How to sprout...

What would you say if I told you that one of the healthiest foods on earth is also the cheapest?  And I personally call them a "Superfood", since little else compares to the nutrient density of sprouts!  They are filed with chlorophyll, enzymes, amino acids, protein and health.  It really just takes a mason (ball) jar, some find-mesh gauze like cheese cloth, a really strong rubber band, some patience (for 3 days or so) and voila...you have your very own garden of health.  

Tools:

One large mason jar (quart size or bigger)

a sprouting cap, fine mesh window-screen material or cheese cloth

rubber band

You can use most kinds of seeds for this project, but the ones that work best are alfalfa, clover, broccoli, radish, onion and arugula.  You can mix them together or grow the individually, as you wish.  You can also stagger them by starting them about 3-4 days apart, so you always have a supply of sprouts available.  


1.  Soak 2 tablespoons of sprouting seeds per quart jar, in plenty of room-temperature water (not cold, not hot). In the morning, drain and rinse them very well, a few times.  


2.  Cover the mouth of the jar with the cap, screen or cheese cloth and secure with a rubber band. Shake the jar a bit, before putting it in place, so that the seeds are scattered around inside the jar and not in a pile at the bottom.  Air circulation is very important at this stage to impede any tendency to mold. 


3.  Place the jar in a shady spot (under kitchen cabinets, away from a window, works well). Lean the jar, mouth down, at a 45-degree angle so any residual water can drip away through the opening.  You can lean your jar in a dish rack or simply (as I do) by leaning it against the wall with the mouth resting in a bowl. Empty the bowl water very often, if you see it creating a pool.


4.   Follow the rinsing (2x per day) procedure until little tails appear, about 4-5 days.  You can take another day and put the sprouts in a sunny window so they create the chlorophyll-rich green color. 


5.  If you find the sprouts have a lot of hulls, pour out the sprouts in a large bowl and cover completely with fresh room temperature water.  With your hands, sweep the hulls to the side of the bowl and pick up the sprouts themselves through the middle.  Dry them very well (either between towels or in a salad spinner) and eat immediately.  


6.  For storing, you can reuse the same ball jar and place the sprouts in the refrigerator.  They are best eaten in the following 2-3 days, but it's very important to note that they must be dry without any pools of water, which invite mold.  


Enjoy!  You can add sprouts to salads, wraps, sandwiches, even smoothies!