Get your Wheaties!

If there was one thing I took away from the Sprouting Bootcamp a few weeks ago, it was the power of wheat. Unfortunately, when most people think "wheat" they probably think bread, bread that has most likely been overproccessed and contains little to none of the nutritional value of the original wheat kernel. Bread remains to be one of my "comfort foods" but now I have found a way to enjoy it guilt free, nutrients intact, along with wheat it its other various forms. Once again, I can do it all out of my own kitchen and feel good knowing exactly what process the wheat goes through, from a hard wheat kernel, to food in my stomach. Just a quick rundown on why wheat is so awesome: its the most nutritious sprout, and also the most versitle. Very high in fiber (fills you up), protein, amino acids, vitamin A, C, B complex, E, niacin, and pantothenic acid.

You can buy red spring wheat anywhere (usually) that sells in bulk. Soak the kernels overnight, rinse in the morning, and keep in a dark, damp area. (I usually keep mine in the strainer, as I will rinse the kernels 2-3x a day to keep them moist and then put a towel over the top.) In 2-3 days, they will sprout!
Once they are sprouted you can put 1 c of wheat in your blender with 5-6 cups of water and put on high.  Pour the drink into jars and stir 2x/day for 2-3 days for a fermented, probiotic drink called Rejuvelac. Michael won't touch this stuff because it looks funky (admittingly, the cloudy-ness doesn't do much for the drink aesthetically) but I know this stuff works! It can easily replace a soda habit and makes drinking water less boring, and its so cheap and easy to make! My first time having it, I was a bit repulsed by the fermentation. I gulped down a few more sips, and gradually I actually started liking it! I put some lemon juice in it for flavor, but now I can enjoy it plain. Give it a try, if you hate it, you hate it. Sometimes it takes some getting used to, but its great for digestion. (Toss the wheat "scraps" down at the bottom of the  jar once its made.)

I haven't started doing this...yet, but I intend to start once I have the resources. Taking sprouted wheat (shown above) to growing wheatgrass is not hard, simply take the sprouts and put them in soil on trays, water, cover, and grow! Wheatgrass drinks are known as the most nutritious drinks available, and aren't cheap to buy straight from the store (jamba juice sells wheatgrass shots for $3.50/ounce!). They also have a bad rep for being gross. I actually kind of like them, they aren't disgusting, but mostly I enjoy them for the health benefits. There is a lot of information out there about wheatgrass, if you are interested I would reference "Wheatgrass" the book by Ann Wigmore. 

Onto breads! I love the texture that this bread offers, although it lacks in the familiar "fluffyness" of enriched wheat flour that I was all too used to, it makes up for it when I add other ingredients to supplement it. For example, one of my favorite breads is made with sprouted wheat, apple, cinnamon, and raisins. Simply process and dehydrate! It is definately worth watching in the dehydrator, making sure it doesn't over dry to keep it moist and pliable.

Just a quick shout out to my hubby: Michael is a real sport when it comes to my obsession with raw foods. We do not, and never have had the same tastes. I knew he was probably going to propose to me the night that he did because he offered to take me to an upscale sushi restaraunt, my favorite, his least favorite. He's all-american, burgers, pizza etc. and I'm all about the spices and exotic flavors. I'm always trying to assimilate our tastes and make things that we both can enjoy, and it's not easy. I usually become a slave to my dehydrator for a few hours each weekend, trying to fill all nine trays desperately while he sits back and watches (our kitchen is WAY too small to fit two people in it.) I savor everything I make, and offer him the final result that he accepts, looks at skeptically, and swallows. Granted, he loves being healthier and eating more fruits and vegetables, but not because he necessarily loves them, like me. The other day, I made him a guacamole dip which I left innocently in the fridge for him to discover while at home.  A few hours later, he texted me, "the guacamole is EXCELLENT." That really made my day. We will find common ground on some things; on most things we differ, but that's ok. I am learning to bridge the gap more and more everyday.

Sprout me!

I have been learning so much about raw foods over the last few weeks I have hardly had time to absorb all of the information, let alone write about it! I am excited to get my thoughts semi-organized on my blog though, as I begin to share all of the valuable information I have acquired.
Nearly two weeks ago I went on an overnight stay to Katherine Scott's house, a local raw foodist and life coach. (She hosts the monthly potlucks that I go to as well.) It was for a "Sprouting Bootcamp." We learned all about raw food and made all of our meals together (it was fun being in a real size kitchen with other people helping out) in addition to learning about all sorts of sprouts, primarily wheatgrass and sunflower. All the the recipes we made had sprouts and we were given a sprouting jar which I immediately brought home and put to good use! I now have my alfalfa jar that I am constantly growing in, a few mason jars with sprouting lids, and the plastic container I got from the bootcamp, all simultaneously growing sprouts of all shapes and sizes! I love it! It really gives you a sense of accomplishment like, "I did this! And I'm benefiting from this!" which is irreplaceable.

 Oh, and did I mention it is SO EASY. Basic concept: soak, rinse, eat. The only thing that varies between sprouts is the soaking time, how often you rinse, and where you store them. Anyone can do this though. Really. Sprouts are powerhouses of nutrients as well, most packed with all of your B vitamins, as well as a slew of other vitamins and minerals. I also learned that a tablespoon of sesame has more than 3x the amount of calcium than in a glass of cows milk, without the leaching protein that steals from your bones in order to get digested. I have started putting sesame in my green smoothies; you can't even taste the difference. Another one of my new favorite things to do is wraps made from collard and chard leaves. It is the perfect edible wrap and provides you with more of your daily chorophyll!

Speaking of chorophyll, the more I get into raw foods, the more the sun really amazes me. If it weren't for the sun, life would not exist. We thrive off the sun; heck people pay good money to sit for 10 minutes in a gross bed to get their concentrated UV rays just for the sake of looking peachy! Seriously though, I am probably the most anti-tanning, pro-sunblock person in the entire world, and I cannot even deny the love I have for pure rays of light (not the fake bake kind either). Our bodies crave the vitamin D. We expose as much of our bodies as we can (without feeling indecent) for the sake of being tan. The sun is also the reason plants are able to grow, therefore eating plants is (stay with me here) like eating pure energy! Clean, pure, simple, yet uncomprehendable phytonutrients. Somehow, and I really do consider it a miracle, the sun transfers  itself into the ground, feeding the plant, causing it to grow and develop and thereby providing us with inner sunshine! So cheesy I know. But one green smoothie a day is all you need to feel the power that I'm referring to. If you have a blender (preferably a high speed blender, but anything will do) I challenge you to make a green smoothie everyday. Especially with so many fresh fruits in season right now, there really is no reason not to try it.