May’s theme for the month is…………..Vegetables
Sprouts are such a super vegetable and so easy to grow! There are many benefits of sprouting and many ways to add them to your day. (information compiled from lifesprouts.com)
1. SPROUTS contain enzymes which aid in digestion and convert starches into sugars, protein into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids. We need live enzymes everyday in our foods.
2. SPROUTS provide the highest quality proteins, which are easy for the body to use, are low in fat and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol.
3. SPROUTS contain essential vitamins, proteins and minerals in their purest natural forms.
4. SPROUTS provide a good source of fiber, which stimulates the body’s internal self-cleansing abilities.
5. SPROUTS slow the aging process. They are an excellent source of anti oxidants.
Sprouting is not a tricky skill and doesn’t require fancy equipment. I am a simple sprouter when it comes to sprouting! I use a wide mouth canning jar and an old nylon. Pretty easy! You definitely can purchase a sprouting tray, which are easy and some of the sprouting trays even have 3 trays that stack. So you can rotate your growing cycle and have sprouts all the time!
The sprout seeds I buy, are called Pro-Vita Mix. The mix contains my favorite sprouts…..Organic Adzuki Beans, Peas, Lentils, Mung Beans, Triticale, Wheat, and Fenugreek. You can also find sprout seeds at Chinese grocery stores.
Here is a quick explanation as to how to sprout.
Step 1. Gather your wide mouth canning jar, nylon, and sprouting seeds…….and you are ready to go. Pour in 1/4 cup of the seeds into the canning jar and fill with water about 1/2 way full. Let soak for 12 hours, then drain off water. Any hard seeds that float to the top of the water, you can throw away. It usually is just a few seeds.
Step 2. Then place seeds back into jar, secure nylon or cheese cloth on the mouth of the jar. Drain off any residual water and place on side. Can keep just on your counter.
Step 3. Place the jar on counter and rinse 2 X a day and sprouts will start to appear the next day. I usually eat mine on day 4 or 5, before they get really big. This is my jar of sprouts on day 3. See the cute little sprouts!!
Sprouts really are an amazing food and can be used in lots of different ways. Here are a few suggestions. Add sprouts to a spinach raspberry salad, add sprouts to a sandwich try making a big sprout s
alad, eat them by the handful, or add them to a stir fry after the stir fry is all cooked. (You don’t want to cook sprouts)
Lets get sprouting this week!!
I have been sprouting for sometime and love it, however, I am trying to find information on wheat greass growing. I'm hoping you will have some information for me. For instance: do you grow it outside? When do you cut it? If you grow it inside what kind of a container? Do you use potting soil to grow it in? etc. Thanks, Jan