I think sprouts are amazing. They are so fun to grow and delicious to eat. They are mega-healthy and cheap. I highly encourage you to incorporate sprouting beans and seeds into your life routines. To get started, I recommend buying this sprouting tray from Amazon. I bought two sets 3-4 years ago, and they're holding up, great!
As for the sprouts, I've liked all of the mixes I've purchased from The Sprout House. Last week I bought a 5-pound bag of mung beans online from Todd's Seeds. They sprouted really nicely! But then I went to the Asian Food Store in Rochester and found an even better price. Shop around. Note that you don't have to buy seeds that are specifically labeled as "sprouting seeds." Just regular beans and seeds generally work perfectly!
Last year I purchased a giant 5-pound bag of organic heirloom beans from Costco. I've been eating my way through it. It was about $7.50 for the whole, giant bag (I checked today and they still sell this item!) Last week I was curious to see if they'd sprout, and they sure did! Soak them for a day. And then sprout away. That's what I used in combination with sprouted mung beans for this recipe!
This recipe also makes use of kimchi and miso paste! I found the miso paste at the Asian Food Store, and it is DELICIOUS. $3.99 for a nice-sized tub. The kimchi is from Costco. They only have one variety at Costco, and it's about $7.50 for a GIANT jar of the pickled, spicy cabbage! I saw several different varieties at the Asian Food Store, but I'd already purchased the Costco container a few weeks back.
The ingredients and ratios in this recipe are COMPLETELY adaptable, and I'm not even sure it's exactly what I used - it's just a guesstimate. Experiment!
Ingredients:
*2 cups of bone broth/veggie broth/whatever broth you have around
*4-5 cups of water
*1 tsp pink sherpa salt (I'm into less-refined, non-iodized salts lately but you're free to use whatever you like)
*1 tsp Penzey's Singapore spice (Many spice blends would be yummy in this recipe)
*1-2 tablespoons miso paste (it's very salty!)
*3 cups sprouted heirloom beans
*2 cups sprouted mung beans
*1 cup kimchi plus some of the juice from the jar!
*a few handfuls of greens (spinach, arugula, kale - I buy a big bagged mix from Costco)
So here's the recipe:
-In a large pot, add bone broth, water, salt, spice, miso paste, kimchi, and heirloom beans
-Cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes or until beans are tender
-Add in mung beans and cook 10 more minutes (they are much more tender and don't need much time to cook)
-Add a handful or two of greens and cook 1-2 additional minutes-It's ready to eat!
Personal preference: I love the flavor of kimchi, but I don't like the big pieces of stalk, so I took those out before serving.
I cooked a big ol' fillet of salmon to eat throughout the week and included one piece of that on top! That was a nice compliment. I cooked the fillet at 435 degrees for 20 minutes. Seasoned with salt and a bit of miso ginger dressing.
People sometimes ask me, "What do you do with all your sprouts?" This recipe is just one easy meal I make with my sprouts, and it's easily adaptable based on the sprouts I have on-hand. It also keeps well and is great for sharing. My mom, Pam, said she enjoyed the soup a lot, too!
Happy sprouting AND souping.
