Have you ever seen those gorgeous arrays of thriving sprouts at the grocery store and wondered how it works and what makes sprouts so special?
Well, good news!
Sprouting is actually much easier than it looks. Sprouts are simply grown by soaking seeds in water and rinsing the seeds twice a day. After a few days, you’ll have delicious sprouts to garnish your salads, soups and sandwiches. It is a fun activity to get kids involved with, too.
So here’s the scoop: Sprouts are young greens only a few days old, whose seeds have just germinated. They have just begun to grow stems and leaves that are only an inch of two long. And, there are so many different varieties of sprouts, including pea, bean, broccoli, alfalfa, lentil, clover and more!
What’s more, they are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids. So, these little guys pack a big punch and can be eaten raw, or lightly cooked.
They help boost digestion, blood circulation, your immune system and may even help prevent premature ageing. Nice!
Sprouts are also great source of dietary fiber. In short, they are also packed full of nutrition and you can grow them easily at home.
Ready to get started? All you’ll need to begin sprouting is a sprouting jar like a 32 oz mason jar, a sprouting lid (or cheesecloth) and sprouting seeds (we recommend getting started with broccoli or alfalfa seeds).
Once you have your seeds, here’s what’s next:
- Soak 3 Tbsp of sprouting seeds such as broccoli or alfalfa in 2 cups of fresh filtered or spring water in a large 32 oz bell jar for 8-12 hours.
- After 8-10 hours, using a sprouting lid or cheesecloth on the jar, drain the water out of the jar.
- Rinse the seeds with fresh water. Shake the jar and swirl the jar around with the water in it. Then, drain out all of the water again. Repeat this step 2x/day.
- Lay the jar on its side at a 45 degree angle, so that the seeds have space to cling to the sides of the jar. Keep the jar on your counter top—out of direct sunlight.
- Depending on the type of seeds that you used, within 4-6 days you will have fresh sprouts!
- Transfer your sprouts onto a clean dishtowel or paper-towel to let them air dry for 30-60 minutes.
- Make sure your sprouts are dry before you transfer them to a container. You can keep your sprouts wrapped inside a dry dishtowel inside the tupperware to prevent moisture from making the sprouts moldy. Use your fresh sprouts within 5-7 days. Enjoy!
So, let’s grow together. As The Speedy Vegan likes to say: “They are delicious, nutritious, fresh and fast!” Indeed!
You’ll love it and we can’t wait to growth together! Please post photos of your sprouting sprouts on our Facebook page!
