Sprouting seeds to use at home has many benefits. These include the high vitamin content, ease and relative convenience of growing microgreens at home. Grow your own sprouting seeds and you’ll enjoy you very own healthy microgreen harvest in nearly no time at all.

Why should we eat sprouted seeds?

The practice of sprouting seeds has many useful cooking advantages at home. Seeds in themselves contain anything from 7-40% protein and when sprouted their vitamin and mineral content increases markedly.

For example, in sprouting oats, vitamin B6 increases 500%, folic acid 600%, inositol 100%, B1 10% and B2 1350%. Indigestible material such as alkaloids are transformed and the water content is increased, thus making sprouts more digestible. They are an invaluable source of winter greens and are also extremely economical.

Any seeds, legumes or grains can be sprouted (with one exception of potato and tomato seeds, they are poisonous) but make sure they are untreated as some seeds used in horticulture are coated in fungicides etc.

Sprouting Seeds (Microgreens) Step by Step Guide

Here’s how to grow sprouting seeds one step at a time:

• Measure seeds and pick them over for broken seeds as these tend to ferment.
• Generally add 4 cups of water to 1 cup of seeds and soak overnight.
• Drain with the exception of soy bean water, you can use the liquid for soups or beverages. It has been claimed that the addition of 1-2 teaspoons of kelp increases the available iodine and minerals in the sprouts.
• Put the seeds, after rinsing thoroughly in a sprouting container, large enough for growth and air circulation.
• Then put your seeds for sprouting in a warm dark place.

Sprouting seeds must be placed in a warm and dark place, this can be a warmed cupboard, an oven with the light only left on and the door slightly ajar or just near a light bulb. If you use the latter two alternatives be sure to wrap the container in cloth to exclude the light. Or you can purchase specialist sprouting equipment.

Some sprouts sould be harvested before the leaves are developed e.g. sunflower seeds are best when the root is as long as the seed. Wheat and other grains should have their leaves underdeveloped and the root short. However, alfalfa sprouts and other such seeds should have at least two green leaves. This is obtained by putting the sprouts into the sun for a few hoours to ‘green the off’. It is necessary to rinse the sprouts from 2-4 times a day.

How to grow sprouting seeds in a jar

One container you can use is a jar, the opening covered with a piece of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band and upended a an angle in a saucer.

Alternatively, wash an unglazed flower pot thoroughly. Cut a piece of plastic screen or two layers of nylon net to fit over the hole in the bottom and place seeds on top. You can cover the top with damp towels. Just rinse through the pot and sit to drain in a saucer. It is important to keep sprouting equipment clean so the seeds do not ferment, scrub out the pot thoroughly and place in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Sprouting seeds to grow

Alfalfa are considered the king of the sprouts being high in vitamins D, E, G, K and U. They are also high in minerals and have a high content of chlorophyll and are about 35% protein. Wheat and rye sprouts are excellent to put in bread, particularly rye as it has a yeast action on the dough. It’s always a good idea to purchase organically certified seed options.

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Here is a great little collection of fail safe salad dressings and sauces which can be used on a variety of salad dishes.

Eggless Mayonnaise

Makes 3 cups of mayonnaise.

1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon honey

Put all ingredients in an electric blender and blend until smooth.

Cucumber Salad Dressing

3 medium cucumbers
1 small green pepper
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
1 cup of mayonnaise (as above)

Blend the first 3 ingredients until finely chopped. Fold into the mayonnaise. Use on potato salad or colslaw. Good sandwich dressing with sliced tomatoes.

Cottage Cheese Sauce

1 cup 2-day chick pea sprouts
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable powder

Blend the chick peas with water. Add the lemon juice and blend until the mixture is thick. This tastes much like cottage cheese and is delicious!

Sunflower or Sesame Seed Sauce

1 cup unhulled sunflower seeds or
1/2 cup unhulled sesame seeds
1 cup water
1 teaspoon of kelp

Finely grind sunflower or sesame seeds in a nut grinder. Then combine all ingredients. Some tasty options include adding 2 teaspoons of oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, or vegetable powder.

Fruit Juice dressing

1/2 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup of oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1-2 teaspoons of honey

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend till smooth.