Sunflower sprouts

I had the pleasure of trying these this weekend (at the Ann Arbor farmer's market) and they're terrific. About the best sprouts I've tasted. AI nice crunch and a good almost nutty flavor (nothing like sunflower seeds, however). I mixed them with roasted beets, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and goat cheese. I don't know any local source, but if you get the chance, get some. Ann Arbor has, by the way, an excellent farmers market.

Jonah

Three Sisters at the Green City Market has had them. I haven't checked recently, though. You might also check out Tiny Greens at the Green City Market.

I like 'em too. Whole Foods carries a local brand (can't remember the name) in the refrigerated part of the produce section.

It would be great if the Whole Foods in my neck of the woods has them. (Green Market is out of range) Although I may have been spoiled by getting my first taste from a first rate organic vendor at a farmer's market!

Jonah wrote:It would be great if the Whole Foods in my neck of the woods has them. (Green Market is out of range) Although I may have been spoiled by getting my first taste from a first rate organic vendor at a farmer's market!

Check your local farmer's farmer's market. These same vendors, or others, may be there.

Hi,

Why wouldn't you simply give a shot to growing them yourself? Sprouts are infantile plants and don't require much maintenance get them growing.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Why wouldn't you simply give a shot to growing them yourself? Sprouts are infantile plants and don't require much maintenance get them growing.

Regards,

I love them as well. Had them at Esalen http://www.esalen.org/ for the first time several years ago.

Cathy for those of us who aren't green thumbs, we really wouldn't know where to start. Suggestions?

pairs4life wrote:Cathy for those of us who aren't green thumbs, we really wouldn't know where to start. Suggestions?

Hi,

I see I never replied, sorry. The closest I have come to growing sprouts was Chia plants.

I received an inquiry about where to buy mung beans (and other beans as well) to sprout at home? When he visited health food stores, they commented this was popular some years ago. He's interested in doing this now. Any ideas on mung beans (and other edible sprouting seeds)?

Thanks!

Regards,

If you are planning to cook them thoroughly, you don't need special mung beans to sprout; I've sprouted whole beans that I purchased at Oakton Market. Otherwise, I'd buy from the internet - one website is the Sprout People, who insist their seeds are clean.

Pretty much any whole dried bean or pea will sprout - although if you plan to eat them, stick with ones that are in the pea family, beans related to pintos and kidney beans's sprouts contain toxins.

Keep in mind that sprouting - even when done by professionals - is potentially quite dangerous: you are keeping a potentially hazardous food at room temperature in water for several days. Wash the outsides very carefully and change the water regularly - but keep in mind that bacteria are likely to be inside the seeds themselves, and can't be washed off.

http://www.anapsid.org/sprouts3.html

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=da ... n=rss_feed

Mhays,

Thanks for the resources, the warning and tips. I will pass it on to the inquirer.

Regards,

Mhays wrote:Pretty much any whole dried bean or pea will sprout - although if you plan to eat them, stick with ones that are in the pea family, beans related to pintos and kidney beans's sprouts contain toxins.

Not sure what you mean by "pea family." My understanding is the term refers to all legumes (including pinto and kidney beans).

It's not the sprout, it's the bean itself (ie, the endosperm) that's the problem. Kidney beans have particularly high levels of phytohemagglutinin which can cause severe nausea and diarrhea but is destroyed by normal cooking. That's not to say kidney bean sprouts are safe to eat—the toxic endosperm remains after sprouting.

There are several classes of plants that are regarded to be "pulses," which cover several different genera of plant, originating from different parts of the world; nearly every continent has an indigenous species (although Australia's is an interesting one.) The terms used to describe them are used differently depending on who uses them. "Pea," and "bean" and "legume" are often used interchangeably, even by botanists. Coloquially, the "pea family" often refers to plants in the genus Pisum, Vigna, and Cicer (English peas, blackeye peas, and chickpeas) Mung and adzuki beans fall into the Vigna genus.

The family Phaseolus, which includes kidney and pinto beans...basically, many beans indigenous to the US - may contain the toxin, which dissipates when cooked. If you plan to eat these beans, you should cook them (or their sprout) thoroughly.

The whole description of a pulse plant is fairly ambiguous: it seems to vary depending on what industry is using it. Agriculturists define pulse plants as any plant that produces an edible seed-bearing pod (which may mean that the seeds are edible, or that both the seeds and pod are edible,) or may expand to include plants which have nitrogen-fixing properties (things like vetch and lupines) however, other sources classify Acacia and Mesquite trees as pulses...and then there's the Australian tree bean. It's a moving target.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_(legume)
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/pulse_(plant).aspx

Mhays wrote:It's a moving target.

Absolutely. My reason for posting was to point out that suggesting sprouts from "the pea family" might be safe to eat is potentially dangerous information.