Make Lentil Sprouts, Because I Said So!

Not only because I said so, but because they are: loaded with nutrients, easy to make, absolutely delicious and cheap, cheap, cheap! (I'm all about cheap) Besides, you probably already have everything you need to make the sprouts in your house. If you don't have any dried lentils go to the store and get a bag. Yes, they are in the dried bean section. Go ahead. I'll wait.

You're back! Great! Now, we're going to call this: "Lentil Sprouts 101" or "Sprouting For Idiots". Personally, I like the latter and you can learn from the Master Idiot. Don't be afraid. Just dive into that bag of little legumes. But first, let me tell you why you should sprout rather than just cook the lentils. Sprouting actually ups the nutritional value and makes them so much better for you. They become a wealth of amino acids, B vitamins and a bunch of other stuff too numerous to mention. (or stuff that I can't remember) Don't expect me to explain how sprouting changes the make up of the lentil, because (quite frankly) I'm not intelligent enough to explain it and I would just have to plagiarize someone else's writing and I am not about plagiarism. So, you'll just have to trust me on this one.

You will need: a quart canning jar (I prefer large mouth), a ring to fit the jar, 1/2 cup lentils and some clean fabric large enough to cover the jar top and thin enough to be able to screw the ring onto the jar. Some use cheesecloth, but I use panty hose. Water has to be able to pass through the cloth and it is important that air can circulate during the sprouting process. NEVER,NEVER, NEVER use any peas, beans or legumes that have been packaged for planting, because they may have been coated with an agent to make them germinate. I should mention that kidney bean sprouts, tomato seed sprouts and potato sprouts are all POISONOUS! In other words: don't sprout 'em and don't eat 'em.

Measure out 1/2 cup of lentils and sort through carefully, removing any that are broken or chipped, as they will not sprout. Instead, they will rot, compromising the quality of your finished product. Let's face it...nobody wants to eat rot!

Dump the lentils into the jar, put the cloth over the top and secure with the jar ring or rubber band. WOW! What a relief! The hard part is OVER!

Run some cool water right through the cloth onto the lentils to wash them, drain and repeat about three times. The only thing better than having clean lentils is having clean hands...I always say. Now, run warm water (never hot) into the jar. Pretty much filling the jar just so you know you have ample water for the lentils to soak up. Let those tiny discs sit there and soak for 8-10 hours.

Drain off the "soaking" water and rinse with cool water a couple of times. Drain off the rinse water and find a nice dark spot to keep the jar or jars. I keep mine in a spare bedroom, which doesn't get much light and I cover them with a dark bath towel. Make sure that the jar is tipped at an angle to allow excess water to drain. A dish drainer provides a handy "jar-propping" place. I set mine on a tray to catch any water that may drain out. Let the sprouting begin!

Just rinse with cool water and drain, every morning and evening. Be gentle as to not break off any of the tender shoots. On the third day you should have sprouts that are about 3/4 inch long. PERFECTO! (that's Spanish for perfect) Add cool water to the jar and let the sprouts get all charged up with a good drink. Let them soak for a couple of minutes before draining in a strainer. Put a paper towel in the bottom of whatever container you'll be storing your delectable little goodies in. Dump the well drained sprouts on top of the paper towel and store in the refrigerator. They easily keep for a week, but after three days you should rinse and place on a fresh paper towel.

Just look at what a half cup of lentils will produce! Check out the fancy crystal bowl, because that's how we roll here at the Half-Assed Acres Ranch! Now, make yourself a big ol' salad and scatter a bunch of these little goodies over the top. It'll make your tongue slap the roof of your mouth and beg for more!

If you're going to use them in soup or stew, add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking time, cause you don't want to cook them to death. I don't recommend just cooking them in water and draining the water off, because you're going to dump some of the nutrients down the drain.

I'll bet (with a little imagination) you could blend up some sprouts in your food processor, mix with some plain yogurt or soft cream cheese, throw in a few spices and have a tasty dip or sandwich/wrap spread. I haven't tried that yet, but when I do I'll let you know.

Feel free to post any comments or questions, as long as you don't criticize, because I don't handle criticism well and I hold a grudge forever!