Cheryl Wixson's Kitchen

Time to get sprouting!

February 12, 2010 on 7:58 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

My friend Judy (the Queen of the Lobster fleet), noticed a plastic, 4-layer contraption with green things growing on my counter the other day. I was just getting ready to harvest some alfalfa sprouts, so I gave her a layer to take home and try.

Judy works hard this time of year to try and incorporate more nutritous foods into her diet, and sprouts are one of her favorites. As the winter wears on, we like sprouts too. Eating cabbage is getting a bit tiresome, and the greenhouse leafy greens just aren’t starting yet.

I grow my sprouts in a “Bioset Seed Sprouter.” They are available to purchase from the Johnny’s seed catalog and other on-line sources. I saw some in the Belfast Coop last week, which was where I picked up some new seeds and started sprouting.

I work sprouts into our cuisine in place of lettuce. Last night for supper I fixed myself a sprout and apple salad. In the center of my plate I spread thin layer of about a cup of sprouts. Then I sliced an apple, dipped it in California lemon juice, and spread the slices on top. In the bowl where I had dipped the apples, there was still some remaining lemon juice, which I then mixed with some softened blue cheese and a bit of olive oil. Spooned the dressing over the top and sprinkled the whole salad with toasted pecans. Yum! it was good enough to be dessert!

You don’t need the fancy Bioset to sprout seeds, I know folks that do it in a jar. I like the Bioset because it an easy way to make sure the seeds are adequately watered. Too much water and they mold and don’t germinate easily.

I’ve also found that using old seeds isn’t very effective either. They don’t seem to germinate at the same time, and your sprouts again get moldy.

I use a tablespoon of seeds for each of the three levels of the bioset where you grow the sprouts. Each layer gives me about one cup of sprouts when I harvest. I store them in a tupperware type container in my refrigerator, and they last for up to a week.

For best results, I water about twice a day. the beauty of the bioset is that the water drains through each layer down to the bottom catch basin. This way my sprout seeds are not “sitting” in stagnant water. I find the kitchen counter an ideal place to grow my sprouts, as they like a steady temperature of around 65 – 75 degrees. Depending upon the variety, they are usually ready to harvest in about 3 – 5 days. When I do grow a crop, it is always the same variety so I can harvest all at once, clean my sprouter thoroughly, and start again.

I’ve got a surprise for my friend Judy…her own personal seed sprouter and some alfalfa and broccoli seeds. Now she too will be able to get sprouting!