Sprouts quickly found their place in our diets. This is good because they are a concentrate of nutrients contained in plants - they are rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as protein, omega-3 acids and fiber. Find out what are the ways to grow sprouts at home and how to prepare dishes with sprouts.
A plant, like any good mother, tries to pass on the best to her offspring. That is whysproutsare rich in the most important and valuable substances necessary to start a new life. These "makings" make the sprouts priceless for our he alth.
Sprouts - nutritional value
The shoot released by the plant concentrates all the nutrients: vitamins C, B1, B6, B9, E and H, and minerals - manganese, zinc, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium and iron.
Sprouts are also a source of valuable protein and omega-3 fatty acids. All of them are also rich in fiber (for example, three tablespoons of wheat germ have more than a slice of dark wheat bread). Their undoubted advantage is also that they are low in calories. So instead of eating a handful of vitamins for breakfast, it's better to reach for a handful of sprouts.
The seeds of alfalfa, lentils, mung and adzuki beans, chickpeas, soybeans, sunflower seeds, watercress, linseeds, radishes, as well as wheat and oat grains are best suited for germination.
Sprouts are delicious alone, but also in salads and spreads. We can mix them with meat for chops or for stuffing, e.g. for cabbage rolls. They are also perfect as an addition to fried vegetables (however, they have to be thrown into very hot fat and fried for a very short time). The sprouts of legumes (e.g. beans, soybeans, chickpeas) should not be eaten raw, because they have bitterness - they must be scalded before eating them.
Home growing sprouts
We do not look for seeds intended for germination in garden stores, because they are suitable only for field cultivation. We buy them in he alth food stores. Then we can be sure that the grains have not been chemically preserved or sprayed. We need to carefully review them and remove the damaged, discolored ones. We choose the he althiest for germination.
Seeds should germinatein a warm place(bestthe temperature is 18-22 degrees C), butnot in full sun , e.g. on the windowsill, because the shoots will be bitter. The seeds must first be rinsed thoroughly with lukewarm boiled water. Always use lukewarm boiled water for sprinkling.
We can start home breeding with experimental germination on a strainer or on lignin. And when we get into practice, try to establish a mini-placement in containers.
- On the strainer:Pour a tablespoon of rinsed wheat or oats onto a plastic tea strainer. Pour as much lukewarm water into the glass that it is as close to the strainer as possible, but that the grains do not float in it. We change the water in the morning and evening. After four days, the sprouts will be ready to eat.
- On lignin:that's the easiest way to germinate cress, radish and linseed. It is enough to put a damp piece of lignin or cotton wool on a saucer, sprinkle seeds on it (not too thickly!). After that, we have to make sure that the substrate does not dry out and sprinkle it 3-4 times a day. Sprouts will appear in 3-5 days.
- On gauze:First soak the seeds of beans, soybeans, chickpeas in lukewarm water for 10-12 hours. Then we drain them and rinse them. Pour lukewarm boiled water into a wide dish. We cover with gauze. We fasten it with a rubber band around the edges so that only the center of the gauze touches the water lightly. We scatter the seeds around the perimeter. They are to be kept on moist gauze all the time, but not to get wet (they could rot). After 3-6 days, the light green shoots will be ready to eat. Remember to rinse the pickles in cold water and drain them well.
- In the container:a triple sprout is very convenient for growing sprouts at home (in he alth food stores it costs about PLN 25). It consists of three transparent containers, a water tank on the bottom and a cover. All parts are superimposed on top of each other. The bottom of the containers, into which the seeds are poured, is grooved so that the seeds can spread evenly and then not stick together. Appropriate "siphons" drain excess water and gases produced during germination. This simple device provides plants with a stable temperature and humidity. Our task is to sprinkle the mini-plantation several times every day. The excess water dripping into the tank can be used to water the flowers. It is a great conditioner.
What's inside 100 g of wheat germ
Carbohydrates - 46.7 g Protein - 26.6 g Unsaturated fatty acids - 10.9 g Fiber - 2.5 g Potassium - 827 mg Magnesium - 336 mg Calcium - 72 mg Iron - 9.4 mg Phosphorus - 1.2 mg Sodium - 3 mg Vitamin . B3 - 4.2 mg Vit. B1 - 2 mg Vit. B2 - 0.68 mg
In addition, in smaller amounts of vitamin E,A, H, B9.
Recipes for dishes with sprouts
- Soybean Sprout Salad
Ingredients: a glass of sprouts (they can be canned, although they have mainly taste, not nutritional value), a can of sliced pineapple, 10 grams of cheese in a piece, a large clove of garlic, 3-4 sprigs of parsley, 3 tablespoons oil, pepper
Drain the pineapple and cut it into small pieces. Cut the cheese into narrow bars. We mix sprouts, cheese and pineapple. Squeeze a clove of garlic into 3 tablespoons of oil and mix thoroughly. Pour the sauce over the salad. Season to taste with pepper. Chop the parsley leaves finely. Sprinkle them over the salad and mix everything again.
- Watercress paste
Ingredients: a cube of butter, 3-4 tablespoons of cress sprouts, s alt
Put the soft butter in a bowl, add the cress sprouts and rub well until smooth. We s alt to taste. We can spread the bread on the bread.
- Spaghetti with soybean sprouts
Ingredients: spaghetti, a glass of sprouts, a few fresh basil leaves, Bolognese sauce Sauce: a can of tomato pulp, medium onion, medium carrot, 2 celery slices, 1-2 tablespoons of oil, s alt, pepper to taste
Fry the finely chopped onion in oil and the carrot and celery grated on a coarse grater. When the vegetables are soft, add the tomato pulp, season and stew for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. At the end, throw in the sprouts to soften them slightly. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta. Sprinkle the dish with finely chopped basil leaves.
Sprouts from the shop
Buying fresh, ready-made sprouts every day is quite an expense (a small container costs about PLN 3). However, we do not always have the time and the desire to grow at home. When buying in the store:
- check the use by date; after a week the sprouts lose their nutritional value,
- check for signs of mold - black-gray or bluish-red spots; sprouts attacked by it smell musty (they are not mold, however, small filaments between the roots of cress, mustard and alfalfa sprouts),
- store sprouts in the refrigerator; it's best to eat them within 2-3 days (then they wilt and lose their nutritional values),
- do not keep sprouts in plastic bags or sealed containers; put them in a glass jar and cover with a lid with holes so that air can reach them.
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