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Here’s a list of most of our
sprouting seeds, with some comments on use and characteristics. We’ll try
to keep this up to date, but some items may be out of stock. Please ask us
for an up to date price list, or try our web stores (to the right).
All our seeds are certified
organic.
Alfalfa - the traditional sprout of salad bars.
We think that our organically grown seed produces a tastier sprout than
regular commercial seed.
Research -
Alfalfa
sprouts have high antioxidant capacity.
-
alfalfa
and clover high in phytoestrogens that may help against
menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis,
cancer and heart disease.
Amaranth - can be grown as
short sprouts for 2 or 3 days. Crunchy. Can also be grown in soil for tiny
shoots with an attractive red colour.
Brassica family
– this includes canola, broccoli, broccoli raab, cress, and
cabbage.
Arugula (Roquette) - nice tangy cuttings in soil or trays. It
can also be used as part of a mix, at 10% or less. Contains the cancer fighting compounds of broccoli
Broccoli – These sprouts were recently found to
contain many times the cancer fighting compounds of broccoli as a
vegetable. It has been difficult to get organically
grown seed, but it's now available.
Delicious mild sprouts.
Research
-New
broccoli sprout study shows benefits carry into the offspring's adulthood
Eating broccoli sprouts during pregnancy may provide your kids with
life-long protection against cardiovascular disease, according to a research
team led by Bernhard Juurlink at the University of Saskatchewan.
-
Broccoli Packs Powerful Punch to Bladder Cancer Cells, new information
from Ohio State University.
-
Broccoli May Bolster Body's Defences Against Heart Disease and Stroke.
-
Broccoli sprouts helpful for stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.
-
The
original press release on broccoli sprouts and cancer prevention.
-
Now cholesterol too? A
study
from Japan shows that 1 cup of broccoli sprouts a day for 1 week lowers
bad cholesterol, increases good.
-
Broccoli sprouts may be useful to protect retina?
A
new study shows protection of retina in mice. Very technical.
Broccoli raab – similar sprouts to broccoli, but a
fresh cressy taste. We don’t know how much of the broccoli cancer fighting
agents are in this sprout.
Cabbage - these sprouts have the same cancer
fighting properties as broccoli. Our cabbage is a red (purple actually) variety that grows very
attractive sprouts.
Canola – mild and tasty sprouts, good by
themselves or in a mix. Organic canola may not be available for much longer,
as canola grown here on the prairies is almost sure to be contaminated with
GMO's in the future. We are looking for another source for organic canola
seed, because we hate to let a good sprout go and we also hate to have to
abandon canola just because biotech companies have irresponsibly
contaminated this farming area.
See more details from our FAQ's-
Cress – best grown as shoots or cuttings in
soil. Tangy, peppery greens should be cut about 3" or 4" high.
Kale - our pink kale
should have the same benefits as broccoli sprouts and cabbage sprouts. The
sprouts resemble red cabbage sprouts
Buckwheat – grow in soil or trays for
cuttings. It has a mild lettuce like flavour. Our buckwheat has the hull on
to keep it healthy for sprouting, so it doesn’t work for cooking. It can be
milled into dark buckwheat flour without removing the hull.
***NOTE: new information as of August 20, 04 -
There is some information indicating that buckwheat shoots in
large quantities may cause a reversible photosensitization that includes
uncomfortable symptoms. We are currently recommending moderate consumption of
buckwheat shoots, and complete avoidance if any light
sensitivity occurs.
A short article by Gilles Arbour, discoverer of this problem, is available at
http://www.gillesarbour.com/buckwheat.php.
There is a link to further very detailed information.
Fenugreek - Grows large vigorous sprouts with an
unusual flavour. Fenugreek is a traditional herb for colds and flu. The
seeds can be used to make a pleasant tea. Fenugreek is also grown in soil
as a potherb, for East Indian cooking.
Flax seed – mostly used for baking, or grinding
for addition to raw foods, but can be sprouted. The sprouts are somewhat
bitter and the seeds tend to stick together, so they take special care.
Cress sprouting methods work OK.
Garbanzo beans – Chickpeas can be grown as short
sprouts. A delicious hummus can be made from sprouted chickpeas.
Hulless oats
(out of stock, long term) and hulless
barley - these are new varieties that grow
without the hulls. Sprout 1/4 to 1/2 inch long and chop or grind to use in
baking. They will also grow oat grass or barley grass in soil, and they can
be milled to make organic flour. Barley can be used as pot barley, and oats
can be cooked as a rice substitute.
New - we have some barley with hulls on for barley grass
growing only.
Kamut®
- large,
buttery-tasting kernels, good for flour, cooking whole, short sprouts or
grass crops.
Lentils and peas - can be sprouted or used for cooking.
Light sautéing or steaming of pea sprouts improves the nutritional
value. Many peas will also grow a delicious pea shoot.
Lentils
- We have
5 types.
French Green - attractive small green lentils speckled with dark
green. Make nice short sprouts and cook well.
Large green - about ½ cm in diameter and light green
in colour.
Small black - Tiny black lentils, nice taste.
Small green - Same colour as the large green, but
tiny delicate sprouts and cook more quickly.
Small red or crimson - They have a beautiful salmon colour
when sprouted, after seed coats come off.
Peas
See our
directions for easy
soilless growing of pea shoots.
Green
peas – a medium green pea used for shoots,
cooking and short sprouts. The shoots are thick and leafy.
NOTE - current green pea stocks are better for short sprouts
than for shoots.
Marrowfat peas - large yellow peas that grow a sprout
with a fresh pea taste. They are also good as a soup pea.
Speckled Peas - for shoots. Grow 6 to 10 days in trays
or soil. Cut about 4" or 6" high, while still tender. They also
can be grown as short sprouts.
Dwarf Grey Sugar Peas - These are used mainly to grow leafy
shoots, either in soil or hydroponically. Harvest the sweet tender shoots
3" or 4" tall.
Tiny Bill Jump Peas
(out of stock, long term) - small peas, about 1/2 the diameter of
normal peas, with a speckled skin. They make short sprouts or small
delicate shoots.
Green Gram
(out of stock, long term)- These seem intermediate between peas
and lentils. They're often sprouted and used in East Indian cooking. The
sprouts have a delicate salmon pink colour, and a nice crunch. Stock is
very limited, but we have hopes of renewing supplies after this fall's
harvest.
Millet – we have a stock of millet for growing
millet grass. This millet has the hulls on so it’s not good for cooking or
for short sprouts. It can be sprouted short and added to breads, where the
hull fibre isn't objectionable.
Mixes
Spring Salad - A mix of equal parts of
Broccoli, Radish, Red Clover, and Alfalfa. This is like the mix that the
new research
from the University of Ulster indicates
will reduce DNA damage and may reduce cancer.
Ancient Eastern Blend - Contains fenugreek,
lentils, Kamut, adzuki beans.
Broccoli Brassica Blend - Contains
broccoli, broccoli raab, canola, radish, mustard, arugula. Healthy and
crisp addition to sandwiches and salads.
Crunchy Bean Mix - a crunchy mix of peas (2 types), lentils
(2 types), and garbanzos. Best short, at two or three days.
Sandwich Booster – a mix of clover, alfalfa, radish and
canola.
Spicy Lentil Crunch - a delicious blend of tiny lentils,
alfalfa seed, red clover, radish, canola seed, and a trace of black mustard
seed. Mildly spicy.
Super Spicy Lentil Crunch – a bit more bite.
Mung Beans - grow the traditional bean sprout used
in Asian cooking. Sprout in complete darkness or they will
have a bitter flavour. Rinse as often as possible and harvest at about 1.5
to 2 inches long.
Mustard - careful, it's hot!
Use with discretion in sprouting mixes,
or sprout on it's own for adventuresome eating. Mustard sprouts taste great
anywhere you'd use hot mustard.
Brown - Hot!
Oriental - Hotter!!
Onion – somewhat expensive, but really add flavour
to a mix. Usually best to start the onions a few days ahead of the other
seeds in the mix, as they are slow to sprout. Leek is very
similar.
Garlic Chives Allium
tuberosum - Seed of the garlic chive plant. Sprouts have a lovely fresh
garlic taste. The seeds can be grown like alfalfa but take 9 to 11 days to
maximum size and flavour.
Quinoa
- can be sprouted (or cooked like rice
after thorough rinsing to remove saponin coating). Most people prefer the
sprouts very young, about 2 days old.
Beige
(out of stock, long term) -
Canadian grown, saponin coating needs to be rinsed off if cooked; some
people still find it objectionable.
White -
Peruvian, very little saponin. Needs only light rinsing before cooking.
Radish -
makes tangy radish flavoured sprouts, great in sandwiches
and salads.
China rose – sprouts have a beautiful pink tinge. A
little hotter than Daikon.
Daikon – green and white sprouts with a mild radish
tang.
Red Clover - similar to alfalfa sprouts, but
glossy light-green leaves and a mild-sweet flavour.
Research
- alfalfa
and clover high in phytoestrogens that may help against
menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis,
cancer and heart disease.
Sunflowers - grow delicious sunflower flavoured
shoots. You may remove the roots before eating. They take longer than most sprouts,
6 to 10 days. See our easy
hydroponic sprouting directions or grow in soil.
Triticale and Rye - Can be used for short sprouts or grass
crops. Both are good for flour.
Wheat -
different types have different uses. See
our
hydroponic wheatgrass growing
instructions or grow in soil.
Hard red spring wheat - Wheatgrass, Essene bread, or milling. The best wheat for bread flour and for
sprouted wheat bread. Its high protein gives better rising, and better
bread texture. Our current spring wheat stock is at least as good as winter
wheat for wheatgrass.
Winter wheat - Wheatgrass. Can be sprouted until 1/4 to 1/2 inch
long, then ground or chopped and used in baking. It can also be grown as
wheat grass in soil and juiced, or chopped for use.
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