Lentil Sprouts and Menu Plan Monday

I'd learned from More With Less cookbook and Super Baby Food, that bean sprouts are good for you. Since we keep lentils around I decided to start with those. Most of the directions I've seen call for use of a mason jar, which I hope to try next. But since we didn't have cheese cloth, I did see some directions on a forum somewhere for how to grow them on a plate. I wish I could give credit where it's due, but I didn't save the link :(.

Here's my version of the instructions:

1. Put a few layers of wet paper towels on a plate. (Since we're phasing out of paper towels I try my flannel ones next time!)

2. Spread out the dry lentils on them.

3. Put another wet paper towel on top.

4. Sit near a window or well lit area, making sure they stay moist.

The sprouts were supposed to grow in a day or two but mine took about 5 days. I think it's because we don't have a lot of sun hitting any of our windows. I actually wet it really well and set it outside on the deck one day to hurry the process along. Here's what we had as of yesterday:

I wasn't sure if they were ready yesterday so I looked it up and found that once they're an inch long they're edible, so now they're in the fridge waiting to be integrated into Chop Suey and Chow Mein this week! I tasted them raw and they really are fresh and yummy tasting. This is so easy it will definitely become a part of our regular diet!


Now for this weeks plan. Last week was definitely an off week so we didn't stick to it very well. I didn't realize we were out of lentils and since the sprouts weren't ready until now, those recipes are being transferred to this week. So here's for trying again! I'm not going to continue writing the three meals a day because it's always the same: Granola, Overnight Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal, or eggs and toast on easy homemade bread for breakfast, and lunch is always leftovers or peanut butter sandwiches. We have a good bit of leftovers so the sandwiches are really occasional. I'll be posting separately about my adventures in homemade baby food soon.

Monday: Chow Mein (More with Less, pg. 133) (Incorporating the sprouts!)
Tuesday: Chop Suey (More with Less, pg. 133) (Also incorporating the sprouts!)
Wednesday: El Burgos (More with Less, pg. 107
Thursday: Kusheri (Egyptian Rice and Lentils) (More With Less, pg. 108)
Friday: Lentil Barley Stew (More With Less, pg. 107)
Saturday: Homemade Pizza
Sunday: Homemade Spaghetti (to start out the week with yummy leftovers!)