Sprouts in the kitchen - Why eat them?
Sprouts are among those cooking preparations that I often postpone for lack of time, not because they require a long and complicated process but simply because there are various steps involved and I must remember to do them all!
During these 'extended' days, where time takes on a different speed or slowness, never experienced before, I reflect that from now on my life will be divided between before, during and after COVID19.
So this simple gesture of watering the seeds twice a day for two days, which before Covid19 seemed too much to me, now during Covid 19 it seems to me to be part of the natural, healthy rhythm of life that I hope to bring with me even after everything is over and life has changed again.
I really like sprouts because they bring a touch of life, colour and crunchiness and I also gladly eat them in winter.
Then I add them to soups, put them inside sandwiches and in salads, and often eat then on their own way when I open the fridge and see them there!
You can sprout alf-alpha (alfalfa) seeds, radish seeds, Daikon radish seeds, red beet seeds, watercress seeds, clover seeds, and many more .... there are more delicate buds and then there are those with a more pungent taste.
There are many benefits to habitually eating sprouts, but first of all what are they? The sprouts have been seeds and will be plants; the bud contains all the energy of life that is about to bloom.
Eating sprouts invigorates the renal energy and decreases the effects of stress and tiredness. They give new strength, and support the body in digestion.
Germination is a beneficial process also because it increases the percentage of vitamins and minerals naturally already present.
I chose to sprout clover seeds and radish seeds.
Here's how I did it:
- Firstly, it is essential to buy organic seeds.
- I soaked the seeds for 10 hours
- Then I rinsed them, discarded the spoiled seeds and put them in the sprout tray.
- I have the multi-storey one so, on each floor I put a different type of seed, -
- I spread and spread the seeds until they were well apart.
- I let them sprout in the kitchen for 2-4 days depending on the type of seeds and the season.
Once ready I keep them in the fridge .... I don't know how many days they can last because in 2-3 days we have devoured them.
I used the sprouts in various ways:
on pumpkin soup as a garnish, in my avocado sandwiches, and as a super food in salads.
You should try it too with children - they have a lot of fun seeing the seeds sprout.
Very satisfying activity for all.