Before you go about growing alfalfa sprouting seeds in your home, you should first of all get an insight into how the sprouting happens. Once the dried seeds become moist, they sort of wake up from a dormant state and are ready for growth. A lot of chemical changes happen inside the sprouts during this period. For example, carbon dioxide is constantly released along with heat. It is for this reason that it is important that you keep rinsing the sprouts with water from time to time. This will ensure that all these wastes are removed. Remember sprouts could get damaged due to overheating. While it is important that sprouts are always moist, you must also at the same time see to it that they don’t soak in water for a long time, for that will only lead to their destruction.
As the first step in the process, you can put in about 10-20 grams of seeds into a glass jar. The seeds can be allowed to soak for about 12-15 hours, depending on the quantity in the jar, which can be now filled with water. Make sure that the water that you use is of good quality. You also need to make sure that you fill up about 1/3rd of the jar, for sprouts need plenty of space for growing. After soaking the seeds for the necessary number of hours, you can then filter off the water using a muslin cloth. You need to rinse the sprouts again in order to ensure that all impurities are removed.
You will need to repeat the draining process at least 2-3 times every day. Use fresh water to fill up the jar. You should keep the jar in a place where there is plenty of light available. If you were to keep it in a dark place, sprouting won’t take place.
Once you do the process correctly, within a few days you are sure to about 100 grams for every 10 grams of seeds that you use in the process. Before you start eating them either raw or cooked, make sure that you take a look at the sprout. A light spray of water is recommended to remove any dirt. Carefully remove those sprouts that have not sprouted. These sprouts would be generally fond at the bottom of the jar.
You can then use the alfalfa sprouts on your favorite dishes such as soups, salads and sandwiches. Organic alfalfa sprouting seeds can also be dried very easily. All that you need to do is to leave them in a slightly heated oven for a few minutes till they are completely dry. You can then use a blender to grind the dried sprouts. The powder can be then stored in an air tight container or jar. This delicious powder can be added to beverages, spreads, or infant foods, etc. In fact, the powdered version has got more nutrition value than the plain sprouts.
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