Get a boost of nutrition from broccoli sprouts

It's been said the most important meal of the day is breakfast, which many of us know is often easy to skip.
I have to have something in me to fuel the day (a little espresso helps, too) and I often turn to what my husband and I refer to as “The Breakfast of Champions,” which has nothing to do with Kurt Vonnegut.
Broccoli sprouts and organic peanut butter on a slice of toasted organic whole wheat bread does it for me.

I just got back into the rhythm of making broccoli sprouts. I’ve posted about this before, but it’s worth repeating, because broccoli sprouts might as well be the miracle drug for the decade.
And given the gardener in me, I love tending to the sprouts, which gives me something to grow in winter.



Broccoli sprouts are little powerhouses of protective chemotherapy for the body. They are packed with a substance called sulforaphane GS, a natural compound found in broccoli and other members of the cruciferous family, which builds the body's natural antioxidant function.
Studies have shown broccoli sprouts contain 20 to 50 times the chemoprotective chemicals found in mature broccoli heads, so you get a lot of protection in those little bites.



I buy organic broccoli seed for sprouting from Johnny’s. Don’t use the regular garden center variety for eating, as they could be treated with chemicals.

I love my SproutMaster, which makes rinsing the seeds a lot easier and keeps them fresh. If you don't rinse them enough or make them in a jar and skip a day, they can get really stinky.

To make a tray of broccoli sprouts:

1. Soak 2 tablespoons of seeds in a quart jar filled with water overnight.
2. The next day, pour them into the tray of your SproutMaster and rinse well.
3. Keep the tray near the sink with the lid partially on (this lets a little air in and light out) and rinse them twice a day for about 4-5 days.
4. As soon as the first leaves appear, take the lid off and place near a sunny location (not directly in the sun, but on a table where there is plenty of light).
5. Check them often; I still rinse them as they're growing.
6. When they are a beautiful green color, "pick" them off the tray and store in a container in the fridge.
   

It’s best to make your own sprouts.There was some concern not too long ago about commercial sprouts that were blamed for numerous outbreaks of Salmonella and E. coli infections. To combat that, many commercial sprout companies rinse their sprouts with chlorine washes, which can’t be good, either.


So let the gardener in you shine this time of year by growing sprouts (you can sprout many other seeds and beans as well).
The peanut butter-sprout combination is delicious and packed with protein. And it's quick to make (so there's no excuse for skipping breakfast).
The sprouts are also great in sandwiches and salads or eaten straight from the tray.

Do your body a favor and cozy up to sprouts in winter.