Sprouts

Sprouts

Sprouts remain more tender if they are grown in the dark. Cover the container with a towel. On the day you choose to eat them, remove the towel and let the light bring the chlorophyll up in the sprouts for 3-4 hours, then use them.

Containers: There are many different types of sprouters. Commercial sprouters (bought at health food stores), pyrex dish with cheese cloth cover, and quart jars. The easiest and most inexpensive is the jar. Put up to ¼ cup seeds in the jar and cover well with warm water. Let the seeds soak overnight and fasten a piece of nylon (stocking nylon works well) with an elastic band over the top. Pour off water. Use this water on your plants since there is nutrition in the water. Rinse the seeds thoroughly and lay the bottle on its side. Wrap it in a towel. Rinse the seeds three times daily. Pour excess water off seeds. A good time to do this is when you eat so that you will remember! Sprout them about 3 days or the length you like.

Sprouts are filling so they are great for those who are on a diet. The great nutrition in sprouts helps satisfy cravings. Sprouts that you will not be using immediately should be put in an air-tight container in the fridge.

When adding sprouts to casseroles, add them last or when they can just be heated so you don’t destroy the nutrition.

Put alfalfa, cress, or mustard sprouts on a sandwich instead of the lettuce. Mustard sprouts are excellent on roast beef sandwiches. Wheat sprouts (1/4” to ½”) are good in sandwich spreads ( tuna, etc.) and good in salads too.

Several seeds that are good for sprouting are alfalfa, chia, cress, mustard, radish, mung, rye, lentil, kidney beans and wheat. Don’t use treated seeds or they won’t sprout!