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Sprouting at home is easy, nutritious, and delicious. As growing sprouts requires little space and no soil, it is an ideal way for city dwellers to grow their own food year-round. Plus, sprouting is an inexpensive way to ensure you power up on your daily nutritional needs!
Sprouts are simply soaked and germinated seeds, grains, legumes, and nuts, according to Oh! Homesteading. Toss them onto your salad and stir fries, or add them to your favorite sandwich for a satisfying crunch.
Health benefits of sprouts
Sprouts are a very healthy food. They may help improve digestion, control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol, according to Healthline. Plus, eating sprouts may also help to improve heart health.
As sprouts contain all the nutrients a plant needs to grow, they are powerhouses of vitamins and nutrients, according to Organic Facts. When you sprinkle a handful of sprouts onto a salad, you are adding protein, fiber, vitamins C, K, and A, niacin, riboflavin, folate, pantothenic acid, and thiamine. As for minerals, those sprouts are giving you a boost of magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc.
How to sprout at home
Although some people use sprouting jars, you simply need a wide-mouthed mason jar. The other items necessary are cheesecloth or muslin cloth and an elastic band, suggests Original Homesteading. Choose organic sprouting seeds. Popular choices are alfalfa, radish, mung beans, lentil, chia, broccoli, peas, and garbanzo.
Place a few tablespoons of seeds in the jar, add warm water, cover with fabric, and secure it with the elastic band, soaking for eight to 12 hours, or overnight. Then strain the water through the cloth, rinse, and strain again.
Set the jar on its side or on an angle so the seeds are moist and air can circulate. Rinse the seeds twice a day, and between two to six days, you will have sprouts!
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When you place the sprouts in sunlight, the chlorophyll will turn them green. Dry them with a paper towel and then store them in the fridge in a slightly open jar or container. Your sprouts will stay fresh in the fridge for one week. To avoid mold developing, it is important to ensure they are rinsed well, exposed to air, and then dried before storing, recommends betternutrition.
Much more than a garnish
You do not have to go to the grocery store or health food store to buy your already sprouted vegetables. When you buy a large bag of sprout seeds, you can put fresh vegetables on the table for months.
As they are nutritional powerhouses, it may be time to consider them as a part of the meal and not just a pretty garnish. “My mission is to see sprouts move to the center of the plate or at least become a regular part of our diets,” Sprout advocate Doug Evans told betternutrition.
Evans has many ideas for dressing up those sprouts. He suggests serving them with a tahini dressing or sprinkling them with chili powder and salt plus a squirt of lime juice. Sprouts are sweet, crunchy, and packed with energy. And as they are so fun and easy to grow, you could start sprouting today!
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