Sprouting brings seeds to life

Name that food: It grows practically anywhere; flourishes in any climate, any season of the year; needs neither soil nor sunshine; is ready for harvest in just four days; tastes delicious raw or cooked; has no waste; and is so nutritious that it's one of the most complete foods known to man, rivaling meat in protein and citrus fruits in vitamin C, at a fraction of the cost.

If you guessed sprouts, you're right on!

People often overlook these little midgets of the salad world, but they shouldn't. For their small size, they pack a powerful punch as far as nutrient density goes. They contain an assortment of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes that easily rival anything you would find in a supplement. Your stomach has no trouble digesting them and will reward you for sending such good food its way: a diet rich with sprouts has many health benefits including a reduction of harmful cholesterol, a proliferation of antioxidants to fight your free radicals, and a nonpareil source of essential micronutrients.

And they taste good! These juicy, crunchy, savory greens can be eaten raw, steamed, cooked in other dishes, or dried and used as flour. You can put them in salads, stick them in sandwiches or on hamburgers, bake them in casseroles, add them to soups, substitute them for lettuce in tacos, add them to stir-fries - the list is endless.

So how do you "make" sprouts? It's pretty easy: Soak the seeds overnight, rinse them the next morning, then keep rinsing them about two times a day until they're ready to eat. How easy and inexpensive is that? A quart canning jar makes a perfect sprouter - simply cover it with some cheesecloth held on by a rubber band. Or you can get fancy and buy a commercial setup. Keep them out of sunlight until the last day and put them in the fridge when they're done. A place on the kitchen counter near the sink is a good place to start so your sprouts won't be neglected.

What to sprout? Just about any seed can be sprouted (avoid potato and tomato seeds). Some of the most popular are clover, alfalfa, mung beans, wheat, radish, and broccoli. Some will take longer than others to reach eating size but most will be ready in a matter of days. You'll need to try a sampling of them all to find those you like; radish sprouts can have quite a peppery kick to them whereas alfalfa sprouts are nice and mild, for example.

Sprouts can be fed to your animals as well. People who grow sprouts in big gallon glass jars for their chickens report healthier hens and "stand up in the frying pan" eggs. Even cats and dogs will eat them, and pet owners say that their furry family members have much more vitality when sprouts are added to their diet.

Those of you that are building your food storage and otherwise preparing for emergencies (and that should be everybody), remember to add in some seed, or set aside some beans, just for sprouting. After all, where will you get fresh vegetables and greens if our food suppliers can't get to our community? Sprouts, the infinitely healthy greens-in-a-jar, are the answer.

If you're so impressed with this information that you want to try some sprouts right away, both Melvin's and Ray's in Sisters carry them already done for you. Melvin's also carries mung bean and alfalfa seeds for sprouting. Two other great source for seeds, supplies, and free information are www.mountainroseherbs.com (in Eugene) and www.sproutpeople.org.