Fun, Frugal and Hyper-local: Grow Microgreens

How to sprout your own microgreens at home

Farmers’ markets are winding down, and so is Canada’s growing season. As we go into the winter season, people are worrying about rising grocery prices once again. Puneeta was on CHCH Morning Live on Oct 7 to discuss a fun, frugal and hyper-local way people can eat green, and grow it themselves too. Microgreens!

HERE’S WHY:

Many of us know that seeds like lentils, beans and many spices are nutritious powerhouses; what we may not know is that when we sprout them, we TRIPLE the benefits and make it easier on our digestive systems. In addiiton, when we allow the sprouts to grow a leaf or two – what we call microgreens – we add the power of chlorophyll and green veg to an already great-for-us food. 

HOW TO START:

• Look in your pantry first. You may already have the seeds you need, for example ,lentils, fava, chickpeas, chia, millet, wheat, barley. In spices, fenugreek seeds work well. Look for words like whole, unpolished; organic is good, though not a requirement. Avoid polished, hulled, roasted, or kernel seeds; they will not sprout. 
• If you Google “microgreens,” you will see a ton of kits for sale; you don’t need them.
• Pick up vegetable seeds from your local farmers’ market. 

WHAT YOU NEED: 

This expands on the techniques I shared in my book, Good Food, Healthy Planet.

• A mason jar
• A small piece of cotton cloth (with an open weave like cheesecloth or linen tea towel)
• An elastic band
• Water
• Seed of choice – start with a tbsp
• Strainer-type lids – OPTIONAL
  • A strainer-type lid makes sprouting easier; store in the fridge.

PROCESS:

Day 1: Rinse and soak seeds in water.

Day 2: Rinse. Pour out water and leave the seeds damp. Put the lid/ cloth back on, leave sideways, cover with a large tea towel. Allow seeds to rest in the dark. Pro Tip: avoid clumping the seeds. together.  

Day 3-4: Repeat every 12 hours. Most seeds will germinate on Day 3. Stories have been written about the little shoots that pop up. Allow the shoots to reach an inch long. Pro tip: they need good drainage and air circulation. 

Day 5: Sunlight. For microgreens to develop, expose the sprouts to sunlight. This will allow the leaves to form. Repeat rinse and drain.

Day 6-7- Rinse and drain. Keep damp (not wet), allowing for air circulation and 6 hours of sunlight/ lamp.

Day 8 – Microgreens at 2-3 inches long are ready to be harvested. Rinse, drain and store in fridge for up to 4 days.

Enjoy with a squeeze of lime and salt, or in sandwiches, salads, stirfries or as a garnish on soups.

BONUS TIPS:

I tried a variety of methods and seeds at home to simplify and teach the viewers on CHCH Morning Live. Here’s an interesting finding. The Tray method (popular on YouTube) works well, too. You can sprout directly in water or a substrate like coconut fibre, but this will take up more space.

Here’s the kicker: in the tray method, people often harvest by clipping the greens halfway. The entire plant, seed skin, first roots, shoot and leaves, is edible and delicious.

Watch the entire segment on CHCH Morning Live with Annette Hamm.

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Find her on Instagram to see her kitchen transform into a grow-op (!!), preparing for this TV segment.