Today we want to share with you how to grow your sprouts at home and to discover the wonderful world of sprouting. You probably are familiar with Mung bean – we’ve all had them in a Stir-Fried or a Pad Thai. But what about the other sprouts? Buckwheat, sunflower, broccoli, peas … Did you know you can sprout almost anything? Sprouts are one of the easiest foods you can grow indoors.
How to sprout anything and why you should
The only problem with sprouts these days is that they are very expensive. You can buy a little container at the grocery store for 5 to 10$! And that’s only enough for one or two meals.
If you decide to grow your own at home, you will end up spending less than 1$ for a big tray, which will last you for a week if you eat them every day, at every meal! They will taste better than the ones coming from the store, and they will make your home look beautiful! You can have a special piece of furniture for all your sprouts. Aside from the fact that sprouts are an easy, cheap, and tasty vegetable anyone can grow, sprouting also has some real nutritional benefits.
Sunflower sprouts
Some of our favorites are the sunflower sprouts. They taste amazing eaten alone, in a salad or a sandwich. You can even juice them. They are low in calories and high in nutrition, and that’s what we all need!
Sunflower sprouts are considered to be one of the best sources of amino acids (protein). They are packed with vitamins A, B complex, D and E. They also contain high amounts of zinc, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Sunflower sprouts are also rich in chlorophyll, which helps to build blood supply, revitalizing tissue, calming inflammation, activating enzymes and deodorizing the body, and they are a natural expectorant for chest congestion.
What do you need to grow your own sunflower sprouts at home?
- Organic sunflower seeds (with shell)
- natural soil
- spring water
- 2 trays (1 of them with little holes in the bottom
Sprouting, step by step
1. For one tray, use 1 cup of sunflower seeds and soak them in spring water overnight (8 to 12 hours).
2. In the morning, strain and rinse the seeds.
3. Fill the tray with no holes with soil (about 1 inch of soil).
4. Sprinkle the seeds on the soil.
5. Water them with a spray bottle filled with spring water. Do not use tap water. Tap water has traces of chemicals, waste and heavy metals.
6. Cover the seeds with the other tray. Place something heavy on it, like books. It will give the sprouts something to push on. You will be very impressed when they will actually lift the tray!
7. Place them in the dark, like in a closet. But do not forget them! Check on them every day and water them with the spray bottle, if needed.
8. When the sprouts are showing their faces, take them out of the closet and leave them in a room with sunlight. Water them every day, when needed.
9. You can start eating them when they are about 3-4 inches long. You can cut them as you eat them, or cut them all and keep them in the refrigerator, rolled in a Scott Towel, in a plastic bag. They will last for about a week.
