Mention sprouts and a lot of people will respond with the following:
”Yuk!”
”Bleah!”
”I don`t care if they are good for you.”
But for all who have blocked out their last horrible memory of sprouts, it`s time to sample these healthy greens again.
Alfalfa sprouts used to be the only sprouts found at the supermarket. They came packaged in little plastic baskets and covered in cellophane, where exposure to light and air would turn them into slimy nests of tangled, rotten mush. On a good day they tasted like dirt. People put them in sandwiches, and occasionally in salads. Health-conscious adults tolerated them. Kids despised them.
Lauri Roberts has made it her mission to change the image of the sprout. She bought Chicago`s Indoor Garden, now at 2708 W. Belmont Ave., five years ago, and has been growing and marketing 20 varieties of these tiny plants.
”I hated sprouts before I bought this company,” Roberts says, making a face. ”But the reason most people don`t like sprouts is that the quality isn`t good. There is a good-tasting sprout, as long as it`s fresh. No one can deny sprouts are terrible tasting when they`re not fresh.”
Roberts says sprouts will keep for two weeks after harvest, as long as they are kept cold, away from light. ”If people are really interested in fresh produce, they should take the time to ask supermarkets when their delivery days are. Or get sprouts from farmer`s markets. Sprouts are alive, and that means they`re still growing. And they`re very perishable.”
Alfalfa is not the only plant that sprouts. Any bean or seed can be sprouted, and most don`t resemble the traditional alfalfa in taste or appearance. Radish sprouts are hot and spicy, with delicate, bright red and yellow leaves. Garbanzo, mung and Alaskan pea sprouts resemble their bean seeds of origin, but are sweet and chewy. Onion sprouts have a mild onion taste and a hearty texture. Lentil sprouts are khaki-colored discs with a decided crunch and mild texture, and adzuki bean sprouts are ruby with a white tail and a tangy sweet bite. Wheat sprouts are so sweet, chewy and nutty they taste sinful. Well, almost. Sunflower grass, which is difficult to grow, is composed of delicate, flowerlike shoots with a crispy bite that`s sweet and succulent.
Sunflower sprouts and sunflower grass are favorites with children.
”Sunflower sprouts are the seeds, which have sprouted,” Roberts says.
”The greens are grown in soil; they have roots, and grow like grass.” At farmer`s markets, where Roberts sells her produce, many customers say their youngsters like these sprouts on peanut butter and jelly, or hidden in muffins. ”It`s not health people at the farmer`s market anymore. It`s people who really want fresh food,” Roberts says.
Sprouts are pleasing to the eye as well as to the taste buds, adding crunch and color to sandwiches, egg dishes and salads. Because they are grown in chemical-free soil, using purified water, sprouts from Chicago`s Indoor Garden don`t require washing, rinsing or drying.
If not for taste, then the best reason to get acquainted with sprouts is for the nutritional wallop they pack. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and enzymes, sprouts are the building blocks of plants.
Sprouts are extremely low in calories, but rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. For 81 calories, 1 cup of lentil sprouts provides twice as much fiber as a spear of broccoli, 23 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, 16 percent of protein and 14 percent of iron. Compared with a mature onion, 2 ounces of onion sprouts have eight times the protein, four times the calcium and five times the iron.
”All sprouts are low in calories, but you can`t do better for nutrition. One cup of Alaskan pea sprouts has twice the protein and calcium of an egg, and more potassium than a banana,” Roberts says.
Sprouts are available, fresh, all year long. ”Most sprouts are grown locally. Nobody ships. They`re too perishable,” Roberts says.
Sprouts are available at Treasure Island, Dominick`s, most health food stores and at the farmer`s markets at Daley Plaza, Lincoln Park, Skokie and Oak Park. Try using them in recipes for salads, soups and even on pizza.
BEAUTIFUL SEVEN-LAYER SPROUTED SALAD
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Dressing:
3 tablespoons each: honey, hot water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
Croutons:
3 tablespoons butter
4 slices good-quality bread, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
Sprouts:
1 cup each: Alaskan pea, wheat berry, lentil, mung, adzuki, sunflower and onion
1. For dressing, dissolve honey in hot water in small bowl; let cool. Stir in remaining dressing ingredients. Let stand while you arrange the salad. 2. For croutons, heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add cubed bread and cook and stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake until crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Layer the sprouts in a glass bowl with dressing between each layer. Add croutons to the top and serve.
WILD RICE AND CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
1 cup wild rice
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups each: chicken broth, half-and-half
2 cups boneless, skinless, cubed, cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup onion sprouts
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 each: mung bean sprouts, wheat berry sprouts
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3/4 pound sunflower greens
1. Cook wild rice in boiling water to cover in small saucepan until fork- tender, about 45 minutes. Drain. (Rice can be cooked several days in advance; refrigerate covered.)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook onion and garlic in butter in large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the flour. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir the chicken broth into the mixture until well blended. Add the half-and-half; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in the cooked chicken, wild rice, red bell pepper, parsley, salt, pepper and onion sprouts. Stir in mushrooms, mung bean sprouts and wheat berry sprouts. Blend thoroughly.
3. Transfer mixture to a 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Serve on a bed of sunflower greens.
STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 cup wheat berry sprouts
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 cup soft whole-wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
25 large mushrooms, stems removed
1. Combine sprouts, onion, celery, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and herbs in a mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over all and toss again.
2. Fill mushroom caps with stuffing mixture. Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until they are heated through and light brown, about 5 minutes.
