SPROUTING

Sprouting can be done without any specially purchased equipment. All that is needed is a wide mouth quart jar; a piece of nylon tulle, cheesecloth, or nylon stocking; and a canning jar ring or a rubber band.

Grains, beans, and seeds can all be sprouted. They can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, salads, sandwiches, bread, pancakes, omelets, granola, and as snacks. They can be stirred into yogurt, cooked cereal, and sandwich fillings or used anywhere that lettuce is used. Sprouted grains, beans, and seeds (all referred to, hereafter, as seeds) all cook faster than the unsprouted seed.

To sprout:
1. Sort and discard broken or damaged seeds.
2. Put seeds in a wide mouth quart jar. Secure nylon tulle, cheesecloth or a piece of nylon stocking over the top with a canning jar ring or a rubber band.
3. Run lukewarm water into the covered jar to rinse the seeds. Drain.
4. Add 3 times as much lukewarm water as seeds to the jar and let soak according to the sprouting chart.
5. Drain, rinse and drain. Invert jar at an angle in a bowl or dish so that any remaining water can drain out and to keep seeds from sitting in water. Place in a dark or shaded area.
6. Rinse and drain 2 to 3 times a day until sprouts reach desired length.
7. Rinse with cold water, drain, and allow sprouts to dry about 8 hours before refrigerating. Store in a plastic bag or sealed container. The sprouting jar may be used with a regular lid. Sprouts will keep about 1 week.

Sprouting tips:
• Keep sprouts moist but well drained. Rinse more often if they start to dry out.
• Use lukewarm water for soaking and rinsing when room temperatures are cool (65^o-75^o F); use cool water when room temperatures are above 75^o F.
• The warmer the temperatures the faster the sprouts will grow.
• Taste sprouts as they grow to determine the preferred sprout length, flavor, and tenderness.
• Sprouts may be “greened” by placing the jar in indirect sunlight for a few hours the last day of sprouting.
• Hulls may be removed by putting the sprouts in a bowl of water and stirring them around to loosen the hulls.
• Sprouted grains do not store as well in the refrigerator as sprouted beans and seeds because they continue to grow. Sprout only what you need.
• Sprouts can be chopped as well as used whole.
• Sprouts can be frozen for 2 to 3 months.

Additional sprouting information:
www.sproutpeople.com      Sproutpeople
www.isga-sprouts.org         International Sprout Growers Association
www.sprouting.com            mumm’s Sprouting Seeds
www.sproutman.com          Sproutman Publications