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Home Grown produce!

The Simple Green Kitchen launch!

Here's The Simple Green Kitchen launch at Prestatyn Flower Show. 

This is the stall I set up for my talk. I also took some goodies along including lavender biscuits, parsley crackers and my energy bars. I even took small chunks of homemade herb Focaccia bread. All of which went down very well with the punters!

I've also been asked to give a talk to another group too!

A good day was had by all and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone who came along!

A for LifeStyle: Vegan Up! Healthy Gourmet Food that Can Save Your ...

A for LifeStyle: Vegan Up! Healthy Gourmet Food that Can Save Your ...: What makes a man who was brought up in a typical French omnivore household eating creamy cheeses and fancy meats, who grew up...

Plant Sterols

Pam's Super Healthy Sprout Salad

We all know how good for us plant sterols are for us - hence the reason they are plugged as cholesterol fighters. We buy expensive margarines and yoghurt drinks and we work hard at controlling the dreaded cholesterol.

But did you know that plant sterols are found in ordinary everyday foods too?

We need approx 2.5g of these wonder sterols a day (which obviously consuming said margarine, yoghurts etc will aid).

But here's a few (useful) surprises for you!
This is approximate and in mg per 100g fresh produce;

Brown rice - 87
Peas (dried)- 135
Beans (dried) - 127
Almonds - 138
Walnuts - 108
Pistachios - 108
Beetroot - 25
Broccoli - 37
Parsley - 28
Fresh garden peas - 30
Alfalfa sprouts - 20
Apple - 18
Blueberries - 26
Raspberries - 27
Green grapes - 20
Orange - 23
Rice bran oil - 1055
Flax seed oil - 338
Olive oil - 176
Coconut oil - 91

(Source: V Piironen, et al; 'Plant Sterols in vegetables, fruit and berries' Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2003; 83/4; 330-337)

Soya products are amongst the best sources and just 50 grams of tofu 

gives you your daily target of 2.5g!

Extra tips for growing sprouts (and micros)

Following on from the previous two 'lessons' on sprouts and microgreens, I thought I'd add some extra help with sprouting etc so here we go....

I know I've said it before but buy the best quality seed you can afford - it'll last you ages and it's helping to support people who think like you!

When growing the bigger sprouts onto micros use deeper compost to give them the extra nutrition. I grow my pea shoots in troughs (the type you get for bedding plants!) or you could use plant pots. A 5" plant pot should give you a good crop. Spinach is best grown this way as the seed hulls can be a devil to get rid of without damaging the plants. Let them grow to the stage where the hulls are naturally shed to make life easier! Use spinach as baby leaf salad material.

Pea shoots

For the cut and come again approach, where you cut is important! Cut too low and you'll kill them off. You need to leave at least 1-2 inches of plant (look for the crown and avoid cutting into that).

If growing baby salad leaves - feed them with a very dilute seaweed extract feed after cutting - they'll bounce back. You can, with care, get three to four cuts. *This isn't possible with beets and similar but will work for peas, rocket, mustard and sunflowers. You need to leave a crown for them to grow back from. The picture below shows beetroot micros which are only suitable for a single cut. Cut these very low to make the most of that gloriously coloured stem :-)

For baby salad leaves buy or make your own mix of fast growing leaves like rocket, lettuce, mizuna and mibuna. Throw in a few red mustard seeds and you'll have a lovely spicy mix :-) Grow in pots or troughs and keep well watered. You can still do this indoors.

When growing sunflower greens do eat them before the true leaves appear - they're not nice after that (and mine end up with the hens!)

Sow little and often - you don't want gluts! As previously mentioned adopt the twice a week routine (I do Wednesday and Sunday) and you'll be fine.

After a cut  - you'll notice others springing up after the main cut. This is your second wave, if you like. This is particularly evident with sunflower greens.

Rocket goes easily and quickly from seed

Remember NOT EVERY bean and seed is safe to grow and eat as sprouts or micros, even if we do eat them or their fruit at a later stage. If in doubt, Google it. Some to avoid include tomatoes, aubergine and red kidney beans to name but a few. I don't sprout soya beans - some folks do - I don't because they would still need lots of cooking before they could be used. Plus - it's very hard getting soya beans that are fresh enough to sprout.

Most of all - enjoy - you have a whole new world ahead of you!

Microgreens - from left to right sunflower, spinach, carrot, Rambo radish and lettuce.

Microgreens - the ultimate food!

Following on from yesterday's sprouting lesson, today we'll look at microgreens. If you watch programmes like MasterChef you'll have seen them already - they're the lovely little colourful bits that get 'draped' over top dishes to give them the 'wow factor'.

Here's an example of microgreens used on a home grown salad (more on that later!)

The salad before adding microgreens

The same salad after adding microgreens

You can see instantly the wow factor in action! However there is much, MUCH more to microgreens that prettying up a plate of food. They are oh so good for you!

So what exactly is a microgreen?

You start with a sprout and you grow it to the next level of its development - you let it grow leaves :-) The leaves contain chlorophyll - liquid sunshine! We all know how good wheatgrass is for us - well part of the reason for that is the chlorophyll.

Some of the best microgreens are; sunflower, beets, radish, broccoli, watercress, cress, rocket, spinach, lettuce, herbs i.e. basil, coriander (cilantro), kale, cabbage (red looks fantastic) carrot tops (you can buy seeds especially for this here; http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/garden-shop/seeds/micro-greens/  ) I always grow my alfalfa and clover to micro stage - much better for you and far tastier! Pea shoots are a great example of micros too. They taste like the peas - so why wait? Micros are easier to grow too! Quinoa and Amaranth are great micros too and amaranth comes in a stunning red.

Beans and lentils work as sprouts but they tend to get bitter as they green up so I don't bother.

The biggest tip I can give you is buy organic. Heavens only knows what treated seeds have on them - I never use anything other than organic. If you were growing your carrots to full size there'd be time for any lurking chemicals to leave them but not with microgreens.

So let's look at actually growing them. I use small trays. Now here is recycling at its finest! You know the shallow trays you get mushrooms in etc from the supermarket? Store them - I use the ones that blueberries and strawberries come in too - they've already got drainage - so what's not to like? I wash them and reuse them too.

Just put about 1 cm of good quality ORGANIC compost in the tray and gently firm it down. Sprinkle your seeds on top and gently water. For tiny seeds like alfalfa I water form the bottom (stand the tray in shallow water until the top is dark and moist). For larger seeds like sunflowers I gently water from the top so the seeds are wet. A quick and easy way to do this is sprout the seeds in your jar for a day first then scatter them thinly over the compost. Keep them somewhere not too hot and shaded from sun and watch them sprout!

Sunflowers greens just sprouting in organic compost

A few days later....

Sunflower greens ready to eat!

To sprout or not to sprout?

As promised here I am with sprouting and micro green lessons ;-)

I've already mentioned how good they are for you (and will add more on that in future posts) and think about it - they are the ultimate fast food! I tend to work on a Wednesday - Sunday schedule. By starting new sprouts off twice a week you'll always have some available.

There are many ways of growing them but what I want to do is encourage you to do it the easiest and cheapest way possible. Yes, I do have The Farm (my EasyGreen automatic sprouter which I LOVE - see link below) but I still use jars etc. I have a  sprouting jar which I find great for the bigger ones like mung sprouts - that's still my prefered way of growing them actually.

Sprouting jar

The main thing is with jars they must be able to drain thoroughly so if you're using a jam jar it will need angling at 45 degrees. I find the jar method not so good for smaller sprouts such as alfalfa and clover and pity useless for mucilaginous seeds like linseed and cress.

There are several other sprouting kits available but I want to help you do it with minimal outlay. (If you want to look at more sprouters click here; http://www.ukjuicers.com/sprouters-and-seeds  ) I have bought lots of stuff from this company and they're great! (My juicer also came from them but more on that another day :-) )

The secret to sprouting lies in the frequency of rinsing (depending on the seeds, this is normally 2-3 times a day. There are some seeds that need special attention and we'll cover those again). The other important thing is DO NOT overcrowd them in your jar. 1 tablespoon of mung beans may well look lost in your jar - but when they get going - they need that space. This is the biggest cause of failure! They will rot if they don't get good ventilation.

Best sprouts to grow?

For ease and to get you started stick with easy ones; radish, broccoli, black eyed beans, cabbage, chick peas, mung and adzuki beans (these both sprout in the same time frame so can be grown together as in the picture above) and peas. Lentils are delicious too - but please, save your breath, don't try and sprout the red ones - they're hulled and split and will not sprout, ever! I love the Puy lentils - they taste like fresh peas once sprouted! Alfalfa and clover are best done in a tray (I'll cover that tomorrow with micro-greens)

Ones to avoid are soya beans, kidney beans and I tend to avoid any of the bigger beans due to the fact some aren't safe to eat uncooked. The largest bean I sprout is the black eyed bean (delicious!) I would also suggest skipping the mucilaginous seeds too as they can quickly become a slimy, smelly mess when done in a jar. (If I grow cress etc I do so in soil).

The Chinese recommend if you have a weak constitution (?) you should lightly cook your sprouts first before eating. I never do unless I'm throwing them in a stir-fry or curry. If you end up with lots - great! Pop them in a bag and freeze them for adding to cooked dishes. They are still really good for you!

So you have your jar, a piece of muslin or similar (plus elastic band to hold it in place) for the top of the jar,  and you have your seeds/beans - what now?

Soak your seeds/beans overnight in water. Bear in mind this is the water they will swell with and start to sprout. Make sure it's good water! I use filtered. (Tap water is fine for rinsing). Lots of people use tap water per se so don't let it put you off - use what you've got and use it wisely. I use my rinse water for my houseplants as it does contain some nutrients that are now available to them. Try not to waste it  - water is one of our most precious commodities! (OK, I'm off my soapbox now :-) )

Next morning, drain and rinse. Fill and rinse several times, swishing them around. Drain again and leave at the angle of 45 degrees. Repeat 3 x a day until you have your sprouts!

Simples ;-)

Like I said - the ultimate fast food!

Get the kids involved - they love seeing where their food comes from and it teaches them about life. Sprouts are naturally sweet which is why kids go for them and if you pack some in a lunchbox - they'll stay fresh until they eat them.

Some tips;

Don't leave them in a sunny window - they'll fry - remember they're babies and are at a delicate stage of their development! If you want them to green up (some are better, some are not!) put them in a spot which receives bright but filtered light.

Don't worry about getting all the hulls out that come off them - they're fiber!

Buy organic. Don't use normal seeds from a garden centre etc (unless marked as sprouting seeds). Remember you are what you eat so you want the best. A decent sized bag of green peas for sprouting will last you ages! (Have a look here; http://www.skysprouts.co.uk/ )

Wheat sprouts (top) & green peas (bottom)

 Tomorrow, we'll look at microgreens - this post was longer than I expected!!

The Simple Green Kitchen has it's public launch!

Well, The Simple Green Kitchen has it's public launch on Friday July 25th at Prestatyn Flower Show. I will be there giving a talk on 'Cultivating Herbs in Small Spaces'. I will have herbs with me - especially some of the more unusual ones; after all everyone's seen parsley already!  I am also the herb judge for the show.If you want to pop along, I'm on at 2.30pm after the Mayor opens the show. I believe they are offering refreshments and the talk is free to join. I think the organiser, Ann Williams, needs to know so if you'd like to be there - she can be contacted via Bonne Amie on Prestatyn High Street.
It should be good folks! Come along and join in!

Tofu - love it or hate it....?

I used to loathe tofu. No matter what I did with it I just couldn't get on with it at all. Until I read what I was doing wrong! Seems I should have been pressing the water out of it and I wasn't - well, not properly anyway.

Now I love the stuff and can't get enough of it. Take last night for example. I marinated some tofu in Yakitori sauce (available from Tesco for those in the UK) with the intention of cooking it today...........Ha! It never even made the pan (or today, for that matter!) I thought. 'I'll just try a cube uncooked first'. And that was it! History - me and my other half sat and chomped it all washed down with white wine.........made a really nice nibble actually :-)

I have decided, having discovered this book, that I will have a go at making my own. I used to buy a firm tofu with basil in it from a health food shop and even when I was a tofu hater, I could tolerate that one. I've not seen it for years (though confess I haven't looked that hard either).

So now I am a woman on a mission :-) I'll keep you posted! 

This book looks awesome and I'm so looking forward to a new adventure.............

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1607740257/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sprouts and Microgreens

My favourite pastime! I love growing sprouts and micros - let's face it you can't get anything fresher anywhere. You don't even need a garden.

My favourites include;

Beetroot, carrot micros, fenugreek (which has 3 different flavours depending on what stage you use it), alfalfa, clover, red cabbage, sunflower greens, lettuce, spinach, wheat, broccoli (so very good for you!), basil (eat it at any stage and it's yummy!), mung and adzuki beans. 

In fact, there aren't any I don't like!

They are packed with high quality protein which is far more accessible to the human body than the protein derived from flesh products. Did you know that the cells of chlorophyll are only one component different from haemoglobin? Green plant cells have magnesium ion at their nucleus and haemoglobin has iron. They are still not quite sure how it happens but it seems somehow the body can convert or swap the magnesium ion for iron and it creates new haemoglobin cells..........amazing, or what?

Sprouts and micros are also packed with nutrients and vitamins. And the big plus is you can grow them in the kitchen, pick them fresh and gruesome though this may sound - eat them whilst they are still alive!

Beans like mung are lovely to just snack on as they are. Liven up any salad and impress your guests by sprinkling some bright coloured micros on your main course just before you serve. All the top chefs and restaurants do that these days. Here's a few photos to whet your appetite (ha! No pun intended :-) )

Baby basil plants (with lettuce behind)

Beetroot micros

Fenugreek

Left to right; sunflowers greens, spinach, carrot, Rambo radish and lettuce

Mung and Adzuki beans - do let them sprout further than this

Top one for me - sunflower greens

assorted sprouts in my EasyGreen sprouter. Affectionately known as The Farm!

Red cabbage sprouts

The Marvel of Mother Nature......

It never ceases to amaze me how incredible nature is! Now, I can't take the credit for this idea as I have seen a lot of posts/articles about doing this already online - but I thought I'd share it - plus photographic evidence!
I use a lot of celery and Pak Choi, lettuce etc and I read about getting more greens from your stumps! I think at some point (probably in infant school!) we have all had a go at growing a pineapple top? Ring any bells?
Well, did you know you can do it with Romaine lettuce, celery and Pak Choi too? (There are also others including lemon grass).
All you need to do, is keep the base of your celery (or whatever you're using), pop it in a small amount of water for a few days (do change the water daily!) When you see signs of roots forming, pot it up in good quality compost (don't put it in full sun - you'll fry it!) and 'Voila'! Free celery, lettuce, lemon grass or Pak Choi!

And here is the evidence.............

Scrumptious Nibbles!

I am constantly trying to come up with some quick but healthy snacks that I can just grab and go. (I'm a bit fed up of chomping celery sticks and carrot batons!) I made these this morning.....(and I will be keeping a stash of them in the fridge!)

                       

250g mixed seeds (I used sunflower, pumpkin and a good handful of hemp)
50g of finely chopped cashew nuts (you can use your favourite or vary it each time)
6 sundried tomatoes very finely chopped (I used the ones in oil but do dab most the oil off them)
3-4 tbps finely chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and chives because they're both still growing in the garden!)
A handful of fenugreek sprouts again, finely chopped (don't panic if you have no sprouts - just get your jars out for next time)
1-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped (to taste)
3 tbsp of oil (I used one of hemp and the rest, extra virgin olive oil)
Seasoning; you can use whatever you fancy. If you want a Mediterranean slant, add chopped olives and dried oregano and/or basil. If you fancy them spicy add a little cayenne pepper and garam masala (1tsp of GM - NOT cayenne - you'll only need a pinch of that!) See below for more suggestions....
A dash of lemon or lime juice
1 tsp of veggie bouillon powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (I actually use my homemade herb salt which I will share in a while when fresh herbs are abundant again)
A drop of cold water IF necessary


Finely grind the seeds in your mixer/blender. (Be careful you don't over do it - you'll end up with seed tahini instead!). Place in a bowl with the finely chopped herbs, cashews, and tomatoes. Mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients and shape into small balls. If the mixture crumbles you need that drop of cold water.

What I do then is chill them in the fridge as it helps them keep their shape. Serve with drinks, or flatbreads and fresh salad.

Variations on the theme; Don't you just love it when you come up with something that can be changed so much you don't ever need to eat it the same way twice? These can even be made into sweets (healthy ones!)
Instead of herbs, garlic, tomatoes and salt/pepper etc add chopped dried fruit (dates and apricots would be nice) grated coconut, cacao or even dip them in dark chocolate for a really indulgent treat :-) if they're not quite sweet enough (taste as you go along) you could add a little honey or agave nectar. I will use coconut oil instead of olive but you could use a nut oil (walnut) or a bland oil such as sunflower or grapeseed for the sweet version. If you still want to add herbs use one like sweet cicely (when available - mine's still snoozing!)

Above all, have fun - experiment and do please share what you come up with here...........I'd love to hear what you do!

I am sure there are many recipes online similar to this - if anyone has come up with the very same thing - apologies! I'm not stealing your thunder - I'm just sharing what I have made myself.

Hello again!

I know it's been some time since I've blogged on this site. However, I do have a very good reason - I've been busy elsewhere. (No kidding!)

Anyway I wanted to let you know normal service will be resumed shortly. I have been making plans, and this includes running workshops and talks etc. I already have my launch platform at our local flower show. (I'm one of the judges - the herb class being my specialty). I also judge the scarecrows but that's not really applicable here :-)

I have a lot to share as I have been experimenting....yes, you read that right! The results of which I will be sharing on here.

I'll leave you with a photo of something reminiscent of last summer.........

I grew the artichokes last year as part of my wildlife garden, assuming the butterflies and bees would appreciate their thistle like flowers (I left them to flower). They were barely touched, believe it or not! So this year, we're going to eat them!

See you anon.....

The Miracle of Avocados..........

A very dear friend of mine called round Friday morning and amazed me with the following information. Now this is someone I've known for a long time and for the purpose of this post I will call her Joan.

I know Joan has been plagued for over 18 months with trouble with the skin on her legs........She'd been backwards and forwards to the doctors all this time with her skin driving her mad. It was itchy, sore and very hot and uncomfortable. I've spoken to her many a time and she'd been in tears, being driven to distraction. She'd had all sorts of antibiotics, skin creams and goodness knows what but nothing improved it. No-one ever actually gave 'it' a name for a long time...........

She developed a lesion on her leg which became a large open wound that wouldn't heal. With similar happening on her other leg (the other leg had an enormous lump too). So yet again she trundled off to the doctors who offered her yet more anti-biotics. She declined and accepted she was going to have to learn to live with it. She'd been told the hole was her leg being eaten from the inside out by 'a bug'. Not nice!

A few weeks ago, her sister happened to ask her if she'd pick her up a couple of avocados whilst she was out shopping. They were something Joan wasn't keen on but her sister tempted her to try them again and to her surprise, she found this time round she liked them so knowing they are really good for you, Joan started buying them for herself and having one a day.

A week later, she noticed her leg had all but stopped itching..........

Three weeks later - her legs were almost back to normal!!

Joan had done nothing different at all, except eat an avocado every day! And here is the proof - after 18 miserable months Joan is finally free from her distress and you can even see the 'dint' on this leg where the flesh had been eaten.........

Joan's leg, including the hollow from the flesh-eating bug!

Now I recount this story not to encourage you to throw all your meds in the bin! I am NOT a doctor - I'm just someone that believes we can all lead healthier lives if we watch the fuel we take into our bodies. But this certainly highlights for me - food plays a huge part in who and what we are.......and who and what we can be......

Thank you for sharing this Joan (and for letting me photograph your leg!) I'm absolutely delighted you're free of your plight after all this time xx

Now there's food for thought!

(NB. The information given is purely for interest only - if you suffer from some malady - please do see your doctor).

NUTS!!

Hazelnuts and almonds; soaked overnight.

Well, I said we'd go nuts today and here we are! Most people love nuts of one form or another (except, of course, those who are allergic to them). My personal favourites are almond and walnuts.

I have found the best way to eat them though is to soak them. Technically, this is classed as sprouting only they don't sprout - they swell but still undergo the same metabolic transformation as a 'sprout'. Their vitamins increase and they become much, much more digestible. Have you ever noticed with nuts that you sometimes find your mouth 'tightening' inside (like when you eat cooked spinach or rhubarb?)  That's the tannins in them. Soaking/sprouting them overnight removes most of them and they taste really wonderful and creamy. If you don't believe me, try it - I surprised a friend of mine this morning with soaked almonds.

Almonds can be blended and made into a delicious nut milk and are rich in calcium too. Their protein is also of the alkaline type which is better for our bodies. One of my favourite ways of using them is to convert the 'milk' into almond yoghurt using 'rejuvelac' (and what, I hear you ask is that?)............well, we'll come to that in a short while - if you can't wait - Google it. Be warned though - some sources advocate fermenting the wheat berries for a longer period - don't do it! I tried leaving it longer it once and when I opened the fridge I was overwhelmed by the prevailing smell of cow dung! A gas mask wouldn't have gone amiss either! (I didn't even have the heart to pour it on the compost heap - I was so concerned for the worms.....) Yuk! I won't do that one again in a hurry :-) Incidentally, almond yoghurt is fantastic in curries...........

We'll talk more nuts soon but when I'm back next I have a really astonishing tale about the miracle of avocados - seriously, if I hadn't known the person who told me this - I wouldn't have believed it myself. But I even have a photo of her leg to prove it (oh, boy - I can really hear your brain cells going into overdrive now................)

Have a good weekend - and get sprouting!!

A single renegade nasturtium makes a take-over bid for the garden... 

Microgreens......

Wheat sprouts at the top and beneath green peas - I'll be growing the peas on for shoots.

Today I said I'd talk about microgreens. Most people may be familiar with them from MasterChef and its ilk. Those lovely little bits of green that brings the plate to life...........
However, microgreens are now hitting the supermarket shelves and a while ago I bought some garlic chive micros from Tesco. Did I eat them? Not a bit of it! I planted them and grew them on and I now have a big clump in the garden............well, someone else had done the work starting them off for me and for £1 something or whatever they were - it was a bargain!
It would not have been a bargain however, if I had wanted them for eating! Heavens there wasn't so much as a mouthful................
Microgreens are easy to grow (like sprouts) and are extremely nutritious. Think about it; sprouts put all their energy and enzymes into the first big push of growth - microgreens are the next stage and we then gain by having chlorophyll rich leaves. What's not to like?
The two books I'd recommend (and there are many out there now) are;
Microgreens; A Guide to Growing Nutrient-Packed Greens and also Microgreens; How to Grow Nature's Own Superfood.
For me, these two say it all and what I do like about them is they're sumptuously illustrated with the sort of photos that make you want to get your compost and pots out!

I posted a photo yesterday of sunflowers greens - well, they are doing really well and I'll be really generous to you all, and let you see them before I eat them (just, of course, so you see the size etc to use them at).

I will, of course, be talking more about the goodness in sprouts and micros as we go along but the first few posts are hooks - to get you interested and keen to stay with me and get sprouting!

Tomorrow, we'll go nuts...............(if I haven't already ..............)

Recommended books......

Sunflower greens - one of the absolute best sprouts!

Today I promised you some good books to read. The first one I ever read and it really got me hooked, was this one; The Sprouter's Handbook by Edward Cairney If you only want one book this is it. I have read this one so often I can probably recite it word for word (and I must ask my other half if I do so in my sleep - I know I do often witter away in between the Z's..........).
It's not an expensive book but it is worth it's weight in gold! It's practical, no nonsense and what I like most is Edward doesn't advocate going out spending a fortune.
Dr Gillian McKeith did much for sprouts in her TV series and books i.e. You Are What You Eat and I have those too but for sprouting guides another very highly recommended author is Sproutman! (AKA Steve Meyerowitz). His famous Book; Sprouts the Miracle Food -The Complete Guide to Sprouting is also very good. However, for me there are several things wrong with this book (just personal observations here). I don't like the fact he (obviously) recommends his own way of sprouting (and I can understand that) but despite being a Sprout Nutter I don't want bags of dripping sprouts hanging from my taps, thank you very much - I like doing it My Way! (Mainly because it works.......)
But in Steve's favour (and he knows much more than me!) he has done excellent research and really knows his stuff so if you want the nitty gritty on sprouting (and maybe are happy having bags of sprouts around the place) he's your man! (Steve also uses baskets for sprouting which again, although it works really well - space really is a premium for me and I don't want baskets all over the place either!)
I know some time back there was a lot of controversy over alfalfa. Steve blew that one apart (good on you Steve!) Although for myself I always believe in 'moderation in all things' - and that includes how much alfalfa I eat!
Another great little book albeit not a sprouting book but one for anyone with very limited space is; The Window-box Allotment and having just checked it out on Amazon for the link - it seems to have been upgraded so I can feel a new copy coming on. It's a delightful little book.
More books tomorrow and we'll also move on to books on the next stage of sprouting - Microgreens!

The photo above is of my newly hatched sunflower greens. (The shells will drop off as they grow). For these you do need unhulled sunflower seeds like these Organic sunflower seeds  don't try this with the shelled ones you buy for nibbling! If you want to sprout those (and you can) do so overnight only. They will turn brown and won't be very pleasant after that!

Sunflower greens are absolutely delicious - trust me - lettuce will never taste the same again but we'll reach that point in due course, so stay with me and you too can become a Sprout Nutter!

The grass is always greener............

Here are a series of photos of wheat grass (though it's not as if you don't all know what grass looks like!)

Having been into sprouting etc for more years than I care to remember (!) I shied away from trying wheat grass - no idea why - I just thought it looked hard work! However, it's not although even with my EasyGreen I couldn't produce enough juice for two of us to have like you should (i.e. every day) I can produce enough to enjoy some of the benefits from it. (After all I don't want to be without my other sprouts now, do I?)

From this.....

......to this....

and finally, to this!

It tastes delicious - despite any misgivings I'd also had about that! I have now worked out how to have a better supply - I sprout it then add it to trays of organic compost. So I now have lots more trays on the go........the trouble is the four cats like it too.

Oh well............perhaps I should just buy a field somewhere!  

Interesting sites for equipment etc.....

First of, I thought I'd list the equipment I tend to use. Quite a few people have asked me where I source my seeds etc so here's my favourite sites;

For seeds; SKY SPROUTS - Organic seeds - this company's seeds are awesome!

For equipment; UK JUICERS - sell seeds too.  I actually use the EasyGreen automatic sprouter which I cannot praise enough (though it is expensive!) I wrote a review of this one here; My review can be found here;
My juicer is this one;   Click here

Other than that, it's sprouting jars, sprouting trays and the usual stuff which can also be bought from the two sites above.  Obviously Amazon stocks a lot of stuff too (including the books I'll be recommending) but I like to support these two where I can.
(*Brett from Sky Sprouts has very kindly added the link to my blog on his website - thanks Brett!)

I'll list my favourite books tomorrow but for now I'll say Cheerio! The weather isn't too bad here today so I'm going to plant some herb seeds for over the winter.............dear me, where has this year gone??

Bergamot - lovely for tea and an important part of Earl Grey

Hello!

I have been into biogenic food for a long time. Having reached 50+ (ouch) I realise I can't faff about anymore and I need to do things more seriously. After all at my age bits could start dropping off anytime!

I'd like to connect with like minded folk and am proud to say I have encouraged a friend today to join me in my quest for better health using food as my medicine.

I am currently studying Living Food Nutrition and I intend to diary what I do, recipes etc on here. I also have qualifications in herbs, aromatherapy and am a Reiki Master/Teacher. I have also just finished doing advanced Counselling & Psychotherapy level 4.

So join me - let's start growing some of our own food - it's fun, it's tasty and you really can taste the difference :-)

Sage growing in my garden.