BeStrixed

CLOVER SPROUTS (aka Red Clover Sprouts), ready for their greening :

Ready for their closeup (just a mere hours) after their greening

Yes, I cannot get enough! I’m consumed by sprouts; they’ve cast their spell over me and their magic, taken hold! I have to say that I have — despite what may or may not be true about food=energy — that I have been feeling stronger, physically — Oooh, yea — and feel “better” (as opposed to “more energetic”). (I’m feeling it in my weightlifting to boot!) I mean, in other words, I don’t feel an artificial (or even ‘natural’) boost or burst of energy; I feel overall just more – just better…if that makes sense. Like I have each time I’ve reached — yet another — state of improved health.  So, not like a caffeine or some supplement rush; but the sort of “energy”; “enthusiasm”(?); or perhaps, “feel-good” state of being that ETL’ing (“Eat To Live’ing”) gave me when it catapulted me to the blissfulness that is optimal health. Know what I mean? If not, then read Eat To Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman — actually, I take that back: READ IT AND DO IT, *then* you can — gain or regain TRUE, optimal health YOU WERE MEANT TO HAVE in this life. ETL’ing removes the ups-and-downs, the highs-and-lows, the lifts-and-crashes — the mania, if you will. For me, achieving health brought contentment: that is the word I use — a state of being so that I no longer oscillate wildly . Beautiful word, isn’t it?  Okay, back to the sprouts!

I clover sprouts, yesiree, I do. They used to be first on my list before I started growing my own; now, since the broccoli sprouts are so incredibly delicious when I grow them, I have to say they are equal…I think…They are very, very mild and tasty. They are also extremely easy to clean (the hulls rinse away and even fall off by themselves when only slightly jarred, very easily). Ready in four days is also a plus!

They are not cruciferous; in fact, they are a member of the family alfalfa. Same cautions that go with overdoing alfalfa goes for clover, apparently; however, there are two sides. Perhaps, moderate consumption with these is best, as it seems these are some of the claims made for consuming too much soy. Also, alfalfa and Clover, by the way, are the two sprouts in the news as the ones to avoid because they are said to harbor salmonella. But, these were not organic (read more about this at the end of this blog post, below).

I’m not worried
++++++++++++++++++++++

Okay, more on my ORGANIC broccoli…just gimme more, more more

Methinks I’m getting better at this! Yes. I know this because, I’m getting a better, higher yield from the same amount of seeds. I think it comes down to one thing, basically — draining more efficiently. This, itself, is responsible for, pretty much, whatever possible problems arise from sprouting at home — drowning; molding; bacteria; low yield; and more, I’m sure. It can also be a contributor to the problem of poor air circulation. Anyway, I’ve no probs so far! It really is easy, though; so it’s not like I’m this super-ace sprouter . Follow directions — just do it as written, as I always say — and, guess what? It’ll work

What I have discovered, however, is that growing in the mason jars with these plastic lids…

definitely works; BUT, using a cheesecloth, like so…

works better

I was cautioned against cheesecloth*; so I opted for the plastic lid (which was what I found at the market; had their been a stainless steel screen, I’d have chose it) to begin my adventure. However, I found the cheesecloth, while an extra step to cut and rubberband it, to be MUCH better at draining the jar AND allowing more air into it. I haven’t seen the metal lids at any store so far — should just look for some sheets of stainless steel mesh, myself, and make my own (Home Depot??) — so I decided to order the sprouting screens from Mountain Rose Herbs, since I had to place an order there anyway. I really, really like the screens offered by SproutPeople; I like the varying meshes — this is very handy! No little-lost seedlings and no stuffy housing for the adult sprouts. However, I don’t like to order one thing from a site…had I other things to order from them, I’d have ordered those screens. If the MRH screens don’t work for me, I’ll consider the SproutP’s. I also like the plastic rings: This way, there is no warping or rusting like does happen, eventually, with the standard mason jar rings. Hmmm…now I’m regretting! We’ll see. Oh, and I also ordered the Sprouting Canister Kit from MRH…yea, yea, it even looks cheapy online; but, the reality is, not much of a contraption is really needed for sprouting. It’s all very simple.

+

Broccoli Sprouts ready for greening Wow! Don’t they look green already?! Not even from the market are the tastiest this beautiful:

But, whoa, take a looksee — Super-Green Broccoli Sprouts, FINI!

More Green = More Better. Always

Awesome. Can absolutely see the difference — and only within hours of greening — they’ve been sunning themselves and it shows

Oh, and don’t forget: Your home-grown sprouts WILL taste better than any store-bought sprouts you can buy — I guarantee it. The fragrance is sooo *fresh* and the taste is not “brassica-y” like some broccoli sprouts; they are mild and sweet — yes, you read that right, sweetbaby-sweet, Baby . AND, not only that, if you like a crispiness/crunchiness, harvest a bit early. I noticed when I let them sprout longer, they are less crunchy. I like them both ways, actually. Sometimes the softer ones are nice, but sometimes those little crunchy-sweet things are yummy in an ETL-Salad (which, if you’re an ETLer, you know the difference between an “ETL-Salad” and a — well, salad).

++++++++++++++++++

Even Noodles gets into the act ( Yes, it is at you he is winking ). Here is a pic of his food — mixed, whole grains with broccoli sprouts (I’m not sure about giving him clover) and kale:

++++++++++++++

A bit more on the sprouts — SproutPeople really emphasize the rinse and drain as being paramount to success; I have to agree. However, one of their instructions is to use a LOT of water and to use high pressure water flow;
as it happened, I was having waterflow issues at my kitchen sink and had a very, very weak stream at the time I started this jar method experimenting. I had no problems NOT using tons of water and NOT using high-pressure water. I simply filled the jar and did a really — really — good shaking and mixing so that all the sprouts were thoroughly wet. I kept the SproutPeople’s advice in mind about how important all this is; so I made sure. No problems whatsoever. Perhaps the swirling and shaking and TIME taken contributed…you know, as opposed to rushing my way through it very quickly — like a too-fast rinse and dump; instead, I made sure they had a nice “dip in the pool” and got their hair wet
Still, it’s great information to keep in mind in case any issues arise or, if you simply want to use more water as a precaution. My position, however, is staunchly conserva — wow, don’t say that often — tive on the waste issue. I’m a self-admitted mad recycler and non-waster of any and all things…well, I do my best.

++++++++++++++++

Now for a bit more on safety. The recent tomato-gate scandal has made the “contaminated veggies!” whiners all the more excited of late — oh, the inhumanity. What I find at the core of this issue — and which is, of course, IGNORED by the “media,” is twofold: One, the problem produce is ALWAYS non-organic; and, two, it is always linked back to an animal source. AND, not some ‘natural’ occurrence by some hapless pig wandering — or “free-roaming”/”cage-free” soul — about, stumbling onto a crop of vegetables; this is an environmental issue and a vegan issue — namely, the keeping of animals for human usage, food, mostly. (Just look up “factory farming” and you’ll get all the information you need)
Just as good, READ THIS (PLEASE) – “Pork’s Dirty Secret”. Read all the pages; it’s worth it.

Additionally, SproutPeople had a back-and-forth going with Whole Foods on the contamination issue and sprouts. Good, important read. [ Note the info about bleach!! More reason to grow your own :^) ]

*************

*This caution about cheesecloth (that it is, at times, a bacteria attraction) was mentioned at  SproutPeople.com; however, the site is so incredibly dense, I cannot find the citation!

*************

Okay, I’ve gotten very carried away here…many issues I’ve touched on!

Signing out,

_Strix