hi guys! for those of you who are interested in growing some sprouts, here's my simple method.
it takes like 2 minutes. info on why sprouting is good for our tummies: why sprout?

1. pour a 1 lb. bag of dry lentils into two quart jars. rinse and drain, then fill jars with water and cover. (i do this before i go to bed.) let lentils soak 8-12 hours.
2. after the soak (in the morning), drain the water and rinse them again. set your drained jars at an angle in a loaf pan so air can flow. just let 'em sit all day (not soaking, just dry.)
3. in 8-12 hours, (before bed) you can rinse and drain again. place the jars back in the loaf pan. continue this process (rinsing every 8-12 hours) until you see sprouts! mine are usually ready at the next check point- which is on the second morning.



you can let the sprouts get as long as you like, but i stop when they are about 1/4 inch long. they're sweetest at that point. when you're done, just screw lids onto your jars and store in the fridge until you want to cook with them.

for easy covering/draining, you can get some fancy green sprouting lids like mine for cheap on amazon. or use a dish cloth to cover and colander for draining. or you can make some sprouting lids out of cheesecloth! super easy. just cut a square of cheesecloth and screw the mason jar band (not the whole top) over the cloth.



wondering what to do with your sprouted lentils? i know! i hadn't cooked a lentil in my life until recently. they may be humble (and not too pretty in pictures), but man, they are dirt cheap! you cook sprouted lentils just like dry lentils- toss them into a rustic lentil soup, or you can make my favorite chicken chili. also, rachel has a yummy recipe for them including caramelized onions. check out tastespotting for more good ideas!

i especially love this one for cooking lentils like baked beans.
and this one for lentils and fried eggs.