Sprouting beans, vegetables, seeds and grains is a simple way to exponentially increase the nutritional factor of these simple foods. By sprouting alfalfa and lentils you can intensify micronutrients and supplement your diet with delicious active food. Sprouts are delicious and make for an amazing surprise to make at home with just a few seeds and simple steps. Learn the basic methods and specific instructions for legumes, grains, seeds and even how to make your own microgreen. See step one for more information.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Basic Concepts and Materials
Step 1. Choose a type of sprout to start
Organic seeds, beans and nuts can be sprouted using the same simple method. Make sure you have organic or non-pesticide treated seeds, specially made for growing sprouts. Many seeds on the market, used for sowing, are previously treated with fungicides, pesticides and other chemicals that you definitely don't intend to take. Experiment with different types of seeds and legumes to figure out which type of sprout you like best. You will need a minimal amount of preparation and materials to get started. Choose between:
- Seeds like those of sesame, sunflower, buckwheat or pumpkin
- Legumes or beans such as mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, azuki or green peas
- Whole grains such as barley, corn, wheat, quinoa, amaranth or rye
- Vegetable seeds such as alfalfa, clover, radish, kale, savoy cabbage, fenugreek, or turnip
Step 2. Soak the seeds overnight in a jar filled with filtered water
Pour in enough water to submerge the seeds completely and leave them for some time. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or other suitable type of net - a woman's stocking, a mosquito net, or anything else that you can pinch on top and use to drain the water will be perfect.
- All sterile glass jars are suitable for growing sprouts. Old pickle jars, canning jars, or other types of glass containers can be reused to grow sprouts. If you still find the metal ring on the canning jars you can reuse it to hold the net in place, or a hair tie or rubber band will work just as well.
- If you want to sprout micro greens, such as wheatgrass or pea shoots, you will need a seedbed, potting soil and a little more time. Microgreens and shoots differ from shoots in that they develop more, up to the seedling stage, and for this they need to be replanted in a seedbed.
Step 3. Drain the water you used for soaking and rinse the sprouts twice a day
In general, you should rinse all sprouts in the morning and evening, draining them well to encourage germination without removing them from the container.
When the legumes are sprouted, after a few days the water is swirled inside the container to facilitate the breaking of the skins and allow the sprouts to form
Step 4. Maintain conditions suitable for germination
You will need to check the humidity level by periodically rinsing the sprouts, but you will also need to maintain a constant temperature to facilitate germination. The sprouts must be at a temperature between 10 ° C and 20 ° C.
- If your home is particularly cold during certain months of the year, you will need a radiator. For example, an 8 Watt per reptile radiator placed under the sprouts will help keep them warm without cooking them or spoiling the germination.
- Some sprouts, such as radish, grow best in the dark but need light after they have sprouted to become green and larger. In general, most sprouts grow well when exposed to sunlight and normal room temperature.
Step 5. Eat fresh sprouts right away
As soon as you are satisfied with the size of the sprouts, enjoy them in a sandwich, salad or soup. They will keep in the fridge for about 5 days but will eventually start to turn brown and a little slimy which means it's time to make new ones and throw these away.
- Each variety of sprout differs slightly in growth time and the specific treatment it needs once it has been allowed to soak and germinate for several hours. Some may stay in the jar for a few days to get larger and more tender, while others need to be planted in a seedbed to achieve optimal growth and a tasty flavor. See the following paragraphs for more specific information about the particular type of sprout you want to grow.
- Some shoots need to be peeled after sprouting for a few days. Use the turbulence of the water to make it easier to separate from the skins and drain them later.
Method 2 of 5: Sprouting the Seeds
Step 1. Start with about 250g of seeds of your choice
All kinds of organic and food-grade seeds will be perfect for growing sprouts. The soaking process will open the shells and activate the germination process, resulting in a substantial snack not very different from the original seed but richer in nutrients.
- Edible seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are commonly sprouted. They take up little time and really make for very substantial snacks.
- Vegetable seeds such as clover, alfalfa, radish, cabbage, fenugreek, kale produce tender, micronutrient-laden sprouts. These sprouts are typically used to make sandwiches and as small, light clumps of vegetables.
Step 2. Soak them in cold water for 4-6 hours
Measure the seeds in your sprout container and then submerge them with cold filtered water, covering with about 2.5cm of water. If the seeds are particularly dusty or covered with soil, rinse them before pouring in the water.
Leave them to soak for 4 hours at room temperature. You can leave them directly on the kitchen counter. After draining the water, rinse them again and let the sprouting begin
Step 3. Leave the seeds to germinate for 12-24 hours
After draining the water, wait about a day. The seeds will start to activate and you will be at a good point in production. After a day they will be ready to eat!
- After a day remove the seeds from the container and spread them on absorbent paper to dry them well. Then move them to a bowl or other container and put them in the fridge. They should keep for several days and will be ready to eat.
- Sesame seeds usually become quite bitter if left to sprout for more than 6 hours. Try them ahead of time and carefully dry them.
Step 4. Let the vegetable seeds germinate for about 6 days
Vegetable seeds take a longer time to fully germinate and reach the desired length, usually up to 5-6 days. Although they are edible at every stage of the process, the sprout produced will be more tender and nutritious after a few days. Rinse and dry them well on a regular basis and keep the container upside down to eliminate excess moisture; in this way the sprouts will stay fresher.
Use your sight and smell to check the freshness of the buds. They will start to turn brown and faintly smell of chlorine when they are no longer good
Step 5. Consider sprouting dried fruit for immediate consumption
For example, almonds, hazelnuts and other types of oil seeds are usually "activated" by letting them soak for a few hours, becoming more nutritious. The benefit of leaving nuts to soak to activate the germination process is not officially recognized, but if you're curious it's really easy to do.
This method is only good if the nuts are raw and not roasted
Method 3 of 5: Sprout Legumes
Step 1. Select a type of bean or a type of legume to sprout
Bean sprouts are probably the most famous and widespread. The beans produce thick, delicious-tasting bumps that are full of micronutrients and flavor. The most commonly used legumes for growing sprouts are:
- Lentils, especially green or brown ones
- Chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- Mung beans, which are usually sold under the name "bean sprouts"
- Green peas
Step 2. Soak the legumes in hot water
Start with about 125g of dry beans (they tend to swell a bit because they absorb water and shed their skins). The water shouldn't be hot but warm to the touch, like a cup of tea you've left on for too long. Let the beans sprout for at least 12 hours.
Since legumes will swell considerably, make sure there is enough space in the container and pour several inches of water to make sure they are submerged
Step 3. Let them sprout for about 3 full days
Rinse the beans twice a day and store them upside down to drain properly as the sprouts grow. Sometimes during the first or second day, you will need to shake the container lightly to remove the peels, you can also pour in some water and gently swirl the container to remove them. If some remain don't worry too much, you will be able to remove them before eating the sprouts.
Azuki beans need around 4 days to fully develop their delicious potential. Give him some extra time
Step 4. Dry the sprouts and store them in the fridge
After the sprouting is over, you can remove the shoots from the container, gently dry them, remove the peels that have separated; you can also leave them (they are edible although they have a bitter taste). They should keep in the fridge for about a week if you keep an eye on them and keep them dry.
Bean sprouts are especially tasty as a topping for broth-based soups, such as Vietnamese pho or other spicy dishes. They are also perfect for making salads or sandwiches
Method 4 of 5: Sprouting Cereals
Step 1. Select a type of grain to sprout as a raw food alternative
Since whole grains are not edible raw, it is difficult to enjoy them if you are a lover of raw foods. Sprouting grains, however, makes them easily digestible and nutritious. Without cooking, you will be able to enjoy whole grains such as rye, wheat, barley or corn by avoiding cooking in the oven which destroys their nutrients.
- Sprouting neutralizes the difficulty of digesting phytic acid and releases vitamins and nutrients generally absent in raw beans. This makes sprout-derived flours ideal for making porridge and baked goods.
- Peeled grains, such as those available at the supermarket to make oatmeal, will not sprout. To sprout grains you will need to purchase grains that are still in their skin, raw and organic. The other types of cereals will soak up water and that's it. You can ferment grains with miso paste overnight to make microorganisms develop quickly.
Step 2. Soak the grains in hot water
Cereals will grow three times as large when submerged in water, so make sure you have a jar or bowl sized to hold three times as much flour as it originally was. Leave them to soak for about 6 hours, then drain the water well and let them sprout for about 2 days at room temperature. Rinse them every now and then and drain them well.
- Corn needs a slightly longer soaking period, about 12 hours, before it is drained and allowed to sprout.
- Amaranth, quinoa and millet, commonly mistaken for rice varieties, are actually basic grains and are perfect for producing sprouts by the method described here.
- Barley will not produce true sprouts, but you can still activate germination, as is done to make malt for spirits, by letting it "sprout" for about 12 hours. This will activate the process and open the skins.
Step 3. Collect the sprouts
Once the bud tip is about 6mm long, it is ready to use. Rinse the cereal one last time. Put them on a dry cloth and let them dry. Use them immediately or store them in the refrigerator.
Step 4. Get the flour from the sprouts
To turn the sprouted grains into flour, you will need a food dryer and a grain grinder. After sprouting, dry the cereals for about 12 hours and grind them into a fine flour, you can choose to sift it later. You can store the flour in the freezer to keep the active ingredients intact and use it to prepare all kinds of baked goods.
Method 5 of 5: Sprout Shoot and Micro-Green
Step 1. Start a more consistent project
The process of producing a small amount of microgreen, such as wheatgrass, pea shoot, or sunflower seed sprouts is similar in broad terms, although it requires more complete equipment than that used to grow sprouts in the kitchen. With this project you will be able to harvest high yielding multiple crops and it will make a good investment especially if you are interested in consuming wheatgrass or other types of shoots in your salads.
- Begin sprouting as usual by soaking the wheat, pea and sunflower seeds in a jar, sprouting them much as you did before, rinsing them thoroughly, and finally moving them to a seedbed.
- The seeds must have roots of at least half a centimeter before being moved to the seedbed. Depending on what you are going to plant, it will take variable time, possibly between 3 and 4 days.
Step 2. Get a seedbed
An outdoor sprouting system usually consists of containers for the sprouts to sprout and grow, with meshes or holes in the bottom to drain the water used for regular watering. The containers are available in all gardening outlets, or you can think of building them yourself by drilling a container large enough to contain about 30 cm2 of soil.
Step 3. Sprinkle the seedbed with potting compost
Fill your seed beds with plenty of potting soil, you won't need too much as the sprouts will grow mostly on the top without developing a deep root system, but it's always best to have enough soil to trap moisture so you don't have to worry about it. your plants become dry.
- Moisten the soil and allow any small puddles of water to absorb before moving the shoots into the potting soil.
- It is also used to cover the bottom of the seedbed with a small blanket to keep the soil moist and, to promote growth, mix it with a small amount of vermiculite, about 230 g for a 10x10 cm container.
Step 4. Place the sprouts in the soil
Spread the shoots evenly over the top of the potting soil, spacing them out so that none overlap each other, to avoid mold growth. Use a seedbed lid, blanket, or whatever to cover the container. Press lightly on the seeds so that they penetrate a little into the soil, do it gently you don't have to "stick them".
Step 5. Water twice a day and keep them in a low light place
A few times a day, spray the sprouts and check them out. Make sure they get enough water and are well ventilated so they grow better; if you can, try keeping them at room temperature as well. Growing sprouts in a cool, shady shed might be a good idea.
Step 6. Collect the sprouts or grass after about 10 days
Wheatgrass will be tall and very green after a week or so, but it is best to give it a few more days to reach its nutritional peak. The pea shoots will be complete and will take on a beautiful shade of green, reaching their maximum level of tenderness by the 10th day of growth. Just cut off the top and let them grow again or replant them to start a new crop.
Advice
- To make the mung bean sprouts thick, place something heavy on top of them as they grow.
- Sunflowers can be sprouted from peeled seeds or not. Sunflower sprouts (yummy!) Grow best from unpeeled black seeds in about 10 days. The peeled seeds, on the other hand, must germinate for a day after soaking and can be used to make salads and pates.
- Mixing mucilaginous seeds such as mustard or flax seeds with "normally" sprouting seeds such as mung bean or spelled will help the mixture retain moisture and reduce the need to rinse too often; the mustard seeds will give the sprouts an extra touch of "liveliness". It could be disadvantageous, on the other hand, if the shoots are not consumed within the third as the high humidity favors the proliferation of molds.
- Drinking the soaking water or water used for rinsing can be pleasant and even nutritious, especially if you are using an aromatic seed such as caraway.
- Consider getting an automatic sprouting apparatus that will water the sprouts without your intervention.
- If you are growing the sprouts in an ordinary jar or glass cup, rather than in a special container, a strainer or cone filter for infusions may be essential to drain the soaking water and rinse.
- Adding seeds that will not sprout but will give extra aromas, such as caraway, fennel, anise or sesame can exponentially improve the flavor of the final product.
