Wednesday 7 November 2012

Sprouting


Sprouting is a great way to enjoy eating more seeds, legume or grains. By sprouting we make the nutrients more available to our bodies and easier for our stomachs to digest. Buying sprouts at the supermarket can be really expensive and they don't last long and don't really taste that good. On the other hand making your own sprouts is a fun project that is cheap and really easy. It is a great family project, it is exciting for kids to be involved in and they can learn all about seeds and how plants grow. Before you start, don't get sucked into buying expensive kits and special seeds because you most likely have all you need in your kitchen already. 




Process
What you will need: 

small amount of seeds, grains or legumes.
glass jar

clean thin cloth e.g. cheese cloth, a clean dish cloth
rubber band


Choose a small selection of seeds, grains or legumes. I used Mung Beans, Quinoa and Sunflower seeds. Different seeds or grains will take different amounts of time to sprout, a general guide is the smaller the seed, grain or legume the quicker it will sprout. Experiment and see what you like. To have a regular sprout supply start a new batch of every second day or so depending on how long the seeds will take to sprout.

Some other ideas:

Chickpeas
Sunflower seeds
Alfalfa seeds
Quinoa
Mung Beans
Flax seeds
Chia Seeds
Pumpkin seeds


Place your chosen seed, legume or grain in the glass jar and cover with water. Soak over night. In the morning rinse the seeds and place back in the glass jar. Wet the cloth and secure over the top of the jar with the rubber band. Leave on the kitchen bench or somewhere sunny. In the evening repeat rinsing the legumes and try to keep the cloth damp. Keep repeating this process until the seeds have sprouted and then transfer to the fridge. Add the sprouts to salads and sandwiches for some tasty crunch.  

Find out more about sprouting here.



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