Sprouts!

[catfishrivers]

I was thinking, it is entirely possible to carry and use a sprouting jar and some light weight seeds, like broccoli or alfalfa, to produce fresh (living!) sprouts to include in wraps or whatever you can think to include them in. Sprouts have lots of vitamins and other goodies in them...here's just a short list of some:



For further information visit these site:
USDA (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/)
ISGA (http://www.isga-sprouts.org/nutritio.htm)



Sprout Nutrition

Sprout
Protein

Vitamins

Amino Acids

Minerals
More Alfalfa (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/alfalfa.html)
35%

A, B, C, E, K
Calcium,Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc As much Carotene as carrots. Chlorophyll Adzuki (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/adzuki.html)
25%

A, C, E

All except Tryptophan
Iron, Niacin, Calcium Buckwheat (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/bwgroats.html)
15%

A, C, E
Calcium Lecithin Clover (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/clover.html)
30%

A, B, C, E
Calcium,Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc Trace Elements Fenugreek (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/fenugreek.html)
30%

A
Iron, Niacin, Calcium Digestive Aid Garbanzo (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/garbanzo.html)
20%

A, C, E
Iron, Calcium, Magnesium Lentil (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/lentils.html)
25%

A, B, C, E
Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus Mung Bean (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/mung.html)
20%

A, C, E
Iron, Potassium Pea (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/peas.html)
20%

A, B, C

All Essential
Carbohydrates Radish (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/radish.html)
Yes

C
Potassium Chlorophyll Sunflower Greens (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/sunflowergreens.html)
Yes

B Complex, E
Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium Chlorophyll Wheat (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/wheat.html) (and Rye (http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/rye.html))
15%

B Complex, C, E
Magnesium, Phosphorus Pantothenic Acid, Carbohydrates
(link) (http://www.sproutpeople.com/nutrition.html)

Has anyone tried this? Did it work out ok?

[catfishrivers]

Also, I mean while hiking off course. I failed to state that part :P

[mudcap]

Never tried it,looks very interesting though.

[Dogwood]

There were two people this past yr, (I believe a mother and son), hiking a lengthy section of the PCT doing just what U R talking about. They had even made nutritional bars containing raw(uncooked) sprouted seeds, which they shared with me. Pretty tasty too!

[catfishrivers]

Really? Did you happen to see how they made the bars? I'd love to know, or if not, anything you can recall so maybe I can do some research and figure it out! It's exciting to hear of others' success with this idea. I love the texture of sprouts on a wrap!

[DDuhon]

You need a light sealable container to soak them in, but after that you can move seeds to baggies, maybe containing them in something to keep them from being crushed--imagine day 1 in jar, day 2 in baggie day 3 another older group, so you have a series, starting one each day and eating one each day. I think lentils have a lot of potential for hikers, and would love to see at what day you could pour boiling water into some in an insulated container and have them be cooked and edible--this is sooner than the stage you might eat them raw, maybe after day three. A lot you can do with lentils, and this would make them great alcohol stove food. David

[Jan LiteShoe]

I like sprouts too, but wouldn't hike with them.
Just curious, not shooting down your idea - Why not just carry out a green pepper or something?

[mudhead]

I did sprouts back in my "groovy" phase. I remember alot of rinses and warmth required.

Check on salmonella before you commit.

[Fiddleback]

There might be some health/sanitation/spoilage issues involved... It's just a vague memory of something I read a long time ago but probably worth checking out.

FB

[Tinker]

Thanks for resurrecting the idea of sprouting on the trail. I haven't heard much about it lately.
It was all the rage in the 70's and 80's.
Still a good idea for the long distance hiker (if you like sprouts, that is! :)).

[budforester]

I like sprouts, but always thought sprouting would be too troublesome in my backpack; I've tried it for base- camping. Good sanitation and treated water are important. Normal flora in "safe" surface waters might multiply to hazardous levels during the days of sprouting. Here's a link (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/sprouret.html) to some discussion of sprouting hazards. I had seen some articles on backpack sprouts: Backpacker (http://www.backpacker.com/june_1999_food_grow_trail_greens/skills/1159?page=1); Mother Earth (http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1977-01-01/Raise-Your-Own-Sprouts-even-in-a-backpack.aspx); have wondered how sprouts would hold up to the rough treatment in a pack, continuously bumped and sloshed; at home or basecamp, sprouts just sit there and grow. Thanks for the interesting links you posted, Catfish. I may have to re- visit my food choices of past days.

[KG4FAM]

My dad was picking watercress at several places in the hundred mile wilderness this summer. I remember particularly at the spring at Rainbow Spring Campsite he was picking it, but he found some in a number of places.

[Jack Tarlin]

Three quick thoughts:

*There are countless places on the Trail where one can buy sprouts, or any
other vegetable for that matter. Growing one's own while en route seems
to be well meaning, but sort of silly.

*A typical daily multi-vitamin contains more nutrients and vitamins than two
weeks worth of sprouts.

*Growing one's own sprouts while hiking doesn't seem to be worth the
trouble, never mind the weight and space of the sprouting jar, which looks
to be about the size of a Nalgene bottle.

[Homer&Marje]

What are the possibilities, if any, of dehydrating said sprouts before one left. Be much easier to set up a large sprouting factory on your kitchen table for a few days, dehydrate and pack for later use. I imagine it wouldn't add much weight to your food bag base.

[max patch]

If someone can carry a tuba the whole way, then I guess you could carry your own sprouts if you really want to. But I'm betting the sprouts never get out of GA.

[mudhead]

*Growing one's own sprouts while hiking doesn't seem to be worth the
trouble, never mind the weight and space of the sprouting jar, which looks
to be about the size of a Nalgene bottle.

Agreed. You DIYers can use a wide mouth quart mason jar with cheesecloth lid. (at home.)

[catfishrivers]

If someone can carry a tuba the whole way, then I guess you could carry your own sprouts if you really want to. But I'm betting the sprouts never get out of GA.

Someone carried a tube the whole way!?!? LOL that's so funny.

[catfishrivers]

In regards to the hygiene of it, I can't see how much different it would be compared to doing it at home. Just rinse the same number of times daily and stick to using filtered and purified water and I can't see what the differences would be. Tell me if I am missing something because I don't want to get sick for being ignorant. sprotuing jar is very light, very light, at least the one I have. It is a bit bulky, but I can imgine it being easily strapped safe and secure somewhere on my pack. I'm not too concerned about that aspect. I'm going pretty light otherwise, so if I do try this, weight's not going to be a deterrent.

I guess there would be places to buy sprouts, and I guess vitamin tablets would supply what's needed. Duly noted on both points. So it might not be practical to do so for the length of the trail. I won't argue with that. I guess I was interested in it as an experiment to see if it possible. It could be useful someday if I go on other long distance hikes that offer less of an opportunity to hit up the grocery store.

It'd definitely be way cheaper than buying sprouts though. And might get me a neat trailname along the way :)

Hey if I grew alfalfa sprouts, and carried a gun, maybe I could become the alfalfa male. (har har)

[Homer&Marje]

In regards to the hygiene of it, I can't see how much different it would be compared to doing it at home. Just rinse the same number of times daily and stick to using filtered and purified water and I can't see what the differences would be. Tell me if I am missing something because I don't want to get sick for being ignorant. sprotuing jar is very light, very light, at least the one I have. It is a bit bulky, but I can imgine it being easily strapped safe and secure somewhere on my pack. I'm not too concerned about that aspect. I'm going pretty light otherwise, so if I do try this, weight's not going to be a deterrent.

I guess there would be places to buy sprouts, and I guess vitamin tablets would supply what's needed. Duly noted on both points. So it might not be practical to do so for the length of the trail. I won't argue with that. I guess I was interested in it as an experiment to see if it possible. It could be useful someday if I go on other long distance hikes that offer less of an opportunity to hit up the grocery store.

It'd definitely be way cheaper than buying sprouts though. And might get me a neat trailname along the way :)

Hey if I grew alfalfa sprouts, and carried a gun, maybe I could become the alfalfa male. (har har)


Freudian!!!!

[budforester]

In regards to the hygiene of it, I can't see how much different it would be compared to doing it at home. Just rinse the same number of times daily and stick to using filtered and purified water

At home the access to clean water, hands, utensils is easy. Outdoors, only difference is that it's less convenient.... gotta avoid the temptation to shortcut. Please let us hear how it goes.

[warraghiyagey]

I met a Sobo girl 'Firebug' in '06 who had fresh sprouts everyday. She just pur the seeds in a small burlap bag and kept them moist and damn if they didn't grow perfectly in there. They were delicious and she said it was the easiest thing to do.:sun

[catfishrivers]

I met a Sobo girl 'Firebug' in '06 who had fresh sprouts everyday. She just pur the seeds in a small burlap bag and kept them moist and damn if they didn't grow perfectly in there. They were delicious and she said it was the easiest thing to do.:sun

That's awesome to know! Thanks. I'm going to start messing around with a burlap bag then! Great!

[Lellers]

I just picked up "A Fork in the Trail" by Laurie Ann March. She's included sprouting instructions for the trail. It looked interesting. I think it's probably more than I might like to do on the trail, but it's interesting. I like really good food when I'm on the trail, and I put in a lot of time before making and dehydrating meals. I might try dehydrating sprouts. I've made some of the slaw recipes from Laurie's book and really liked those, as well as a killer roasted tomato dip.