Sprouted Lentils
This doesn't really have to do with kids...Only on a rare occasion will Owen snack on these, but do you know about sprouted lentils??! I sure didn't...until recently. This is one of those things where I feel like, "Gah! Why didn't someone tell me about this sooner?!"
You may have guessed this by now, but i'm a huge advocate for the nutritional power of lentils. They are cheap, easy, high in protein and iron, and can taste really delicious. But did you know that if you sprout your lentils, you change the nutritional profile? It's true. Sprouting lentils starts the germination process which increases the amount of vitamins and minerals in the lentils and produces vitamin C, which is not present in dried lentils. You can eat sprouted lentils raw (they taste kind of like alfalfa sprouts) or you can use them to cook as you would dried lentils. Try putting raw sprouted lentils on salads or sandwiches. Try using sprouted lentils in a curry (use less water and cook for less time).
To sprout lentils:
Soak any amount of lentils (i usually do 1/2 cup at a time) in water over night. Drain and rinse and place in a mason jar. Cover with a cloth or paper towel and a rubber band or the ring part of the mason jar top. Lay jar on its side. You're going to leave it like this for a few days, but about once a day, rinse the lentils and drain and return to jar. Once the sprouts get to about 1/4 inch, they're ready to eat!
You may have guessed this by now, but i'm a huge advocate for the nutritional power of lentils. They are cheap, easy, high in protein and iron, and can taste really delicious. But did you know that if you sprout your lentils, you change the nutritional profile? It's true. Sprouting lentils starts the germination process which increases the amount of vitamins and minerals in the lentils and produces vitamin C, which is not present in dried lentils. You can eat sprouted lentils raw (they taste kind of like alfalfa sprouts) or you can use them to cook as you would dried lentils. Try putting raw sprouted lentils on salads or sandwiches. Try using sprouted lentils in a curry (use less water and cook for less time).
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| sprouted lentils over chickpea salad on spinach |
To sprout lentils:
Soak any amount of lentils (i usually do 1/2 cup at a time) in water over night. Drain and rinse and place in a mason jar. Cover with a cloth or paper towel and a rubber band or the ring part of the mason jar top. Lay jar on its side. You're going to leave it like this for a few days, but about once a day, rinse the lentils and drain and return to jar. Once the sprouts get to about 1/4 inch, they're ready to eat!
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