Legumes contain loads of  (plantbased) protein, which you need for reparing and preservation of bodytissue. Every cell in our body contains proteins, our muscles and vital organs are practically build on it. We also need proteins to protect our body from infections, they stimulate the production of white bloodcells and antibodies.

Proteins are not only found in legumes but also in meat, fish, dairyproducts, cheese and eggs (animal protein), wheats, nut, seeds, soyproducts and quinoa (vegetable protein).
The ratio vegetable protein : animal protein should ideally be 3:1 but experience shows that this ratio is often the other way around. It’s become a habit to eat meat, cheese and other animalproducts on a daily basis and many people eat far too little vegetables and legumes. They start with yoghurt in the morning, bread with meat or cheese for lunch and a big chunk of meat or fish for dinner…

A high intake of  animal proteins disturbs the hormonal balance of our body and has an acidifying effect, which in turn enhances the risks of diseases. Vegetable proteins are easier to digest for our body and therefore it’s wise to make sure that the majority of your protein-intake is vegetal.
Look critically to your dietplan and see if you can decrease the intake of animal products and increase the intake of vegetable protein. One easy way to do so are sprouted legumes!

Legumes such as mungbeans and chickpeas are easy to sprout. You can transform them into super healthy energybombs in just a few days time! The germs or sprouts can be used in different ways such as salads and stir-fry, as a crunchy addition to a soup or smoothie (sprouted quinoa works really well for that!) and what about a sprouted hummus?

Let’s get sprouting!

You don’t need much to ‘grow’ your own sprouts! Some dried legmes or seeds (quinoa, musterdseeds, watercress, etc) and a jar can do the trick!
Because I like to sprout quite a lot I bought myself the “Croq-Punch” (a germination tray) from Lima.

To sprout you have to soak the legumes and seeds overnight; just put them in a jar with some fresh water and set aside until the next day!
Rinse the whole lot a few times with fresh water. After rinsing all the seeds and legumes you put them back in the jar. Punch a few holes in the lid for drainage (or use a cloth and a rubber band) and place the jar skew on a platter.
Rinse twice a day.

Within a few days the legumes and seeds will start to sprout and you’ll see the first signs of roots growing out!

After a few more days it’s time to harvest and enjoy these healthy energybombs!
Just add a handful to your salad for example or as a topping to a sandwich.

Of course you could also try the Sprouted Hummus!

Take about 100 grams of sprouts (you can use any type you like, or use a mixture of different sprouts), a tbls of Tahin (sesamepaste), a good pinch of seasalt, a tsp lemonjuice, clove of garlic (crushed), a dash of extra virgin olive oil and some fresh herbs such as parsely or coriander.
Put everything in a foodprocessor and mix until the desired consistency. I like the hummus with a bit of a ‘bite and crunch’ here and there.

Serve the hummus with some raw veggies: strips of bell pepper, carrots or slices of cucumber. I also like the hummus as a spread on top of ricecrackers, with some tomatoes and/or cucumber.

Happy Healthy Sprouting!

Love, E.