Bert Swope
Sprouts make delicious and nutritionally-packed additions to winter salads, sandwiches, and soups. Growing them yourself at home is simple and cost-effective.
Seeds intended specifically for sprouting should have been tested and proven pathogen-free, taking three to seven days to reach edible size (mung bean sprouts are an exception).
Alfalfa
Alfalfa sprouts, harvested from the alfalfa seeds, offer mild taste with crunchy texture that adds an edge to salads. Alfalfa sprouts also boast high levels of proteins and nutrients, including calcium and iron content that make them an appealing vegan-diet addition.
Growing sprouts at home is an inexpensive, simple, and fun way to enjoy healthy food. Sprouting seeds can be found year-round at grocery stores and health food markets as well as bulk online from growers. Sprouts contain live enzymes which aid the body’s absorption of nutrients while helping decrease inflammation caused by eating foods high in inflammation.
Alfalfa, mung beans, and lentils are excellent seeds to use when sprouting because they’re packed full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals – although nightshade family vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant should not be consumed regularly as their seeds contain toxic substances that could cause health complications in long-term consumption.
Start sprouting by placing one tablespoon of seeds in a clean pint- or quart-sized mason jar. Secure its lid or fasten a piece of cheesecloth over the opening, and rinse, soak, drain, and repeat every few days – leaving room for any moisture accumulation as it could damage sprouts. Place it into a bowl to ensure any extra water can drain off into another container so as to not cause mold growth in your sprouts.
Beet
Sprouts are an increasingly popular addition to salads, sandwiches and other dishes, adding crunch and nutrition without breaking the bank. Easy to grow at home using high quality seeds from your pantry or local market, sprouts contain protein, folate, and magnesium for improved health benefits. Although sprouts may sometimes cause food poisoning issues it is possible to minimize this risk by washing and storing properly as well as growing them yourself instead of purchasing from grocery stores.
To create your own sandwich sprouts, measure out and combine the seed you intend on planting into a clean jar with water and cover it for six to eight hours of soaking – this allows dormant seeds to transform into sprouts that can then be consumed as sandwiches!
Once the seeds have been soaked for enough time, rinse and drain thoroughly before drying on a towel or paper towel and refrigerating them for up to one week – this will prevent spoilage while lengthening their shelf life.
Although eating raw sprouts carries some risk of illness, this risk can be greatly mitigated by carefully washing and removing any unsprouted seeds, purchasing from a reliable seller and only eating small portions at one time.
Cabbage
sprouts are an incredible source of vitamins and minerals, providing protein, calcium, iron, folate, magnesium potassium, and Vitamin K along with many antioxidants that will boost your diet. Enjoy them fresh in salads or sandwiches or use them in soups or stir fries – they even make great additions to smoothies or juice recipes!
Growing sprouts at home is easy and cost-effective. Seeds cost less than $1 each and many homes already possess mason jars with canning rings for storage. When choosing seeds specifically designed to produce sprouts, be sure to choose those tested to be free from E. Coli, Salmonella or any other harmful bacteria that could compromise growth.
Once your seeds have been selected and placed into a clean jar, fill it with cool water until it reaches the top, making sure that every bit of seeds has adequate coverage with this liquid. When choosing your wide mouth jar (mason jars work perfectly here!), be aware that sprouts tend to form large clusters if left to sit for too long – this is why mason jars work best). Allow seeds to soak for 8 hours then rinse twice daily as they continue their development until storing sprouts away in cool dark storage environments.
At two weeks, your sprouts should be ready to eat! They should have their first set of green leaves (cotyledon). If desired, harvest and store in the fridge for several days; to maintain flavor and nutrition value gently dry them on paper towel before placing them into plastic or glass containers with lids.
Kale
Homegrown sprouts are not only easy and cost-effective to cultivate at home but also an easy and cost-effective way to add variety and extra nutrients to your diet. Not only can sprouts add texture and flavour to salads and wraps, they’re an incredible source of Vitamin C, A, Folic Acid, Calcium Magnesium Potassium Iron & Phosphorous!
You can sprout any vegetable seed, but for optimal results it is best to opt for those specifically labeled for sprouting. These seeds have been specially bred to produce edible shoots rather than mature vegetables; such seeds can often be found at health food stores, co-ops, and some grocery stores. It’s essential to purchase sprouting-specific seeds as these have been tested and verified as safe to eat, unlike standard store bought seeds which could potentially contain bacteria like E. Coli and Salmonella that could make you sick!
Start growing sprouts yourself by placing one teaspoon of your seed of choice into a mason jar filled with cool water and covering with muslin lid, leaving to soak overnight in a shady spot. Rinse twice a day with cool water until they sprout after several days; to know when they’re ready look for green shoots coming through from their seed casing; don’t oversprout as this could ruin the flavor and texture of your salad!
Mustard
Mustard seeds boast an addictively spicy, sharp flavor, making them the ideal way to add spice and zest to any dish. Microgreens cultivated from mustard seeds can easily add zesty bites of spice and color to sandwiches, salads and stir fries alike! Plus they’re an easy and inexpensive way to increase nutrition – adding vitamin C, folate, calcium magnesium iron in addition to anti-inflammatory benefits that may aid in treating respiratory conditions including asthma.
Start growing mustard microgreens easily at home by placing the sterile soil mix in any shallow tray or container with drainage holes, filling it halfway with water, and setting another tray beneath to catch any spilled moisture. Position this tray either on a windowsill or underneath a grow light for 8-10 hours each day for optimal conditions – keeping moist but not waterlogged, testing soil moisture with your finger before each watering to avoid overwatering! To prevent overwatering the seeds may drown. For best results use an analog scale measure when watering to measure humidity – use finger testing rather than measuring when testing soil moisture to avoid overwatering – testing it will save both money and effort when creating greenery!
Once your sprouts have produced their first green leaves (cotyledon), they’re ready for consumption! Try them atop any fresh salad or sandwich, or mix into a cultured dairy dip for added nutrition and enjoyment! Eating sprouts daily is a fantastic way to improve overall health – just avoid any with toxic seeds such as nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers or eggplants as eating these may contain potentially toxic seeds which could harm their body instead of benefit.
Radish
Sprouts are a delicious and affordable addition to your diet that are easy to grow at home. Not only are they an inexpensive source of nutrients that are proven to support immunity, they’re also packed with vitamins A, C, K, and E and minerals like calcium, iron magnesium potassium.
To create your own sprouts, all it takes is some seeds designed for this purpose and a glass or ceramic container with a lid to fill with water and soak the seeds – this helps transform their dormancy and allow germination; typically within three or four days they should have reached maturity depending on what kind of seed it was.
Alfalfa sprouts are the iconic sandwich sprout, boasting mild flavor and delicate crunch for a deceptively delicious crunch. Rich in magnesium, folate, and vitamin A – these gems only take three to five days to grow! Beet sprouts offer similar mild taste while remaining crunchy – the latter makes an eye-catching addition to green salads or sandwiches!
Any vegetable that’s grown specifically for its leaves can be used as sprouts, although tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes should be avoided due to their nightshade family-based properties. A farmer’s market or online retailer are great ways to purchase fresh sprouts and microgreens and experience different flavors; alternatively, check out our Fill Your Salad Bowl workshop tutorial and learn how to grow them yourself!