Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Sprouts!

Love, love, love my winter sprouts!  Probably all the more because I can't get into the garden, and they are the closest thing to farming right about now...

These are organic alfalfa sprouts and cost me about 35 cents to grow.  Compare that to $2.99 at the grocery....

We use a large mason jar.  The lid is replaced with 2 circles of screen, cut from repair screen we had on hand, and placed in the rim so that the gridwork of the screen is reduced by the overlapping holes/wires.  Large enough for water to drain, and small enough to keep the smaller sprout seeds from washing down the drain.
Throw in a few Tablespoons of sprout seeds, cover with water and soak for an hour.  Drain off the water, and put in a dark cupboard.  Next day, and each day, rinse with water, swirl well, and drain.  After 4 days or so, you should have decent sprout growth:
From here on out, place the jar in/near a sunny window so the sprouts will leaf and green.  They usually take 7-8 days.  Store in fridge.  Or eat.  Immediately.

NOTE:  I choose to live life on the edge.  Therefore, I disregard the warning on the organic seed packets required by the litigation-fearing lawyers who represent the seed company.  Rinsing my sprouts in a bleach solution just doesn't sound like a good idea.  You make the call.

9 comments:

Michelle said...

EEK on the warning! But I need to start some sprouts myself....

Unknown said...

Like a hammer to my head, which I needed. I forgot, completely, about a sprout kit I bought last year! I would imagine the seeds may be lost to expired dates. But the seed catalogs are getting lots of attention here! Thanks for reminding me!

Mama Pea said...

I'm right there with you on the edge. I'm betting I'd have a LOT better chance of encountering some E. coli bacteria on purchased sprouts than ones I grew in my kitchen!

Carolyn said...

Bleach water?! Ick.

Thanks for the sprout-reminder. I get in a sprout-mania mood, then forget about making them for several months. Time for some fresh greenery.

Susan said...

Would that be organic bleach that you use???? Interesting - but, gag me!

melanie said...

Yeah.....IS there such a thing as organic bleach?? Still wouldn't put it on my food, though....call me crazy.

melanie said...

WeldrBrat - I would try the seeds...I bet there's still a pretty good germination rate...at least while you wait for the replacements to get here!

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

I would love to grow my own sprouts. Speaking of bleach, I know a long-time breeder of show chickens who puts just a tiny amount of clorox in his chickens water, to fend off worms and illness's. I don't do it but I have to say that he has always had some beautiful birds.

kathy b said...

Ohhh no bleach for my sprouts either.....