Ch-ch-ch-Mung Sprouts!
Written by: Sumati Shah
Or chia, alfalfa…or mustard…or cress…
A host of reasons exist why sprouts are by their nature what we could consider a ‘superfood’, consider it the edible alternative to a chia pet ….and let’s GoGo to it!
- They’re nutrient dense: a number of vitamins and essential fatty acids increase during the sprouting process.
- There’s zero application of chemicals at any time: just seeds and clean water!
- Protein enzymes are created by the seed as it grows and all those vitamins bind to the enzymes, making the dense proteins more easily absorbed in the body
- And…they are fast and easy to grow!
Rule of Green Thumbs: Use only raw and untreated seeds for your edible sprouts!
Most commercially sold seed packets for growing plants are chemically treated with anti fungal agents. Although this is perfectly safe for your food harvest – you DO NOT want to eat those seeds as sprouts.
Mung beans are my choice, and then all I need is a jar, a string or elastic, and some cheesecloth or any breathable mesh or fabric. There are purpose designed mesh lids for mason jars, elaborate tray kits too…there are options.
You can get fancy, or you can channel your inner McGyver – it’s just a breathable lid that’s needed.
- Soak seeds overnight (mung beans need a full 12 hour soak) in 3X water to volume of seed with the cheesecloth fastened on the top(with canning ring, elastic, or string) of the jar
- The seed kernels will all be swollen. Drain all the water out and set the jar aside but keep it out of direct sunlight.
- Flush the sprouts with water 3 or 4 times daily, each time draining out all the water and leaving it to sit in between.
- Within 3-5 days your sprouts will be ready to eat and they’ll be about 1-3 inches long
When they’re just right: take them out of the jar, give them a final rinse and voilà! Bon apétit friends: your sprout harvest is ready to eat!
Green Thumb Tip: Fresh sprouts also keep in the fridge for a few days if you wrap them in a damp paper towel or tea towel – the fresher the better!
Go Go Green Thumbs!
