Funny the things you remember from your childhood.
We didn’t eat out a lot when I was kid, but I remember occasionally visiting a Bonanza steakhouse where my favorite thing was actually the Texas toast, not the steak.
And the alfalfa sprouts. Seriously.
Maybe it stands out in my mind because this was the first salad bar I ever remember visiting, and it was the salad bar that made me a fan of salad. Lettuce never did much for me before, but the salad bar provided lettuce along with 37 toppings to choose from, plus 8 different salad dressings! I mean, what was there not to love about that?
That’s where I learned to appreciate alfalfa sprouts.
I liked the strange texture. I loved the spicy little bite they added to a salad. And I suppose I loved the fact they shared their name with a funny boy with freckles and pointy hair on black-and-white TV.
But here I am, all these years later, and I still love sprouts on a salad! I’ve also learned to love them on sandwiches and in soups, and though I love the flavor, I’ve also learned that they are packed with vitamins. Sprouts contain vitamins A, C, and K, folate, magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium. (And that’s only a partial list.) They also contain a significant amount of protein and fiber. That’s a lot of goodness crammed into those itty-bitty sprouts!
But finding sprouts in stores is not always easy. In my little hometown, it’s impossible. And even when I venture into the city and find sprouts in the larger grocery stores, they are not cheap. I’ve paid nearly $4 before for a small container that might have equaled to about 1/3 cup of sprouts.
So why not grow my own?
When I learned how easy it is to do at home, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t tried it sooner. And, besides providing us with sprouts to eat, it’s been a great way for my kids to learn a little about seed germination.
In addition to a quart size, wide-mouth Mason jar, you’ll need some sprouting seeds.
I wanted to try several kinds, so I bought this organic variety pack from The Sprout House. If you’d rather start small, you can find plenty of single seed packets available at Amazon and other online retailers.
These sprouting jar toppers are a must-have, too. While it may not be necessary to use all 3, the various sizes can come in handy for reasons I’ll explain in a minute.
Measure 1 to 2 tablespoons of seed into your jar. I’ve found that adding more than that can make for really crowded, tangled sprouts that are harder to drain.
These are alfalfa seeds, in case you were wondering…
Cover your seeds with water and leave them to sit overnight.
In the morning, drain off the water, and add fresh water through your mesh jar topper.
Swish the seeds to rinse them well, and then drain. Prop your jar at an angle, mesh lid downward, on a clean cloth or paper towels to continue allowing excess water to drain. Repeat the same process of rinsing, draining, and propping your jar at nighttime.
By the next day you should already begin seeing changes.
See those tiny little sprouts starting to appear?
Continue the process daily, rinsing and draining and propping your jar twice per day, and by the fourth or fifth day you should see this:
This is where the jar toppers with larger holes can come in handy. The seed hulls remain in the jar as the sprouts grow. Many of these can be washed away by switching to another lid, rinsing, and draining well.
After a final rinse, allow your jar to drain well, then spread your sprouts on a layer of paper towels to absorb any excess water. (But don’t pat or roll your sprouts dry! I’ve learned from experience how easy it is to bruise and crush them, which leaves them looking pretty unappetizing and leads to faster spoilage.) Lightly wrap your sprouts in fresh paper towels and transfer them to your refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them!
This is what was produced from my very first attempt at growing my own sprouts.
This was broccoli, and my first try gave me enough sprouts to nearly pay for my seed purchase. Especially when you consider how much I love eating sprouts, that made this little experiment more than worth it for me!
This has become an easy, fun, and educational activity for our little family. And, believe it or not, I’m teaching my own kids to appreciate sprouts on a salad!
