Soaking & Sprouting Nuts & Seeds - More Specifically (This Time Around) Broccoli Sprouts & Shoots

Last night I was catching up on some of Dan McDonald's Videos and came across this one on how to soak nuts and seeds.  I have been doing this for a while but I still consider myself a novice at it.  I don't get overly involved with fancy equipment and I think that is completely fine.  I really appreciated the variety of the nuts and seeds he highlighted in this video.

This video is a great watch.  I will give you a heads-up that it is about 20 minutes long.  But it's totally worth it.  LOTS of great info, here!

My co-workers and I started soaking some Sunflower Seeds today and will try and start sprouting them tomorrow in hopes of Sunflower Shoots - also known as - Sunflower Micro Greens!  I will keep you posted on that project for sure!  At home...I started soaking Broccoli this morning.  I'm not sure if I am going to try for Broccoli Sprouts or Broccoli Shoots yet but they come from the same seed.  Above is a photo of the sprouts!  And below a photo of the Shoots.

There have been MANY studies on the benefits of Broccoli Sprouts including cancer fighting properties as well as changes in those with high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, Macular Degeneration, COPD, Diabetes, etc.

Messy Veggie Wrap & Dark Chocolate Chili Peanuts

Last week I told you about a new Sprouting Kit I got and LOVE!!!  Well, I haven't been able to share with you YET what the Sprouts looked like!  Here they are!  I noticed they were more vibrant, CLEANER, they were more fresh, they air dried MUCH better, and they are more plush and even longer that my attempts prior to using the kit!  I absolutely LOVE this kit.  If there are any 'con's' at all I would only say that the 'screen' did rust a very little bit around the edges after the first time sprouting but not back at all.  I would suggest this kit to ANYONE!  It's really awesome!  Next I am going to start in with their blend of sprouting seeds!  But I do have LOTS of my radish sprouts to use!  And I did...check this out...

Last night I threw a bunch of stuff into a Spinach Wrap!  I am going to do many more of these BUT at least now I know these spinach ones are a little touchy.  It fell apart!  But...you can at least see my attempt here!

Yes...these are veggies from a can!  BUT...I did wash them first!

I figured canned veggies are better than no veggies at all but of course I do prefer FRESH and Frozen is ok, too!

 Then I put some fire-roasted diced tomatoes on top of the veggies and on top of that I added a small handful of Daiya Vegan Shreds!

I heated this up a little bit!  That's were I probably went wrong!  With the wet contents and heated up a bit - that caused the wrap to break, I think...but it was still edible!  Just with a fork!

Where are the sprouts, you ask!?  Hold on...I'm getting to it!  I know I am long-winded...even when I write!

I melted the Daiya Cheese, too - as you can see here, underneath the sprouts!

I LOVE the color in this!  There is a lot going on but there are LOTS of colors, LOTS of nutritious things laid out here, eh!?

So...I wrapped it all up and was so excited!  I probably should have taken a few photos of this ordeal but I didn't.  I did get a close-up for the 'good' part of the wrap (to hide the fact it fell apart!)

And here it is!

Again, LOVE the color...

The taste was fine and dandy...

but it fell apart!  Oh well, thank God for forks, eh!?  LOL


I'll have another post today but it's heavy on the pictures, too, so I will post that in a few hours! 

I thought I would mention another flavored Peanut from Lush Gourmet Foods that I have tried recently!  It's their Dark Chocolate Chili flavor and it was wonderful!   Upon opening the package it smelled a bit like Peanut Butter Chocolate Coffee.  It tasted like Peanuts and hardy Coffee Coating with a Peppery kick at first - then a dark chocolate with chili pepper kick - more defined and specific.

This flavored peanut from Lush was a little more crunchier than the other flavors so far but it completely worked in every way!  The Chili Pepper lingers longer, too, but has me coming back for more!  These are really fantastic!

I'm totally a fan of this company...that's for sure!
 Participating:
Just Another Meatless Monday 
Made By You Monday 
Meatless Monday

Products, Pooches, and Power House Blend!

 Okay...one more Furkids Post!  If you scroll down I have another post today!  ALL of the furkids!  But this one comes with a specific story!  I mentioned in my last post I was able to get a lot of the house work done on Saturday Morning which I was really happy about.  Well, all 3 pups are a little bothered by the Vacuum Cleaner and Shampooer!  As you can see here, nothing brings them together like mom cleaning the floors!  It's not that they are scared of them but they would rather them not be so loud...at least that is my guess!

 Anyways...I have a few product FINDS to share with you today!  HUMBLES!  They are Baked Hummus Chips!  I found them at BigLots a few weeks ago!  I have tried the Garlic & Sesame Seed kind as well as the Sea Salt.  I will say I like the Garlic & Sesame better as they have more flavor!  But this also give me an idea to make my own!  Make some Hummus up and dehydrate them!  I just might have to try that...and SOON!  Here is the website with the different flavors! HUMBLES - Good Health.  The two I tried were vegan but I do see one flavor has Feta.  It looks like the Red Pepper one has dairy in it, too!  Just a heads-up! 

 A while back a tea friend of mine Jillian sent me a surprise package of tea.  Within the box I found this package and was super excited!  I went to their website and it's darling!

Product Description from their website on this product:

Aztec Chocolate is a complex blend of Real Cacao, Coffee and Vanilla Beans with pungent sweet and spicy peppers. Aztec Chocolate is a traditional savory flavour mix for Mexican and Latin American cuisine, led by the ancient Aztec and Mayan peoples of the region. Try it on meat dishes, beans, tofu or salad dressings this amazing sweet and spicy combo is great for everyday cooking. Also decadently fabulous for our desert dip, sprinkle coffee or as a dessert finish, or make Mexican Hot Chocolate -see spring 2008 recipes

INGREDIENTS: cocoa, turbinado sugar, raw cacao, vanilla & coffee beans, dried spices, chillies, natural sea salt. 

I have been hanging on to this because I am not sure what to do with it and don't want to screw it up! I did see you can add it to sour cream and I could do that with my vegan equivalent but I am not sure what that would taste like with spicy and chocolate.  I was thinking about putting it in coffee and I still might.  But more recently I am thinking additions to SMOOTHIES.  I took a look at their recipe page with this product as a tag!  It was really helpful!  Some of the ideas that popped out right away were the Aztec Chocolate Black Bean Dip and The Dairy-Free Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate.  I might actually try both!  I have high hopes for the Black Bean Dip and can probably do that tonight or tomorrow night!

 In other news...my Protein Powerhouse Sprouting Blend has now sprouted!  I may have even OVER sprouted a little, but, here are some pictures!

Powerful protein bean combination of Adzuki, Garbonzo, Mung & Green Peas. These high protein sprouts are all organic and all delicious!

Get your daily protein allowance with this wonderfully popular mixture. A great source of vegetarian and vegan protein. Protein Powerhouse high protein sprouts are packed with vegan protein plus fiber, vitamins and minerals. These high protein sprouts are a delicious addition to salads, soups, oriental dishes, or best of all, all by themselves!

This is what their product description says!  It's been a while since I tried sprouting this blend!  Some of the Adzuki and Mung Beans didn't sprout but I DO love the color, the bean combo, and the protein in this blend!  I will be using the little bit I sprouted the next couple of days!  In the meantime I did start a new sprouting adventure with Radish Sprouts.  So far Radish Sprouts are among my FAVORITES.  I will post about them in the next few days!

Have you ever had these two products before?  What did you think?  Have you ever had either of these sprouts before?  If so let me know what you did with them and how you liked them! 

Participating In:
Macro Monday

Top 20 Ingredients I Can't Live Without!

Alicia Silverstone over at The Kind Life posted about the 20 ingredients she can’t live without. As did Cadry at Cadry's Kitchen.  So I decided to follow suit!  Here are my TOP 20 Ingredients in random order.

TEA - As many of you know I drink A LOT of tea.  All day...all night...I have even started using it in dishes!  All sorts of tea...Black, Green, White, Yellow, fruit and herbal tisane's, Oolongs, Pu-erh, Blends, Purple, Guayusa, Rooibos, Honeybush...the list goes on and on!

CHICK PEAS & BLACK BEANS - I was going to list these separate but came up with too many items I MUST HAVE in my kitchen, apparently!  The older I get the more I LOVE Chickpeas.  They are so versatile!  I would have also put HUMMUS on the list but it's not just ONE Ingredient it's a FOOD, a dish, a delicacy, really.  Okay, okay...you can tell I LOVE hummus!  Well, Chickpeas are one of the ingredients so it works, right?

GRAPESEED OIL - Why GSO?  I think this sums it up nicely!  I LOVE IT!  If you want to order some let me know!!  I can have it shipped directly to you!

LEAFY GREENS - I know this is more than ONE but I couldn't resist!  There are so many Leafy Greens to choose from and they ALL have their benefits!

CASHEWS - And other nuts, really.  I'm very fortunate to NOT have allergies to Nuts!  I don't think I would be able to deal with that intolerance, to be honest!  I'm finding Cashews are very versatile as well and now that I'm NOT doing dairy there are many things I can do with them as a substitute. 

NUTRITIONAL YEAST - I have used it for YEARS - but have been using it on a weekly - sometimes daily basis these days!  Along the same lines would be HEMP HEARTS and CHIA SEEDS, I guess, too!  For Digestion Issues/Benefits as well as a protein option.

VARIETY of RICES - Again, I am a REBEL, here, and noting more than one but I really can't help it!  Just when I think I know which RICE is my favorite I discover new ones...like Medleys from Bob's Red Mills as well as FORBIDDEN RICE, lately, too!

QUINOA - Quinoa is in a category all of it's own for me!  I have been eating it for years but continue to be amazed by it!  I LOVE the nutritional benefits as well as digestion support but also the texture and flavor and the ability to make it MORPH!

TOMATOES - Any kind, really.  I could go on and on about THE TOMATO but I will let it speak for itself!  YUM!

BALSAMIC VINEGAR - Yes!  BALSAMIC VINEGAR...Wildtree Brand, specifically.  And I'm not just saying that because I sell it!  The flavor CANNOT BE BEAT!  Plus it has the Grapeseed Oil Base, too!

TAHINI - I thought it was just for HUMMUS but it's good for SO MUCH MORE!!!  I'm using lately in Cheese and Cream Alternatives, too!

GARLIC - Need I say more?  I just LOVE it!  I can't get enough of it!  I'd put it on cereal if it were allowed.  Okay...that might be a stretch...but...you know what I mean, right!?

ONIONS - They give flavor to EVERYTHING and they make the perfect base for many things!

LEMONS & LEMON JUICE - I almost over looked this one.  It's one of those things I really use a lot of but just USE it and tend to forget about it BUT if I run out...there is HELL TO PAY, Mister!

CORN - It's so sweet, It's so cute, It's SO GOOD!  I have been using it more and more to kick certain recipes up a notch as well as add to leftovers, wraps, salads, etc.  So simple - yet - SO effective!

COLORFUL BELL PEPPERS - LOVE them!  In every way!  I find myself adding them to EVERYTHING and then some!  The sweeter the better!

SPROUTS - When I was a toddler they used to be one of my 3 favorite foods (next to Dried Apricots and Lima Beans - which SHOULD also play a part in this list somewhere...there...they just did!) and I lost touch with Sprouts for a while but have been having FUN Sprouting my own Sprouts at home on and off again for a couple of years!

CARROTS & CELERY - Mostly because I can't have one without the other - and because they are right up the same alley as Onions and Garlic and Corn!

ALMOND MILK - I prefer Almond Milk to any of the other Milk Alternatives.  It's my default, really.

AVOCADOS - I wish I could have one everyday but they are really expensive here but when they are on sale!  I'm ALL OVER THAT!  Nom.Nom.Nom.

Hope you enjoyed my list!  If you do one let me know!