So I taught a class on sprouting and softening wheat today. I had this hand-out on how to from years ago that I passed along to the president of the woman's association at church. Turns out she got really excited about it since the activity was all about emergency preparedness and wheat.
I seem to have a sixth sense on how to get myself assignments. I mean it was like mere seconds later I received a phone call asking me to share my "expertise."
Ahem.
My what?
Anyone in my family will tell you the word "no" is not in my vocabulary. I beg to differ. No. No, no, no, no, no.
I said yes.
It was actually a lot of fun dusting off my sprouter that I had used maybe once in my life and that was pre-kids...or the dark ages as we affectionately call it now since the memories seem so dim. Or maybe the sunny toothy/toothless smiles of the boys just skew the perspective...either way, I had to demonstrate something I pretty much had never done.
Well chalk that up to another awesome notch on the eliminating processed food to-do list. Umm, FYI, sprouted wheat rocks. Seriously. Softened wheat too.
No, whole wheat doesn't taste weird. I made yogurt parfaits with it and some strawberries and everyone was impressed with the mild flavor and..umm...searching for a texture word here...kinda rolled oaty texture?
Don't judge.
Do try the wheat.
Sprout it!
Sprouted wheat is a vegetable. It is an excellent source of protein, magnesium, phosphorus, B-complex vitamins, and vitamin E. It is also rich in energy-producing carbohydrates.
Use sprouted wheat in salads, to make milks, and in desserts, breads and cereals. Be creative.
To sprout wheat: Rinse wheat and soak overnight in warm water. You will want twice as much water as wheat. Make sure you have a container big enough to accommodate a 300% growth in the wheat kernels. Drain off water and place in sprouting container (if you started out with ½ cup dry wheat it would work well in a 1 quart jar with nylon or cheese cloth over the top). Rinse your wheat twice a day.
Sprouts grow best between 75 to 80 degrees. When colder, sprouts may grow but at a slower rate.
Sprouts are ready to use when the sprout is the same length as the seed.
Do not put sprouts in direct sunlight, they will be sweeter if sprouted in the dark.
When you achieve your desired sprouts you can halt growth by putting them in a container and placing them in the fridge. Sprouts should keep for about one week. DO NOT rinse them before you refrigerate them or you may get cotton mold. This is apparently harmless to humans.
Add sprouted wheat to things like breads and pancakes. Take some of the liquid from your recipe and blend it in the blender with some wheat sprouts. Decrease your dry ingredients slightly.
If you would like to try wheat grass simply let your sprouts continue to grow until you see the green grass. Blend this into fruit shakes.
Soften it!
Since wheat is very hard it has to be ground, sprouted or softened. Softened wheat can be used in casseroles, breads, pancakes, and with anything calling for hamburger. Try it as a side dish or in place of rice. Add it to bean dishes to make a complete protein. Sprinkle it on green salads, fruit salads, soups, vegetable dishes etc.
There are different ways to soften wheat. Keep in mind the more you cook something the more nutrients you lose!
Slow Methods (preserves most nutrients)-
1. Rinse and then soak desired amount of wheat with twice as much water for about 16 hours.
2. Bring desired amount of water to a boil. Turn to low and add rinsed wheat. Cover. Cook on very low heat (do not boil) for 30 minutes. Take wheat off heat and let it sit, undisturbed overnight. Wheat will be ready after about 12 hours.
Fast Method –
Bring desired amount of water to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and add rinsed wheat. Simmer until wheat is softened, about 2-3 hours. You may need to add more water during the cooking process.
