I have been eating a lot of sprouts lately. Good greens and fruit are out of season and hard to come by, so I always find myself eating sprouts this time of year. They are good to eat all year, but I find myself craving good, home-grown raw food in winter. Sprouts are easy to grow and nutritious, and they fit into self-sufficient and frugal lifestyles.
What are the benefits of eating sprouts?
> First of all, they are raw and full of fiber and enzymes to aid digestion.
> Sprouts are high in anti-oxidants, which help prevent cancer among other ills. Broccoli sprouts, one of my favorites, is well-known for this.
> Iron and vitamins B and C are highly available and easy to assimilate.
> Sprouts will alkalize your body. We are overloaded with acidic foods, and sprouts help restore balance.
> Sprouts contain proteins and amino acids.
> They are low in calories.
> They are organic!
How do you sprout seeds?
There are several ways to sprout them. I have used a wide-mouth quart canning jar with a plastic strainer lid that screws on. You can buy these at the grocery store. I have also put 2-3 layers of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secured it with a rubber band. Both of these are easily washed and reusable.
Put enough seed in the jar to generously cover the bottom. Cover them with water and soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse a couple of times. Set the jar on its side so the seeds are spread out as much as possible. Rinse and drain twice a day. Experiment with how much seed you need for your particular container. You can also sprout more than one type in several different containers, then experiment with mixing and eating them. There really are no rules.
Larger seeds take time to sprout, and they may start to rot before they sprout. For those types, like sunflowers, I use a soil-less germinating mix, the same that I use to start my vegetables in the spring. I use the mix over and over, just putting more seeds in as one crop gets eaten. Keep the soil moist by putting your container on a tray to hold water, and put some plastic or other cover over the top to keep the moisture in. You can also use the seed starting kits that have a bottom vessel for holding water and a piece of fabric to wick it up to the container of soil and seeds on top. These are the best for uniform moisture and high germination.
Sprouts do not need sun! Bright light is more than sufficient, and a warm spot in your kitchen will speed up the process. Depending on the seed, you should have edible sprouts in a few days to a week.
Eat them BEFORE the second set of leaves grow out. You literally want the sprout, the first two leaves with a bit of stem.
What types of seeds are best for sprouting and eating?
You’ve probably seen alfalfa sprouts in the grocery store. You can get them plain or mixed with clover and/or radish for a little zing. They are easy to grow, store and use in salads and sandwiches. I also like broccoli and sunflower sprouts, and I have sprouted lentils, adzuki beans, mung beans and peas.
Instead of repeating all the good seeds to use, I’ll point you to Harvest to Table and Living and Raw Foods.
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