As many of you know, there’s something almost addictive
about sprouting: Once most folks have grown one
jar of the nutritious little shoots (and
discovered how easy it is to produce salad greens for
merely pennies per day), they’ve become hooked on the
process. As a result, avid sprouters occasionally have
problems trying to use up the energy-packed morsels …
which frequently seem to continue to expand even when
safely stored in the refrigerator!
Well, if you’ve often thought there must be something
to do with all that nourishment besides simply piling
the sprouts in sandwiches, or sprinkling them on omelets,
salads, and soups… take heart! With a little imagination,
it’s possible to incorporate the crunchy tidbits into
every course of a meal from appetizer to
dessert! So, to inspire your culinary
inventiveness, we’ve put together a sample menu for a
hearty, nutritious supper in which each dish
is built around sprouts recipes that use a particular kind of sprouted seed or bean.
Wheat Balls
To kick off any dinner gathering, try these delicious,
natural hors d’oeuvres: Simply mix together 1/2
cup of cream cheese with 1 cup each of sprouted wheat,
chopped-up nuts, and raisins. Once the “dough” is soft and
well blended, shape it into bite-sized spheres and
roll each one in toasted wheat germ or sesame seeds. (Wheat
balls are an excellent before-dinner snack, and are
especially appetizing when served with rice crackers or raw
vegetables and tofu dip.)
Cream of Soy Soup
Nothing can warm your insides on a freezing winter evening
better than homemade soup … and this recipe, which
depends on the nutritious zing of fresh sprouts, can be
whipped up in just a few minutes! First, put 3 cups of
soybean sprouts and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan and cook
them over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the
shoots are tender. Then force the cooked sprouts — with
their broth — through a sieve, or whirl them in a
blender until smooth. Next, warm 3 cups of milk — in
the pan used to simmer the sprouts — and stir in the
soybean puree. Add sea salt to taste, and the herbs of
your choice. (You might want to try a little cayenne,
oregano, or celery salt.) Serve the creamy soup steaming
hot, topped with alfalfa sprouts.
Alfalfa Rarebit
The main dish for your “sprouted” dinner combines the
crunchiness of fresh sprouts and raw nuts with the creamy
texture of tahini (a paste made from roasted and ground
sesame seeds). First, put 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of
unroasted cashews, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1
tablespoon of whole wheat flour, 1 tablespoon of fresh
minced onion, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt into a blender.
Process the mixture for 30 seconds, pour it into a small
pan, and warm it over low heat until it thickens.
Then remove the sauce from the burner and add 3 tablespoons
of tahini (or any nut butter), 1 tablespoon of butter, 1
tablespoon of chopped chives, and — this is the
essential ingredient — 1 1/2 cups of alfalfa sprouts.
Stir this combination well and reheat it … but
don’t let it come to a boil. Finally, spoon the
rarebit over thick slices of your own homemade whole wheat
toast ( or a steamed green vegetable) and garnish
each serving with pimento strips and sliced olives. (You
won’t even miss the cheese found in traditional
rarebit recipes … although you can add your favorite if
you so desire.)
Sprout Muffins
To make these quick biscuits, sift together 2 cups of whole
wheat flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2
teaspoon of salt. Then melt 1/4 cup of butter, and — after
it’s cooled slightly — combine it (in another bowl) with 1
egg, 1 cup of milk, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add 1 cup
of alfalfa sprouts (chopped to about 1/8 inch long) to the
milk mixture, and pour the resulting liquid into the dry
ingredients. Stir the batter briefly — just long enough to
moisten all the flour particles — and spoon it into
well-greased muffin tins, filling each cup only about
two-thirds full. Bake the treats (this recipe makes a
dozen) in a 400*F oven for 25 minutes.
Carrot Cake
Even dessert can be a nutritious course when it contains
sprouts! For a wholesome and tasty carrot cake,
cream 3/4 cup of honey with 1/2 cup of butter, and — when the
mixture is thoroughly blended — stir in 2 egg yolks, one at a
time. (Put the whites aside for later use.) Next, beat in
the grated rind of 1 orange, 3/4 cup of grated carrot, and
1/2 cup of roasted, finely chopped soy sprouts.
Then, in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of baking
powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Pour 1/2 cup of milk into the dry
mixture and stir the batter well. Finally, use a wire whisk
to beat the separated egg whites until they stiffen into
peaks (but aren’t dry) … and fold them into
the batter. Pour the cake mix into a greased 9″-square pan
or a 5″ X 8″ loaf pan, and bake it in a moderate
(350°F) oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a
knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you’d
like to “dress up” the dessert a little, you can frost it
with an orange honey glaze.)
Chia Maria
Believe it or not, you can even drink your
sprouts, as in this unusual version of a traditional
beverage. Two servings of Chia Maria require 2 cups of
tomato juice, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 chopped hot
green chili (which is optional), 1/2 cup of chia sprouts, a
touch of Tabasco, a pinch of salt, and a dash of
Worcestershire sauce (also optional). Simply mix the
ingredients together for 30 seconds in a blender, and serve
each drink with a sprig of parsley. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Chia
seeds aren’t sprouted in the conventional manner.]
As these recipes indicate, there are lots of ways
to use sprouts other than the standard “throw a few in here
or there” kitchen strategy. So if your counters are
overflowing with jars and trays spilling out
crunchy green shoots, do not throw away
the surplus. Use your
imagination … and have a sprout dinner!
EDITOR’S NOTE: The recipes in this article have been
adapted by permission from The Sprouter’s Cookbook by
Marjorie Page Blanchard, copyright© 1975 by Garden Way
Publishing and The
Complete Sprouting Cookbook by Karen Cross Whyte, copyright
© 1973 by the Troubador Press.
