Sprouted Brown Rice Cereal

Dehydrated sprouted brown rice baby cereal. Sounds much too complicated to attempt, doesn't it? I am here to tell you that all it really takes is a little forethought and a tad bit of planning and you can make this nourishing, nutritious whole grain cereal for your little one. Four years ago, I had my first son Jayden, and my whole world changed. Before becoming a mother I had always taken pretty good care of myself and made healthful choices. I was fortunate to grow up with a mom who cared about nutrition and thankfully I continued to live that way once I was on my own. But now I was a mommy. I had created a perfect little being and I was intent on keeping him that way, so my health conscious attitude went into overdrive. I began scrutinizing every morsel of food, every drop of water, every product that entered our home.

So when it came time for Jayden to start solid food, it was a given that I would be making it myself. I made every bite, he never had food from a jar, not even once. I knew I was giving him the most nutritious, freshest food I could and that gave me an immense sense of satisfaction. I was given this perfect, unblemished little boy and the last thing I was going to do was pollute his new system with garbage. And so began my journey of clean living and of ensuring that I was providing the best nutritional foundation I could for our son.

Fast forward three and a half years, and our family was blessed again with another perfect little boy. Now a busy mom, his infant days seemed to fly by. It really is true what they say, once you have one, the next grow up twice as fast. Long gone are the lazy days of one baby, where I was able to soak up every minute, capture every first on film, stare longingly as my baby slept, and actually had the luxury of utilizing nap time to accomplish things . Now our days are packed to the max with school, soccer, tee ball, errands, and even the occasional attempt to maintain a clean household! I knew once Dylan was born that this time around was not going to be the same. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Amidst all the craziness I knew there was one thing I wouldn't be sacrificing, no matter how busy our days got, and that was his nutrition. I would be making all his food too, just like his big brother. I admit I was a little concerned that I wouldn't find the time for it, squeezing in one more thing into my schedule seemed impossible. But as Dylan neared his six month birthday, I reminded myself that if it is important, you find a way. So here I am, embarking on homemade baby food, round #2!!

I have learned a great deal about nutrition since giving birth to Jayden, and one of the most compelling bits of information was definitely the importance of soaking grains. Soaking and sprouting grains has been done for thousands of years, in every culture. Sadly, like many time honored traditions, this one has fallen by the wayside for us busy Americans. Most of us barely have time to put a hot meal on the table, let alone even entertain the idea of soaking and sprouting our grains beforehand. I too was skeptical that I could fit yet another thing into our daily lives, but once I learned about all the benefits I knew it was something I had to do. As I began my sprouting adventure, I quickly realized that all it takes is a little planning. And like I said before, if something is worth doing, you make time for it.

Why soak or sprout your grains you ask? It's pretty simple really. All grains are seeds and contain a substance called phytic acid. Basically, it's the seed's shield, that protects it until it conditions are right for it to be germinated and become a living plant. These enzyme inhibitors, wreak havoc in our systems when we ingest them. They are toxic, and actually prevent us from absorbing all the precious minerals and vitamins the grains contain, namely calcium, iron and magnesium and also make the grain difficult to digest. Not only is consumption of phytic acid harmful, but the process of soaking and sprouting the grain actually makes it more nutritious. Once grains have been sprouted they are alive and rich in bioavailable vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins and phytochemicals, all things that are essential for a plant to grow. The sprouting process unlocks the true nutritional value lying in these seeds and the vitamin content of some seeds can skyrocket to twenty times the original amount within a few days of sprouting. So simply put, eating grains, (or any nut, seed, or bean) without soaking and sprouting is detrimental to our health, which is so ironic, since the reason many of us eat them is to lead a healthier life. But the simple act of sprouting reduces or eliminates the phytic acid and increases the overall nutritional profile of the seed as well as aiding in digestion.

That being said, when it came time to start Dylan on grain cereal, I knew I would be sprouting grains to make my own sprouted grain cereals. Not only did the benefits of sprouting make it totally worthwhile, but the idea that consuming unsprouted grains leads to malabsorption of vital minerals made it essential that I do so. Iron is a precious commodity for babies, (especially exclusively breastfed ones, which my baby is) and their iron reserves start to deplete around the six month mark, right around the time they start on solid food. Armed with all my sprouting knowledge, I wasn't about to feed him something that was going to keep him from absorbing vitamins and minerals, after all, I am trying to provide him with those, not take them away. And so began my sprouted cereal journey.

In theory it all sounded so good, yet seemed so daunting. I mean, who are we kidding, dehydrated sprouted brown rice cereal sounds like something you can only buy in a store, not make in your own kitchen. I am here to tell you that you can easily prepare this nutritious first food for your little love, without any sweat, blood, or tears. All you need is a wee bit of planning, and a few kitchen gadgets don't hurt either. I am fortunate to have a dehydrator at my disposal, (a recent gift from my wonderful hubby) which is indispensable for this recipe. Why can't you use your oven you ask? Unfortunately, most ovens only get down to 170 degrees, 150 if you're lucky, and that temperature is just too high to dry grains. It will dehydrate them, but in the process, the high heat will kill all the beneficial enzymes we are trying to preserve. I have heard of people using the oven by turning it on it's lowest setting, and then leaving the door partially open. While this may work, it is not the most effective or safest method of dehydrating, not to mention a huge waste of energy! I myself have not used this method, and cannot attest to it's effectiveness.


Sprouted Brown Rice Cereal

2 c organic brown rice (any brown rice will sprout, but short grain tends to sprout in less time)
warm, filtered water to cover
wide mouth mason jars
sprouting screens or cheesecloth

Begin by rinsing the rice well under running water. Pour rice into jar and cover with water. Cover with lid of your choice. I use cheesecloth secured with a rubber band.

Allow to soak 8-24 hours ( I find that overnight is the best and easiest way for me.)

In the morning, rinse and drain rice well. Invert jar over a bowl at an angle, allowing for water to drain and air to circulate. Leave in an area away from direct sunlight. Rinse and drain at 8-12 hour intervals, until small sprouts appear.

I like my rice with small tails, about an 1/8th of an inch. Your rice is now alive and a nutritional powerhouse!!

Place sprouted rice onto fruit leather trays and put in your dehydrator at 95- 110 degrees. Dry for 12-24 hours until rice is completely dry. Mine are usually ready after about 10-12 hours. At this point, the sprouted rice can be ground into flour. You will want to grind your rice into a fine powder. I like to grind all the rice and then label and store the flour in the freezer. Alternately, you can freeze the rice as is, and grind as you need it. Whole grain flours, and especially sprouted ones can turn rancid very quickly and proper storage is essential. When ready to use, just measure out desired amount and keep the rest in the freezer. Don't forget, sprouted grain flours are great for use in baking breads, making tortillas, crackers, pizza doughs, or any other baked good, not just for making baby cereal!

Now for the cereal. I only make one or two servings at at time because baby cereals tend to get gelatinous if made and reheated.

1/4 c sprouted rice flour
2 c water

Bring water and rice flour to a boil with lid on. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally to reduce clumping. If cereal is too thick for your baby's liking, add more water, breast milk, or formula to thin to desired consistency.

Sprouted brown rice cereal is perfect by itself as a first food or mixed with other fruit or veggie purees.

Sprouted Brown Rice

I am on a perpetual mission to learn everything I can about nutrition.  Lately, I have delved into the cooking ways of our ancestors.  Nurturing time honored traditions, cooking food the way it was meant to be prepared, not mass produced on some assembly line with huge machines and people in latex gloves.  The fewer stops my food makes from being pulled from the ground to the time it meets my mouth- the better. 

As I buried myself in age old cooking techniques, I stumbled upon sprouted grains.  I have been eating sprouted bread for quite a few years now.  I love Ezekiel bread, and I was aware of the benefits of sprouted grains which is why I started eating it in the first place.  So why on Earth did it take me so long to realize that I could sprout my own grains at home and reap all the benefits?  Seriously, I don't know how I failed to make that connection.  I spent the next few weeks learning about the benefits and methods of sprouting.  The more I read, the more intrigued I became.  After digesting all this information, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be sprouting my grains from now on.  I'd like to go as far as to say I won't eat another grain unless it's been sprouted, but I realize that's not practical unless I vow never to go out for sushi again (hey there's my next project- homemade sushi with sprouted rice!) or enjoy dinner at a friend's. One thing was certain, any grains made in my kitchen would only be of the sprouted nature.

I know what you're thinking.  My life is entirely too busy and time too precious a commodity to even entertain the idea of adding yet another step to the already harried event that is dinner.  Just hear me out. Once you learn of the benefits of sprouting grains along with the detriments of consuming unsprouted grains, you too will be convinced that this is a task well worth undertaking.  And did I mention, that aside from a little forethought, sprouting your own grains will only take about 15 minutes out of your day?  

 Let's discuss the various benefits of sprouted rice.  Rice is a grain and all grains are seeds that contain a toxic substance called phytic acid.  This enzyme inhibitor protects the seed until the conditions are ideal for germination.  Consuming unsprouted grains leads to malabsorption of the vital nutrients within the grain and can wreak havoc on our digestive systems, irritating the G.I. tract leading to a myriad of problems, including inflammation, gas, and allergic reactions.  The mere act of sprouting not only neutralizes the phytic acid but it actually increases the nutritional value of the grain.  Once the enzymes are activated, they release all the nutrients necessary for that seed to grow into a plant.  What does this mean for us?  We are now eating a living plant, not a dormant seed.  It's nutritional profile has changed dramatically, and enhanced the bio-availability of its nutrients.  The protein, calcium, iron, zinc, and fiber content of the rice all significantly increase upon germination. Take calcium for instance.  Once sprouted, the calcium content goes from about 7 mg to 30 mg!  I'd say that's pretty impressive. 

Another perk of germination, it naturally releases an amino acid called gamma-amniobutyric acid (GABA).  GABA has been shown to have various health benefits including promoting lean muscle mass, aiding in weight loss, treating anxiety and high blood pressure, and improving sleep.  There has been a renewed interest in sprouted rice lately due to the recent studies done on GABA. 

For thousands of years, in virtually every culture, people have either soaked, sprouted, or fermented their grains, seeds, and beans before consuming them.  They didn't have all the scientific evidence we do today, they just instinctively knew to do it. This time honored tradition has been long forgotten in our society.  The feverish pace at which we live does not accommodate such practices.  Or does it?  Like I promised earlier, all it takes to reap the benefits of sprouted rice is a tad bit of planning.   Once you eat your sprouted rice you will immediately notice it's mellow, nutty flavor and it's improved digestibility.  Sprouted brown rice also has a shorter cook time, which makes it a perfect choice for a busy weeknight.  Once your rice has been sprouted, it can be cooked as is or dried and ground into a flour for making a wide array of baked goods, or even baby cereal. 

Sprouted Brown Rice

2 c organic brown rice  (any brown rice will sprout, I have had the fastest results with short grain)

rinse rice well and place in bowl or wide mouth mason jar.

cover with cool water and let soak 12-24 hours ( I prefer to soak mine overnight)

In the morning, rinse and drain well.  Cover with a sprouting lid or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band.   

Invert jar at an angle over a bowl to allow for water drainage and air circulation.  Place in an area away from direct sunlight.

Rinse and drain at 8-12 hour intervals until small sprouts begin to appear.  I usually notice sprouts after one day.  Rice is ready when sprouts are about 1/8 of an inch.

If consuming immediately, bring 1 1/2 c water to a boil and add 1 c sprouted rice.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until done, about 30 minutes.

Alternately, you can dehydrate the sprouted rice and then grind it into a flour and freeze.

Any unused sprouted rice can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week, but allow rice to drain fully before putting in fridge.  You want to reduce surface moisture as much as possible to prevent spoilage if storing in the refrigerator.

Of course I realize, sprouting grains isn't for everyone.  If you don't want to sprout your own, you can purchase sprouted rice and other grains at many grocery stores.  I recently found sprouted quinoa in the Natural Foods section at Raley's!  For the greatest selection of sprouted grains, your local co-op or Whole Foods would be your best bet.  

Happy Sprouting!!