Sprouting 101 :: Hummus Recipe

So I will make this a quick post, nothing too scientific or crazy. I just wanted to explain the basic idea around sprouting - for those who don't understand why it's better to eat sprouted beans/seeds than not and/or for those who may just want to be reminded. 

Let's say we buy some garbanzo beans {you know, not from the can, but the real hard ones that feel like rocks} from the store with the goal of cooking them and then making some yummy homemade hummus. So in order to eat them we need to boil them. Right? 

OR do we? We've all heard about this whole sprouting thing. Well, the idea is that instead of cooking the beans to soften them and make them edible, you can actually GROW them. Did you realize that? You can GROW those dormant, hard-as-rock beans they sell at the store like you would a plant. 

Not only is it more healthy, it's kind of amazing if you think about it. They are SEEDS! Cashews, those crunchy nuts we munch on at parties. They too, when bought raw {not roasted or candied} can actually grow sprouts like a plant when "germinated" {soaked in water}. WOW! What an amazing thing. 

We all know that it's really important to eat produce and veggies and greens? Right? So, think about how healthy a bean is as it's GROWING. It becomes a plant. AN ALIVE LIVING GROWING PLANT! Those rocks that you boil, can create something you plant in the ground. Sometimes people don't even eat the legume or the seed, they just eat the greens that sprout up. HOW NEAT IS THAT? We don't even need water or a pot or fire! 

So next time you think about cooking your garbanzos {or cashews or almonds or seeds} before eating them, think again and instead SOAK THEM for a few hours and watch them to grow overnight. They will then be palatable and ready to make hummus with. Mmmm mmmm mmmmm. 

SPROUTED HUMMUS RECIPE

• 1.5 c chick peas, sprout them
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 c filtered or spring water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon nama shoyu
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or to taste
• 5 Tbls tahini
• 1 dash of paprika {optional}

1. Soak the beans for 24 hours. Drain, and let sit for 2 days, until the bean sprouts are about ¼-1/2 inch long. Rinse the beans once or twice a day.
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove water from heat and let sit for 1 minute. Place sprouted chickpeas in the hot water for one minute; drain. (This step is very important)
3. Place the sprouted beans into large food processor. Add the tahini, sea salt, cumin, lemon juice, and garlic. Process until smooth, adding water if necessary. It will take 3 to 5 minutes to blend. Let sit in the food processor for 5 minutes to allow the beans to absorb as much of the water as possible. If too thick, add more water, and blend again. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Spoon into a serving dish, and garnish with paprika.

But to read more about how to sprout and why - read here.