This is the time of year when I start to shift what I eat. My body calls less food but more green things and sprouts. The trees are in bud and the meadows are greening up. Many plants are sprouting and growing in the Northern hemisphere. The chlorophyll manufacture is being triggered in the plants, because of the longer days. The plants align with the season to make energy from the long sunny days and grow.
How can you align with the season the coming of spring? One way is to begin to add sprouts to your diet. Move away from roasted root vegetables and add lighter fare. The bitter greens help us move out of the heavy coldness of winter. Sprouted seeds are full of enzymes and vitamins, and help digestive fire. They fit right in with natural detoxification in the spring. Click this link for some more details on the health and nutrition benefits of sprouts.
If you sprout at home, the key is to keep everything, clean, with good air movement and the right light. Use organic seeds that are sold as sprouting seeds. They are treated and safer. I buy the seeds and set them up in a jar or my sprouter, and eat the results, but I am no expert. There are a number of good you tube videos that demonstrate the process. If you are ready to check them out. I will add these cautions as an absolute must with sprouts from my practical experience.
Care with Sprouts
Purchased or sprouted, never eat seeds or sprouts that
- have an off smell or taste
- are slimy
- have fuzz
- have any mold or foreign growing on them.
Chuck them! They have gone over to the dark side. If you are sprouting, clean everything with dilute peroxide or dilute bleach, rinse really well dry thoroughly and start over. If you bought them, try a different store.
I love to play with my food, so it wasn’t too much of a barrier for me to give this a whirl. If this notion of sprouting seems overwhelming to you, not to worry try it took me a while to try it.
You can buy mung bean sprouts or sunflower or pea shoots at some large grocery stores or in Asian Markets. Make sure they are really fresh. They add a great crunch to stir fry or a quick salad. Start by buying a small bag, because they have a short shelf life. They need to be eaten in only a couple of days.
If you aren’t in the mood for food prep but want to try them go out. Asian Restaurants use sprouted mung beans both cooked and raw in a variety of dishes. One of my favorites ways is served in Vietnamese Pho (soup).
Sprouted seeds are a fun way to fill up your plate with vegetables and add nutrient dense seasonal food to your diet.