Growing my own bean sprouts... Anyone else do this?

[jefferzzzz]

I have started growing my own bean sprouts (lintels) and was wondering if anyone else here is doing that as well? If so, what is your favorite bean to sprout?

I am wanting to try a few different kinds and was hoping someone would chime in with a few suggestions. Thanks!

[kaplods]

I don't usually sprout lentils or beans (at least not by themselves), but I do grow "salad mix" sprouts from seed mixes I find in healthfood stores (some of which will contain bean or lentil sprouts). Occasionally I'll sprout a single seed type, usually radish or broccoli sprouts. I love having the radish flavor without having to wash, peel and slice the radishes.

Usually I sprout in the fall in winter, because during the spring and summer I buy so many salad veggies from the farmers' market. Also, I have more trouble with sprouts molding before they're completely grown in the warm months. In Wisconsin this doesn't seem to be as much of a problem as it was in central Illinois, but out of habit I associate sprouts with cold weather.

I use a sprouting jar I bought from a health food store, and I also use a large gallon pickle jar and some cheesecloth. I put a clean dishcloth or paper toweling in the bottom of a bowl and set the sprouting jar, lid-side down into the towel, at an angle, so there's plenty of airflow to the sprouts, but all the excess moisture drains into the towels. I change the towel(s) every day (if they're moist. If the towel stays dry and clean, I'll continue to use it).

[ladynredd]

My favorite is alfalfa sprouts. My local store sells mung beans but alfalfa sprouts rarely appear.

Donna D., Hemet, CA

[jefferzzzz]

I will definitely have to find a place to buy some salad mix sprouts, I didn't know there was such a thing, sounds perfect for me though. I will have to see if there's a health food store in my area.

Thanks to both of you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

Jeff

[kaplods]

Some stores sell their sprouting seeds and seed mixes in bins, so you can buy in whatever amounts you want to scoop. Other stores sell sprouting seeds prepackaged.

Salad mixes come in all sorts of different combinations. There are online stores too, which I love to browse (because they have so many varieties), but the shipping and quantity minimums make it a lot more expensive than finding health food stores that carry them - even if you have to drive a ways to do it.

Hubby and I are planning a trip to Madison to shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's (I've never been to either before)

Does anyone know whether either chain carries sprouting seeds and if so what their selections are like?

[WebRover]

I used to sprout mung beans, but my mainline grocery carries sprouted mung beans, alfalfa, radish and mixed sprouts.

[CyndiM]

In the winter we sprout all kinds of lentils, radish & broccoli seeds, mung beans and quinoa (makes awesome tabbouleh). It's an easy way to get fresh greens when none are available locally. I sprout in a canning jar with some cheesecloth over the mouth.