how to grow your own sprouts in a jar

I've just planted a container garden full of vegetables and herbs, but I'm horribly impatient! I want my fresh veggies NOW! Luckily, Stacy taught me how to grow my own sprouts in a jar in just a few days. It's so easy and they're super delicious, and chock full of vitamins, fiber, protein, and anti-oxidants. I love them in salads, on sandwiches, and depending on the variety, in stir fry and egg rolls. Plus, they're "grown locally" (can't get more local than your countertop!) and way cheaper than buying them from the grocery store.

So here's the scoop. You can buy special lids made for growing sprouts, and they're great. They come with multiple lids that have different sized holes to make things easier. Check out the Econo-Sprouter Topper or the SproutPeople stainless steel lids. But if you're cheap like me, you can also use a piece of muslin, cheesecloth, or nylon and a rubber band!




How to Grow Sprouts in a Jar

What you'll need:

• Mason jar
• Sprout seeds (we found ours in the bulk section at the health food store, or you can buy them online)
  
• Cheesecloth, muslin, nylon, and a rubber band, or a specially designed sprouting lid
• Water
• Dark place
  
• Sunlight
• Air tight bag

Note: These instructions are for a basic alfalfa or salad mix. Some seeds need more or less time to sprout.

1. Put 1-2 Tablespoons of your sprout seeds in a quart glass jar. We used an organic sandwich sprout mix, but to keep it simple you can try alfalfa for a great salad/sandwich sprout, or mung bean for Chinese cooking (like we used in our egg rolls).

2. Cover the with a cheesecloth, muslin, or nylon, and secure with a rubber band. Or screw on a sprouting lid with the smallest holes.

3. Cover seeds with at least an inch of water. Place jar in a dark place and let the seeds soak for 12 hours.


4. Rinse seeds two to three times a day. After rinsing, invert jar in a bowl at an angle to allow excess water to drain.




5. In a couple days, the seeds should begin to sprout. When they are sprouting, put them in a windowsill to ensure they get some light (so they'll turn green!).


6. Remove hulls if needed. The Econo-Sprouter Topper has a lid with larger holes so you can rinse, shaking the jar, and allow the hulls to be rinsed away. If you're just using cloth, the hulls can be removed with a strainer or colander. But be sure to remove them, or they can get moldy and ruin your sprouts.


7. Most sprouts should be ready within 4-6 days. Taste them to see if they are still bitter. If they are, add another day. When ready, rinse sprouts and cut off just what you need. The rest can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

8. Pat yourself on the back for growing something, eating healthy, and living "green." You are a superstar!