Very digestible, the sprouted lentil, leek and millet soup is a light and complete first course.
I often use sprouts in my recipes; usually they are from plants such as mustard, arugula, radish or alfalfa. But you can also sprout legumes and grains — it’s very simple and very satisfying.
Especially legumes: if they make you feel heavy try sprouting them and they become very light.
In this case I used lentils. For the soup I didn’t wait for the first little green leaves; it’s enough to see the tiny roots and the legume is sprouted. How do you sprout lentils? Simply soak them like any legume in plenty of water. Change the water often for 3 days, at least morning and evening. Then rinse them in a large sieve and leave them in the sieve to drain covered; rinse them morning and evening for another two or three days until you see the roots appear. That’s all.
If you’re interested in sprouting, here are some recipes with instructions:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients — Sprouted Lentil, Leek and Millet Soup
- 1/2 cup sprouted lentils (sprouted)
- 1/2 leek
- 1/4 cup hulled millet
- 1 carrot
- to taste vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme (and marjoram)
- 1 tbsp hulled hemp seeds (optional)
Tools
- 1 Strainer
Steps — Sprouted Lentil, Leek and Millet Soup
A really simple soup. Finely chop the leek after washing it thoroughly and peeling off a few outer layers, since dirt often hides between the rings. Sauté it in the pot with a drizzle of oil. Add the lentils and let them absorb the flavor over low heat for a few minutes. Add the carrot, washed, peeled and sliced. Finally add the millet, well rinsed. A teaspoon of thyme and some marjoram also work well.
Add enough vegetable broth to cover everything, and cook over low heat for 40 minutes until the soup is ready. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of hulled hemp seeds.
Thyme and lentils tips
The soup keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. You can also try sprouting chickpeas, but it takes a few more days because their skins are thicker. Naturally only whole legumes and whole grains (unhulled) will sprout, so use those with their skins on.
