We sprout quite a bit. Our favorite mix is equal parts alfalfa, clover, fenugreek, and radish.

When the garden is in full swing I don't do as much sprouting, but in the colder months sprouts, micro-greens and wheatgrass are our main source for "fresh", enzyme rich food - along with fresh herbs grown indoors. I leave the not-so "fresh", shipped in from who knows where, food in the store.

It sounds like "shuffles" and I like the same thing. :-) NOW Zesty Sprouting Mix (clover, fenugreek, and radish) is one of our favorites. This is a sprouted mixture I use to make Sprouted Bean Patties, along with some sprouted adzuki beans, lentils and mung beans - pulverize in a suribachi (I use my mini-NINJA food chopper). Add some salt, pepper, black cumin (for digestion) and make into patties and fry until both sides are nicely browned. These freeze well.

Broccoli sprouts are another favorite I use frequently, along with watercress and alfalfa.

Lentil sprouts I make on a regular basis. I use them in tacos, as a meat substitute in chili, mixed with cooked sprouted rice as a ground beef substitute, and spiced-up and dehydrated make a nice snack food. When I sprout 1/2 c. of dry lentils, it's enough to make a recipe of Lentil Granola Bars and Sprouted Lentil-Oat Waffles.

I sprout nearly all grains/seeds/beans to increase the nutrition and make them easier to digest . Almonds, walnuts and pecans are also sprouted and then dehydrated. Not only are they easier to digest, but they will store longer.

Any sprouts that don't get used quickly, or are going to be used at a later date, get dehydrated. I'll add dehydrated sprouts to salmon/tuna patties instead of adding bread or crackers (gluten-free that way). Dehydrated sprouted lentils will cook quickly, or I'll just rehydrate them in a bowl of hot water, or toss into soup or casseroles.

There are a lot of places to add fresh sprouts: potato salad, stir-fry, blended with vegetable juice, coleslaw, sandwich spreads, mixed with soft cheese for dips/spreads.

Before going wheat-free I used sprouted wheat in all kinds of things. I made "Cream of Wheat" cereal, bulgur and cracked wheat with dried wheat sprouts.

I like to sprout in an Easy Sprout(TM) out of all the ways and gadgets I've used over all the years of sprouting I've done. I get rid of the hulls (which can cause sprouts to sour/spoil if left in your sprouts) by running water over the sprouts and spinning them in a salad spinner. And the best storage in the refrigerator for sprouts are PEAKfresh Produce Bags. I got that tip (and the salad spinner) from SproutPeople.org. (my favorite place for all things sprouts).

I also use acidified water for soaking and rinsing in order to help prevent bacteria growth. Soaking your seeds in citric acid water (1 t. per quart of water) will help reduce spoilage.

-Grainlady

Way back in the 70's Dad gave sister, brother, and I spouting kits. Basically, a wide-mouth, quart Mason jar, 3-4 different types of seeds, and perforated plastic lids with holes varying in size.

I knida like Mung beans for sprouting. Maybe 1 TBSP soaked in jar full of water (on counter) over night. Next day, drain off water, rinse, refill and drain again. Then shak jar to kinda distribute seed and leave jar lying on it's SIDE on counter. Repeat this for maybe 4-6 days and you end up with a FULL jar of Mung sprouts.

The whole sprouting kid went somewhere?? When I saw a set of 3-4 perforated lids (wanna say at Wmart?), bught them again. I have some mung beans in my "pantry"... gonna go start a batch right now.

Grain Lady, you never cease to amaze me with your wealth of information. I've been sprouting for a while but didn't know there was such a variety of seeds that can be used. Am also glad to learn how to remove the hulls as quickly as possible. Do you have a special source for seeds that you would share? Usually I can find one or two different kinds, but not a great variety.

Thanks to all who commented. Pink

I was influenced by a hippy neighbor in the 70's. :-) Today, I use a large variety of grains/seeds/beans/nuts because that's what I have in my home food storage (to the tune of hundreds and hundreds of pounds and probably well over 30 varieties). Nearly everything I store can be sprouted, with some exceptions. Not everything is sprouted so it makes a tasty replacement for lettuce on a sandwich or salad. That's just ONE great reason for sprouting. Sprouting is the ultimate locally grown produce (right there in your kitchen), and the best little garden-in-a-jar.

Beans are regularly sprouted before using them in cooking. Sprouting eliminates the (uh hum) "gas" problem. If you sprout and then dehydrate them, they cook in a fraction of the time.

I probably soak and/or sprout 80% of the grains/seeds/beans/nuts we consume in order to neutralize pyhtic acid and enzyme inhibitors, and break down difficult-to-digest complex sugars. This is an important step for anyone who incorporates a lot of grains/seeds/beans/nuts in their diet (which I do as a major source for whole foods). It improves the nutrition and makes them easier to digest.

A mistake a lot of new vegetarians/vegans make is consuming grains/seeds/beans/nuts in large quantities without processing them first, and then find out they have digestive problems. Sprouting is essentially a process that pre-digests the food.

I constantly watch prices and have purchased from all kinds of sources. It depends on whether you want a little or a lot..... If you haven't found SproutPeople.org, that's a great place to learn all kinds of things about sprouting and micro-greens.

-Handy Pantry
-Park Seeds
-Nature's Best
-Frontier
-Nuts.com
-Lucky Vitamin
-Vita Cost
-Amazon.com
-Bob's Red Mill
-Wal-Mart
-Bulk bins at the grocery store.

Generally speaking, if I can eat it, I can sprout it. It doesn't necessarily have to be "sprouting" seeds. The same wheat I used for milling into flour, I now sprout and use for growing wheatgrass. Lentils I buy at Wal-Mart for $1.07/pound will sprout just fine.

For more information check out your local library for books by Ann Wigmore and the "Sproutman" Steve Meyerowitz. They also have information on-line. They literally lived on sprouts.....

-Grainlady