Sprouts – A Winter Garden

While I did see signs of springtime during my weekend walk, today it is snowing. And over much of North America, we are still smack in the middle of winter. Summer raspberries and peaches seem forever away. Even the fresh shoots of springtime asparagus or spinach are beyond the horizon. “Fresh” veggies and fruits are transported from Florida, California, Mexico, and Chile.

So in search of a fresh, local option to those far away foods, I want to remind you how fun and easy it is to have a winter garden right on your kitchen counter. Sprouts!

Sprouting is way easier than those science projects your kids bring home. To create your winter garden you just need seeds to sprout, a quart jar, and a screened lid. Simpler still, you can use a hemp bag. And, if you like gadgets, more elaborate sprouting devices are available. The Sprout People provide a plethora of information and guidance for beginners, and have high quality seeds and a variety of sprouters.

What kinds of seeds and beans can you sprout?
Short answer: Soooo many kinds. All kinds of seeds, beans, grains, and nuts.
The longer answer (In one breath, let me see how many I can name):
Adzuki beans, alfalfa, almonds, arugula, broccoli, buckwheat, clover, cress, fenugreek, garbanzo beans, garlic, grasses (wheat, barley, oat, rye), leeks, lentils, millet, mung beans, mustard, oats & groats, onion, peas, peanuts, pumpkin, quinoa, radish, rye, spelt, sunflower, sweet peas, wheat…whew.

How easy is easy?
Dare I say as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5?
1.    Prep your seeds.
2.    Soak your seeds
3.    Rinse your seeds.
4.    Drain your seeds
5.    Green your spouts!

The Sprout People provide great, detailed instructions. Once you’ve done it a couple of time, you’ve got it down pat.

Why sprout?
Did I mention that it is fun? A winter garden with no weeding producing fresh greens from seed to salad in just a few days? What’s not to love? But the real beauty of sprouting is the nutritional punch that those little seedlings pack. Seeds remain dormant just waiting for the right growing conditions. Once they sense that the environment is friendly, they become wild, metabolically active biochemical marvels, producing many vitamins (including vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K) minerals (including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and trace minerals), all amino acids with a protein content up to 35% and lots of chlorophyll (a powerhouse in its own right).

What can I do with sprouts?
Good question. Now that you’ve successfully nurtured your first crop of sprouts, how best to enjoy them? Anyway you like. There is no wrong way to enjoy sprouts. Creativity is your best guide. Here are a few suggestions:
•    Add them to your salad. Alfalfa, radish, and mung are great choices.
•    Eat them by the handful. Lentils are especially good this way.
•    Roll them in a Nori sheet with avocado, and sliced or shredded veggies for a quick sushi roll.
•    Investigate recipes. There are recipes for spouted buckwheat pizza crust or sprouted flax crackers. Try my hummus recipe.

You don’t need a green thumb to be a successful sprouter. Have fun, enjoy the results, and let me know how your winter garden is growing.

Alfalfa sprouts-
Jess