Sprouts!

I've long been a fan of sprouting. In fact, I haven't purchased sprouts in years. Our Kroger stores don't carry them because of some sort of food safety issue (whatevs). And why drive out to Whole Foods when I can grow my own sprouts for pennies?

I've always used the old jar method. Put some legumes or seeds in a mason jar and soak with water overnight. Drain. Cover the jar with a wash rag or cheesecloth and rinse the seeds twice daily until sprouts are fully grown. Simple. But I always lost so many sprouts in the rinsing process. Either they'd slip through my colander or they'd get stuck to the sides of the colander.

But my friends Sheridan and Drew got me the coolest new kitchen toy for my birthday. Meet the Victorio 4-Tray Seed Sprouter.

You soak your seeds overnight and then spread one tablespoon of seeds in each of the four trays. Here are some alfalfa seeds right after soaking and draining.

Then each morning and each night, you pour two cups of water into the top tray. Each tray has tiny holes, so the water slowly drains from one tray to the next, rinsing the sprouts as it goes. It solves that whole losing-sprouts-down-the-sink-drain problem. The water is collected in the base tray, and you just dump it after it's full.

Within a few days, each tray produces fluffy sprouts! Look how cute?

I love this thing, and I think I'll keep something sprouting all the time now. I love using sprouts in salads, soups, stir-fries, and sandwiches. Yum! Next up — mung bean (my fave)!