Choosing seeds for sprouts
Grow the sprouts indoors it's simple, it can be done with or without the sprout and you can choose from a large variety of seeds.
Among the seeds for sprouts those of cereals such as wheat, spelled and barley or of legumes including lentils, soy, azuki beans and chickpeas are particularly suitable. In addition to those of legumes and cereals, red cabbage, pumpkin or sunflower seeds can also be sprouted.
La germination takes place in the light but away from direct sunlight and germination times vary according to the type of seed chosen and can last from 24-48 hours to a few days.
The sprouts can be eaten when the young seedling has reached 3 centimeters in height and its leaflets appear green. THE seeds of cereals and legumes to buy are the same ones that you buy for the normal power supply, therefore i dried seeds that we normally find on the market.
Other less common seeds, such as those of red clover or cabbage, are normally found in organic food stores: they must be seeds intended for food and not varieties sold as seeds, as the latter may have undergone treatments that would make them unsuitable for consumption. It is also better to opt for organic varieties.
We must also avoid the seeds for toxic sprouts, such as those of solanaceae, including tomato and eggplant and those of basil.
During the germination process it is necessary to observe all the necessary hygiene rules to avoid contamination of the sprouts by microorganisms: carefully wash hands and equipment, rrinse the seeds frequently and avoid stagnant water.
Grow the sprouts with the sprouter
Il sprouting is a useful tool for sprouting seeds. It is a plastic or terracotta container, equipped with one or more shelves generally perforated to allow the passage of air and avoid water stagnation. Thanks to the sprouter it is possible to sprout more varieties of seeds saving space.
grow sprouts indoors with the sprouter:
- Leave the seeds to soak overnight or for the time indicated on the package.
- After soaking, rinse the seeds under running water and drain well.
- Arrange the seeds on the shelves of the sprouter, distancing them slightly from each other.
- Spray the seeds with a spray twice a day.
- Wait until the sprouts have reached a height of 3-4 centimeters before consuming them.
Grow sprouts without a sprouter
If you do not have a sprouter, it is still possible to sprout the seeds using for example a glass jar.
The jar must be clean and dry and it will be necessary to place a gauze or a cotton cloth at the mouth, fixing it with an elastic: in this way the air will be guaranteed to circulate.
grow the sprouts in a jar:
- Put the seeds to soak overnight or for the period indicated on the package.
- Carefully rinse the seeds and drain them.
- Place the seeds in the jar and cover with gauze or a cotton cloth.
- Place the jar upside down to avoid water stagnation.
- Rinse and drain the seeds twice a day until the seedlings have reached a height of 3-4 centimeters.
Consume the sprouts
Growing the sprouts allows you to consume raw seeds and assimilate vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids present in the young plant.
I home grown sprouts they can therefore be eaten raw in salads or sandwiches.
It is also possible consume the sprouts after a short cooking, which is normally recommended for legume sprouts.
I gerrmogli they can be added at the end of cooking to soups and broths or they can be used to enrich smoothies and yogurt.
