That means a continuation of the Raw Vegetables a la VitaMix and sprouting. Sprouting the Mung Beans was an entry into the excitement of watching life going on ... and then benefiting from all the natural nutrition they offered. Now it's time to keep that going.
So the first thing I did was to seek out more seeds and a larger variety of sprouts.
First, the Mung Beans:
These are the source of the tried and true standard run of the mill bean sprout. And I don't mean to denigrate this bean by any means. Fact is, they produce luscious thick and very tasty sprouts. And like the other beens and seeds, we can say with certainty that they are jam-packed with vitamins, enzymes, nutrients and pro-biotic life source!
Then I got my long in waiting (in the refrigerator), Flax Seeds:
I have been consuming quite a bit of these golden flax seeds crushed into my fruit smoothies and now my raw vegetable drink. Fiber, fiber, fiber. And that also means lignans!
Lignans are a group of chemical compounds found uniquely in plants and sprouts and seeds. They are a major class of Phyto-Estrogens. Phytoestrogens should not be linked in any way to the female hormone, Estrogen. Not the same. These are naturally occurring non-steroidal plant compounds. Flax seeds and Sesame seeds (raw) are among the most significant plant sources of lignans!
So WHY are they called phytoestrogens? The answer will surprise you as they did me.
Here is the chemical makeup of PHYTO Estrogen:
It just so happens that this chemical diagram is SIMILAR to the chemical diagram of the steroidal estrogen that occurs in the human body.
So don't be confused and don't let anyone invoke fear in you that the estrogen in soy milk or flax seeds has anything to do with the impact of the commonly called, "female hormone". True, the similarity at the molecular level can allow them to mildly mimic and sometimes act as antagonists of the hormone, estrogen, but they are not the same.
Next, we have the humble Lentils:
These are known as Green Lentils as there are many varieties of lentils. What can we learn from the lentil? Well, it is believed that even before pottery was developed in India, lentils were grown, harvested, cooked and eaten.
It is called the lens-shaped been and as you can see, there is not wonder about that comparison. For those that think protein in any sufficient manner exist only in meat, they surely have missed the boat on lentils.
26% of the lentil is PROTEIN. This makes lentils the 3rd highest protein source by weight in the plant world, behind soy and hemp.
SOY and HEMP. Well, we all know that soy is very available in North America but sadly, in the United States, thanks to some ill-placed religious ignorance (and social ignorance), which is always the ripe soil for pre-judging, HEMP is outlawed in the country.
Don't tell this to the "founding fathers" as HEMP was their one key crop!
But I digress. Let's get back to LENTILS. How many varieties are there?
1. Brown or Spanish Pardina
2. French Green (puy Lentils) [These are the lovely blue-green speckled ones]
3. Black or Beluga Lentils
4. Richlea (also known as Medium Green) Lentils
5. Macachiados [These are the tasty large yellow Mexican Lentils]
6. Petite Golden Lentils (also known as Decorticated Lentils)
7. Eston Lentils (small green)
8. Yellow or Tan Lentils (crack them open and they are red inside)
9. Green Lentils (the kind I will be sprouting)
10. Laird Lentils (the large green ones)
11. Red Chief Lentils (also called Decorticated Yellow Lentils)
12. Masoor Lentils (these are the brown-skinned beans which are also red inside)
My dear friend from Port-of-Spain, on the north part of the Gulf of Paria once cooked me one of the hottest dishes I have ever attempted to eat using Masoor Lentils. My love for my dear friend and his spicy cooking has only grown. So much, in fact, that I long for his hot cooking to this day, some 30 years later!
Here is a photograph that is very close to what Emmence served me 32 years ago:
Lovely!
And one more word about lentils. Did you know that lentils are one of the best vegetable or botanical sources of iron? If you are a Vegetarian, this is very important. Iron deficiency is very common the world over and for Vegetarians, lentils are a godsend to fight this potential deficiency.
My niece has an iron deficiency and lentils would be a fantastic source of highly assimilatable iron for her and so many others entering, in or leaving adolescence. Pregnant women too need more than usual Iron!
Go Lentils!
And on to raw, un-blanched, un-pasteurized Sunflower Seeds!
These have been waiting in the refrigerator with the flax seeds for quite some time to be sprouted. The sunflower seed is the fruit of the majestic sunflower plant!
Let's get technical:
When we say, "sunflower seed", it is not actually the seed in the pericarp or hull. Fact is, the sunflower seed is referred to, in botanical terms, as an achene. So, what do we call the fruit of the sunflower plant, encased in it's hull?
The KERNEL of course! And that is what I have... many raw sunflower kernels.
These are not roasted and then salted as most sunflower kernels are presented in the mainstream. Growing up, when someone mentioned Sunflower Seeds, my mind instantly conjured up the following image:
And there is no better place to eat these, also called "spits", than at one of these:
When I was coming up, my San Francisco Giants baseball team played at Candlestick. Who remembers?
Meanwhile, back at the sprouting ranch...
GARBANZO Beans!
And here is a little secret. I also found some CHICKPEAS! Here they are:
So, can you see the similarity? I sure can! YEP, they are one and the same. WHO KNEW???
Fact is, the Garbanzo Bean is also known as Chickpea, Indian Pea, Ceci Bean and Bengal Gram!
So here's to a very educational and exciting lesson! Mistakes, they teach us and help us to be more engaged in life, yes? Well, not all of them but many of them, ha!
And boy has the world discovered Chickpeas! Check these out:
This is called, "Potaje de Garbanzos y Collejas". Looks lovely, doesn't it. It's such a humble looking dish that promised flavors of all kinds. So, where is this dish from? From Castille / La Mancha region of Spain.
And now another Chickpea dish:
This is Chakhchoukha. It's from Algeria! And if you think it looks exciting and yummy, remember this tip, according to Wikipedia: Just cook Marqa before mixing with Rougag. OK? Got that? Good... ha!
So what do chickpeas look like in general?
Garbanzos on the left, Chickpeas on the right.
So, what types are there?
1. Desi - the smaller darker seeds with the rough coat. These are most popular in India, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran. These are also known as Bangal gram or kala chana.
2. Kabuli - these are lighter colored, larger beans or seeds. They are smoother and are more popular in Southern Europe, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Chile. But don't be surprised if you come upon these in the Indian subcontinent. They were introduced there in the 1700's.
Wheat Berries?
When I read Ann Wigore's book, "The Wheatgrass Book", she said something I did not know. Wheat Berries are the seeds from which Wheat Grass grows. Who knew? You did? Oh, OK. Well, I had NO IDEA! What new, right? Learning... it's a blast!
Here they are:
And here they are up close, as they look very much like Sunflower Seeds from afar:
They are little, tightly packed and dense factories of botanical health just waiting to be tapped! This is so exciting! I only knew Wheat Berries though something I was introduced to as a teenager:
Doesn't this look scrumptious? I must thank Becky Luigart-Stayner and Lydia DeGaris for this photograph from one of their recipes.
So, what are Wheat Berries? They are actually the entire Wheat Kernel (no hull of course), that includes all the parts of the wheat: Bran, Germ and the Endosperm. Many of us have enjoyed something called Wheat Bran in certain high-fiber cereals. And as good as bran is, it's not the whole Wheat Kernel.
These are now the most common way people get Wheat Bran... in the MUFFIN! And the fiber in these muffins are touted as a great health food. Sadly, Bran Muffins are so filled with other non-whole foods, including the non-whole food, wheat bran, that most people can see right through this claim.
Many of you may have enjoyed this delight, Wheat Germ:
I used to pour this on my cereal in the morning. And although there is some protein in the Wheat Germ, it is hardly a whole food. But for a junk food junky like I used to be, it was an improvement. But still, alas, it is but part of the Wheat Kernel.
It is the Kernel entire that delivers the whole of the Wheat Berry value in a botanical form; easy to digest and the body can derive the most benefit from when raw.
... drum roll ...
So, with such auspicious beginnings, we shall make them sprout (or work with Nature's powers to do so) and benefit from their goodness when I eat them!
THE POWER OF SIX
So last night, I gathered up my collection of seeds and minimally placed them into my 6 canning or preserving jars I got at a local 2nd hand store.
Mung Beans
Garbanzo Beans
Sunflower Kernals
Flax Seeds
Lentil Beans
Wheat Berries
Each seed to its own Jar means not too many seeds. That's because I just don't have the space to start splitting the sprouts into additional jars.
So I added water about to the halfway mark in each bottle filled with a sampling of seeds. The final product was very exciting as this truly is the first step in eating the sprouts - soaking them overnight over even longer.
As you can see, they are now happily exposed to water, or hydration. The water will soften them and then feed them to engage the most wonderful process of GROWTH! And growth in this form and many like it is LIFE!
Although blurry, this scene was very interesting. As the Flax Seed is flat with some edges that could capture the smallest bit of air, some floated and some sank deep into the water. And as we can see here, the process itself was exciting!
It's all going on and is there always for us to see, enjoy, appreciate and preserve!
And so here they are, the Big Six! Six preserving jars with the preserving or sealing lids removed. Only the screw top remains. Next we need to provide some method to allow drainage the following day or two without losing our lovely seeds.
The Cheese Cloth! I used unbleached cheese cloth so no chemicals can spoil the lovely incubation of these botanical wonders. I also included a bit of the scissors and cheese cloth roll so you can get the strong feeling that YOU TOO can do this right in your own home.
Now they most go somewhere out of the way to soak. But where?
AHA! The draining rack I got at World Market for under $20 and that's after me scouring the entire valley for second-hand racks. Here you can see they rest peacefully right-side up.
So, are you in for the exciting journey anew? I sure am! Sure hope you find it in your to join me in this lovely and life-filled adventure. And soon, you will gain the confidence to learn to sprout yourself, or, if you have done so before, re-engage your joy and get your sprouts going!
See you tomorrow!
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