Morán's
Critter
Connection
|
Caring for Your Sprouts Fresh living foods, vital and full of enhanced nutrition, need some simple and basic care. This ensures that they remain healthy and viable while you are feeding them to your birds, and enjoying them yourself. The storage methods described in this chapter can be used for the Original Sprouting Blend, or any other mixture of seeds, grains, and legumes you combine and sprout. The foods with special sprouting needs covered in chapter 3, are discussed near the end of this chapter. In learning to care for your sprouts, it is important for you to provide the three things that you supplied during their growing cycle. They will still need appropriate temperatures, rinsing, and adequate air circulation. However, because the focus is now on proper storage instead of germination and growth, there will be a few changes to the routine. Up until now, the guidelines have instructed you to keep them warm so they would transform from dormant seeds to living sprouts. Now cooler temperatures will |
|
help keep them
fresh in storage while they are being eaten over the next few
days. The best way to provide lower temperatures is to store them in the refrigerator. The cooler temperatures do not stop the sprouts from growing, but it does slow their growth significantly. Although many might want to shovel their sprouts into plastic bags, this is not recommended—for two reasons. First, sprouts are alive, and living plants breathe. Even when being kept in the refrigerator, they will need to have adequate air circulation. Being stored in a plastic bag does not provide this and would cause them to become slimy and spoil before they could be used. Secondly, in order for your sprouts to remain as fresh as possible, they will still need to be rinsed. And an important part of the rinsing process is providing adequate drainage. If they become water logged, or are stored with an excess of moisture, this can also contribute to them becoming slimy or mushy. If this occurs, they would need to be thrown out. Plastic bags are not designed for rinsing and draining sprouts. But the jars you already have them growing in are ideally suited to this purpose. You have already developed a rhythm of rinsing, draining, and providing your sprouts proper air circulation during their growing cycle. Continuing these practices while they are being stored will keep them fresh and vital. Ensuring that your sprouts still receive the proper daily care they need, will help them maintain the highest nutritional levels possible. This will also prevent them from spoiling before they are used.
The method described here will enable you to provide your sprouts with everything they need to remain fresh and delicious for as long as possible, while they are being stored and eaten. When your sprouts have grown to their optimal nutritional length, which is generally three days, you will want to rinse them well before using. After spooning out the amount you need, store the remaining sprouts in the refrigerator. Since you are in the habit of rinsing your growing sprouts and setting them to drain at a 30 to 40 degree angle, you will want to move this idea into the refrigerator. This is the best way to ensure that they will have adequate air circulation while being stored. It is also a fairly easy task. |
Links
Critter Connection -- P.O. Box 38, Silver Springs, NV 89429 775-577-9676
copyright 2007© Morán's Critter Connection - All Rights Reserved