Mung Bean Sprouts Made Easy!

I have always loved mung bean sprouts.  I love them in salads, in avocado sandwiches, in wraps and in lots of other concoctions.   My parents owned a health food store when I was growing up so at our house we had every kind of sprouter imaginable--from crock pots with drainage holes on the bottom, to mesh bags, to plastic jars with drainage lids.  However, I think the sprouting vendors make it way more complicated than it needs to be.  For years, I grow mung bean sprouts in little more than two days in a simple sauce pan that sits near the edge of my kitchen sink and they always come out just like I want them.  All I do is take about 5-6 ounces of organic mung bean sprouts and soak them for 24 hours  in a pot with the lid upside down.  In the morning, I drain off the initial murky water then flood them with clean water then drain it off.  I then flood and drain them off in the morning and evening for 2 more days and voila!--you have perfect mung bean sprouts!  If you keep flooding and draining them, they will continue to grow long, but I like them in their younger stage where I think they have the most flavor.  When they are at the stage you like, just put them in a sealed pyrex bowl and they will last at least a week.  Give it a shot!

The Best Hazelnuts in the World!

If you love nuts like I do (the edible kind that is!), then check out Trufflebert Farm Certified Organic Hazelnuts for the very best hazelnuts in the world.   My mother discovered this company years ago and we have been ordering from them annually ever since.  As I am sure has been your experience, most hazelnuts (filberts) you find in food stores, even great ones like Whole Foods, Trader Joes or the Mustard Seed Market, are round, usually dark brown, and generally tasteless unless they are really fresh.  In contrast, the Trufflebert nuts are large, long, golden brown, and have coconut/maple flavor that last for months if kept refrigerated.  The company claims that they are even more flavorful when roasted  and that is why the company is an exclusive supplier for some for the top chefs in the country.  You have to order them in 10# minimums but I am telling you they are like nothing you have ever had. Their website is www.trufflebertfarms.com.  Let me know if you give them a try!

Organic Sapotes

One of my all time favorite fruits are sapotes--an amazingly delicious tropical fruit that are often referred to as "custard apples" because of their extraordinary smooth/sweet white flesh.  You almost never see them in a grocery store outside of California--even in specialty stores.  I used to pay a fortune to order  them from a company called Diamond Organics but they went out of business.  Fortunately, during a recent web search, I came across a great company called South Coast Organics in Goleta, California.  The owner, Jim McKeon, sent me a box of about 30 for only $45.00 (including the shipping) and they were fabulous.  I just ordered another box.  If you have never tried them, do so today!  Jim's website is www.southcoastorganic.com.  If you have great foods or products that you have discovered, please share them with me! (By the way, there is another type of sapote called a "black sapote" or "chocolate sapote" that I believe are grown in Florida.  My wife, Wanda, loves them, but I prefer these.

Vidalia Chop Wizard

One of the greatest gadgets in the Huberman kitchen is the Vidalia Chop Wizard.  Wanda and I first learned of it from Dr. Joel Fuhrman's great website but discovered its available both online and at places like Bed, Bath and Beyond.  It makes dicing just about any kind of vegetable (even tomatoes!) a cinch.  Wanda and I  can neatly and quickly chop up all the ingredients needed for a huge pot of steamed vegetables or vegetable soup in no time.  It comes with two different cutters depending on the size of the cube you want.  It cleans up in a snap, and at only $19.99, it's a steal!

Carrot Raisin Manna Bread

One of my all time favorite health foods is Manna Organics Carrot Raisin Manna Bread.  The only ingredients are Sprouted Organic Whole Wheat  Kernels, Filtered Water, Organic Carrots and Organic Raisins.    When you combine it with some avocado, it is one of the most delicious, satisfying desserts you can have.  It also serves as a wonderful pie crust. The company makes a number of other equally healthy manna breads, but this is by far my favorite.  The product line is distributed by Nature's Path Foods, Inc and is available in nearly all good health food stores or Whole Food Markets.