Sprouting is a great way to get in foods with high nutrition content. It’s easy, accessable, affordable and fun (who remembers growing alfalfa heads as kids?). Sprouting seeds, beans, legumes and grains not only makes them more digestible but also hugely increases their nutritional value, becoming unrivalled for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying qualities. Their protein levels also greatly increase as well as their vital nutrients like potassium, folate, vitamin c, vitamin k, magnesium and phosphorus. AND they taste great with a crisp, fresh, sweet, nutty flavour that compliments salads, sandwiches, soups and stews perfectly.

I have a sprouting tray that I’ve been using for over ten years now but using a sprouting tray is absolutely not necessary to grow your own sprouts. You can start sprouting by simply using the things you likely already have in your kitchen. I’ll show you how in this blogpost.

All you’ll need to get started is

— a jar

— some muslin or other breathable material like a pair of tights or cotton t-shirt

— an elastic band or some string

— something to sprout (here I have quinoa, mung beans and lentils because it’s what I already had at home and I often sprout alfalfa, hemp seeds and chickpeas but you can use any legume, bean, seed or grain)

Firstly you’ll want to soak them overnight. Simply add some to the jar, cover with water and allow to sit in room temperature overnight. This will initiate the sprouting process and they’ll be ready to go!

Once they’ve soaked, drain the water and secure the top with your breathable fabric (photographed: muslin) to stop insects and airborne toxins from entering but allowing the sprouts to breathe. Thoroughly rinse and drain your sprouts once a day until the sprouts are ready to consume. The time will vary depending on what you’re sprouting (usually between 3-5 days) but you’ll know when they’re perfect for eating when you see the sprout tails grow to around 3cm long. At this point you’ll want to store your sprouts in the fridge to slow down further sprouting and consume within a few days.

Add to your salads and sandwiches and garnish your soups and stews and enjoy!