How to Sprout Lentils
As with any sproutable grain, the nutritional value of lentils soars during the sprouting process, and because you can eat sprouts raw, you retain all of that incredible nutritional value when preparing meals. Lentils are a fantastic source of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zinc and much more. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Select organic dried lentils for sprouting. Lentils come in a large variety of types, all of which can be sprouted; however, each will have a slightly different flavor and larger lentils will require longer sprouting times. Most lentils provide a slightly spicy flavor with makes a fantastic addition to salads and sandwiches.
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Soak your dried lentils in water for 8 to 14 hours. Smaller lentil varieties do great with just 8 hours; however, larger lentil will require 12 to 14 hours. Remember that lentils will almost quadruple in size, so do not sprout more lentils than you can eat in about 2 weeks.
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Rinse the lentils thoroughly, after soaking, to remove acids and toxins from the surface. Drain the water as well as you can and place them in a wide-mouthed glass jar. Cover the jar loosely with a light cloth and place the lentils in a cool, semi-lit location.
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Remove the cloth lid from your lentils jar and rinse them well every 8 to 12 hours, draining the water thoroughly before returning them to the jar. After about 3 days, try eating a few lentils, which should now have about 1/2-inch sprouts. If you would like the sprouts to be a bit more tender, continue the process for another day.
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Finish the sprouting process by giving your lentils a final rinse and then cover them with a cloth and placing them in the refrigerator. You should eat sprouted lentils within about 2 weeks to ensure freshness.
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Comments
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I have begun sprouting lentils and mung beans for my rabbit. He goes NUTS over it and gobbles it down twice a day, along with all his other food. But I find his poo is a little soft afterwards. Lentils must be causing this?
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You will want to do this if you are using lentils as a source of protein, because lentils are deficient in two essential amino acids, methionine and cysteine. Sprouted lentils, however, contain sufficient levels of all essential amino acids, including methionine and cysteine.
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"the nutritional value of lentils soars" is an inaccurate statement. The nutrition value per gram CHANGES quite drastically, it doesn't simply increase all the current nutrition in the lentils. The reason for this is that the lentils grow sprouts which have a vegetable-like nutrition make up vs a legume(much more protein). So if you're eating the lentils for protein you might want to skip the sprouting.
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pjdesigns
Mar 09, 2009
I've had success sprouting lentils without requiring a glass jar with a lid on it. Reasons should be given for sprouting container preference. One of the most important points is to maintain the proper air/moisture temperature to minimize mold/mildew/spoilage. Now we need that special lentil recipe; add raw garlic, a whole diced onion to a simmer until desired and add a quarter cup of fresh organic lemon juice to the mix at the end for a tasty twist. -
pjdesigns
Mar 09, 2009
I've had success sprouting lentils without requiring a glass jar with a lid on it. Reasons should be given for sprouting container preference. One of the most important points is to maintain the proper air/moisture temperature to minimize mold/mildew/spoilage. Now we need that special lentil recipe; add raw garlic, a whole diced onion to a simmer until desired and add a quarter cup of fresh organic lemon juice to the mix at the end for a tasty twist.
