Sprouting as an Economical and Nutritious Food Source

Most of us are familiar with alfalfa sprouts and beansprouts from repasts at the salad bar or Japanese steak house. However, few realize that any bean, seed, or nut can be sprouted. Furthermore, the process is quick, easy, and returns a better yield for your grocery money. Sprouts are a concentrated source of nutrition that's accessible to anyone with a sink, cupboard, and mason jar.

In order to begin your own sprouting project at home, you will need to make an initial investment in either a premade sprouting jar, or a mason jar, cheesecloth, and rubber band. Many health food stores sell kits that include a large, wide-mouthed mason jar and several different lids containing different sizes of mesh on the top (for seeds of varying sizes). To construct your own sprouter, add your starter (either legume, seed, or grain), drape the cheesecloth over your jar (the bigger the jar, the wider the mouth, the better), and wrap a rubber band around the cheesecloth and mouth of the jar.

Voila! You're now ready to sprout a buffet! To begin the process, fill your jar with water until the water level doubles the amount of starter in the jar. Allow the starter to soak for a few hours. The soaking time varies based upon the size and texture of the kernel you use. For example, dried lentils need to soak for 4-6 hours, whereas almonds and chickpeas need 8-10 hours.

Once the predetermined soaking time has elapsed, simply turn the jar over and allow all of the water to be strained through the cheesecloth (you may want to hold the rubber band in place so it doesn't slide off). Next, find a dark, cool cupboard, set your jar on its side, and close the door (it's important that the sprouts be kept in the dark). Twice a day, fill the jar with water and then immediately turn the jar over and allow all the liquid to drain. This keeps the sprouts moist and also rinses them of any metabolic products they've released. Keep this up until the sprouts reach your desired size. On average, this takes 2-3 days after soaking.

Experiment with different combinations and recipes. My favorite starter uses equal parts lentils, adzuki beans, and mung beans. I soak them for 6-8 hours, and allow them to sprout for about 2 days. Once sprouted, they are delicious in salads, steamed and eaten on quinoa, or added to soups. You can also experiment with sprouting grains and adding them to your baked goods.