Any fellow sprouters out there!!!
 

Hi, my name is Melody and I usually go on the Peripheral Neuropathy forums, and the diabetes forums (as well as some others).

I was giving some sprouting tips to a fellow poster and she thought it might be neat for me to put some information on THIS garden forum. I never even knew we had a Home and Garden forum.

How cool is that?

So here's the information I had given to her. I'm just going to copy and paste it in this thread.

And if anyone else does sprouting, I'd be happy to hear it.
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Info on sprouting...............

Google the word SPROUTS and you'll learn all about broccoli sprouts, alfalfa, radish, fenugreek (WELL, ALL KINDS OF SPROUTS).

Because my husband has auto-immune stuff going on, I don't sprout Alfalfa, because of what I read about it, BUT I SPROUT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ELSE.

Here is a link to one of my sprout videos (I make my own homemade sprout trays.) This video is about my broccoli sprouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E31aS...eature=channel

Now I don't know if you are familiar with youtube, but I have many sprout videos up on youtube. When you click on the link I provided, you'll see the first one. After viewing it, just go to the right where it says "more videos from eliz7212),

And ALL MY VIDEOS WILL COME UP. Jus select which ones that you think might strike your fancy.

I make my own yogurt (in a cardboard box), I learned how to do this from watching youtube videos.

I buy my organic sprouting seeds online from Sproutpeople.com and sprouthouse.com

When they arrive, I put them in ziplock bags, I label them, and pop them in the freezer. They don't freeze, they just keep fresh. I LOVE THIS.

I have not had to buy any lettuce for over one year.

My sprouts are the base for my salads, I just add my little tomatoes, red onions, cukes, black olives, a splash of extra virgin olive oiive and anything else that one adds to a salad.

You have NEVER tasted anything so good in your life and the nutrition of the sprouts (especially broccoli, well it goes through the roof).

Look at my fenugreek video. These were after 7 days of sprouting. They develop leaves.

My diet is plant based. My doctor is extremely happy with my progress and I bring him a bag of sprouts whenever my hubbie or I have a doctor appointment. My doctor is a body builder and he takes 4000 of fish oil every day.

SO HE KNOWS WHAT SPROUTS ARE!!!

lol

So when you get a minute, take a look at my videos. You can even see me and my hubbie singing Jingle Bells.

We are happy people, we love to eat healthy, and we try and keep stress to a minimun.

THAT'S THE KEY.

Try and de-stress.

Just start with a mason jar or two. Try and get some organic seeds, soak overnight and the next day rinse and drain twice a day. (any kind of sprout).

You'll laugh out loud when you see them start to grow.

I have videos of my sprouted lentils, and especially my mung beans.

YOU Have no idea how much mung beans grow (THEY BECOME BEAN SPROUTS).

No pesticides, no chemicals.

Just healthy sprouts.

Best of luck

Melody

Like I don't have enough hobbies...:o

I was thinking of trying this after I move. I really need to eat healthier. I know what not to eat. But it's hard to know what TO eat. How to make it? A life of what mom made, what I know how to make - which ain't much, lol. You just get in a rut. It's hard to see a different way.

I also want to get a juicer, since I'm going to have oragne and lime trees.

Why don't you start out like I did.

I went to the store and bought a bag of lentils (not organic but what the heck). I took some, washed them thoroughly, rinsed them and then soaked them overnight.

The next morning, I rinsed and drained again, and put them in a bowl. I just rinsed and drained them twice a day.

Well!!! you should see them sprout. In a few days they get little tails and then in 4 or 5 (and you can keep them in the fridge, covered in a bowl), and they will STILL KEEP SPROUTING.

I sprinkle them in Alan's salads, and when I want them I just take some Beano.

But they sure are pretty in a salad.

After I started doing that, I just graduated to the broccoli and the radish sprouts. Lord, my salads are the MOST COLORFUL things.

And so delicious.

Once I made the change, I knew I could never go back.

Someone on my sprout message boards made the following statement and it made a lot of sense.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY BUT WHAT YOU DON'T PUT IN YOUR BODY.

No preservatives, no artificial anything. Nothing from a package. (Hard I know). There are some people who only eat things that they grew in the ground, and milk that they got from their cows. NOTHING BOUGHT IN A STORE, NOTHING WITH HORMONES.

Wow, if I lived on a farm or in Pennsylvania, I can just imagine what I would have growing in my back yard.

I'd even get my own cow!!!

lol
Melody

Melody, I've milked cows. It's not as glamorous as you might imagine, lol.

:p

I didn't have time for much of a garden this year, but I picked the first of the tomatoes and the cucumbers are as big as my fore arm. Also have sweet hungarian peppers. The lettuce went to seed already, don't know what's with the cilantro - it was out there somewhere.

No pesticides, all natural. I make my own compost.

I get meat up the street, it's all local. They have pictures of some of the cows/pigs if they won ribbons at the fair. They all lived right here where you'd drive past them in their field. Not some factory farm animals, real grazing stock like the old days.

You'd like the big farmer's market with the local produce here in town. You like sweet corn? You should see it, by the truck loads!

I just tried your youtube link, but all I get is their home page.

Just wondering, all you do is sign up, then you can post videos? You use a webcam, if I remember, right?

Here, try this one!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjmD9rUUFSU

then look to the right and you'll see ALL my youtube videos.

And I just had to sign up, pick a user ID, a password, and that's it.

I have a webcam. I just plop down my sprouts in front of my computer, hold the webcam in my right hand, I aim it at whatever I want to record, (sometimes it's Alan who is in my kitchen, so I just aim the webcam into my kitchen (you'll see Alan eating my first sugar free apple pie).

so give it another shot.

And you milk cows?? amazing. You ask if I eat corn. I USED TO LOVE CORN, but I'm diabetic, so I don't go near ANY starches whatsoever.

I've got much better sugar readings since I eat the way I eat.

No meat for almost 20 years. I grow my own sprouts, (and you are absolutely right, I WOULD LOVE A FARMER'S MARKET).

And I had to laugh when you wrote about your composting.

You have to hear what I did to Alan the other day.

I was looking at my Garden's Alive catalogue and they sell all kinds of composting bins, (as well as WORMS).

So I'm in another room, Alan is on the computer, and I carefully say "Alan, I'm thinking of buying a compost bin" (he has no clue what this is).

He says 'oh, okay, if it has anything to do with your sprouts, have a god time".

I said "But we have to buy the worms too, and they have ALL SORTS OF WORMS, THEY EVEN HAVE FREEZE DRIED WORMS, but you need the live ones for the compost".

I hear a dead silence, he comes over to me and says:

"what did you just say??"

I look at him with this innocent look on my face and I said "well, if you want to really go green, and not do the planet any arm, then you have to compost".

He said "What exactly is that"? I showed him the catalogue and then I showed him the pages with the worms.

WELL!!! You never saw a man go completely mad in someone's kitchen.

I wish I had taken my webcam so you could have seen his first reaction.

He then put his finger in my face and said "If you bring a worm in this house, I'll, I'll, and he goes all red in the face".

I burst out laughing and said "Alan, this is me, ME!!!, Do you honestly think I would have something with worms in my kitchen".

You should have seen the sigh of relief that came over him.

This reminds me of about 15 years ago when I wanted to get a pet hamster for my son. My husband wanted NO PETS in the house.

So he was away at his office and I phoned him and I said "well, we have a new guest in this house". He said "Oh my god, what did you buy, did you get that hampster?"

I said "oh, no, something much better, much more instructional for our son, to learn all about how to care for an animal"

I said 'We got Iggy"

Alan said "What on earth is an Iggy?"

I said "he's in our bathtub right now". Again, he said "We have an Iggy in our bathroom?"

I said "He's 3 feet long, and I have him on a leash, he won't take up much room but when we bathe we have to put him in the kitchen".

He must have been staring down at the phone saying "What is this woman talking about?"

I said "We have a 3 foot iguana in our tub".

He was gulping and gulping and I could hear his voice catching, and then I said:

"Gotcha".

The next day I had my hampster.

You gotta love what I do to this man.

lol

Melody

What a hoot!!!!!!!!!

Hubby says he don't want to eat no spouts. He's a beans a tater - got to feed him meat kind a guy.

He said he put some of them things on his salad and ruined his salad.

Any suggestions?

Any beer flavored sprouts?

BEER FLAVORED SPROUTS???!!!!

lol lol lol lol

Well, if he's a beans kind of guy, SPROUT THEM.

Take a package of any kind of beans (or lentils if you are so inclined).

I'd try Black turtle beans or pinto beans (don't start with kidney beans).

So I would pour a quarter cup of beans in a mason jar (or any kind of jar or bowl). Fill with water to cover the beans all the way. Add a bit more water.

Soak over night.

The next morning, drain the beans completely, rinse and drain again (drain them good).

Put in a jar with a mesh top on (secure with rubber band). Two times a day, rinse and drain WELL!!!

In 3 or 4 days you will see the beans split apart and form a SPROUT.

This is when you can do two things with these beans.

Oh, because you soaked them over night, (it's called germination), you completely changed the whole nutrition and makeup of the beans.

They are now EXTREMELY HEALTHY and filled with enzymes and nutrients (dense nutrients) whatever the heck that means anyway (I watch youtube bean videos all the time).

So you can toss some of these beans into his salad (surprise him, don't tell him they are in there),

Or you can toss them into any soup or stew or anything you cooked, (or you can saute them in a bit of garlic and olive oil for a tasty side dish.

THEN HAND HIM A NICE COLD GLASS OF BEER TO WASH IT ALL DOWN.

See HOW MUCH FUN YOU CAN HAVE WITH BEANS???

lol

Melody

Love that iguana story!

I got my tiny dog sort of like that. Started looking at Newfoundlands. Next thing you know, the pomeranian was approved.

;)


I don't do those worm composts. I just have a cage and throw stuff in it. It needs to be turned over once in a while, and it should be watered - I just hope for rain, I'm lazy.

But in spring, I take a rake and separate the chunks from what's turned to dirt. The dirt is dark as coffee grounds, and that goes on whatever bed needs it. Last year it went to the zebra grass. Some times it goes to the veggies or the roses.

The stuff that didn't break down goes back in the cage. Fruit and veggies, lawn clippings, dirt from old potted plants, all that goes in. My yard was hard clay when I moved here. Now the beds are all black soil, you can sink a spade to the handle.


I hope the people who buy this house decide they like gardening. I put a lot into that yard.

This might be a dumb question, but where is this cage? Outside, or inside?


Melody

The cage is outside. It's about as big as two large laundry hampers. Which is a lot smaller than they tell you, for compost. but it still works. They say you need about a 3' x 3' area or bigger - but who wants to deal with turning all that over? Too much work for me.

I don't put much fruit in mine, because that makes it smell and attracts a lot of insects - and not good ones. Grass, weeds, are most of it with bad tomatoes and cukes from the garden maybe being 5%.


Thing is, I need to cover the finished dirt with plastic and let it set in the sun a few weeks to kill off the bacteria and seeds because this small of a compost does not do as good a job at that as a larger one.

They make this stuff sound so complicated, and it's not. you throw clippings in a pile and let them rot, and that's compost. It's as complicated as you make it.

I figure this, what ever a plant takes out of the ground is what it needs to grow. You put that back in the ground, and you can grow that plant really well. Saves a ton of fertilizing.

I think I'll just keep doing my sprouts. I have no backyard. I live in an apartment. I'm doing JUST FINE doing my sprouts, and today I found another way to make sprout patties.

AND BOY WERE THEY GOOD.

Because I'm diabetic I rarely eat any carbs and I NEVER EAT ANY REFINED CARBS.

But I was using bread crumbs as a binder to make my veggie patties, sprout patties, various sorts of patties. I would throw in egg whites, chopped onions and any mashed up veggies that I had and I would then throw some sprouts in, mash it all up, make a patty, spary some PAM and add a bit of vegetable oil, make the pan hot, and add the patties, turning until browned and cooked.

And then adding a dollop of my yogurt dill dressing. Absolutely delicious but then again, THERE WERE THOSE CARBS FROM THE BREAD CRUMBS.

Wel!!! today I said "I'm just going to make sprout patties, with no bread crumbs.

So I took my sprouts (BROCCOLI, FENUGREEK AND RADISH SPROUTS). Just imagine all these green leaves peaking at the tops of the white sprouts (absolutely beautiful to look at). I put them in a bowl, add some chopped onion, added an egg (you can use substitute or egg whites). Then I took a fork, mixed it all up, did the PAM bit in the frying pan, and put in some oil Not a lot of oil, but just to cover the bottom a bit. Then I got it hot, took some of the mixture in my hand, and while it doesn't form a pattie, I didn't care, because when it hits the hot oil, it makes a birds nest kind of thing (if you can understand what I mean.

When you turn it over and it's done, it's all crispy.I drained them completely, and there is no saturated fat at all.

So when they were all ready, I added the yogurt and my husband said "oh my god, these are better than the others, they are so crisp".

So I now have NEW PATTIES, NO CARBS, No sturated fat, crisp and delicous, and you can top with yogurt, applesauce, anything you want.

These are absolutely to die for.

I'm going to post this on the recipe forum (Do we have one of those? lol)

Melody

We sure do Melody. Look above... still in the Social Forum and you'll find the Food Forum, or you can use this link to take you to the recipe sticky thread. http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread22361.html

That does sound good! I should show that to dd. She's a vegan and I bet she'd like that. Probably get into sprouting too.

Your DD probably has been doing this all along. But show her anyway, if she hasn't BOY IS SHE GOING TO ENJOY THIS ONE!!

And no carbs. You GOTTA LOVE THIS.

lol
Melody

She hasn't. I just saw a pack of sprouts in the fridge the other day and it cost more than a bag of beans. She will love saving all that money, plus having them fresh all the time. Plus around here, you play heck trying to find any variety. I'm sure she's never thought of all the kinds you can eat.

Good!!1

I buy my organic sprouting seeds online at Handypantry.com and Sprouthouse.com.

I get my organic broccoli seeds from Sprouthouse.com and I only get one pound and I use them SPARINGLY, because they are very expensive. But you need only a bit in the jar, as long as you put other sprouting seeds in it.

I use Clover, Radish, and Fenugreek, besides the Broccoli.

Fenugreek is bitter but when you combine the seeds in the mason jars, and they sprout in 5 to 7 days, and then I put in a big tub of water, I take off ALL THE HULLS, then I put in salad spinner to dry.

THEN, I store them in air tight containers in my fridge.

You can't imagine how much money you can save when you no longer have to buy any lettuce and you use the sprouts as your base for a salad.

The health benefits go through the roof. My body IS MUCH LESS INFLAMED.

I don't buy Alfalfa sprouts (if it were just me, I would), but since Alan might have auto-immune stuff going on, I read somewhere that Alfalfa sprouts might interfere with that so I just don't sprout alfalfa.

And I grow my own mung bean sprouts. I buy 5 lbs from the Asian Market (which will last me a good 3 months) because THEY GROW LIKE CRAZY WHEN YOU SPROUT THEM.

Because my mung beans are not organic, I wash them carefully in a colander, then I put in a big bowl to soak overnight. To this bowl I add a teaspoon of 3% hydrogen pyroxide (I got this information from my sproutpeople message board).

Oh, when I soak ANY OF MY SEEDS OVERNIGHT, I add a few drops of Liquid Kelp (I got this info from the message board also)

It seems it adds all KINDS OF LOVELY AMINO ACIDS, HEALTH BENEFITS, VITAMINS, ETC. because seaweed is supposed to be EXTREMELY HEALTHY.

So I got the liquid kelp for free because I had a $25.00 coupon from Garden's Alive, when they sent me their catalogue. Go to their website, order a free catalogue that has the "SAVE $25.00" and when it comes, you call them up, you can buy anthing you want for twenty five bucks and under and it's FREE!!! You don't have to give them any credit card or anything.

I got some organic lentil seeds and the bottle of Liquid Kelp. They do this for first time customers I gather, but I just was pleased as punch to get that catalogue with the $25.00 coupon off on any order (and if the order is under $25.00, the order is FREE)

So that's what I did.

But I only buy my organic seeds from Sprouthouse.com, and mostly from HandyPantry.com

My seeds are all stored in my freezer and they don't freeze. They just keep forever.

I buy the 5 lb cans of organic seeds (except for the broccoli) That's too expensive. But if I ever win the lottery, all I would buy would be broccoli seeds and Fenugreek (which is good for diabetes or so they say)

Anyway, give it some thought. Start slow. and soon enough you'll be like me.

GROWING THINGS IN YOUR KITCHEN.

I love this. I have trays, jars, and god knows what else. But I have this all on my racks. Nothing is on my kitchen counters and my kitchen is clean.

This way, I never use a pesticide or chemicals and I feel I'm doing something GOOD for my immune system, my digestive system, and god only knows what system I have.

lol

Melody

Well it makes a lot of sense. After all a car wouldn't run too well if all you put in it's tank was dirty puddle water. So why should a body run, if all you put in it is junk?

Put good stuff in, and it works better.

I admire how you are doing this. It's one thing to grow a garden out here, with a big yard, but you have to be really resourceful to grow all that in your kitchen.

:cool:

Very cool.

Right now I really can't start on this. Dh got transferred - he's been in fl for a couple months working, and I'm leaving to go see him in a couple days.

We're moving as soon as we get all that arranged, but who knows how long all that is going to take. Seems like it's really dragging on. This started in April so we thought I'd be down there moved in by Sept. Now we're hoping by Christmas.

Someday when it's not so up in the air though.

:D

Hi.

I MUST share my new toys with you. I received them the other day and I now store ALL MY SPROUTS in these containers in my fridge.

I was so excited (just imagine a woman getting excited about storage containers), lol.

I was using the green bags and various kinds of ziplock bags, but when you plop these in the fridge, well they fall over and even more important, I WANTED A STORAGE CONTAINER THAT WOULD BE AIR TIGHT, BUG PROOF (you never know, lol), and water proof.

So I went online, did some research and found a reasonable container.

It's called the LOCK & LOCK storage containers.

I just now made a video (to share with my other sprout message board sprouting people.) We share all kinds of info.

I'm going to upload the video now on youtube.

When I have it up, I'll come back here, and re-edit this message and put in the link

mel.

Melody

okay, it's live.

Go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlarSm9t2vY

I've seen those Lock and Locks. Very cool! Like how easy they are to open and close, and you KNOW they are closed right when you close them. Plus all the great colors they come in.


BUT.... you're going to want the new containers when you find these - they are made out of that *green bag* material. Cool huh? So it's a container and it preserves your food like those bags. Sweeeeeet!

Hi.

Are you talking about the GREEN BOXES by Debbie Myers. I did a customer review search on them when they first came out. And I watched a QVC (or a HSN) video showing them. I almost bought them.

Then I read what some customers said about them. So I didn't buy them. I continued to use my green bags (as I still do, for my tomatoes, carrots, cukes, zucchini's, etc. etc.

I will use my Lock & Lock for storing my sprouts, (believe me, I HAVE LOTS OF SPROUTS IN MY FRIDGE). I take a little bag to breakfast with me when I go out in the a.m. I sit there and I take out my little ziplock back filled with my little green broccoli and fenugreek and whatever other sprouts I happened to pull out of the fridge.

I then sneak them UNDER my eggs (or egg whites), and because they give me a side of sliced tomatoes (instead of home fries), I just put the sprouts underneath all of this.

I sit there reading my newspaper (which the little cafe provides). They refill my coffee whenever I wish. I have my rye toast, my breakfast, my coffee, and my sprouts ALL FOR THE GRAND TOTAL OF $2.45.

I'm there for a good hour, socializing, and enjoying my morning breakfast. It really is the only indulgence in my life and I'm not about to give this up.

You should see the faces of the people at the next table when they see me doing the sprout thing. One guy came over and said "are they serving those green things with the breakfasts?" I laughed and said "no, I grow these at home".

That began an hour long sprouting lesson in the cafe.

Then, I walk the 10 blocks home, go the bathroom, and all is right with my day.

I can't tell you how good it is to be able to go the bathroom without having to take stimulants, and anything else.

This way of eating, well it does a body GOOD!!

I have people ask me 'Do they fill you up?" "Don't you want an occasional treat, don't you get tired of eating green?"

I look at them and I say "Let me tell you what makes my day, anytime I take my blood sugar and it says 96, WELL THAT MAKES MY DAY".

They look at me like I'm nuts. they weight 350 lbs and live on Steak, potatoes, mac and cheese and all the other stuff.

See, I USED TO DO THAT.

But I just respond. "I eat what is right for ME".

And I get comments, oh brother do I get comments. And it's ONLY FROM THE LARGER PEOPLE. Who say to me "enough already, you are too thin".

I'm too thin?? I'm a size 12. Now a size 6 would be too thin for my 5 foot 6 1/2 inch frame.

But I look like a normal average woman and that is just fine for me. I started wearing shorts for the first time at age 60. And tank tops (outside the home), at age 61.

My aim is to look my Madonna by the time I'm 70.

Wouldn't THAT be a hoot???

lol lol lol

Poor Alan. You should see him when I'm wearing a V shaped neckline and we were sitting in the doctor's office, and I happened to bend over.

I thought he would have a stroke. He waited until the doctor left and then he said "Melody, you can't wear those tops, when you bend down, you have breasts".

I said "I have breasts?? Of course I have breasts, I'm a woman, what would expect me to have?"

He just looked at me, started to sputter and said "Well, don't bend down". And he hopped off the table and tried to raise the neckline. It wouldn't go anywhere. He kept trying to pull it up. It looks just fine as long as I don't bend over.

So I don't bend down anymore.

lol lol lol

Mel

I wouldn't worry what anybody thinks. If you still have your husband jealous that a doctor - of all people, the doctor! - might be peeking at your boobs... well, girlfriend, you still got it going on.

:)

You must be doing something right, and anybody who is telling you it ain't right is just jealous cus they don't got what you got.

Oh, Mel.... I've missed your posts.

This last one is really interesting, as they usually are!

I would caution you to not emulate Madonna (there must be another woman who is more attractive?... I just have a
new picture of her this summer and her arms look like a cadaver!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...ing-veins.html
(I believe her bosom is implants, so don't be fooled by them, her face is most likely injected with collagen and botox).

We need a bit of meat and fat on us, in case we get sick, or
heaven forbid go on chemo for cancer etc.

Speaking of sprouts! It was so wet on vacation that our sunflower seeds sprouted in the feeders! Even the deer wouldn't eat them, and deer eat just about EVERYTHING!

Mrs. D.

I don't think there is a chance in hell that I will EVER look like Madonna.

But I CAN TRY, now can't I??

lol

And why wouldn't deer eat the sprouts in the sprouter? Too wet??

I just harvested a whole bunch and as soon as Alan gets home he and I will eat a very nice sprout salad.

I don't know what I would do if I didn't sprout. I'm so used to the nice taste (and feeling much better), well, I just don't know.

These forums keep me healthy, that's all I know.

lol

Melody

P.S. I just clicked on that photo of Madonna.

HOLY COW!! What the heck is she thinking?