Sprouting isn't just for Hippies

I've started sprouting and soaking a variety of grains and lentils over the past month. As if I don't already spend enough time in the kitchen, I decided to try some even more meticulous methods of food preparation after attending the Four Fold Healing Conference. Some of the information presented by Dr. Cowan with regard to diet conflicted with certain Ayurvedic principles I hold dear but most of his guidance reinforced my knowledge. Ayurvedic cooking techniques, as I have described in previous posts, are designed to "pre-digest" food and enhance agni (the digestive fire). Dr. Cowan and Sally Fallon advocate a diet that relies more heavily on animal products - high quality ones like raw milk & grass-fed beef; but they also emphasize the importance of properly preparing food to ease digestion and ensure assimilation of nutrients.

Whole, unrefined grains are praised by nutritionists for their relatively high vitamin and mineral content (compared to refined grains and white flour), but methods of preparation which maximize their health benefits are often ignored. Recipes designed to appeal to busy families offer shortcuts that undermine the natural goodness of key ingredients like brown rice and wheat berries. Whole grains need to be soaked to neutralize their phytic acid which binds with minerals like calcium, iron and zinc thereby inhibiting absorption of these nutrients. Adding something acidic (like lemon juice or vinegar) to the soaking liquid can help reduce the soaking time required. Using whey (the liquid that runs off in the production of cheese and which you can acquire by draining yogurt in cheesecloth overnight) to soak grains introduces lactobacilli which break down phytic acid even more effectively.

Commercially produced whole wheat bread and whole grain breakfast cereals may cause more harm than good (and may be a contributing factor in the prevalence of food allergies). Most convenience foods which proclaim to be "made with whole grains" contain more white flour, sugar and other additives than they do actual whole grains. And the processing of whole grains by major food manfacturers does not help the body to assimilate them. If anything, it makes them harder to digest and introduces toxins.

So the trick to including more whole grains and legumes in your diet with the most health benefits is to adopt habits that make them as convenient as processed foods. First, you'll need to stock your pantry with the right ingredients (in my book, grabbing something from the cupboard is certainly more convenient than stopping at Dunkin' Donuts for a bagel on the way to work).

Here are a few things that I have started to do:

1. Place a serving of rolled oats in a small saucepan with water and a little whey before I go to bed at night. In the morning, I just add some raisins & cinnamon, turn on the burner and I have a hot breakfast in about 5 - 7 minutes.

2. To sprout lentils, I soak them overnight then rinse them twice a day (once in the morning while cleaning up breakfast and right before bed, after putting my oats on the stove to soak) until they grow their little tails. (There are a ton of resources on the web which explain the how and why of sprouting.)

3. If I notice my fridge getting empty, I immediately begin soaking a cup of brown rice, barley or other grain that I think I'll want to eat for lunch (with veggies and sprouted lentil soup - recipe below).

4. For a quick snack, I grab a piece of Ezekial bread, made with 100% sprouted grains, and spread on some organic, grass-fed butter or ghee. Yum!

Sprouted Lentil Soup

Makes about 3 servings

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled & finely chopped

1 sprig thyme or rosemary (optional, but delicious)

1/2 cup lentils sprouted to yield about 3 cups

4 cups broth (vegetable or homemade organic chicken broth)

salt & black pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute a couple of minutes until soft. Add garlic, celery and carrot. Cook about 5 more minutes until vegetables are tender. Throw in thyme or rosemary spring and cook a minute.
2. Add sprouted lentils, broth and some salt, to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and, covered, for 10 minutes. Season with additional salt & pepper, to taste.