Growing legumes, vegetables, seeds, and grains is an easy way to increase exponentially the nutritional factors of simple foodstuffs. By growing alfalfa or lentils, you can increase your micronutrients while integrating delicious active foods into your diet. All this is a delicious menu and surprising dishes that you can make yourself at home with only a few ingredients and preparation steps. Learn the basic process and specific instructions for growing legumes, grains, seeds, and even how to grow your own vegetable seeds. See Step 1 for more information.
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Method 1 of 5: Basic Instructions and Materials Needed
Step 1. Choose the type of sprouts you want to start growing
Organic seeds, nuts, or seeds can all be grown using the same basic method. Make sure you get special organic or pesticide-free seeds for growing edible sprouts. Many commercial seeds, as well as those used for agriculture, are coated with fungicides, pesticides and other things you won't want to eat. Experiment with different seeds and legumes to learn what kind of sprouts you like best. It doesn't take much preparation and tools to get started. Choose from the following:
- Seed such as sesame, sunflower, buckwheat or rye, or pumpkin
- Sesame or Nuts such as mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, adzuki beans, or green beans
- Grains such as barley, corn, oats, wheat germ, spinach or rye
- Vegetable seeds such as alfalfa, clover, radish radish, cabbage, cabbage, fenugreek, or turnip radish
Step 2. Soak the seeds in a jug or bottle for one night, with clean water
Pour in enough water to hold the seeds, then let them settle. Cover the top of the jug with cheesecloth, or some kind of mesh fabric such as women's stockings, a piece of cloth, just anything that will cover the top of the jug/bottle perfectly and can be used to drain the water in the jug.
- A clean glass jug or bottle can be used to grow sprouts. An old pickle bottle, mason jar, or other glass container can be used. If there is still a metal ring in the mouth of the mason bottle, use it to clamp the mesh cloth over the lid, or use a hair band, rubber band, or other elastic band.
- If you want to grow seedlings like wheatgrass or peas, you'll also need seed trays, soil, and the time it takes to grow the crops.
Step 3. Dry and rinse the sprouts from the water twice a day
In general, you should rinse all types of sprouts every morning and evening, then drain them completely to encourage seeding or germination, without removing them from the jug.
When growing beans, it's common for you to pour water into the pitcher after a few days to break the shell and stimulate sprout growth
Step 4. Maintain the right situation and conditions for growth
Control the humidity by rinsing the sprouts regularly, but you will also need to maintain a constant temperature to stimulate growth. Keep the sprouts in a temperature between 10 to 21 degrees Celsius.
- If your house is always cold at some point in the year, then you need heating. The usual 8-watt heater used to heat the reptile tank placed under the sprouts will be quite helpful. This placement and temperature will not burn and damage growth.
- Some sprouts, such as turnips, will grow better in the dark, but will still need light after sprouting to green and grow larger. In general, most sprouts can thrive in normal lighting and room temperature.
Step 5. Use fresh sprouts as soon as possible
Once you are satisfied with the length of the sprouts, enjoy them immediately with a sandwich, salad, or soup. They are good and hold in the fridge for about five days, but will eventually start to turn brown and be a bit sticky, which means it's time to throw them out and grow new sprouts.
- Each variety of sprouts differs slightly in care and the length of time it takes to grow, once moistened and grown for several hours. Some can last in a bottle/jug for a few days and then grow longer and softer, some have to be replanted into a nursery tray for optimal growth and better taste. Read the following sections for information on the specific type of sprouts you want to grow.
- Some sprouts need to be separated from their shells after sprouting for a few days. Stir the sprouts in the water to help separate them from the shell, and be sure to drain them again later.
Method 2 of 5: Seeds Sprout
Step 1. Start with about a cup of the seed of your choice
All organic and edible seeds are equally good for sprouting. The soaking process will open the shell and activate the seedling process, resulting in a nutritious content that is not different from the original seed, but full of nutrients.
- Edible seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds, are generally sprouted. This type works quickly and is delicious, because it is loaded with high nutritional content.
- Vegetable seeds such as clover, alfalfa, radish, cabbage, kale, or kale produce sprouts that are soft and mushy, full of micronutrients. This is the type of sprouts that is usually served with sandwiches, which is a mixture of light vegetables.
Step 2. Soak in cold water between 4 – 6 hours
Measure the seed you put in the budding jar/jug and fill it with clean cold water, about an inch. If the seeds are dusty or covered in other sediment, rinse them before adding water.
Soak for 4 hours at room temperature. Leave it and put it in the corner of the kitchen. After that drain the water thoroughly and let the seeds begin to sprout
Step 3. Allow edible sprouts to germinate between 12 to 24 hours
After draining the water, don't touch it for about a day. The seeds will start to act as if they are ready to grow, and this means that you will get results. After a day, they are ready to eat!
- After a day, remove the seeds from the bottle/jug and spread them out on a paper towel to dry properly. Return to another bowl or container and store in the refrigerator. After a few days, it should be ripe and ready to eat.
- In general, sesame seeds become bitter if left for more than six hours. Try lifting it before that, then dry it thoroughly.
Step 4. Allow the vegetable seeds to germinate for about 6 days
Vegetable seeds will take a little longer to fully germinate to the desired length, maybe 5 or 6 days. Although it is actually edible at any stage, the shoots will be at their most tender and nutritious after a few days. Continue to rinse regularly and dry well. It would be better if you put it in a bottle or jug upside down so that the remaining moisture can be drawn out and keep the shoots fresh.
Use your eyes and nose to check the freshness of the vegetable seeds. They will turn brown and smell a bit like chlorine if they are not fresh
Step 5. Consider sprouting beans if you want to eat them quickly
Nut seeds such as almonds, hazelnuts, and other oily types are commonly soaked for several hours to "activate" and make the contents more nutritious. The nutritional benefits of soaking beans to activate sprouts before eating aren't really confirmed, but if you're interested in trying this project, it's easy to do.
Method 3 of 5: Sprouting Sesame Seeds
Step 1. Choose the type of beans or pods to sprout
Perhaps the most delicious and best known is the type of chickpea. The results of the sesame type shoots are thick and lumpy, so they are full of nutrients and taste good, full of active micronutrients and taste. Common types of sprouted sesame include:
- lentils, especially green or brown ones
- chickpeas or garbanzo
- mung beans, which are commonly sold in the market as "bean sprouts"
- mung beans
Step 2. Soak the sesame in warm water
Start with about a half cup of dry beans (they tend to get fat as they suck in the water and eventually come off the shell). The water should not be steamy, but warm to the touch, like a hot cup of tea that warms up after being left for too long. In the bottle, soak the beans for at least 12 hours.
Since the sesame will fatten quite a bit, make sure there is enough room in the jar and the beans are submerged for a few inches to make sure they are thoroughly wet
Step 3. Let it sprout for about 3 full days
Rinse twice a day and place the bottle upside down to dry completely as it sprouts. Sometimes on the first or second day, you may have to shake the bottle slightly to release the nuts from the shell. If something doesn't come off, don't worry. You can still remove them before eating, if necessary.
Adzuki beans usually take about 4 days to fully sprout and taste great. Give extra time if necessary
Step 4. Dry the seeds and put them in the refrigerator
After the germination period is over, you can remove the nuts from the bottle, dry them and gently remove them from the bottle, then remove the remaining shells that have not come off, or leave them if you prefer (you can eat them, but they taste a bit bitter). Store in the refrigerator for about a week, keeping an eye on them and keeping them dry.
Peanut sprouts make great toppings for broth-based soups, such as Vietnamese pho or other spicy dishes. They are also great for salads and sandwiches
Method 4 of 5: Sprouting Wheat
Step 1. Choose the wheat you want to sprout as a raw alternative
Because raw oats are inedible unless cooked first, it's hard for fans of raw foods to enjoy them. But the activity of sprouting wheat makes it easy to digest and nutritious. Even without cooking, you can still enjoy whole grains such as rye, wheat flour, barley, or corn, without having to first roast and break down the micronutrients in them.
- The sprouted wheat is able to neutralize the difficult-to-digest phytic acid, releasing vitamins and nutrients that are usually not contained in raw wheat. This makes it ideal for porridge, baking and flouring.
- Crusted oats, like the ones you buy at the store to make oatmeal, won't sprout. To germinate wheat, you must buy whole grain, raw and organic. Other types of wheat only need to be soaked. You can ferment oatmeal with miso paste overnight, for a quick live culture option.
Step 2. Soak whole wheat in warm water
The amount of wheat will triple in size during soaking, so make sure the jar or jug is large enough to hold three times the flour you are soaking. Soak the oats for about 6 hours, then drain the water thoroughly and sprout the oats at room temperature for 2 days. Rinse regularly and drain until dry.
- Corn must go through a rather lengthy pre-soaking process, about 12 hours before the water is drained and allowed to sprout.
- Amaranth, quinoa, and millet, commonly mistaken for varieties of grain or rice, are actually alkaline grains, and can be sprouted perfectly this way.
- The barley won't germinate completely, but you can activate the germination process, in the same way as you process barley to make alcohol, by "germinating" it for 12 hours. This will activate the germination process and shed the shell.
Step 3. Make sprouted flour
To turn sprouted wheat into flour, you'll need a food dehydrator and a special grinder for wheat and grains. After sprouting, dehydrate the oats for 12 hours and then grind them until they are fully integrated into flour, sifting through if desired. You can store this sprouted flour in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life, then use it for various flour baking purposes.
Method 5 of 5: Growing Vegetable Shoots and Seeds
Step 1. Sprout your first vegetable seed for a bigger project later
The process for starting a small batch of vegetable seeds with wheatgrass, bean sprouts, or sunflower seeds, is very similar, though a little more equipment-intensive, than sprouting grains in the kitchen. But in this project you'll be able to streamline yields, making them a good investment, especially if you like sprouts of wheatgrass or fresh sprouts in your salads.
- Begin your budding process as usual, by soaking the seeds, green peas, or sunflower seeds in a jar and letting them germinate for a few days before rinsing thoroughly and transferring to the nursery tray.
- The shoots should have a root length of about a quarter of an inch before transferring to the nursery tray. Depending on what you want to plant, the time it takes can vary, possibly 3 or 4 days.
Step 2. Take some nursery trays
Outdoor germination systems usually consist of several nursery trays in which the shoots grow, with mesh or holes in the bottom to drain water. These are widely available at garden supply stores, or you can make your own by punching holes in any tray large enough to hold about 30 cm² of soil.
Step 3. Fill the nursery tray with soil
Fill the nursery tray with soil. You don't need much, as the shoots will tend to grow at the top and don't have a deep root system, but it's still better if there's enough soil to absorb and hold water, so it doesn't dry out quickly.
- Moisten the soil thoroughly with water and let the puddles fade before transferring the shoots to the plot.
- It's also common to line the bottom of the tray with scraps of blanket to keep the soil moist from below, while incorporating a little vermiculite-about one cup per 10 x 10 tray-to encourage growth.
Step 4. Hold the shoots to the ground
Place the shoots evenly on top of the soil, spreading them evenly so that they don't pile up on top of each other and cause mold. Use a tray cover or a regular blanket to cover the nursery tray. Gently press the seeds so that they stick into the soil. You don't have to "plant" them.
Step 5. Flush with water twice a day and keep light access dim
Several times a day, steam your shoots and keep a close eye on them. Make sure it gets enough water and air circulation for it to grow properly, and keep it at room temperature, if possible. Growing shoots in a shed with lots of cool corners can be a great place to store this project.
Step 6. Harvest the shoots or grass after about 10 days
Wheatgrass will grow tall and green after a week, but give it a few more days to allow its nutritional content to peak. The pea shoots will be lush, turn pretty green, and will reach their soft and delicious peak on the tenth day. Harvest the tops and allow them to continue growing, if you wish, or consider starting a larger crop.
Tips
- To make thick mung bean shoots, place a heavy object on top as it grows.
- Mixing mucilaginous seeds such as mustard or ground flax with “normal” sprouting beans such as mung and spelled beans will help the mixture retain moisture better and reduce the need to rinse each time. Apart from that, mustard seeds also give your shoots an added delicacy. However, this can be detrimental if the shoots are not eaten immediately by the third day, as additional moisture can increase the risk of mold growth.
- Drinking "soaks" and "rinsing" water can also be fun and nutritious, especially if you're also using a flavoring seed mix like cumin.
- Sunflower seeds can be sprouted from clear shells or loose shells. Sunflower greens (delicious!) are best grown from unshelled black seeds, for about 10 days. On the other hand, sunflower seeds that are still in shell, should only germinate for a day after soaking, and can be used as a salad topping, or as a pasta pate chart.
- If sprouted in a regular bottle or drinking glass rather than in a special nursery trough, the Swiss gold coffee filter or filter is clearly overkill when used for draining and rinsing.
- Consider utilizing an automatic shoot system. This system will automatically water the shoots.
- Adding non-budding flavoring seeds such as cumin, fennel, anise, or sesame seeds can greatly enhance the taste of the final product.
- Do not use seeds that are damaged, discolored or deformed, as the end result will be poor. Do not dig too deep because the soil should be loose enough to germinate the seeds. Add a little water to the soil.
