Sprouted Beans

 
1/4 cup dry beans of choice (such as lentils, soybeans, red beans, black beans, etc.)
filtered water
 

Sort and rinse the beans. Transfer the beans to a bowl, cover them with 2 cups water, and leave them to soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the soaked beans in a colander and gently rinse them with cold water. Place the colander over a bowl and leave the beans to drain. Place the colander in a dark place, such as a kitchen cabinet, to encourage sprouting. Repeat the "rinsing/leaving to drain/returning to a dark place" procedure twice a day or more, for 3-5 days, or until the beans sprout a tail that is an 1-inch or more long. Place the sprouted beans in indirect sunlight for several hours, to create chlorophyll and to turn the sprouted tails green before using.

Or, if you have a sprouter jar, use it to soak and sprout the beans in. Invert it at an angle in a bowl to drain, and place in a dark place to encourage sprouting. One can easily be made with a large, wide mouthed jar, covering the top with cheesecloth or a mesh screen, and securing it with a rubber band or jar ring. Store the sprouted beans in the refrigerator and use within 3 days. Carefully rinse the sprouted beans in a colander to remove any of the loose hulls- the hulls should sink to the bottom of the colander as you rinse- then transfer the sprouted beans to a bowl and discard the loosened hulls. Use to add flavor and crunch to salads, sandwiches, and grain dishes.

*Note: Do not attempt to sprout potato or tomato seeds as they are poisonous. Also note that seeds may fail to sprout for many reasons such as: being too old or improperly stored, improper rinsing and draining, not enough or too much moisture, and insufficient air circulation. If this happens, discard, and start again.

Yield: 4 Cups or more

 

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The Vegan Chef
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