Phenomenal Foods

Today's Phenomenal Food is:

Sprouts!

I have an obsession with sprouts. It's my favorite topping at Planet Sub and I can never find them anywhere! Apparently they can carry salmonella if they're not taken care of or washed properly, so they can be kind of a health hazard if you buy them from a grocery store. However, I found the solution: grow your own! I found a great tutorial about growing your own sprouts called Windowsill Sprouting My Way Through Winter and decided to give it a try! It was SO EASY! And now I have more sprouts than I know what to do with! I just used lentil beans, washed a cup of them (and picked out the broken beans and leaves), soaked them in water overnight, put them in a jar with cheesecloth over the top, and then rinsed them and drained them really well twice a day for about a week, and viola! Super easy and super delicious!
In addition to being easy to grow, sprouts have a bunch of health benefits, as well. According to the tutorial above, "Lentils help cleanse and stimulate the kidneys and adrenal system, strengthen the heart and circulation and increase energy and vitality. When lentils are sprouted, their nutrients become more easily digestible, and after just 3-4 days of sprouting, their soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar and regulate insulin levels, increases 300 percent!" Looks like I can add these crunchy little delicacies to my meals from now on!

2 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!