Sprouts!

Yes, as I indicated yesterday, I'm growing my own sprouts. Lentils and quinoa at the moment. Lentils for salads and wraps, quinoa for homemade raw crackers. I love sprouts! They're tasty, nutritious and cheap. You also don't need a fancy set up to grow them. Here's what I did:

I bought some mason jars at Michael's, because that was the only source I had:











Also at Michael's, I bought some of that plastic needlepoint canvas:







Using the metal flat, I traced out a circle of plastic. That became the new flat, to be held on by the metal ring. Now you've got a way to drain the sprouts and allow them to breathe.

Take about 1/4 cup of lentils, wash them and soak them overnight. You can do this right in the jar. The next day (they may already have begun to sprout!), rinse them, drain them well then tuck them somewhere out of direct sunlight. I actually put a towel over mine (careful not to block the open end so they can breathe!). You'll need to rise them one more time before you go to bed. Do this for about three days. At the end of the third day, stick the well-drained jar and sprouts into the sun for a few hours to let them green up a bit. That extra bit of chlorophyll does wonders for their nutrional value.

Afterwards, keep them in the fridge. I actually keep mine in one of those clear plastic containers that salad greens in - if you do that, keep a folded paper towel in the bottom to soak up any excess moisture. That's it! If you're so inclined to try this, I'd love to hear about it.