Since last year, I’ve been regularly consuming a handful of broccoli sprouts that I prepare at home. The process is very simple, and considering the costs, it’s much more economical than buying the equivalent in vegetables that then also need to be cooked.
They are also tasty and have a slight radish taste, adding a little extra to dishes. I generally add them to salads and sandwiches as they are better consumed raw. But why did I start growing and eating them?
Last year was a turning point in my diet. I studied the benefits of many foods and wanted to start eating healthier than I already did. This was to prevent potential diseases since I’m no longer young. I talked about it here: Getting in shape. One of the foods I decided to include in my daily menu last year was cruciferous vegetables.
We have many cruciferous vegetables available: broccoli, all varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, broccolini, Brussels sprouts, daikon radishes, but also mustard and arugula! These foods are a real boon for health: they are anti-carcinogenic and antioxidant and much more; the list of their benefits is very long.
Since cooking can reduce or eliminate some of the beneficial properties of cruciferous vegetables and some people find them hard to digest, broccoli sprouts come to the rescue: being raw and retaining the same properties, they are, in my opinion, the best way to consume cruciferous vegetables and are very digestible. If you want to learn more about the properties of these sprouts, I recommend reading this Greenme article that is easy to consult and quite comprehensive: All About Broccoli Sprouts.
That said, let’s prepare them! I’ll also leave you some other recipes to which you can add broccoli sprouts to make them healthier:
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 5 Days
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon broccoli seeds
- to taste water
- Points for 1 handful = 0 WW points
Tools
Here are a couple of useful links for jars with filter lids and another pair just for the filter lid, if you already have suitable jars.
You can also close the jars with gauze held by a rubber band, as I did initially, but then draining them becomes much more complicated: it’s better to use these filters that make rinsing super quick!
- Jar
- Jar
- Lid
- Lid
- Bowl
Steps
Here is the short version of the entire procedure: first, soak the seeds overnight and then rinse and drain them twice a day until they are ready. In 4 or at most 5 days, the broccoli sprouts are usually ready.
Here in the photo, you see the seeds I use. I’m not paid to show the photo; I show it because, after much research and testing, I believe they are the best for making sprouts. You’ll find how to buy them in the ingredients.
Put 1 tablespoon of seeds in a jar, cover them with water, and let them soak overnight or at least for 8 hours. This will facilitate the initial sprouting.
In the morning, drain the water well, refill with water, shake the jar, and drain again.
Place the jar either in the designated stand if you have one or, as I do, tilted with the mesh lid down in a bowl. This will allow the remaining water to slide away without leaving the seeds too wet.
Repeat this operation again in the evening. I usually do it when I wake up and then before going to bed.
Important: some other procedures I’ve read suggest keeping the jar closed. I, however, always keep it open on a shelf in the kitchen in the shade.The next day, always do 2 rinses in the morning and evening. You will start to notice that some seeds have sprouted a tail: sprouting has begun.
As you can see from the photo, almost all the seeds have started to sprout.
The third day, you still need to do 2 rinses, and you’ll see that already in the lid, the tails of the first sprouts begin to get stuck.
On the fourth day, the broccoli sprouts are almost ready!
You could stop here, but I prefer them greener, so I do a couple more rinses and wait for the next day.
And here are the sprouts ready: from just 1 tablespoon of seeds, you get almost half a jar.
As you can see, some seeds haven’t sprouted, and that’s normal: in all seed packages, the percentage of seeds that will germinate is often specified, and if you enjoy cultivating plants, you will already know this. You can safely eat everything that remains in the jar, sprouts, and those few seeds left.
Here is a close-up photo of the broccoli sprouts ready to use, smelling fresh and really tasty!
You can use broccoli sprouts as you prefer: in salads, sandwiches, but also raw over a soup or, as I often do, to add an extra touch to a legume curry.
Further on, you’ll find storage instructions. I personally make them in rotation, meaning I start a jar today and then after 2 or 3 days start another and so on. This way, you’ll always have broccoli sprouts available.
Well, I’m curious to know if you make them and if you like them; let me know in the comments below or on Facebook!
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
To store broccoli sprouts, I prepare a glass container by placing a folded paper towel on the bottom. Then I add the sprouts and distribute them well. I close it and put it in the fridge, where they will stay fresh for 5-6 days. I don’t know beyond that because I consume them!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How many broccoli sprouts can I eat per day?
I suggest consuming a handful for various reasons. Firstly, a handful is enough to benefit from this food. Additionally, it’s also a moderate amount; overindulging in any food is never a good idea, and some people with specific medical conditions might experience disadvantages.
Why do they have 0 WW points?
Broccoli sprouts have a caloric value, but it is so low that for a handful, we can certainly consider them zero Weight Watchers points.
