sprouts

Sprouts are incredibly easy to grow and you don’t need fancy equipment. You can start with a simple jar and a few seeds. There are an amazing variety of seeds that can be sprouted, from sunflower seeds to broccoli seeds, lentils and mung beans. It’s better to start with the bigger variety until you get the hang of the process. Chick peas are probably the easiest and they make lovely crunchy snacks.

One word of caution: don’t use seeds from packets meant for planting because the commercial varieties have been treated. Organic sprouting seeds are best but otherwise you can just grab a packet of lentils from the supermarket.

There are only a few things to remember when sprouting – rinse often with lots of water, drain well, let them breathe and store dry.

What you need:

  • Sprouting seeds (lentils, chick peas, alfalfa, fenugreek)
  • Clean wide mouth jar or tray
  • Sieve
  • Cold water (filtered is best)

What you do:

  1. Prep the seeds by sorting through them and removing any that look broken or discoloured
  2. Soak a couple of tablespoons of seeds overnight in a jar by covering them with twice as much water
  3. Empty the seeds into a sieve and drain them
  4. Give them a good rinse in cold water, drain again and put them into the jar or tray
  5. Place tray / jar on a kitchen counter or shelf and cover lightly with a paper towel
  6. Rinse and drain thoroughly two to three times a day
  7. Sprouts are ready when they have tails and are starting to go green. This can take from three to seven days, depending on the sprout.
  8. Give them a final rinse and when dry to the touch, refrigerate in airtight container.