Gardeners marvel at the miracle of germination when starting seeds for their garden, but they don't often think of growing these delicate sprouts for eating. With the use of a simple plastic sprouter or a hemp bag, sprouts are easy to grow, nutritious, and shockingly fresh and tasty.

Sprouts have been grown for over 5000 years by civilizations all over the world, perhaps because they are full of protein, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids as well as enzymes that aid in digestion - or maybe just because they taste good. While bean and alfalfa sprouts may be familiar to many Americans, broccoli, radish, fennel, and onion sprouts are equally delicious and add a subtle version of their adult flavor to salads and sandwiches. Sprouted almonds and peanuts make a perfect snack on their own.

Just like in the garden, a small amount of seeds may make a fair amount of plant material so keep this in mind when starting sprouts.

Materials:

Dry beans, nuts, grains, sproutable seeds, available through health food stores or The Sprout People. Consider:
Leafy sprouts: Alfalfa, Clover, Gourmet Mixes, which include Arugula, Cress, Radish, Fenugreek, Mizuna and Tatsoi.
Beans: Mung, Garbanzos, Peanut, Lentils, Peas, Adzukis
Brassica sprouts: Broccoli, Radish, Arugula, Mustard, Cress
Grains: Wheat, Spelt, Quinoa, Buckwheat, Rye, Kamut
Nuts: Almonds
Water

Tools:

Sprouter (hemp bag or easy sprouter)

Directions:

Cull seeds, nuts or beans to remove any debris.

Rinse seeds, nuts or beans to remove any particles of dust or dirt.

Soak seeds, nuts or beans in water using a 1:3 ratio (i.e. 1/3rd cup seeds to one cup water). Stir to ensure that all seeds make contact with water. Soaking times vary depending on choice of seed. As a general rule, 8 to 12 hours is the right amount of time, although some need to soak for only 20 minutes and others do not soak at all, so it is important to read package instructions. Seeds are ready to be drained when seed coat starts to swell.

Rinse and drain seeds, nuts or beans in cool water (60 to 70 degrees) every 6 to 12 hours for the next 2 to 6 days (depending on what is being sprouted). Good air flow ensures healthy sprout growth so place in a spot with good air circulation. Seeds, nuts and beans do not need light to sprout but once leafy sprouts develop tiny leaves they need to be put indirect light for one or two days so they can green up (plants do not perform photosynthesis until leaves develop). As a general rule, nuts are ready to eat in 12 to 24 hours; beans take about two to three days, and seeds, one to fourteen days.

Sprouts will store well in the refrigerator if they are dry. Let them dry for about 12 hours after last rinsing before putting in refrigerator. Drying process may be sped up by putting sprouts in a salad spinner. Store them in dry plastic sprouter or in a plastic bag. You can buy special bags for storage that will keep vegetables fresh for up to a month.

Sterilize your sprouter every 3-4 crops by soaking it in a solution of bleach and water for 10 to 20 minutes (1 Tbs. of bleach per pint of water) then scrub it thoroughly with soap and water.

Special Thanks:
The Sprout People
http://www.sproutpeople.com