Recently, I sprouted my own sprouts for the first time, and it was a rush.
They're super low-maintenance, idiot-proof, and rewarding.
Why on earth would I want to do that, you may ask. Well, sprouts are packed with nutrition, they're overflowing with taste, they're high in vitamins, protein, enzymes, and fiber, and they're super cute.
That's a lie, they kind of look like aliens, and I had a purple ketchup flash-back (does anyone else remember that craze?) of I'm supposed to eat these??? I got over it, and I'm glad I did, because they're tasty little suckers, and sometimes purple ketch-up is fun.
They're also prolific, so make sure you have a plan for them...
I started with two tablespoons of mung beans that I picked up in the bulk section of Whole Foods for only pennies plus the cost of my second child.
I opted for mung beans, because I knew I'd be making stir fry later in the week, and I love bean sprouts in my stir frys (fries?).
You can also sprout other beans or seeds, allegedly following the same steps, but those are as of yet untested and unapproved. No stamps or seals here just yet.
You want to start by rinsing your beans (or seeds, etc) and making sure you remove everything inedible or unsproutable. I found a lovely pebble.
Next, put your beans in a jar. There are lots of super fancy stacking trays and systems you can buy for sprouting things, but I opted for simple (re: things I already had on hand... re: free!). I used a Mason jar covered in cheese cloth, and used the ring to hold everything in place. You need to be able to rinse your beans easily, without losing them all down the drain. Tricky little suckers.
Let your beans soak overnight, or for 24 hours, whichever pleases you. Drain said beans, and leave them propped upside-down at an angle to make sure all the moisture is going away from your sprouting beans. If they mold, we don't eat them. These are not mushrooms or French cheeses, friends.
(These are my beans after 24 hours, just starting to open.) So now, ignore them. Mostly. Every day, you want to rinse them out, swirl them around a little, drain, and prop them back upside-down.
(Beans, day 2, sprouting tails.) You can do this twice a day if you're bored, or if someone is visiting in the afternoon and you want to impress them with your sprouting-ness. "Why yes, let's have tea, just let me rinse my sprouts first, hmmm?"
(Beans, day 3, increasing in sprout-y lengths.) I have a dish-drying rack by my sink that I used to prop up the bean jar, which also served the delightful purpose of reminding me to rinse them out if I had forgotten about them that day. Rinse, swirl, repeat.
(On day 4, I had a mild panic attack when I say how they had exploded overnight.) I am no longer swirling my beans when I rinse them. Rather, I'm hoping they don't come to life and crawl towards me rasping, "Faaaaatherrrrr..."
Remember when I said they were prolific?
(Beans, day 5, ready to explode out the top and overtake Russia... because someone probably should...)
Now you can keep sprouting them for up to a week, but my jar was full and I needed them for dinner, so I called it at day 5. Maybe next time one tablespoon will be more than enough...
"But those don't look like the mung bean sprouts I can get at the store..." Yes, I can hear you whining. Those are weighted using a special, fancy process that I didn't want to get into. Remember, I like easy. Sustainable. Low-maintenance. E.A.S.Y. Besides, these taste even better, with a light, pepper-y taste that perfectly complimented my stir-fry. Plus, I felt all virtuous thinking about the multitude of nutrients and vitamins I had created on my kitchen counter.
Nom nom nom...
Seriously, though, I'm never going back to the store-bought versions. These were easy, a fraction (FR-ACT-ION) of the price, and required minimal forethought. So many of my favorite things...
Sprout some beans, improve your health, and pray to God they don't become sentient and come for you in the night. Enjoy!
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