All summer long I pined for a garden. Then fall came, and I tried my hand at it, but I was about a month too late. Now it's winter. So instead of wishing for an outdoor garden, I've settled for one indoors ... one that grows in just three days. I think it will tie me over till spring.
Sprouts. Seriously one of the most amazing foods on earth. Packed full of endless amounts of nutrition (we're talking increases in 300 - 600 percent in vitamins), they can be grown 365 days of the year; summer, winter, rain or shine. I like how Dr. Clive M. McKay, Professor of Nutrition at Cornell University, put it when he said,
Wanted!
A vegetable that will grow in any climate,
will rival meat in nutritive value,
will mature in 3 to 5 days,
may be planted any day of the year,
will require neither soil nor sunshine,
will rival tomatoes in Vitamin C,
will be free of waste in preparation
and can be cooked with little fuel
and as quickly as a ... chop.
If you're interested in more on the nutrition of sprouts, go HERE. You will be amazed. For now, I'm going to share some of my latest success and my new favorite sprouting gadgets.
I'll do that by answering some questions you may have:
Q: Where to buy sprouting seeds?
By far my very favorite supplier. You can try to find cheaper seeds elsewhere but you never can tell exactly what you're getting. They've been growing and selling sprouts for 20 years and their quality can be trusted. Additionally, they have quite the variety to choose from and send you with easy-to-follow instructions and at-a-glance information that is great to have on hand. My favorite kinds? The tried-and-true in our home are Alfalfa, French Garden, Russian Mix & Mother's Mix.
Q: Where to buy sprouting containers?
A: Make you own, Sprout People or Amazon.
Making Your Own
You will need:
Mason jar
Mason jar lid ring (or rubber band)
Clean nylon
If you're new to sprouting and not sure that you want to invest in a sprouter, I'd start with making your own. Up until about a year ago I used mason jars with nylons. It's a little less convenient, but I just didn't want to be stuck with another gadget in the house that I didn't use. You can probably relate. (P.S. I haven't forgotten the instructions, they're listed below after the other sprout devices.)
Buying: Trays vs. Jars or Containers:
 |
| P.S. I don't grow these outdoors. Too much sunlight will actually "cook" them. There was just better lighting for the photo. :) |
The best place to learn about and buy sprouting devices, in my opinion, is at SproutPeople.org. I know, I'm sounding redundant. But no where else will you get such a variety and all the information you need on the different types of sprouting devices than at Sprout People.
Like I said, I'd used mason jars until recently, and I'd also experimented with family members' Easy Sprouters. But after my brother-in-law accidentally ordered two of The Sprout Master instead one, he offered one to me and I fell in love. Now, granted, for our family of four (and that includes two toddlers) sprouting all three trays was a little overkill, and I felt like a gardener trying to pawn off his over-supply of produce before it all went to waste. That being said, I loved that I could sprout one or two trays and sufficiently use it up. When using the jars, I could consume all my hard work in one sitting. Kind of depressing. But check out what I got out of one tray. (This is easily 8 - 10 large handfuls):
Oh, and just so you know, if and when you receive the Sprout Master, don't follow their sprouting instructions. Rather, follow the purple instruction pamphlet you'll get from Sprout People when you order their seeds. It's much better and more trustworthy. Finally, I will say that one thing I noticed with the tray is that you really have to turn it at an angle to get all of the water out, tilting it to favor a corner and watching the water run and then drip out the bottom. Sprout People say to "bounce it," which is good, but I found you still have to tilt it with the trays in order to drain it well.
Q: What are the basic sprouting instructions?
Basic Mason Jar Method:
1. In your jar or a clean bowl, soak your seeds in three times the amount of cool (60 - 70 degree) water to seed for 8 - 12 hours. (Jar turned upright and loosely covered.)
2. Cover the jar with the nylon and secure ring or rubber band around the lip of the mason jar.
3. Rinse and drain thoroughly. Turn the jar upside down using a bowl for the jar to drain in and leave in a cool, dark place.
5. Rinse seeds every 8-12 hours. "Green them up" by exposing to indirect sunlight around day 4. (Varies for each seed, but for most leafy greens day four is typical.) This can be done on your kitchen counter or on a windowsill.
Q: Is it really that simple?
A: Yes.
I've often found that people are hesitant to try new things because of the unknown. You fear large investments of time and money along with failure in the end (that's me with gardening right now). So let me ease your fears and say that if I can do this, anyone can. Just dive in, you'll find it's really not that intimidating, and very rewarding.
So here's to your health.
Happy sprouting!
No comments:
Post a Comment