veggies would be a distraction from the main dish.

Angelika Maier wrote:

sally fallon mentions that alfaalfa sprouts are not good but she does not give a reason, do you know why?

Could it have something to do with how small the seeds are?

I find that with most sprouts, there is not 100% shedding of the seed coat from the cotyledons, which translates to manual removal when processing. It would be a nightmare to have to manually remove so many tiny inedible/unpalatable seed coats if they don't come off or wash out on their own.

It's for this reason that I exclusively sprout larger seeds. It's also why my favorite thing to sprout is corn, since the shoot is so easily seperated from the roots and the attached seed.

In my opinion, anything with tiny seeds is best suited for growing as microgreens, where the seed coat is removed by friction as the cotyledons emerge.

I did once get some sprouted peanuts from my local supermarket, they were absolutely amazing. looking like overgrown mung beans but with a slight peanut taste. I very occasional sprout mung beans, but in general I'm not organised enough to keep washing them so they tend to end up forgotten and slimy. Not nice.