Crunch Bunch

Natural Health

April 2009

Sprouts can do more than sandwich. These vitamin-packed superfoods are also great in salads, soups, and breads.

UNTIL RECENTLY, I never really knew what to do with sprouts. I'd sprinkle a few alfalfas on a tuna sandwich or toss a handful of soybeans in a stir-fry, but beyond that I was stumped. Then I started noticing more varieties--broccoli sprouts, lentil sprouts, even wheat berries--in my local market and decided it was time to learn more.

After reading Sprouts: The Miracle Food (Book Publishing Company, 2008) by Steve Meyerowitz, I am a complete convert. Sprouts are high in vitamin C, cancer-fighting antioxidants, and heart-healthy saponins--and they're a cinch to grow at home (see "Harvest Your Own Sprouts at Home," page 45). Now I add them to everything: soy sprouts in salads, lentil sprouts in stuffed peppers, wheat berries in muffins, and broccoli sprouts in mildly spicy Asian dishes.

And because I'm harvesting them myself, I have a constant fresh supply. The original and healthiest "fast food," sprouts pop up any time of year in just a few days in a sprouting bag (no green thumb--or even soil--required).

Explore sprouts

Despite their reputation as "hippie food," sprouts have been around for centuries. The explorer Captain James Cook kept his crew safe from scurvy by bringing along a variety of vitamin C-packed sprouts. They're also a concentrated source of minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and enzymes because the "baby" plants contain all the nutrients they need to grow to maturity, says Georgianna Donadio, Ph.D., of the National institute of Whole Health.

Different plants produce different kinds of sprouts, varying in texture, flavor, and nutrients. I've picked the following for their nutritional content, raw crunch, and great taste.

ALFALFA: The mild, nutty flavor of these delicate sprouts makes them ideal in sandwiches, but they're also perfect in salads and soups. (They will easily under heat, though, so are best served raw.) "Alfalfa sprouts contain saponins, which break down and decrease the absorption of cholesterol and fatty acids, making them extremely heart healthy," says Donadio.

BROCCOLI; These gently spicy sprouts are also best raw in salads or sandwiches because heat diminishes their health benefits, says a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found they can contain up to 100 times more sulforaphane--an antioxidant that helps mobilize cancer-fighting enzymes--than "grown-up" broccoli, Donadio explains.

LENTILS: Raw peppery lentil sprouts--which come in blue, green, orange, red, white, and other hues--are terrific in tab bouleh or by the handful. They also keep their flavor and consistency in cooked dishes like stews and stir-fries. They are a rich source of vitamin C and folate, which is essential for brain and nerve health.

SOYBEANS: These hardy white shoots, with their jaunty greenish heads, stand up well to cooking and are good in curries, casseroles, and even omelets. Soybean sprouts are high in vitamin K (which can help control blood glucose) and isoflavanes (which may protect menopausal women against osteoporosis, heart disease, and breast cancer), says Donadio.

WHEAT BERRIES: Sweet precursors to wheatgrass, these "berries" can moisten homemade breads and muffins. They're loaded with selenium, a mineral that regulates immune, muscle, and thyroid function and acts as a free-radical-fighting antioxidant.

QUICK TIP:

Sprinkle bean sprouts--a traditional topping for pad thai dishes--over any Asian noodle dish.

Start batches of sprouts in 3- to 4-day intervals to ensure you'll always have fresh, crunchy ones on hand.

HARVEST YOUR OWN SPROUTS AT HOME

It's hard to find soy, lentil, or wheat sprouts, let alone more exotic sprouts like quinoa, mustard, or fenugreek. The solution? Grow sprouts at home. We asked Steve Meyerowitz, author of Sprouts: The Miracle Food, to show us how. "if you can dunk a tea bag," says Meyerowitz, "you can grow sprouts."

WHAT YOU NEED:

* Seeds: You can start with lentils or mung beans from the bulk bins at a health food store--beans are seeds. But for the freshest seeds and widest varieties, shop online with sprouting companies like Mumm's (sprouting.com), Sproutman (sproutman.com), and Sproutpeople (sproutpeople.com).

* Equipment: The best low-cost option for growing fresh, mold-free sprouts is a sprouting bag, available wherever sprouting supplies are sold (such as the websites above). More expensive options include custom sprouting machines that automatically water your "crop" every day. It's best to avoid sprouting in a Mason jar, as they are not manufactured for that purpose and can often lead to the growth of undesirable mold.

1. Soak 1 cup of beans for 6 to 8 hours in a jar filled with pure water. Try French lentils, green lentils, or mung beans for starters.

2. Pour the soaked beans into the sprouting bag.

3. Hang the sprouting bag on a cabinet knob or lay it in a dish rack to dry. Once the bag stops dripping, you can lay it in a bowl.

4. Dunk the bag in a bowl of water for at least 30 seconds twice a day. Breakfast and dinnertime are usually good watering times--your sprouts drink while you eat.

5. Bean sprouts are ready to eat in five days. Take them out of the bag and store them in the refrigerator in a glass container for up to two weeks. Rinse them every second or third day.

* Buy organic: If you prefer store-bought, buy USDA-certified organic sprouts from companies dedicated solely to vegetables and fruits. That's the best way to avoid chemical pesticides and food-borne pathogens like salmonella and E. coli. Sprouts from the store shouldn't smell musty or look slimy, and you can store them the same way you would homegrown.

LEARN MORE: Check out our high-fiber wheat berry muffin recipe at naturalhealthmag.com/wheatmuffins

Rujak Salad with

Tamarind Dressing

Serves 4

A national dish in Indonesia,

rujak pairs crunchy fruits,

vegetables, and soy sprouts

with the sweet-spicy punch of

nutty tamarind dressing. Find

tamarind pulp in Indian and

Asian markets.

    1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

  1/2 cup hot water

  1/3 cup unsalted roasted

      peanuts

    1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

      and diced

    1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons organic

      brown sugar

      Juice of 1 lime

    1 pinch coarse salt

    1 jicama, peeled and thinly

      sliced (you can also use a

      tart apple)

    1 Bartlett pear, thinly sliced

    1 cucumber, thinly sliced

  1/2 pineapple, cored and

      chopped into cubes

    1 cup soy sprouts

      Fresh cilantro for garnish

1. In a small bowl, combine

tamarind and hot water. Set

aside and let tamarind dissolve

for roughly 5 minutes.

Place peanuts in a blender or

food processor and grind into

a coarse powder. Add jalapeno,

fish sauce, brown sugar, lime

juice, and salt. Mix tamarind

and water well with a fork and

drain liquid into the blender,

leaving behind the leftover

pulp. Whirl in blender, being

careful to leave some texture

in the sauce.

2. To serve, drizzle dressing

onto plates and arrange fruit,

vegetables, and sprouts on

top. Garnish with cilantro and

sprinkle with additional sauce.

Per serving: 273 calories, 7.5 g

fat (1 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates,

8 g protein, 13 g fiber,

339 mg sodium (15% Daily

Value).

Shrimp Sprout Rolls

with Lime Dip

Serves 4

Shrimp (U.S. farmed or wild is

best) is loaded with protein,

vitamin D, and selenium. The

tangy dip and zippy sprouts

give this finger food some kick.

    1 tablespoon fresh minced

      ginger

  1/4 cup rice wine

    2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

      Zest of 1 lime

    1 pound medium shrimp,

      shelled

      Juice of 2 limes

  1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

    1 clove garlic, minced

    1 tablespoon evaporated

      cane juice crystals

1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce

      Pinch of sea salt and black

      pepper

    1 tablespoon sesame seeds

    2 heads Boston lettuce,

      leaves separated

    1 cup broccoli, radish, or

      mustard sprouts

1. In a large bowl mix together

ginger, rice wine, soy sauce,

and lime zest. Add shrimp, toss

to coat well, and marinate for

up to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl

mix together lime juice, chile

flakes, garlic, cane juice crystals,

fish sauce, salt, and pepper.

Set aside.

3. In a skillet over medium

heat, lightly toast sesame

seeds, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove seeds to a plate and

place skillet back on heat.

Add shrimp with 1/4 cup of

marinade and cook 2 to 3 minutes

per side or until they are

slightly firm.

4. To serve, place two shrimp in

a lettuce leaf, top with sprouts

and sesame seeds, wrap leaf,

and dip in lime sauce.

Per serving: 148 calories, 2 g fat

(0.4 g saturated), 9 g carbohydrates,

20 g protein, 2 g fiber, 300

mg sodium (13% Daily Value).

Sweet Potato Stuffed

Bell Peppers

Serves 4

Bell peppers are high in vitamin

C, and the filling (potato,

tomato, spices, and lentil

sprouts) is a meal in itself

  1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

  1 clove garlic, minced

  1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

    Juice of 1/2 lemon

  1 tablespoon finely chopped

    fresh ginger

1/2 head of cauliflower,

    chopped

  1 medium sweet potato,

    diced

  1 large tomato, diced

1/3 cup unsalted roasted

    cashews, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2/3 cup lentil sprouts

  4 large red, yellow, and

    orange bell peppers

    Alfalfa sprouts for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350[degrees]F. In

a large skillet, heat oil over

medium heat. Add onion,

garlic, and spices. Cook until

onion begins to soften.

2. Stir in lemon juice, ginger,

cauliflower, potato, tomato, and

cashews. Reduce heat, cover

and cook 10 minutes or until

potatoes have softened. Mix in

cilantro and lentil sprouts and

remove pan from heat.

3. Slice caps off peppers about

1/2 inch from the stem. Retain

the cap. Scrape the veins and

seeds. Stuff the cavity of each

pepper to the top with filling

and place the caps on top.

4. Place peppers on a baking

sheet and cook for 20 minutes.

To brown, use the broiler for

the last 3 to 5 minutes. Remove

from oven and garnish with

alfalfa sprouts.

Per serving: 230 calories, 10 g

fat (1.4 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates,

7 g protein, 7 g fiber,

45 mg sodium (2% Daily Value).