CRUNCHY CHICKPEA CHAAT WITH TWO CHUTNEYS AND CASHEW CREAM
This clean, energizing version of a popular Indian street food will not only get you closer to your health goals, it doubles as party food! Make a big batch, set up bowls of each ingredient, and invite your guests to mix and match to make their own chaat. Chaat masala is a spice mix with a unique sulfury flavor that is quite addictive. You’ll find it in Indian grocery stores.
Serves 4
4 cups (about 1 pound) chickpea sprouts, divided
1 small red onion or 4 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 cup Cilantro-Mint Chutney (here)
½ cup Tamarind Chutney (recipe follows)
½ cup Cashew Cream (here)
4 large pinches of chaat masala
2 pinches of ground cumin
4 pinches of mild chile powder (optional)
4 pinches of flaky sea salt
Mature mung bean sprouts, for topping
In a large bowl, combine the chickpea sprouts, onion, tomato, and cucumber. Divide the mixture among four bowls. Pour the chutneys and cashew cream onto each bowl and top with the chaat masala, cumin, chile powder, if using, salt, and mung bean sprouts. Serve immediately, instructing diners to mix everything up on the spot.
TIP: To simplify, omit the Tamarind Chutney and/or Cashew Cream.
TAMARIND CHUTNEY
Makes about ½ cup
⅓ cup tamarind puree (see Note)
¼ cup packed dried, pitted Medjool dates
2 tablespoons water, or as needed
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of sea salt
In a mini blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. The chutney will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.
Note: Make sure to use tamarind puree, not the thick, dark concentrate paste.
SPROUTS AND KRAUT
Sprouts and kraut are two of the most potent living foods you can eat. When you combine them, you experience mega-nutrition and a tangy, crunchy taste experience. Add oil to the juice from the kraut and you have an instant salad dressing. Onion sprouts add a pungent, spicy finish to this super salad; for milder tastes, swap in clover sprouts or another mild leafy green sprout.
Serves 1 to 2
1 cup raw sauerkraut, plus additional juice from the jar
1 cup (about 4 ounces) green pea sprouts or other crunchy sprout
1 cup (about 1 ounce) broccoli sprouts
1 small cucumber, cubed
½ cup dulse fronds
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (about ¼ ounce) onion sprouts
1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, preferably sprouted
In a salad bowl, combine the sauerkraut, pea sprouts, broccoli sprouts, cucumber, and dulse and toss to coat and soften the dulse. Add the oil and toss to coat. Taste and add juice from the sauerkraut jar until the salad is tangy to your liking. Top with the onion sprouts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds and serve.
TIP: Try a flavored sauerkraut, such as caraway or turmeric, or swap in vegan kimchi for the kraut.
JEAN-GEORGES’S CARROT AND AVOCADO SALAD
This salad comes courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. While there’s a cooked element to it (the rest of the recipes in the book are fully raw), this recipe makes it clear that sprouts are making their way into the world’s finest kitchens!
Serves 4
1 pound medium carrots
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon red chile flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ oranges
2 lemons, cut in half
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 avocado, cut into thin wedges
4 cups sprouts, preferably a mix of radish and beet
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bring a wide pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until a knife pierces them easily, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, cumin, thyme, chile flakes, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper until crushed and pasty. Add the vinegar and ¼ cup of the oil and continue pounding until well mixed. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor or blender until pasty.
4. Drain the carrots and arrange them in a medium roasting pan in a single layer. Spoon the cumin mixture over them. Cut the whole orange in half. Arrange the orange halves and 2 of the lemon halves over the carrots, cut-side down. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the carrots are golden brown. Transfer the carrots to a platter.
5. While the carrots are in the oven, spread the sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden but not golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
6. When cool enough to handle, squeeze 2 tablespoons juice each from the roasted orange and lemon into a small bowl. Squeeze in 2 tablespoons orange juice from the remaining orange half and 2 tablespoons lemon juice from the remaining lemon. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the carrots.
7. Arrange the carrots on a serving platter, reserving the accompanying sauce. Top with the avocado and sprouts. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and sprinkle with the seeds. Serve immediately.
MADKI (INDIAN RAW SPROUT SALAD)
In India, a country with its fair share of vegetarians, sprouts are a fantastic source of affordable protein. This sprout salad, spiced with red onion, chile, and a salty, sulfury spice mix known as chaat masala is a superfood you can really get excited about. You also could make your madki with young mung bean sprouts, which are mostly beans with little tails (not the fully sprouted mung beans you typically see in Asian stir-fries and other dishes).
Serves 1
2 cups (about 4 ounces) adzuki bean sprouts
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ small red onion, chopped
½ to 1 fresh green chile, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
½ teaspoon chaat masala, plus more for sprinkling
¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 ripe avocado, sliced
In a salad bowl, combine the sprouts, tomato, red onion, green chile, almonds, lime juice, chaat masala, and salt. Top with the avocado and a sprinkle of chaat masala and serve.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES AND SPROUTS WITH SPICY GINGER-LIME ALMOND DRESSING
This healthy take on pasta just got twenty times healthier—and more delicious—by adding sprouts to the mix! The sauce doubles as a dip for vegetable sticks or can be tossed with another salad with sturdy greens and sprouts.
Serves 2
Spicy Ginger-Lime Almond Dressing
½ cup smooth almond butter
¼ cup warm water, or as needed
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 teaspoon dulse granules
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 garlic clove, pressed through a garlic press
Salad
2 cups zucchini noodles
2 cups (about 4 ounces) mature mung bean sprouts
2 cups (about 3 ounces) sunflower shoots or pea shoots
1 small carrot, grated or spiralized
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small tomato, chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, preferably sprouted
1. To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. Add more water if it’s too thick and more lime juice if needed.
2. To make the salad: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add half the dressing and toss to coat. Spoon into bowls and serve. The remaining dressing will keep, covered, for up to 1 week.
MUSHROOM-LENTIL PÂTÉ AND PICKLED SPROUT WRAPS
Mushroom-forward flavor with pickled sprouts adding crunchy bursts of tang make this a wrap to remember. This dish will make anyone a sprout believer!
Makes 2 wraps
2 collard leaves
1 cup Mushroom-Lentil Pâté (here)
1 cup (about 1 ounce) broccoli, radish, clover, or alfalfa sprouts, or a mix
1 small tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons Quick Pickled Sprouts (recipe follows), plus a little pickling liquid
1. Freeze the collard leaves for 10 minutes (this makes it easier to trim the stems). Trim the stems from the bottom and outer part of the leaves to make the leaves bendable.
2. Spread the pâté over the collard leaves and top with the sprouts, tomato, and pickled sprouts and roll them up. Trim the edges (and eat them) and cut in half if you like. Place on a plate seam side down and serve immediately.
QUICK PICKLED SPROUTS
For a lively zing of flavor, add to wraps, salads, or soups, and be sure to include a splash of vinegar. Use any firm, crunchy sprouts, such as mung, chickpea, lentil, or pea.
Makes as much as you like
Sprouts or onion slices
Raw apple cider vinegar
Put the sprouts or onion in a jar. Add vinegar to cover. Leave to pickle for 15 minutes, strain (and save the vinegar to use in a dressing), then use immediately.
GREEN PEA AVOCADO CREAM AND CHIA SPROUT WRAPS
Creamy, crunchy, and filled with omega-3 fatty acids in easily accessible form from the sprouted chia, this wrap is a nutritional flavor force to be reckoned with! You could swap any sprout for the chia, and instead of carrot, you might try beet or shredded cabbage. Mix and match with what you have growing to showcase your sprout bounty.
Serves 2
2 collard leaves
1 cup Green Pea Avocado Cream (here)
1 cup (about 1 ounce) chia sprouts or sunflower or pea shoots
1 medium carrot, grated
½ lemon
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Freeze the collard leaves for 10 minutes (this makes it easier to trim the stems). Trim the stems from the bottom and outer part of the leaves to make the leaves bendable.
2. Spread the avocado cream over the collard leaves and top with the chia sprouts and carrot. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper and roll them up. Trim the edges (and eat them) and cut in half if you like. Place on a plate seam side down and serve immediately.
LEMONY CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Lots of cleansing lemon kisses detoxifying, cancer-fighting cauliflower in this cruciferous salad punctuated by a mix of crunchy, proteinaceous sprouts. Use any crunchy sprout mix, such as a combination of green peas, lentils, and adzuki beans, or a single sprout if that’s what’s available. This salad makes use of all the cauliflower—florets, stems, core, and leaves—so nothing goes to waste. Preserved lemon can be found in specialty stores or online. Rinse them of extra salt before using. If unavailable, substitute the zest of 2 lemons.
Serves 4
¼ cup currants
1 small head (about 1½ pounds) cauliflower
2 cups (about 8 ounces) mixed crunchy sprouts
½ preserved lemon, finely chopped
½ cup chopped almonds, preferably sprouted
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup (about ¼ ounce) fenugreek sprouts (optional)
1. Soak the currants in hot (not boiling) water to cover for about 15 minutes while you prep your ingredients.
2. Trim the cauliflower of its leaves and finely chop the leaves; set aside. Cut the cauliflower into approximately 1-inch pieces (include the stems), then, working in two batches, pulse until broken down into pieces between the size of chickpeas and rice (it’s fine if the texture isn’t even). Place in a bowl along with the leaves and add the currants, sprout mix, preserved lemon, and sprouted almonds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt, and cayenne, then slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Add to the cauliflower mixture and toss to fully coat. Add the parsley and mint. If you have the time, leave the salad on the counter for up to 1 hour to marinate, then spoon into bowls, top with the fenugreek sprouts, if using, and serve.
QUINOA TABBOULEH
Swapping out the wheat for quinoa and sprouting it brings new life to this classic grain-based salad. It’s best enjoyed at the height of tomato season. Depending on your tomatoes, the tabbouleh can get pretty juicy after it’s all mixed. If it looks overly moist, drain it slightly and use the flavorful liquid to toss into a future bowl of sprouts.
Serves 4
2 cups sprouted quinoa, patted dry with a paper towel if damp
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste, divided
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Romaine lettuce leaves or your choice of sprout for serving
½ cup (about ½ ounce) fenugreek sprouts (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the sprouted quinoa, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the coriander, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes, then add the cucumber, parsley, mint, and scallions. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, the pepper, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and the oil. Serve over lettuce leaves and top with the fenugreek sprouts, if using.
HOUSE SPROUT SALAD
This everyday go-to salad can be changed up according to season, whim, or what’s in your fridge or growing in your sprout garden at any time. You can swap in any type of crunchy sprout and veggie, keeping a more or less 1:1 ratio of sprouts to veggies. Double or triple the dressing for sprout salad making throughout the week. Because all the components of the salad are sturdy, leftover dressed salad can be kept refrigerated overnight.
Serves 2 to 4
Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, or a mix
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
3 cups (about 12 ounces) mixed crunchy sprouts, such as green pea, chickpea, and adzuki bean
1 small cucumber, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1 cup mixed fresh soft herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional add-ins: sliced avocado, chopped nuts, sesame or poppy seeds, sauerkraut, olives, capers, ripped nori sheet
1. To make the dressing: Pour the lime juice into a small bowl. Add the garlic, salt, herbs, and pepper, then whisk in the oil until emulsified. (Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a jar, cover, and shake until emulsified.)
2. To put together the salad: In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and toss. Add the dressing (you may have some left over), toss to coat, and serve.
AVOCADO SPROUT BOATS WITH CLOVER CHERMOULA
An avocado boat makes a playful platform for any sprout salad. If you haven’t made the chermoula, try using Pumped-Up Pesto (here) or toss your sprouts with House Sprout Salad dressing (here) or a simple mix of olive oil and lemon juice.
Serves 2 as a starter or snack
1 large ripe avocado
¼ cup Clover Chermoula (here)
½ cup (about ½ ounce) clover sprouts or other sprouts of your choice
Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Spoon 1 tablespoon chermoula over each avocado half, top with the sprouts, and finish with the remaining chermoula. Serve immediately.
TIP: Avocado boats also welcome New Classic Hummus (here), Mushroom-Lentil Pâté (here), or Kim Cheese Dip (here).
GARAM MASALA LENTILS, CAULIFLOWER RICE, ORANGE, AND CASHEW CREAM
Cauliflower and crunchy sprouts get a toss with warming spices and cheerful citrus, and a dollop of cashew cream pulls the dish together. Revelation: Cauliflower leaves are every bit as nutritious and tasty as the florets. Don’t leave them out! You can swap adzuki bean sprouts or sprouted green peas for the lentil sprouts.
Serves 2
2 cups Cauliflower Rice (recipe follows)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) lentil sprouts or any mix of crunchy sprouts
1 large orange
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon ground fennel
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Cashew Cream (recipe follows)
Julienned cauliflower leaves, for garnish
1. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower rice and lentil sprouts.
2. Zest the orange, then cut the orange in half. Peel and chop half of the orange and juice the other half into a small bowl. Add the lime juice, most of the orange zest (reserve a pinch for garnish), the garam masala, fennel, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper, and whisk to dissolve the seasonings. Whisk in the oil.
3. Pour the dressing over the cauliflower and lentil sprouts and mix to combine and fully coat the ingredients. Divide into bowls, top each with a dollop of cashew cream, a sprinkle of orange zest, and some cauliflower leaves, and serve.
CASHEW CREAM
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup raw unsalted cashews
Pinch of sea salt
1. Place the cashews in a medium bowl and add hot (not boiling) water to cover by a couple of inches. Set aside for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Drain.
2. Transfer the cashews to a blender (a mini blender works great for this), add ⅓ cup water and the salt, and blend, starting on low speed and working your way up to high, until smooth, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
CAULIFLOWER RICE
Makes about 8 cups
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower
1. Quarter the cauliflower through the core, then cut out the core and leaves from each quarter in one cut. Remove any remaining core and leaves.
2. Break the cauliflower into 2-inch florets. Put half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse about 20 times, until the florets are about the size of rice, scraping the sides of the machine once or twice if needed. Remove from the machine to a bowl and repeat with the remaining cauliflower. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
CRUNCHY SPROUT, CELERY, AND APPLE SALAD WITH GOLDEN TAHINI DRESSING
This light yet satisfying salad is all about the crunch. Tahini dressing adds a creamy counterpoint, and pomegranate seeds give it a hit of ruby bliss. If you haven’t sprouted sesame seeds for the tahini dressing, it’s fine to use un-sprouted sesame seeds. You’ll still be getting a generous serving of sprouts in your salad.
Serves 2
1 cup (about 4 ounces) lentil or other crunchy sprouts
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 small apple, cored and chopped
¼ cup Golden Tahini Dressing (here), plus more for drizzling
2 to 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Celery leaves, for garnish
Fenugreek sprouts (optional), for garnish
In a serving bowl, combine the sprouts, celery, and apple. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with a drizzle of dressing, follow by the pomegranate seeds, celery leaves, and fenugreek sprouts, if using, and serve.
UNFRIED KIMCHI RICE AND ADZUKI SPROUT BOWL
Get your spice on with this sprout-full take on the Korean classic. Look for sugar-free, vegan kimchi to keep the dish plant-based and choose a brand with no added sugar. Coconut aminos are a gluten-free, soy-free substitute for soy sauce; adjust the amount depending on how salty your kimchi is.
2 cups Cauliflower Rice (see here)
1 cup vegan kimchi, plus kimchi juice if needed
1 cup (about 4 ounces) adzuki bean sprouts or other crunchy sprout
1 tablespoon coconut aminos, or to taste
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 avocado, sliced or chopped
1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips
1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
In a medium bowl, combine the cauliflower, kimchi, and sprouts. Add the coconut aminos and sesame oil and stir to coat. Add some kimchi juice from the jar if it needs more juice. Spoon into bowls, place the avocado on one side, and top with the nori, scallion, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
JICAMA RICE AND BEANS WITH REALLY GREEN SALSA
Rice made from the root jicama is sweet and super crunchy, making it the perfect base for a sproutarian rice-and-beans bowl. To vary the recipe, you could sub 2 cups Cauliflower Rice for the jicama, and instead of the adzuki sprouts, you could use sprouted green peas or chickpeas.
Serves 2
1 small jicama (about 1½ pounds)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) adzuki bean sprouts
1 cup Really Green Salsa (here)
Garnishes: sunflower sprouts (shoots), shredded carrot, avocado slices, Quick Pickled Sprouts (here)
1. Peel the jicama and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Place it in the food processor and pulse until it is broken down to a rice-like texture.
2. Transfer the jicama to a nut milk bag and squeeze to extract most of the liquid. If you don’t have a nut milk bag, line a mesh strainer with a double layer of paper towel, add the jicama rice, and leave for 1 hour to drain. It will remove some of the liquid, but a nut milk bag will get you that al dente rice-like texture, making it worth the investment (especially because the nut milk bag can double as a sprouting bag).
3. Divide the jicama between two bowls and top with the sprouted adzuki beans and salsa. Finish with your choice of garnishes and serve.
CARROT AND DAIKON NOODLES WITH SUNFLOWER SHOOTS AND PUMPED-UP PESTO
Sweet carrots and juicy daikon radish stay crisp when spiralized and welcome a toss with a sprout-packed pesto. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you could shred the carrots and daikon on the large holes of a box grater; you won’t get the long, curly noodles a dedicated spiralizer produces, but the veggies will still be an efficient delivery system for the pesto. You also could swap in 3 cups store-bought zucchini noodles for the carrots and daikon.
Serves 2
2 large carrots
1 small daikon radish (about 8 ounces)
½ cup Pumped-Up Pesto (here), plus more for serving
Sunflower or pea shoots, for garnish
Pine nuts or other nuts, for garnish
Using a spiralizer, spiralize the carrots and radish into spaghetti shapes. Place in a large bowl, add the pesto, and toss to coat. Divide between two bowls or plates and top with sunflower shoots, additional pesto, and nuts, if using. Serve immediately.