I know many of you don't eat grains, but for those that do, which ones are you eating. I am craving bread lately! I only eat soaked buckwheat currently. Quinoa doesn't all sprout, and same with other grains...

I've sprouted the quinoa from my co-op a few times and had very good luck with it (though I haven't taken it past 1-2 days old). If you're having trouble with not all the grains germinating, it may be too old, or you may need to find a different source.

Rosemary, I'm glad you asked that question. I was wondering the same thing. I make flax seed crackers that help some when I'm craving bread. I just tried soaking some organic basmati rice to see if it would soften. I love the smell of it and the flavor. I'm thinking I will try it mixed in with a salad for flavor and crunch.

I recently discovered kamut. I like it very much sprouted, with the sprouts just about 1/4" long (soaked overnight, 48+ hours total sprouting time including soaking).

I eat a little of it with a salad or nori wrap, or I eat it like tabouli, mixed with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, leek, and cilantro, plus a little olive oil and lemon juice. It's better with more tomato and cucumber than grain.

After experimenting with eating it fairly often, it seems I feel better (and enjoy it more) eating it just occasionally.

If you get a chance, you might google "kamut" to read the very exotic and mysterious history. Kamut is a less allergenic, less hybridized ancient relative of wheat and spelt.

When I haven't planned ahead, but I feel like I just "have" to have some grain, I sometimes resort to raw wheat germ and I keep a package of it in my frig all the time just in case. It's good in salad and takes away grain cravings. It's not a whole food, but it's not cooked or starchy either, and it's easy to digest. I feel good about eating it because a little bit leaves me feeling satisfied (plus it tastes good) and it keeps me from eating cooked grains that absolutely destroy me! Raw wheat germ is freshest if it's bought prepackaged.

Just thought I'd mention for anyone who doesn't know: Here in the US, all rice (including organic brown rice) is sterilized, and it won't sprout. Some of the wild rice is sproutable.

I sprout red rice.

I've sprouted regular brown rice a few times. I've been toying with the idea of trying to make rice milk from sprouted brown rice - it would be much more economical than the almond milk!

After reading the above posts on sprouting brown rice, I thought I should go back and check my information.

A couple of years ago, I called Lundberg Family Farms and my Agricultural Extension office, and I thought they both told me there was a federal law against selling food rice (even brown rice) that was viable for growing. My understanding then was that there were disease concerns.

When I checked again today, I wasn't able to verify that. First I called Lundberg, but their ag office was closed, and I was only able to get Customer Service. I asked the lady if their brown rice could be sprouted, and she said yes. But then when I said I thought Lundberg had answered that question differently before, she said the only reason she thought it could be sprouted was that a raw foodist had called her and told her that. She then said Lundberg did not recommend sprouting any of their rice.

The Hawaii Extension Office could only confirm that there are State quarantee laws keeping some viable grass seed - including rice - out of the state. The person I talked to was not aware of any federal law.

Well, I'm still checking this out, but meanwhile, I'll say that I've tried sprouting brown rice myself, and although I'm usually a successful sprouter (sproutist?), the most that I could get from trying to sprout the brown rice was a white thing at the end of the kernel that looked more like mush to me than an actual sprout.

A really viable sprout will continue to grow, and eventually form a leafy end.

Frances, have you experimented to see if your sprouted brown rice will continue to grow like a normal viable sprout?

I'll try it again myself, but my rice is all pretty old, so maybe it wouldn't be a fair experiment.

My understanding is that wild rice is not considered a "true" rice, and that some brands of wild rice will sprout.

"Paddy" ("rough" rice is the rice that's planted in fields for a rice crop. It still has the husk. Brown rice doesn't have the husk, only the bran. It's the bran that makes brown rice brown.

Two sources for seed rice that should definitely sprout (but that contains the husk as well as the bran) are Kitazawa Seed Co. 510-595-1188 and Garrett Farms 979-922-8405. I don't know if they have organic rice seed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2007 01:08AM by suncloud.

Suncloud, if you're considering my post as refuting your original statement, you should know that I'm not in America.

Suncloud - I haven't tried to see how far I could grow the brown rice, but I will. I can't try it this weekend because I'm traveling, but I'll post when I have more information.

a while ago i got all my quinoa to sprout easily, but haven't had luck recently with any source. like you said it may not be fresh.

Thanks frances,

I'm going to wait too until I go shopping and get some fresher rice.

I found out yesterday that sproutpeople is another source for sproutable rice. It's organic, and it doesn't have a husk. They sell the brown rice for $5.25/lb. and the wehani rice for $7.25/lb. That's pretty expensive I think, but it's organic and probably fresher. Sproutpeople say that the sprouted rice usually needs to be cooked because it's too tough for most people, but maybe raw foodists tastes are a little different.

Seabucktho,

Where are you? India?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/2007 06:41PM by suncloud.

i will look out for kamut too. i'll remember it by the modern french philosopher, although it might not be pronounced that way!