How to Make a Sprouting Tray

Sprouts can be grown anywhere with no need for a garden or even a sunny window sill. Sprouts, which are grown from a variety of seeds that have different flavors, make a healthy and satisfying addition to salads, sandwiches and many cooked dishes. Sprouting allows you to have fresh greens even in winter. There are many methods of sprouting, but a common and simple way to get started is with a tray method. There is no need to purchase expensive trays as you can quickly use something you already have to create a sprouting tray.

Bowl

Baking tray

Baking rack

Paper towels

Plastic wrap

Fill a bowl with warm tap water. Soak ? cup of sprouting seeds in the water for eight hours.

Use a glass baking dish or stainless steel pan that is 2 inches deep. Place a baking rack inside the pan. The top of the rack needs to set so there is 1 inch of space between the top of the rack and the rim of the pan.

Stack two paper towels on top of each other. Wet them down, then squeeze out the excess water, taking care not to tear the towels. Lay them on top the rack.

Drain the water from the soaking seeds. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the paper towels as evenly as possible. Cover the seeds with a second two-towel layer after moistening the towels.

Cover the top of the sprouting tray with plastic wrap, leaving one end unsealed so air still circulates. Place in a dark cupboard or closet.

Water seeds one to two times daily. Remove the top layer of towels and sprinkle water on the seeds. Moisten the towels if they are drying out and place them back on top the seeds.

Use sprouts once they are ? inch to 2 inches long. Place them in sunlight for a day if you desire green sprouts instead of white.

Radish, broccoli and mung bean are popular sprouting seed varieties.

Rinse seeds, then dry them. Store in a the vegetable crisper for three to five days.

Avoid using seeds not sold specifically for sprouting. These may be treated with fungicides or other harmful chemicals.