You can sprout pretty much anything that is considered the seed of plant, like broccoli seeds, radish seeds, wheat, barley, or lentils. Sprouts can be used to make bread or can be added to salads, soups, one-pot meals, and more. Here are three easy steps to make your own sprouts.
- Place a handful of seeds, legumes, or grains into a quart size wide mouth jar. Add just enough water to cover and place on the counter away from any windows, in dim light or darkness. Cover with a clean dishtowel.
- About 24 hours later, pour off the water, add fresh water, swirl to rinse, dump the rinsing water, cover with mesh or cheesecloth, secure the cover, and tip upside-down at an angle to allow for airflow and draining. Keep out of direct sunlight. Repeat each day until you see little tails emerging from your seeds.
- Place the jar with your just-sprouting seeds on a window sill and repeat your daily rinsing until green leaves start to form. The tails may become fuzzy, but this hairy growth is the beginning of life-seeking roots. When they reach your desired greenness, your sprouts are ready to eat. Store in a sealed bag or jar in the refrigerator. //
For more DIY ideas and recipes check out S. Michal Bennett’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad and Suzanne Tabert’s Cold Weather Brews that are Good for Your Health.
