“From seed to salad in only one week,” says Good Sprout News about vegetable sprouts. Sprouts are nature’s fast food! And, “they can be locally grown and available in all four seasons.”
Radical. But so simple. All the hunting I’ve been doing for local Colorado vegetables in winter, and really, I didn’t have to go any further than my kitchen for an astounding array of vegetable variety.
Before this week, if you asked me what type of sprouts, sprouts are, I would have said “sprouts are sprouts.” If pressed, I might have said “bean” or “alfalfa” sprouts. But then I noticed radish sprouts and brought them home for my husband, who has been packing vegetable sandwiches for lunch. They were spicy… And then, daikon radish sprouts. They were even spicier.
Cracks began appearing in my sprout-es-sphere.
On a greenhouse visit to Native Greens (I’ll have more greenhouse pictures on Monday), there were sunflower sprouts! Ok, ok. I get it now. There is an entire world of sprouts that has been going along just fine without me.
Of course, every veggie is a little sprout starting out. And many more of them than I ever knew make good eating (there are leafy sprouts, sprouting greens, brassica sprouts, grain sprouts, grass sprouts, micro-green sprouts, nuts and seeds sprouts, allium sprouts, and sprouts for animals). People have been eating them for thousands of years. Apparently, in the sprout stage, sprouts are power-packed with nutrients in preparation for the veggie to grow bigger.
And sprouts are really easy to grow yourself, right on your kitchen counter. The Sprout People (I love that there are sprout people) say sprouting happens when you take a seed, which is dormant, and soak it in water to bring it to life. “It is Alive!” Their website has everything you need if you want to start sprouting. They’ll even teach you how to travel sprout, so “if you are lucky enough to be on the road, you can keep on sproutin’.” Hah!! Maybe I’ve found my cool vegetable tag line!
Have a Great Week. Keep on Sproutin’!
Want more veggies? Check out last week’s veggie story: Arugula-gate? New veggie stories every Thursday.
Did you see last week’s market photos? Click here for Monday Dose of Market: Backyard Greenhouse Bounty. New photos every Monday.
New to The Weekly Veggie? Read how it all began with My Childhood Vegetable Nemesis.
I don’t have a clue abouth sprout I’ve eaten. There are the skinny threads with black specs and the there thisker shorter crunchy that takes like greenhouses smell. I like them. Please post pictures when your windowsill crop comes in – next week.
Hey Cristin,
I wanted to send you an email about what we have going on and if you could help us find some more veggies as a result of your hunting. I can’t find your direct email. Track me down at inseasonlocalmarket.com .
Thanks,
Todd
Your posts are always so in synch with my food life! I just looked at a sprouting kit at the grocery store yesterday. It was way too expensive, and I’m sure I can make my own. The thing is, I tried it last summer, using a jar and amaranth seeds, and both times they turned pink with some sort of mold. Maybe it was just too hot…I’ll check the website you include here. Thanks! (I’m also going to think the peas I just planted by eating some of them as sprouts/microgreens.)
I am planting garden this weekend, do you have any suggestions? I usually do the basics
(tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans…and herbs) but this year I want to try some new vegetables.
I notice you didn’t give Chia Pets their props- easiest way sprouts! :)
M – salad turnips! I will definitely be growing these tasty turnips this year. I am also thinking about kohlrabi, parsnips, arugula, and bok choy…..but I am a beginner and am probably getting way ahead of myself. I’ve been doing a lot of reading about growing cold weather veggies.
I can’t believe I forgot about chia pets!