This time last year I discovered this forum, took the advice of some of the people here, and ordered from Gourmet Garlic Gardens. I ordered only one variety, Music, and had 100% germination from beautiful big cloves. So far the few that I've harvested have been small, but I'm hopeful that once they become acclimated, I'll have larger bulbs over the next couple of years. Just today, I ordered a mixture of bulbs from the same company. They are a little pricey, but the return that you get over time is so worth it. Good luck, everyone. Chris Here is a link that might be useful: Gourmet Garlic Gardens

I've been sprouting lentils the last couple days. Sprouting increases the nutrition and lowers the carbohydrates. Later this morning I'm making 2 batches of Sprouted Lentil-Oat Waffles to put in the freezer. I'm also making a pan of Lentil Granola Bars (we're expecting a winter storm later today, so they may be greatly appreciated if the electricity goes out). I also use sprouted lentils in salads, stir-fry, tacos, in chili as a substitute for beans.... If there are any sprouted lentils leftover I'll dehydrate them. They cook really quickly when they've been sprouted and dried. I also spice them up before dehydrating (Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle is a favorite) and eat them as a snack food. That's a lot of good eating for a $1 a pound lentils. -Grainlady Lentil Granola Bars Mix together: 2/3 c. unsweetened coconut 2 c. quick oats 1/2 c. pecans (coarsely chopped) 1/3 c. cacao nibs 1 c. palm sugar (or brown sugar) 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips Add: 3/4 c. sprouted lentil puree 1/2 c. melted coconut oil 1 egg, beaten 1 t. vanilla Spread in jelly roll pan. Bake in a preheated 300-degree F oven 30-minutes, or until lightly browned. Cut with bench knife while warm. ---------------------------------------------------- Sprouted Lentil-Oat Waffles Soak overnight: 1 c. water + 2 T. whey/kefir/yogurt/buttermilk (your choice) 3/4 c. oats (quick or old-fashioned) Add: 1/2 c. sprouted lentils and blend. (I soak the oat mixture in the Magic Bullet Blender container and add the lentils and blend.) In a bowl add the lentil mixture and: 1/2 T. coconut oil 1 T. vanilla 1/2 T. agave nectar or coconut nectar 1/4 t. salt 2 T. chia seeds (optional) 1/4 c. whey protein isolate Mix well. I use 1/4 c. of this mixture per waffle (thin, 4-hearts waffle maker) because that's the size waffles that will fit into my toaster for reheating. These are great with peanut butter on them for a high-protein breakfast. Here is a link that might be useful: 3 dishes from Sprouted Lentils

Proudmama: Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for in a light maple. Puppy farms? Egads, just another category of purchases to feel guilty about.... I can't buy anything from China without a twinge of guilt either.... Ellen: Thanks for the insight into Amish business practices. I'm glad they've found a way to survive and still hold their belief system together. I admire those people for their lifestyle and discipline. Thanks again for all of the replies!

Here's one of the recipes I promised. When I pulled out my cookbooks, I realized that I could only remember one of the recipes that I've made before. I know I've made one from my soup cookbook, but I couldn't remember which one it was, so I'm only posting the one I remember. This one I made recently, with some changes to use what I had on hand at the time, and both my DH, who isn't wild about lentils, and I enjoyed it. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison Red Lentil Soup with Lime 2 cups split red lentils, picked over and rinsed several times 1 tablespoon turmeric 4 tablespoons butter Salt 1 large onion, finely diced, about 2 cups 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds or 1 teaspoon ground mustard (I just plain forgot this, but I didn't notice it missing) 1 bunch chopped cilantro, about 1 cup Juice of 3 limes or to taste 1 large bunch spinach leaves, chopped into small pieces (I used mostly French Sorrel, with the little bit of spinach that I had on hand mixed in.) 1 cup cooked rice (I subbed quinoa, since I had some leftover from a previous meal) 4 to 6 tablespoons yogurt Put the lentils in a soup pot with 2 1/2 quarts water, the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes. puree for a smooth and nicer-looking soup. (An immersion blender is a great plus here.) While the soup is cooking, prepare the onion flavoring: In a medium skillet over low heat, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter with the cumin and mustard, stirring occasionally. When soft, about the time the lentils are cooked or after 15 minutes, add the cilantro and cook for a minute more. Add the onion mixture to the soup, then add the juice of 2 limes. Taste, then add more if needed to bring up the flavors. The soup should be a tad sour. Just before serving, add the last tablespoon of butter to a wide skillet. When foamy, add the spinach, sprinkle with salt, and cook just long enough to wilt. If the rice is warm, lace a spoonful in each bowl. If itÂs leftover rice, add it to the soup and let it heat through for a minute. Serve the soup, divide the spinach among the bowls, and swirl in a spoonful of yogurt. (For this last part, I didn't want to fool with putting the greens into the individual bowls, so I just stirred them into the soup just before serving. I did do the sautee thing with them, though, and had the yogurt out for us to add to our bowls to taste. Sally