Sprouts!

Well, in days when I know we're not the only ones looking forward to winter and wondering how to squeeze the most out of every penny and STILL try to eat healthy, I thought I'd post on sprouts. I know a lot of people do make them, but I'm amazed at the number who haven't. . . and think they need this or that to do it.

Sprouting is one of the cheapest easiest ways I know to get good, healthy, fresh, green, crunchy food in the winter. (And thank you Mom for teaching me how to do this!) I sprout both alfalfa and red clover seed, as I don't care for the sprouts with big seeds or spicy flavors. Red clover has a little more zing to it than alfalfa, but it's almost a sweet zing, and I've gotten to really like it. You can also sprout radish seeds and mung beans and all sorts of other things, but I don't get too adventurous in the experimenting department! For one thing, a little goes a long ways in sprouting, so just a small bag of sprouting seeds will last a LONG time. And if we don't like it, well, there it sits making clutter in my little kitchen.

OK, now for the how-to's. To start you need a clear jar of some sort, a clean nylon sock, a rubber band, and 2 Tablespoons of sprouting seeds. I get my seed through the Country Life co-op, but I imagine you can pick them up at any natural/health food store. You could use about any seeds, but the ones packaged for sprouting are clean, and often organic. Put the 2 TB seeds into the jar, fill with water, and let it sit overnight. In the morning (can be as late as late morning--I don't always have time to do it first thing!I've even forgotten and left if all day too, but then it tends to get a little slimy or something) stretch a portion of the sock over the mouth of the jar and secure with a rubber band. Try to get a portion of the sock with no runs, as the seeds are TINY! Pour out the water, fill the jar again, shake, and pour out the water again. Then, once or twice a day, fill the jar with water, shake, and drain. When the jar is full, rinse an extra time, put a regular lid on it, and put it in your fridge to enjoy!



                                            

Draining the water through the nylon for the first time. See the tiny sprouts already starting?

 

After the first rinsing. These are red clover sprouts.

 

I usually leave the jar in a tilted position so the water doesn't tend to just sit (and make things slimy!) on the bottom. Every time I rinse it I rotate the jar.

 

The full jar of sprouts ready for eating! Yummy!

 

We use our sprouts on sandwiches and burritoes mostly, and add them to salads if we spend the money for lettuce--which we rarely do in the winter when we have sprouts around to provide our greens!