Sprouts

In the dead of winter, when nothing's growing outside but the giant icicles hanging from the edge of the roof, how can you get some fresh food into your menu? SPROUTS!

From fall through spring, I try to keep a constant supply of yummy sprouts going in my kitchen. I don't have fancy equipment - no sprout trays, auto waterers or multi-layered sprout habitats!

All you really need is a jar (it helps if it is rather large and has a wide opening), some sprouting seeds (see below) and some kind of straining device. For the latter, I've used everything from my hand to a lid with holes punched in it to a screen. Recently, I bought a wire sink strainer for about $1.50 and it works great.

Here's how I do it:

1. Put about 1/4 c. of seeds in a jar and fill about 1/2 full of warm water.
2. Let it sit for a day
3. Using you hand or a screen, drain the water (but not the seeds) from the jar (apparently this is great water for houseplants)
4. Fill the jar about 1/2 full of clean warm water
5. The next day, drain again - don't lose the seeds!
6. The next day, rinse the seeds with clean water. Don't keep any water in the jar, just the moist sprouts. As they start to sprout, place the jar on its side in a window.
7. Rinse the sprouts with clean water one or two times per day. Shake and rotate the jar so all the seeds get sun exposure.
8. When sprouts are long and start turning green, put in a plastic bag in refrigerator.
9. If necessary, rinse them every once in a while, but I use mine up pretty fast so I usually don't need to rinse them - just grow more sprouts!

Seeds - I order mine from our food buying club (cheaper than anywhere else I've found). We get unadulterated, non-radiated organic seeds from Frontier Herbs which has a variety of sprouting seeds and mixes. You can also get them from some co-ops and health food stores and online. Make sure you get seeds designated for sprouting - many garden seeds are treated with stuff you don't want to eat!

You do need to be careful - sprouts in a moist environment can also breed bad things (Salmonella and e coli). I've never had trouble with my home-grown sprouts that are cared for and rinsed daily, handled with clean hands and refrigerated promptly. But, there's nothing guaranteeing your home grown sprouts won't sprout e coli and apparently there's not much you can do if they do! If you want to read more about the downside of sprouts, here and here.

I LOVE sprouts and, if you're not afraid, I urge you to try them for fresh veggies in the middle of winter!