1. howtosproutseedsapril-2011-130912020906-phpapp02.doc
How to Sprout
things you'll need:
• Seeds
• Mesh screen or cheesecloth
• Rubber band
o
Purchase seeds from a health food center, herbal supply store or garden center. Read the package
label and select only seeds appropriate for sprouting, as seeds for agricultural
or gardening purposes may have been treated with fungicides or other chemicals.
o
Place abut 1 tbsp. seeds in a sterile glass jar. If the seeds are large, such as mung beans, start
with about 1/4 cup of seeds. Fill the jar about half full with cool water.
o
Place a piece of fine mesh screen over the top of the jar. Alternatively, stretch a piece of
cheesecloth over the jar. Secure the mesh or cheesecloth with a rubber band. Double the mesh or
cheesecloth if the seeds are tiny.
o
Place the jar on your kitchen counter and allow the seeds to soak for eight to 12 hours. Drain the
water through the mesh, then refill the jar with cool water. Shake the jar gently to swirl the
seeds, then drain the water through the mesh again. The seeds shouldn't be allowed to soak in
water after this step.
o
Rinse the seeds with fresh water every morning, then drain the excess water through the mesh.
The sprouts will be ready to eat in four to six days. Sprouts are best when they're about 1/2 inch
long.
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2. howtosproutseedsapril-2011-130912020906-phpapp02.doc
How to Sprout Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a spice often used in Indian food. The sprouts are nutritious, particularly for women,
and you can use them as a natural digestive aid. Fenugreek sprouts are rich in vitamins E, C, B
and A, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, calcium, carotene, phytonutrients,
chlorophyll, amino acids and protein. Buy fenugreek seeds that are made for planting or
sprouting, and not the fenugreek seeds found in spice jars.
Instructions
things you'll need:
• Fenugreek seeds
• Fine mesh colander
• Cheesecloth
• Glass jar
• Light cloth
o 1
Place your fenugreek seed into a fine mesh colander covered with cheesecloth. Rinse the seeds
under cool, running water and place them in a wide-mouthed glass jar. Cover the fenugreek with
water and let them soak for 8 to 12 hours.
o 2
Rinse and drain the fenugreek and transfer it back to the jar. Do not cover them with water. Place
a light, breathable cloth on top of the jar and leave it in a cool, semi-lit location.
o 3
Rinse and drain your sprouts every 8 to 12 hours for 3 days, or until they display 1/4-inch roots.
Taste the sprouts each time you rinse to help you decide how you like them best, as the flavor will
change over time.
o 4
Rinse and drain the fenugreek. Place your sprouts in the refrigerator, where they should keep for
3 to 4 weeks.
To Sprout Fenugreek soak 3 tablesp. of seeds in a glass jar (I use straight sided vacola preserving
jars) with 2 cups of water 8-12 hours. Place a piece of net curtain, gauze or old stocking over the
top of the jar and secure around the neck with a firm rubber band.
Drain off the water and reserve to drink. Turn the jar upside down and on an angle to drain on the
kitchen sink drainer. Rinse seed in jar twice daily to keep the seed moist (one rinse a day is
usually adequate in winter). The water used to rinse can be reserved to drink also.
Roll the jar in hands (so the seed is loosened and does not stick together in a mucilaginous mass)
and turn up side down on an angle on the drainer, each time after rinsing. Sprouts are ready to
eat in 2-4 days (this will depend on the season and temperatures). Try fenugreek with slices of
fresh paw-paw or mango, in fact any sweet dish. Seed, when sprouted to the desired length,
should be stored in the refrigerator with a covering over (or the seed will dry out and not be as
tasty). Sprouts are valued for stimulating and fortifying the body.
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3. howtosproutseedsapril-2011-130912020906-phpapp02.doc
Fenugreek
Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 2 Cups (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Prep 3 Tablespoons of seed* then transfer (if necessary) into a bowl or into
your Sprouter.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (60°-70°) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Allow seeds to Soak for 6-12 hours.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60°-70°) water.
Drain thoroughly.
Set your Sprouter anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is
optimal) between Rinses.
This is where your sprouts do their growing. We use a counter top - right in the middle of our
kitchen. We don't mind the diffuse sunlight or the 150 watts of incandescent light, because light
just does not matter much. A plant can only perform photosynthesis when it has leaves. Until
then light has little if any effect, so don't hide your sprouts!
Rinse and Drain again every 8-12 hours for 3 days.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy!
Note: Fenugreek is a sprout we prefer NOT to green. We like them small. When we eat them they
generally don't even have leaves, but when we do grow them to the leaf stage, we prefer them
yellow , so we stop as on day 3 or 4 or at the latest, as soon as they have leaves.
As always, we suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY Rinse - find out for yourself when you
like them best!
Greening
On the 4th day relocate your sprouts if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light, move them. Avoid direct sun - it can cook your
sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do. Experiment - you will be amazed at
how little light sprouts require to green up.
Continue to Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done during day 4, 5 or 6.
The majority of sprouts will have open leaves which will be green if you exposed them to light.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the final Rinse we need to
Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we minimize the surface moisture of our
sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so we let them sit for 8-12 hours....
OR
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4. howtosproutseedsapril-2011-130912020906-phpapp02.doc
We can use a salad spinner to dry the sprouts after their final Rinse and skip the final 8-12 hour
wait, instead going directly to Refrigeration.
Refrigerate
Transfer the sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice.
Notes:
When conditions are warm your sprouts will likely grow faster. If their leaves open sooner
you should green and de-hull and harvest sooner. Likewise they may grow slower if
conditions are very cool. These are just tiny plants they are not difficult to understand. The
more you sprout the better you'll know them and be able to adjust to their needs. As
always 70° is optimal and 70° is what our instructions are written for.
All sprouts generate heat while growing, which is a good thing, but it can get out of hand
on occasion. When the weather is especially hot and humid you will do well to Rinse more
frequently (every 8 hours if possible) using colder water than usual (the coldest your tap
can offer is fine), to compensate.
Depending on your sprouting device, not all of your sprouts will have access to light and so
some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow sprouts will be equally
nutritious (they have everything but chlorophyll) and many think them more delicious (in
Europe vegetables are often grown "blanched" by avoiding light). We think they are
prettier when there is a mix of green and yellow to go with the white roots. So don't sweat
it - just eat more sprouts!
Mix ‘em up! We use high water pressure when Rinsing to keep our sprouts loose, but this
only works for so long - so - when water isn't enough, break the clump of sprouts up using
a fork or your fingers (wash your hands first please, if they need it). If you are using a
sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly full then use a fork to loosen. You can also dump
your sprouts onto or into something and just shake them apart. You should never be
afraid** of touching your sprouts. They are much stronger then they appear - just be
reasonably gentle.
** The only thing to fear is fear itself.
* If using Single Harvest Pack - use the whole bag.
These seeds yield approximately 5:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/5 as much dry
seed as your Sprouter has capacity (though we advise less so that you have some room to move).
http://sproutpeople.org/seeds/popular.html
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