We are what we eat: sprouts

Mung bean sprouts, November 2017

With an old pickle jar, and using a piece of muslin and a rubber band, I've made my own sprouting jar.  I first sprouted some old, excess seed from my seed collection:  some arugula and random brassica (I think it might have been broccoli) which I'd grown and harvested myself.  Not all of it sprouted--age, I suspect--but what did was very tasty, very zingy.  I pretty much ate it all straight from the jar. 

I later branched out into pumpkin seed (from my own grown pumpkin), but ended up giving it to the chickens.  It didn't sprout very well, but they enjoyed the soaked, partially sprouted seeds.  Incidently, I bought my chickens some scratch grains with the intention of soaking/sprouting them too, but haven't got around to it yet.

Above are mung bean sprouts, the seeds of which I bought on special.  Though they've been taking about 10-14 days to grow big enough for my liking, they're very tasty both raw and cooked.  In fact, if I see them on special again I'll definitely buy extra.  I was surprised at how much bulk they produce from each little seed.

Sprouts have been an easy, trouble-free way to get greens in winter.  I'm sure I've got some more excess seed in my stash--maybe I'll see if I can try sprouting chard and kale.