Grow Your Own Sprouts

I love the fresh, crunchy taste that sprouts give to salads and sandwiches.

Lots of different kinds of seeds can be sprouted and eaten. Some favorites are alfalfa, radish, broccoli, and lentils. 

Although you can buy special containers to grow your own sprouts, all you really need is a clean jar and some cheesecloth. 

1. Put about a tablespoon of seeds in a clean jar, and put cheesecloth over the top of the jar. I used a canning ring to hold the cloth on. You could use a rubber band. Rinse the seeds very well, 2 or 3 times, and allow to drain. Set the jar away on its side. It does not have to be in sunlight- in fact, some sources say to place the jar in a dark area. I set mine on the kitchen counter.

2. Every morning and every night, rinse the seeds very well by filling, swishing, and draining the jar. Leave the cheesecloth on and let the water drain out. Drain off as much water as you can.

3. Keep rinsing and draining the sprouts twice a day until the sprouts are the size you want- usually 3 to 5 days, depending on what kinds of seeds you are using.

4. The last day, you can leave them in a sunny window for a few hours to green up a little, if you'd like.

5. They are now ready to enjoy. Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered (remove the cheesecloth and cover the jar well, or transfer to another tightly covered container to refrigerate). Sprouts will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Day 2

Day 3

Ready to eat!

Where to get seeds for sprouting: Seeds intended for the garden may have been treated with chemicals, and probably are not intended for direct consumption. Some health food stores and supermarkets carry seeds for sprouting- Whole Foods does, I think. I live in a smaller town, so I order mine from Amazon.com. Just put in a search for "seeds for sprouting" or "sprouts" and you'll get all kinds of results.


Although I have been growing and eating sprouts for many years with no problems, you should be aware of this important information: 

http://www.foodsafety.gov/ states, "Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts carry a risk of foodborne illness such as salmonella or E coli." Visit the site for more information.

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