This post is in partnership with NOW Foods. I was provided with the products but received no additional compensation. All opinions are my own!

You guys know I am super lazy about preparing food. Some days (like a handful out of the year) I will be greatly inspired and slave away in the kitchen on some majestic meal, but day-to-day I’m running around and want foods to be as quick as possible. I love them, but I don’t love to make them, ya feel me?

I used to eat sprouts a lot, but then they disappeared from the rotation for awhile and I forgot about them. When I saw that NOW Foods had a sprouting jar and seeds to go with it, I got excited to try my hand (or green thumb) at growing some.

These could literally not be any easier to grow. They take a couple days and sprout in the darkness so there’s very little actual care involved. Just don’t forget about them in a closet. That makes them sad.

You start with a small amount of seeds and all you have to do is rinse them twice a day. They start sprouting within a day or two and are ready to eat in about five.

The lid of the jar has a fine mesh that allows you to drain the water without losing any of the seeds. Once they’re rinsed, pop them back in a cool, dark place and wait for the magic to happen.

I used alfalfa seeds for my sprouts, but there are many different varieties you can try. By following this link to the sprouting jar, you can scroll down and see all the different options that NOW Foods has to offer.

Sprouts can be used to top sandwiches, salads, and other cooked dishes such as stir fry. You can also just eat them raw and they are super fresh and delicious.

In addition to tasting great, they have a lot of other health benefits such as:

• good source of fiber
• plant protein
• source of vitamin K (watch if you are on blood thinners) and several additional vitamins
• anti inflammatory properties

I feel better about sprouting my own seeds at home because the potential for bacterial contamination or growth in commercial preparation can be high. This way I know exactly what I’m sprouting, the conditions I’m doing it in, and when they’re done.

You don’t need this specific jar to sprout your own seeds, but it’s been super helpful in just setting things up and letting them grow. If you want to try sprouting with your own set up, here is a link to a tutorial using mason jars.

Questions:

• Do you like sprouts?
• How do you eat them?