How to Grow Sprouts

Growing your own food and being self-sufficient is always a good feeling. Growing food in your kitchen is even better. One food that is very easy to grow in your kitchen throughout the year is sprouts. Sprouts are nutritious and full of flavor. They are also considered a "live" food and will provide much energy for the body that is long-lasting. Sprouts are a great source of protein, vitamin C and vitamin B. Sprouts are considered an antioxidant and can help prevent diseases such as cancer.Sprouts can be made from a variety of seeds, such as, alfalfa, clover, mung bean, wheat, sunflower, soybean, broccoli, radishes, flax seed and many more. These seeds can be purchased at most garden nurseries, health food stores, neighborhood co-ops or online. Sprouts are a very economical way to get the required vegetables in your diet. In this article, you will learn how easy it is to make sprouts in your kitchen from alfalfa seeds. In just a few days, you can enjoy delicious, homegrown sprouts in your salads, sandwiches and other dishes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A quart-size mason jar (or any glass jar)
• A plastic sprouting cap with a mesh screen
• or
• Cheesecloth and a rubber band
• Two tablespoons of alfalfa seeds (certified organic)

Preparing for the Growth Process

1. 
   Certified Organic Alfalfa Seeds

   Place approximately two tablespoons of alfalfa seeds into the bottom of a clean, quart-size mason jar. This is going to produce about two cups of sprouts.

2. Fill the jar with about two to three inches of water.

3. 
   Alfalfa Seeds Soaking 8 Hours in Mason Jar, Covered with Cheesecloth

   Screw on the strainer cap if you have one. If you don't have a plastic strainer cap cut a square of cheesecloth wider than the mouth of the jar. Place this piece of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secure it onto the mouth with a rubber band.This cheesecloth will strain the water from the seeds. Eventually, you may want to purchase a strainer cap, which is easier to use. Strainer caps are made to fit mason jars only.

4. Place the jar of alfalfa seeds and water in your kitchen, in a dark place at room temperature (about 70 degrees) and let it soak for about eight hours. We'll bring it out to the light later.

5. 
   Sprouting Lid For Mason Jars

   After eight hours, drain the water (through the strainer) from your jar. This is the only time you will have to soak your seeds for eight hours. Add more fresh water to the seeds in your jar. This can be done through the strainer or cheesecloth. Swirl the water around the seeds and drain it again through the strainer or cheese cloth.

6. Place the drained jar of wet seeds upside down, tipping at a 45 degree angle. You can prop it up against a corner of a wall. Let it sit on a dish or tray to catch the liquid. In this way excess water can still drain out while the seeds remain moist, but not wet.

Growing Your Sprouts

7. Two to three times each day, rinse your seeds with water and drain it as you did before. Drain it well--you don't want the seeds to be too wet or sitting in water--you just want them moist.

8. On the second day you will notice that the alfalfa seeds have already started to sprout. Keep rinsing your seeds as before, two to three times each day.

9. When your alfalfa sprouts are about one to one and a half inches long, (which may be on day four or day five) move the jar to a place in your kitchen where it can get indirect sunlight for about five hours. This will turn the brown-looking leaves a beautiful deep green and raise the vitamin content of the sprouts, especially vitamin A.

10. 
    Mason Jar Filled with Alfalfa Sprouts after 4 to 5 Days

    After five hours of indirect sunlight, return them to their previous spot and continue your rinsing and draining of the sprouts with water as before; moving them back to indirect sunlight if necessary.

11. When your sprouts are nice and dark green, rinse them well and place them in a sealed container (preferable a see-through plastic container) with room for excess moisture to drain. Store your sprouts in the refrigerator. They are now ready to eat!Your fresh, homegrown alfalfa sprouts can now be used in many delicious ways.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your sprouts in sandwiches instead of lettuce, add them to soups and salads, place them in your burritos or wraps, stir-fry them, blend them in your smoothies or add sprouts to your eggs. Be creative--there are limitless ways to enjoy your sprouts.
• Rinse your refrigerated sprouts under water each day. This will make them last a little longer.
• Experiment with other types of seeds using the same method. Some sprouts take a few days longer to grow, such as mung beans.
• Stagger the growth of your seeds. Start a batch, then start another one a couple of days later so you always have fresh sprouts for eating.
• Mason jars come with a wide mouth and a regular-sized mouth. Both work just as well but make sure the mesh plastic sprouting caps fit your jars. Otherwise, cheesecloth held with rubber bands will work on mason jars or any kind of jar.
• Instead of mason jars there are sprouting trays one can purchase in health food stores, nurseries or online. Some trays are stackable, so one can grow several different seeds at once on separate trays.
• All raw foods including vegetables and fruit carry the risk of salmonella and E. coli. Make sure your seeds for sprouting are certified organic seeds. Buy seeds from reputable sprouting seed suppliers only. They are required to test all of their seeds for salmonella and E. coli contamination.
• Although it is not a common hazard, it is best for those with immune system diseases, the elderly, very young children and pregnant women to avoid eating any and all sprouts, including store-bought ones.
• Only sprout seeds that are meant for humans to eat. Some seeds are treated with sprays such as insectide, which make them poisonous.
• Always keep your sprouts refrigerated, not longer than a week. Sprouts start losing their vitamin content rapidly and should be consumed within the first few days; mainly to receive the health benefits.
• If you live in a very humid area, it's best to rinse your seeds and sprouts just once each day. Too much moisture can cause them to spoil and mold.

Resources

• Handy Pantry Sprouting -- Certified Organic Sprouting Seeds & Supplies
• Seed Sprouting for Health and Longevity

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