This is something my mother just recently taught me. She has been sprouting for years in her home. When I visit, it is not rare to see her sprouting trays full of sprouts. If you go to my mom's for lunch, sure enough somewhere on your plate will be sprouts. So, what is the big deal about sprouts and why were we pushed to eat them when we were younger?
Well, for some wonderful reason, when seeds and nuts are soaked and sprouted they increase their nutritional value by over 500%. This includes increases in vitamins, protein, enzymes and nucleic acids (essential components for cell growth). Dr. Jeffery Bland, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Puget Sound, believes that 6 cups of sprouts could potentially supply the average adult their recommended daily nutritional intake. That's everything in those multi-vitamins you are taking without any potential harmful fillers. So, if you are not a sprout fan, become one. They are super easy to produce, super nutritional, and super cheap. You can even harvest your own crop anytime during the year.
I love adding alfalfa sprouts to my avocado and pesto sandwich. For those who are not into sprouts, alfalfa sprouts have a mild taste so that would be a great sprout to tryout first.
To start sprouting your seeds you will need a regular ol' jam jar with lid or rubber band, cheesecloth, muslin, or I used a mesh liner, sprouting seeds (not all seeds are the same so make sure they are seeds used for sprouting), and good water. That's it!
After giving your seeds a once over, tossing shriveled seeds out, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of seed into the jar. Cover jar with muslin and secure with lid or rubber band. Pour water into jar, about a 1/2-1 inch above seeds (in picture below I put an unnecessary amount), and let soak over night (for smaller seeds the soaking time goes down).
After initial soaking, drain, keeping cloth fastening on and cover with a kitchen towel so that no light will get in. Make sure it is not too cold where you place the jar.
Everyday rinse the seeds 2-3 times a day to prevent mold.
Within 3-6 days your sprouts will be ready to consume. Once there, refrigerate sprouts and eat within a weeks time.
I used some great references: Preparedness Principles - The Complete Personal Preparedness Resource Guide by Barbara SalsburyYou Are What You Eat by Dr. Gillian McKeithIf you have any questions, problems, or great recipes with sprouts let me know. Send an email.
I thought others may want to know where to buy sprouting seeds, thanks for the question Lisa. Sprouting seeds have been spotted in natural food stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes, so that may be a great place to start. You may find better deals by buying in bulk elsewhere but be careful where you buy your seeds. Always make sure you buy from a credible website or business. Here are some websites that may help you.
