Topic: Beans as microgreens

[rbull]

I may have a good surplus of self-saved broad bean and runner bean seeds this year.  Has anyone tried sprouting any and eating the shoots as a sort of microgreen?
They are presumably edible, but are they palatable, and how high do you let them grow?

[saddad]

A lot of raw beans contain a toxin, name eludes me now... but some one will know and come along soon rbull

[goodlife]

Umm..as far as I'm aware you cannot eat beans as a green plant. Only beansprouts..but as from broad bean or runner I never heard anybody eating those.  Beansprouts have to be still white...and it is the first little bits that comes out of the bean..I think is the mungbeans that are normally used for sprouting.

[goodlife]

I just had a look at this page...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouting

[galina]

Pea shoots on the other hand are very edible.  If you don't have any, you could get a cheapie packet of whole dry peas from the supermarket and use them.

Mung beans and Adzuki beans are my main sprouting beans, but as others have said, they need to be used after just a few days of sprouting and not when they turn colour.

The runner beans are excellent cooked after soaking for a day.  Add to stews, and (cooked!) to salads, or pasta sauce etc.  Broadbeans are similar, but much better peeled after soaking.  They cook well and mash to form the base of a sandwich spread or mix with mashed potato.